I.

Madoka was just 6 years old when she first entered the halls of the Kingdom's Grand Palace. As a child, she was expected to work as her parents belonged to the Kingdom. This was her duty set before her by the head maid who taught her. Madoka accepted this and took to her work with her fellow servants to keep the place as peaceful as possible.

As long as she kept her head low, beyond the eyes of greedy nobles and those who would take advantage of her, she was content with her life. As the Head Maid and her fellow maids would warn her of nobles, she too, would warn new servants born into this kingdom of them. King Fiara, the ruler of this land, made it clear after an incident involving a noble who murdered a maid that anyone who messed with them would have their heads placed on a platter. As such, for His Majesty's kindness, Madoka focused on her duties and kept to herself to repay him. Even if she never saw him herself.

A year later, it was one fateful morning when she was transferred to a Royal's Hallway. To servants like her, it was like a sacred place and it could cost them their lives if they were to blemish any part of it. Madoka was going to make sure she was thorough in her cleaning duties to impress the Head Maid and not get punished. She was cleaning the windows when she heard a muffled noise from the Royal's room. To her surprise, she could hear the scream from a young girl. A princess?

It was then when Madoka realized how small she was in this world. She didn't even know who she was serving. She was supposed to go in there, right? Still, that did not stop her heart from pounding at the scary possibility that this Royal could kill her at any point. She was tempted to flee in terror when she heard the voice of the princess. The princess seemed in a panic. Was it because of her?

"No, no, no!" the princess seemed to be pleading with someone, or something. Madoka heard rummaging around. "Me? Who am I? What is happening? No, no, no! It can't be!"

Madoka squished her ear to the door, and heard the princess tumbling over something. It was decided right then and there. She would make a choice that would alter her life forever. She held her breath, then knocked on the door.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," Madoka was trained to address nobles and Royalty alike, well versed in dealing with either. She was not prepared to open the door and see a girl no older than herself.

"Eep! Come in!" the princess panicked, and Madoka entered bowing. Keep your head low, Madoka thought furiously to herself. Don't upset the princess. The princess herself was already distraught, standing on a stool and inspecting herself in the mirror, with everything on the dresser knocked off onto the floor.

It must have been an eternity in that room, but Madoka did her duties and cleaned the room while the princess had barely moved at all and ignored her. She seemed to be fearful of everything, even panicking when Madoka picked up her things near her. Still, neither said a word. Was every Royal like this? Madoka could not help but wonder as she was about to exit.

"You," the princess said, freezing Madoka in her tracks. Madoka cursed herself, she should not have acknowledged the princess's existence even in her mind. She turned and curtsied.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Name?" the princess tripped over her words, like she couldn't believe that she understood the words coming out of her own mouth. The princess backed away from Madoka, as if the maid would attack her. She quivered as panic escaped her lips as she gave Madoka an odd request. "I need... What... Please, I need a name. Anything!"

The princess's trembling voice nearly constricted Madoka's throat in ice. What was this Royal planning to do with her? And why was the princess begging something so trivial to her, the lowest of lows, for her name? Still, a command was a command, Madoka thought.

"Madoka, Your Highness," she bowed her head. This seemed to satisfy the princess or at least calm her down.

"Thank you," the princess said, excusing Madoka. "Madoka, Madoka, Madoka..."

Princess Fiara was muttering Madoka's name, but a terrified Madoka got out of there swiftly. She would work the next few weeks in terror, though nothing came about the incident.

II.

The guards were marching by her as she cleaned, talking nonchalantly as this hallway was relatively remote from the rest of the palace. She even became friends with a few of them, therefore, Madoka felt at ease in this hall cleaning. Ever since her encounter with the strange princess a few days ago, she was on edge.

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"Have you heard the news about the princess?" one of the guards asked the other. Madoka stopped dusting for a second, resuming when the other replied.

"Nae," he said. "What happened to her? Did she finally keel over?"

"No," the first guard laughed. "She's gotten really sick. Quiet too."

"Oh?" the other replied. "Hope she stays that way, huh!"

"More importantly," the guard whispered rather loudly. "Me thinks I overheard them while on guard over there in the West Hall. Someone's cast a damn curse on her. She's acting all jumpy one minute and mopey the next."

"Could be a trap, a trick of hers," the other whispered back, just as loud.

"Aye, we gotta be on our damn toes around here."

"Right."

Madoka finished her duties here and moved swiftly to the next room.

III.

She turned 10 years old yesterday. Madoka smiled to herself, when the Head Maid told her of her birthday. She had steered clear of trouble since that day with the princess, only having to enter her chamber one more time but luckily it was empty. She could hardly tell the difference between a day and her birthday, but the Head Maid had different plans for her that morning.

As the sun rose, the Head Maid led her from the group silent as a ghost. Her silence meant one thing, that the place they were going to was a Royal's and they were to remain as respectful and silent as possible. Madoka followed quietly, but the Hallway was one she hadn't seen since she was 6 years old. The Grand Entrance to the throne room. Madoka was excited, to be one who cleans this sacred place meant that she was worthy enough.

The Head Maid sensed her excitement and silenced it with a sharp look. Madoka could tell that she was nervous as well. She deduced since she was able to clean this place normally this was not as simple. The giant doors opened and Madoka nearly fainted from the grand sight of the pristine throne room.

Her heart sank when she saw the King and the princess she ran into years ago. Madoka was definitely not going to survive whatever ordeal she was headed in. The Head Maid's palms were sweating, but she still guided Madoka along slowly like the ferryman to the afterlife. The two approached the guards, who parted ways and then they bowed profusely. Madoka bowed as sincerely as she could.

How could she be killed? Her, a simple servant with no agenda for all of her life, was under scrutiny? Madoka felt his gaze on her. The King might as well have regarded her as a mere insect.

"Raise your heads," he commands. Surprisingly, to Madoka's ears his voice had a gentle tone to it. She didn't get her hopes up, for she was still prostrating herself before him surrounded by his soldiers. "Is this the one?"

He spoke, while the princess looked at Madoka in thought. How did she even remember me? Madoka was in a panic. What did she do wrong?

"Hmm," the princess jumped from her throne and walked up to her, much to the guards and her father's surprise. "Your name... It's Madoka, right?"

Madoka could barely get a word out of her throat before her father spoke.

"Elise Fiara! Sit back down this instant!" the King commanded. Princess Fiara pouted but acquiesced and sat next to her father.

The Head Maid could not take it any longer. For as long as Madoka worked here, she was always harsh and strict on Madoka, but this was another side to the old woman.

"Please, Your Majesty, Your Highness," she flinched as the guards rose up. The king raised his hand silently and the guards calmed back down. "If there's anything this girl has done wrong — let the blame fall upon me!"

The King looked onward as if he was exhausted, while the princess looked as if she was holding in laughter.

"Be not afraid, my servants," he told them. "It's not anything wrong, it's just... My beloved daughter's health has not been well as of late. Recently she had mentioned the name Madoka, a name she has not uttered since her last sickness two years ago. The same name that calmed her sickness down twice now. I had to know who my daughter's savior was. The servant whose name she uttered, I surmise, is you."

"I'm perfectly fine, Father," the princess pouted. A look from him made her shrink back into her throne. "Eep!"

It took a moment for Madoka to process that the King actually addressed her.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty," she bowed her head. "She asked for my name years ago."

How did she remember who I was? I don't even know who she is! How can I get mixed into all of this! Madoka wondered, her eyes full with confusion. The king studied her for a while.

"It is clear to me that you are no threat to my daughter. I will have you be her personal attendant from now on," the King commanded. Madoka was in a bewildered state, with the Head Maid in a similar state.

"I will do as you command, Your Majesty," Madoka bowed again. The princess leapt off her throne and ran up to Madoka, much to the protests of everyone around her.

"Yay!" Princess Fiara jumped for joy, as her other servants scolded her. "My own attendant!"

Madoka was terrified of what that implied, but soon they were escorted out. The guards separated the Head Maid and Madoka, telling her she will be attending the princess and begin training immediately. She would stay learning how to for the whole day, which she picked up quickly. The dread arrived when they approached the Royal hallway as night fell. If she failed here, the princess could easily have her head.

"This is the princess's quarters. You will attend to Her Highness's every need," the guard said. Before he walked away, he paused with a chuckle. "Oh, and good luck. You will need it."

The way the guard said that to her did not inspire confidence in Madoka. With a great fear in her heart, she knocked and barely squeaked out an "excuse me."

"Come in," the princess called for her. Madoka entered the room bowing.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," she said, but noticed the princess standing at the windowsill. The moons were pouring their light in the room and the princess finally turned and looked right at her. Her hair was beautiful and blonde. Despite her childishness, Princess Fiara had a grace to her only Royalty could have.

"Finally," the princess said looking at her, as if she reunited with a lost friend. Not that Madoka would know, as she had no right for such luxuries as friends. A tear slipped out of her eye, but she wiped it quickly. "The woman of my dreams, I am so very glad to meet you."

Eh?!