Chapter 3

“Good morning, Miss Audrey.” I flinched at the light pouring into the room as the maid opened the curtains. The princess didn’t come back last night. Which I was mostly grateful for, though some part of me was disappointed. I quickly pushed it down. It wouldn’t end very well if I got carried away.

“Good morning, Miss…” I replied.

“My name is Leah Relford. I serve Princess Lydia as her sole Lady-in-Waiting. She has informed me of your situation.” She seemed to be a very polite and dignified young lady with silky black hair down to her lower back and blue eyes. She has a last name, which means she’s a noble. I put my guard up.

“I apologize, Miss Leah. The princess told me yesterday I was to work for her moving forward. What should I start on?” I slid out of the bed, standing on shaky legs. “It’s unforgivable for me to sleep longer than my superior. What would you have me do?” In truth, I felt I was about to keel over, but I couldn’t afford to be vulnerable right now.

Leah only stared in shock at me before anger flared through her expression. “What do you think you’re doing?!” She started toward me, the hem of her maid skirt flaring. I closed my eyes and bowed my head in fear.

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend—” I was cut off by a gentle push, and the momentum caused me to sit on the edge of the bed. Leah kneeled in front of me and grabbed both my hands. Her eyes wavered with tears.

I started to speak again, but Leah interrupted me. “Stop! Don’t you dare apologize again!” I don’t know how I angered her, but I must remedy the situation! I opened my mouth again, but the tears flowing down the maid's face stopped me. “You have nothing to apologize for! You haven’t done anything wrong, but I need you to lay back down, okay?”

I was… frozen. I couldn’t move at all. Was she crying? Why? I’m pitiful, but nobody’s ever cried over it before.

“Hey, did you hear me? I said to lay back down. Let me help you.” her voice sounded so gentle. Leah slowly pulled back the blankets and guided my head to the pillow before covering me again. “I will be bringing in breakfast shortly. Do you have any requests? It can’t be anything too heavy on the stomach.” Leah asked.

“U-Um, I can’t possibly allow you—”

“Shush, child, just tell me what you would like.” The force behind her words left no room for argument. I don’t even know what the options are. Maybe it’s a test? Thinking about it made me all the more sure that it was.

“I-I’ll have some water then… some s-stale bread if there’s any. Whatever the other servants didn’t eat is fine.” Leah froze this time. She looked so shocked that even her tears stopped. She nodded slowly, then stood up and left the room. Sighing in relief, I closed my eyes. That must have been the correct answer, thank goodness.

Leah came back after a while, carrying a tray of food. I sat back up, moving to get out of bed again, but a voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Don’t you dare. Stay in that bed. That’s an order.” The princess had been behind Leah, but I had missed her in my haste to stand. The faintness came on suddenly, probably from all my exertion, and I struggled to stay awake. “Lay down.” the princess was in front of me, her face serious. Her hand slowly pushed me down again, and I managed to feebly object.

“Y-Your Highness. You said I have to work…” My words managed to affect both of them. And Leah froze, preparing my breakfast.

“Yes, I did say that, but not immediately. I also told you to recover first, right? Consider that a priority order. From now on, you will do everything Leah and I say without objection. Understood?” I could only nod in understanding. I wasn’t in a position to object further, so I just accepted. Leah came over, having finished her preparations, and handed a bowl to the princess. “You’re going to eat this now.” She scooped a spoonful of porridge out of the bowl and held it out to me, her hand hovering under it to protect it from spills. The action confused me, and I held a shaky hand out to grab the utensil, and the princess shook her head. “No, open your mouth. I’m going to feed you. You couldn’t hold anything even if you tried.”

I flushed in embarrassment, but another thought came to mind. “Your Highness… I didn’t ask for this.”

“You won’t get better with just water and bread. Now eat. Remember what I said? You listen to us unconditionally.” She shoved the spoon into my mouth, spreading the sweet taste across my tongue. It was too much for my senses to handle, and I almost spit it out, but the consequences of doing so would be significant, so I forced it down. A smile plastered on my face as I looked at the princess.

“It’s delicious. Thank you for the graciousness.”

The princess only stared. It wasn’t a glare, but it was still intense. “What’s wrong? Does it not agree with you?” I couldn’t answer quickly enough before realization dawned on her face. “When was the last time you ate? Be honest.”

I paused to think. I had fallen asleep right after she left yesterday. “I think… I had a bite of bread two days ago, maybe? It would have been long before you found me.” My stomach rumbled, having had real food for the first time in weeks, and I held it hesitantly. “Sorry, I’ll eat it all. It’s just really sweet. It took me by surprise.”

“Two days ago..? What happened to the porridge I requested last night?”

“Last night? I fell asleep after you left, Princess. I vaguely remember someone trying to wake me, but…” The horrible realization kicked in as I spoke. “I-I am terribly sorry, I must have slept through someone trying to feed me. It wasn’t my intention to spurn your kindness!” I bowed quickly; the motion sent my head spinning again.

The princess hurriedly stood up, handing the bowl to Leah. “It’s fine! Really! I should’ve checked on you before I went to bed myself. I thought you would be more comfortable without me…” She pushed me back up gently. “When did you eat before that, then?”

“I-I don’t remember, I apologize.”

“You… don’t remember?” Her downcast face turned to the maid, receiving the bowl again. She quickly took a bite. “It tastes fine to me… It must be because you haven’t eaten real food in such a long time. Leah, put some salt in. Just enough to combat the sweetness, nothing more.”

“Of course, My Lady.” Leah sprinkled some white powder in, then tasted it before nodding. “I think it should be fine now.”

“Thanks. Will you go find the maid who brought the food last night? You can ask Lucia, she should know. Find out why it wasn’t reported to anyone.” Leah bowed, then left the room again. The princess turned once again to face me. A repeat of earlier happened, and I just opened my mouth without objecting. The porridge was more palatable because it didn’t taste like much now. But I continued to eat it, the Princess ferrying it for each bite.

When the bowl was finally empty, I sipped some water, breathing a sigh of contentment. It’s been so long since I’ve had a full meal… The princess was once again staring at me, and it was making me nervous.

“I’m sorry, d-did I do something wrong?”

“Oh! No, you didn’t. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” The princess scratched her face sheepishly.

“It’s fine…” I cleared my throat. “Is this truly all you want? I promise I can work…”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

She seemed sullen. “It is. All you are going to do is rest for now.” She hesitated over something before continuing. “All I ask in return is that you consider… having more trust, even if it’s a little. All I want to do is help.”

More trust? My mind explored the possibility. I indeed feel some connection with her. But is that truly enough to expose myself? Then again… she has been nothing but benevolent. It is true there’s no reason for her to help me, but the same holds true for putting up such a facade. I remembered Aurora. She said I had to face this chance earnestly. “Okay. I’ll do my best, Your Highness.” I won’t be reckless, but I can do my best to compromise… and maybe someday, It will be genuine.

“Great, that’s all I can ask.” Her smile was breathtaking. It was like she overcame some obstacle, but it wasn’t any of my business. “With that being said, I’m afraid I have to leave. I’ll be able to eat most meals with you. Is that alright?” I nodded, and she beamed again. She moved to leave, stopping at the doorway to look at me one more time. “Get some rest, Audrey. I’ll visit again soon.” The door shut behind her, and I groaned as I laid back down. “Please tell me what I should, Goddess…” I let the waves of unconsciousness take me as I struggled to come to a conclusion.

***

Dame Lucia gave me a salute as I left the room. “She hasn’t tried anything, right?” I inquired.

“No, Ma’am, even if she wanted to, she couldn’t in that condition.”

I nodded in agreement. “Continue to keep me updated.” I strode down the hall. I hated to be that stern with Audrey… but it seems to be the only to get her to listen. The walk passed faster than normal, perhaps due to my pace. Thinking about her promise, I felt myself grinning. I didn’t quite understand why I was so ecstatic, but it was a great distraction from the impending discussion. I really don’t want to be here for this meeting, but I need all the exposure I can get to politics… I once again knocked on Luke’s office before stepping inside.

“Excuse me for being late,” I said with a slight curtsey.

“It’s fine, Lydia, take a seat.” I sat down across from the guest. Duke Rose eyed me suspiciously, giving off a cold aura. He spoke sternly to everyone, even royalty.

“I wasn’t aware you would be participating. It shows a lack of diligence when you show up after a guest. Even more so for royals.” He spoke bluntly to me, and I pretended to nod in acknowledgment. He makes my skin crawl…

“I apologize, Duke. I got held up attending to another guest.” I forced a smile. Duke Rose was one of the few outside the royal family who could get away with disrespecting me so blatantly. He was a thorn in the royal family’s side as he was the leading figure of the traditionalist faction against my father’s meritocracy policies. Still, his influence among the nobility could not be understated—a dangerous opponent, to be sure.

“It’s alright, Lydia, take a seat. We haven’t started the discussion yet. And Duke Rose, you are speaking to my sister. I ask that you watch your words.” Luke cut in. I nodded as I sat across from the Duke.

“Apologies, Your Highnesses. I haven’t been myself lately. My daughter recently passed away, and it’s been hard on my household. Myself included.” His face turned solemn.

Luke was in disbelief. “My condolences. May I ask what happened?” Luke’s shock was understandable. Losing a member of a ducal household was no small occurrence.

“Oh, just illness. My daughter had always been sickly ever since my first wife passed away. It greatly strains us, particularly my wife and youngest daughter. They loved her like one of their own. It was nothing but the will of the Gods, and I take solace knowing she’s with her mother.”

He wiped a tear away from his eye. “But it is my noble duty to continue working towards a future my first wife and daughter would be proud of.” The display made me uneasy. I’d never seen him look so vulnerable, but it came across as fake at the same time. “If it’s alright, I’d like to continue onto the purpose of this meeting.”

“Of course. You wanted to discuss a reform to private militaries?”

His expression flipped instantly, almost like the previous conversation didn’t happen. “Yes, with the empire’s current actions, it is too dangerous for us to be caught unprepared. We should increase the amount of soldiers stationed in every territory in the case of an invasion.”

“Why shouldn’t we just increase the centralized royal army then?” I asked. “Increases in the soldiers each house is allowed to have could lead to internal disputes, which, like you mentioned, with the empire. It would be disastrous right now.”

“The royal army already takes days to reach the kingdom's borders from the capital. If you added more soldiers on top of that, their response time would be unacceptable if the border were encroached upon.” He turned to my brother. “I apologize, but why is she here, Your Highness?” The maid pouring tea shook a bit at his tone, causing some to splash on the table. Her face froze in fear, but the Duke was too focused on my brother to notice. I handed her a handkerchief, and she bowed before cleaning up the mess and moved against the wall while breathing a sigh of relief. I gave her a small smile, to which she returned.

“She is here to learn. She has my full permission to provide opinions as well, Duke. Is that a problem?” My brother’s response pulled me back into the conversation.

“Not necessarily, but what opinions could an inexperienced princess possibly give?” He looked like he swallowed something sour, and I couldn’t help but jab at him.

“Being inexperienced is what makes me useful. I could hit on a solution normal advisors wouldn’t think of.” I defended myself.

“Useful? You should be using your time elsewhere. Like finding yourself a worthy husband! You are nearly an adult and still don’t have a betrothed. It’s unheard of for a Princess! How about the heir to the Beldonna house? I also hear the Empire's crown prince treats his wives very well; maybe you should consider forming diplomatic ties. You could single-handedly stop their mad conquest!”

My face screwed up in disgust at his suggestions. He seriously wants me to join that playboy’s harem? Who does he think he is?! And the Beldonna’s… I wonder how Isaac’s doing… I snapped back “Please, Duke Rose. The empire has claimed countless princesses as “hostages” already. I wouldn’t make a difference. If anything, it would put our kingdom at a disadvantage. Please make some serious suggestions.”

He prickled at my venomed retort, but Luke cut in before he could speak.

“That’s enough, Duke. I already warned you to watch your tone. You as well, Lydia. That’s no way for a princess to speak.”

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

“Sorry, Brother…” I hung my head in shame, but the Duke just shrugged his shoulders before continuing the discussion.

“Regarding the proposal, I suggest bolstering the private armies instead of the royal army so that neighboring territories can support each other. It would allow a better response time in case of an attack. Having more soldiers at the initial conflict would also make time for the royal army to respond.” he gave me a side-eye as he explained his reasoning. “Not only that, but it would greatly impact the citizens' peace of mind.”

Luke nodded along until the Duke was done talking. “I understand your reasoning, and you indeed have good points. However, even if we disregard the obvious threat of revolt… as my sister mentioned, this increases the risk of infighting between territories and potentially the oppression of the common people.”

“Are you implying the royal family doesn’t have faith in its noble houses, Your Highness?”

“Of course not, Duke.” My brother rubbed his temples. “But conflict is as ingrained in human nature as breathing… The empire’s ceaseless war is a prime example. My duty is to mitigate any risks that may affect our people… I have heard your thoughts. Let me consider it before we bring it before the assembly.”

The duke nodded, clearly sensing his disadvantage. “Then I will follow up with you at a later date.” He stood up, glancing at me, and I thought I saw a smirk. He bowed one last time before leaving.

“Sorry for not being of much help, Brother.” I sighed as the maid poured me a cup of tea. I nodded my head gratefully at her.

“Don’t let it get to you. It is the Duke, after all. He frustrates even Father with his layered words.” I giggled at the thought.

“I thought about probing about Audrey but decided against it. If they are somehow connected, it would show our hand.” My brother nodded in agreement.

“There’s no reason to rush. I’m sure Audrey will tell us her story in time. It would be foolish to antagonize the Duke further without proof.”

“Speaking of, I made some progress with her today. We had a good heart to heart… I believe we did, at least.” I was hopeful about it.

Luke shuffled some documents that he finished. “Of course you did. You are you, after all. I didn’t expect anything less.” Was that supposed to be a compliment? I shrugged it off; I’ll just take it. I went for another sip of tea, but the office door slammed open, causing both Luke and I to stand up.

“Y-Your Highness…” Lucia was panting heavily, holding onto the doorframe for support. “It’s Miss Audrey! Please come quick!"