Slumping down on the ground, I bring my legs up and put my face on them, putting my arms around them.

I tried to find some sense into my Father being absent. I tried to find some type of answer to my questions, but I just couldn’t.

My Father was a merchant, not as well-known as another merchant, but he…I’m sure that his job did not come to such a degree as to get the King’s attention.

The only thing that did make me think that was strange, was that my father did have two scars, he also had friends that weren’t merchants and he also sometimes disappeared, leaving me with a woman that I had known from when I was a baby.

He never used to disappear for long, but this time, it was different.

The woman was nowhere in sight and I was in the palace…Why…Why am I in the palace?

This question started to really stand out to me, and I started to wonder if my Father and the King had made some kind of agreement.

If there really was an agreement, did that mean…That I was placed here…Because of my Father?

I already knew that my Father had something to do with me being in the palace but was it really so that I was here entirely because of my father?

The King didn’t seem to mind me here, not having said a bad word and in fact looked relieved to see me alive, but…Did the King demand me to be here when my Father was only a merchant?

Shaking my head, I could not find an answer as nothing made sense!

I just knew that my Father had some type of secret or something!

In fact, I was getting increasingly mad at him as the hours went by!

Before I knew it, already having not accepted breakfast, I was being told that lunch was just outside my door and I had no wish to get it.

“Oliver, eat something.”

I shook my head.

I wasn’t hungry…

“Please.”

I shook my head again. I didn’t want to talk to him at all! I didn’t want to see him! To be honest, it wasn’t entirely because I was mad at him, it was because of how much of a fool I was!

I could just picture him laughing at me!

At the moment, I just couldn’t bare him laughing at me. I just knew that my feelings were already hurt, and they would hurt more, seeing his laughing face at my expense!

After he disappeared from outside of my door, I sighed.

What was I going to do now!?

Did I still want to leave the palace so badly and search for my Father, in which…

That’s right!

I brought my head up and nodded!

I heard where he was!

That man told me that my Father was in Icklish!

After another few moments, I frowned…Because I was coming up with the strangest idea!

Not only did I want to speak to that man, Rodney, again, about my Father, but I also wanted to see if there was a secret passageway out of the palace!

…And I really couldn’t believe that I would seriously consider such a dangerous idea!

Shaking my head and closing my eyes, I banged my head with my hand and looked up.

Don’t do it, Oliver!

That’s right, I was really thinking of on purposely finding trouble, so that I could end up in a cell once again…

Haha!

Crazy right!

Maybe I was having a relapse or whatever because of talking to the King or something!

But, as the time went by, I couldn’t think of anything else to get me out of this room!

I could even feel more and more hungrier as I thought more and more about it!

How could I get myself into trouble?

Who could I get myself into trouble with!?

I had already thought that the best person to go to, was that of the weasel!

She would probably want to do something and get me gone again!

But…As far as she’s aware, apparently, I was dead…

So, the next idea I came up with, was the other woman that had tried to mock me and made things hard for me already, and that was the vixen!

Hearing a rumbling in my tummy, I put my ear against the door and listened closely.

After a minute of being certain that no one was there, I quietly opened the door and took the food, closing and locking the door afterwards!

Ah, food!

It smelt pretty great too!

Hungrily, I devoured the food and found that I was smiling evilly with this new idea of mine!

Not only will I get away from the Warmonger, but I will hopefully get out of the palace in no time!

I couldn’t wait!

First, I had to leave here, which would probably be better to do at night-time…Then, I had to find a way to get into the position of a maid for the vixen…And then find a way to try and get into a cell!

After the cell, talk to the man known as Rodney, go through a secret passageway and then…Freedom!

Ah, it sounded perfect! Well, perhaps not perfect…But it was a lot better than mopping around in this room all day!

I knew it was sad, because I could not let this idea go.

I psyched myself up to know that this wasn’t a great idea. I told myself that I was bound to lose something because of this!

The Vixen would have power over me, because she was married to a prince, but…But for some damned reason, I just felt like this was the only way to get what I wanted!

And…With the other version, of staying here and so close to that person that would probably laugh at me…

Yes, it was sad because I couldn’t stay here, yet I knew that dangers of leaving for the vixen’s den…

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With nightfall ever so slowly approaching, dinner there at my door, I waited.

Now that I was waiting, time felt like it went extremely slow!

I paced around the room, I played with the cupboard, I nearly even attempted to get Theo to come to me…

Ah, so bored!

I was that bored that I even had a nap!

Finally, as the sun had completely descended, and I heard no footsteps around, I quietly opened the door and tip toed down to the back of the Crowned Prince’s quarters and left, walking briskly towards the garden.

Putting dirt on my face, I called out to Theo and gave him the last of my treats for him, telling him to stay around here for now.

I didn’t want to risk his life!

Ah, I love you Theo!

He was chirping too much though! He must have slept for most of the day!

Weird bird!

Giving him a good pat, before making him fly away, I then got up and waited for a good time to get out of the next passageway.

With an hour going by, I quickly took my chance to go through the guards and then slowed down when I was a good distance away…

The first problem already came to me…Where was it that the vixen stayed?

Looking around, I knew that the Crowned Prince’s residence was behind me, the King’s residence was further to the left…So, wouldn’t that mean the vixen was directly to the other side?

I shrugged, it was good idea to me, and I started to walk with purpose straight ahead.

At some stage I was sure I knew where my brother in law was, but for some reason now, the Second Prince’s residence seemed vague to me.

Was it really that long ago that I had been there?

“What are you doing out!?” I heard a guard ask me, as I was closing into the direct opposite of the Crowned Prince’s quarters.

“I…This servant was…” I went silent, not sure how to answer them. On purpose, I had come in front of them, not hiding away discretely, and now that I was in front of them, I wondered if it was a bad idea. It was night-time after all and many of the maids were asleep and in the maid’s quarters. But…If I were lucky, I might land in a cell as quickly as tonight!

“Send her back!” One guard stated to the other and I smiled sheepishly at them.

“Isn’t she Madeline, Gray?” The guard who had stepped forward had stopped to state this and look back at the other guard.

“Madeline?” The other guard said.

I watched as they continued, wondering if this would help me or not.

“Ah…Madeline was one of the first maid’s for Lady Venus, she…” The guard looked at me, then looked down very quickly.

“Oh, that one…She hasn’t been here for weeks!” The other guard said.

I bowed my head a bit, not moving, but I did peak at the two guards under my lashes.

“If she’s back, then that’s great! I was…”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t let us catch you out at this time again, Madeline!” The formal guard stated, opening the way in for me.

Again…Madeline, whoever you are, thanks. You’ve already helped me out twice now!

“I’m very grateful!” I stated happily and walked past them, feeling eyes on me as I left…

Weird…

…But, where from here do I go…

In front of me were three areas, it looked similar to that of the Crowned Prince’s area and so…All I could think was Lady Vixen would be where I would have stayed as the Consort…Right?

Putting a hand to my mouth unconsciously, as I looked from one place to the next, I bit my lip in confusion…Why do they all look the so similar!?

Walking a few steps closer, I finally see a sign upon where the Prince was staying and smiled. Well, it’s not that one!

Down to two places that the vixen was in!

Walking closer, looking from right to left, I looked for a sign to help me but couldn’t see it.

“What are you doing?”

Turning in surprise, I see the Second Prince not too far away from me, followed by a couple of maids and some guards.

I showed a timid smile, as I wondered if this was a good or bad thing.

“Answer His Highness!” One of the guards stated firmly, as they came closer to me.

I stuttered, backing away from the extremely large guard, “I…This servant was just returning…”

“Returning!? At this time of night?” The guard yelled.

“Daniel, you return!” The Prince said, looking back at me afterwards, “You have come back from an errand?”

I nodded, I was on an errand to find this place and to get into trouble…Oh, right!

Smiling very innocently, I walked up to the Prince and leaned in towards him, seeing him being startled to my sudden behaviour, “Your Highness, I am late because I took a refreshing walk in the garden, it’s nice at this time of night!”

Standing up straight again, I let out a breath and waited for the impact of getting into trouble.

“Is that so?” I heard…

Looking innocently back at the Prince, I nodded, “It was pretty…”

Lock me up already!

“Then…Let’s take a walk, I would like to see it for myself!”

The Prince walked past me, but I was then taken by the arm by one of the guards and it so happens that…I was tagging along with them…

Ah…Why am I not getting punished?

After a walk, that took me away from where I was originally going, I blinked.

Ok then, perhaps I will try another tactic to get into trouble!

Having been docile until now, I suddenly fought to get my arm back and I was released. The guard hadn’t been holding onto me hard enough!

I ran up towards the Prince and passed him to the garden, bending down at a random flower, “Look at this one, Your Highness…It’s…Got…Green leaves…”

Now I just look stupid!

I must have lowered my standards extremely low!

Ok, so I don’t have to be completely stupid to get into trouble right!

“Are you perhaps…Do you have difficulties…” The Prince stopped talking and just stared at me.

I was looking up at him, feeling like he was suddenly his brother and I got up, glad that he changed back to the second Prince again…

Letting out a deep breath, I put a hand to my stomach to my small fright.

Was I going to see him everywhere now!?

Maybe I really was losing it!

“You stated that the garden was pretty, yet all you have stated was that one of them has green leaves…You are hiding something from me!” The Prince stated, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

Wow, wasn’t he still young!? How come he looks so mature right now!?

“Well, Your Highness, I just…Like green leaves…That’s why the garden is so pretty because…There’s so much of them!” I said, not sounding confident at all…

I really did insult myself when I said ‘green leaves’!

“What an interesting theory!” The Prince stated. “I had never heard of someone liking a garden just because it had green leaves…”

Blinking, I felt like this was all wrong. I wasn’t supposed to broaden the young Prince’s horizons, I was trying to get into trouble here.

Please, Your Highness, brother in law, help me out here!

Puffing out some air, I crossed my arms in front of me. What do I do now?

“Who is your master?” I heard.

Turning back to the Prince, I shrugged and said, “Lady Vixen.”

“…Vixen…”

Oh my!

“Venus! Lady Venus, your…Your wife!” I stated.

Honestly, saying ‘vixen’ had just popped out, I didn’t mean to say it to get into trouble…

Suddenly, the Prince laughed, baffling not just me, but by the looks of it the maids and guards as well.

“Your…Your Highness?” I asked, wondering if he was losing it, just like me.

“Mind your words…” The Prince stated quickly, after he had calmed down.

“Yes, Your Highness!” The rest stated, making me look at them in confusion but they just had their heads bowed like always.

“This person will become my maid instead, how can we let her go back to the ‘Vixen’?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” A maid came before me then and I knew that she was higher than the others, “What is your name child, I will inform the Head Mistress of your change in status.”

Uh?

I was acting out of place and stated something completely stupid to the Prince and I get a new status?

What was going on here!?

Looking at a few of them, I wondered if they had any brains at all.

If it was like this, how would I get into trouble!

“Please, I am able to tend to Her Highness, Lady Venus. I don’t deserve such a change in…” I started, making sure to sound informal as well, but was interrupted.

“Nonsense, you are now His Highness’s maid and you will no longer say such words, especially in front of His Highness, whom has giving you privilege.”

…Oh…

“Take care of it!” The Prince stated, after I spoke that ‘Madeline’ as my name, and then took my hand, walking back the way they had come. “Come with me!”

I followed behind him, realizing that I was now winning a losing battle!

What was I supposed to do now!?

As I was pulled along, behind me everyone else followed, and I sighed to my frustration.

“Am I not good company?”

Looking at the Prince, who now stopped and looked at me, I blinked and then smiled, “Of course you are! Don’t get me wrong Your Highness, I was just…Unsure?”

I didn’t know what other word to use.

“To be honest, it is nice that someone else sees the true face of my new wife. For I have already seen it!”

And now that boy that she had seen before was coming forth. He looked uncertain and upset and it made me wonder what he had seen.

“Mmm, it makes no sense for such a fine, young man like yourself having to endure against that woman!” I state, quite frankly.

The Prince turned to me and smiled, showing his dimples. Oh! There’s that boy that I remember!

“It’s good that another thinks the same and has the courage to state their mind! Come with me!”

Again, she was pulled along, all the way into the Second Prince’s quarters…

“Sit here!” The Prince commanded and pointed to a chair.

I sat down, remembering that this part of commanding people was something his brother did!

The Prince sat opposite me and smiled.

Moving uncomfortably in my seat, I smiled back quickly and looked around, unsure of what to do.

“…I’ll show you my garden tomorrow, there’s lots of green leaves there too!”

The Prince’s words made me look at him…He was just too cute and gullible!

“Then I have to thank Your Highness!” I said openly back at him.

He leaned in then and quietly said, “You must be careful of your words. You can be informal to me, but you must have manners elsewhere!”

I didn’t take long to understand what he was talking about. But what I suddenly thought of, was that the Crowned Prince had never stopped me from saying ‘I’ and I never even knew it until now!

Taking a short silence in my newfound knowledge, I suddenly remembered also fighting with him, in which was also extremely rude to do as a servant.

I really should have been punished a thousand times!

Feeling bad, yet strangely good at the same time, I look at the Prince and smiled, “It is just because I feel safe in your presence, Your Highness!”

He laughed happily and spread out his legs, making me remember that other man’s long legs too. They looked quite similar actually…Except Jorne’s were more manly and bigger…In fact, one of Jorne’s legs, I had seen, had an old scar on it…I should ask him how he got that…

He’s been to war, perhaps it was from then…

Had he nearly lost his life once?

Not knowing how any of his battles went, I lowered my head and was at least glad that his life was still certainly fine. He wasn’t a bad person, he was just…

I couldn’t pinpoint what my feelings were at the moment. All I knew was that I didn’t want him to laugh at me. I didn’t want to be a joke to him, I wanted…To be something else…