The Prince's Maid.

Chapter12

Exactly 10 days since I last updated, and my Muse seems to have returned to me....just not as much with this story. So I've got quite a few stories in my drafts, but I'm not gonna upload until I'm sure that I like them and until I've finished this story...or nearly finished it. Anyways, I love all the people that are adding my story to their library and clicking the little 'vote' button; I want to thank you all but I can never remember who I've actually thanked, so it becomes a bit of a tedious circle, and I just don't have the patience. Anyways, here's the 12th chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

-Talor<3

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Chapter12

After mine and Tristan's argument, the next few weeks passed slowly. I did the same routine each day; woke up at 8, started work at 9, finished work whenever I was told to (which was usually after dinner as I had continuously turned down the offer to dine with them), spent half an hour talking with Millie and Caden, going back to my room and bathing and then going to sleep. It was a never-ending cycle that I was more than happy to abide by.

I missed having Tristan there to greet me with a 'good morning, beautiful', just like he used to, even from the day we met. I missed his dimples when he smiled, the way he never listened to anything I ever said to him and more importantly, the way our presence seemed to have on each other, knowing that we could not only tell each other anything and everything, but we could make each other smile with so little effort. Yes, I missed him, but it wasn't my fault that I was caught up in the middle.

Now that the arguement between Tristan and I had happened, Caden and Tristan were talking even less. I know from what Natalia has told me that they used to be inseparable, but ever since I came on the scene, they've been quite the opposite. I just wished I could put everything back the way it used to be, except with me in the equation. I wished we could all just be friends without all of these pathetic complications.

Two months had passed since I'd started working for the King and Queen and to say that my work had improved was an understatement. With my routine solidly in place, I was able to get everything I wanted to do done, proving to everyone that there was a reason why I had been sent here to work, and not Elizabeth or Malorie. I thought of them every now and then, and when I did, a pang of sadness flooded through me; I missed them terribly. I knew there wasn't a way of seeing them again, but I wished I could have them by my side, cleaning that wine-stained cellar floor again, or complaining about the state of the plates whenever the Lord and Lady (I'd given up calling her Anne, it just didn't feel right) and their guests had pork.

Caden and Millie had gotten married, just like they said they were going to. It was a beautiful thing, and I felt angry and jealous all the way through and had to force a smile all day. Natalia later told me that Tristan kept shooting glances of longing towards me, and at one point even started walking to approach me, but changed his mind at the last minute. It hurt to know that he'd changed his mind, simply because of how much I missed him, but I was too caught up in my bubble of envy to really care. The only thing that stopped me from telling Caden that I loved him and to marry me instead was the fact that it was my sister up there. I wasn't going to ruin her.

This particular Saturday was one of those days where I felt more alone than I ever had. Despite having my sister here along with Natalia and Caden, both of whom I loved dearly, I wanted to see Elizabeth and Malorie or even Charles. I hadn't known Charles for a long time, but he'd been nice to me without needing awkward introductions. Today, I felt like I needed to be held by someone and to just let my tears fall while I hid my face in their shoulder.

The newly Autumn weather was peaceful, and as I walked through Caden's gardens next to the pool (I never went to Tristan's any more, even though I loved the benches by his fountain), I wanted Tristan to appear out of thin air like he always used to whenever I needed him. I was dressed in a cream long-sleeved top with a light brown long skirt, having realised how often I wore the valuable dresses. I'd been able to find the money that the Lady had said she'd folded within one of the dresses and hidden it safely. I'd carefully washed all of the dresses I'd worn, ironed them and hung them back up in my wardrobe, not daring to wear them unless it was a special occasion, though I hardly attended them any more.