River of Bones

Ice white Eyes

Maid Alla's POV

The morning was rough, explosions of laughter echoed through the walls of Mayu's chambers, forcing her out of bed, Mayu rose from her disrupted slumber. I quickly spurred into action noticing the Young Miss's sluggish movements.

"Lady Mayu!", I exclaimed, causing a wince from the young miss, "let me take care of this", I said, having lowered my voice to fit her ears.

Mayu had swung her legs over the beds edge, her pale feet searching the cold floor for her absent slippers. Unable to find them with her feet she had nearly resorted to leaning down to search the dirty cold floor with her delicate hands.
I quickly kneeled down in front of the lady, reaching under her enormous bed to fetch the slippers that had seemed to slip underneath.
The young miss's ice white eyes stared down blankly, as if they were lost, searching a realm beyond a lowly maid such as I. Gently I cupped the young miss's heel in my free hand as I slowly slipped her foot in her soft, fluffy slipper.My touch must have startled her for when I dared to look up at her face her eyes were wide and she wore a soft expression of surprise.

"My apologies, my lady", I bowed my head knowing it was all for naught, "I have touched your skin without proper warning-",

as I had intended to insist punishment for causing her startle. The young miss simply raised her hand to cut off my next words.

"No apologies needed, I knew it was you Alla", she smiled softly as she spoke, "I know my father orders for punishment for insignificant mistakes like these but as long as it is just you and I in the room there shall be none"

I shook my head in both relief and amusement as I fixed the other slipper on the young miss's foot, "you are too kind my lady", I whispered knowing she fully heard my words

"Only to you Alla, now shall we go see what it is my father is up to?", I nodded before correcting my insensitive mistake with a verbal 'yes'

Mayu's POV.

Alla escorted me by the elbow through the hall shortly after preparing me for meeting my father and the guests. The dress she chose for me feels especially heavy compared to the normally light dresses that have less decorative fabrics sewed on. That must mean we have an important guest over. My hair seem to have been pulled back into some flashy jewel decorated bun weighed down by some dangling accessories too.

"Alla", I begin in a low but soft voice, "does the guest happen to be the crown prince or the royal messenger?"

Alla although trying to keep her voice steady cannot silence the quickening of her heart, "The crown prince, my lady", she answers. Ah yes...the joke of a prince. Alla knows my disgust towards the crown prince so her welled up fear when on the subject is normal.

"H-how did you guess so quickly, my lady?"

"The gown is heavier than normal and my hair is littered with jewels that dangle, I can practically hear them twinkling"

Alla let out a breath of defeat as she said "ah yes, the dress and the jewels", I chuckled and Alla tapped the top of my hand, signaling that we have arrived at the room where I shall sit and wait while she fetches my father and the crown prince.