The Lost Princess - A 'Selection' spinoff

CHAPTER 6

"I'm very grateful to the Queen and King for interfering -," she began carefully before she was interrupted.

"I asked you what you thought of them. Not what you felt about them," the maid said before adding, "Don't worry, you can talk freely here. This is the King's private painting room".

"Private painting room? He paints?" Aurora asked.

She had snapped back at the Queen, intruded the King's personal room, and had been kicked out of the stage by the Prince.

It was confirmed.

She would be eliminated by tomorrow too.

The woman nodded and said, "Answer me".

Aurora sighed. "She seems...".

"She seems what?" the woman prodded.

"Very sad," Aurora completed.

"Sad?".

Aurora nodded. "She's a strong person. I gathered as much as I saw her speak, and remain silent throughout the other interviews. But she's sad. Same with the King. They're hiding something, and whatever it is, it pains them very much".

"You're very observant," the woman said after a while.

"So I've been told," Aurora answered tiredly.

She leaned on the other woman's shoulder, feeling an inexplicable emotion run through her.

The woman had gone abnormally still - Aurora could hear her inhale loudly.

"What's your name?" Aurora asked her, her voice muffled as she pressed her face to the woman's pleasant smelling clothes.

"Have you eaten at all today?" the woman asked, changing the topic.

"I'm used to not eating," Aurora said warily.

There was a short poignant pause.

"It's way past your curfew time," the maid said.

"I have a curfew time?".

The woman nodded, and Aurora lifted her head from her shoulder.

"You're two hours late," the woman said, pointing to the large clock on the wall across them.

"Holy hell," Aurora cursed, not bothering to blush as she saw the woman stare at her. She scrambled to her feet. "Andrea is going to kill me!".

"You'll be fine," the woman tried to comfort her.

"I'll see you later," Aurora said, weaving through the multiple easels towards the door.

"What about your painting?" the woman called after her.

"You keep it!" Aurora shouted as she ran through the corridors, asking directions from various guards and servants before reaching her room.

She knocked her door, and before she could see who opened it, someone flung themselves on her.

Aurora staggered behind, hissing in pain.

Kate.

"Oh thank god you're here," Andrea said, pulling them apart.

"You two need to go to bed. You'll be having a long day tomorrow, and it's already late," Julia said, coming from the adjoining room.

"I thought you'd scream at me," Aurora said, confused.

"Later!" Andrea scolded, throwing a nightgown at her.

Aurora changed quickly, and saw her maids assembled, waiting to tuck her in bed.