Unmasked

Chapter 34

-unedited-

Chapter 34:

I was too afraid to come out but I knew I would be in trouble if I didn't. Yet would they really get mad at me, they were there they should understand. Don't they?

"Mary," I look up from my shaking hands to see Mariah, "come back out, you handle the Queen's dish."

She takes a hold of my hand and helps me to my feet.

"Sorry," she gives me a sympathetic smile, "I guess you weren't ready for this."

I shake my head.

"It's my fault, I insisted staying by your side," I look down at where hand still holds mine, despite everything that happened, she holds it softly, comforting me, "I'm sorry."

"You followed my orders," she lets go of my hand and turns to head out the door, looking back at me to follow, "you didn't utter a word, despite it all."

Still follow it, I read in her eyes as we're back out. The tension in the room was still present but it seemed different.

I sneak a glance at William, just about getting ready to leave, first and then the family, they avoided each other's eyes. I suddenly didn't look forward to serving on their side now.

"Just pick up the plates," Mariah whispers to me quickly as she moves past me and on her way towards William.

She switched with me, she's too kind.

I slowly make my way over towards the queen, only looking at her plate.
William hides a smile as begins to turn around, "Let's have one of these again I certainty enjoyed this one!"

"I'm sure you did," answers the prince.

I gently pick up her still full plate, careful not to bump into her she looks in my direction and I try my best not to look back at her.

The doors open from the outside and a familiar young girl runs in and immediately stands by William's side. The same girl from before, the one who ran away from me, except she's in different clothes.

The girl is longer in a maid's outfit but in royal clothes similar to William's.

"Who is that girl?" The queen demands, making me jump.

"Oh her," William motions towards the girl standing beside him with a blank expression on her face, "she's my sister."

The girl smiles widely at Queen and the others, winking only at me. I feel them looking at me again.

Mariah sends me a look and I quickly follow her to the cart, each of us leaving the plates on there.

"Someone lead him out," the king orders, waving his hand away.

"Now come on, we aren't bitter are we?" As William teases I feel a hand on my back, slightly pushing me forward.

"Go," Mariah tells me in a hushed voice.

I look back at the other maids, frozen in place staring at me, then back at Mariah, shaking my head.

"Follow my orders," she hisses. With another slight push forward, I make my way towards the prince and princess and begin to lead them out.

"Thank you, I will come again," William gives one final wave and I look back at my prince before closing the doors behind us.

Halfway through the trip I realized: I didn't know where I was going. Another thing I realized was that they did, especially the girl.

At the halfway mark I was simply following them as they made their exit, trying to remember the path so that I could get back.

"You did well," William says suddenly as he looks back at me, "for not knowing what was going on."