Maid For You 3

Chapter 4

skipped lunch. I went to my room and ate some more pringles. Luke told me that he'd stick by me at lunch this time, but I said that I just wasn't feeling up to it. As I sat on my bed eating my lame pringles, my cellphone started to ring.

It was Nikolas Nikotovich.

I answered the phone cautiously. "Hello?"

"Hello Cassie," I heard Nikolas's thick Russian accent over the speaker. "I am sorry that I missed your call earlier, I didn't see it at first, and then I was unable to respond until now. Is this a good time to talk?"

"Oh, yeah. Thank you! And I'm just eating lunch in my room. But, I'm sorry about calling you. It's really not important, and I should let you get back to your work."

He didn't say anything for a couple of seconds. Maybe he was mad at me for wasting his precious time?

"Why are you eating in your room?" He finally asked. "Do you not normally eat in your dining hall?"

"Well," I started. "I—I normally do, but I'm just trying to avoid everyone."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why? I don't have time for games, Cassie."

I cringed at myself, and finally answered why. "Well, because I'm sad about Coleman and everyone is giving me a hard time about being Queen Maiden!" I started listing off many of the insulting things that they told me, including the crude insinuations they drew between myself and Nikolas. The man in question listened silently while I retold the tale. "And I don't even know what to say to them. I mean, I already felt horrible and then I felt even worse. I don't know what to do."

Prince Nikolas sighed. "Why do you even care about them and their opinions?" he finally asked. "They are clearly jealous and petty servants. Their insults are beneath you. Why should you let their words get you down? You were selected as Queen Maiden for a reason, and they were not selected for a reason. I chose you to come with me to the Winter Ball for a reason; I didn't choose any of them. You are very bold and confident, Cassie. I understand that Coleman's rejection has made you somewhat vulnerable, but you really need to remember who you are. You do not revolve around Coleman. You are Cassandra Carmichael, for goodness' sake, and you need to start acting like it."

I remained on the line but didn't say anything for a moment.

"You're right," I finally said.

"I usually am."

Our phone call ended shortly thereafter, and I had to return to my post outside Prince Coleman's room. As I was approaching the door, he and Luke started to leave. Coleman's countenance dropped when he saw me, the color draining from his face. I curtsied—I didn't know what else to do.

"Lucas," Coleman said. "I'll meet you at the car. I need to talk to Miss Carmichael for a moment."

'Miss Carmichael.' Maybe he had finally ditched the title of 'Little Maid.'

"Of course, Prince Coleman," Luke nodded, and smiled at me as he walked past and down the hall. My heart froze, and I felt like I was choking. Why did he want to talk with me alone?

I didn't say anything, and Coleman stood uncomfortably with his arms behind his back.

"Um..." he started, and I looked at him expectantly. "Lucas tells me that the other servants have been giving you a hard time for being the Queen Maiden during the festival." He wasn't looking at me. "If, uh, if there's anything I can do to help, I mean—I can talk to the servants, or Missus Lucille at the very least. They really shouldn't be harassing you, or spreading rumors about, well, you know, us. So if you need me to talk to someone or fire someone..."

"Thank you for the offer, Colem—your highness," I began. "But I should be able to handle the situation." I clenched my fists. "I was out of sorts this morning, but I'm feeling much better now."

He glanced at me before returning his gaze to his shoes. "If you're sure."

"I am," I said. "But I thank you all the same."

And indeed, I was sure. So maybe Coleman rejected me. Prince Nikolas was right—I shouldn't put up with any of my fellow servants' nonsense. When dinner came, Luke was still out with the Prince, but that was probably for the best. I marched into the dining hall, no longer cowering or flinching at the insults that would be flung at me. I spotted Raven, Isabella, and a few of my other previous assailants sitting together acting all chummy at the center of one of the two long dining tables. I walked up to the group and slammed my hands on the table, causing them all to jump slightly.

"What do you want?" Raven asked.

"I need all of you to listen to me very carefully," I snarled. "You need to shut down your little rumor mill, because I haven't slept with Prince Coleman or Prince Nikolas or anyone in this entire castle. I got the Queen Maiden position because Queen Klara liked me, not because anyone else pulled any sort of strings. In fact, when Prince Coleman found out that I was Queen Maiden, he clearly did not fancy the idea. I'm sorry that you are all jealous that I get to work with the Prince, and that I got to be Queen Maiden, but you all can just get over yourselves because I don't have time to deal with this crap. I've got enough going on without having to deal with your power trips, got it?"

"How dare you!" Isabella stood up.

"How dare you," I shot back. "What do you think Prince Coleman thinks of these rumors you all are spreading? That I'm pregnant with his child? I mean, honestly! He's not happy about it, let me tell you. All I need to do is drop the names of those defaming him and his character and you can kiss this job good-bye."

"Is that a threat?!" a servant boy asked incredulously.

"Absolutely," I snapped. I stormed away from the group dramatically and got in line for food, feeling the stares of most everyone in the dining hall. But I didn't care. I'd gone from an emotional train wreck to a state of apathy. After collecting my dinner, I found Charlie sitting by himself and sat myself across from him.

"'Is that a threat?'" Charlie repeated. "'Absolutely!' Now that gave me chills."

I laughed. "Well, hopefully I scared them straight."

"That sounds very homophobic."

"Oh, you know what I mean!"

He grinned. "Of course I do," he said. "Now, how was the Autumn Festival?!"