Terrified? A noble terrified while working for the royal family? Understandable when you work for a man like Kyran, with a fiancé that's ready to take part in setting places on fire. But how come? Wouldn't their families protect them?
Was everyone in this kingdom at the palm of the prince's hand? Just waiting for when he'd be done using them and crush them?
"Why?... Why do you stay here then?" I ask, making her train of thought and look at me, "Why don't you leave." I continue.
She smiled... But it was such a defeated expression, "You know how... How knights swear their allegiance to a duke, a king... A prince..." she looked down at the ground, "My family swore allegiance to the crown prince... So in the eyes of my father..." she quieted down and looked around.
Maids were walking through the small road we'd been in a moment ago, she grabbed my hand all too suddenly and pulled me along. She brought me behind a building, looking to the side making sure the maids weren't coming this way.
"I was raised to follow whatever my father tells me to follow... But... This hasn't always been what I follow, because believe me I want to leave this place every day..." she shook her head, "But just like maids fear the prince... the lady... The guards... Anything... I fear my father."
I frowned instinctively... Fear her father... What a horrible situation to be in. I remembered back home... How many of the dresses I made... Where going to the noble girls whose lives and decisions were made by their parents.
How they couldn't decide their own futures... How I was so lucky to be born in the poor family I have... Able to decide my own destiny. I was lucky my father didn't think the same way as theirs.
How he'd be the parent to tell me beautiful stories... Instead of marrying me off for a few coins.
I feel myself space out, thinking about the days I'd spend with my parents... Where Kara could run around without a care in the world. Before the memories of the town going up in flames resurged in my head.
"Hana..." Keith got me out of my thoughts, "If you were moved from buildings it's not anything good that's for sure... But just keep your eyes peeled for anything... You don't want to have new burn marks now do you?"
I shook my head so quick I made myself dizzy, "I'll be careful I promise."
She sighed, having held her breath who knows how long. She turned away, "Come on now, we have work to do."
I nodded following her around. We went right into a garden when a maid ran up to me. She was out of breathtaking a few deep breaths before looking back up at me.
"The prince has requested you come to make his bead," she said and got back up straight.
I pointed at myself, "Me?" Was he serious?
She nodded her head quickly, "Yes, I'll escort you."
She didn't wait for me to say anything else and turned around begging to walk. I'd just started walking after her when Keita grabbed my hand.
Whispering for only me to hear, "Be careful."
I smiled reassuring her but froze, "Keita... I have a favor to ask..."
She nodded, "What is it?"
I looked over at the maid who was getting farther, and spoke in a hurry, "Please check on Kara for me... I heard she wasn't doing too well before I was moved... Please tell me how she is when I come back."
She nodded, "I'll check up on her."
I sighed and ran after the maid, catching up to her. She clicked her tongue, "We can't have his majesty waiting for us. Learn your manners girl."
I bit my tongue, sure, I'm getting scolded now. Well, he had said he needed me to seem like a maid, yet he's calling me just the morning after he sent me away.
I rubbed my temple and followed on not thinking too hard about it. As soon as I went through those doors, it was so much darker than I remember. And after a few turns, the maid pointed at a door, "He's waiting inside."
I took a deep breath and opened the door stepping inside. The first thing I noticed is that this is not his room. It wasn't any room I'd seen before.
"You're finally here." he breathed and grabbed my hand before I said anything, dragging me to the table in the room and sitting me down as he pointed at a few sentences, "Tell me what it says here, here, and here."
I held my hands up, "Wait."
"What?" he questions annoyed at me. I didn't start reading there and then.
"Well I just got here, and you rushed me over. Just let me breathe." I pressed a finger to his arm which was over me as he pointed at the paper. Moving it away to look at the paper again.
He huffed, "I've been waiting for you to wake up for hours, I was just about to go look for you myself. Just read it."
I glare at him, he has no patience, "Well don't you sleep?"
My question was ignored as he stared down at my hands, "I thought the mandates were exaggerating..."
I don't think he meant to say that out loud, because he just walked away, "Just tell me when you're done reading, I don't want to sit listening to nonsense."