The Servant
Chapter 9
As they walked into the orphanage, Chastity couldn't help but remember how her life was before. She slept in a tiny, cold room that always seemed dark and dirty no matter how hard she tried to clean it. The entryway to the orphanage was like the room. She was surrounded in darkness and cold. While it was fairly clean, she couldn't help but imagine dust swirling around and choking her.
"Hey, Chas, you okay?" Helix asked her. Her hand was like a vice around his. It was no wonder he knew that she was close to having a breakdown. "Everything is fine. We're here with you."
"I know..." She trailed off. "It's just bringing back unwanted memories."
"Sweetie, is everything okay?" Queen Lucilia asked. Chastity nodded and tried to smile brightly, but the queen saw right through it. "You two can go outside if you need to. It's not a big deal."
"I'll be fine..." Chastity said, but was cut off.
"Chastity is that you?" an older girl said when she walked into the entryway.
"Emily?" Chastity asked the familiar girl. Emily had been an old family friend. Her mother and Chastity's were good friends when they were young and they were determined for their girls to be as well. However, a year or so before her mother passed, her father no longer allowed them to see each other.
"I've not seen you in ages!" Emily exclaimed, giving Chastity a big hug. "We were what, seven, the last we saw each other?"
"I think so." Chastity told her old friend, hugging her back.
"We're going to have to catch up sometime then. My mom mentioned your dad was coming to the kingdom, but she didn't mention that you were as well." She said.
"My father and I haven't seen each other in a while." Chastity said, trying not to draw attention to the topic. "Our relationship fell apart pretty quickly after my mother passed."
"So what are you doing here then?" Emily asked. "My mom would love to have you over sometime. She's really missed you and your mom."
"How about we talk about this later? There are some things you don't know that are difficult to explain right now." Chastity explained to her friend. Emily nodded.
"Sure, it's no big deal. Since I help out around here why don't I introduce you to some of the kids?" She suggested. Chastity looked over her shoulder where Helix and everyone else stood. Queen Lucilia smiled and walked over to where Chastity stood by her friend.
"That sounds lovely dear. I hope you don't mind all of us joining you two?" She asked. Chastity watched as Emily gasped and quickly curtsied.
"I'm so sorry your Majesty. I wasn't paying close enough attention. Please, join us." Emily said, not looking at the queen directly.
"It's not a problem dear. You were excited to see Chastity again. I understand that." The queen told the girl. "Chastity is here with us. Queen Amilia and her children Issac and Alexa are with us as well. They're from the kingdom of Hedora."
"Hedora?" Emily asked, looking at Chastity. Chastity nodded.
"Yes, they come from Hedora." Chastity said, using the tone they used to use when they wanted the other to keep a secret.
"Welcome, your Majesty. Hedora is a wonderful kingdom. I use to go and visit one of my friends that resided there before they moved." Emily told Queen Amilia. She smiled.
"I'm glad you enjoyed your time there." The queen answered. "Thank you for offering to show us around as well."
Helix came over to Chastity and put his arm around her waist. Issac also moved closer to her. With the two boys by her side, Chastity went off with Emily, smiling as she listened to her talk about the history of the place. Slowly but surely Chastity was warming up to the place and becoming less overwhelmed. The memories no longer flooded her mind.
-.-.-.-.-
Helix smiled at Chastity enthusiasm as she interacted with the kids. He knew that she would enjoy this part because she was always excited to watch the servants' kids at the palace before. Not only did she love interacting with the kids, the kids also loved her. This was a good sign. So far, everyone who had met Chastity quickly liked her. Hopefully the rest of the kingdom would as well.
"So what was your reason for coming to the orphanage?" Emily asked Chastity when the kids were called away. It was time for them to wash up for dinner and time for Helix and the rest to leave.
"My mother and I are trying to slowly introduce Chastity to some of the kingdom." Helix answered. "She's been very shy ever since we met and we all agreed this would be the best way to ease her into the public eye."
The four of them, since Issac was also with them, had lost the others as the two queens were speaking to the woman who ran the orphanage and Queen Amilia had ordered Alexa to stay with them.
"Aren't you already used to that?" Emily asked. Chastity shook her head.
"I know that you heard my mother was in an accident, but it was...much more than that. What you never saw when you and your mother visited was my father's bad side. He was a very angry man and that anger was always pushed onto the two of us. My father was furious because my mother went behind his back to do something for me, and this outburst ended up killing her. About three months after I decided to run away. I couldn't take his constant yelling and the beatings anymore, so Anniliese and I talked to some of the older servants and they helped me leave. I ended up here in this kingdom with Helix and his family. I've lived as a maid for most of my life, but with how things are playing out now..." Chastity trailed off. She didn't know how to continue.
"Chastity and I decided to go out, so she started training to be queen. Since her father's actions hurt her confidence and she hasn't lived in the public eye since she arrived, we thought it best to start off small and introduce her slowly." Helix finished for her.
"Is that why your father wouldn't allow us over anymore? So we didn't see what he did to the two of you?" Emily asked. Chastity nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you Chas."
"There's nothing you could have done, Em." She told her friend. "I'm not upset with you in any way."
"I'm glad." Emily said, hugging Chastity. Chastity just smiled and hugged her back. Helix was glad to be here to see this and be with Chastity, but something felt off to him. He just couldn't figure out what it was.
*.*.*.*.*
"What was your first daughter's name?" She asked. He looked confused.
"What do you mean? My first daughter is of no concern to you young lady." He answered, a stern tone to his voice.
"Was her name Chastity by any chance?" She asked, pressing for answers.
"I know what you are thinking. My daughter Chastity is dead. The Chastity here has grown up here. There is no way the two are the same person." He answered. "Now, I expect you to be kind and respectful here. No causing drama. We're guests. You can get over your jealousy over the girl."
"I overheard them talking to a girl named Emily at the orphanage. Apparently she and Chastity had been good friends when they were little, but hadn't seen each other for over ten years. Then she proceeded to tell her that she had ran away about three months after her mother died in a mysterious 'accident'" She told him.
"Alexa, leave things be." The king told his daughter. He watched as she huffed and stormed out, but her words stayed with him. His daughter had run away, and for good reason too. The resemblance to his late wife was uncanny, though the eyes reminded him of his father's. What if the young woman who was soon to be the crown princess of the Asteya kingdom?
*.*.*.*.*
"Did you guys have fun?" Anniliese asked Chastity later that night. "I know how stressful things can get sometimes."
"After the initial freak out things were fine. I liked playing with the kids." She said. "I saw Emily. She works there."
"No way!" Anniliese exclaimed. Chastity nodded. "That's so cool though. You two could start talking again." All of a sudden there was a knock on her door.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I speak with you Chastity?" King Wes asked when Chastity opened the door. She sucked in a breath. This was terrifying for her.
"Of course, King Wes." She answered. She looked over at Anniliese out of the corner of her eye and saw her moving to the closet. "Please, come in."
Her father entered the room and took a set in the chair across the one that was closest to the door, leaving it for Chastity. That calmed her some, as she had an easier escape route if needed. However, her nerves were still running high. The man she had ran away from, the man responsible for her mother's death, was sitting in front of her for the first time in ten years.
"What do you wish to speak about King Wes?" She politely asked, but her uneasiness could be heard in the shakiness of her voice.
"Please, call me Wes. You're young Helix's soon-to-be crown princess I'm sure. No need for such formalities." He said, smiling a reassuring smile at her. It didn't work. Her nerves and fears wouldn't allow her to calm down.
"Of course," She said. The king took a breath.
"I was hoping to speak to you about your family, Chastity." He said. Her nerves skyrocketed. Her worst fears were coming true.
"You already have an idea, don't you?" She asked, not ready to hear the answer but asking for it anyway.
"Are you my daughter, Chastity?" He asked, looking her straight in the eyes. She looked down. The man of her nightmares was about to be unleashed; she was sure of it.
"What does that matter? I've grown up here in this castle." She said. "I've worked as a maid for most of my life. How can I be your daughter?"
"Just because you worked as a maid doesn't mean your blood isn't that of a princess. I made many mistakes, grave mistakes, in my life. Unfortunately, my lack of moral standings harmed those I had loved. I turned on them and made their lives a living hell for almost four years, if not longer. Those I vowed to protect were threatened and harmed by me. I cannot change what happened, but I do want to try to help them realize that it was not their fault." He answered her. Chastity looked up in surprise. "I am truly sorry Chastity. What I did was not because of you. I don't even truly understand what I did."
"Are you going to be forcing me to come back then?" She asked, looking down again. She didn't want to look at his face when he stated she was required to go back.
"I would never dream of it. This palace is your home and Helix's family has become yours. As you are eighteen, it is your decision. If you wish to come back we will welcome you, but nothing will be forced upon you." He answered.
"I hope you understand when I say that going back to that palace will never happen. The memories it holds are some I wish to forget." She told him, trying not to say all of her thoughts.
"You don't trust me, as you shouldn't. I can never blame you for that. My actions have caused your distrust and fear. I will never blame you for wishing to have nothing to do with me or my kingdom. Because I am now married to Amilia, Issac will become the king. You are more than free to stay here. No previous commitments or birth rights will cause you to return to the kingdom." He explained to her. "I wanted to tell you that myself. I knew that you would be worried about being dragged back, so I wanted to explain."
"Thank you," Chastity said.
"I'll be going now. Thank you for speaking with me Chastity. I hope your life here treats you much better than the one before did." He said, walking to the door to let himself out.
"Well, that was...something." Anniliese said when she walked out of her hiding space. "I'm shocked he acted like that."
"I am too." Chastity told her friend. "I still feel as though things haven't really changed. He probably just acted so kind and caring because he knows that I would tell Helix if something happened. He doesn't want this kingdom to be against him after all."
"That is true, but it is still shocking. He does certainly treat his new wife and kids differently than he treated you and your mother, but he still treats the servants and maids exactly the same as long as the wife isn't looking."
"So he's not truly changed, he's just pretending?" She asked.
"I would say so."
*.*.*.*.*
Helix had nothing he needed to do today, so he sat in on Chastity's training. Things seemed to be going well. Slowly but surely Chastity was getting some confidence. Not only that, but she seemed to really understand the working of the monarchy.
"So, are you just going to be watching all day?" Chastity asked as they took a break. Since Alexa was also attending the training, they couldn't freely speak about everything he wanted to. Instead, he tried to keep the conversation light and less suspicious.
"I intend to. My work for the day was finished last night and my father is quite busy himself with King Wes, so training and duties are done for the day. I hope you don't mind." He told her, bringing her closer to him. He knew that this helped to calm her.
"Actually, I believe training is going to be finished for the day. Queen Amilia and I have things we need to speak about as well, so we're just going to go ahead and end it here today." His mother told him. He smiled.
"Well, in that case, I'm going to go ahead and steal Chastity as well then." He said, standing up and holding out his hand for her. She smiled softly and took his hand to help raise her up. However, he didn't let her hand go once they were standing. Instead, he used it to lead her outside into the palace garden.
"What did you want to speak to me about?" She asked as she intertwined their fingers. He smiled at her actions. She was finally becoming a bit more comfortable initiating the contact or more romantic actions.
"I saw King Wes come out of your room last night? I know that Anniliese stayed in there with you, so I didn't want to barge in."
"He figured out who I was." Chastity told him, not meeting his eyes.
"What did he say about who you were?" He asked as he nerves started to race. He held onto her hand a little tighter. He refused to let him take her away.
"He said that since he married Amilia and Issac is now able to be considered for the throne, I do not have to take it if I wish and I can stay here." She told him, her handing tightening around his. "He said he wanted to make it up to me for everything he did, but I can't help like feeling that that's not true. Something about him still bothers me in ways that I don't understand. Anniliese said that while he treats his new family better, when the queen's back is turned he acts exactly the same to the servants. I don't know which person he is anymore."
"No matter what kind of person he is, we will never let him force you to go back. When my father gets some time for a break we'll speak to him about what happened. For the meantime why don't we go speak with my mum? I'm sure she'll be able to help." Helix told her, stopping what they were doing and pulling her close. The fear in her voice broke his heart. She was finally doing better and now her father showed up and changed everything. No matter his intentions, he still hurt Chastity. He wanted to make things better, but he didn't know how. The only person that he thought could help her was his mother.
"Alright, that sounds good." Chastity said as she rested her head on his chest. He could hear her breathing becoming calmer, but she still seemed shaken up.
*.*.*.*.*
Chastity was scared. It was almost time for her to start getting ready for dinner. She didn't want to face her father again. There was still something about him that frightened her and it wasn't just her memories. Something seemed very off about him still.
"Sweetie, how are you holding up?" She heard Helix's mother asked. She turned to face the queen. "I promise that we will not let him hurt you darling. He was right about you being part of the family. You are a part of the family and we refuse to let him harm our family."
"Thank you for helping me." She said. "I know that you need to get dressed as well."
"I love helping you get all dressed up for dinner. Helix just loves it and it gives us time to bond as well." The queen told her. Together, the two of them started picking out Chastity's dress and jewelry. "Is something the matter dear?"
"Why did you all treat me as family when I first came?" She asked.
"You and Helix were practically inseparable from the start. In fact, it was easy to see that he was the only one you ever trusted when you first got here. Helix seemed to adore you since that first day as well. We knew that we couldn't let you go. So, we brought you in and you insisted that if you were to stay you wanted to help. We couldn't tell you no." She told the younger girl.
"Thank you for everything." Chastity said, turning around and hugging the queen. The queen just smiled and hugged her back tightly.
"We all love you Chastity. That is never going to change."