ILLICIT AFFAIR | mileven

seven

as soon as the sun rises, the silence within the palace replaces itself with growing sounds. footsteps were echoing in the hallways, chatter was exchanged between servants, the sounds of dishes clacking together while placing them on tables repeatedly resounded.

all of those sounds amplified if there were guests to come — even more if those same guests involve the future wife of everyone's beloved prince.

she tried her best for that bitter sentence not to get to her anymore. mike loves her, he admitted it to her himself — she is the one that he loves. she is the one that his heart wants.

it was best for her if she blended the thought of him and lydia out, pretending like it didn't matter, like the messy future is still so out of reach.

though that's hard to do if you have a friend like lilian.

"say eleanor." she started talking while braiding her blonde hair before they'd have to leave their room to help the other servants. "i don't think i've ever heard you telling your thoughts on prince mike being betrothed to princess lydia?"

betrothed.

how nasty that word sounds in connotation with mike being with another woman.

she creased her eyebrows, trying her best to keep her unfazed look up. "why should i tell my thoughts? what i think as a servant won't affect anything."

lilian rolled her eyes, "none of what we think affects anything, it's simple curiosity since — aside from margaret — you are working for him for years."

hearing what their relationship looks like in the lens of someone else was odd and doleful. what they had was more than her just working for him for years, there were nuances to their relationship that no one else would ever understand.

secret whispers, forbidden touches, fraud promises, grief-filled kisses that die and revive each time their lips meet in an illicit embrace.

worst of all, she couldn't blame lilian for only knowing them like this; for only seeing her as an orphan who serves the royal family as if it's her only duty in life.

she shrugged, hugging her own frame in attempt to comfort herself. "i want him to be happy."

and that was the blatant truth — she wants him happy, just not with anyone else.

lilian looked at her for a long second before nodding her head. "we all do, thus someone as kind as him deserves someone who makes him happy and princess lydia seems like a good match."

her instincts were internally screaming at her to reply that mike would never be fully happy unless he is with her, that she is the best match for him — but she wouldn't.

she couldn't.

thankfully a response wasn't needed from her side because there was a knock on their door that diverted their attention right onto it. seconds later it opened, revealing hugo along with someone familiar next to him.

"lilian, eleanor." he nodded at both of them as a greeting, stepping inside to point towards the person next to him. "this is maxine, princess lydia's maid. she is set to move to the palace as a way to get accommodated with this place before the union of prince michael and princess lydia — she will be sharing this chamber with you."

el felt her heart momentarily stop after hearing those words; how close are they to the wedding if her maid is moving in already?

she gulped, unable to give a single reaction, which luckily went unnoticed by everyone present in the room. lilian clapped her hands together in excitement, smiling brightly. "that's lovely! welcome maxine, i'm lilian."