Choose Your Story [STRAY KIDS FF] ✔️

Trope 5 - Forbidden Love

You're sitting in a small, dim-lit room, on an old wooden chair as the older woman sits behind the desk, looking at you through her glasses.

"We are short-staffed and it's the festival week," the older woman sighs, "You will start right away," she exclaims and you nod, gripping the fabric of your old skirt on your knees. The woman stands up and approaches the small wardrobe, pulling out a spare maid uniform. "I think this should be your size," she pushes the hanged uniform into your arms as you stand up. "The whole castle needs to be cleaned and the table set for dinner as a noble family from the west is visiting. Ask someone to help you and give you the cleaning supplies. Search for Marie, a red-head girl with glasses - she'll organize your work. I need to go now," without waiting for your reply, the head maid slams the door of her small office, leaving you confused and with a uniform in your hands.

...

You're in the large dining room, wiping and putting the silverware down on the table, by the plates.

"Uh, I'm so tired..." you huff, feeling the dull pain in your joints from the whole-day work.

"Don't ever say that again," you turn to Marie who is putting down plates ahead of you. She turns to you and smiles, but you notice that her eyes behind the big glasses aren't smiling, "If someone hears you say that you're tired, you'll get fired. If you think that you can't do this job, better quit right away than drag us all down with your mistakes," Marie takes another plate from the cart and starts wiping it, looking straight into your eyes, "Working as a maid for the royal family is a very hard job but the payment is good. That's the only thing keeping me here."

"For how long have you been working as a maid, Marie?" you ask, taking a fork to polish it.

Marie chuckles, "For over 9 years... ever since I was 16," she sighs, "And for all this time, I've seen everything..." then she frowns and comes closer to you, "I'll tell you one thing - noble people are scum."

...

You're standing by the door with several other maids. Marie is by your side but you can't ask her questions as the royal dinner is in play. The maids that are present in the room are assigned to pour water and wine for the nobles. You're paying close attention to the glasses on the table but someone's intense glare makes you bite your lip nervously. When your eyes finally meet his, you freeze in place, your throat instantly drying out. His whole aura is intense and intimidating, despite his gentle-looking face.

The echoing sound of the silver knife hitting the glass pulls you out of his hypnosis and you shift your focus to His Majesty, the King. He stands up and greets his guest, taking a moment for a speech which was your cue to take the glass carafe and pour the wine for the guests. Other maids already approached the guests, leaving you to serve the prince. You hurry and approach him. Standing on his right side, you slowly pour the wine into his glass but his intense presence makes your hands shake so one small red drop of wine falls on the back of his right hand. The prince doesn't look at you but brings his hand to his lips and licks off the wine drop. You bow and whisper an apology, already imagining yourself kicked out on the street... and it's only your first day.

...

"I was so scared..." you confess to Marie, your first "friend" and mentor in the castle with whom you ended up sharing a room.

She giggles and you turn in your bed to look at her from across the small room, "Don't worry too much about it. His Highness is not a bad guy. I earlier said that noble people are scum but he's an exception... unlike that evil duchess..." Marie shivers at the thought of a young woman who sat across from the prince at the dinner.

"She seemed to like the prince..." you say carefully and Marie scoffs.

"Please, she's only after the title. She fell for the prince's handsome face and wealth, not even knowing the real him. Ugh, I don't want her to be our queen," Marie shivers more and covers herself with the blanket. She turns and wishes you good night.