𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 | Choni

Nine

“Good morning!” Elizabeth sing-songed as she burst into the room waking her older sister from her slumber.

Cheryl startled awake, eyes raking over the far side of her bed for any evidence that Toni had been there. After, with relief, she realised she wasn’t there and so greeted her sister, “Good morning, Elizabeth.”

“You’re still asleep? You’re going to miss breakfast.” Elizabeth had breezed into the room and thrown the curtains open.

“I’ll be down in a second.” The eldest Princess reported as she climbed out of bed.

“Fine, but I’ll warn you now. I may eat all the strawberries!”

“Not fair!”

“Then get moving!” As quickly as she’d entered the room, she’d gone.

Cheryl rolled her eyes good-naturedly at her sister before moving around her bedroom and getting ready for her day.

Their parents were absent from breakfast so it was just the two of them, though Elizabeth had eaten her fill by the time Cheryl finally joined her.

“You know Mother doesn’t like you to drink too much coffee.” Cheryl reminded as she noted her sister pouring herself another cup, hopefully only her second.

“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. And you won’t tell her because otherwise, I’ll tell her about your after-hours excursions.” Elizabeth looked at her sister as she blindly placed the coffee pot back onto the table.

Cheryl's heart rate shot up.

Elizabeth continued as she started to pick at another pastry. “I’ll admit I have no clue where you go, but I’ve heard you a few times now. Well, your door anyway.”

Close call. Cheryl let out a breath. “Then she won’t know.” Cheryl told her sister coyly as she took a sip of her own coffee.

“Really, you’re not going to give me anything more than that?” Elizabeth had been playing cool before and had wanted her sister to crack and let slip what she’d been up to.

“It’s nothing exciting, just late-night trips to the library.” An easy lie that was very plausible as she’d been known to head to the library late before.

“Wow, you really are that boring.” Elizabeth teased but was happy to have gotten an answer.

Cheryl was glad that Elizabeth wasn’t the prying type and seemed to respect boundaries.

“I thought maybe you were having late-night dalliances with someone.” Elizabeth slipped out with an absent mind as she fiddled with her knife and fork.

“Like who!?” Cheryl almost choked out after almost inhaling a grape.

Elizabeth pondered a moment. “Good point. There are only Serpent men around here at the moment.”

A sharp intake of breath came from the redhead but went unnoticed by her sister.

“And they’re far too good for you!” Elizabeth openly teased and harassed her sister across from her.

A small relieved smile fell into place on Cheryl’s face. “You’re right, they’re too good for me.”

Elizabeth noticed her self-deprecating tone and spoke up. “Hey, have some confidence. No one is too good for you. You are amazing, beautiful, and smart!”

“Thank you, Betts. You’re all those things too and so many more.”

________

It wasn’t too long before her sister had left to do whatever it was that she was going to do for the day. Cheryl was deep in thought about the events of the last month and how last night had finished when a throat was cleared behind her.

“Your Highness.” Toni accompanied the greeting with a bow as Cheryl turned in her chair to face her.

“It’s just me Toni, no need for such formalities.” The Princess smiled at the woman.

The girl nodded but still felt odd considering they were in the dining room and not in the garden or kitchens. “You alright if I start clearing?”

“Please sit and talk with me for a moment.” Cheryl gestured to the open chair opposite her.

“I should really start getting this downstairs.” She wasn’t trying to be difficult, but she had duties to fulfil.

“Then we can talk while we clear.” The Princess stood and began piling plates and cutlery on top of one another.

Toni gave a small smile at her actions. “What would you like to talk about?”

“Where did you go last night?”

If anyone were to overhear that question would not think it as innocent as it was.

“I couldn’t sleep so I went back to my bed.” She said truthfully as she decanted leftover food onto other plates.

“I’m sorry if you were uncomfortable.” The Princess watched the Serpent in an effort to understand why she’d left.

A shy smile grew on her lips as she avoided looking at the redhead. “It wasn’t that … It was too distracting; you laying there next to me.”

She finished with a mumble and chanced a look at the other woman and saw a blush crawl up the Princess’ neck. Toni released a laugh. “I meant that as a compliment in the highest regard with very little sexual innuendo.”

That last part didn’t help with the blush at all.

Toni cleared her throat. “I’ll change the subject, do you know why your mother has asked to speak with me later?”

She could guess. Her mother had mentioned a Lady’s Maid over a month ago and yet nothing had come about. She didn’t want to get either of their hopes up though and so shook her head. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”

“I’ll try and take your word for it, but if I go missing I hope you’ll try to find me.” Toni tried to joke.

Cheryl’s face fell. Half of her knew that Toni was making a joke, but somewhere with her parents being murdered in the circumstances they were, she knew another part of the girl wasn’t joking,

“I was only joking!” Toni moved to stand in front of the Princess and clasped her hands in her own. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. If there’s one thing to know about me it’s that I say stupid things at stupid times, okay?”

Cheryl squeezed her hands and gave her a smile and a nod. She knew that what Toni spoke was the truth.

“Now I must get these downstairs and washed. I’ll see you around, your Highness.” She bowed with her arms full of dishes before turning and leaving.

Cheryl was tempted to wait for Toni to return but knew she had to get on with her day and more importantly let Toni get on with her own.

It was as Cheryl was closing the door behind her that her mother called to her. “I was just coming to find you. Are you free to come and meet with your father and I in the conference room later today?”

“Of course. When do you need me?”

“If we could see you in an hour’s time?”

The Princess nodded and her mother squeezed her shoulder before parting ways.