A Crown Divided By Loyalty

5

"I will be dropping off Vincent in the village-" one of the staff members entered the kitchen. He stopped moving as he saw who stood in the kitchen between the kitchen staff. "Oh, Ma'am," he greeted and bowed to Carolina.

A smile grew on Carolina's face. "Simon," she greeted him. As she let Simon chat to his colleagues, she turned to the kitchen maid. "So, that should be it, right?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the girl nodded. "Brownies can't go wrong. And who doesn't love a caprese salad?"

"Thank you for your help," Carolina replied and put the lid on the Tupperware. "And make sure you eat this yourself. Don't let anyone convince you to share this with them," she playfully smiled as she put another set of Tupperware in front of the maid.

Right at that time, Ole happened to follow a trace of the brownie scent to the kitchen. "Who made brownies? Oh, Ma'am." He bowed.

"We did," Carolina said and casually leaned against the counter. "For my lunch. Smells nice, doesn't it?"

"If you ask it nicely, I might share a piece," the maid smiled.

Carolina looked at the maid. "Susie! What did I say?" She smirked and shook her head. "Don't ask her to share, Ole."

Ole raised his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish grin forming on his face. "Alright, alright. I wouldn't dream of taking brownies from royalty... or Susie," he added with a playful wink at the maid.

Carolina chuckled, enjoying the lighthearted moment with the staff. This was where she felt most at ease; among the people who had known her since childhood, the ones who treated her with kindness and laughter rather than strict formality. It was a small escape from the pressures that weighed on her outside these walls.

Simon, having finished his conversation, glanced back at Carolina. "I was just about to head out, Ma'am. Dropping Vincent off in the village. Do you need anything before I go?"

Carolina's smile faltered slightly at the mention of Vincent, though she quickly recovered. She knew he had been cooped up, recovering from his injuries and the strain of their secret relationship. "No, thank you, Simon." She turned back to Susie. "I really hope they will love your brownies. They are the best."

"I'm sure they will, Ma'am," Susie smiled. "And thank you."

Carolina helped Susie clean the kitchen and do the dishes. As soon as they finished, Carolina changed into a casual chic outfit. Her friend group was organising a lunch; everyone had to bring a dish. Every once in a while, they would have breakfast, lunch, or breakfast. On her way to the car, she picked up the two dishes and hopped behind the wheel, leaving the property.

She mumbled along with the songs on the radio and navigated through the countryside. A couple of minutes later, she entered the village. As she crossed the border, she passed Simon, who drove back to the palace after dropping off Vincent. Carolina lifted her hand from the steering wheel to greet Simon; he did the same. A smile curved on her lips; for some reason, it made her smile. It was just a tiny gesture.

She pulled up at the local train station and stopped at the kiss-and-ride. The passenger door opened, and he stepped into the car.

"You ordered a taxi?" Carolina said and looked at her passenger.

Vincent rolled his eyes and closed the door. Carolina teasingly smiled. "Can you..." He was struggling with the belt.

Carolina chuckled, reaching over to assist him. Her fingers brushed against his skin as she fastened the seatbelt, sending a spark of warmth. "There you go, all secured and ready to go," she said, straightening back into her seat.