A Peasant and A Princess

Chapter Nine: Deja Vu

I'm going to dedicate this chapter to Bluedro, the only person who was commented on my story. I got super excited when I saw your votes and stuff. Thanks for reading my story!

"And you've been where, Princess?" Miss Edith chided when I walked into the front hall in my muddy, wet dress that had been awkwardly put back on after if had partially dried out.

"Umm, ugh," I stammered. Did I want to tell her the truth, or would a lie be better?

"Umm, nowhere in particular, you know, just walking around," I mumbled slowly.

Edith raised her eyebrows, but posed no further questions.

"Just sit down Princess, I'll ring for Jane," Edith sighed. She began to walk into the hall, before turning around again.

"And I would like an explanation once you are finished with Jane, Princess," She said before exiting.

It always annoyed me when Edith spoke to me in that matter. If anyone else employed by the house was to speak to me like that, they would surely be thrown in jail at the very least.

When Jane came by about a minute later, I still hadn't thought of a better explanation for where I'd been. I wasn't supposed to go outside the gates without permission, much less without a guard, to visit a peasant girl. Obviously, they'd know I'd been out. Edith had seen me walk in, soaking, and in a muddy dress. How else was I supposed to explain that? Even if I lied about going out with a guard, it wouldn't be very believable. They didn't have to know I was visiting Mallory though. Unless someone had seen me, they had no way of knowing.

Jane didn't say anything as she walked me up to my room and began to undress me. Maybe Edith hadn't told her anything, but even if Edith had told her something, what would Edith have told her? It wasn't unusual that Jane and I walked in silence, in fact, we hardly ever walked together at all. It just felt awkward today.

"We're going to have to throw out the dress," She muttered to herself. I didn't say anything in return.

"You're not very chatty today, are you Your Highness?" She commented. It was out her place to say something like that, and we both knew it, but I didn't mind.

"I guess I'm just tired," I said after a moment's hesitation.

"Look. I'm going to tell you a story," Jane said.

I turned around to face her in confusion.

"I know it's not in my place to say this Your Highness, but I think it's something you should hear," She said cautiously. "I've probably never mentioned her before, but I have a younger sister named Margaret. A year before I left to work for His Majesty, she fell in love. She never told Mama or Papa. She would go out at odd times, return walking on air, and seemed to be daydreaming whenever she was at home. At first, Margie seemed really happy, but after a while all the secrets and lies started to wear down on her. You could see in her eyes that she was torn between emotions that she didn't understand. Margie loved him, anyone could tell, but it was so hard for her. Eventually, it wore down on her so much that Mama found out, and banned her from going out. She was more miserable than anything after that. I don't know what you're doing outside the gates all the time, but I look at you and I see Margaret's eyes. And I just wanted to tell you, well, just don't get hurt."

I tried to take a deep breath before I realized how much my hands were shaking.

"You're right" I mumbled.

"That wasn't in your place to say." I spat.

"Sorry, Your Highness. I'm so sorry."

"Just get out," I snapped.

She was right. I was only going to get myself hurt. That's probably what I hated the most about it. How so very right she was.