The Mistress

Chapter 1

"Good morning ," I called to her as I set food on the table for breakfast.

"Good morning ," she said sitting at the table.

" already left. We need to be there soon," I told her sitting in the chair across from her.

My family has served the royal family for generations, my mother and I work in the kitchens, my brother the stables. Unlike everyone else in my family I was very fair with long blonde hair while my mother and brother both had brown. All of us were built for work, which is why I believe we've been servants for so many years.

"Then we should go," she said standing with an empty plate and placing them on the counter for us to wash later.

I looked at my own. Only a few pieces of toast sat on it. I smiled to my mother, stood and placed the plate on top of hers before picking up the bread so I could eat it on our journey.

"Let's go," I said walking out the door with my mother close behind.

The castle itself was a huge, towering structure of stone that watched over the kingdom like a mother does her child. Even outside of its walls you could feel the strength of those who reigned from within. Inside its vast mazes of halls and corridors confused any who were not familiar with them as each turn led you into a new length of walls that were indistinguishable from those of the last.

I picked up the silver tray and walked over to the stairs.

"I'm taking the prince his lunch," I called before ascending to the upper levels of the castle.

My duties included those involved with delivering food, preparing food, and witnessing its tastings for the prince. I stopped outside the doors to his chambers.

" ," I greeted the taster.

She was a fair girl with dark brown hair that contrasted her skin and her only job is to taste the food brought to the royals before they eat it to avoid their poisoning. I handed her a fork which I always carried separate from the tray I held.

"Mariana," she said taking the fork and cutting off a small piece of the food.

After placing it in her mouth and chewing for a few moments she smiled.

"I'll see you at dinner," she said before walking away down the hall.

I walked through the doors and knocked on the second set used to keep the room more private.

"Come in."

Slowly I opened the door on the left with my hand and entered. The , a handsome man with curly blond hair that stopped at his shoulders and a muscular build from the military training, was sitting at his desk. I bowed.

"Your lunch, Your Highness," I said placing the tray on the table. "Is there anything else I can get you," I asked turning back to him to find him staring at me a smile wide on his face.

"No, thank you," he said.

I smiled, curtsied again and left the room with the strangest feeling that his eyes were on my back the entire way out of the room.

I walked the normal path back to the kitchen, but on my way, I met someone else. The was walking in the direction of his chambers. He was an older man who had a receding grey hair line and like his son, had a muscular build. I stepped to the side and curtsied. He stopped walking and looked at me.

"What is your name," he asked coming closer.

"Mariana, Your Majesty," I said.

He reached behind me to my hair that I usually kept up to keep it out of the way, today it was in a low ponytail. He took a few pieces in his hands.

"You're very beautiful."

My cheeks went red with the rushing blood.

"Why, thank you Your Majesty," I said, he smiled, released my hair, then walked away.

When he was gone I returned to the kitchen.