Crown Of Hearts

Chapter 9

Trespassing in the palace meant a prison sentence, a nobody like me meant that prison sentence could be a life sentence.

" Prince Theo, there you are!"

He tensed. " Guards. Hello."

I stiffed and Zak cursed.

" Is this a trespasser?" Immediately I was grabbed by two men, each grabbed me by an arm and forced me onto my knees. Their hands are pinching into my shoulder. It hurts.

I didn't make a sound even as my knees hit the hard concrete. Stop crying. Crying will only prove how guilty you are.

The third guard slowly made his way over, he had this air about him. Arrogant and aggressive. I lowered my eyes. My parents are never going to have a body to bury. I'll just be another nameless maid who disappeared.

I guess he didn't like that because he drew his sword. " Look at your elders girl." He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up. He didn't even look much older than I was.

" Enough." Prince Theo stuttered, he couldn't even look at the guards.

" She is not a trespasser, she's my new maid. I chose her just minutes ago before you barbarians started manhandling her like she's an object. Release her."

The man in front of me growled but dropped his hand, his guards released me from their grip.

" Leave." He said, his voice was weak though.

The guards bowed deeply and left.

I swallowed, Zak?. I couldn't hear anything. I'm alone.

I kept my eyes downcast, " Thank you, your highness. I will trouble you no longer nor will I forget your kindness. I'll take my leave now."

" You can't leave."

I glanced up, " Excuse me?" I was still shaking from what happened.

" We have barriers around this whole castle, force fields guard us. It's nearly impossible to leave or enter. The only way to sneak in today was to follow the new maids in when the guards opened the bridge."

Force fields? Bridge? Was I really this stupid of the royal family? I didn't even recognized the third prince.

I bowed, " If the offer still stands, I will serve you, your highness." The flash-drive never felt so heavy in my pocket. Think, think, think.  My parents expected me home in a few hours.

Prince Theo sighed, his fingers messaging his temple. He began to pace around the tree, mumbling to himself.

He stopped. " The royal festival is in two months. You can sneak out with the other merchants. As for now, I have to bring you to the maid chambers." Two months?!

The maid chambers was a separate tiny building a walks away from the garden. It was a quint and cute little thing.

Prince Theo knocked on the door and a girl opened. She gasped, " Your highness." She said.

" How may I assist you?"

Prince Theo didn't look her in the eye. He seemed like he got a problem with eye contact with everyone but me.

" I have chosen this girl to be my personal maid Rachael. Please take care of her."

Rachael nodded, " Of course, my prince."

" I told you to call me Theo." He rubbed his neck, " Titles are for my brother."

She turned to me and smiled. " Hi, I'm Rachael. Theo's assistant maid."

" Hi, I'm Clara-" I paused. I'm literally the most stupid person alive. I just told her my real name.

" Clara..." Rachael said.

" Just Clara. My parents abandoned me when I was a child, a lady of the house took me in and the head maid there raised me as her own." She's never going to believe me.

Rachael's eyes soften, " I'm sorry to here that Clara. Please come in. I'll show you your bed."

I bowed deeply to Prince Theo, " Thank you so much for everything Prince Theo."

He left right after that. I found myself watching him retreat back, probably back to his reading place.

" Come on in Clara." Rachael took me by the arm and pulled me inside.

The interior of the house was nice. White countertops and green accents. Spiraling houseplants and plush chairs. Three beds were placed at the back of the cottage. Two were decorated brightly and each with their own charm. The last mattress was clean but bare.

" I know we don't have much and I don't know how well your last lady of the house treated you. But you can take the last bed." She smiled brightly.

Wood floors. I wasn't standing on dirt.

There was a loud screeching sound and I flinched.

" Clara, can you hear me?" Zak asked.

"Do you have a bathroom I can use?"

" Of course, it's to your right."

The bathroom wasn't hard to find. The place only had two doors, the front door, and the bathroom door.

" I hear you. Zak, please I need to go home. My parents are expecting me to be home."

His tone softens, " I know. But I don't think we can bring you home yet."

Tears pricked my eyes, " What you mean you can't?! You're the leader of the seventh division. Find a way."

" Ian's doing his best but it's going to take some time before he can hack into the palace."

I could hear Peter in the background, he was yelling at Ian who yelled back, equally angry.

" How are my parents are going to react? They're going to think I'm missing or dead."

" We'll find a way to tell them that you had to go somewhere without warning. Everything will be o-"

There was a knock, " You okay in there? I brought you some clothes."

" Bye Zak." I said, I removed both of my earrings and placed them with the flash drive.

" Thank you for the clothes." I took the stack from her gratefully.

She had handed me a light dress and apron. This was really happening.

I slip the dress on and tied the apron tightly around myself. The dress itself was soft, falling past my knees. The sleeves were tight around my wrist and I struggled to cuff them. At least it was better color than lime green.

I exhaled softly, tears pricking my eyes for what seemed like the tenth time of the day.

There was another knock, " I don't mean to rush you. But I got a call that Theo has requested our presence."