Crown Of Hearts

Chapter 10

The castle was more intimidating than I thought. Spiraling towers and glass ceilings Marble flooring and gold paintings. Picture perfect portraits and silent staircases. Everything a royal would ever need and want.

I was silent following Rachael up the stairs and into an unmarked hallway. What surprised me more was that it didn't end there. Through yet another hallway and on the right laid Prince Theo's room.

" I'm sorry that the rooms are so confusing. But the Queen insists that each of the princes are in a safe and secure place."

" I understand, are we the only maids in the castle? I haven't seen anyone else."

" Of course not, each of the princes has its own set of maids as well as the King and Queen. Prince Soto was married in the spring and is expecting his first child with Duchess Katerina. So they added five more maids. Prince Frederick has around six maids and often likes to switch them out every spring. Theo is more reserved and he only had Oria most of his life until he added me last year. It's odd that he would choose another maid so quickly."

Luckily she didn't ask why he picked me.

She knocked softly and pushed open the door.

Prince Theo was sat on the floor. The hard floor. While he had at least five different chairs and a luxury bed. His room didn't look like one of an average teenager. It was orderly and clean. Maybe it was from the maids but something told me that he kept the room clean.

He didn't even glance up from his cards.

" Hello, Rachael and Clara." Each motion was clean, precise, and consistent as he shuffled and place them down.

" Rachael can you please leave Clara and me alone." His words came out in mumbles.

She nodded and left.

He glanced up at me finally. From a distance, I thought his eyes were sea-glass green but now staring at them. I was wrong, his eyes weren't like the beach, calm and steady but forest green, always growing and improving. He looked back down.

" I was told that people come and go. That the world waits for no one.." he muttered and placed another card down.

" But please never forget that the kindest people also hurt and the strongest people can't be strong all the time."

He set the deck down.

" Please excuse me, I draw cards until I hit a queen."

I kept my eyes downcast, " Understandable. Why have you called me here your highness?"

" Theo. My name is Theo."

" Of course, Theo."

He put down yet another card and muttered something quickly, this continued for thirteen more cards until he picked a queen.

" If I may ask Clara, was your goal always to become my maid?"

I felt like ten pounds had been added to my pocket.

" Excuse me?"

" Everyone says that I'm one of the most eligible bachelors in the kingdom." His motions became sloppy.

" I turn nineteen in a few months. So tell me, did my mother pick you to be my bride?"

How do I answer this? No, I was recruited by a very illegal group to find some information on your dad.

I made some noises that sounded very ladylike I'm sure.

" It's hard to leave the kingdom. It's even harder to get in. I don't trust that you simply fell in through a hole in the force field."

He dropped the deck, he was breathing deeply.

Sometimes you got to become the person you buried deep within yourself to get what you need.

And I need to get out of the palace.

I smiled softly and tucked my hair behind one shoulder. He resents his mother for setting him up. He will never trust me if I lie about this.

" Theo, you overestimate your mother. I'm no one, I'm a girl who's both parents abandoned her. I'm the girl who is forever in your debt for letting me live. Please, what can I do for you?"

I held my arms behind me, my fingers shaking.

He was silent, he rose to his feet. " Clean the cards, you're dismissed for the day."

I think I just found a way for the Nine to save me.

I slipped the earrings back on. There was a slight static sound before I heard a voice.

" Clara?" It was from Peter. Of course, it was Peter.

" I think I found a way for you to save me."

" Please just list- Clara? Are you okay? You sound different."

" I'm feeling fine. I found a way to help the nine and myself. If I could get close enough to the prince and he learns to trust me. I think I could get everything you guys need to destroy the royal family."

Peter exhaled, " You've only joined last week, and you've had less than a week of training. I don't think it is a good idea."

" Either get me out of here or let me stay the entire two months collecting data." I said before taking the earring out again. I don't want to be here for the next eight weeks.

I bent down and slowly began to collect the cards. Each card had something scribbled on the face. A speech perhaps?

I left the deck by the desk and attempted to return back to the cottage.

After a few wrong turns and three different hallway. I was utterly lost.

" Hello, who are you?"

The man standing in front of me looked like Theo. Everything except his eyes. Brilliant blue. He had a nice built and was relatively tall. Where Theo had blonde hair, this man had dark brown.

I lowered my eyes and dropped into a curtsie.

" Your highness."

" Why does everyone call me that? It's Frederick. Titles are for my brother."

I raised my eyes, " Of course, sir. I'm Clara. Theo's new maid."

His eyebrow furrowed before he smiled, " Oh you must be from the second fleet of maids. If I had known someone as beautiful as you were in the fleet. I would have waited."

I laughed softly, " You're too kind Frederick. If you could just point the way outside. I would much appreciate it."

His lips quirked upwards, " Take the next left and follow the hallway."

I bowed again, " Thank you so much. May we see each other again."

" I think we're gonna see a lot of each other."

Good, I'm counting on it.

I looked over my shoulder, Frederick walked towards a large doorway and rapped three times. The door opened and he stepped in, he turned for just a moment to shut the door. And there it was, his stormy blue eyes.

Who are you meeting Frederick?