Returning Reign

Chapter 4

             Friday morning I woke up at seven in the morning to be ready for work at eight. Before our shift, Lizzy and I met in the hallway and walked towards the cafeteria together. Lizzy was currently explaining to me every detail of her current romance novel.

"Then, Lisa found out that Sam had also been seeing Lauren the entire time!" Lizzy throws her hands up in the air in exasperation. "You won't believe what happens next though, Lisa finds out she's pregnant with Sam's child," I look at Lizzy and shock dramatically.

"This is the most dramatic love triangle I have ever heard Lizzy," I tell her sarcastically. We both laugh at the silliness of the novels Lizzy reads for her free time.

"With all seriousness Cartia, Sam has a big choice to make, stay with the woman he barely knows who is pregnant with his child by the way," she motions a baby bump on her own stomach as she walks. "Or the woman he has known his entire life." Lizzy finishes as we make it to the cafeteria and head to the buffet line to serve our plates. I grab some biscuits with gravy for myself with some fruit on the side of the plate. Lizzy grabs only fruit.

It had only been a few days since I had arrived at the castle but I was already feeling settled in. This is my new life, with a new mission. Once we were done eating and chatting, Lizzy and I headed towards the place assigned to our group to clean for the day. Today we were assigned to clean the informal dining area of the castle. Although it was considered informal to the royals in the palace, it was anything but. It still was extravagant and over the top, which makes me wonder what the formal dining room looks like.

When we walk into the informal dining room I am quick to notice that people who seem to be of high status are still having their breakfast. The long sleek white wooden table is full of fresh fruits and breakfast foods. Most of it seems untouched and will probably be thrown away. The woman sits talking daintily, with proper manners. I had never seen royalty before in my life, where I came from there was no such thing. I had no way of knowing if this is the main royal family, or some other royals of lower status.

Seated at the table are two men, one in his late teens early twenties, and the other who seems to be in his late forties to early fifties. Then there was the polished woman who seemed the same age as the older man. What caught me off guard was the young man was the same man that I had seen previously in the Library. He looked even more handsome during daytime when I could make out all his sculpted features with the daylight. His dark brown hair had natural highlights made by the sun. His brown eyes had speckles of gold embedded in them. He had a natural golden tan from the sun. He seemed tall and was built with lean muscles. 

Lizzy tugs my arm to follow her and the rest of the maids against the wall. Apparently I was staring for too long and I had to move along, oops. We had to wait until the room was unoccupied by royalty to be able to continue with the cleaning. Lucky for us it seemed they were almost done and we wouldn't have to wait long. The royals seem to not notice us entering since the room was so large and they were engaged in conversation. "Nathaniel please do your best to greet all our allied nations today when they arrive," the older man tells the young handsome royal.

Nathaniel seems to not be too interested in this topic of discussion. He is fiddling with the butter knife in his hand. His name is Nathtaniel, I note in my brain. "I'll try my best," he replies to the older man who I am assuming is his father. His response doesn't sound too happy though. His father also doesn't seem pleased by his response.

"We have worked so hard for a long time to prepare this for you. We only want whats best for you," The woman tells Nathaniel and I assume she is his mother. That had seemed to break his last thread of patience. Nathaniel stands up quickly and pushes his chair back with him.

He bends down towards his parents and with a stone cold angry facade he says, "You don't always know what's best for me," and he storms out of the room. The door to the dining room slams shut when he exits the room. I try my best not to look shocked since everyone else seems used to this. His parents don't look surprised, it's not the first time they have argued about this. There is lots of tension between the royal family. Shortly after Nathaniels exit, the parents stand up and start leaving the dining hall. When the man passes by us he thanks the head maid.

"You are welcome my king," she bows and we all bow after her. Once they leave, we start cleaning and picking up the dining room. While I do my cleaning, I think in silence. I have just met the king and the queen Zemira. Nathaniel must be their son but I am not sure of that yet. I wish I could just ask Lizzy for answers but what citizen doesn't know the basics of the kingdom they live in? It would look too suspicious. Maybe one day I can trust her, but for right now it's best I keep to myself.

We clean off the table, dust furniture, sweep, mop, wax, and leave the room looking impeccably spotless after hours of cleaning. When the day is over Lizzy and I start to head back to our bedrooms. We walk together mostly in comfortable silence. Lizzy turns to look at me and asks, "What are you doing this weekend?" I think of the book I temporarily stole from the library and the research I have to do for answers.

"Nothing, just some reading," I answer, trying to seem nonchalant. Lizzy gasps as if she's in shock.

"You are so boring compared to me! I usually go home to visit family during the weekend but this weekend there will be a ball remember?" she lowers her voice towards the end.

"You read too, so how am I more boring?" I ask her jokingly that I am angry at her.

"I want to try to sneak into the ball this weekend!" she claps excitedly as she whispers. Now it's my turn to gasp and to be in shock.

"Lizzy are you out of your mind?" I ask her incredulously.

"Hear me out, I have gowns I could wear and technically speaking I could sneak in using a maid corridor. It will also be a masquerade  theme so no one will recognize me," she explains as if she already thought everything through. "Oh and you should come with me Cartia!" She looks at me with hope.

"No way! I don't want to be caught," I replied quickly and shook my head in disapproval. I don't even know what this ball is for!

"Pleaseee," Lizzy drags out the word while making puppy eyes at me. At this point we had already reached our rooms.

"I will think about it," I say and I shut my door quickly not giving her time to speak. Lizzy is very persuasive, but I only said that to get her off my back. There is no way I am going to follow her schemes to do no good. I hear Lizzy happily giggle out in the hallway before I hear her enter her room.

I go into my bathroom and shower. They really treat the staff here great I think to myself. I then lay in bed and grab the book I temporarily stole from underneath my mattress and decide to start reading it tomorrow when I am feeling more refreshed.

Authors Note:
Ooh lala I see you guys met Nathaniel... interesting....
Please comment and vote!
- xoxo Ellie Violet