Finding the Wisest

Chapter Seven

The next day, after spending her earlier hours in the garden, Maya decided to leave the tranquil gardens right before the sun started shining too brightly and go back to her temporary room. She liked being there, it was peaceful.
She had just stepped foot back into the corridors of the castle when she heard a lot of noise coming towards her, maids and servants alike rushed past her, not paying heed to her presence and then she saw the reason why.
The Queen was walking with fast paced steps toward the entrance she had just came from.
Where was she going to?
"Hello Queen Faye"
The Queen turned.
She had now noticed that Maya was standing there, awkwardly pushed to the wall because of the number of people passing. She gave Maya a quick smile and kept moving forward still even as she started talking.
Maya wondered if the queen wanted her to follow her. She had to start speedwalking to catch up with the Queen.
"I'm on my way to a meeting with some of the other kingdoms, Maya. I shall be back soon and we shall see what to do about your mother."
And with that she was gone in a flurry of speed walking maids and wind.
Maya shrugged and made her way back to the room, she would just occupy herself till the queen came back.

X

Three days of inactivity.

Okay not three days of pure inactivity, sure Maya had found things to do.
The first day she made herself familiar with the beautiful gardens and landscapes the castle boasted of. The next day she found herself in the kitchens, snacking on little pieces of fruit and meat as she engaged the cook.
Then the third day she had found the library, a massive sprawling place with tons of books on shelves. She wondered why she hadn't found that place sooner and she spent ages hiding in that room, reading old books. But that was all she had done in those three days.
Three days of nothing but relaxation and it was seriously rubbing Maya the wrong way.
Her mother could be trapped outside somewhere with nothing to eat and here she was, wining and dining in the Queen's castle.

Of course the lovely queen had been very hospitable but Maya couldn't stand the fact that she had been sitting in the castle for three days doing nothing.

Today she decided that she would leave.
Today she would go out and look for her mother.
And so she planned, she decided to first find Hartley, ask when the queen was coming back and then leave a message with her for the queen if she wasn't coming anytime soon.
It sounded like a good plan to her and so she went along with it.

She changed her clothes and wore the things she originally came with, she didn't care if her jeans or sneakers made her look odd among the town people. It wasn't their business what she wore.
And then the hunt for Hartley started, Maya started first in the corridors, nothing.
She went to the kitchens, nothing.
She went to the garden where Queen Faye had told her the fascinating story, still nothing.

Hartley was nowhere to be found and none of the maids had seen her.
That was a bit strange.
Okay, a lot strange.
How had the woman just disappeared into thin air?

Maya had just about given up the search on Hartley when she noticed something quite odd.
Right underneath the massive stone staircase was a small door, it was partially hidden behind a statue that had been shifted to the left slightly. It was this slight shift that had brought the door's presence to Maya's attention. She had almost missed it.

She walked to the statue and checked behind it to make sure she wasnt imagining anything. Sure as day, the door was there. She touched the handle. Maybe the door was locked?
It wasn't!
It opened quite easily. She was surprised. Were all the doors in the castle unlocked? Was that safe?
The door led to a narrow and dusty staircase.

There were footprints in the dust which meant someone had been there recently.
Maybe Hartley was up there?
Maya shrugged and placed one foot tentatively on the stair, making sure it didn't creak or anything, it was all good.