Returning Reign

Chapter 18

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"Good morning Cartia!" Lizzy happily greets me as she sits next to me for breakfast. She had a simple bowl of oatmeal and some berries and dark coffee on the side.

"Good morning," I replied quickly, trying to chew all the bacon I had stuffed into my mouth. Definitely not very ladylike of me.

"How was your weekend away from the palace?" I start up a conversation after most of our food is gone.

"It was amazing Cartia! You should come with me someday," Lizzy gushes.

"That sounds lovely, I look forward to it." I reply sincerely. We have about fifteen minutes until we need to start work, hopefully today wouldnt be too crazy. It is a Monday after all.

The last fifteen minutes go by quickly catching up with my closest friend and the work day commenced.

"..., and Cartia are all with me. If your name was not called, you may go with another head maid for the day," The head maid finished reading off the names of the maids to follow her for the day. For the first time since I started working at the palace, I would not be working with Lizzy.

Lizzy and I waved goodbye and went to help somewhere else in the palace for the day. I followed the group of other maids and we all headed wherever the head maid led us.

"Today the group of maids that usually clean the royal suites are busy with another task, so I was asked to pick some of my maids to clean up there today," The head maid explains to us as we walk up the large staircase.

I had never been up to the royal family's suites. I spent most of my time on the first and second floors of the palace. I cannot imagine how many more floors and rooms there must be that no one uses or knows about.

We entered the maid corridor once we reached the landing of the third floor so that we could reach our cleaning supplies and destinations quicker. We were walking down the hall and the head maid was assigning each maid a room for the day. Once we reached the end I was the only one left.

"I know you are new at your job Cartia. But I trust you with Queen Vivians and King Hugo's Suite." The head maid puts her hand on my shoulder. She gives it a light squeeze of reassurance and I nod my head intimidated by my assigned task.

I had no idea what to expect once I walked in there. I am sure the cleaning aspect would not be too hard since it gets cleaned everyday, but this is arguably the most important suite in the palace.

I walk in the master suite of the palace with my supplies in hand and start working right away. I did not want to try to give off the impression that I was snooping around or being lazy. The master suite was a t-shaped wing of the castle. Right when you enter there is a small seating area and a fireplace.

Then when you walked further the large doors to the master bedroom lead to the largest bedroom to exist in the kingdom. The left side of the wing had a master bathroom. The right side of the t had a giant walk in closet. I did not get to inspect anything else since I was busy doing my task.

I had only tidied the bathroom and made the giant california king bed when the doors to the suite slammed close. My head turns quickly to look at the ruckus that nearly gave me a heart attack. It is the King and the Queen. Two angry pairs of feet entering the privacy of their suite to argue.

"We have a promise Vivian!" King Hugo roars angrily at Vivian. I start dusting and wiping surfaces faster trying to leave as quickly as possible. I dont want to be caught in the middle of this.

"That is why we have to get married," Vivian coldly sneers at the King. There seems to be no love between the couple. From the resentful glances, angry screaming, and the coldness in their eyes for each other.

I am starting to believe the rumour that King Hugo has never even loved Vivian at all.

"I have done everything else you have asked me to do. You can't be changing your mind everytime you want something new." The angry King is red in the face from anger. I may not know him well, but I am good at reading people. The way he said that sounded like he was on the verge of breaking, of giving up.

"You know what you have to do. I want to be Queen before Nathaniel becomes King. Only for a little bit of time Hugo," she goes to touch his arm and he repels it away from her grasp.

"Do not touch me." The King sneers back at her and slams the door shut on his way out. Vivian shakes her head and giggles softly. I knew the king and Vivian were never close in public, but it could have been excused as them not being into public affection.

This was something else. She might be manipulating him. I shake my head to get rid of the thoughts. I head to the closet to pick up a few pieces of clothing from the floor. Satisfied with the tidying up I did I decide to head out. I get to the seating area outside the master bedroom and halt immediately.

I thought that Vivian left the suite a little while after the argument but there she was sitting on a black couch. I pretended not to see her after my initial shock trying to be professional and started walking towards the door, my freedom.

"Do I know you?" Vivian asks me coldly. My back straightens and I try to swallow my nerves. I try to keep my face neutral, to not show my emotions.

"No your highness," I tell her, trying to sound polite. I hope she doesnt recognize me from the Balls, or even worse because I look like my parents. I do not know her personally, but she is definitely not to ever be trusted.

"Oh, you just look like someone I used to know a long time ago," Vivian continues. Her face seems distant as if reliving memories.

"Oh well! You may leave," she suddenly tells me and I curtsey lightly and leave right away. As I walked down the maid corridors I couldn't help but analyze everything I heard today.

Something felt off about all of it.

Authors Note:

I recently got my nails done for the first time in over a year. Typing this chapter took a little longer than usual lol.

- xoxo Ellie Violet