Marjoram Castle…
"And they lived happily ever after…" the lady-in-waiting finished the story and looked at the young girl, whose eyes were barely opened. "The end."
"Can you tell me another story?" the little lass asked while trying to stop a yawn. "I want a story about witches."
Upon hearing the princess's request, the lady-in-waiting stiffened for a bit.
But instead of obeying her young mistress, she gently tucked the child in.
"Maybe tomorrow night, your highness. It is past your bed time and you need to get enough sleep."
Though unhappy that she got denied, the ten year old nodded and tried to keep her eyelids from closing.
Pouting a little, she reached for her stuffed bear. "All right! Good night, Atropa!"
As the young girl settled in, the maiden pulled the covers and brought it to the girl's, chest.
Atropa brushed the stray locks from the princess's forehead and mumbled something.
Light particles shone before they disappeared as the young girl fell into deep slumber.
Satisfied the maiden quietly left the child's room.
"Good night, Miss Hemlock!" one of the maids said as she passed by the dimly lit corridor.
"Good night!" Atropa smiled at the other woman as she navigated towards her chambers.
Unlike the other servants, the maiden was given her own room.
Subconsciously, she looked left and right as if checking the vicinity. Not seeing the flaxen haired in the area, she breathed in relief as she continued towards the servants' wing.
It was a good thing that Briar was not in the palace for the past few days.
He had been hovering over her and the princess when he was here. His presence sometimes set the lady on the edge.
Atropa could understand that as a doting older brother, Briar would certainly spend time with his younger sister whom he had not seen for a couple of years.
The current monarch, King Reed always stayed distant from his youngest sibling. It was quite understandable since he was oftentimes busy with state affairs and problems in the kingdoms.
However, she was a bit puzzled why the second prince had been trying to get close to a lady-in-waiting such as her.
It was a bit of a wonder why Briar tried to approach a lower noble like her.
Though, she did not want to admit it, his actions made her heart skip a bit and made her nervous and apprehensive.
"Could it be that he figured it out?" She paled slightly as she opened her door…
"You're late…" a familiar male voice rang out.
Atropa scowled at the young noble man who had leisurely occupied her small bed. "If you have forgotten, I have a job, unlike you, older brother"
The auburn haired man just shrugged at her jab.
"Why are you here? I did not summon you." She asked while waving her hand at the door. A sound proof barrier formed before the firmly locked door.
"It is not like I am bored and had nothing to do…" he said as he got up from the bed and moved towards her.
"It's not like I wanted to check on my incompetent young mistress… I mean younger sister." He towered over the girl who shared identical hazel eyes with him.
"Stop playing around… Rei." Atropa brushed him off. "Why are you here? Unless you finally completed the last mission I gave you."
"The last mission was a success. Sir Milza had a fitting end." He said and produced a pale blue blossom.
"Well done!"
With her compliment, Rei's fox ears and nine tails came out. He seemed to be happy judging from the wagging of his tails.
Shaking her head at Rei's antics, she turned her attention to the pale blue blossom.
"For such a cruel and corrupted man, Milza unexpectedly produced a very pretty Halliwell."
"I had my doubts on the quality of the medium. That man was old and past his prime. I thought his body might produce an inferior bloom." the girl shared.
"Planting the seed was an easy task but the waiting for a few days before it blossom bores me." Rei muttered. "But I think waiting was worth it."
"His wickedness must have fed the seed with so much darkness that made this amazing bloom." Holding it by its stem, she concentrated her mana and preserved it in a resin.
"What are you going to do with all that Halliwell?" he asked as he motioned to the several blooms which were preserved in resin. "are you going to raise an army of undead?"
"Though Halliwells can be used for creating walking dead, I will not do so. I have better spells for these beauties." Storing the flower, she sighed.
The girl then shed off her form. Her auburn hair turned black and her hazel eyes turned red. Her work clothes changed into those flowing black robes.
Perceptive as ever, Rei commented. "You seemed troubled…"
"For the past two weeks, the prince had been hovering over me."
"Do you think he has suspected that you were behind the murder of the knights and nobles?"
"I don't know about that. If he knew that I had been using the knights as garden soil for Halliwell, he might have dragged me to the dungeons by now."
"What is that on your wrist?" Rei asked. He had noticed the trinket when his mistress entered earlier.
Atropa is not fond of any baubles except for the charmed pendants that she had used for casting spells and channeling mana.
She blushed a little as she recounted what had happened a few weeks ago to her familiar.
She could not very well lie to Rei. The cunning fox would still squeeze the truth out of her.
"You do know that if I am not with the princess, I usually help out with the paper works-just to kill time or snoop around and pick up the next target from the roster of knights and nobles."
"So you have been spending time in the study."
She nodded and continued. "For some reasons, the prince would also go there and be with me."
"Stalker..." he murmured.
Atropa ignored his words. "We usually would talk almost about anything. Then, a few days before he left, Briar called for me."
The fox brows rose. "So it was the prince who gave it to you. Strange… Why would he give something to a lady's maid?"
"I naturally refused but he had told me certain things."
The prince had said. "Atropa, please… you've been good to my sister. Not a single lady-in-waiting had stayed long and made her this happy. You were only employed here for a couple of months and yet she had improved a lot."
"What do you mean, your highness?"
"Rozen is sick. The other servants stayed away because they fear that it was a curse that made her sick. They were afraid that the curse will affect them. But only you managed to stay for almost 3 months… the longest that a servant can take." Briar had told her while offering the bejeweled bracelet.
"I do not believe that it was a curse. Also, I still could not accept such a precious gift." She muttered as she kept her hand clenched.
"You have to accept this. This is not only for gratitude of taking care of my sister. This is also because even before you got employed here, you managed to save her life."
"That was nothing. When I saw her in danger during that time, I just have to save her. You did not need to thank me. With the royal family hiring me and giving a jobless poor woman like me work here in the palace is enough."
"You could have been employed in a higher position and left my sister because of her sickness yet you stayed with her… so please accept this."
Atropa was still hesitant but Briar said something which had taken her aback.
"Refusing a gift is an insult…"
Her eyes widened at his words. It reminded her of something else.
Briar took the opportunity to put the trinket on her wrist. But what surprised her was the surge of mana which accompanied the placing of the bracelet.
"Thank you, your highness…" she said but did not voice out the fact that the prince had given her an enchanted bracelet.
She would have left after receiving such gift but Briar cornered her and gently kissed her hand.
Atropa blushed at the memory and Rei definitely noticed it.
"I think the love potion is still working." The fox's teasing voice brought Atropa back to the present.
"What?" The witch was taken aback.
"The love potion, the one with silver apples, you have made. Though the prince could not recognize you, he is still attracted. And I think you are also feeling the attraction towards him."
Atropa frowned and mumbled. "I can't give in. It will hinder my vengeance."
Rei grinned evilly. "You know, this might work out on your favor. You just have to know how to work on it."
"I will never use anything that involves my heart."
"Sure thing, boss." Rei smirked deviously which made Atropa narrow her eyes on him.
"Rei, don't you dare meddle. I know that smile." She warned.
Rei held his hand in surrender. "Fine, I won't do anything."
Changing the topic, he asked. "Who's the next target?"
"I think it is about time to look for the main target and get rid of him. Find King Bulrush. The ingredients are all ready. I only need the target to exact my vengeance."