Just like Melina, Leon had woken up very early too.
The previous night, he had been boiling with anger when he found out the maiden had come to collect her uniform.
What audacity? How had she even entered? The security in the royal chambers was very tight, even the most clever person would have a hard time passing through its corridors. So what exactly did she do?
He balled his hands into fists, feeling outsmarted throughout today. Had she been the one or was someone playing mind games with him right now? He questioned himself as he darted out of the room, opening the door leading out of his chamber and coming to stand in front of the two guards who had been stationed there.
"Your Highness" they bowed when they saw him.
"Did any servant come into the royal chamber this night?" he phrased his question in a way to not attract further attention.
"No, your Highness but I can send for one if you need-" The guard closed his mouth when Leon raised his hand for him to shut up.
"So not a servant was in the royal chamber throughout today?" he asked again. It was most likely she asked someone to take it for her because she had been part of those serving the guests. She even ended up in the dungeon and from how Matthew relayed the story, she was injured and was limping. So how did she get it herself?
They sensed he was uneasy about something and the other one asked "Your Highness is anything the matter or can we be of service?" Leon was about utter something when he stopped.
Why was he fuming over a maid's uniform? He asked himself before sighing and telling them "Nevermind."
Not sparing a minute, he bolted out of the chamber and further out of the royal quarters. He'd have to find out this one himself without involving anyone since it wasn't a serious case.
He knew what she did was considered disrespectful in a royal sense as no one dared to enter a royal's chamber without permission. Even his father who was considered one of the most empathetic Kings would have fed her to the palace dogs by now.
However, it amused him to know that this maiden had the temerity to do something this silly and he wondered how she had even done it. Since she liked getting herself into trouble, it wouldn't be hard to get her on this one.
And if she had involved anyone, they should both be ready to face his wrath.
"I have placed your father's body in the grave and burnt the rogue," Matthew who was coming from a different direction told him.
"I appreciate it," he commended and Matthew bowed.
"The Messenger has sent some news from the neighbouring Kingdom and the chieftain wishes to discuss it with you," Matthew informed him.
"Inform them I would be having a meeting with them tomorrow. And you can relay the messenger's news by then," Matthew nodded at the instruction.
"I also want the King's table to be used tomorrow for breakfast. So you can handle the rest." Leon told him and he nodded as well.
That night, he stirred and tossed on his bed, thinking of how to approach this servant's rudeness without calling the attention of others.
It would seem silly if he told anyone how he helped a maid, brought her to his room or changed her dress because he saw her passed out in the woods and now she had come into his chamber to take her dress without his authorization. Even his righthand man would claim it silly.
'That doesn't mean I would accept such behaviour from her. Teaching her a lesson to know her place wasn't a bad idea.' he said in his head.
He didn't have anything against her and already planned to give her back her uniform but this action only provoked him, making his kindness towards her that night feel disregarded.
Other things also crossed his mind and one of them was having to marry Jordyn. He could not refuse his father's betrothed because it would cause a serious stir-up among the people but at the same time, he didn't just want to do everything the way people wanted. He wanted to have a say like his father had taught him instead of simply following the other King's ways.
When morning came, he was already on his feet, ready to see how things were going at the dining table when he bumped into someone who behold, was this rat, he spoke in his head as he looked at the girl with narrowed eyes.
Taunting her a little wouldn't hurt, he smirked.
...
"My prince..." Melina stood dumbfounded. If it was possible, her eyes would have popped out of their current position and fallen to the ground. Her face suddenly turned flushed in embarrassment again before she deeply bowed,
"I'm very sorry, your highness. I didn't see you moving towards me," she pleaded.
"That is why I want your eyes removed. They're useless since you cannot use them for the purpose they were made," he deadpanned and she lifted her head to look at him, wondering if he was joking or being serious as she had never heard him make such remarks.
At least, that was what she had seen the few times she encountered him and that was what she heard from other servants who did.
So what was this joke?
"Forgive me, your highness. I apologize for my clumsiness. Please do not pluck out my eyes," she begged, not knowing what this prince was thinking in his head. 'It had only been a mistake so why was he trying to act tough?' she questioned, thinking he was only threatening her as she remembered the nice prince she had encountered that saved her.
However, this face in front of her was not joking as it looked her straight in the face before turning to his guards.
The guardsmen, seeing that Prince Leon was not smiling or saying anything came forward and unshielded their swords, thinking he truly wanted her eyes plucked out. It was no new thing to them as they had been ordered to do such ridiculous things many times.
All the other female servants gasped and stuttered back at the sight of the swords and Melina's face turned pale.
Wait...he was serious?!!
Even Matthew asked himself the same question as he watched the events unfold. What had possessed his naive friend last night? Surely, if he was being serious, then this wasn't the compassionate Leon he knew, he twitched in amusement.
The guards were serious as they pulled the young girl who had attempted to run for her life in fright of what was to happen. Her eyes almost dilated from shock. How did it even get this serious? She didn't know this prince was ruthless.
The maids, on the other hand, were finding this hard to glimpse, as they also thought he had been simply threatening her. How did things escalate so quickly? They kept moving back, their hearts beating fast with what was to happen.
"Please, no! No! Your Highness," Leon was having fun seeing her panic just as the guards wanted to drill the tip of their sword into her eyes before he said,
"Stop." he gestured his hands to the guards to pause and they paused, waiting for another command but Leon signalled for them to shield their swords and move back to their position.
'Coward,' Matthew harumphed in his head. He had virtually expected it. He was just waiting for it to happen.
Meanwhile, Leon had satisfied his aim which was to see her dread. She probably thought being clumsy was overlooked but he didn't want to grant these novices the mentality that he was gentle, unlike his father. He wanted to put fear in them so they would not take him for granted, just like this one had done.
As for the uniform, he would still deal with that later.
"It was a caution this time, it would be practical the next. I do not want clumsy servants or I will have them eliminated. This is your last warning, not just to you but to your fellow novices.
No act of unshrewdness will be condoned by me" he declared, turning his gaze to the other maids whose hands turned cold in fear as his voice resonated, the calm and collected prince they had known all along, nowhere to be found.
"We apologize for her clumsiness, Milord. Please forgive us," the eldest maid among them gathered all the courage in her heart to speak as she bowed deeply but Leon ignored her and turned back, walking away from the scene like he had not just almost got someone killed.