Penny elated in her heart. It was easier than she had thought. She nodded her head with a reluctant look on her face while her face had a sly smile.
This was the first time that she had lied. Who would have thought that others believe so easily. But that thought made her feel guilty.
'Oh Penny, you are cheating them!' her heart chided her and she panicked. She opened her mouth to tell them the truth when she remembered the pale and hungry face of the girl and bit her lips. If she would tell the truth, the girl would have to stay hungry further.
No! A lie spoken for the welfare of others could not be bad. She shook her head and continued to walk being the guards who were not looking at her anymore to her relief.
It took them a long walk through the inner garden and then a whole lot of passages that she didn't even know how much she had walked when they finally stopped in front of a dark room.
Even the room was scary with no light around. Her eyes hallucinated and she felt like a strong mist was covering the room and some dark energy hand covered it.
The knight moved forward and knocked the door gently,
"What is it!" The voice was cold enough to leave the knight trembling. It took him a second to find his voice back as he whisper, sure that his master would still listen to it,
"Your majesty, the nanny you have called from the ruby palace has arrived." but his soft plea only met with a mocking silence.
His master never takes so much time in replying. The knight wondered what had changed and then looked at the woman suspiciously. What if she had lied to him and entered in without permission.
Not only would she be done for, he had to bear the consequences too.
"You! Are.."
"Let her in!" Just when the knight was about to hold her hand and confront her, the soft voice from the room made him flinch but at the same time relieved in a second.
He let go of her hands and moved to open the door. He frowned and glared at the girl who was standing there like a statue.
"Hey, do you not know the majesty did not like to wait. Hurry in!" He pushed her when the girl still did not move and then closed the door hurriedly as he did not want to face the eyes of the man.
Penny flinched and turned to open the door but it was already too late. The door was closed and her pleas would not open it.
She sucked in a deep breath and started walking forward with slow steps, fear could be seen dancing on her face.
The room looked nothing like morning, it was so dark and a strAnge pain was wafting in the air that made her soul clench.
She blinked a few times to get adjusted to the dim light yet she needed to use her hands to continue to walk forward.
"You lied to them. I hope you have a good reason to do that." she jumped on her place with the sudden voice breaking the spell of the darkness and she snapped her head back to the left side.
There he was! Sitting in front of a desk working on the papers with a single lamp giving him light.
Why in the world had he kept room so dark when all he was doing was work? She muttered under her breath as she walked towards there but each step felt so heavy as if she was walking towards her death.
"I did not mean to lie but the knight would not have let me in if i would have told him that i wanted to meet you on my own accord." she replied honestly as she bowed her head as her greetings.
"And you wanted to meet me so desperately that you committed treason? I had never thought that you were so brave." treason! Her eyes widened more than the size of saucers as fear crawled her heart.
"Trea… treason?" she felt her heart freeze when he nodded nonchalantly.
"What is the reason for your bravery!" he asked, cutting her words in between when she gulped. Her hand clenched into a tight fist as she collected all her strength.
"My lady, the princess, is suffering from hunger but there is not a single thing available in her kitchen.
It is completely empty. I have no idea how her budget is passed and who handles it but since I have been assigned as her nanny, it is my duty that she was fed well.
So, I am here to ask for some funds in advance or it would be better if I can get some ingredients from the kitchen to make her meal. If it is inappropriate then please issue it as a loan and we would slowly return it from her next month budget.'' She bowed her head and spoke politely in a soft voice but her body was shaking with fear.
"You say it is completely empty?" In spite of clear doubt in his voice she nodded her head as she knew that he would not find a thing if he would check it by himself. She was not lying or doing fraud so she did not fear anything.
"Very well, then even if I would give you money or ingredients, wouldn't it be cumbersome to take care of the whole palace and then look after her too.
So, till the time we appoint new maids for her palace, both of you can shift here."
"Pardon!"
"I said bring her here and live here for the meanwhile. I will arrange a room and other necessities for both of you."