"You're going to the palace?!"
"Amelia, not so loud!"
"This is huge! You're going to live in the palace as the young prince's nurse. What a twist!"
"I know."
"Ah, you're so lucky," she sighed, falling on the bed.
"Is that so?" My lips twitched.
"Yes it is! The king was in a good mood and asked you to come work for him. You'll earn more than you ever will as a courtesan and you don't have to worry about this life anymore. You're filled with luck."
"... I guess you're right."
Losing my place as a princess, falling to the lowest level in society as a glorified prostitute who hoped somehow to have revenge on the man who killed her parents, who just happen to be the most powerful man in the kingdom, becoming the nurse of his child, I wouldn't consider my luck to be terrific. The ups and downs of my life were too extreme.
"If I somehow fail in my duties, I would be lucky to be thrown into the streets. I could lose my life right there."
"You're just being negative. If there's one thing I know about you it's how good you are with everything you do. You are envied for how perfect you are. Even the mistress sees that. The prince saw that. The duke saw that. I'm sure you would succeed in the palace."
"You want to come with me, Amelia?"
"That's such a foolish idea. You think the king would just let two courtesans waltz into the palace? Having one in there is already cutting it close. I'm good here. Just write to me often and come back for holidays."
"I promise to do that and come back for you. So, wait for me, okay?" I placed my forehead on hers. She smiled.
"Okay."
Packing my properties wasn't hard or laborious. I had amassed many things over the five years I spent there, many of which were ultimately useless so I had to give them out. Among my luggage was the dress I wore back to the kingdom, my accessories, most of which had been sold off and my father's jade ring.
On the day I left, my mother handed it to me, almost as if she knew what was going on. I took it out of the numerous wrapping in my box and threaded my thumb lightly over the seal. The ring had two golden dragons facing each other on it and the word 'Stavenger' was carved in the interior of the ring. It belonged to my father, passed down to him from his own father, and it could be used to command the army of his kingdom... the army of Celassa.
Mother. Father. Give me strength.
The king was headed to the border so the child was left with me and an attendant. They stayed in a special suite in the house, waiting for the summoned carriage to arrive from the palace. The carriage was set to arrive soon and I was fully prepared for it.
My door slowly opened and I smelt her before I saw her. She appeared calm but the pipe in her hands quivered.
"Elayne."
"Mistress."
"Did you know if I wrote a letter to the king right now, asking him to reverse his command, he would honor my request?"
Even to the end, she was bitter and unwilling to let me go. I wanted to know why she hated me and wanted to be miserable.
"I hate you, Elayne. From the moment you stepped in this house, I despised you. That mouth you defy me with, the flame of survival that never goes out in your eyes, I hate it. I wish you would just die, just like your mother."
What did she just say?
"You knew my mother?"
"Ariana Elayne Stavenger. I could tell it was you right away the moment you dragged yourself up to my doorstep."
"How?"
"You and your mother have that same blasted attitude! You always think you're better than anyone else. I had to show you that you were not."
"So that was why..."
All the time she punished me with the hardest chores nobody wanted to do, whipped me the hardest for the littlest mistakes, how she always assigned me lesser rewards compared to rest. I always thought it was because I arrived late or was too old but the truth was even more bitter.
"I don't know what you're trying to achieve by getting closer to the royal family but if it is revenge, then you had better leave the kingdom before that carriage arrives. King Mival is not an easy opponent. He's a far dangerous man than you can imagine."
"Why didn't you sell me out? You tried to stop me and you're doing it again. Why?"
"Perhaps it's because I'm unwilling to resign you to a fate worse than the one you would've gotten here. Life in the palace is much harder than what you remember. Your father was an idiot, your mother a bigger idiot. The Stavengers are cursed and hated in this kingdom. No one would support your ambition. It is better to abandon it now and leave."
"Mistress Andrella, you are such a strange and hypocritical woman. Yet, you took me in, fed me and trained me despite hating me the whole time. I thank you for that and also for trying to save me. But you see mistress, I cannot give up now. The memory of my family haunts me and I would never be satisfied until they're avenged or I die trying. Are you going to report me to the king, mistress?"
For the first time in five years, I had the courage to stare her straight in the eyes. The dignity of a princess, buried under years of shame and impurity was enough to overwhelm even her. She really looked like she had seen a ghost.
"The carriage has arrived."
Hearing the announcement, she placed the pipe to her mouth and inhaled. Puffing out, she turned out.
"Do whatever you like. From now on, I am no longer your master."
I smiled, picking up my luggage and side stepping her.
"Even in death, you still haunt me, Diane," I heard her grumble. I had no idea my parents knew Andrella personally; I only went to her because she was my shortcut to getting popular enough to attract the attention of powerful nobles or even royals.
"Ellie. Ellie."
The bright chirpy voice distracted me from my thoughts. The little prince ran from the side of the attendant to hug my legs.
"I'm returning with you little one. Are you pleased?"
"Ellie."
I could only assume he agreed. I picked him up, and my luggage was collected by the attendant. We walked to the gate of the estate where the carriage was waiting. It was a royal carriage with the dragon seal and it was most likely for the prince, not for an ordinary nurse like me.
Directing one last look at the place I spent five years of my life, I climbed into the carriage and headed for the palace.