I went back to the Mistress' manor with a heavy heart. I accepted my fate from the moment I stepped into that palace knowing too well I was never going to be able to do the Mistress' condition. I have always accepted the fact that I will never be able to get that stone back.
I've suffered with that memory for years now.
I've suffered six years with the same nightmares. I've always wanted to make an end of it. To be able to live as happily as before. Where I see myself smiling and being as jolly as ever.
My mother might not have been able to think about the life I would be living when she decided to save me from that attack and make me see as she slowly died on the ground. She may not have thought about that memory haunting me for the rest of my life.
If I was mature enough to decide how I wanted that moment to end, I would have ended up lying on the ground together with my parents. Dying would be the best choice for me. There is no joy in living with that memory on my mind and haunting me every day for those 48 years.
Blood. Villagers lying on the ground are mercilessly killed by those people wearing black cloaks. Images have become blurry but it will never disappear from my memory.
My shoulders were down when I stepped back into the manor. When I looked up from the floor, the Mistress and Martha were waiting for me. I can see the anticipation in the Mistress' old face as she walks past Martha on her way to me. "And then? How was the party?" she asked me. I can hear the intent in her voice.
Her excitement tells me that she thinks I have accomplished what she wanted me to do.
But I didn't. I never stood a chance in the first place.
"Did you meet the Prince?"
The answer should be a 'Yes', I met him, and we've looked each other in the eyes. I can still remember how fascinating his eyes were at that moment. But I wonder if I should tell him that I only met him by accident. I never knew I wasn't supposed to be going to that place in the first place. That was when I laid eyes on the beautiful Prince for the very first time.
'Yes,'
"She says, she did, Madame," Martha said. Her palms closed as she translated my message with her eyes looking at me with a hint of anticipation.
"And? What does he look like?" her voice sounded as if she was going to hear something ridiculous.
'I couldn't see,' I lied.
He was beautiful. His looks were very much like true royalty. His long black hair, deep red eyes, a perfectly shaped nose and lips, and a tall physique. I recalled the images of him in my mind and all I can say is that he looked perfect. He looked extremely beautiful.
After contemplating, I decided not to tell them about my encounter with the real Prince. The real Prince was mad about the party going on in his palace and was talking about the filth even I, doesn't understand. The Prince stood right in my eyes and wasn't hidden behind a sheer curtain.
The real Prince, if I am not mistaken.
"You didn't see? What do you mean?" Martha asked.
I looked up to the mistress and saw the look on her face change when Martha asked the question. From anticipation, the Dmistress' look changed into a subtle warning.
'We were lined up in an area where we could have our own time in front of the Prince, but he was in a room covered by a thin curtain. Everyone could only see his shadow but not his face.' I explained and Martha translated it immediately to let the Duchess understand.
"Does that mean, no one has seen the Prince?" she asked me. Her voice shows a hint of suspicion.
'Yes, Madam. We were only given a chance to stand in front of the Prince and introduce ourselves,'
"Hmm, " she hummed.
I fell still.
"We'll be waiting for the result of your performance, it should be sent in a few days," she said. She stepped a little bit closer until her face reached my ear. "I guess I'll be keeping your tiny necklace for a few more days, young girl," she whispered.
I saw how Martha's expression changed when she saw what the Mistress did. I knew I should be explaining to her later about what was going on.
I don't know if I should be thankful that there is no confirmation about whether she was going to give the necklace back to me yet. That means I shouldn't be planning my death yet.
But as long as the necklace is in the same house, and not sealed by magic which the Duchess is not able to do, then I should be fine. That is if they don't send me away when it is confirmed that I didn't make it.
My death will be slow but it will eventually come soon.
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In the Busy palace of the First Prince, a carriage came running straight to their entrance. As they were all busy cleaning the mess from last night's party, a servant came running to look for Anton. Anton was the Prince's butler.
He was an honest follower of the Prince's Mother, Queen Ariana. When the Queen died and the Prince was sick and cursed, he opted to take care of the Prince and followed him out of the main palace where he had worked his whole life to a new home in the far corner of the kingdom.
His glasses shone brightly as he stood among the maids who were busy cleaning and scrubbing each corner of the ballroom. The Prince's request is not to see a single strand of hair from last night's ladies.
Only the maids are allowed to walk in and out of the Prince's castle. Those maids have been with him ever since he was young just like Anton, who followed him to his new home to work for him. Making them old and the most caring about the Prince.
The Prince obviously disliked ladies.
Especially those who are good for nothing other than being pretty and living luxuriously.
No one knew the reason behind the Prince's disgust toward ladies, most especially aristocrats. It happened after the death of the queen that the Prince never welcomed another woman in his life.
Never.
And now the palace is busy eliminating every evidence of a woman's presence in his household.
The Prince's father, the King, was the one who decided to hold last night's event. Even though he seemed to have forgotten his other son, he sent a letter saying his Son shouldn't be left unmarried despite being a misfit in the royal bloodline.
Being Unmarried means bad luck to the person and the family. The King doesn't want any of that in the family.
They were forced to hold the party to follow the King's orders. But despite the King's strict orders, the Prince still decided to do something unethical behind his father's back.
Because of his disdain towards women, he decided to make someone do the work for him.
The Prince wanted to have nothing with the ladies and stayed away from them as much as possible. Anton knew this wasn't a good idea. But the Prince said they could simply tell the King that he managed to choose no one out of all the ladies who were present the night before.
They thought they'd be able to get away from it until a servant came running into the ballroom. "A message! From the main palace! Anton!" he went shouting.
Everyone in the busy ballroom went silent upon hearing the main palace. They all froze as if it was the most frightening thing they could ever hear in their lifetime.
"Give me!" Anton screamed from the middle of the crowd. The servant immediately came to him and handed him the letter. Everyone stopped and started coming closer to Anton as he calmly ripped up the envelope and opened the letter.
Anton's expression went from calm to terrified as he read the message. Upon finishing reading what was inside the letter, he screamed, "Find His Majesty! Now!"
And everyone scattered around the ballroom and to the corners of the palace in immediate search of the Prince.
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It's been 2 days since that party at the palace. I am still not feeling any signs of death these past few days. I've been doing pretty well in my chores just like normal. I've gone back to being a maid after pretending to be an aspiring princess.
The necklace is still with the Mistress. It's the first 2 days I haven't seen a glimpse of that golden chain and locket hanging around my neck. And as much as I hated it, I never felt comfortable without it.
But despite the uncomfortable feeling of something missing, I also felt like pretending nothing happened in my past. The necklace always reminded me of those days in the village. Those days I wish I had treasured those while it lasted.
I've been thinking if not having the necklace is better for me or not as it would let me be a new person without anything that would remind me of who I was.
"Alliyah! Alliyah!" I almost broke my neck when I looked back immediately as soon as I heard someone calling my name. "Come! Quick!" Mary said and pulled me away from the laundry I was doing down to the manor's receiving area.
"Here she is," I heard the Mistress say proudly to the people who stood right up from their seats when they saw me coming. One of them, I recognize. If I am not mistaken, he was Anton. The person I met together with the Prince that night on the balcony.
What is happening?
"Are you, Celeste Alliyah?" Anton asked me. I can see from the look of his eyes that he recognizes me.
I nod in response.
"The Prince invites you to an audience in his palace, my Lady."