Yohana refused to sit idly by, while knowing that Princess Elisa remained trapped. If approaching Princess Eleanor was not an option, Yohana would have to find another way to unlock the door.
Yohana exited the cellar momentarily, leaving Princess Elisa to believe she had been abandoned. But she swiftly returned, clutching a large rock in her hands.
The weight of the hefty rock required both hands to carry, so Yohana left the candlestick near the garden. Her skirt remained damp from her plunge into the pool to retrieve the rock, adding to the burden she now bore.
Water droplets left a trail in her wake as she made her way back to Princess Elisa's enclosure.
With determination, Yohana lifted the rock and forcefully slammed it against the lock. Initially, the lock showed no signs of giving way, but after several more attempts, she managed to dent it.
The sudden exertion took a toll on her body, and she found herself collapsing to the floor, struggling to regain her breath.
"Let me catch my breath," she announced, assuring Princess Elisa that she would not give up.
After allowing herself a moment to recover, Yohana stood up and resumed her assault on the lock. With each strike, the damage inflicted on the lock increased. After about an hour of relentless effort, the lock finally reached a state where it could be removed from the barred door.
Yohana swung open the door and grabbed Princess Elisa's hand. "Let's go!"
"Wait!" Before leaving, Princess Elisa took hold of the lock. "Eleanor must not see this."
They hurriedly ascended the stairs, with Yohana leading the way. Yohana ensured her safety inside Princess Elisa's chamber before embarking on a quick return to the cellar to retrieve the rock and candlestick she had left behind.
Princess Elisa expressed her gratitude by embracing Yohana tightly, her tears dampening Yohana's shoulder. "Thank you!" she exclaimed.
Yohana gently disentangled herself from the embrace, assuring Princess Elisa, "Rest well, Princess. You deserve it." She tenderly brushed aside a few strands of hair from the princess's face before taking her leave.
The task of returning the rock to its original position proved more challenging than when she first brought it down. The urgency of the previous situation had provided Yohana with an extra surge of strength. Now, left to rely solely on her own stamina, she painstakingly ascended the stairs, taking frequent breaks to catch her breath.
Eventually, she managed to drop the rock back into the pool. However, as she approached the spot where she had hidden her candlestick, she discovered that it was no longer there.
"This is bad," Yohana muttered to herself, a sense of unease creeping over her.
***
Elisa quickly concealed the damaged lock in her wardrobe and proceeded to undress and clean herself.
The relief of being in the presence of clean water and fresh air was palpable. She couldn't help but reflect on the wretched conditions she had endured while locked in the cellar, surrounded by filth and an unbearable stench.
As she scratched her lower body, tears streamed down her face, reminiscent of the times when she had been forced to urinate on herself due to Eleanor's neglect. However, she also remembered how Lady Runa had tactfully ignored her humiliation, showing a level of compassion that touched her deeply.
Eleanor had always been peculiar, even from a young age. While Elke had her own idiosyncrasies, she was never malicious. Eleanor, on the other hand, seemed to derive pleasure from inflicting pain on others. As the youngest and most vulnerable, Elisa had become her primary target.
Being confined in the cellar was not a new experience for Elisa, but this time it had been the longest and most severe. Something must have triggered Eleanor to escalate her cruelty. Usually, after witnessing Elisa's tears and hunger for hours, Eleanor would find satisfaction and release her.
This time felt different. Elisa truly felt like a prisoner under her oldest sister's control. To make matters worse, she couldn't confide in anyone about her ordeal, as she knew Eleanor would manipulate the facts to her advantage.
Upon leaving the bath chamber, Elisa encountered Annelise in her bedroom. Annelise was indulging in a sumptuous meal in the sitting room. The fork slipped from Annelise's fingers as she jumped up, covering her mouth in shock.
"Your Highness..." Annelise stammered.
Elisa cast a cold gaze at her maid and remarked, "Annelise, isn't that supposed to be my dinner?"
***
Annelise had only been appointed to serve Princess Elisa when the Siegsfried family ascended the throne. Prior to that, she had been employed in a duchy and earned her position in the palace through her diligence and hard work.
Her father, a wealthy landowner in a rural area, lacked a noble title.
Annelise possessed a sharp wit and had a knack for discerning the balance of power within a household, which enabled her to secure her position by aligning herself with the right person.
Considering her assignment to Princess Elisa as unfortunate, Annelise recognized the necessity of currying favor with Princess Eleanor to ensure her survival in the palace. She astutely discerned that Princess Eleanor held the true influence and authority. It became clear to Annelise that Princess Eleanor derived immense pleasure from inflicting suffering upon her youngest sister.
Initially, Annelise began by reporting Princess Elisa's daily activities to Princess Eleanor. She then facilitated opportunities for Princess Eleanor to torment her younger sibling in a manner and timing that would not arouse suspicion.
Annelise played a pivotal role in preventing Princess Elisa from confiding in Queen Emma or anyone else, not that there were many who cared about her well-being.
Through meticulously devised plans crafted alongside Princess Eleanor, Princess Elisa was effectively silenced, unable to expose the abuse inflicted by the first princess.
Hanne, the personal maid to the first princess, often served as a bridge in their communications. She had been by Princess Eleanor's side long before the Siegfried family took the throne in the Reichwein Kingdom.
Annelise, on the other hand, approached Hanne and other maids first, flaunting her father's wealth in an attempt to attract loyal followers. She promised them that her father would invest in their family businesses, establishing a business relationship that ensured their loyalty and prevented them from betraying Annelise.
Of course, Annelise had ulterior motives and sought assistance from Hanne to achieve her goals. Realizing that she wasn't the most attractive young lady, Annelise relied on her wealth to attract noblemen. She dreamed of obtaining a noble title through marriage.
Annelise had heard rumors about Hanne's handsome older brother, although she had never seen him in person. She subtly hinted at the possibility of a marriage arrangement to Hanne, although Hanne had not fully grasped her intentions. Annelise considered being more direct with her proposal.
One day, the atmosphere in the servants' quarters grew tense due to the arrival of a newcomer.
"Did you see her? At first glance, you can already tell she's a commoner," Mila commented, clearly disapproving of the idea of sharing a room with someone of lower status.
"You mean Thea, the new girl?" Rika confirmed.
Hanne nodded and added, "She seems quite cheerful. I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to charm all the men here just to climb the social ladder."
The last comment about climbing the social ladder struck a nerve with Annelise. She resented the presence of another commoner in the palace, especially one who was poor. The thought of the new girl's continued presence threatening Annelise's reputation bothered her immensely.
Annelise had sought employment in the palace to elevate her social status. With her family's wealth, she believed that obtaining a noble title shouldn't be an issue for her. In her opinion, Thea, on the other hand, was undeserving of being in the palace at all.
"Why did Zara hire her?" Annelise chimed in, eagerly looking for flaws in the new girl to use as ammunition for her removal.
"With the change in monarchy, there is a shift in the palace staff as well. Some of the maids who served the previous royal family are still here, but the current royal family sees it as a potential risk. It's possible they are running out of qualified people to hire," Hanne speculated, offering a plausible explanation.
"Why are you hating someone you haven't even seen before? The new girl entered the palace fairly. I saw her a few days ago during the interview and evaluation, and she did a commendable job. So, stop spreading gossip and focus on your work!" Maxine interrupted.