The girl pressed down her apron as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was still very early in the morning, but she was ready for work. Well, almost. She opened her bag and dug out a small vial from underneath the clothes that the man had sent along with her. And with a trembling hand she put it in her apron pocket. She was so nervous she could feel herself hyperventilating. So she took deep breaths to try to stabilize herself.
'I have to get a grip,' she thought. The plan was already set. She didn't need to think, didn't have to hesitate. All she had to do was execute it. And if she did it well, then she'd be paid enough to give her family a better life – a life she had only dreamed of until then. She didn't want to think of the alternative situation if she failed in her mission. She couldn't afford to.
I tied my hair in a braid with practiced flourish. I still had plenty of time before work started and I was not in a hurry at all which, in turn, put me in a good mood. After the ruckus I experienced yesterday, I was determined not to have the same thing happen again anytime soon. I liked starting my day with enough time for myself – not running around like a headless chicken in a slaughterhouse.
'Good morning,' I piped up, greeting 1 as I opened my window to let in the cool morning air into my room.
"What got you in a good mood?" Alessandro smiled. "It isn't your day off today by any chance, is it?" He knew that couldn't have been the case because 20 didn't say anything about it. But she did sleep in late yesterday, compromising their usual talk in the morning. So he got up earlier than usual today, prepared to wake her up in case she was still sound asleep by this time. But obviously she wasn't.
'No,' I said. 'But I'm not going to be late for work, so that's a win.'
"Speaking of work, the head housekeeper may ask you to do additional tasks in the next few days," Alessandro began. He wanted to be the first to tell her about the ball, before she heard it from anyone else. He had promised her he won't keep things from her anymore, after all. And he was adamant to keep his word.
'Additional work?' I asked, frowning. I was already tired enough just with my usual chores. Doing more – like the dishes I had to wash and rinse for the last ball – made me beyond exhausted. And sadly, Luxentfort didn't know yet the concept of overtime pay. 'What for?'
Alessandro cleared his throat. "There's going to be another ball at the palace," he hedged.
'Another ball?' I repeated. 'Why are you hosting another ball?'
"I have something to announce," Alessandro replied. His voice was steady, but his hands holding the coffee cup were trembling. He set down the cup, took a deep breath, and continued. "Would you like to –"
Just then I heard a knock on my door. '1, let's continue this later,' I interrupted, getting up from the bed to answer it. 'I have to go now.'
"Wait," Alessandro called out. "Remember that I was the first one to tell you about the ball, and I didn't keep the information from you this time around." He looked out of his window and saw that the sun was brightly shining already, which meant she needed to head for breakfast soon. No wonder she was suddenly in a hurry. "Will you remember that?"
I laughed. It was like listening to a disclaimer. He was certainly intent on making sure I was aware of the news he just disclosed. 'Yes, I will.'
I hurried to the door, expecting to find 19, but instead it was the new scullery maid I saw yesterday.
"Good morning," she said with a warm smile. "I thought you might want something to drink before breakfast." She handed me a mug of hot coffee and I accepted it gratefully. I thought back to my first meeting with 19, when she did the same thing for me. Maybe I could also be friends with the new girl. Heavens knew I needed more because right now I only had a few. Actually, to be absolutely precise I had only one friend – 19.
'Thanks,' I replied, returning her smile.
"Please call me Ara," she went on. "Do I really call you 20?"
'Yes,' I confirmed. I took a sip of the coffee, surprised that she put milk in it. Many servants in the palace liked to drink their coffee black. But if she had similar preferences in food with me, I was all for it.
"It feels strange to call someone with a number," she commented.
'That's how it is,' I answered her with a shrug.
"Well, it's a good thing I can keep my name, then," she said. "I've never been good with numbers." And I laughed.
*****
I had almost arrived at the pantry when I saw Caio heading in my direction. There was no way he was in the area to have breakfast like I was, so he must have been looking for me. 'What are you doing here?' I greeted him, placing my empty coffee cup on the window sill so I could free up my hands to write.
"Looking for you," he smiled warmly.
'I know that,' I grinned. 'I meant, why are you looking for me?'
"There's going to be a ball in the palace next week," he replied. I nodded immediately, and my unfazed reaction surprised him. "Wait – do you already know about this?"
'Yes,' I nodded again. 'The emperor just told me.'
That threw Caio out of the loop for a moment, but he managed to keep his expression calm. He had never seen Alessandro this serious about one woman before. Actually, his closest friend had never been serious about any woman at all before he met 20.
But it didn't matter, because Caio had also never felt such a strong urge to protect someone like he did about 20. And he was willing to go anywhere to be by her side, whether it was in the midst of a battlefield or in the center of a ballroom floor. "Would you like to go with me?"
'What?' I asked, not following his train of thought.
"Let's go to the ball together," Caio clarified. "I'll be your escort."