Ingrid took a deep breath, putting down an empty glass on the coffee table with a soft thud that resonated through the room. Her gaze shifted to Jaquelyn, who stood before her, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
"What is the matter, Jaquelyn?" Ingrid asked.
Jaquelyn quickly looked up, her brows raised in anticipation. "Princess, would you like to go to the drawing room? Perhaps the dressmaker has already gone home," she suggested.
Ingrid furrowed her brow, puzzled. "Why would she leave without finishing her job?" Her voice remained gentle. "The poor girl must be anxious. You should find her quickly before she gets lost in the palace."
A nervous smile appeared on Jaquelyn's lips. "Lorraine should be able to locate her soon," she said.
Jaquelyn fervently hoped that Lorraine would succeed. If not, they would find themselves in a precarious situation.
In addition to facing consequences for permitting someone with forged documents to approach Ingrid, there is much important matter at hand.
The personal maids at the Lily Palace received higher compensation compared to the servants at the Rose Palace, where the Emperor and his family resides. This elevated compensation was due to the lifetime commitment their job demanded.
Upon arriving at the Sylvania Empire, a royal captive is assigned two personal servants, who must meet three strict conditions.
First, they had to remain unmarried and childless. Breaking this rule would lead to an immediate termination of duties. However, this wasn't much of an issue given the second rule, which prohibited them from leaving the Lily Palace without permission. Any breach of this rule resulted in 20 to 40 lashes.
Finally, the third condition demanded that they must take an oath to remain loyal to the Sylvania Empire. This rule had been instated after servants had colluded with or aided their masters in actions that could harm the empire. Breaching this rule included falsifying or not reporting information, attempting to smuggle goods, or worst of all, helping a captive plan an escape.
Jaquelyn and Lorraine, Ingrid's personal servants, had never attempted to smuggle goods or helped Ingrid plan an escape. However, they had been providing false information about Ingrid's health and behavior to divert attention of the Imperial Palace.
If the Order decided to investigate the matter of the dressmaker, their deception would surely be exposed. And the penalty for such...
"Jaquelyn, you don't seem well," Ingrid said as she rose from her seat.
Jaquelyn found herself entranced by the sight of Ingrid. Even after thirteen years of dedicated service, Ingrid's ethereal beauty continued to astound her.
Ingrid's long silver hair cascaded freely, a shining waterfall untouched by the constraints of hairpins. Her skin, as pure and soft as freshly fallen snow, remained untainted by the fragrant oils others used in their pursuit of such perfection. The slumbering serpentine allure in her eyes, the rosy hue of her cheeks, and the natural fullness of her lips—all unadorned by any makeup—added to her natural charm. Ingrid possessed a beauty so profound that it could make the earth itself tremble in awe.
"Princess, you have to be strong," Jaquelyn thought. She straightened her posture, her hands settling gently on her abdomen.
"I'm alright, Princess," she assured, her words a gentle reassurance to both Ingrid and herself.
A knock on the door interrupted their moment, drawing their attention away from the quiet exchange.
"Princess, this is Lorraine," the voice behind the door announced.
A warm smile graced Ingrid's lips. "Come in," she welcomed.
The door creaked open, and Lorraine entered, her expression carefully neutral.
Ingrid's eyes instinctively sought out the dressmaker, but her smile faded as she realized she was alone.
"Has the dressmaker left?" Ingrid asked, her voice tinged with disappointment.
Lorraine met Jaquelyn's gaze briefly before responding, her tone composed. "Yes. She has left, Princess."
Ingrid's shoulders slumped slightly, and she sighed. "That is too bad. But I suppose she will return, so there is no rush."
"Princess, I need Jaquelyn's assistance with something. May we leave you for a moment?" Lorraine's voice held a note of distance, a subtle undercurrent that didn't go unnoticed.
Ingrid paused. Something felt amiss. "Is something wrong?" she wondered, her gaze flickering between her two maids. Yet, everything appeared normal, so she dismissed the thought without further consideration.
"Of course. You may go," Ingrid finally said, granting them permission.
The maids both bowed respectfully, their voices harmonizing in unison. "Thank you, Princess." Their departure left behind a lingering sense of unease in the room as Ingrid watched them left.
The afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the room as Ingrid immersed herself in her book. Usually, Jaquelyn would be meticulously tidying up the room, while Lorraine prepared tea for Ingrid. However, as the hours passed, their absence grew conspicuous.
Ingrid ventured out of her room, her elegant footsteps echoing softly in the corridor. She inquired with a few passing servants, only to learn that they had seen Jaquelyn and Lorraine walking with Mr. Winston earlier in the day.
It was highly unusual for her maids to leave her alone for more than an hour, and concern crept into Ingrid's mind as the minutes stretched into hours, and night began to fall.
A hesitant knock on Ingrid's door roused her from her thoughts. She sat up in bed, anticipation flickering in her eyes. But the voice that came through the door wasn't the one she was waiting for.
"Princess, it's time for dinner. Would you prefer to dine in your room or at the dining room?" the voice inquired.
Ingrid rose gracefully from her bed and approached the door, her movements fluid and silent.
"Princess?" the voice called once more.
Upon opening the door, Ingrid found herself face to face with a young maid. "Why are you here? Where are Jaquelyn and Lorraine?" she inquired.
The young maid before her lowered her head, a gesture of deference. "I've been instructed by Mr. Winston, Princess. He said he needs Miss Jaquelyn and Miss Lorraine with him for a while longer," she explained.
Ingrid stared at the maid for a long moment, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. "Nothing is wrong, right?" she tried to convince herself, but her unease persisted, gnawing at the edges of her composure.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips. "Why am I worrying excessively? What could even happen inside these walls?" Ingrid chastised herself internally. Pushing aside her feelings, she managed a strained smile.
"I am not hungry. You may leave," Ingrid said softly, her voice barely audible, and then closed the door.
The melodious chirping of birds outside stirred Ingrid from her slumber. Blinking her eyes open, she glanced toward her bedside table out of habit, but it was bare – no glass of water, no cup of tea. A sense of foreboding settled over her as her gaze shifted to the windows, their curtains still in the disheveled state she had left them the night before.
A growing unease gripped Ingrid's heart. "Are Jaquelyn and Lorraine still not back?" her mind raced with frantic worry.
Slowly, the events of the previous day began to resurface in her memory, the peculiar behavior of her two maids standing out like ominous shadows in her mind.
"Where are they?" she asked aloud, her voice tinged with desperation, but the empty room offered no answers.