"I heard that you are new around here," Isabel said on the way.
"Yes, I recently just moved here and I am still trying to find my bearing," Moon replied and added, "also, I really want to apologize again for yesterday."
"Yesterday?" Isabel repeated. "Yesterday was great. You were great. I mean, you taught well and I am more than happy to take your lessons again."
Eve looked at Isabel from behind and at that moment, she felt like smacking her head. Isabel talks much when she has no idea about something.
"I mean, for mistaking your name for someone else."
"Huh?" Isabel feet stopped walking and she turned to her side before looking at Eve from the side of her eyes and bringing it back to look at Moon who had also stopped walking.
Eve kept her head down, like she was not eavesdropping on what they were saying and also, like she had no idea what they were talking about, but her heart was soon to stop when she heard the tutor say next;
"Genevieve," he said to Isabel, "I called you that."
"Oh!" Isabel said with a slight nod, as if remembering and she laughed at the end, in a manner that seems like she wanted to dismiss the conversation.
They soon resumed walking again and from behind, Eve could tell that Isabel wanted so bad to push her to a corner and scold here for not telling her soon about what transpired between her and the tutor yesterday.
After about five minutes, they finally reached the place where they would part.
Moon turned to face Isabel and he set his lips into a smile before saying, "It is really a great opportunity that I got to know you. I hope we can continue in this way and thank you for accepting me to be your tutor."
Isabel smiled back and they both bowed their heads a little before Isabel started walking to the front. Eve followed immediately and when she got to where the tutor was standing, she also bowed her head and went to catch up with Isabel.
As they went, Moon watched them from behind and the small smile laced on his lips slowly faded. He was reminded of the red bracelet that he saw on the maid's hair and he remembered how the King had called for her to serve him tea. She must be one of the favored maids, he thought and then he started to head towards his quarters where he was given a room.
Once they got to a corner, Isabel grabbed Eve by the arm immediately and half-screamed in excitement while jumping and it got Eve confused. Was she not going to ask her about what transpired between her and the tutor?
"Eve! This is a dream come true," she said to her and continued, "get ready tomorrow. We are going out to the streets. I can't wait," she said in glee and continued walking.
Eve stepped into the compound and walked in a normal pace. She couldn't try to meet up with Isabel again because she already rushed inside. She looked ahead of her and saw Mina and Beth standing outside. Maidservant Ann is home, she thought as she walked up to the front. She saw the two ladies whispering something to each other ears and when they saw her, they quickly stopped whispering and hurried to meet her.
"What is it?" Eve asked with a little frown as she stopped walking.
They both looked at each other before Mina said to her;
"Maidservant Ann wants to see you in her study room." She added, "I don't think she is in a good mood."
Eve wondered what could have changed the mood of Maidservant Ann. She may be strict but she isn't someone who gets angry.
"For how long?" she asked.
"Since we left the gathering, I think," Beth replied.
Eve left their side and made her way inside while feeling the ache in her leg. She headed straight to the study room and placed two knocks on the wooden door.
"Come inside," she heard Maidservant Ann's voice from inside and she pushed the door open before stepping in.
As soon as she shut the door, she saw Maidservant Ann lift her eyes up from the book she was reading to place it on her. By now, Eve was standing in front of her desk.
"I was told you asked for me," Eve said to her and waited for her to respond. To her, it seems Maidservant Ann was taking her time to say something, or the weight of her words would be heavy once she dropped it.
"Genevieve," she called in her usual calm voice.
"Yes, Maidservant Ann," Eve answered.
"This will be your sixteenth year since you came to this place."
"Yes," Eve answered. It has been sixteen years since she has been uprooted from her hometown after the disaster that ruined her before she was given another life here. It was something Maidservant Ann already knows, then why was she asking again?
"Do you even consider yourself a servant in this household?"
Eve slowly blinked, her spirits falling and she lowered her eyes. She was never a servant when she was brought into this place. The king never told her she would become one, until one day when Queen Opaline cut her relationship with the princess and said she would serve her from that day. Eve never imagined that her life would come down as a mere servant and that someone would question her living.
"Look at me when I am talking to you."
Eve raised her eyes to look at her and she heard her say, "The King favors you the most out of all the servants and because of that, you seem to be forgetting your place. You did not have to speak in my favor when he asked you a question. As you already know, the Queen and I don't get along and the more you do that, the more you get in trouble with her because as it is already, she already sees you as someone I brought up and will use against her."
It was not as if Eve was trying to speak in her favor when the king asked her that question, but because she felt it was all thanks to her and didn't want to speak for herself alone.
"Eve," Maidservant Ann called and said, "don't think you will always have your life easy. It cannot be like that here. The life you lived before ended the day you were brought to this place. You are not that child anymore. Soon, the king would look for a suitor for you and send you into a household you know nothing about. Is that what you want?"
Eve felt like Maidservant Ann was saying a snippet of how her life would be for her. Indeed, it was her reality. Reality hits hard. Reality sucks. She doesn't want to be that person who would be pushed around by an order or a decree. She wants to be the one to decide her life for herself and chose who she wants to spend the rest of her life with, not with someone who would be shoved down her throat.
But Eve did not think the King would do that to her.
"Why do you always say all these things to me?" Eve asked her, blinking. "I haven't even done anything wrong and yet, you always scold me with your words. Sometimes, I feel you are just picking on me. Sometimes I don't just understand any of it and I do ask myself, why me?"
"It's because I was once like you," Maidservant Ann said. "You are just like my younger self."
Eve stared at her, letting her words sink in and realizing that it was why she always set her aside to speak to her and scold her for things she didn't think was wrong. She was only trying not to make her follow her steps. The mistakes she made, she didn't want that for her. At least, now she knows she was just looking out for her. She always knew Maidservant Ann has a lovely heart, but something must have happened to her to make her like this, hiding all that love and only letting it out when needed.
Parting her lips, Eve asked, "What would you have me do then?"
Maidservant Ann pulled out something from the desk and she stretched it out to her. Eve took it from her and looked at it. It was the invitation for the princess birthday coming up next month. She was a little surprised as she wondered how Maidservant Ann already got it when it hasn't been announced officially. It could only mean that she knew what the meeting with the king was about before they went, and yet she decided to keep it to herself.
"You always have a choice. You can either continue to be in the spotlight, or you can be behind the curtains. Just know what is best for you."
Eve stepped out of the room and shut it behind her before looking down at the invitation in her hand. She raised the hand holding it and dipped it into her dress pocket before leaving the place.
Early the next morning, Eve was woken up by the rough wriggling of her body. Splitting her eyes open, she saw a face very close to hers, looking down at her.
"Are you awake?" Isabel asked in a hushed voice and Eve flicked her finger on her forehead, making her move her head back.
"Ow!" Isabel groan while rubbing on the spot.
"Why would you disturb my sleep?" Eve asked as she rolled on the bed only to reach the edge and sit up. She let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes with the back of her palm. She soon felt Isabel's weight on the bed beside her and her clutch on her arms, holding her and tugging at it.
"Eve," she called excitedly and when Eve looked at her, she said, "get ready. We are going out of this place."
Eve moved her mouth to speak, but no words came out of it and she slowly closed it back. After what Maidservant Ann told her yesterday, she didn't think it was right to sneak out of the palace and go out into the streets.
What if they were caught? She asked herself. The princess would just get a scolding while she would receive her own punishment. Queen Opaline would not take it lightly if she was caught, but Isabel doesn't see all that. She does things that puts other people in danger.
"Now get ready soon," Isabel said again and the next second, she was already jumping out of the room before Eve could say anything.