"You just need to make sure she doesn't gain power in the court." the emperor said, his voice low. "Report to me every night, I'll send someone to get you." with that he passed by me just we heard a new set of footsteps coming toward us. I needed to thwart her plans, that was easier said than done. I thought, walking into the kitchen where two cooks were busy preparing for food. The smell made me hungry and i realized i hadn't even had lunch.
"Can I get four peaches for Her Highness?" I asked a woman sitting on the table peeling potatoes.
"Sure honey, they are in there." she pointed to the basket covered with a lid. I was about to walk over when my stomach grumbled loudly and I stopped, embarrassed. The woman smiled, "Have some spicy rice, it's a Waedal's specialty." she sat me down on the table and filled a white ceramic bowl with red color rice, that had boiled chickpeas in it. I suddenly got reminded of my mother's chickpea soup. Though i had never had it with rice before.
"What's your name?" The lady asked.
"Colette. I answered with my mouthful. The woman chuckled.
"You can come here whenever you want to eat." she rubbed my back and I let her. After gulping down the rice, my stomach was full and I got up, filled the plate with four peaches from the basket, said goodbye to the woman, and made my way to the princess.
"What took you so long?" Verbena yelled when I entered the door.
"I was hungry, the woman in the kitchen offered me food," I replied, setting down the plate on the table, but Verban snatched the plate and threw it on the floor, the glass flew and one made a slight cut on my forehead. A beaded line of blood formed on the injury.
"I am the princess here, you serve me, and my needs always come before yours." taking a peach she stormed towards the other side of the suite, and I bent down to clean up the mess she made.
God, I couldn't wait to take revenge on her. When I cleaned up the glass from the floor, Verbena stormed back in, "We are having dinner tonight with the emperor, there will be dancing. Keep eyes on everyone."
"Yes, Your Highness," I said, realizing this was my chance to start my revenge. I helped Verbena get dressed in a beautiful golden and black gown, her shoulders bare. I let her hair loose, as per her instructions, and tightened the corset, so that her cleavage would reveal more.
"It's a good thing, you're good at something." she smiled at herself in the mirror. "Oh and bandage this around your chest. " she throws me a white bandage. "I want all eyes on me tonight."
The bandage made it harder for me to breathe. And it became more uncomfortable when I started walking. My steps had become slower and it was harder to keep up my pace with Verbena. Emiline had come to get us, and I bet she noticed how hard I was breathing, but didn't say anything.
"You will open the dance with his highness, Helios. After which most nobles would like to dance with you." Emiline spoke while we walked upstairs.
"I know, I remember," Verbena said. We stopped in front of two double doors and the knights bowed to Verbena, opening the doors. Emiline stepped in first announcing her presence.
"Her Royal Highness, Princess Verbena Astoria Downer of Kralen." people turned to look at the guest of honor and Verbena entered, gracefully descending the steps.
Elios came to offer his hand, he smiled at her dressed in a black uniform. "Your Highness," he said and Verbena smiled, but I knew that was a fake one. Because her eyes didn't crinkle like they did when she was ogling at her in the mirror. Verbena and Helios opened the ball with the first dance and I went to a corner of the room to stand quietly.
There were three types of nobles I spotted. The ones who were in power were surrounded by people listening to them talk, others were grouped into two's and three's as if a gang, and the third one where no one bothered to talk to them. Grace was among the first group, chatting animatedly while Jasmine danced with a man. To my surprise, I even spotted the countess, who wasn't talking much but her eyes were on Grace, while she held on to the champagne glass.
The emperor was not present. After the first dance, Verbena was about to excuse herself when a bald man with a belly intervened between Helios, he was also from the first group. He held Verbena's hand, but she made a face at him and said something in a low voice that only he could hear.
It must've offended him because the man let her hand go and walked off. Was she not aware of his status?
"Are you Colette?" a soft voice came from my right side and i peeled my eyes away from the nobles to stare at a young girl looking up at me.
"Yes, who's asking?" I smiled at her.
"Here." she handed me a folded piece of paper and walked away. I opened the paper and immediately knew who it was from.
"Meet me in the peach garden."
Orion sent me a message. But I didn't have anything to tell him against Verbena, she hadn't made her move yet. Crumpling up the paper, I slowly walked away from the crowd, keeping myself hidden under the arches. On my way, I dropped the paper in the fire pot and exited the ballroom.
The hallway was empty and by the time I got out of the palace, cool winds had taken over the city. My fingers suddenly turned cold and I crossed my arms to keep them warm. The garden wasn't flanked by knights, and I was afraid I had mistaken the note for Orion.
But then I saw his dark looming figure staring at the tree in silence, his hands folded, and he wore a black knight's uniform, his cape flowing behind him. I stepped on the leaves and the crunchy noise made him turn around. His eyes softened when he saw me. "Your majesty." I bowed.
"How is the party going?" he asked, turning back to look at the tree.
"It's going well, your Majesty," I replied, keeping my eyes on the ground. Orion faced me and I swallowed unintentionally, his presence felt intimidating and I guess it was a good factor considering he was an emperor.
"Good, just wanted to see if you are still on board." Orion reached out and plucked a peach from the tree, he then handed it to me.
"I could never say no to you, your Majesty." he was the emperor, no one could say no to him.
Orion smiled sadly. "I guess you're right, it makes it hard to know who's your enemy and who's your friend." I was about to ask him if he was all right but that would be rude of me, I was just a servant acting on his order, it wasn't my place to know how he felt.
"Go back inside, Colette. It's cold out here." hearing my name on his lips made me shiver and I doubt it was from the cold.
"Yes, Your Majesty." giving him another bow, I turned around and left, feeling his gaze burning on the back of my head.