We finally arrive at a door which she unlocks and walks inside, I follow behind. The room is quite spacious with a bathroom and the closets are filled with standard clothes and shoes, they're nice but not that flashy.
Aine catches me staring at them and says, "The queen loves her personal maids properly dressed always, also she attends lots of parties and conventions and as her personal maid, those are the clothes you'll put on to escort her, always within and outside the Royal household."
"Escort?" I stare at her in disbelief.
"Yes, you'll be there as her right hand, you'll refill her drinks, adjust her makeup when it goes off a little, adjust her dress at intervals, adjust and clean a seat before she sits, even though it's neat and many other things. This is a dream job for a lot of maids here so don't lose it and make no mistakes. The Queen hates imperfections.
Here's her schedule for this week and here's her daily routine for everyday, I made this before you came. So every new week, you'll go to her and write down the activities she intends for the week or any of her daily routine she intends changing, write it down and prepare her ahead in terms of dress..." she trails on.
After some minutes of careful explanation with constant repetition of 'No mistakes!' Aine hands me the papers again to study.
I then decide to ask her about Aidan and Maverick after some consideration to which my inquisitive part got the better part of me.
She chuckles and begins in a whisper even with the doors closed, "uhmmm, I've been here since I was a baby, so from age of reasoning I have noticed this frigid relationship between the two brothers. I later learnt that King Edward had Aidan from one of his closest mistresses. Four months after Aidan's mother's pregnancy was announced, it was discovered that Queen Hatia has also conceived.
Shortly, after the mistress put to bed, she disappeared leaving little Aidan alone then. Aidan was then nursed and raised by another woman, while the search for his mother proved abortive.
Later on, when Maverick was born, Aidan surpassed him in knowledge, sword fight and almost everything. After a successful incident when Aidan saved King Edward's life, making his first kill at eight. He was made the crown prince.
The queen acts as though she's okay with it but I know she's not. I think she has a plan up her sleeves to thwart Aidan succeeding his father on the throne.
I know this because she's too calm for the situation. Supporting an 'illegitimate son' like she calls him ruling the kingdom, rather than her own son. She didn't even brawl with the king for a single day, isn't that suspicious?
Well, just let this be between us Zelda, okay?"
I nod. Immediately I feel a certain attachment to her but desist a little because I'm not sure who to trust, but I think I trust and love her already.
"Aine, why did you start working here from such age?" I ask.
She sighs and shrugs, "Well, thirteen years ago, my mother was the Queen's personal maid. She got pregnant for a man she refused disclosing to anyone. At that point she was also accused of theft to which she denied, but the Queen's say prevails, my mother was to be executed but her execution was delayed due to her pregnancy. She was imprisoned till she put to birth. After my birth, she was smuggled out of the palace and kingdom successfully by the midwife leaving me here all alone. A search was made for her but she wasn't found. The decision was made that I would pay the crimes for my mother's theft. Automatically, I'm now a servant here with no freedom of mine. Paying for a crime I know nothing about. I don't know what my mother looks like and I don't wish to. I resent her from the moment of my birth for leaving me behind here to pay for her crimes."
A tear rolls down her cheek and she sniffs. Out of impulse I draw her closer, kiss her tears and hug her, patting her back. She let let out loud sobs.
"It's okay." I whisper.
I chuckle as a tear slips down my eyes, "I understand, my dad decided to sell me out as a mistress or whatever they wanted to make use of. My mom said and did nothing about it."
She lifts her head and looks at me deeply with her cute little face marred with concern while asking, "Is your family that poor?"
I chuckle again, "No. We're what you'll call a middle class family, we live a comfortable life just that we can't afford some certain things. But we're a little bit above poor."
Confusion mars her face as she asks, "Then why were you sold off?"
"I don't know, I'm only aware that ever since my age of reasoning, my father has being harsh towards me, while my mom has being passive towards me. I'm only close with my brother, and he was the only one who fought against me being sold off."
She sighs, "We both came from hell of families though," and we burst out laughing.
Ifeel a certain weight off my chest, I feel so calm after our talk.
I've never being this close to any female before, but I feel a certain attachment to her, I feel like I can trust her. Maybe because she shares almost the same story like me, I'm not sure.
After a few more minutes, she stands, "I'll be leaving now as it's almost time for my shift, I'll come in later to bring you some food when I'm through. Don't go wandering and be a good girl," she adds with a laugh.
I smile as she leaves, I get up and lock the door, glancing at the schedule and making a mental note of the first thing I'll do tomorrow, 'Bring some fruits and warm water to her room and dress her up just after sunrise'.
I nod to myself and walk to the bathroom, and splash some water on my face to get rid of my swollen eyes after my crying session with Aine, I smile as I continue splashing water.
It's almost midnight and my stomach grumbles in hunger. Aine is not yet here.
I try to sleep but couldn't. I walk around the room and decide to leave and find my way to the kitchen, but doubt that I would be able to find my way back due to the confusing hallways and stairs. I whimper holding my stomach and walk to the window to sit.
Immediately, a knock is heard and I rush to open it, I stagger as I see who it is. In my fit of hunger I thought it was Aine and forgot to look through the peephole. My heart drops to my chest as he walks in and closes the door behind him.
I slowly walk back as he advances, it goes on for a while till I hit my back on the wall. He roams his eyes over me lustily, I make a run for it but he drags me back and holds me firmly. I try to twist my arms free but end up hurting myself.
Maverick! Who knew he would be here at this odd hour. His words earlier in the Queen's room echo in my ears once again. My chest thumps as he lifts my face slowly with his hands, rubbing his fingers continuously over my cheeks with his left hand on my waist. I squirm as I mutter a ''please."
He mutters, "soft", while still roaming his hands.