Her Highness, the Grand Princess had got into a carriage accident and fell into a deep sleep after the priest treated her for an entire month. She only woke up a few days ago and since then she hasn't say much or shouted at anyone like she usually does. Her personal maid was crying saying that Her Highness had finally asked for her name a few nights ago after she let the maid feed her.
Since then Her Highness has let the maid Ivy help her and support her on her walks in the garden daily. What was most peculiar about all this was the fact that Her Highness kicked her visiting family out of the palace and back to Verdant. According to Ivy, the personal maid, Her Highness didn't leave any room for argument and shut them up fair and square before kicking them out. Count and Countess Finley along with the young lord and lady left with embarrassment written all over their faces. The personal maid said that she never felt better watching them all red and defeated. All the servants, From the head butler to a laundry maid all felt better watching their departure.
Usually, Her Highness would let them stay a lot longer and boast about her status and the fine luxury she was surrounded with until the count's family got tired of it and left. While staying here, the Count's family would also live extravagantly and would order the servants and knights around like it was their own house. His Highness wouldn't say anything to his in-laws that were arranged by His Majesty, the King of Verdant and so the servants had no choice but to suffer under these obnoxious people. They already had their hands full dealing with Her Highness every day and this was an additional headache until Her Highness drove them away for the first time.
It apparently went like this.
"Leave." Was all Her Highness said one day while she was having tea with her family.
"What do you mean, Grace dear?" Her stepmother, the countess, asked like she didn't hear it clearly.
"Stop being a nuisance around the palace and leave while I'm still being nice."
"Grace Finley, Is that how you speak to your own parents?" Count Finley roared in anger.
"Yes." Her Highness' reply left the family speechless.
"Who do you think you are to talk like that?!" The young lord Finley looked down on her with such an intimidating presence that it made the personal maid Ivy to subconsciously take a step back.
"Apparently I'm Grace Peregrine. Which means, I'm the Grand Princess of Valoria and I answer to no one. Ah, maybe I do answer to my husband but he doesn't care what I do and by the looks of it, He can also help me cover a murder as a carriage accident." Her Highness' smile was so chilling that the personal maid Ivy shivered and the young lord Finley gulped in unknown fear.
"Now, I said what I wanted to say. Leave. Before I lost whatever patience I scrapped up to keep myself from not kicking you out." Her Highness took her tea and sipped it leisurely.
"Ah, one more thing. Next time I see you all, I expect you to behave appropriately, Your actions fitting of your station. Never shout in my presence. You are scaring my little maid." She said as if it was an afterthought and waved them away.
"According to her maid, Her Highness looked very dashing at that moment." The maids whispered among themselves.
"I highly doubt that."
"She had always been brazen. And remember how much everyone in this palace suffered because of her and her family. I say good riddance. Now we don't have to deal with those obnoxious people anymore."
"Yes. I also hope the carriage accident made her a better person. At least her tastes won't be so gaudy and she will behave less wildly."
Their whispers were not whispers anymore as they laughed amongst themselves and the people who passed by silently agreed with those gossiping maids.
Ivy, The Grand Princess' personal maid, heard all sorts of things as she made her way back to Grace's room with some food. There was truth in everything they said and Ivy couldn't agree more. Her Highness was such an awful wife and mother that Ivy hated her with her whole heart. But for the first time ever, Her Highness asked for Ivy's name and Ivy didn't have to clean up after another tantrum for a few days now. Ivy's days had never been this peaceful. Ivy only hoped that this would continue for a long time.
"Ivy."
"Yes, Your Highness." Ivy responded like an obedient servant.
"For how long have you been my personal maid?" The question didn't surprise Ivy. These few days she got used to such questions from Her Highness. Her Highness never cared about the people around her, at least not in Valoria.
"Seven Years, Your Highness." Ivy replied.
"Bring me a p… Bring me my stationery." Her Highness ordered and Ivy quickly brought her stationery. She watched as Her Highness wrote something for a while instead of eating the food like she did these past few days. Ivy noticed that these past few days, Her Highness' schedule included eating with content, sleeping, visiting the library and taking walks in the garden. Her Highness didn't look at her jewellery or dresses, not once did she look at the invitations from Verdant. She always ignored everything from Valoria after that unfortunate incident in her first Valorian banquet but her visits to her home country only increased since then.
Ivy's train of thought was stopped by a sheet of paper waving in front of her face. It was two sheets with something written on them.
"These are two copies of a document that says every time I, Grace Peregrine, the Grand Princess of Valoria, raise my hand at Ivy, I will pay her one gold coin. And the conversation we are about to have will be a secret between the two of us and the person who breaks the promise will have to pay the other party ten gold coins. And during this conversation, Ivy should be honest and should only speak truth while answering my questions." Ivy was shocked to hear that. If she were to count the amount of times she got hit in the past then she would be bathing in gold coins. Ivy shook her head and immediately signed the document agreeing to the terms.
No matter how unlike Her Highness has been these few days, she is still that tantrum-throwing young noblelady. If Ivy were to speak honestly then she was bound to get hit more than once, which means she would be having at least another month's worth of salary. This thought made Ivy happier than she ever felt and she was more than ready to get hit.
"Now, Tell me all you know about me. Do not miss a single detail. My name, where I am from, What was I like before coming to Valoria and after coming to Valoria? All the important and not important events that concern me. All you know, heard and could think of." Her Highness ordered and Ivy hesitated a little before starting to recount everything she knew of Grace Finley and Grace Peregrine.
For hours Ivy stood there obediently and spoke every single information about Her Highness she could think of. From time to time, Her Highness would offer her tea so Ivy wouldn't get thirsty from all the talking. No matter she hated Her Highness yet she still felt honoured when Her Highness poured her a cup of tea.
After Ivy finished, she waited for the beating that was to come but it never did. She spoke about several events that Her Highness would not like to hear about so Ivy was hoping to get some gold coins with this but there were none. No slaps, no gold coins. Ivy felt a little upset as all her excitement died down until Her Highness asked another question.
"What do you think about me? Things you hate about me, Things you like about me. Spit them out."
And so Ivy diligently sang all her opinions and the reasons why she hated Her Highness from the bottom of her heart. Ivy wasn't scared because she had the document in her hand and seeing Her Highness behave so calmly for the past few days, Ivy got a strange feeling that she won't be killed for speaking her heart right now. Besides, her life was safe as long as she had this agreement written and signed by Her Highness. Even if she were killed, His Highness would make sure her brother would be treated and cared for even if she was killed by the Grand Princess after this conversation. Like every servant in this house, Ivy too has her utmost faith in His Highness, the Grand Prince.
"What about the things you like about me?" Her Highness asked and Ivy only looked down avoiding Her Highness eyes.
"Haa… So I'm that much of a trash huh." Her Highness sighed.
"How old are you?" Her Highness asked Ivy.
"Sixteen, Your Highness." Ivy replied, still expecting a beating. Her gold coins.
"From what I know, Aren't you too young to be a personal maid? Even if one excludes work experience." Her Highness wondered.
Ivy, being as honest as she ever was for the past few hours, spoke with no hesitation. Still expecting a beating. Her gold coins. "No one wanted to be your personal maid, Your Highness. I took this job because it pays a lot."
"Three gold coins was it." Her Highness spoke looking into the distance. "Why do you want money?" She waved the other copy of the document in her hand.
"My younger brother was always sick and bedridden so I need as much money as I can get for his treatment." Ivy replied somberly as the memory of her little brother lying in bed came into her mind.
"Don't the priests at the temple heal for free?" Her Highness asked and Ivy frowned at the Grand Princess' ignorance.
"It isn't a common cold or fever or simple injury. They can only keep the sickness at bay. I would have to pay money for medicines and potions that can help heal the sickness completely." Ivy replied, clenching her fists. That's right, even the people who call themselves the hands of God, couldn't make a person healthy without any cost. They weren't all-powerful like the great sage of Soleil.
"Alright. Thanks for being honest. You can go now. See to some other work. Leave me alone for a while." Her Highness waved her away. Ivy couldn't help the disappointment she felt when she turned away to leave. It seemed like she wouldn't be getting any gold coins. At least she wasn't beaten blue like before. Comforting herself, Ivy left Her Highness alone in the garden.