Ximena shivered in the cold as the royal Knights dragged her through the hallway to the palace living room. She stood, and beads of water fell down her body.
She held her palms and feet together and bowed her head down. The strong aura filled the room the moment footsteps could be heard on the walkway.
She sat beside the throne and crossed her legs. Glaring around before focusing her attention on Ximena, "And who are you?" She said.
Ximena turned to her side and stared at Harriette; she whispered, and Ximena bowed her head again. "I'm a nobody to behold the presence of the almighty Queen of Amethyst."
Ximena ran to her knees. "I just want to lay down my hearts and humility in service to the royal household."
The queen grinned, her fine, sharp teeth sparking with the light. "What's your name.?"
"Bee!" They heard and turned. Ximena's eyes met the princess's, and she quickly looked away. Her necklace glittered like diamonds. She smirked and walked to Ximena; touching her cheeks, she said. "You're a bee!"
She turned to the queen and took a bow, then walked over to her seat. The knights did their tradition. "Manners, Leslie." The queen said with a load on her tongue.
The queen's gaze shifted to Ximena, and she smiled, "I ask for the second time, what's your name?"
"Bee!" Ximena said, and Leslie smirked. "Good girl!" Leslie mumbled. The queen's gaze widened.
"Bee! You're hired." She turned to Leslie, "Call Penelope." She bowed and left.
Leslie smirked at a distance as Ximena trailed behind Penelope. "Bee, you better not try to sting because I have got a broom." Her grins were as dark as black.
"Do you have any experience as a servant?" Penelope said, she paused her work and turned to stare at Ximena, but her eyes couldn't immerse enough in the environment.
"Halt!" Penelope ordered, but Ximena cared less as she turned to search for Harriette, who stood at the brim of a pole dancing. Ximena chuckled, pointing to the pole. Penelope rolled her eyes.
"Bee, you've got to get serious at work!" She turned and increased her pace. Penel took a few turns in the hallway and finally pushed through a door.
Harriette and Ximena followed suit. "Everyone!" She said and bustling quit for a few minutes."Welcome the new servant, Bee."
Murmur rose up a bit, "Chop chop. Back to work." Penelope pushed Ximena to the broom. Her jaws dropped as she noticed her nails were gone.
The cock blared, "I think the princess needs your attention now!" Ximena dropped the broom and turned to Harriette.
"Do you know the princess's suite?" Penelope said when they may have gotten to the door.
"I was going to ask that," she said.
"Walk through the hallway and take your right, then right and left. There's a golden door... Ximena smiled and left with Harriette.
Silence ruled until Ximena's loud soliloquy came, "Why am I doing this?"
"Because it's the right thing to do."
"Or because you don't want all these people to suffer?"
"At the right time, you'll understand the definition of best." Harriette laid her palm on her shoulders. Ximena heaved and looked up at the golden door with flowers.
She knocked, and it went open. The princess stood and dragged the mouse in while the cat followed.
"How dare you ruin my dress, Bee?" Leslie said, and Ximena's lips were tucked in.
"I apologized." Leslie slapped her. Ximena's cheeks became flushed. Harriette held her tenderly.
"Don't let even a rage escape you without a replacing courage." Ximena looked away as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"It's okay to be mad, but we should achieve strong relationships through effective learning." Harriette whispered.
Dawn caressed the weather at Amethyst. Chills ran down spines, but flames ran down Ximena's as she finally pushed through the awful day while entering the kitchen.
She walked and stopped before Penelope. "I'm sorry you had to get into Leslie's blacklist on your first day....but why are you here?"
Ximena turned and found Harriette digging in a plate of candy. Heavens knows where it came from. She gulped her saliva. "I mean, it's been over a decade since we had new servants. Nobody wants to serve royalty anymore. The young ones you see around were born here." Penelope said and pushed her a bowl of meal.
"My family was killed two weeks ago, and I wanted to attend the Seminary of Gems. No other options than to serve for wishes... She took a spoon and dug in.
"Best right!" Harriette said, I wish you traded yours for that conversation."
"Bee? Is that even your name?" Ximena nodded, "Why do you answer that name?"
"Because life may sting, but when you are a bee, it feels like it is surviving by you one rule... to sting..." Ximena smiled.
"I love the name already." Penelope tucked in a badge to her palm."That's your room number." Ximena nodded and took the plate to the basin. She dipped it in and rinsed it until it sparkled.
They got to the door, and Penelope said, "You probably won't remember all the turns and paths we took by dawn, but your mates will. Ask questions; that's a path to answers."
Penelope patted her shoulders and left. Ximena opened the door and collapsed onto the bed. Harriette sat at the foot of the bed and massaged her feet.
Harriette caressed her feet and sighed; the fragility had slipped off the toes due to constant bustling. Ximena caressed her forehead and yawned.
Harriette stood up and took a bow. Ximena opened her eyes and sat up. "I demand your presence, my lady."
They walked outside until they could only feel their presence, and their eyes were useless. Harriette stopped on her track and turned to her, "I meant it when I said don't let even a strand of rage escape you without a replacing courage."
Ximena stared at nothing. "When you feel held back by any force, rage not for the past but for freedom. The power of the Sun is all possessed in you. Learn to rage well for the right things and at the right time."
Harriette picked up a heavy log of wood and ran at a fast pace to attack Ximena. Ximena fell to the wall as her jaws dropped.
"You're here to fight; forget the flight for a moment." Harriette said, and her hair flared with rage. Harriette smirked, "It's not strong enough because you're just sad and disappointed, not angry. Yearn for freedom badly!"
Ximena gnashed at her teeth and tried to push through the log. Harriette sighed, and like a flash, the log burnt to ashes. Harriette fell, and the cry of a werewolf was heard.
Ximena took off to the sound, and as she emerged at the entrance, the sound became more audible. At the entrance stood a giant werewolf. Its fur was an art.
Its fangs and claws, its eyes stood out in the darkness. It cried again, and Ximena's hands turned to fire blades. She choked it to its body, but the wolf rolled and pounced back on her.
Ximena struggled under its grip, then she flared at the memories in her head. The wolf's fur burned, and Ximena pounced on its back to her comfort.
It ran, and she fell off. She threw a fire blade at her. She pierced its body a thousand times, and the fire blades kept falling off.
Owen sat admiring the weather in the woods, and then for the first time, his eyes lit up, and he saw a fire blade thrilling to his sides. He dodged, and it pierced a
free.
He exhaled, and everything turned dark. "My Prince!" A knight rushed by his sides.