ch2 Barbara
After I woke up the next day, I felt a strong energy flow through my body. Could this be the magic power I've been waiting for for so long to appear? Some hazy memories began to form in the form of images inside my mind, but I could not connect the events. This empire was destroyed 10 years ago. I wonder what happened at that time? And most importantly, who I am and where I come from. There are many things that I do not know, especially the power that I have now, that voice that I heard yesterday, as if a monster lives inside me. First, I will research the matter of this empire, and the only thing I need to do is go to the library. . But will I be allowed to go to the Imperial Library? While I was deep in thought, the maid came in and ran towards me anxiously. "Miss, are you okay? I was so worried about you." I reassured her and told her that I was well and that I wanted to meet His Majesty. She frowned and said, "His Majesty is not here."
After I felt like eating, I asked the maid to bring me a bath and prepare decent clothes. But the maid froze in place, looking at me with shocked eyes. I turned to her and said firmly: "What are you looking at? Move quickly."
"I'm sorry, I'll do it, miss," the maid replied uneasily. Then she quickly went out and collided with Prince Albert's maid called Anne. She looked at her indignantly and tried to mock her, saying: "You should pay attention to how you walk... You are Mary, the maid of that unknown woman, aren't you?"
But Mary responded angrily, "What is this? That young lady is His Majesty's guest. Aren't you afraid that you will be punished? Go and mind your own business."
Anne exploded her anger and said sharply, "I will show you."
After she returned, Mary helped me get dressed and style my hair. I thanked her for her help and praised her for her effort. Although I did not like the dress because it did not fit me... she seemed a little disappointed because of her poor choice of clothes.
"I'm sorry, miss, for choosing this dress, but it's the only one we have here. I found it in one of the palace's rooms. It's difficult to get such expensive clothes in this situation... Also, this dress belongs to the former Empress, the mother of His Majesty. There are many of her own dresses in her room." No one is allowed to enter that room."
"I see...that explains why I don't like this dress."
The missus blushed with joyful anger and said, blaming the missus without hate:
"Miss, you don't have to say that about a dead person."
"Don't get me wrong...as long as she couldn't find the dress in her room, this was not her taste in the first place."
The maid was silent and did not say anything, and she seemed to be thinking about something. The expression she showed was one devoid of feelings... The missus looked at her, "This dress has a long history. How has it been preserved until now?"
Her question broke the maid's inertia and made her come back to life because she seemed interested in the history of the empire.
"In fact, after the coup, the prince and his little brother returned to the palace with the help of the Crown Prince's former nanny, Mrs. Mom, after which everything was restored to how it was and all the empire's property was preserved."
"Who is this mom?"
"Mam occupies a high rank in this palace, and this title was given to her because she was the most affectionate and kind person to all the members of the palace. The most important thing is that Mum is the savior of the Crown Prince... and she is the reason for preserving the dynasty until now."
"How ridiculous"
Mary screamed and became nervous for fear that someone would hear the missus' words, "Don't say this in front of anyone... It's okay since it's me."
I went with the maid to the dining hall, and while we were walking, I heard the voice of the little prince's maid, Anne...
"Your Highness, it is best not to approach that woman. She may be dangerous... We do not know her identity yet."
"But I really want to see it."
"Stop complaining...if you want to cry, do it. Why are you holding yourself back like this?"
This scene that the missus saw made her feel annoyed and angry, so she sighed quietly and went towards the maid and slapped her without hesitation...and she turned to the prince with a cold face..
"Is this what the prince of this empire looks like... You should be strong and more confident in yourself, child... If you cannot control a lowly maid like this... then I will never be able to look at you as a prince."
The prince's eyes were filled with tears, and he stood in shock and trembling in fear. The missus' looks filled with disgust paralyzed him, and he did not know what to do, as his mixed feelings wrapped around him like a powerful storm. He was overcome with a feeling of remorse and weakness because he was unable to show his good self in front of her, and it became more intense when that miss's words touched his heart deeply...
She continued her walk to the dining hall with steady and more confident steps, as if she were not that weak, miserable girl from yesterday. She did not look at the prince or even bid him farewell. She said in a clear voice, pointing to her maid...
"Let's go, Mary."
But Anne did not stop there. Rather, she went in front of the missus, stopped her, and grabbed her hand to pull her away. The prince shouted at Anne and ordered her to stop alone, and looked at her with frightening looks that made her tremble in terror... And he said angrily:
"Go from here, I don't want to see you in front of me again."
The missus was impressed by his strict attitude toward that maid, so she smiled at him softly and said gently...
"I like you now. How about eating with me?"
The prince shook his head in agreement, even though he was still holding back the tears that were about to fall at any moment... She noticed this and stroked his hair with all the tenderness that made him burst into tears as they embraced her, and he said in a whispered voice that almost missed a whisper due to the tightness of himself in the missus' embrace..
"I'm sorry...I promise I won't cry anymore."
Mary was surprised and felt disturbed and tense. Since the beginning of her service to the missus, Mary had been watching her very carefully and giving strange looks of suspicion. And now doubts will begin to revolve around her even more..
While eating, the girl looked at the prince and said, "Excuse me, Prince. His Majesty is busy and is not in the palace. And since you are a member of the royal family, I will take your permission to enter the Imperial Library."
"Of course, miss."
The Prince felt disturbed because he did not know her name yet. He continued to look at her until she introduced herself. She seemed to think about something for a while, then turned to him after wiping her lips with a handkerchief. "You may call me Barbara, Your Highness the Prince."
Mary was surprised and rushed to her forcefully, asking her if she had remembered anything. Her sudden appearance made the prince confused and terrified. Barbara caught sight of him, so he adjusted himself appropriately to hide his cowardly and vulgar features. I felt annoyed by her behavior. She said in a sharp and firm voice...
"Be tactful in your behavior with me...and do not forget that you are in the presence of the prince...no matter what the relationship between you is...you must show some respect."
Mary winced and apologized sincerely, but Barbara's rebuke turned her cheerful features into sadness... and made the atmosphere gloomy and tense... To relieve her tension, she said, "It's okay... in answer to your question, I will disappoint you. I don't remember anything, but this name came out of my mouth automatically."
"This name is not common in the empire, but I heard it in one of the ancient books about a saint called Barbara who betrayed her father, Father Dioscorus, and left her religion to become a saint in the Holy Calutia Empire, but the father took it upon himself to kill her after taking permission from the Supreme Court until he found her hidden in one of the caves and cut off her head. merciless"
After every word Mary said, Barbara felt more and more angry, making the atmosphere very dark. The prince tried to silence her, but she did not listen and continued chattering without caring about what was happening, as this story was forbidden in the empire. Mary continued her words without stopping..
"The story does not end here. It was said that when the father was coming down the mountain, he was struck by lightning and died immediately."
She hit the table so hard that it broke. She said angrily, "Do you realize what you're saying?"
Horror penetrated Mary's body and she looked at the prince. He was terrified and afraid, then he turned his gaze downward.
"did I do something wrong"
"And you also ask... This story is forbidden in the Empire... Do you want the Holy Empire to be our enemy?"
"What... but why... what reason?"
"Do you know who Father Dioscorus belongs to?"
The atmosphere was so stifling that Mary could hardly bear it, and she said nervously, "What do you mean?"
"That fanatical man was one of our empire's followers. His fanaticism toward worshiping those stones made our empire an enemy of Holy Calutia. The story you told is half the truth. What happened to the saint is worse than that. It is good that those eccentric fools of yours have been eliminated."
Mary was brave enough to talk to her despite her extreme anger. Barbara seemed as if she would pounce on her at any moment:
"Are you a follower of Caluthia?"
Barbara looked at her in surprise and laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes.
"You are such a funny girl, Mary. I like you. But unfortunately, try to be more worthy or you will be crushed immediately."
Mary seemed more nervous and afraid.. I asked her exactly what she was.. and she answered with a smile..
"who knows"