Chapter 8: The servants inside the castle (I).

Chapter 8: The servants inside the castle (I).

Elizabeth's POV

The morning woke me with its blinding light from the sun, I could hear the curtains shift as Victoria's figure loomed over the side. "Your highness, our studies will now always be in the library per your instructions in the morning and the afternoon-"

I yawned, wiping the morning stars out of my eyes, and told her what I would be doing for the rest of my future afternoons. "My... afternoons will be spent observing the castle with everyone's duties to see if there will be anything of need to be improved."

"Yes, your highness."

Victoria tries to help me out of bed but I decided I'm a bit too old to stop playing and pretend to be a little innocent princess that knew nothing.

I had... a wonderful dream that night, my hands holding the head of the deity whom I swore to seek vengeance.

"Have you done what I asked? To gain permission from the council that I would be taught the arts of fighting, weapons, and war into my learning curriculum?" I asked her to walk towards the bathroom seeing that there was already hot water prepared for bathing.

Victoria must've prepared this when I was still sleeping. I tested the water, brushing my fingertip with its surface and it was perfect.

I quickly undress, getting in the ceramic tub and feeling the right temperature on my skin keeping me warm.

"I have asked them, yes. However- a response is yet to be given." (Victoria) kneels over to the side of the bathtub looking over the fragrant shampoo, rolling her sleeves she places some over her palm rubbing it together before trying to clean my hair.

I sat perfectly in place.

"I suppose I will wait for a few more days, and if that will be left unnoticed I have no choice but to face the council myself." I frowned, knowing the council will not take my request so lightly.

A woman learning the arts of fighting was something of a hogwash thing to have ever been heard.

And if the nobility learns that the future empress learning how to hold a weapon- now that's double the disappointment.

With the rules and traditional outlook, the women in this kingdom were supposed to be prim, proper, well-groomed, and obey their husbands. Expected to do nothing, bear an heir, tea parties- socialize making friends with the other noble ladies.

As the saying goes in one of their texts, "A woman who obeys is a blessing from the heavens."

It was a patriarchal ruling, and it will serve as a disadvantage for me.

My mother, the former empress of this kingdom may have been a famed inventor that helped the kingdom industrialize the country with her newfound research and inventions making her loved by the citizens but being heavily criticized by the nobility around her.

She didn't partake in any activities like fathers on the topic of fighting and war against the demons.

Seven years he refused to go home, for what reason?

I have heard he refused to look at me, fearing I resembled too much like my mother- the second was his pride would take a hit if he lost in the war that he waged against the demons.

My maid whom I trusted, I have heard that she was rather close with my father and so I asked, my hands playing with the warm water that she prepared for me.

"Victoria, why does the emperor never come home? Tell me the reason why... perhaps if he was here and I pleaded to take on the responsibility to pick up a sword or even learn magic would he support me?"

Surely the emperor would support whatever his daughter is doing, I would learn all the things needed considering where I stand. A ruler should be able to know how to fight for herself, I don't want to rely on my knights and servants.

I know where my roots lie, I don't like getting spoiled and sheltered.

Victoria stops her hand brushing my hair and shakes her head.

"The emperor- is as traditional as he can be being raised in this place. I'm sure you would know how it feels, your highness. The way people would treat royalty here is different from how they would treat the common girls who're allowed to fight in your stead."

This place where she looked upon the ceiling, the colored glass paintings of flowers, and the color purple flowers stood out to me. A symbol of nobility and royalty, we've been raised to be like them.

"I am one of the few women he respected upon the same unit we've worked- before I was your maid, your highness I was... an orphaned knight that swore loyalty to your mother." She rinses my hair with warm water, slowly pouring it over my head making me breathe a sigh of relaxation as she grabs a towel for me to cover my body in.

"You're an orphan?" I turned to her a little shocked to hear that my maid didn't have a family of her own and she smiled faintly looking at the expression on my face and nodding her head.

"An orphan who tried her best living the best life she could by stealing... but now I found a home. I no longer needed to steal and found a job that could provide." She stood up patting my head and I followed right after her.

"I promised her highness I would take care of you until my dying breath, I may no longer be a knight but the honor I carry through is still with me." (Victoria) tells me and I turn quiet.

"Is this why... the only tutor they would approve to teach me was you?"

I wrapped the towel around my body, picked out a proper dress, and got ready for our lesson in the library.

"If you want we can hire many other tutors, we just have to gain permission from the council and just say the word."

I think I would like to meet different kinds of people to get the feel of the outside, their teachings, experience, and education would be passed down to me after all.

"I would like several, it's time I make haste with my studies. If there will be counselors upon the kingdom's agriculture, mines, and one that can conduct the statistical research of the resources we have would suffice."

She would blink at all of my words, not expecting my request- it certainly does seem a lot for erm... a seven-year-old?

"A-As you wish. I will try to find the last one that could provide your needs."

So it was the last one that troubled her. I suppose would anyone here know how to organize data the way that I was used to?

Organizing data include classification, frequency distribution table, picture representation, and graphical representation.

Victoria would follow behind me, after she opened the door to my room many of the same guards that were patrolling outside came with us, saluting in my direction the clanking noise of their armor could be heard.

"Your highness, where are we going?"

"To the library and if you don't mind- I would like to have the same thing as last time. Guard me outside and I would only prefer Victoria's company."

Too many people in a library doing nothing but standing up, and guarding me makes me feel uncomfortable. I know I should get used to it but it's the library- there would be nothing dangerous there that would do me harm.

They all looked at one another hesitantly. I would think that the guard captain would refuse my wishes but he didn't this time.

"As you wish your highness." With a faint smile under his helmet, he nods, ordering the guards to follow suit.