Personal Maid

"Greeting your highness," Freya greeted once again. Her tone was rigid like her body.

Fraser raised his head. "Your face seems normal compared to the pale expression you showed yesterday," he said, an unpleasant remark.

"My head started hurting that's why," she said, hiding the reason for her discomfort last day. "Your Highness, must I declare that asking about me honoured my humble self. But Your Majesty did not have to summon me here just for this. You, the great king of the Frowshire kingdom must be busy."

"Are you a maid?" he asked. She could feel his piercing gaze.

"Pardon!" she said, confused by his sudden question. Her hands clutched her dress tightly.

He leaned on his chair and stared at her. "Your speech and your attitude before were neither less of a noble lady," he stated.

Freya sighed and answered, "My father was a baron before losing his title five years ago. But I had to say that there is no need for His Majesty the King to summon a lowly maid to ask this simple question."

She got scared for nothing, thinking that he might discover her identity. He sure had her information, so why ask this question to scare her?

"Do your job," he said, and she frowned. "Do the work you execute every day," he ordered, his tone turned colder.

"Here?" she asked. Seeing him nod, she said, "But I am the queen's maid."

"It does no harm to work at my place."

'What does this man need?' Freya bit her lips. "I think I shall notify Her Majesty the Queen—"

He looked at her and said, "There is no need. I will send her a notice, later, so you could start working here."

'No! Please, no! Why is he so adamant?'

Freya's brain collapsed. She wanted to find an excuse to get rid of the king but he was persistent! She didn't want to be by his side, why did he not understand?

"I can't leave the queen—" she said. She had to rely on the 'queen' to find a way out.

"Are you babysitting her?" he interrupted.

Freya pursed her lips. "No, what I mean is I am loyal to the queen and will never betray her."

"Do you mean I have an ulterior motive behind my offer," he said, and she lowered her head.

'Haven't you?' she thought, but could not express the idea out loud. 'Or who will be in his right mind to make a strange maid from the enemy's kingdom to be a maid in his quarter?'

"You are right, but I have no intention of spying on your queen, or ordering you to do something to her."

'I do not believe you,' she thought.

"Seeing you refusing to let the queen's side and staying loyal to her despite her accusation made me think you are stupid." He said, looking unbothered. His long eyelashes fluttered like a bird's wings, hiding two rubies irises ignited with fire when he focused on her.

Freya gulped, "He appears quite handsome," she thought, but soon she shook her head a little as the situation was far worse than staring at his beauty.

"What if I called the Queen here, to see if she will abandon or keep you?" he asked and fear rose in her heart.

"No," she shouted and then covered her mouth fast. Freya heard his chuckle.

"Why are you afraid of her? I am quite curious about the queen now, is she a bad woman? Did she beat you?" he said, and she shook her head.

If he were to send someone to summon the queen, they would find nobody. She couldn't imagine what the outcome would be if such a scenario were to occur.

'I'm not sure what I did wrong or what I should do next. The situation seems to deteriorate.'

"I am honoured to accept your offer, Your Majesty," Freya said unwillingly.

"From today onward, you are my personal maid."

"Personal maid? You said I will work in the king's palace," she retorted.

Freya thought she would work with the others and try to avoid the king as much as she could. Things developed faster than she wished, fearing that her escape plan would go in vain.

The king ignored her words and didn't look at her. She wanted to argue more, but the door was opened, and the king's right-hand man went in.

He glanced at her and then hurried to the desk. "Your majesty," he greeted, and then talked about the work, standing tall and lean. His brown hair was combed back reaching his nape; he wore a round lunette on one eye. His small brown eyes looked gentle.

Freya stood there for a while then exited the room. She looked at the man escorting her earlier. Searching on the floors, she met him in the storeroom.

"Do you need something," he said, smiling at her.

"I- the king said I will be his maid so…" Freya said those words with difficulty. In her first years of living, she helped her mother do chores, but after returning to the palace, she never did that again. The chores she did were washing the plates and wiping the floor and the dust for a small house.

The old man exclaimed, "The first time he does this!" he murmured. As the person in charge of His Majesty's schedule, I can provide you with an overview of your duties. First, you will need to prepare His Majesty's bath before he wakes up and then deliver his breakfast to his bedchamber.

You will be responsible for organizing his tasks during the morning council and ensuring that wherever he goes, there is no visible dust. It's important to note that His Majesty dislikes noise and enjoys drinking dark tea with his preferred dessert... Last, do not forget to prepare his bath before you leave for the day."

Freya listened with pursed lips. 'Do I need to feed him too?' she thought. "Can you write what you said? It's a lot of things to do and I don't think I'll remember it all," she said, feigning a happy laugh.

The man nodded and explained more things about the dos and don'ts that she felt her head was going to burn.

Freya took the parchment in her hand and sneaked into her chamber. She lay motionless on the bed.

"Ma'am! You are here? I brought your dinner," Joe said, getting in. As the scent of meat tickled her nostrils, Freya sat fast and hurried to her couch. "Let it cool for a little, it is hot." Freya nodded then started eating slowly.

"I know you have something to say. Spill it," Freya stated, seeing her maid moving in her place nonstop.

"Ma'am, why did the king summon you again?" Joe's eyes twinkled.

Freya swallowed her food forcefully and said reluctantly, "He chooses me, I mean Felma, to be his maid."

"I already told you, Your Majesty. The king must have taken a liking to you…"

Freya frowned as she listened to the endless blubber from her maid.