FOURTEEN

It was just two days since Claire arrived at Silverbell and she seems to be missing her palace so much, she sat down in her room after Jain help her with dressing up, if it were Aither she would have been on her way out to discuss at the court with her father and if she doesn't feel like it she would take a walk outside the palace to show off her beautiful self to the people of Aither. But now being stuck here she feels so bored and upset at everything

"Jain" she called and she rush over, during her forty eight hours if working with her, she knew not to delay her callings

"What do the consorts do?" she asked

"oh My lady do you want to get along with them now?" she asked back in excitement, since her new mistress has arrived the only thing she did was cause trouble and hearing her asking about her co-ladies she felt she might have change her mind and decide to be friends with them

"Get along with them?" she asked with disgustedly face "those sly women should be trying to procure my favor instead" Jain stared in amazement at her and then nodded her head

"I just want to know what they do to kill time here, this boredom is killing me here" she repeated angrily

"Well…oh I know, the princesses go to visit the Queen mother and have a chat with her, they should be there at this hour" she said

"Is that supposed to be like a tradition I ought to follow?" she asked reasoning

"Nobody tells me to inform you about it so…" Claire look irritably at her maid who not only seems naïve but foolish, visiting the Queen is a tradition followed by the ladies of the house and it's also to incur favor with the Queen.

"Prepare a precious gift for me immediately, we are heading to the Queen's palace" she instructed and Jain hurried away to get prepared.

~

The center table is filled up with varieties of food and the ladies all beam happily at their sight, as they walk to the table they walk carefully behind the Queen each trying to please her one way or the other. Princess Izabella help pull out the chair for the Queen to sit

"thank you Izabella" she said with delight, Izabella smiled looking pleased and the other Princesses sneer at this while they all take their seat one after the other

"Is Princess Claire going to miss today's breakfast with me?" she asked when she notice that the new princess is not on the table again

"it's been two days now, shouldn't she get accustom to the palace tradition?" she asked annoyed over the fact that she's disregarded by the princess she had high hopes of her but her performance since she arrived hasn't speak well of her and now she hasn't deem it fit to pay her a visit

"Maybe she feels unwell after the trouble she caused yesterday" Izabella said casually and look away like she said nothing while signaling to the other two to speak up

"What trouble?" the Queen asked to know

"Oh mother, did we forget to tell you" Brenda answered pretentiously, it was obviously a plan by the three to reveal yesterday's incident to the Queen

"well…yesterday, Brenda's maid seems to have done something to upset her and then she took it upon herself to beat her to stupor, to a state that the poor girl could barely stand on her feet and when we tried to stop her and ask what happened she took it on us and insulted us" Brenda explained

"That brat from Aither" the Queen cussed silently "she's nothing but trouble, how will someone like her be considered as a lady in this palace?" she questioned to herself with a displeased countenance

"Maybe she felt too important to be here afterall she claim to be the most honored princess in her kingdom" Izabella chipped in with a feeling of hatred at the absence person

"princess Claire is here" one of the maid announced loudly and the four turned their gaze to see, the three princesses seems shock to see her there since they made sure she's unaware of the fact that she should be here, while the Queen look at her with stony eyes

"Good morning to you, your royal majesty" she greeted with an elegant bow and walk over to sit

"You are such a bold girl, I never said you could sit"

"Is the Queen annoyed at something? Your mood doesn't seems good?" she asked noticing the hostility in her voice

"You are late to the table" she informed

"That's because nobody inform me or my maid about it" she answered calmly, since she's now aware it was a conspiracy between the Princesses to make her lose face with the Queen

shouldn't you know to visit your soon to be mother in law?" the Queen asked still feeling angry at the lack of acknowledgement from her.

"That's why I brought a pleasant gift for your royal highness, please do accept it" she said and Jain immediately step forward with a big box of jewelry. Doing her research she had found out about the Queen's great love for jewelries and how she love to own as many as possible

The Queen's maid received it and open it in front of them all, it's a complete set of jewelry, it has both necklace, earrings, bracelets and rings, seeing the beautiful shinning items the Queen's anger soon fade away and she look happily at the things in front of her

"How do you know I like these?" she asked picking them up to have a much closer look

"Let's say I paid more attention to you, my Queen" she said with a pleasant expression on her face, like she predicted she has won her favor.

Soon the two were chatting happily together and getting along well while the other princesses stare in envy and disgust at their new competitor.

~

Inside the old roof Ashley sat down staring at the hoary mirror she look cheerless and miserable with her body complexion expressing worse, her maid walk in carrying a dish of food and set it on the wooden table she walk back to her and stand beside her not saying a word, after sighing deeply she decided to speak

"My Princess, why not take a little bite from today's meal? It's been long since you had something to eat

"I thought I told you not to bring any food to me" she said angrily her eyes still fixed on the reflection

"But…if you continue this you will end up hurting yourself" Lucy keep quiet and didn't respond to her, Lucy waited for more than twenty minutes but her mistress seems unbothered and she had no choice than to take the dish back.

Just as she was about to leave the room, Derek entered and collide with her

"Welcome back sir" she greeted and wanted to make do away with the food

"Is your lady refusing her meal again?" he asked noticing the untouched food in the dish, Lucy nodded sadly and walk past him.

He took his steps carefully towards her and pull a wooden chair to sit, he gaze at her unfriendly look and almost give up trying but at a second thought he decided to approach her

"Why aren't you eating?" he asked

"Eat what? That disgusting meal! You useless slave you dare to serve me such low and unhealthy food and except me to swallow it up" she rebuked

Derek wanted to argue with her again about how good and healthy the food was but he knew better than anyone else that it is useless, rather it will lead to another of their big fights

"What will you have me prepare for you then princess?" he asked patiently and watch her face turn to him

"Oh silly" she remarked rudely "what did you have to be able to make me a royal meal?" she wanted to know

"Just say whatever you want to have, I'll prepare it" he stated and Ashley look at him in doubt.

Lucy got to the tiny kitchen just at the end of the house beside the latrine and drop the dish of untouched food, she proceed to dish out her own food when Miss. Trevor came in with a dirty dishes she just finish using, at the sight of her Lucy tried to pretend to be busy with some other things but nevertheless she still approach her with the dish

"Stop pretending to be working and do some real work" she snap at her, Lucy hesitated before snatching the dishes from her and prepare to wash them along with the one she served her lady's meal

"Did your lady refuse to eat again today?" she asked irritably, looking at the wasted food

"The food wasn't to her taste" Lucy answered with a care

"Really? Why can't she bring foodstuff from her palace then? Or betters still help with some money? She claim to be a princess yet she's living like a pauper"

"Pauper? Whose fault is that?" Lucy throw back angrily

"it's your princess fault for being so unfortunate, I thought getting her married to my son will bring some wealth our way, who knows she's just an insignificant royal who have no value" she remarked and walk out of the kitchen with an overheated minded Lucy.

She throw the stainless near her in rage as she felt a sting of the insulted just bestow to her mistress, the noise rang through the empty room and she had to cover her ears with her palms to avoid hurting them, knowing there is nothing she can do than to help her princess, Lucy stomp her foot in frustration and felt something drop out of her gown.

She search around her to see what it could be and it's the golden badge she received from Princess Roseline the last time her mistress visited the palace, she pick it up and felt new hope rise within her

"If I decide to acknowledge this, my Princess and I will have a better life" she beamed as she hug the item to herself imagining good times to come.

Another presence entered the room and she hurried to pocket the badge before it could be seen

"What are you doing?" he asked approaching

"Nothing of your concern" she snapped, Derek smile at her and stop at the set of rugged cutleries

"I need you to help me with something" he said and pause, Lucy stay silent gazing at him

"I need you to please change all the things here and replace them with new and befitting ones for your mistress" he said and saw her face light up, finally he got her attention

"Really? My Princess will be so happy, but then…where will you get the money to buy them?" she wanted to know

"You will buy the essential ones needed for your mistress and the rest will be brought later" Lucy sneer hearing what he just said, she should never have expected much from him afterall he's just a mere guard with barely enough income

Derek could read her thoughts and wave it off, it's not the first time the maid will show her dissatisfaction about him and even disregard him

"First go to the market to get foodstuffs and prepare good meals for her" he said and dip his hand into his chest pocket, he brought out some notes and handed them over, Lucy receive them and counted it

"Where…" she stammered agape "I will go right now" she said and run off happily, Derek watch her leave and couldn't help but wonder at how dramatic her mood changes at the sight of money

"Women"