A New Handmaiden

The servant's quarters was busy as usual, even though it was still early in the morning. Servants running around to smoothen their aprons and get ready for the day's work.

Hector couldn't quite bring himself to do anything as he sat, his thumb nail wedged between his teeth, his eyes worried. His feet kept slapping the concrete floor as he struggled with the thoughts that crowded his mind.

What would the queen do? It had been so silent, and the silence only unsettled him more. The queen was not the one to keep quiet about being disrespected like that, he was sure of it. Would he have to leave Lana? Where would he go?

"Hector." Lana said, causing him to almost jump out of his skin.

"Is something wrong?  You haven't been yourself since yesterday."

He swallowed, wiping beads of perspiration from his forehead. His bangs were soaked by his own sweat, and he pushed them away.

"I'm sorry. Nothing's wrong, I just.."

"The Queen is approaching. Get ready to pay your respects!"

Hector's heart skipped two beats as he heard the announcement. She was finally here to pass judgement, and he knew he wouldn't be spared.

"Hector, you're literally trembling. What's wrong with you?"

He shook his head standing up. "Why is the queen here?"

"I was about to ask the same thing. She has never come to the servant's quarters before."

He swallowed. 'The same way she has never been disrespected before," he thought.

"You're so tense. Relax. It's just the queen."

Hector gave her an incredulous look. "Just?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. But still relax. Not like you did anything to her, did you?"

"The Queen has arrived!" Came the announcement, cutting off Hector's next words. He ran out of the male quarters with Lana tagging along closely, and walked to the adjoined room where all the servants were bowed. He joined them swiftly.

"Where is the Queen, though?" Lana wispered beside him. He raised his head to check and sure enough, the Queen wasn't there, just her entourage.

"Pay your respect as the Queen's message has come to you." The announcer said, and Hector bowed down again.

He brought out a scroll and started to read. "Her highness says thus; Empathy is a universal emotion, and every human is able to relate with it.

On that note, I hereby relieve my handmaiden, Mrs. Margaret from all her duties of serving me. I will not allow such fragile old woman to keep tending to me while there are other more agile young women...and men."

Mrs. Margaret raised her head slightly and turned to Hector, just as Hector did too, and they exchanged glances. Relieving her? Was that a polite way of saying that she was sacking her?

"I expect Mrs. Margaret to resign to the special quarters I have put in place for her, and she will also be attended to by the royal physicians until she recovers. She can visit the palace whenever she misses me, and for nothing else.

As for who will take over her duties as my handmaiden, I believe that I can trust the agile servant, Hector to be reliable in filling up that role. I do believe that Mrs. Margaret still has a few hours before she leaves, to teach him everything he needs to know. I expect this order to be carried out immediately, without any hesitation of sort.

Seal."

Hector gulped. What? The Queen's hand maiden? That job was exclusively for females, and he didn't see any reason why she should choose him. Was this his punishment? Was this a way to torment him till he ran out of the palace sandals in hand?

"Hector! Report to the Queen's chambers right now." The announcer said, not looking anywhere or at anything in paeticular before turning away, and leaving.

"What are you going to do now?" Mrs Margaret asked as soon as he left. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have put you in this mess."

Hetor held her hand and shook his head. "Of course not, Mrs. margaret. I will try my best." He was trying to sound brave, like it didn't affect him, but deep down, he was scared and anxious to the core. The queen was unpredictable, that he aways knew, but she confirmed that just now with this bizarre announcement. It made no sense at all.

"A male handmaiden? The Queen herself chose him?"

"Yes, lord." The servant said with a small bow. Lord Lucas raised a brow.

"That's unheard of," said the other lord who had been sitting with him when the servant came to deliver the news about the palace happenings.

"What game is that nameless, faceless queen playing? What is she trying to achieve? I know that girl. Whatever she does has a purpose, and we night never ever be able to predict it till she gets to her goal, making us look like clueless fools."

What do we do now? Try to stop her?" Lord Simon asked, his eyes showing a bit of amusement.

"What's funny?" Lord Lucas asked, eyeing him.

"Well, that idea was just very funny, because, we couldn't even comvince her to get married after months of pleading. You even have to kneeI in front of her." Lord Simon said with a chuckle.

"Shut up," Lord Lucas said, then turned away.  "Is that all that happened?"

The servant nodded. "That was it. She relieved her handmaiden, then appointed the male servant."

"You can go."

The servant gave a slight bow, then walked away.

"So, what do you suggest?" Lord simon said, his face serious.

"I need to meet with the council."

"Without the Queen? You know that's treason."

"It's only treason if she finds out. I have to meet with them and talk about these, by tonight."

"Well, I will try, then. What do you intend to tell them?"

Lord Lucas gave a dark evil chuckle, the side of his eyes crinkling, as they shone. He was obviously up to no good at all.  "I know just the thing."