Chapter 4
"Your highness, it's time for your bath" The new maid who was hired recently, walked into the room with the remaining servants who waited at the door. She raised all the curtains up, just like they always do every morning.
Audrey yawned when the rays of sunlight hit her tender blue eyes. She reluctantly straightened her body and stretched before lifting the quilt off her legs and came down from the bed.
She approached the maid holding a bowl and a towel, another maid brought a cup of water, and she drank it and gurgled before spilling it into another bowl, while she took the towel and dabbed it into the bowl of water, and dabbed her face, while also drying it.
"Her royal majesty said I should inform you to get ready for your classes." The maid informed as she and another maid placed the bowls on the table, and they went to get a dress for her.
Audrey nodded and did not say anything, as they put on her dress and made her the princess she was. This was something she always hated, always dressing and dressing, When the corset was done, they immediately left while the new maid and another one stayed.
Audrey turned to the new maid, "What's your name?" She inquired. The new maid quickly bowed as she said her name.
"Lilac Bennington," she said and Audrey nodded, she was very much aware of the Bennington family, they were kindhearted people, and they were a middle-class family who always want to mingle with the nobles.
"What do you think about me?" she asked as she swerved to the front and observed the maid's expression. Lilac trembled when the question was brought up, she didn't want to be asked such questions, in fear she might say something wrong.
"Tell me the truth, Lilac" Audrey pressed on as she took another step forward, the other maid beside Lilac took a side glance at the latter and she sighed and prayed for the maid in her heart that they would fire Lilac.
"This humble maid doesn't have much to say and only has the words of what is going about in the palace and also in the whole of Thaerith, but I have no right to judge my master because my master knows herself." Lilac confessed boldly, her voice soft but yet thick.
Audrey was impressed, she thought the maid would say the opposite and also say it in a rude way, but she actually said the truth in a pronounced and yet polite way, Audrey placed a finger on Lilac's chin and raised it up slowly.
Lilac's face was now visible, and Audrey liked the way she looked, pure innocent, but feisty, her eyes said it all, a very troublesome kitten with soft brown eyes, Audrey released her chin.
"We are going to be good friends don't you think?" Audrey claimed as she grabbed the arms of Lilac. The latter flinched and stepped a little back.
"I am just a humble maid and I don't deserve to be the friend of the princess and future ruler of the seven kingdoms." Lilac declared as she bowed down once more before she straightened her back and looked at the floor.
"Hmm.. okay." Audrey, although disappointed, had to accept the fact that she would never have a friend that would try to not look at her position. She sighed once more as she continued walking forward.
Soon they arrived at the ballroom. The first tutor for today was a dance tutor, who would teach her how to dance in balls and some ceremonies where the ruler had to attend. As much as she didn't like it, she had no choice.
Soon the class started, and it actually didn't take long before the lesson was over, she was tired and she was about to go back to her chambers, but another maid informed that she should get ready for another lessons.
The day ended with Audrey learning four things, dancing, law, and learning how to read records, plus she learned some basic etiquette, it was all too much for her, and not only did they not come once to check on her but left her to such lessons.
She hated it, Audrey put on a scowl as she walked to her room. When she arrived at her room, before they could help her to remove her dress, she took a vase on one of her shelf and tossed it to the floor, shattering it to several pieces.
But that did not still quench her anger, she roughly took another item her jewelries and threw it to the floor, her books she threw it to the floor too.
"I do not want to be a ruler!! This is so sick." Audrey screamed as she slumped on her buttocks, and groaned from all the tiredness. Lilac who was standing at the side, was stunned by the brutality of the princess, she involuntarily shivered.
Finally Audrey calmed down, she drowsily stood up and the maids helped her removed her dress and underwear, when all the load from her body was removed, she was about to fall back again but Lilac caught her this time.
Audrey knew she was feeling sleepy so she quickly instructed them to take her to the bath, then after the bath she laid flat on the bed, but then during midnight, she had a dream… a very odd dream.
Audrey was in her father's study, she was busy looking for something yet she could not see, and after a long time searching she finally pulled something down and a door was slide open, she went into the tunnel.
After so many minutes of walking she finally reached the end of the tunnel which burst out to outside, the chirping of birds from the dream woke Audrey up and she jerked up breathing heavily.
She got out of bed and quickly dabbed a towel of cold water on her face, she almost forgot that she planned on leaving the palace today again, she would not forget, she promised.
Some minutes after dressing up she was back to her old outfit and she tipped her toe once again and made way to her fathers study, she knew she would see some cash there, it was the best place. She was holding a piece of garment which was tied into a knot.
Everything that was inside were clothes and some of her jewelries she could exchange them for money later, she finally made it to her father's study after some time of searching, she searched and searched for the part she touched in her dreams.
But for some reason, she could not find the stone she touched. Sounds came from outside as if someone was approaching, and Audrey had to hide behind a shelves. When the person came inside, they didn't notice her.
Audrey tilted her head to the side and found that it was her father the king. He went to where he normally sits, removed a book from somewhere and checked it before nodding his head and approaching the door to leave.
But then he stopped...
He swore he saw someone behind that shelf, and so he walked to the shelf. Audrey felt her heart sink and it was beating very fast, it almost left her chest.
Luckily, a voice from someone outside stopped him from going any further. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her father leave and close the door.
What made her extremely happy was that the place she was looking for was just under the book her father took out, she quickly went there and pulled the tongue of the lion head, and the door slid open.
Audrey was so elated she quickly walked into the tunnel, and after she went in the tunnel closed, she kept on running and running till she reached the exit, but then she tripped and fell.
She clutched her foot when she find out she had sprained her ankle, she groaned in pain, this was the first time she was feeling pain, and it was not a good feeling, she sat down upright and tried to blow softly on the place that got affected.
She tried to walk but she was limping all through. She soon found a tree and quickly leaned on it, she massaged her foot but it hurt so much, she almost screamed. She closed her eyes as she was about to shed tears.
"Do you always cry whenever things don't go your way or your in pain? Pathetic" A baritone cold voice made Audrey jerk up and open her eyes, it was the same man that has been showing up.
He crouched down and laid his hand on her injured leg and soon the pain disappeared. Audrey was amazed and just to see if it was okay, tried to stand on it, and she was able to.
"Wow, are you a magician? You did well!" she complimented him as she giggled, and twirled around, she was feeling so happy.
"So what’s your plan now?" he asked her as he clapped his hands trying to dust the dirt of his hands if there was. Audrey went into deep thought once that question was asked.
"I need to get to the next kingdom in disguise to get some money" she said as she looked at him, but instead of a smile, he was frowning.
"You have forgotten who you are... someone is coming!"