Thanks for all the nice reviews, I'm enjoying writing this one a lot so far!
TW for this chapter: sexual assault suggestion, violence, death
Three days later, and they hadn't had another conversation. She'd attended a few more meetings with him, and served him tea in his bedroom, but they barely spoke, just like she'd expected it to be from the start. She didn't make any extra effort to gather information, figuring she should give him time to trust her, or at least not suspect her of anything. She'd been in the castle for a week now, but every day felt like a lifetime. The work was hard, and her free time was nonexistent so far.
It was after lunch that he called on her again. She hurried to his room and bowed as she entered. He was standing at his desk, looking troubled.
"Ah, there you are," he said, gliding over to her. Every time he got close her breath caught in her throat, no matter how hard she tried to stop. "The butler is sick, so I've sent him back to his room to recover. I have to go meet with the Head of the Guard, so I need you to watch the room after I leave, alright?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
He grabbed a jacket and hurried out, her close behind him. He locked the door and pocketed the key, then turned to her before he left. "Don't let anyone in, alright?"
She knew that the fact he felt he needed to say that to her meant he was probably hiding something in there. It would have been the perfect opportunity for her to sneak in, but she couldn't be sure when he'd return. It would be better to wait until he was out for the day to try something like that. She nodded and he hurried off down the corridor, leaving her standing by the door with very little to do.
She'd been standing alone for a long time when another of the doors opened and Silver stepped out. Her heart sped up a little as he turned to face her. He was younger than her, but already taller, as she noticed when he approached her, standing over her.
"Can I help you, Your Highness?" She asked politely, though her heart was hammering against her ribs. His face was totally emotionless.
"You can step out of the way and let me in," he hissed down at her. She tried not to flinch, but failed. She wasn't sure she was supposed to disobey him when he was also royalty, but she'd been given orders, and figured she should just follow those.
"Sorry Your Highness, but I was told not to let anyone in at all." She stood firm, staring ahead instead of up at him. He stayed quiet for a moment, then grabbed her chin with one hand and pulled her face to look at him, causing her to yelp.
"And who are you to stop me?" He dug his nails into her cheek a little, and tears pricked in the corners of her eyes. "I said get out of my way."
"I really can't, Your Highness, I-" she started, her words coming out shaky, but he grabbed her by her hair, pulling her head back. She fought the urge to fight back. She knew she could win easily, but it would be a fatal mistake to cause any harm to a prince, regardless of how he was treating her. He snarled down at her, and she stared back up at him, hoping he'd back off.
"Even if my brother likes you because of your big chest and slutty outfit, you're still just a maid, and you're nothing," he spat. The words rang through her, but they didn't hurt. She knew she was more than that, and she'd been called far worse before. She thought he was done as he let go of her hair, but he raised his hand and slammed her head into the doorframe. She fell to her knees, burning them on the carpet and she clutched her head. Black gathered in the corner of her eyes as she struggled to cling onto her consciousness. Her vision spun as she watched Silver turn and walk back into his room casually. She thought about calling for help when she noticed a pair of legs come around the corner.
"May!" Ash shouted, running down the hallway to her and dropping down on the floor beside her. "Are you alright?"
She wasn't sure she should tell him what had actually happened, but couldn't think of any other scenario in which she could have hit her head this badly. She pulled her hand away from the back of her head and found it slick with blood. Ash cursed under his breath and put his arm around her, lifting her up. Despite the pain and her wavering vision, she felt a rush as she felt his hand slide under her legs. He carried her around the corner, where a maid was carrying a tray of tea. She gasped, and almost dropped the tray at the sight.
"Send a healer to my room right away, please."
The maid nodded, setting the tray down by the wall and running off. Ash turned and carried her back to his room, setting her down in the bed. Her heart raced so fast she thought she might have a heart attack as she sunk into his sheets. She tried to sit up.
"I'm fine. Really."
"Lie down," he ordered so sternly she didn't dare oppose him. "It was my brother that did this to you, right? Spineless as ever, waiting until there was no one else around." He was seething with rage, so much so that she worried he might storm over to his room.
The healer arrived a minute later and began to fuss over her as Ash paced back and forward at the other side of the room. Once she was done, May felt much better, but still dizzy, and the pain still throbbed across her skull. She accepted the pain tonic handed to her and thanked the healer as she left. Once she was gone, she stood.
"Sorry for the bother," she apologised sincerely. Ash's face still looked grave.
"What did he say to you?" He asked. May swallowed hard. She wasn't sure she should tell him. It seemed a good idea to cause as little trouble as possible, and it didn't really matter what he'd said. Still, it seemed like genuine concern on the Prince's face…
She sighed. "He asked to enter your room, but I refused. Then he called me... some names and pulled my hair. Then he slammed my head against the doorframe."
She didn't dare look at him as she explained what happened. She only looked up as he approached her, checking over her bandages. She blushed as his hand brushed her hair to the side. She realised, with fear, that she was imagining his hands touching her elsewhere, and could have passed out from the thought.
"You should rest for the day. If you need the healer again don't be afraid to ask for her."
May nodded, thanking him quickly and hurrying out before he could say anything more. Once back in her room she sat on the edge of her bed, holding her head in her hands. She cursed herself, wondering what was wrong with her. It would be wrong for her to have those sorts of thoughts at all, never mind for her enemy, someone she was supposed to hate. Never mind for the enemy Prince. She curled up in bed, telling herself she was going to sleep, but recalling the feeling of his hands touching her as he picked her up every time she closed her eyes, so lay awake until sleep grabbed her.
She woke early the next day. So early that her duties didn't start for another two hours. Outside the world was still pitch black. She yawned and stretched, then felt the back of her head. It still hurt to touch, but wasn't bothering her so much anymore, and she felt well rested. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her dress from the wardrobe. She'd gotten a small bit of blood on it, so would have to take it to be cleaned quickly. She undressed and pulled on her casual dress and flats and stepped out. It was cold in the hallway, so she hugged herself as she hurried towards the laundry room. Luckily, there were people awake. She handed over her dress and, unsure of what to do while she waited, headed to the kitchen.
When she pushed open the doors, there were already people awake and working. A chef chopped fruit and vegetables at the other side of the room while a couple of kitchen boys ran around, preparing stuff. One was a younger boy, no older than fourteen, and the other looked to be her age.
"Hi, miss. You need something?" The chef shouted over to her. She shook her head.
"No, that's alright. I'm just waiting for my uniform to be cleaned and dried, so thought I'd come and offer my help."
"Well, thank you. Any help is appreciated. Drew will show you what needs done."
The green haired older boy wandered over, wiping his hands on the apron he was wearing.
"Nice to meet you. I'm May." She smiled. He smiled back. He was kind of cute, in a charming sort of way.
"Drew," he stuck out his hand, and she took it politely. "Breakfast prep for everyone in the castle can take a long time, so thanks for the help. You can help by washing those dishes…" He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "If you like."
May rolled up the sleeves of her dress and pulled her hair back to tie with the band around her wrist. "Sure."
She wandered over to fill the sink and wash the mountain of dishes that had built up around it. Drew worked behind her on the bench, occasionally looking as though he might speak to her. Eventually he did, and she made small talk with him while she washed. She learned that he was nineteen too, and worked in the kitchens most of the day. She told him her usual lies, but was honest about her age. He was a little flirty, but she didn't mind it. She had thought that finding a fake romantic interest would be a good idea. It would be a good ally to use, especially if they started to suspect her.
When her uniform was brought dry for her she left them, waving goodbye to Drew. She grinned over at him as she left, but felt a little guilty knowing she could never genuinely be interested in him. She visited the servant's bathroom and washed herself, carefully removing the bandages on her head, then returned to her room and dressed herself.
Checking the schedule, she noticed Ash had a free day. She would most likely be called to do general duties, then. She was about to leave when a knock at her door startled her. She pulled it open, somewhat scared it might be Silver, and was greeted by Ash.
"Oh, so this is your room, thank goodness." He sighed with relief. She stared up in disbelief at him. Why was the prince at her room?
"Your Highness," she bowed her head. His hair was messy, like he hadn't bothered to brush it, and he was flushed, like he'd run to her room.
"I just wanted to check if you were okay today, and apologise on behalf of my brother."
"It's alright," she said politely, smiling at him as best she could through her nerves. Again, she wondered what on earth was wrong with her.
"I'm going into town today, and you're coming with me, alright?"
The request caught her off guard. She looked up at him, puzzled, and he laughed a little. Embarrassed, she nodded. He gestured for her to follow, and she did, through the castle to the entrance, where he'd arranged a carriage. The driver opened the door, and Ash gestured for her to get in. A lump formed in her throat as she climbed in, holding her skirt down, and he climbed in beside her. It felt wrong to sit in a royal carriage like this. Ash didn't speak, just stared out the window as they set off across the bridge and out the gate. She was curious what they'd be doing in town, but didn't want to speak out of turn, so kept quiet until he spoke.
"I have to buy some jewellery, but to be honest I have no idea what girls like, so I was thinking you could help me." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. She blinked at him.
"Oh. Sure, Your Highness. I'll try my best."
He smiled at her. "Thank you."
The rest of the journey was silent until they pulled up outside a jewellery store and hopped out. The window was lined with a number of gold and silver necklaces, and an array of expensive jewels and gems. The bell rang as Ash entered, and the storekeeper jumped up, her eyes going wide.
"Your Highness!" she exclaimed, bowing. "How lovely of you to pay our store a visit. How can I help you?"
He put his hand to his chin, examining the jewellery. "I'm just looking for a gift."
"Oh, for one of the ladies?" the storekeeper pried.
Ash nodded, still looking at the necklaces. He pointed to one, a long silver necklace with a beautiful sapphire coloured gem surrounded by diamonds, and turned to May, just inches away from her. "What do you think?"
"It's beautiful. I think anyone would love it," she replied honestly. He smiled at her, and she turned away, blushing and cursing herself. He looked over the rest of the necklaces once more before announcing he wanted to purchase the blue one. Once the storekeeper wrapped it up for him and he paid they left, climbing back into the carriage. Their next stop was the market, where she and his guards that had travelled in the carriage behind followed him as he bought a number of sweets and cookies and chocolate. He talked to anyone that stopped him, and May watched him interact with local kids, too. She carried the bags of sweets and chocolate back to the carriage after, even though he offered to carry them himself.
In the carriage, he turned to her with a bag of the chocolates in his hand, offering her one. Speechless, she took one, and placed it carefully in her mouth. She was shocked by how good it was, melting on her tongue, and he watched her reaction. She sat back in the seat, facing away from him. She'd never expected to be this close to him, even being his personal maid. It felt wrong, but she was also enjoying it so much she was losing sight of who she really was, and where she really was. She couldn't let herself get washed away by fondness for him. She had to remember who he was, and what his family was really like.
"We're back, Your Highness," the driver announced finally. May still didn't look at him as they exited the carriage.
"I have to go visit Dawn and give her this now," he said, holding up the necklace bag. Dawn. Of course he was giving it to her. She nodded. "Would you take these up to my room?"
She picked up the bags and the key he held out to her and headed into the castle without saying a word, knowing it was rude but not caring. She felt his eyes on the back of her head as she marched in and the doors closed behind her. When she reached his room, she realised the perfect situation she'd been given. Unlocking the door and stepping in, she felt breathless in the expanse of his room. She set the bags down on his desk and stared around the room. He hadn't said if he wanted her to wait here for him or not. On the desk, the pile of papers he'd been sifting through still sat.
She should look for what he was hiding. She peered down at the papers, and touched her fingers to them, but a wave of shame washed over her and she pulled her hand away again, swallowing hard.
Come on, May, what's wrong with you? This is your job.
She stared down at them, then reached for them again, but she couldn't do it. She clenched her shaking fist so hard her nails cut into her palm. Angry with herself and angry with him for some reason she stormed out, locking the door behind her and heading to her room, where she sat for a moment. Realising she would probably get in trouble for sitting around she sighed, putting Ash's key in her pocket and heading down to the gardens, where she spotted Cynthia gardening and offered to help. She helped her for the rest of the day, stopping only to get lunch, and even continued after Cynthia left, saying she would plant the rest of the seeds for her. She was only trying to distract herself from thinking about the truth- she wasn't cut out for this, and it was going horribly, and her real boss would lose his shit at her. She cursed down into the plant pots as the clouds clapped, and she was instantly drenched with rain. She jumped up, grabbing the bulbs and seeds she'd intended to plant, and started to run. She cursed the gardens for being so big, and herself for not keeping an eye on the sky. She rounded a corner and skidded to a halt, almost bumping into him.
"May," Ash said down to her, his eyebrows raised. "You're wet."
She bit back the urge to say something sarcastic back. Of course she was wet- it was raining. He was in his usual outfit, but held an umbrella over his head.
"Come," he said, pulling her to his side and holding the umbrella over him. "I'll walk back with you."
She didn't dare argue, and walked side by side with him under the umbrella through the gardens. She glanced up at him a few times but he was staring ahead, lost in thought. She couldn't help but wonder what he could be thinking about to make him look so sad like that. Eventually, as they neared the doors, he looked down at her.
"I've been called away on business in the countryside for a couple of days," he said, like he was required to tell her. "So you can have a couple of days off, alright?"
"Are you sure, Your Highness? I've only been working for a week-"
"It's alright. There isn't much else for you to do."
She knew that was a lie, but he didn't seem in the mood to hear an argument, so she nodded. As they approached the door she handed him the key and he thanked her. Realising they'd both be going to their rooms, she hovered awkwardly, wondering if it was okay for her to walk through the halls with him as well. He looked back after he'd taken a few steps.
"What're you doing? C'mon." He was waiting for her. Feeling a swell in her heart she jogged to catch up and fell into step beside him, his hands stuck in his pockets, and listened to him as he started telling her a story about the king. She laughed and couldn't help but wish they'd never reach their rooms. Somehow, it all felt so natural.
May sat the next day, legs curled underneath her as she read the only book she'd brought with her. Beside her was the tea she'd poured for herself and outside rain pelted off the window. She was trying so hard to focus on the book, but it was difficult when she thought about how little she'd gained since she'd arrived. It hadn't been long, and yet she felt so guilty for getting dragged into the situation and almost feeling like she was fitting in, like she was losing sense of what she was truly there for.
She sighed and stood up. Maybe a walk around the grounds would help clear her head, and maybe an opportunity would present itself. The prince had left before she woke, and locked his room, so there was no chance to get in there unless she risked picking the lock. She walked out the door and towards the kitchens, not sure where she was heading. She hadn't been walking for long when she heard someone call out her name and turned to the side, finding Serena waving to her from the laundry room.
"Hey Serena," she greeted. Serena sighed, grumbling down at the pile of laundry she'd been given to do.
"Who knew doing a strange man's laundry would be so gross." She dropped the shirt she'd been washing. "Do you have to do the prince's?"
"He hasn't asked me so far. I think he has a lot of servants. He probably has one person just for that." She raised her eyebrow. "Are you serving a lord right now?"
"Yeah, one of the one's visiting, but he doesn't have a daughter so I'm not sure why he's even here." She lowered her voice, even though there was no one else in the room with them. "Nobody really seems to like him. I've been by his side a lot and the other lords avoid him. I'm not sure he even notices."
She genuinely looked tired, and somewhat concerned, and May could tell something else was up. She hadn't known Serena for long, but she couldn't ignore any girl that might be in a bad situation, regardless of where they were from. "What's wrong? You can tell me."
May reached behind her and pushed the door until it was almost closed. Serena seemed to collapse with relief. "He's started acting really strange with me. He touched my leg just this morning. I'm afraid that… that he'll do something to me, and because he's a lord no one will believe me." She swallowed hard and looked away. "Sorry. I know I sound pathetic."
May considered her options. She'd been placed in the situation Serena was in before too, before she'd done her training, and knew how terrifying it was. She could reveal to Serena that she had training to deal with that sort of thing and risk giving her position away, or she could look the other way. She bit her lip. When Serena turned back and her face had turned white, her eyes full of tears, she made her mind up.
"If it seems like he's gonna do something to you, come to me," May whispered to her. Serena looked at her in confusion. "Trust me."
She chuckled nervously and wiped her eyes. "Are you secretly a hitwoman?"
May smiled back, hoping to reassure her new friend. "Would it be so bad if I was?"
She left Serena to finish her job before they were caught talking and headed back to her room. She wasn't sure exactly what she'd do if Serena actually came to her and told her it was getting worse. For a moment she thought about telling Ash. He seemed more human than she'd expected, and maybe he could do something from his position. She shook the idea from her head. It was crazy to think he'd believe her word when she was his maid and he'd met her a week ago.
As dinner time rolled around, May left her room again, heading to the kitchens to offer her help again. She met Drew there again and made herself busy, hoping it would distract her. She talked with him as she worked, trying not to cringe at his hopeless flirty banter, but found herself genuinely laughing a lot of the time too. The head chef had called over for them to carry on their flirting when Drew was off duty, and Drew had turned red and quiet. Then, out of the blue, he'd suggested just that. It wasn't against the rules for them to meet if they were both free, so he'd asked if she'd meet him. She'd hesitantly agreed. She figured it was worth gaining his trust and friendship.
After dinner she visited the baths and gave herself half an hour to relax. When she was done she applied a tiny bit of makeup that she had and tied her hair up in a red bow, one of the only things she'd brought from home. She still had half an hour until Drew was due at her room, so she sat on the chair in the corner of her room. Her mind instantly went to Serena. She tried to shake off the thought, but an uneasy feeling settled over her.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go check on her. I have plenty of time anyway.
Before she could stop herself she was out her door and heading for the general servants rooms. There was hardly anyone about in the hallways, and she only passed a few other servants moving about. Once she reached the servants rooms she realised she had no idea which room Serena's was. She knocked on the first door she saw, and Jasmine popped her head around the corner.
"Oh! May? Are you alright?" She looked down at May's dress, probably confused as to why she wasn't in her uniform.
"Yeah, sorry. I was just wondering which room Serena's is."
Jasmine pointed to one of the doors and May thanked her. She hurried over to it and knocked, but got no answer. After a moment she pushed open the door, to find the room empty. Serena had been clean when they'd stayed together, but her room was messy. No, worse than messy. Her bedside table was on its side, like it'd been knocked over and left. Her bedsheets were in a heap on the floor. May's heart dropped. There'd been a struggle in here, and she'd probably been forced out to his room. In a panic, May tried to think where the lord's rooms were. Once she remembered she took off down the hallway, hoping no one would catch her sprinting through the corridors. Luckily the hallways were all empty, with everyone retired to their own rooms for the night. As she rounded the corner, she saw them.
He dragged her into his room, and she couldn't scream because her mouth had been tied. A rage completely took over May as she watched him close the door behind her. Once her mind was clouded with fury, there was no stopping her, and she stormed down the hallway, no longer concerned with who saw her. Her heart pounded heavily against her ribs she reached for the handle and slowly pulled it down. She pushed the door open. At the other side of the room he was facing away from her, and Serena was pushed up against the wall. He hadn't noticed the door open, and his hand was running up her leg. Serena's eyes were clenched shut. Adrenaline and sheer resentment taking over, May reached for the closest thing to her- a vase on the table by the door. Suppressing a shout she raised it up, it's weight feeling like nothing in her panic, and charged for him. Putting all her power into it, she cried out slightly as she brought it down on him, connecting with the back of his head, and he fell to the floor beneath her.
For a moment time seemed to stop. She was frozen in the room. She dropped the vase and looked down at the floor, her hands trembling. A pool of blood had began to form around his head. She forced herself to act as a wave of nausea hit her like a brick, and she fought the urge to throw up on the carpet. She turned and ran to the door, pushing it shut and locking it quickly. When she turned back Serena was still standing there, staring down at him, her face as white as a ghost.
May walked back over, her legs threatening to buckle beneath her. She leaned down and placed her fingers to his neck, feeling for a pulse but finding none. She cursed under her breath. She cursed a few more times, placing her head in her hands. This was the worst situation she could have put herself in. She'd killed someone. She'd killed someone in the castle. Her situation had just become infinitely more dangerous.
She stood and reached for the tie around Serena's mouth, praying she wouldn't scream once it was removed. Instead, as it fell from her face, Serena stayed silent.
"It's okay," she lied. "It'll be fine. I can work this out."
Serena looked over at her for the first time. "Thank you, May," she said weakly, her voice quavering. "Thank you."
May forced herself to smile over at her, despite the situation. She didn't feel guilty for killing him. She'd done it before, and he was her enemy anyway, and evidently an awful human being. She only felt panic now as she considered their options.
"I told you to trust me. Though I hadn't planned for this…" She stared down at the body at her feet. Luckily, the vase hadn't broken. She picked it up, careful not to get the blood on her hands.
"You need to get out of here," she spoke urgently to Serena. "Check there's no one around, and run to your room. Don't get caught. If anyone asks you anything, you were with me tonight, okay?"
Serena looked terrified, but nodded, probably not daring to question her, and having no idea what to do. She ran off to the door, almost tripping on the way. Once the door closed quietly behind her, May looked down at the older man beneath her and considered her options. She could clean the vase and put it back and try to stage this as some sort of freak accident, or she could open the door to the balcony and make it seem as though someone had climbed in from outside. That, or she could leave it and hope they wouldn't blame a maid for this. None of the options seemed like they would work, but there were no others. Deciding quickly, she put the vase down again and ran to the glass door, pushing it wide open and letting the freezing cold air burst into the room, blowing the curtains around her. She pushed over his bedside table and threw some things around the room, hoping they'd think there'd been a struggle. A struggle would have been unlikely with a maid much smaller than him. Knowing there was nothing else she could do, she followed her own advice and left quickly, constantly checking over her shoulders and around corners to make sure no one was wandering the hallways. She considered going to Serena's room, but figured it would be safer to get back to her own room now, rather than when someone discovered the body.
By some miracle she reached her room without being seen. As soon as she closed the door she fell back against it and crumpled to the floor. She'd messed up big time. She had no idea yet how she was supposed to reach her contact in the city to let him know what she found. Perhaps if she got in some major trouble or was looked at as a suspect, he could help her get out of the city and back home. Better to lose her job than her life.
She double checked over her clothes to make sure no blood had stained them then threw them in a heap on her chair and crawled into bed. It was freezing, but May needed to cool off. She lay under the sheets awake for what seemed like hours until sleep finally pulled her under.
