Author's Notes: As the maids prepare for the arrival of the Selected new revelations come to light.

Thanks to Supergirls2008 for your contributions!

If you posted a review since the last update see your special message at the end of the story!

WARNING!: This chapter contains hints of sexual content. A minor warning just in case.

Enjoy!

~Sweetwaterspice

Chapter updated: 05/22/2020

A Gilded Cage Just For Me

Chapter Four

~Skyler

I was scuttling down the palace hall, carefully balancing a tray containing all of the pieces of a tea set Virginia had found in storage. For the most part, the rooms for the Selected would remain sparse, meant to be decorated by the girls themselves when they arrived. But when Virginia couldn't stop rambling about the beautifully ornate tea set and how she knew it was meant for Lady Kriss, I told her I'd take care to bring it to the room just to shut her up. I could picture her with Lady Kriss fawning over the china, marveling in the intricately painted tea cups and talking to each other about fairy tales and knights in shining armor. It was enough to make me want to vomit. Unfortunately, Mrs. LaFontaine suggested I fill the pot to the brim, "Practice for when your lady is here and calls for tea," she said. The smile I wore at the suggestion was far removed from what I felt. 'Old bat,' I thought. Did she really think I had never served tea before?

I thought back to the earlier conversations with the other maids. They had to be fools if they believed a prince would choose a Five to be queen; to believe or hope that anyone related to King Clarkson would stoop so low. Entertaining such outlandish, ridiculous ideas blinded them to the reality that stared us in the face every morning we woke up in this place. Hope was for those who could afford it. And there was none in this place to pin our future on to.

I hadn't actually met the prince, only seen him in a crowd of people. Occasionally I passed him in the halls, usually flanked by advisors discussing paperwork. He always walked tall and proud, the splitting image of his tyrannous father. I had personally witnessed the aftermath of one of Clarkson's tirades, which involved me spending hours picking shards of what had once been a mirror off the floor. Not that I expected anything less from a One. So even though I heard the buzz around the palace about how things would change for the better once Prince Maxon was king, I didn't believe a word of it.

Fortunately, his nature would only help me and Lady Kriss in this competition. And more than anything, I wanted to win. I needed to beat Marguerite. She was already ten paces ahead with Lady Celeste as her Selected. And she wouldn't listen to me about the situation with Ramsey. I felt little regret for encouraging Ramsey's flirtations though my intentions were to save her from future heart break. She didn't realize what pain it would cause her later to have a man that had a divining rod for a dick. If only I had…

"Shit!" I cried, having turned the corner and crashed into something solid, sending the tea set flying. Arms reached out to steady me from falling on my ass. I glanced up, and saw none other than Prince Maxon, wincing.

Your Highness!" I squealed, dropping into my lowest curtsy. "I am so sorry. So very sorry." I stood up, then realized with horror I had blurted a profanity in the presence of the prince and then noticed that his arm was completely soaked. The left quarter and sleeve of his suit jacket were wet from the contents of the teapot. Fortunately the teapot was only filled with water and not actual tea! I would've never heard the last of it from Mrs. LaFontaine had I actually scalded the crowned prince! I swallowed a knot and decided I'd kill Virginia for this entire mess.

"I'm fine, really," he laughed once. He must've seen the horrified look plastered on my face. "Please don't be upset. It was my fault. I should pay better attention with so much going on." When I opened my mouth to speak, I offered another apology. "I'm completely unharmed, I assure you. Just.. a little wet," Prince Maxon laughed again before running a hand through his hair.

"I'm such a klutz…" I said, stooping down to gather some of the shattered pieces.

"Not at all," I heard him say from above. "That's what I get for pacing around the palace." Then to my utter shock, what he did next nearly knocked me on my ass. The crowned prince dropped down beside me on one knee and began helping me clean up the broken cups. "You were doing your job and I happened to get in the way. I should be the one apologizing."

Appalled at the sight of the prince helping me, I pulled the cups towards me. "Please, don't. I will take care of this, Your Highness."

I couldn't help but catch a scent of his cologne— Light, crisp and not at all overwhelming. This was the closest I'd ever been in Prince Maxon's personal space. He was definitely even more captivating up-close I noted, as I glanced at his chiseled jaw, the perfect structure of a nose and curvaceous lips. His hair looked like spun threads of golden silk... What the hell?

"Maxon!" I heard the familiar voice of the king bellow and the Prince muttered something quietly under his breath.

"I have to go," he said, standing. I followed. "Could you do me a favor and take this to be cleaned?" he asked, stripping off his suit jacket. I reached out, taking the prince's jacket off his hands. Holy Shit! I was holding Prince Maxon's jacket! Not that I was fangirling or anything like that. "I have a meeting and I'm not sure how my father would take to me showing up... you know."

His smile disarmed me and I smiled, "Oh… " I said, dumbly unable to say another word. He thanked me and took off down the hallway towards his father's voice.

I stared long after he has disappeared. After all of this time in the palace, I thought nothing would surprise me. Yet, the patience and kindness the prince had just shown me was unlike anything I had come to expect or indeed experienced from the upper castes.

I shook off the stun of my encounter with Prince Maxon as I finished cleaning up the broken tea set, trying not to feel like my opinions have been shattered along with it. I remember Anne's vehement defense of Prince Maxon earlier, when she said he wasn't shallow and was nothing like his father. I was starting to realize what a huge mistake I'd made. Because if Prince Maxon was this genuine with all the Selected, serving a Three wasn't going to mean anything. And I, was going to have my work cut out for me.

I sighed, turning my attention back to cleaning the mess on the floor. "So much for your tea set, Virginia."

~Ashton

Three days. In just three days the palace would be teeming with 35 young women, all prospects, all vying for Prince Maxon's heart and the crown. Today, everyone had the assignment of getting the guest rooms assigned to the Selected spotlessly cleaned from ceiling to baseboard and readied for their arrival. It would be yet another busy day.

It was amazing how time flew by! Everyone had been absorbed in their work preparing for the arrival of the Selected. From sunrise to sunset no task strayed from this vital assignment. Mrs. LaFontaine checked in regularly with every group offering suggestions if asked and commending good work when she saw fit. Leaving her own opinions to herself, she allowed the maids creative minds to draw their own conclusions. Overall what she'd seen, pleased her.

I ran down the steps to the laundry room having been informed that the linens I'd requested for our lady's room were ready for pick up. The laundry room was deep in the bowels of the palace which took a bit of stamina climbing all the way back up the four stories to the second floor where the Selected would room.

Having picked up my order, I turned with haste making the climb. Good thing I was in great shape physically which made the trip not much of a challenge and besides I didn't mind the little break this gave me from the others.

Holding the pressed and folded linens in one arm while grabbing a handful of my skirt, my soft steps echoed in the hollow stairwells. Once I'd made it up to the main floor, I gathered the sheets once more, not wanting to wrinkle them further. They would probably need to be pressed again anyway, I mused. With my heart rate mostly under control, I proceeded along the bustling floor.

I'd never seen the palace in such a mad state. Sure, it was busy when preparing for State dinners and Royal functions but nothing like this! People coming, people going, doors opening and shutting, furniture being moved from one room to the next along with huge carpets and a new statue into which I'd almost narrowly collided with one of the workers as they positioned it in its place. It felt like a carnival and I started missing the peace and quiet we had not so long enjoyed. But I guessed that would be a long time in coming again.

Deciding to stay close to the walls of the long hall to avoid another close call, suddenly, and with no warning, I felt my feet tangle, my arm being pulled. Startled, my eyes went wide as saucers, not knowing what had happened. I felt a shot of panic realizing I was nowhere in the midst of the raucous atmosphere. Then I heard the door slam shut behind me and every hair on my body raised in alarm along with the thud of my heart.

Clutching the linens to my chest as a feeble means of protection, a hundred thoughts ran through my head as I turned towards the door, ready to meet my opponent. I let out an audible gasp. My body weakened, and the linens I had been clutching so tightly now rested at my feet in a messy bundle. Running into his arms, he fairly picked me up, and I found the sweet crevice of his mouth. It had been a long time. Too damn long since I'd savored his sweet kiss. We were lost in each other immediately— holding me close, kissing me so hard I felt my soul would drain to nothingness if he stopped. He returned my affection with as much fervor, my fingers wrapping into the dark, curly mass of his hair.

"You're back! I can't believe you're back!" I uttered between breathless whispers. Oh! How I had missed his kisses, those passionate kisses that assaulted me at this very moment!

He groaned into my neck, his mouth blazing across every bit of exposed flesh. "God, I missed you so much!" he responded, finding my hungering mouth once more, pinning me to the door.

Markson had been one of the guards given duty of visiting several of the provinces from which the Selected hailed from in order to outline security protocols for their trip to the palace. He complained it would be an insufferable assignment only because he'd had to be gone for more than a few days. I knew it would be a tedious trip as well but nothing to scoff at either. He could be sent on duty to much worse places.

"When did you get back?" I gasped, wanting so much more of him than what he was giving, my arms wrapped around his neck, my fingers still deep in his hair.

"Just…a few…hours ago," was his answer between kisses that trailed my jaw to my ear. I felt my body melting against his like ice cream on a hot summer day.

I could see by the glint in Markson's eyes he was elated at this reception since the last time we had been together I had branded him with a hearty slap to his face which in my mind was still deserved to this very day. My reaction that day had been certainly unexpected. We had made love, wonderful, sensuous love and he had made the error, foolishly so in my opinion, to tell me he loved me. But that's not why I was so angered. It was his next question that meted him that blinding slap.

He had asked me to marry him! I was mortified! Did he really consider my feelings? The sort of a mockery I would be turned into? To be subjected to the insults and the glares of the Two's? He said he'd never imagined a woman would react so indignantly to a proposal! He assured me that I had been the only one he'd ever considered the notion of marriage with and his confession made me angrier still.

But weren't women supposed to be happy when asked to marry the man of their dreams? I supposed that was the normal reaction for a normal girl, but I wasn't just the girl next door. I was a maid and I knew my place. I had been so offended that I left our lover's nest only half-dressed, telling him that if he didn't stop while he was ahead, this would be over! I left him there, surely confused and I wondered if I had ruined everything. Truth be told, I used my anger to cover the fact that I was scared. This place was all I'd ever known. I felt safe here. I was destined to serve, to be content with my lot. Markson was offering me a chance to live in a world so foreign, so strange. A world outside of this gilded cage. A world I would never belong to. A world that would never accept me.

"I saw you…and I had to…" he trailed off, looking into my green eyes. My heart skipped several beats, I felt it, clearly and my mouth couldn't complete a thought for it was sealed over his again. I could feel my need growing for him and his for me pressing against me. I wanted him now more than ever.

He pressed his hardened flesh against my thigh through the material of my skirt and I clutched the shoulders of his jacket. We shared the same thought wanting to quench our blazing ardor. But, realizing the risk we were now even taking, we broke our kiss. My mind swam with desire but we needed to be careful.

"Can I see you tonight?" His tone was husky, his brown eyes calling to me. I nodded. Markson smiled, cupping my face and kissed me softly one last time as I reluctantly unwrapped my arms from his neck.

"We better go now," he whispered.

I gripped the shoulders of his jacket as if to say I wasn't ready but acquiesced, hating that we had to part so quickly.

Walking over to the discarded linens, he picked them up and handed them to me. The touch of his fingers on my hands sent tremors through my limbs.

"I'll see you tonight."

With a barely audible, "Okay," I watched as he ran a hand through his hair and straightened his jacket. With a wink, he narrowly opened the door and slipped through. I stood there, knees shaking, heart thumping like a jack-rabbit.

Soon I would make my exit from the room as well. I counted up to sixty as we had always done in the past. It was enough to bridge a gap between our departures and enough to keep us both safe.

Making my way to the second floor, I realized that perhaps I had shown a bit too much eagerness when I saw him. But how could I help it? It had been so sudden! It took me by surprise as well. My heart had always been guarded, something I took pride in. I knew there was little opportunity for me to leave this place so there hadn't really been a need to plan a happily-ever-after. And Markson's wild love talk made me even more guarded. Yet, my heart had betrayed me. That blasted organ in my chest began to untether the ropes I had fastened unto it for so long. No, I wouldn't allow it to control me. I was in control. I, was in control. And as I told myself that, my beating heart assured me just how wrong I was.

"What took you so long?" Skyler demanded as I walked into the room, a look of annoyance written on her face.

"There was a little wait."

"Well, I'm glad you're back since Virginia is driving me crazy! Not only was I forced to console her for breaking her tea set..."

"How?!" I exclaimed.

Skyler rolled her eyes. "I literally bumped into Prince Maxon."

"What?!"

"I'll explain later. But seriously, had I not mentioned that the Prince himself had been the cause of the incident, I think she would've still been wailing about it! Unfortunately for me and no thanks to you, Ashton," her frown deepened, "I've been pummeled with one too many of her fairy-tale romance stories I swear I was ready to rip her head off! I had to get rid of her before you returned to a bloody massacre."

I laughed.

"She thinks running into the Prince with Lady Kriss' tea set is some sort of sign... some romantic hoolabaloo about them finding a way to each other. Good god!"

I laughed even more imagining what that exchange between those two looked like. "She's young and full of romantic ideas. Let her be. Don't you remember feeling that way, ever?" I emphasized 'ever' knowing what sort of reaction I would get. And I was right.

Skyler scoffed, "Never! I was never that idiotic. Ashton Lynn! I thought you knew me better than that!"

"I do know you, better than you think," I smirked, handing her the linens.

"So you know that love if a four-letter word not found in my dictionary and never will."

I shrugged at her self-assurance as she separated the pillow cases from the sheets. "If you say so."

My friend huffed. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"That he hasn't come around yet."

"He? Who?…Who is he?"

"The right one," I goaded as I opened the bed sheet.

That made Skyler laugh. I knew my friend scoffed at the thought of true love and the notion of being in any sort of committed relationship was simply not a thing in her mind. But everyone needed someone. Even a girl as hardened as Skyler.

Her brows narrowed. "You are just classic today. What has gotten into you anyway? You're starting to sound like Virginia."

That's because I had a secret of my own I wasn't ready to share and his name was Markson.

"I don't know," I hummed. "Maybe I've caught Selection fever."

Rolling her eyes in dramatic fashion, "Oh, for crying out loud! Stop being ridiculous," she smirked in response.

"You know Skyler, it wouldn't hurt if you'd stop being such a bitch sometimes… you could catch a man."

"I don't want a man! I don't need a man!"

"Well you certainly carry on like you could use one!" I frowned, snapping the bed sheet open. I was irritated at her because guilt and confusion clawed at me. I had tried convincing myself of that too. I didn't need a man to make me feel whole and complete. But my relationship with Markson was proving quite the opposite. It had become much more serious than I cared to admit to myself. I was fighting my feelings and I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to put up with the battle because he kept knocking down my wall of resistance brick by brick.

"Excuse you? I have no need for exclusive male companionship as you well know," she stated, grabbing the opposite ends of the sheet. "I get plenty of action."

I yanked on the sheet. "It's not just about sex, Skyler!" I growled. The guilt was starting to choke me.

"That is exactly what it's all about! It's the only thing they're good for!" she yanked back.

"And not every man is like your father!" The moment I uttered it, I wished I hadn't.

A dark cloud, like a storm morphed on Skyler's face and that storm, like lightning stretched through her hand until it landed squarely on my cheek with a resounding strike.

The sound of Virginia gasping alerted us. We were no longer alone. Skyler, realizing what had happened, stood there looking at me, my hand pressed to my cheek. I was stunned and hurt. She brushed past Virginia as her eyes followed Skyler bolting from the room.

Running to my side, Virginia with clear shock in her eyes asked, "Are you okay, Ashton?" She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I was raging inside, my chest heaving. My cool fingers could feel the heat where Skyler had left her mark. "I'm alright, Virginia," I confirmed, holding on to my dignity as the sting of tears pricked behind my eyes. I had crossed a line I shouldn't have. I'd apologize to Skyler… later.

"Why is she always so angry?"

"Sometimes people have their own demons to fight, Virginia," I stated softly. "Come now. We've work to do."

Wasn't it nice to see our Prince? Thanks to supergirls2008 for that addition.

What do you think the demons are that haunt Skyler? What will Ashton do about her relationship with Markson?

You know what to do now ~ post a review, PM, fave or follow! Share your thoughts! Remember readers, your thoughts are important to us!

Special Shout-Outs:

*Supergirls2008 - Loving naughty Ramsey! Maybe he is one of the guards at the garden door when America and Maxon meets... The one who asks what behoove means :p

I love him too! His character would fit that scene perfectly! I think that is very doable :)

*MastaGamerita - Your powers of deduction are right on point! I loved how you described all the maids. Are you a profiler?

*Guest - Yes, you are 100% correct about Skyler. She is what she is and isn't ashamed of it and won't make excuses either ;)

*TardisBlueMermaid - I'm very happy to hear you're enjoying this story! Along with my co-author supergirls2008, we thank you for sharing your thoughts and encouragment!

Don't forget to check out my Author's Notes of my story "At Last" for further comments on Chapter 4 and a sneak preview!

Chapter Five...

Yes, it's coming!