Robellia felt tired, "I've had a long day, a very stressful long day. I'll deal with this tomorrow, and shadow just because I let you stay doesn't mean I trust you completely."
Then I shall prove myself to you, my Queen. Shadow was determined to prove his worth.
"Liya, you haven't answered my question on this queen thing." Genevieve persisted.
Robellia groaned as she threw herself on the bed, "Tomorrow, Gene."
"I thought we didn't have secrets anymore?" Genevieve whined.
"Well, it's not important."
"Robellia, you are fucking damn royalty. And you omitted telling me that because you think it's not important?" Genevieve sighed, "Liya," she called.
Robellia sat up as she took off her shoes, "It doesn't matter because I am not a queen. A queen does not run as her people suffer. A queen does not cower in fear within enemy territory. I abandoned my people. They don't want me as their Queen. I wasn't made to rule."
They still hope your highness. They still await your return. You are their queen. Your arrival in this world was a blessing that the ancestors brought to the witches. You are their savior. You were born to lead them.
Hearing Shadow's words tugged her heart. "I am a palace maid. You expect me to rule witches if I did want to help them. What use could I be of? I am stuck here with a very paranoid mother. And whatever her faults may be, she is still my mother, and I love her. She is all that I have of family right now. If you will excuse me, I need to sleep. It's already late."
Robellia lay down and pulled the covers over herself. Genevieve quietly lay down next to her, "Wanting to live doesn't make you a bad person, just know that." Robellia remained silent. Genevieve sighed, "Good night, Liya. Good night, Shadow."
Good night, anchor.
The next morning, Robellia and Genevieve walked down to the kitchen. "I haven't seen Shadow this morning," Genevieve commented.
"He is hiding in our shadows," Robellia answered.
The anchor seems non-vigilant, your highness. I wonder how she has managed to live so long? Shadow said in their heads.
Genevieve rolled her eyes, "For a shadow, you do have a lot of words." Genevieve spoke out loudly, making some of the other maids look at her questioningly. Genevieve forced out a smile as she looked at them.
"You can speak to him through your mind. He can hear your thoughts." Robellia informed her.
"When did you learn that?" Genevieve was surprised.
Thismorning. Robellia said through the mind link.
Genevieve squealed loudly, grabbing the attention of the other maids. She was the least bit bothered by their stares. "How did you do that?"
Robellia smiled at her best friend. The mind link thing didn't seem to scare her; in fact, it seemed to excite her. She was glad Genevieve knew. She had accepted her just as she was. witch or not, Genevieve saw Robellia as she was. And for a moment, Robellia wondered if it would be the same for Maximus.
"It's simple. You use the link to communicate. It might not be as strong for you as it is for me, Shadow, but you can still feel it. close your eyes." Robellia said in a hushed tone so only the two of them could hear. Genevieve stopped sweeping and closed her eyes.
Robellia looked around to make sure no one was looking at them. "Remember the feeling of when you first felt Shadow. I want you to dive into that feeling. Picture a string in the dark of your mind. reach out for that string, try and feel the connection."
Genevieve took in a deep breath as she tried to concentrate. Can you hear me? Does the oversized dust pile hear me?
After a while of silence, Genevieve opened her eyes only to hear Shadow grumble, Insolent mortal. How dare you call the terror of the void a pile of dust? How degrading. Your highness, this is an attack on my being.
Robellia sighed as Genevieve burst out in laughter, only to have the others stare at them again. Robellia went on doing her chores whilst Shadow and Genevieve bickered through the mind link. Shadow had offered to help her several times as he thought it was degrading for the Queen of the witches to be scrubbing kitchen floors, but the idea of having things float around wasn't really in Robellia's stay hidden guidebook.
Just as she was done preparing the trays for Gregory's food, Madame Sino walked in. Robellia didn't have to be told what to do. She walked over to the maid preparing Maximus's food trolley, "I'll take it from here." Robellia gave the maid a kind smile.
The maid looked at her, ready to say something, but received a glare from Madame Sino and gave the tray to Robellia reluctantly. Robellia pushed the trolley out and greeted Madame Sino as she passed by her. "I'll escort you." Madame Sino offered. Robellia smiled in response.
"Wait for me." Yelled Genevieve as she ran after them.
"Go back to the kitchen. trouble is all that follows you." Madame Sino argued with Genevieve.
"Then you will have to cope, we are a two-in-one package type of deal. And I have complaints that I wish his highness would hear directly from me." Genevieve responded haughtily. Madame Sino rolled her eyes with a sigh.
The three of them soon stood by Maximus's bedroom doors. Robellia could hear Genevieve and Shadow talk about Maximus and his cologne, which they both believed to be a horrible scent, through the mind link. It was best she didn't intervene between the two.
Madame Sino knocked on the door, and they heard Maximus's voice welcome them in. Madame Sino opened the door, and Robellia walked in with the trolley.
Maximus looked up from the book he was reading with a smile, "Good morning, little bun.....ny. What is she doing here?" The smile on his face evaporated as he saw Genevieve walk in.
"I believe Genevieve has some complaints, your highness." Madame Sino informed him.
"Well, what a great way to disrupt a person's morning. You seem to be getting better at being a nuisance." Maximus sarcastically complimented.
Genevieve resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but that didn't stop her tongue, "It's not like my morning isn't disrupted by face," she murmured loud enough for Maximus to hear.
Maximus glared at her, ready to retort, "Both of you are acting like children, right now. For goodness sake, Gene, can you not argue with someone for once, and Your Highness, stop being mean to Gene."