But then, there had been one exception.
Adeline.
The girl whose mouth ran wildly, as though the Gods themselves had personally offended her. I must say, the words of her mouth were filled with wisdom.
My jaw tightened slightly at the memory of how she threw insults at me in the courtyard.
Most maidens would have lowered their heads, trembling and apologizing for the inconvenience. Yet she had done the opposite. She had glared at me with those bright, defiant eyes and spoken back without the slightest hesitation.
The audacity of it still lingered in my mind. Still… I could not bring myself to like any of them.
They were all the same. A gathering of liars and pretentious maidens, dressed in silk and jewels, each pretending to be gentle and virtuous while secretly waiting for the same thing, to slip beneath my sheets and crown themselves the next Queen.
The thought alone made my expression darken.
I had seen enough of people to know how easily loyalty could be bought with power and gold. Smiles were masks, and kindness was a performance. Women were no different.
My fingers dragged lazily through the water, scattering the floating rose petals. Mother was the only good woman. The only one who had ever been sincere. The only one whose love had never demanded anything in return. No woman could ever be like my mother. No woman would ever take her place… even though God had already taken her away from me, leaving nothing but a hollow space where her warmth once lived.
She was gone.
And in her absence, everything had changed.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
Adeline POV
The morning came far sooner than I wished.
I had barely slept. My thoughts had wandered all through the night, circling the same worries until exhaustion finally claimed me for what felt like only a moment.
A soft knock stirred me from the bed.
Before I could properly gather my thoughts, the door opened and two maids stepped inside, their heads bowed politely.
"Good morning, my lady," both of them said gently.
I pushed myself upright, brushing a few loose strands of hair away from my face. "Good morning," I replied quietly, though my voice still carried the heaviness of a restless night.
The maids moved about the chamber with practiced ease, opening the curtains to allow the morning light to pour through the tall windows. The golden sunlight filled the room, warming the polished floors.
"We are here to prepare you," the other maid explained as she approached the wardrobe.
Prepare me. The words settled strangely in my chest.
I rose from the bed and allowed them to guide me toward the bathing chamber. Warm water had already been drawn, scented lightly with lavender. One of the maids helped loosen the rest of my garments while the other prepared fresh clothes.
Soon after, they helped me into a fresh gown, lighter than the one from the ball but still elegant enough to remind me where I was now.
One of them carefully brushed through my hair while the other adjusted the delicate ties of my dress.
"Please lift your chin slightly, my lady," she murmured as she fastened the final clasp.
I did as asked, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
The girl staring back at me looked composed… almost regal. But I knew better.
The maid stepped back once they had finished.
"There," she said with a small satisfied nod. "You are ready."
I nodded with a small smile that did not quite reach my eyes. "Thank you."
This maid seemed polite, which made me wonder where yesterday's maid had gone.
But that quickly became the least of my concerns, because the chamber door opened, and a woman in what appeared to be her early thirties stepped inside. She carried herself with quiet authority. Not harsh, but firm in a way that made her stand out.
She bowed her head politely, which I returned politely. The two maids beside me lowered their heads as well, which immediately told me she must hold a higher position among them.
"Good morning, my lady," she said.
"Good morning," I replied.
"I am the head maid of the royal household," she continued calmly. "I have come to inform you that your presence is required in the dining chamber."
I blinked slightly, surprised by the sudden request.
"My presence?" I asked, tilting my head faintly. "Just me?"
The woman gave a small, composed smile.
"No, my lady," she said. "All six of you."
I nodded and gestured toward the door. "Lead the way."
She inclined her head once more before turning, guiding me out of the chamber. The two maids remained behind as I followed her into the corridor.
The palace was already awake. Servants moved quietly along the halls, their footsteps soft against the polished floors. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting long golden beams across the walls.
It did not take long before we arrived at the dining chamber. From the moment I stepped inside, it was clear that I was the last to arrive.
All five maidens were already seated around the long table. At the very least, I was grateful that neither the prince nor the king had made their entrance yet.
I quietly pulled out a chair and sat down. "Good morning," I greeted.
Just as I expected, only a few voices answered. I think Lady Charlotte, Lady Isabella, and Lady Margaret were the ones who greeted back. And I did not mind in the slightest.
The others remained silent.
I could feel their eyes on me almost immediately. Especially Lady Beatrice.
She sat directly opposite me, her gaze fixed upon my face with clear displeasure, as though my very presence across the table offended her
For a few quiet moments, the room settled into an awkward silence. The long table was set beautifully, plates of fresh bread, fruit, warm porridge, and delicate pastries arranged neatly along its length, but no one reached for anything just yet.
I kept my hands folded in my lap, pretending to admire the arrangement of flowers at the center of the table.
Then, to my slight surprise, Lady Charlotte leaned a little toward me."Did you sleep well?" she asked softly. Her voice carried a gentle curiosity rather than mockery, which I appreciated.
I turned my head toward her. Up close, she looked even younger than I had first thought. Her dark curls framed her face in soft waves, and there was a quiet nervousness about her that made her seem far less intimidating than some of the others.
"As well as one could in a palace full of strangers," I replied with a faint smile.
A small laugh escaped her.