Alaric didn't stay anymore, he was afraid he would frighten her and close off any path to further interaction, he turned and left without another word.
"I'll make you remember," Alaric whispered to himself.
Eveline strength finally gave way, and she collapsed onto the bed, pressing a hand to her chest as her heart raced. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, then stood and changed her clothes.
Soon after, Lily returned, carrying another tray of food.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you, my lady," Lily said softly, bowing her head.
Evelyn noticed how frightened the girl looked.
"Why are you so scared?" Eveline asked gently. "I won't harm you."
Lily froze. "Ummm... you and the prince... I didn't see anything." Secrets in the palace were nothing new and as servants, they tend to notice everything. And sometimes that knowledge may cost them their lives, Eveline was new and she was unsure how the new lady-in-waiting would react. "Threaten her? Maybe kill her?" She shuddered at that thought.
"Do not worry yourself about that scene, all I need from you is your loyalty. You are my servant, so serve me, but if you think you can play smart, well.... let's say you might be at a disadvantage" Eveline continued calmly.
"Yes! I promise," Lily said quickly. "I'll never betray you."
Eveline studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I believe you."
Lily visibly relaxed.
"Come," Eveline said. "Let's take a walk."
They stepped outside, moving through the palace grounds. Servants whispered among themselves as they passed, their curious eyes following Eveline.
"You spend a lot of time with the servants," Lily said carefully.
"Of course, I'm not a lady who are friends with other ladies, I am a whore, a prostitute, we don't discriminate," Eveline replied. "Tell me about the royal family. How things work here." Lily's eyes lit up immediately, her love for gossip impossible to hide.
"The royals are very strange," she said. "If I had even half their wealth, I'd be happy for life. No work, no scolding, no early mornings…"
Eveline raised an eyebrow. "Focus."
Lily flushed and bowed her head. "Sorry, my lady."
She continued, lowering her voice. "His Majesty has no children with the queen. Since there are no legitimate heirs, he brought back his sons from outside the palace. He has many, but he chose only the best, at least the ones that were appealing to the eyes."
"The Crown Prince, Lucien," Lily said, "is handsome but notorious. He avoids politics and prefers pleasure. He is known as the king of the brothel, there isn't a whore he hasn't fucked"
Eveline lifted an eyebrow, amused. "Go on."
Lily hesitated, then continued. "The council once considered the second prince, but he is disabled and cannot have heirs."
Eveline remembered the cold figure from the ball. "What happened to him?"
"They say he was injured during a war with his former betrothed kingdom. He lost the use of his legs," Lily said sadly. "It's a pity, he's very handsome."
Eveline shrugged slightly, unconvinced by Lily's sympathy.
"The third prince," Lily continued, "is considered the best of them all. He's skilled in battle and strategy. His mother is the heiress to another much stronger kingdom, making him very noble."
Eveline's breath caught for just a second, her body remembering his presence
"He should have left long ago," Lily said, "but he chose to stay. He is the only heir to his mother's kingdom. Perhaps… he's searching for the right queen."
They reached the garden and sat down.
"And the princess?" Eveline asked.
Lily sighed. "I haven't actually seen her. She left for education in another country. She hasn't been seen in ten years, but she's returning in a few days."
Eveline clenched her fists.
Just a few days.
At the far end of the servants' quarters, shouting erupted.
"Do you think you're still some rich princess?" a servant mocked.
Chloe crouched on the ground, soaked in water, her hands shaking. Rage burned through her veins.
She lunged at the servant, striking her hard.
Another girl rushed in, pulling Chloe back, but soon joined the fight. Slaps echoed through the air, faces burning with pain and anger. Chloe struggled wildly, desperate to strike again—
"What is going on here?!"
The sharp voice cut through the chaos, freezing everyone in place.