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5
Chapter five
Alice woke up with a scream, sweat all over her forehead. She touched her body and she was alive, she sighed.
She was glad it was all a dream. She exhaled and inhaled loudly, sweat still rushing down furiously.
Jessica, who turned out to be her bunkmate, got up immediately upon hearing her scream and stood beside the bunk, tapping Alice slightly.
“Are you okay?” She asked with a concerned look on her face, her doe eyes peering into Alicia’s own.. “Oh yes…I just had a nightmare. Thanks for asking,” She sighed heavily, placing her palm on Jessica’s shoulder. “You can go back to sleep now”, She added,
Jessica who was dozing off while standing laid down back on her bed silently, to avoid waking the others up. Alice hoped the dream would never come true as she silently prayed before laying down on her bed.
Alice worked in the palace diligently as the days went by. She was grateful to the king and his wife for giving her this job and she tried her best to avoid the prince in every possible way she could. She has seen him only twice after their first encounter and has decided to maintain a safe distance so as to protect herself from any evil palm he has towards her. Earlier the previous day, the head maid had instructed her to dust the chairs in the palace hall as the king was expecting some visitors.
The maids all woke up early as usual and took turns in bathing. They dressed up in their uniform which is a navy blue gown above the ankle level a little.
The men are dressed up in short-sleeved shirts with pants. Each maid’s chambers in all the quarters in the palace have their own uniform. For the king’s quarters, their uniform is green in color, the maids in the queen’s chambers uniform is pink while those inProperty of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Prince Edward’s quarters are red.
She realized there is one more quarter which has been empty since her arrival at the palace. The uniform for that quarter is purple which is her favorite colour and she presumed the quarter belongs to the first prince who is the first born and also the crown prince in the Kingdom. He is said to have been away on a business trip. He is the only prince she knows before Prince Edward and she has seen him countless times in the market palace, greeting the commoners. Her only wish is that her first encounter with him in the palace should not be like that of the second prince. She would be so embarrassed to death and will eventually give up on this job if a similar incident happens to her. As she straightened her garment with her hands, her eyes met with Rielle who was glaring at her from where she was standing. Knowing fully well Rielle is going to be her enemy in this palace for a long time, she promised to stand against her, and will not allow anybody to bully her in the palace. Madam Beatrice hellish training was enough torture for her to be strong-minded.
She plastered a big grin on her face, annoying Rielle who scoffed and looked away. “And that is how you treat your haters, always smile and it annoys them the most” She thought and smiled evilly before stepping out to do what she was instructed to do. She went to the kitchen and got a bowl of water with napkins dusting the sofas, one after the other. She heard footsteps coming from the staircase side. She ran to hide behind one of the sofas immediately she saw the shoes, knowing it belonged to the prince.
Prince Edward took slower steps as he placed his foot on the last staircase. He saw a figure behind one of the sofas and furrowed his burrows at first, putting on a smile before leaving the hall. Alice sighed heavily and came out of where she was hiding. “For how long will I continue to hide from him?” She thought and felt like a coward to avoid the prince. He should forgive her since his parents have already done it but he will not do it, Alice knew that just by his arrogant attitude. She hurried, finished up dusting the furniture and went back to the maid’s chambers to get something when she saw clothes on the bed, a new maid was seated on her bed, unpacking her things. She frowned and said “Who are you, please?” She asked politely, trying to suppress her boiling anger.
“Head Lady Maggie will tell you everything”, the maid said, without even looking at Alice. Alice stomped out of the room. She wondered why there is a new girl in their chambers when the palace is already full and why her bed is all the beds in the chambers. She knocked on Head lady Maggie’s door the moment she reached but there was no reply. She knocked twice and Maggie asked her to wait at the door from inside. Alice could not stay calm, she paced from one back and forth waiting for Maggie to open the door. When she heard, “you can come in now”, she opened the door and greeted Maggie. “I think I know why you are here judging by the expression on your face” Maggie said, noticing the frown on Alice’s face. “Definitely. May I know why a new maid is on my bed unpacking her things?” She asked in an annoyed tone, despite trying her best to stay. “Calm down Alice. You have been replaced”. Alice put on a puzzled expression not knowing what Maggie meant by “You have replaced”. “Pardon?”, She asked with a confused expression and what Maggie answered made her lose her ability to speak and gasped for air.
“The prince has ordered you to be transferred to his quarters” Maggie dropped the bomb.
What? What the heck?!