Chapter 32: Bella's Warning
Not long after, the clock hit 11:30. She quickly put the cleaning materials in the room where she was supposed to stay and left for the kitchen.
As soon as she reached the kitchen, a tray with mouth-watering dishes was already prepared. It was not easy to find the kitchen and she ended up in the wrong room several times. Her stomach grumbled upon seeing the food. She didn't take any before she was ordered to go to the servant's Hall.
"Eat this"
A man in his forties wearing a white uniform and apron throws a piece of bread to her. Thankfully she catches the food. The bread was still warm.
"Are you giving me this?" she asked in disbelief. She honestly didn't think that someone would give a portion of food to her.
"Of course. You're assigned to the prince right?"
Her sudden happiness vanished on the mention of the royalty.
"Yes"
"My name is Martin. I am temporarily in charge of His Highness food" he leaned on the counter.
"Seira here, the temporary personal servant" she sarcastically replied.
Martin laughed "You will be okay, Seira. You look like a strong woman. Well everyone here was strong to be able to hold up until now"
Seira smiled upon hearing the man. He guessed that the man acts as a father figure to the servants. She didn't know that she would need someone to tell her that word. Strong.
"Thank you. I didn't know I needed that"
Martin gives her a nod. She put the bread in the pocket of her dress; held the tray and left the kitchen.
She balanced the tray in her hand and opened her room. It was her waiting area after all. Then she opened the door that was connected to the diner room of the prince.
She put the tray of food on the long table; stand a few feet away from the furniture.
It was an hour already and there was no sign of the prince yet. It is not like she was anticipating the presence of the man but it is better to instill in her mind that he will come in anyway. She will face him today or in the upcoming days.
"Okay. Let's go"
The prince didn't come and she was waiting for two hours already. She stood up; picking the tray and going to the kitchen again.
"Here is the food" she put the tray on the counter.
"I guess he's still not showing up" Martin briefly looked at Seira. Then, he continued cutting onions.
"He was not coming home the past few days?" Seira drinks the water Martin offered her a while ago.
"Yes, well the prince seldom came home. It's not surprising at all"
Her face lit up "Really?"
She took out the bread she badly wanted to eat earlier. If she didn't wish to leave crumbs and cleaned again. "But he appears unannounced"
"This is his house after all" she mumbled disappointedly; eating the bread.
"Thank you for the bread"
Seira walked away, trudging to the stairs again. She carries on with her cleaning session. Like earlier, she went to the kitchen and got the food for dinner; waited in the room.
All of a sudden, the sound of the clock rented her small room. She abruptly stood up but she regretted the action in an instant. Her leg was asleep from her sitting position earlier.
"Ouch"
She stayed still for a few minutes; watching the pendulum clock, swinging weight on each side. It was already 10 in the evening. The prince didn't come at all. Luckily she thought of asking for her dinner and brought it to the waiting room while waiting. She leaves the room; making sure to tidy up the place before closing the door.
The lit-up sconce in the kitchen gives a dim light to the room. She peeked into the room; squinting her eyes as she tried to find some presence in the room. As expected, there was no one in the room and it was already cleaned. Their work ends at 10. And here she is, still delivering the wasted dinner in the kitchen. They were probably in their quarters and resting. With a sigh, she entered the kitchen; carefully placed the tray on the counter, avoiding making any noise as much as possible. Her heart was pounding so fast. The room was unusually eerie and cold compared to the warm ambiance it exudes when she came to pick up the meals. She quickly left and took the right hallway while trying her best not to run.
It was not easy to memorize the way to the palace but her constant loss earlier made her somewhat seize the direction of the important rooms she needed to go to. The kitchen, storage room, laundry, and servants' room but she hadn't remembered any single route to other rooms. She accidentally encountered all of those rooms several times as she got lost.
Cheerful; rowdy noises came the moment she opened the room of the women's quarter. The women servants were all chatting in groups in the corners. Most of them looked happy and pleased.
She strolls to the right corner of the room. It was the bed in which her uniform was placed earlier.
On her way, two familiar women were sitting on the bed next to her.
"Hey!" the plump woman in the hall earlier waved at her. Behind her was the woman who escorted her to the hall.
"How's your day? Did you see the prince?"
"No, I haven't. I didn’t want to meet him either"
Seira sits on her bed; removing the shoes and massaging her feet for a while. The plump woman with black hair pouted. The woman has a baby face with how small her face is. Her body size complemented the structure of her countenance.
"Why?"
"Stop asking her Lana"
If she was not mistaken it was Bella. The one who Ms. Cora ordered in touring the other servants. She has blonde hair, a mature, beautiful face in contrast to the cheerful aura of Lana.
"I am just curious Bella" Lana countered, glancing at Bella briefly who rolled her eyes "Whatever"
Lana ignored her and faced Seira "By the way, what's your name?"
"Seira," she smiled awkwardly.
"I'm Lana and this is Bella, a senior servant" Lana pointed at Bella with a giggle who waved her hand, still lying on the bed.
Seira chuckled, "Do you two already know each other?"
Lana gives a short, half-suppressed laugh.
"Us? No, we just met"
"She sticks to me as soon as we reach this room" Bella countered right away but Lana ignored her once again.
"How was your day?"
She took a deep breath "It was… fine"
Her day was nowhere near good or fine even but she can't bring herself to complain and pour out all of his worries to the two girls. It will be unfair to them. Everyone was suffering and tired. It was not only her.
"You should take extra care" Bella reckoned suddenly; getting up from the bed.
Seira glanced at Bella with her eyebrows creased. "Why?"
Bella looked directly at her eyes, sliding to Lana's side. "A personal servant for a prince was unheard of or let's say unusual. But no matter who you are, the prince doesn't want any misguided or wrong actions from all the people that surrounds him" Bella paused "One mistake and there will be a…….. let's say a very unpleasant punishment"
Seira and Lana stare dumbfoundedly at Bella who was now looking down at her fingers.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone