Babel Novel
3
Chapter Three
Alice’s eyes widened as she came face to face with the same man that she had almost stolen from. Why was he here? Why was he seated with the king? She wondered. She didn’t want to agree with what her mind told her, but all the puzzles were beginning to fit. It is the reason she was kept in the palace prison. “But if he was the reason behind me being in prison, who is he?” She thought.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
“Thank you so much your highness. I will never forget your favors and I promise to never pickpocket again” She thanked them continuously while on her knees. She tried as much as possible to avoid eye contact with the man seated beside the king. She felt the effect of his deadly stare on her and slightly raised her head, their eyes met and all she could see was his icy blue eyes glaring at her. She swore she saw a man smirking at her but didn’t say a word to her, nor did he interrupt the king and the queen. She wondered what he would do to her or how she would keep on avoiding him in the palace. The king instructed one of the guards to bring the head maid into the room. After a few minutes, the head maid hurriedly entered the room and bowed before the royal family. “Now… this is someone I have decided to hire myself. She will be working with the maids in the kitchen’s chambers in the meantime. Please look after her. She promised me something and I need you to guide her and make sure she does not violate her promise. Is that understood?” The queen spoke with authority. “Yes, my queen. I assure you nothing will happen”, the head maid replied politely, bowing a little. “Alice follows her. She will take you to the chambers”, the queen turned to Alice, gesturing with her hand a little. She beamed a smile towards Alice which melted her heart, this is the first time an elderly person is putting on a genuine smile for her. She realized, perhaps it is the reason why she is the queen. She deserves it. “The queen’s seat is for people like her and not me”, she thought as she followed the head maid steadily from behind “My name is Margaret, the head maid in this palace. The maids call me head lady Maggie and you can also do the same. The kitchen’s chamber is where you dressed up earlier. Thankfully, there is one last bed remaining, otherwise, we will have to bring in a new bunk” Alice listened attentively as Maggie spoke. Judging from Maggie’s well-dressed appearance and polite manner of speaking, it is evident that she has spent years working in the palace. She looks a little bit old but her mannerism and gentleness is making her younger than she looks. “I am probably older than her at this rate”. Alice thought she is planning to work diligently in this palace, this is the first job she is getting and she believes it might probably be the only way to help the other children in the orphanage. She knew her life was going to change henceforth. “Pull yourself together”, she made a mental note to herself, tapping her chest gently. Her mind suddenly went back to the man that was sitting beside the queen and the king. She decided to use this opportunity to ask Maggie who the man was.
“Head lady Maggie, if I may ask, who was the person sitting beside the king and the queen today?” Maggie turned her head swiftly, stopping dead in her tracks. “I hope you are not having the idea of flirting with him?” She asked Alice with a raised brow. Alice bursts into laughter, watching Maggie’s facial expression to make sure the lady was joking. The look on Maggie’s face told her otherwise and she held her laughter, “Oh I am sorry. I thought you were joking but honestly speaking, I am not the tiniest bit interested in that man, not even a single bit. He is not my type. I mean yes he has a chiseled jawline and …” Before she could say any insulting words about the prince, Maggie placed her mouth on her lips. “Do not talk rashly about the prince or otherwise, your bigmouth will earn you a death certificate.” Maggie whispered to her and removed her palm. Alice was dumbfounded. “He is a prince?” She asked for the second time, to be sure. Maggie nodded gently. “Yes, the second prince that just came back from overseas”. Maggie answered curtly and continued walking towards the maid’s chambers. Alice regained her posture and ran after her. “I am so dead.” She sighed heavily, struggling to keep up with Maggie’s space.
The maid’s chamber was empty like before when they arrived. “It’s time for lunch so they won’t be here until three. I need you to go to the Kitchen and meet them there” Maggie instructed and turned to leave the room.
“Can I know the way to the kitchen please?” She asked, pulping out her innocent crystal eyes.
“Follow your right once you step out of the kitchen, you will see a staircase. Once you go down the stairs leading to the palace hall, follow your right one again and it will lead you straight to the kitchen.” She took a step towards the door and turned again, “Once you reach, ask for Jessica and tell her you are new amid and that I sent you to her, she will tell you all about the rules in this palace and everything there is you need to know. And one last thing, stay away from trouble. It is a piece of advice from me”, she stared at Alice for a while before replying to her words “thank you”. Her thoughts went back to the prince she tried to steal from. “Why was he even dressed like a commoner in the first palace?” Alice thought as she couldn’t be more embarrassed, so she fell on the bed. She couldn’t believe she tried to rob the prince of their kingdom! She thought of what to do because she didn’t think she would be able to survive with the guilt in her heart and with him in the palace with her. Nonetheless, she got up immediately to do what Maggie asked her to do. She made her way to the staircase and while she was walking down to the palace hall, she heard two men talking. She didn’t know who it was but she rushed to hide but one of them saw her.
“Come out”, a voice said and she froze on the spot.