Chapter 5

*2 years after King Vidal's death*

"So... You disrespect my customers?" The big red haired woman that was her boss stared down at her like she was filth.

Rhonda had just relocated to Vettes three weeks ago from a little city in the west of Quei, a neighboring kingdom to Vettes.

She had worked hard to get money to get here and now she had finally gotten a job after weeks of searching.

Now she was going to loose her job and go begging on the streets.

"Please ma'am I'm so sorry, l-it was a mistake, I didn't mean to" she lied, she had slapped that man intentionally, and she made sure it hurt him.

He walked into the small wooden restaurant staggering slightly, he was probably drunk, Vettes was a weird place, where she came from people didn't usually drink in the afternoon.

She had walked up to him cautiously to take his order with a small smile on her face after he sat heavily at one of the few red tables.

"Good day Mister, what will you be having today?" She said lifting up her little note.

He looked up at her face and his expression changed to a creepy lazy smile.

"And what is a beauty like yourself doing working at a place like this huh? You deserve better love" He said grabbing her by her waist and pulling her towards him, other customers had turned to have a look at the show that was unfolding.

She let out a nervous laugh and pushed herself away from him, her smile evaporated when she felt a big palm on her butt, she felt repulsed and she instinctively slapped him.

Turning to walk away she had seen her boss standing not too far away with a shocked and angry expression on her face.

"I don't care if you meant to or not, you aren't taking this job seriously and do you have any idea how many people are looking for this job right now? Yet here you are slapping customers and walking around seducing both my male and female customers with your tiny waist and pretty legs" she said sternly.

"Do you think you're better than anyone?" She asked.

"No ma'am, I'm very sorry"

"Yeah, you're still fired" the red haired woman said, Rhonda's heart skipped two beats and she started sweating profusely despite the little air conditioner.

"Please, please... I have no where else to work, I don't have any money, I don't even have a place to sleep tonight please... Help me" she begged.

Rhonda knew these streets were unsafe for a young girl like her.

She had managed to get a tiny and uncomfortable place to stay for two weeks with 50 silver coins that she had gotten.

Feeding on whatever was given to her once a day by the warden of the motel.

All her money was exhausted now, she had an intense feeling of worthlessness and sadness.

"I'm sorry... truly I am, but I can't possibly keep you after what you've done in front of my customers, it will definitely ruin the name of this restaurant that I and my parents before me have tried to build and maintain." The red haired woman said.

Rhonda had realized just how much shit she was in and she crumpled to the floor, eyes wide, staring at nothing.

The red haired woman started feeling sorry and her heart ached. She pulled out a fancy looking card.

"There is one way I could help you though" she said.

Rhonda's head snapped up to look at the woman, hope evident in her grey-blue. eyes.

"I have a card for the job of a servant, it was given to me a year ago, I wanted to give it to my niece when she came of age to work, but... I don't think she needs it as much as you do right now" she smiled handing the card to her.

She stared at it, drops of tears glistening in her eyes, it was her only hope at that point she collected it.

"Thank you so much, I will never forget this" she sobbed tears of joy and went in for a hug.

"So, where will I submit this card?"

"The Kings palace" the woman said, Rhonda's mouth gaped open, eyes wide.

"The kings palace? I'll be serving the king of Vettes?"

"Well not really, since he's almost never in the palace, you'll be serving his mother, The Queen superior" she said.

How did this woman get such a card? Cards to serve the royal family we're usually given to the families of noble men and women, commoners weren't supposed to have such privileges.

And this was the Royal family of Vettes, only the best were picked from the seven kingdoms to serve them.

"How did you get this card?" She asked in a whisper, even if there was no one around, she knew she should be grateful she had such an opportunity but she just had to know what she was getting herself into.

The red haired woman looked at her straight in the eye "I stole it, I went to serve at a party in a noble mans house and I saw the card lying about in a room and stole it"

Rhonda's heart skipped Two beats again.

She looked down at the card.

"What if they find out? Can they find out?"

"Well, they could easily, the crest of the noble family which that card was stolen from is boldly stamped behind that card" the woman said.

Rhonda quickly flipped the card and indeed there was a bold crest stamped there. Although it had faded a little.

"If you get caught, you could simply say that is your family crest" she shrugged "you should pray they don't suspect you enough to do a deeper background check"

Rhonda exhaled loudly on hearing this, she was going to take the risk, at that point she didn't care about anything.

The red haired woman gave her directions to the palace, it was about half a mile from the restaurant.

"Umm, I don't actually have enough money for a taxi to get there" Rhonda said and the woman burst out laughing.

"Taxi? Alright now you're asking for too much... You should probably leave now before I change my mind" she said narrowing her eyes at The young girl.

Rhonda thanked the woman thoroughly before she left the building.

According to the directions she was given, she was supposed to cut through four alleys before reaching the main highway and from there, it was pretty much a straight road to the palace.

It was evening already, she knew if she didn't pass through the alleys she wouldn't be able to get to the palace that day, she would have to sleep outside as well...

So she started her journey.

The alley was dark and she feared what might be lurking in the shadows, the smell of cigar wafted into her nostrils occasionally.

Sometimes she felt like she was lost but a quick recall of what the red haired woman told her showed her the direction.

She passed the first alley, the second alley and the third alley, she was in the fourth alley, she could see the highway already.

"Hey beautiful" a young man said emerging from the shadows.

Hands in his pockets, wearing all black staring down at her with dark eyes.

"What are you doing walking alone?" He took a step towards her "these areas aren't safe you know" he stretched his hand to touch her hair, one hand still in his pocket, she stood frozen... Unable to back away.

He stepped into the light and I saw his face, my breath caught in my throat and my heart stared pounding heavily against my rib cage, I just stood wide eyed, staring at him, I couldn't move, my body started shivering on its own.

Not only was he the most handsome man I'd ever meet in my entire life...

He was also the King of Vettes.