Chapter Two: Questions

His eyes bore into mine, and I didn't want him to take them off. I felt a sharp pain in my head like a headache and winced, closing my eyes, thereby cutting off the staring competition

"Oh good! The pie is here!" The prince exclaimed when he saw me and he instantly came over "Let me help you with that" he said to me as he flashed me a quick smile and took the pie from the trolley.

I couldn't even say a word, I was stumped. If Dorothy ever heard of that, she would kill me times without number. He took the pie to a round table at one corner of the practice area and set it on the table "Well, Where's the knife and spoon?" He asked a confused me who still stood rooted to the ground and that forced me back to reality

"Forgive me my prince, my mind must have drifted off to somewhere else" I apologized and hurriedly made for the table where he and his guests sat.

I avoided looking at the midnight-blue haired stranger even though I wondered who he was. I had never seen him before neither had I heard of a royal having midnight blue hair.

I kept my thoughts to myself though, it was abominable for a servant to speak unless spoken to.

An act punishable by death depending on the mood of the king.

I dished out the pie and stood at a corner, waiting for more orders when the prince gave me permission to leave. Upon leaving, I went back to the kitchen to find a wide eyed Dorothy waiting for me

"Well, how did it go? How did he look like dripping with sweat, all over his body? Did he smell like strawberries and honeymoon mint? Come on! Say something!"

She bombarded me with questions and held my arm, pleading with her eyes.

I scoffed "Well, he looked the way any normal prince would look like, I don't know what else you want me to say" I answered her and made to leave but she pulled me back "Did you at least get to talk to him?" She asked again and I groaned

"Stop pestering me Dorothy, I have work to do" I said and left for the storage room. I needed to think.

I slowly slid down the wooden door of the storage room and let out a long, heavy breath.

I didn't even realise I was holding my breath, I knew I had seen that stranger but I just couldn't remember where. And the more I tried, the more the headaches increased.

In my state of anxiety, I slid my hand inside my dress and brought out the half-heart shaped pendant and held it tightly to my chest.

It was the only thing I had that reminded me of my mother. As servants, we weren't allowed to keep jewelry which was why I hid it inside my dress and only Dorothy knew about it.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on the wooden door, trying to calm myself by taking in slow and steady breaths.

When I eventually calmed down, I slowly stood up and stared at the pendant for a while.

It was a half heart shaped pendant with one end of an arrow sticking out at it's edge. Merely looking at it, one could conclude that it had another half but I couldn't find it, no matter how hard I tried.

I hid the pendant back in my dress and adjusted it before heading outside.

I ignored Dorothy and just focused on work and she could see that I was disturbed so she didn't even come near me and gave me space which I was grateful for.

After dinner, we all retired to bed but I couldn't sleep. I kept tossing and turning and eventually gave up sleeping. I sat up and my hair fell on both sides of my face.

I gently picked the red strand of my hair and played with it.

Remembering how mother always played with it whenever she felt down.

No one knew about the red strand, except Dorothy. I always dyed my red strand muddy brown like the rest of my hair color so I don't stand out but the dye wears off anytime I take a bath

"Can't sleep?" I heard a voice and turned "Yea, you too?" I asked and Dorothy sat up "Yea" she said and the room fell silent again.

"Sleepover?" She asked softly and I smiled "yea" I answered and she moved over to my bed while I made space for her.