Tempting Fate (2)

Mrs Reeves was a young lady when she got a job at the castle, mainly by the recommendation of her uncle, a well-known butler and excellent teacher.

The crown princess was already a wonderfully well-mannered young child. Hence, the arrival of Mrs Reeves didn't disrupt, nor did it disturb her. She rarely engaged or addressed the workers at all, opting to stare outside her window, daydreaming.

Mrs Reeves had walked by the little princess's room one dark and chilly night where the caste whistled and howled from the strong winds rushing by. Small sniffs echoed down the hall where Mrs Reeves was dusting off the antique paintings and vases.

She opened the big gate to the princess's beautiful, serene bedroom. Tonight, the shadows stretched across the marble flooring and a small figure who should be sleeping clutched her duvet with tiny fists.

The very young princess's chambers were vast but simple, with a single bed covered in a soft pink blanket and a matching pillow.

The room was decorated with delicate floral wallpaper, and a few stuffed animals were placed on the bed. A small wooden dresser was near the bed, with a mirror and a few hair accessories.

The princess's teary eyes stuck to the dark figure approaching in terror until the figure spoke in a small voice.

"Little Iris? It's me, your new lady-in-waiting."

The girl jumped out of bed and clutched Mrs Reeves's apron. Soon the small article of clothing was drenched with warm tears. Mrs Reeves pushed blond locks out of the way; the child had big brown eyes similar to Queen Henrietta, her mother.

It reminded Mrs Reeves that Iris was no ordinary child, yet she comforted and rocked the little girl like any other little girl. She had always loved children, and the slight smile on her face was evidence of that.

She locked the bedroom behind herself gently to not disturb the now-sleeping girl. The heavy wind had also let up a little, giving hope for calmer weather tomorrow.

...

Mrs Reeve's extraordinary ability with children had reached the King's ears.

The mighty man with three consorts and ten children had only allowed new staff to enter the premises as the Queen had recently birthed a prince.

The demand for childrearing and cleaning had increased, especially considering the youngest prince was a fragile child with sensitive lungs.

Frankly, he didn't care much about who tended to his daughters as long as they didn't cause too much harm or disrespect his children, as that would also be disrespectful toward him.

The mousy girl had a reliable uncle, but he was annoyed at the crown princess's sudden attachment to the worker. It would do her more harm than good to cling to such a low-status woman, as she would soon be attending rigorous schooling.

She needed a noble lady as a mentor, not some meek maiden, although said meek maiden had helped control the child's night terrors.

So, some credit was due; he wouldn't leave her unemployed.

Thus, he summoned the new lady into his throne room, where hundreds of knights were gathered, lined up against the golden walls.

The hall was grand, with crystal chandeliers sparkling brightly and a long crimson rug covering the marble flooring up to the shockingly ornamented golden throne.

The silky rug was the only place to rest your eyes, so everyone would be inclined to lower their head, especially if they were unfamiliar with the grand display of wealth.

Even the knight's armour shone dazzlingly, not a molecule out of place.

They bore witness to the King's demand for her to be transferred outside the capital to the south as a teacher and caretaker of the many orphans littering the capital's streets.

As many foreign ministers rode inside their carriages, they often arrived complaining at the sight of the homeless, sometimes even bragging about how few lived in their home countries; it was a sore spot for the image-obsessed Queen and King.

The King had meant to address the issue regarding the homeless, so many shelters and orphanages had sprung up across the country whilst Mrs Reeves had been busy attending to the young princess. A year had flown by quickly at the castle and its hectic atmosphere, so she was clueless.

Alas, Mrs Reeves was to depart immediately to the countryside, and fifty orphans would accompany her. No time was given for sentimental goodbyes to her coworkers or the little princess she had grown to love dearly.

She subconsciously lounged around for as long as possible, hoping to run into Iris and bid her farewell.

...

At the announcement of Mrs Reeves's departure, the Crown Princess lashed out horribly. She screamed and kicked, frantically rushing around to catch her maid before it was too late. Iris never made so much noise; it was jarring to the maids who had known her since birth.

Somebody cruel had spilt the news, spoiling her lacklustre attempt to leave in silence. Mrs Reeves stood by the gates, dragging out her conversation with the guards, when Iris had flung herself into her arms.

She couldn't bear to leave the child in such a frenzy, so she fell to her knees and embraced the shaking and sweating child, who had latched on in a vice grip.

"There, there, my darling." she soothed the princess, petting her hair like she had done a hundred times. They had grown so close over the year and had spent many nights reading fairy tales together.

But, an order was an order, and she was putting off the inevitable, so she reluctantly pushed the child away with great effort; her betrayed expression tore through her heart.

The child wept silently as she watched the carriages with Mrs Reeves pass through the gates, never to be seen again.

...

Mrs Reeves found herself bowing in front of King Arthur the Great for the second time in her life, except now, her back burned at the strain.

The once mighty man had turned grey and dry, much like she had with time. He was healthy, never having to do hard labour as she did, yet age still made its mark on him.

Truthfully, she never liked the King, as he tended to side with the nobles far more often than the common folk. It didn't help that he essentially fired her when she hadn't done anything wrong. Mrs Reeves had family in the capital as well.

The King finally spoke with a booming voice.

"Victoria Reeves, you and your family have served this kingdom gracefully." She didn't dare lift her gaze but humbly bent her old back.

"My men have reported that you've raised intelligent and well-mannered children." He continued.

Mrs Reeves froze upon the mention of her children; she had raised them as her own with every available resource she had been granted.

Her head remained lowered, but she clutched her coat in thinly veiled worry.

"Your eldest child, Juniper, has grown into a capable young man with great intelligence. Therefore, he shall be appointed as my youngest daughter's personal guard until further notice."

Murmur broke out among the guards lining the walls, but with one burning gaze from the King, it immediately disappeared.

The youngest princess, Vivianne, had just had her grand débutante, and therefore, she needed close guarding as many nobles and even commoners had great dislike toward the royal family.

Many assassins were, therefore, willing to eliminate the princess now that they knew who she was, thanks to the journalist who had slandered the princess for her expensive party during trying times.

What could an orphan possibly protect? The King was aware of the danger his youngest faced, but he had his own reasons for seeking out Mrs Reeves's boy instead of a capable bodyguard or knight.

So, this arrangement would serve its purpose.

She wanted to argue, but she was left tongue-tied at the foot of the giant golden throne. Nevertheless, she still gathered her courage, determined to at least try for her child.

"My King, that child is no fighter, and he turned eighteen only a month ago. He's just a sprout." Mrs Reeves dared to counter, fearing for Juno's safety. God knew what they'd do to him if he failed to protect the princess.

The room turned freezing cold, and everybody held their breath at the old lady's frank refusal. Then, finally, the King slammed his fist on his throne in a fury, the hall echoing violently.

"Your old age must've gotten to you. That was an order!" He roared.

Silence again fell across the grand hall, with everybody stiffly awaiting the King's next move. The guards approached the shivering old lady with their swords drawn, watching the King for any signal.

"Forgive me, my King. My age has caused me to act irrationally. Have mercy on this old one." Mrs Reeves pleaded, bowing lower than ever before.

"Bring that child, or else I will kill every one of you", The King simply spoke, and Mrs Reeves was promptly dragged out of the hall by two guards before the King had another outburst.