Three Hours

The chatters of the commoners and the smell of dust and flour hung in the air. The village buzzed with their normal activities as usual but it carried with it a tense aura. Having just received the letter about the training that was going to take place in the palace two days from now, people were scared, afraid and tensed.

The news that a body with it's head ripped apart had already speculated round the kingdom, even if they were vampires and they possessed strong abilities, they were still wary of where they go to because the people attacking them were vampires just like them.

Recently, everyone in the village walked together in groups, hardly could you find anyone alone especially in the night. Group of people were seen loading their luggages into a carriage, those were the commoners that weren't privileged to have a car.

During the course of the training, they were going to be residing in the palace guests rooms. The commoners saw this as a privilege because the training was accompanied with free food. They didn't have to work hard to eat until the training was over.

Far away from all this, a pair of red eyes watched them from afar in the dark, the figure spun around and sped off after waiting for a brief moment.

*******

Aliena grudgingly opened the door to the prince's chamber, she was ready to perform her duties with perfection so as not to get a punishment of another week of servitude. Today was only the second day and she had 12 more days to pass through before she could finally go home.

She was happy actually because she isn't going to be the subject of her step family's cruelty, life in the palace wasn't stressful but who knew what awaited her in the coming days.

She got into his chamber and found a man sitting on a chair with a novel in his hand, she recognized him to be Former King Egeus Scheller.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness" Aliena bowed her head. Egeus stared at her in amusement and laughed heartily.

"You are Sebastian's personal maid, aren't you?" he asked and dropped the novel on a table, "The tea pourer" he added with a light grin.

"Yes I am" Aliena replied, her head still bowed.

"Raise your head please" he said and she did, "I'm not Sebastian, I don't want you to be formal in front of me. If possible I want you to see me as your grandfather or perhaps your godfather. Besides I've known you for a long time" he winked at her.

"You've known me?"

"Huh? oh, sorry, I meant I've known your father for a long time, he's the Duke of Asteria. Duke Edward" he laughed.

"Oh" Aliena nodded.

Egeus smiled warmly at her, he was about to say something when Sebastian came out of his study. Aliena quickly bowed her head low, "Greetings your Royal Highness!" she shouted, well she needed him to see how much she respected him and was ready to be a devoted servant for the coming 12 days.

Sebastian as usual ignored her greetings and turned to his grandfather.

(ALIENA POV)

My head was still bent so low that I felt my neck almost ripped apart, I didn't want to raise my head up since the Prince hadn't responded to my greetings.

"What are you doing here?" I heard the Prince ask, I was about to respond before he completed his sentence, "Grandfather"

Thank goodness I hadn't replied, he was talking to his grandfather.

"What sort of question is that? Ain't I allowed to come into my grandson's room again?" Egeus asked.

"You drive me nuts, so NO, you aren't allowed to come into my room" Sebastian replied.

"Well that answers my question" Egeus said and stepped out of the room, he gave me a wink as he passed by me.

"You'll be escorting me somewhere" I suddenly heard Prince Sebastian's voice, I guessed that was my cue to raise my head.

He grabbed his coat and strode out of his room, I trailed behind him and I also had a hard time keeping up with him, his legs were long and he took long strides. But that wasn't the problem, the problem was that I was nervous, I didn't want to serve again and make a mistake that might incur his wrath.

We got to a door and the guards stationed there opened the door, I looked around the room as we entered. I saw about nine people seated around a long table, with tea on each side of the table, it was like a vast parlor.

I walked sheepishly behind Prince Sebastian and stood behind his seat when he sat down.

"Brother! You came? It's so unexpected" a cheerful voice pierced through the air, I turned to face her and she had a wide grin on her face. Judging by her looks and Aura, she had a cheerful disposition.

"Brother, I see you've got a personal maid. I like her already, I've never seen you have a personal maid though" Another person said, he looked young, like 16,17, thereabout.

I guessed everyone in the room were Prince Sebastian's step siblings. They looked cool.

"Shouldn't we discuss what we came here for?" Someone spoke, I recognized him to be Miquel, he was present at yesterday's meeting with the dukes and Lords.

He was handsome but definitely can't be compared to Prince Sebastian.

"Raina" Sebastian called, it was actually the girl that spoke earlier.

"Yes?"

"I want you to supervise everyone during the training, make sure they are okay and get everything they want. Most people will arrive today so order the maids to put everything in order."

"All done brother" Raina gave him a salute and smiled cheerfully.

"The rest of you, including me. We'll join the guards to train everyone including the maids. Get that?"

Maids were getting trained too...?

"Sure brother" Miquel replied with a slight frown.

I watched everyone around the table and their expressions, they were all normal and they seemed to come to terms with everything Prince Sebastian said, but Prince Miquel couldn't help but cast hateful glances at Sebastian, it was that noticeable, his hatred vivid and clear to the eyes.

They continued with the discussion of the training, Prince Sebastian spoke with authority. Well, he was the firstborn and next heir to the throne.

"Hey you!" Alicia, the third daughter of the King called me.

"My princess" I answered.

"Since you are the only maid here, why don't you serve me tea" Alicia said, it was more of an order.

"Huh?" I stared dumbfounded and realized that I was the only maid there.

"Are you deaf?! I said serve me tea"

"Yes my princess" I said quickly.

"Gosh you have a hand Alicia, why don't you serve it yourself" Lusander sighed.

"I wasn't talking to you Lu, mind your business" she retorted.

"Just saying" he rolled his eyes and sipped from his tea.

I walked sheepishly to her and reached for the kettle, my eyes darted nervously around the table as I began to pour tea until my eyes caught Prince Sebastian. He wasn't looking my way and I couldn't help but stare at his well defined face.

His features looked ethereal and anyone that stares into his golden red eyes would be lost in the depths of it. He looked my way and caught me ogling him, he furrowed his brows and gave me an unpleasant expression. Just what did I do to deserve that expression, I gulped silently and the unexpected happened.

"AHHH!!!" someone's screams pierced through the air and it was non other than Princess Alicia. I stared down and found that the tea filled the cup and spilled on her arm, my eyes widened in shock.

No, not again...

Before I could apologize, Princess Alicia stood up and gave me a deafening slap on my right cheeks, I could have sworn that I saw stars dancing. For a minute or two I couldn't hear a thing, voluntary tears trickled down my face as I held the cheeks that just got hit.

Now, there was no difference to what I faced at home and what I faced now. I felt blood on my face and I realized that I was bleeding. Her nails were so sharp that it had dug into my face and now it was going to take time to heal since I was a weak vampire.

"Can't you focus on what you are doing?" Princess Alicia hissed, her fangs were elongated already and her eyes stared bloodshot at me.

"I'm sorry" I trembled.

Just when she was about to hit me again, Prince Sebastian came between us and held her hand. He had a boring expression on his face and his eyes were void of any emotion as usual.

"Wha...what, brother what are y- you doing?" She stuttered obviously scared.

"One, don't call me your brother and two, don't you know the difference between a personal maid and a palace maid?" he scrowled.

"She spilled tea on me!" She retorted.

"Are you talking back at me?"

"No, I'm... I was just-

"Shut it" he commanded and Alicia could only flinch at the coldness of his voice, "Her father is the Duke of Asteria so you should have some respect for her, she only became my personal maid because she offended me"

"She might be a duke's daughter but I'm the king's daughter, you can't compare those two ranks. I'm higher than her" Alicia stated firmly.

"Don't talk when you aren't asked to, it's irritating to the ears" he said, his expression still blank. His grip tightened on her hand and she couldn't help but whimper.

"Brother you are hurting me"

"Listen to me, you have a handful of maids and your own personal maid, you can order them around but not mine. I really find it disgusting. It's either you apologize to her or you let her return the slap. Choose one" Sebastian taunted.

"What?!" She asked unbelievably, her eyes almost bulging out of it's sockets.

"I know how prideful you can be so I'm giving you three hours" he said and let go of her wrists.

Sebastian turned to face me, I was shocked by the whole drama likewise everyone there. He took my hand and dragged me out of the room leaving Alicia shocked.