Chapter 10

"Just who does she think she is!"

"Hush!"

There was giggling in the corridor as the princess walked quickly through the stone corridors of the grand castle.

She was followed by her faithful maid, an old woman near the age of retirement with a heavily wrinkled face. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, and she had a graceful posture as she walked after the princess with flowing blond hair.

The two women walked as fast as they could toward the princess' chamber, their eyes filled with mischief and lips smiling.

"So, she thinks Renh will be king someday? Why else would that harlot hold on to him for so long?"

The maid's eyes widened, "Madam, that is no way to talk in public!"

"We are not in public, Freida!" The princess cried, "It is just you and I and we talk to each other as we always do. Is that redhead not aware that she is overstepping her boundaries."

The maid smiled, "I do not like that lady. She smells like trouble to me."

The princess scoffed, "I am not at all threatened by her. You know how long Renh's fantasies last."

The maid nodded with a sadistic smile, "I do indeed, princess."

"I don't usually mind his flings, Freida."

The maid nodded quietly.

"But this one… I cannot quite put my finger on why but this one annoys me, Freida."

The maid was sober, "I agree, princess. She is not pleasant to me or anybody. She is quiet but… I don't like her at all."

"Don't you get the sense, Freida?" The princess stopped walking and turned to her maid slowly, "That she looks at us with an air of superiority?"

The maid had looked alarmed with the princess' stop, but she nodded in agreement, "Madam, I do not like her. She looks at us like we are beneath her."

The princess laughed dryly, and a silence filled the corridor they stood in.

The cold night breeze fluttered the drapes on the walls and soft moonlight poured in from the windows. The sky outside was dark and seemed endless and not a single star was in sight.

"I don't like her," The princess decided, "She needs to be put in her place."

The maid agreed, "What do you propose, madam?"

"I think," the princess' smile was unpleasant, "we should show her who really holds the power at the table and what is to happen to those who do not respect it."

The two women laughed as they began to walk to the princess' chambers once again.

--

A figure stayed in the shadows, listening to the conversation intently.

The blond princess and her maid Freida walked into their suite of chambers and shut the heavy, ornate doors behind them.

The man in the dark waited, his back leaning against the cold stone of the wall. He stood in the very dark part of the passage, unseen by the two.

It was a secret staircase that allowed a small set of stones to move in the wall.

The male spy sent from the kingdom of Amethia waited for a little longer until all was quiet within the corridor.

It seemed he could gather from the conversation between the two, that Diana had piqued their interest.

That could not be good.

She was not to attract any unwanted attention.

That would be difficult of course, with the position she had taken to do her spying, but receiving attention directly from the princess would definitely make her someone the castle dwellers would keep their eye on more.

The second prince, Renh, was important but he was careless and most people paid him and his women no mind.

That would not be the case for Princess Selstie who was the king's pet.

She was his favourite child and quite spoilt. The blond princess was a thorn on everyone's side and she could upset anybody in the blink of an eye.

Diana did not need any unnecessary trouble.

She had more behind her identity than anyone realized.

The man breathed out slowly as he straightened.

At least no one suspected her of being anything more than the second prince's plaything.

For that the male spy was glad.

He stepped down slowly.

There was work to be done.

He had to inform Diana of this potential trouble brewing.

She was a smart girl and would conduct herself accordingly. Cunning and beautiful, that was why she had been selected to go in as a spy after all. The male agent had received word.

Diana did not know of his identity, but he knew her well and had been instructed by his home-kingdom and direct boss, the army general, not to reveal himself to her.

The man wondered why as he descended the stairs noiselessly.

Did they suspect Diana might join the enemy?

That couldn't be.

She was a rather serious lady who would do anything for her kingdom. That was the impression the male spy had of her.

Another spy had been sent to the kingdom as well, the male agent had been informed.

But he was told a letter would reveal her identity to him later.

Did the army general suspect him as well?

The man sighed.

He didn't want to think too much about it.

It was all giving him a headache.

His job was not going well, and he gritted his teeth at the thought.

There was so much work to be done and he hadn't even gotten started yet.

He hadn't gathered a single piece of information to send back and wondered what the people back home thought of him.

How could he be so useless?

There was an informant spy who was only in charge of relaying information back to his home-kingdom and he had not even been told who she was or where she was located.

What did that mean?

Did they not trust him? Did they see him as incompetent?

The man growled under his breath.

His plan needed time.

He flexed as he walked down the last of the stone stairs.

Pulling the hood low down his face, only his strong jaw was visible as he slipped out of the heavy wooden door that led into the chilly night outside.