Chapter 10

As the new maids filed up in line, Melina quietly went to stand at the back of the line since she didn't want to get anyone's attention to herself especially since it was Ms. Carlos who was going to tour them around the castle. She was well aware of how much the woman hated to see her. So misbehaving or putting herself in spotlight would only add fuel to the fire.

She didn't want trouble but trouble was everywhere following her. Though she didn't want attention, her red hair screamed NO at her. Everywhere the maids were taken to for tour, she was the centre of attention because of her red hair's uniqueness. It made her look like a fairy beauty goddess where the maid's uniform she was given to wear showed fully her body shape because of the fitness.

As they took rounds through the Palace, the new maids were in awe at the sight of what they were seeing. Considering that the interiors of the castle had been changed to a more modern one unlike their former  quarters that had been the same since history, all the maids kept staring with amazement as well as excitement  apart from Melina.

The atmosphere around her seemed so tight because of Ms. Carlos and some other guards who were staring at her with a lustful look . Since she grew up, she had never had any contacts with men. She only saw palace guards from a distance and never dared go close to them. She remembered when aunt Paloma warned her to be careful around men while she was growing especially after she entered puberty. Now, seeing their preying eyes looking at her, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

But it seemed it wasn't just the guards and head maid who's attention was drawn to her this time around. As the guard kept showing them places, Amy and Alice walked past them.

"Good morning my princesses!" Tynan immediately bowed his head in greeting.

"Good morning" Amy answered while Alice simply nodded.

Melina was still looking at the princesses and admiring their beautiful dresses with their well styled hair when a resounding slap hit her back causing her to almost squeal until she saw who had slapped her. It was Ms. Carlos. What had she done again?! She asked herself almost wanting to slap the woman hard on her cheek.

Melina stared at the woman with a confused and questioning look while Ms. Carlos was still trying to eye at Melina as though saying she should do what she was supposed to do. Melina turned back wanting to ask her mates what was going on until she saw they were all bowing their heads. She turned to the princesses thinking they were the ones the servants were bowing to but realised she was wrong.

Slowly, she turned her head to the direction where everyone was looking and her eyes widened when she saw who it was.....

She immediately bowed her head not wanting to cause any more ruckus or receive any more slaps.

"Good morning, my Prince" She greeted still feeling a bit awkward  and hurt because of the slap.

"My apologies my Prince. She didn't realise you were here. Forgive her." Ms. Carlos immediately intervened, not wanting the Prince to punish Melina since it would affect her pay.

Prince Leon simply just stared at her for a moment before giving a nod. He really didn't care about people greeting him since he wasn't the type who was obsessed with respect but just as he had learnt from the Chieftains, he needed to look strict and tough so people gave him the honor and respect he deserved. He turned to Tynan, the guard who was showing the new maids around and said with a stern look on his face.

"Enough of the tour. You've shown them the vital places. You can continue tomorrow....the castle is messy, let them get to work!" And immediately, Tynan bowed and turned to Ms. Carlos who nodded her head understanding the assignment.

After she had assigned all the maids to their post, she dismissed them.

Melina and two other maids, who had been assigned to clean up the King's chamber went to pick up their materials and went upstairs as they had been shown earlier.

On their way, one of the maids commented, "Did you see the King at all?! I mean how are you not simping for him?"

"Prince!" The other maid corrected.

"Does it really matter? I mean he'd become a King soon so what's the point?"

They continued chatting and drooling about the Prince while Melina just quietly walked to the King's quarter straight to his room to clean it up. On getting there, she felt the stench that came from the room as if it had not been cleaned for a while. When she entered, the smell became even worse. How did his physician even enter this room? She asked herself. It wasn't possible that the room hadn't been cleaned for days, or that the King hadn't been checked? So why the smell? She looked around the room and saw the dying King everyone was talking about. It seemed they really wanted the old man dead since they didn't even put any body guard or protector in the room. What if she came here with the intention of killing the old man? She questioned in her mind.

Quietly, she dropped the bucket she brought into the room close to the bed only to notice drops of blood on the pillow the King was lying on.

Curious, she used her hand to push his neck side gently before her eyes widened. A knife was stuck on the King's throat that brought out blood which she had traced from the floor. Confused and scared all of a sudden with the panic still in her head, she wanted to run to the door when someone opened it and unfortunately, it was Prince Leon.....