AIR OF GOSSIP

Gabriella arrived at the castle, adorned with gold on the pillars of the towers. The sun gleamed brightly like diamonds on the yellow-painted walls, and the silver-tinted windows welcomed the sun into the exquisite rooms.

As she stared at the scene in front of her, a melancholy smile crept across her face, and she couldn't help but feel sad that the walls of this castle may soon no longer protect her.

Gabriella took quick steps as soon as the doorman held open the door.

"I can guard myself from here." Gabriella suddenly said to the two guards following her behind.

"Alright, my princess, we will go ahead now." 

The two guards said in unison and bowed to leave.

"Wait." The princess ordered.

The feet of the guards halted to answer the call.

"Prepare yourselves. It's going to be a heavy day tomorrow."

The two guards clicked their brows together, but answered obediently in unison again,

"Yes, Princess."

Gabriella turned towards the hallway on her right-hand side which leads to the three chambers of three royal family members. One of which belonged to the queen, her mother. The other to her father's wife, the first mistress of the king, and the last in the line with the most intricate designs carved on the walls, was solely beautified for the king.

She saw Priscilla her handmaid hurry towards her, with arms stretched out to receive her coat from her.

"My princess, you're welcome." Priscilla bowed and took the coat from Gabriella.

"Is His Majesty in his chamber?" 

"Yes, my princess. He returned to his chamber after the meeting with the council members. I think they were setting a date for the masquerade ball."

Gabriella nodded, but for a split second her brow wrinkled. "Priscilla, so you now eavesdrop on the king's meeting with the council members to know they were setting a date for the masquerade ball." "I've rescued so many heads from execution in this castle. If you keep acting like this while I'm not present, I'm not sure who will come to your aid."

"Permit me to say, my princess, that you have the mistaken notion that I would act recklessly in this brave castle. I was in the kitchen when one of the maids was instructed to bring a cup of black tea to one of the council members an unexpected illness struck in the council room. That's how I learned about it."

"What? Which counsel man is that?"

"It is one of the dukes in Huston town," Priscilla replied, keeping up with the fast-paced footsteps of the princess. They now walked on the long staircase, upwards, towards the King's chamber.

"Huston town? Why do people from Huston develop sicknesses recently?" Gabriella asked remembering her encounter with the little girl in the town square an hour ago.

"I don't know the answer to it, my princess. The man dis... I heard some gossip that he went against some certain secret decision made by a few members of the council. That's why he was poisoned."

"Poisoned? So his sudden sickness was more like planned."

"It might be. That was just an assumption made by a few. Nobody knows the actual cause of his sickness." Priscilla nodded. 

Gabriella's brow furrowed once more, thinking that she, the princess, should have known the answers to her questions before anyone else, and yet here she was, her handmaid feeding her with the information. 

Indeed, the few days she spent alone, isolating herself in the castle after her father's choice, resulted in a fast transformation in her life. 

"By the way Priscilla, why do you know so much about the happenings in the castle?" Gabriella looked suspiciously at her.

"..." Priscilla only lowered her head.

"Priscilla, you know I don't take silence for an answer."

"My princess, your sister, Princess Vanessa has been chosen by the king to be the one to be made the crown princess. For one to survive in this castle, he or she has to be wise."

"Priscilla," Gabriella halted and faced her.

"Yes, my princess,"

"As I said before, I want you to have this in mind. I have saved a lot in this castle. So please, I don't want to lose anyone. Be good. Love my sister Vanessa as you loved me."

"Oh gosh, my princess, you sound like you are going to depart from us. Don't make me sad."

Gabriella broke the gaze between them and turned to continue along the stairs again only to come face to face with Princess Vanessa's mother, Alexia.

The first mistress as everyone called her in every way tore her heart to pieces. 

"Good day, Your Highness," Priscilla bowed and greeted her. 

"I can see the walls of this castle now harbour gossiping lips." The mistress said without responding to the maid's greeting.

Another type of fear was evident in Priscilla's brown eyes. With head bowed, she scuttled away with the princess's coat in her hand.

"And who do I small her shoes here? It seems the daughter of King Tristan Gibon has returned." A mischievous smile that turned into a smirk appeared on Alexia's face as she spoke further and this prompted Gabriella to be interrupted. She halted and faced her precious mistress.

With her hand folded and brought to her forehead, Gabriella made a slight bow and greeted Alexia, "Good day, Your Highness."

"I don't think the day will be good now that our first mistress heard gossip." An old pair of feet walked into the corridor. That was the voice of the queen mother, Elizabeth Gibon, the mother of the king interrupting the fire that was about to be lit up by the mistress.

"Ah! Princess Gabriella, why have you made yourself scarce recently?" Elizabeth asked ignoring the presence of Alexia who stood furiously glaring at both of them.

"Grandma you're here. How's your health?" Gabriella moved over to the Queen Mother, took her hands and kissed her knuckle.

"Hmmm, only the kiss of a beloved princess can heal the weak bones of an old woman. Well, my health is okay now that I received a warm from my grandchild I miss you so much." Elizabeth smiled at Gabriella.

"Oh Grandma, you always have a way of bringing tears and a smile to my face at the same time," Gabriella said.

"HUFF!" The sound from Alexia interrupted the two women talking.

"Oh, Alexia. I failed to notice your presence all along." Elizabeth took a look at Alexia's face.

'Really Grandmother? You failed to notice her presence?' Gabriella chuckled in her mind.

"Can someone tell me why I heard the name of my daughter Vanessa?" Alexia demanded, only for Gabriella and Elizabeth to look at each other shaking their head mischievously.