Eva had the same dream repeat itself every night since she entered the palace. A nightmare that haunted her and reminded her of her loss every night.
The image of the baby with golden hair and crystal blue eyes blurred as she wiped her eyes awake. Dried tears washed off her cheeks as she wiped her face with a damp cloth.
It had been a few months since she started working at the palace as a maid. She was still new to the job but her past experience as Count Willows maid helped her adapt quickly.
She took off her nightgown and slipped into her uniform just in time for breakfast. She tied up her dark brown locks into a tight bun and joined the other maids and servants for breakfast in their dining hall.
Eva picked at her porridge. She didn't feel hungry after the dream she had. It was too vivid and ailed her.
"We need to eat quickly today, no wasting time."
Sophie, one of the maids who had more experience sat opposite from Eva and gobbled up her portion.
"What's the rush? Aren't we just serving the Empress Consort today?"
The Emperor, Leopold, left a few nights before because of business he had to take care of. It was never explained what the business was but because of that maids only had to serve the Empress Consort, Liliana, and she usually ate breakfast later than with the Emperor.
"Nope. His majesty came back last night with a guest. Elaine said she wants us to look after the guest since his majesty wants them to rest in the side palace for today."
"I thought he wouldn't be back for at least another month or so. Didn't he say he was looking for someone?"
"I guess he found them. Anyway enough talking, hurry up."
Eva hurried to finish her breakfast and followed Sophie to the side palace which was right next to the Empress' rose garden.
When they arrived Leopold had just left the room. He looked tired with bags under his eyes as he combed through his golden locks with a sigh. He noticed the two approaching and they gave their usual greeting.
"Greetings to the Sun of the Empire."
It was the first time Eva ever made contact with the Emperor apart from when she was helping to serve his meals. She managed to take a second look and noticed how otherworldly he looked. His skin was pale and flawless. Even though he was clearly tired, the bags under his eyes were barely noticeable as the blue hue in his irises attracted her attention the most. They reminded her of something which continued to itch the back of her head, but she couldn't think about it any longer.
"I'm sure Elaine told you this already but make sure not to startle him. He is really sensitive right now, just make sure he adapts well. I will officially introduce him to my wife later so any concerns about him should be told to me."
Leopold was blunt and straight to the point. He didn't waste his breath and as soon as he finished giving instructions he left them.
"Y-yes your majesty!" The girls tried to catch with his pace and still be respectful to him. They took a second to regain their composure.
Who was behind that door? How important is he to the emperor that he will listen to his concerns directly?
Eva's mind raced but no answer came in time before Sophie knocked on the door.
"C-come in!" A high pitched squeak left the room giving them permission to enter.
"Excuse us," Sophie opened the door slowly. "We're coming in."
Inside, the room was huge considering it was in the side palace. The bed was placed on the furthest part of the room. There, at the edge of the bed, sat a small boy timidly staring in their direction. He was almost the spitting image of the Emperor with his pale skin and radiant blue eyes. However, his body was scrawny and small compared to children his age and his hair was a darker hue than Leopold's.
"We are your maid servants, we'll be looking after you during your stay."
Sophie spoke curtly and gave the usual bow, but then noticed Eva was frozen in place. She slyly tugged at Eva's dress to get her attention.
"Sorry!"
Eva immediately bowed to the child and took a minute to sort out her thoughts.
"Make sure there is no dust, and her majesty will be eating early as well so we need to add the extra plate."
Sophie was a chatterbox. Even though it seemed like she was talking to Eva, she was actually talking to herself to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything.
Soon it was time for their breakfast
helped lay out the knives and forks beside each plate Eva set down.
Crimson blood stained the marble floor as it dripped from the palm of Eva who held the blade of scissors that threatened to strike the 7-year-old child behind her. It's not the first time she shielded the prince from the Empress Consorts harassment that were disguised as 'accidents' however, it was the first time that Empress Liliana used a sharp object to harm the young prince.
It was the absence of the Emperor, Leopold that gave Liliana the confidence to take her harrassment to the next level. Though she never planned to leave a deep scar on Prince Aidens face since she would need the prince to heal before Leopold returned from his conquest.
"Look at what you've done! You've dirtied the floor!"
Liliana yanked the scissors back. They weren't paper scissors, but sharp garden scissors that cut through Eva's hands as if they were paper. Eva grimaced at the sharp pain and clutched her hand. She bowed her head with her eyes shut tight trying to numb the pain.
"I apologise your highness..."
She managed to barely form the sentence before Liliana slapped her cheek. The sound would have echoed if they were in a large space but instead the sharp sound silenced the garden. What originally Aiden's body began to tremble startled by the sudden sound.
"A lowly maid shouldn't interfere."
"Yes, your highness."
"Clean this mess up."
Liliana glared at the young boy before turning her back and leaving the room. Eva stayed still as if stuck with her eyes closed and her back bent into a bow while her hand stung more. She didn't want to move but the sudden weight on the hem of her dress snapped her back from her pain-filled void.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry it's all my fault!"
Aiden repeated while clinging onto her dress.
"Of course it's not your fault your highness. It was an accident. I'm sure her majesty didn't mean to, she probably slipped."
Eva was used to lying and covering up for Lilian's abusive behaviour towards Aiden. Lying was easier than explaining why his mother behaved like that towards him or giving him mental stress at a young age.
All Eva could do as a 'lowly maid' was at least try to shield the young boy from getting scars until the Emperor returned. Nobody else went against Liliana in fear of getting punished or fired especially since she was the most powerful woman in the Empire.
Liliana was an elegant beauty with fair and flawless skin, rosy cheeks and long, glossy black hair. She was nearing the end of her twenties but it was as if she hadn't aged since she turned twenty. Before entering the imperial palace she was the most sought after woman in the empire, so the title of the empress was the only position worthy of her.
From rumours, she was described as a poisonous rose; Beautiful and innocent on the outside, but if handled carelessly she won't hesitate to show how dangerous she actually is with her thorns.
Compared to the lioness who bared her fangs against the Prince, Prince Aiden was smaller than most children his age from malnourishment since before he entered the Palace. He was growing but slowly. He was brought into the palace as the Emperor's illegitimate son due to the resemblance between the two.
His hair was a darker shade of blonde than his fathers as if it was mixed with honey, however, his eyes were the same crystal blue hue as the Emperors. This likeness began the rift between Liliana and Leopold.
Empress Liliana had always hated Prince Aiden ever since Leopold adopted him because their looks resemble each other. It had been almost an entire year since the Imperial were wed, however, there were never any signs of her getting pregnant. Without an heir from his wife Leopold would have no choice but to add some women into his harem, however, he made a promise to his wife that he wouldn't embarrass her by doing so. Instead, he adopted a child that resembled him from a run-down orphanage.
His hair was a darker shade of blonde than his fathers as if it was mixed with honey. This resemblance began the rift between Liliana and Leopold. She started harassing
A sharp pain seeps to the palm of my hand as I grip the scissor blades threatening to cut deeper. I feel the viscosity of blood dripping, staining the cream, marble floor. With my free right hand, I shelter the trembling child behind me. I glare up at the woman who threatened to harm the seven-year-old, forgetting the difference in our status.
"How dare you interfere!" The Empress Consort spits, looking down on both me and the young prince who is keeping his eyes fixed to the floor, his body trembling. Her unsteady eyes pierce into me as she yanks the scissors out of my hands, deepening the cut. I let out a groan from the pain but try to reassure the boy by keeping my composure. "He broke my favourite necklace and then tries to give me weeds as an apology. Don't make me laugh." She scoffs flinging the scissors around. Then points accusatory at me with the ends of the scissors. "Was it your idea? Just because you're his nanny doesn't mean you can teach him whatever you want." She drops the scissors into the hands of a lady in waiting then rests her eyes on me again. "Since it isn't his fault this time I suppose you will have to be punished in his stead." I shoot my eyes to the floor.
It's scary how she changes her target so quickly, as well as changing her emotion just as quickly.
She slaps my cheek, the impact echoing throughout the room.
"Clean this mess up." She points to the ground stained with my blood still dripping from my palm and the remains of the shredded flower crown the young prince worked hard to make for the Empress COnsort. Though my cheek stings, I ignore it and bow. I don't look up once until I hear her footsteps leaving the room and the door closing behind her. I sigh in relief. Surprisingly she didn't go any further than slap when she would have at least used a whip or a cane.
I feel small hands grip the hem of my dress. I turn and there was young prince Aiden trembling, his eyes fixed to the door.
"Your highness are you alright?" I kneel down to meet his gaze with a reassuring smile.
"I... I'm sorry... It's my fault!" Tears begin to stream down his cheeks. His glassy eyes waver between me and the door in an anxious quiver.
"Of course it's not your fault." I block the door from his line of sight by moving my head in front of it. "She won't come back after what just happened so don't worry. She didn't hurt you though, did she?" I ask gently taking hold of his small hands.
"I-I'm fine. B-but you got hurt!" He cries. More tears begin to build up.
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt. She didn't hit me that hard." I lie. Even though my cheek is starting to hurt a little less, the cut on my hand is starting to burn. I ask a maid to clean up the room a little and take the young prince back to his room. By the time we arrive the sun is already setting so help Prince Aiden bathe and get him ready for bed.
"When is my father coming back?" The young prince asks as I bring a lit candle to his bedside. His father, Emperor Leopold left the young prince in my care while he went off to conquer a kingdom in the East. It has been a few weeks since he left but luckily he scheduled to send a letter about his return in a few days. So until then, I have to continue supporting the young prince.
"Don't worry your highness. He'll be back soon." I comfort him with a fairytale before leaving the room. I head over to the medical room since I was only able to wrap my hand up with an old rag. The blood is already dry when I arrive.
"Why do you have to put yourself in harm's way for that boy?" Caleb, the imperial doctor, asks as he disinfects the cut. He was supposed to go to the East with the Emperor but Emperor Leopold stopped him at the last minute saying he would feel more at ease with him staying at the Imperial Palace. Now I've become a regular client.
"I cannot let harm come to the crown prince, even if it is inflicted by the Empress consort herself," I reply bluntly. A textbook answer.
"He is an illegitimate child though. Why go through that much trouble when he might not even become the next emperor?" Caleb continues to bandage up my cut with precision.
It's true. Prince Aiden has commoner blood mixed in. Nobody knows who his real mother is. However, the fact that a half breed is adored by the emperor while the Empress Consort is yet to give birth is creating mixed views in society. Some are still waiting for Empress Consort to give birth to a legitimate heir, while others believe that it can only be prince Aiden.
That's why the empress consort abuses and harrassed Prince Aiden. I believe that the only reason she hasn't killed him yet is that she still needs to produce an heir. Once she does then Prince Aiden would be completely useless to her.
"Even so, the Emperor gave me a job to do and I will do what I can to fulfil it." My duty to the emperor is an excuse whenever I'm asked why I do this job? Why am I still around when I get hurt every day? And even though I do feel pity towards the child, that emotion can only make me do so much.
The young prince reminds me of my child. the child I had when I was 18 years of age. The babe took after my partner more than he did me. He had shiny blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. My partner left before I found out I was pregnant, and even after finding out, I couldn't bring myself to terminate it. After my baby was born I had to find work but I couldn't work with a baby so I gave him to an orphanage so that he could be fed and looked after and I could earn enough money to support the both of us.
However, when I finally received a steady income and I went to see my child he was gone. I thought maybe he was adopted, however, the workers insisted he doesn't exist or that they've never seen me or the child before. What did that mean? Obviously, they lost him. The war took my son's life and they didn't want to take responsibility for it. They betrayed my trust and my son had to pay with his life. I should hate the imperial family for their thirst for power and victory because then my son would still be alive even if he has to live with another family. But instead, I ended up working for them. When I first laid eyes on the young Prince it was as if my son came back from the dead. Seeing the Empress Consort mistreating the child, I couldn't leave him be. Maybe reflecting my son onto the young Prince is a terrible thing to do but it's the only thing keeping me stable.
I feel something graze against my cheek. I flinch from the sudden touch and meet Caleb's eyes. His hazel eyes look right through mine.
"You need to look after yourself more. I understand that he's pitiful but you will end up destroying your own body by shielding him like that." Caleb finishes applying ointment before standing up. "It's getting late. The cut isn't as deep as it looks so it shouldn't leave a scar but try not to overexert yourself."
I give a silent nod and head back to my room.