Gabe was jolted awake by a loud, insistent banging on his door. He scrambled out of bed, his hands fumbling for his robe in a haze of confusion. The banging grew more frantic, and for a brief moment, Gabe wondered if the palace was on fire. Clutching the robe tightly to his chest, he dashed to the door. He yanked it open with enough force to almost dislodge the creaky hinges, only to find a short, pudgy, and very angry older woman glaring up at him.
"You're late for work!" she barked, her voice sharp enough to cut through his lingering grogginess.
Gabe frowned, glancing back into his room at the small clock on the table. It was 5:00 AM, the sun wasn't even fully risen.
"So early?" he asked, still half-asleep.
"What are you, a princess?" she shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Do you want me to let you sleep in until noon so you can have your beauty rest?"
Gabe inhaled sharply, trying to suppress his growing annoyance. "I'll get ready. Give me half an hour."
"Half an hour?" she repeated with an incredulous laugh, as though he'd asked for a miracle. "You've got five minutes, or you'll be scrubbing toilets for the rest of the week."
"How am I supposed to…" he started to say.
"Five minutes!" she snapped, cutting him off before turning on her heel and stomping away.
Grinding his teeth, Gabe cursed under his breath. He didn't have the luxury of time to argue. Skipping any attempt at grooming, he brushed his teeth hastily, wiped his face with a damp cloth, and threw on the plain grey uniform assigned to omegas in the maid quarters. The drab cotton pants and wrap-closure shirt were a stark contrast to the elegant, silk floral robes he wore at the enclave. The lifeless outfit almost physically hurt his eyes, but he knew better than to complain.
Gabe made his way to the gathering hall, a space bustling with omegas and women all awaiting their assignments for the day. The old woman from earlier stood at the front, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd as she barked out orders to each person. When she spotted him, her lips curled in a condescending smirk before she called his name.
Gabe stepped forward, his stomach tightening as her gaze flicked between him and the paper in her hand. "You'll be on cleaning duty in the King's chamber," she announced curtly.
His heart skipped a beat. The mere mention of the King had that effect on him. He didn't have any lessons with the King today, which left him with a hollow twinge of disappointment.
Three other women were assigned alongside him for the same task. Gabe's curiosity piqued, how dirty could one room possibly be to require four people to clean it? Perhaps it was just an excessive precaution because it was the King's chamber.
"Let's go. We don't want to be late," one of the women said, already heading towards the east buildings.
Gabe frowned, unsure. "Go where?"
The woman stopped, turning back to him with a look of disbelief, as if he'd just asked something absurd. "To the King's chamber, of course. You do realize we're supposed to clean it, right?"
"But it's only 5:30 AM," Gabe said, confused. "Why would he want his room cleaned at this hour?"
The woman sighed, her exhaustion evident. "Why was a newbie even put on this duty?" another woman chimed in, her irritation clear.
The first woman smirked knowingly. "He's well put together. The King likes having good-looking people at his service."
The second woman gave Gabe a dismissive once-over, her tone sharp with jealousy. "He's not even that impressive."
"Not to women, maybe," the first woman replied, rolling her eyes. "But Alphas? Did you see the way they were gawking at him yesterday in the dining hall?"
Gabe, fed up with being the subject of their gossip, snapped, "If you're done talking about me, can we get to work?" His tone silenced them as he marched ahead, eager to get the task over with.
The group headed to the storage room first to gather their supplies. Gabe stared at the assortment of cleaning tools and products they were loading into the buckets, brushes, cloths, scrubbing pads, and bottles of liquid cleaner. It all seemed excessive, as though they were preparing to sanitize a crime scene rather than tidy up a single chamber.
The east wing of the palace, where the King's chamber was located, was like stepping into a different world entirely, one of opulence and grandeur. Gabe, who had only ever seen limited parts of the sprawling Hestros Palace, felt a mix of awe and intimidation. The palace was practically a city of its own, housing generations of royal family members, high-profile guests, influential merchants, and even visiting gods on occasion. The royal wing, however, was unlike anything he'd seen before.
The corridors were adorned with intricate murals and priceless paintings, their frames glimmering with gold filigree. Sculptures of gods and legendary heroes lined the walls, their expressions lifelike and awe-inspiring. Gold-embroidered drapes flowed from massive windows, shifting slightly in the breeze that drifted in from the lush royal gardens. The light from an enormous glass chandelier caught the movement, casting soft, shimmering patterns across the marble floors. The gentle clinking of the chandelier's crystals created a delicate symphony in the otherwise silent hall.
When they reached the King's chamber, the sheer size of the wooden door made Gabe pause. The dark, polished wood gleamed, and he could tell the ornate carvings were gilded with gold. The door handle itself was massive, and when one of the women reached up to grip it, her hand looked comically small by comparison.
"Don't make any noise," she whispered, her voice firm but hushed as she began to push the door open. The creak of the hinges was barely audible as she eased it ajar, allowing them to slip through one by one. Gabe held his breath as he entered, his heartbeat quickening as if he were crossing some invisible boundary into sacred territory.
Gabe froze at the sight of the King's chamber, a chaotic mess that seemed unimaginable in such a luxurious setting. The floor was littered with fine, expensive vaisa garments haphazardly discarded. Food trays lay overturned, their contents smeared across the carpet, accompanied by spilled wine staining the rich fabric in deep red blotches. Scattered among the mess were crumpled, questionable towels, their presence only adding to the disarray.
"Get to work!" one of the women hissed sharply, crouching low as she began scooping food scraps into a bucket. Her urgency made the situation feel even more surreal.
Gabe hesitated, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the mess. He stood motionless, unsure of where to begin.
"You, clean his bedside table," one of women directed one of her peers.
"No, you go!" the second whispered back, panic lacing her voice. "Last time, the noise woke him up, and we were all sent away. We got punished for an entire week!"
Their argument escalated, all of them casting desperate glances around the room, until the second woman's eyes landed on Gabe.
"You!" she said, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "Go clean his table."
"Me?" Gabe stammered, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Yes. Make yourself useful." She thrust the cleaning supplies into his hands before he could object.
Swallowing a lump in his throat, Gabe approached the bed with hesitant, measured steps, as if walking on thin ice. He paused a few feet away, his breath catching as he took in the scene before him.
The high, luxurious bed was a tangle of skin and bodies. A group of figures, omegas and women alike, lay sprawled across the mattress and draped over one another. Most were under the plush white blanket, but others were exposed, their perfect, sought-after forms a stark reminder of their status as elite vaisas.
Amid the chaos, the King lay on his front, his broad, muscular back and powerful arms exposed above the blanket. His bare shoulders exuded a commanding presence even in sleep, and Gabe found himself momentarily unable to breathe, let alone move.
Forcing his gaze away from the King's imposing figure, Gabe focused on the bedside table. Like the rest of the room, it was a disaster. A food tray sat half-toppled, with remnants of meals and spilled wine staining its surface. A crumpled, hand towel lay discarded atop it, completing the scene of neglect.
With a shaky exhale, Gabe sets to work.
He carefully removed the silver tray and placed it into the bucket with the discarded food. As he reached for the delicate crystal glass, it slipped from his fingers and shattered against the floor with a piercing sound that echoed through the silent room. He froze, his breath caught, as dread coiled in his stomach.
A loud voice boomed from the bed. "How many times must I ask for discretion?"
Gabe's blood ran cold. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he stammered, scrambling to gather the shards. His hands moved frantically, trembling with urgency, but as he picked up the last piece, a sharp pain shot through his finger. He gasped, a thin line of blood trailing down his skin.
"Careful!" The King's voice sounded closer as his hand suddenly encased Gabe's wrist. The touch was warm, commanding, and sent a jolt through Gabe's already heightened senses.
Looking up, Gabe found himself face-to-face with the King. The morning sunlight filtered through the grand windows, casting golden hues across his chiseled features. His presence was almost ethereal, mesmerizing Gabe as he struggled to find words.
"You've hurt yourself, my little maid," the King murmured, his tone dripping with his usual flirtiness. Without waiting for a response, he plucked the tiny shard of glass from Gabe's finger and, to Gabe's utter shock, brought the injured finger to his lips.
Warmth enveloped the wound as the King's mouth closed over it. Gabe's heart raced, caught between disbelief and a strange, unwelcome thrill. His gaze darted to the King's dark, piercing eyes, which seemed to lock him in place, making the moment stretch unbearably.
The King held Gabe's gaze, his lips still wrapped around Gabe's finger, the sensation warm and utterly disarming. Gabe felt paralyzed, a mix of bewilderment and something deeper he couldn't name keeping him rooted in place.
"All good now," the King said, releasing the finger with a soft pop.
Gabe quickly withdrew his hand, his face burning as he looked down. His heart raced with embarrassment as his mind registered the King's state, bare except for the blanket loosely covering his waist. Gabe's eyes darted away, his cheeks heating further.
He suddenly remembered the others. Looking around, he realized the cleaning ladies were nowhere to be seen, and the high vaisas looking at him with a mix of disdain, irritation and curiosity.
The King chuckled softly at Gabe's confusion. "I sent your friends away. I dislike having a crowd in my chambers this early," he explained, his voice languid yet commanding.
Gabe blinked, his thoughts scrambling. "But… they'll be punished if the room isn't cleaned," he said hesitantly, his voice tinged with worry.
The King raised an eyebrow, his expression half-amused, half-indifferent. "Oh," he said simply, like that was news. "Then you can clean it for them. That should solve the problem, shouldn't it?"
Gabe glanced around the room. Half the chaos still remained, stained carpets, and scattered food. "It'll take me forever to clean all this by myself, Your Majesty," he admitted, his voice faltering.
The King shrugged, his casual dismissal adding to Gabe's frustration. "That's fine. The room isn't going anywhere. Take your time," he said, sinking back onto the plush bed, his sharp eyes fixed on Gabe with an unreadable expression.
The high vaisas got off the bed, got dressed and left while Gabe began with collecting the trays and glasses, carefully placing them into the bucket one by one. His movements were meticulous yet brisk, fully aware of the King's sharp gaze following him from the bed. It made him self-conscious, but he forced his focus on the task at hand.
Next, he cleared the leftover food, the scent of spilled wine and overripe fruit clinging to the air. Kneeling down, he started scrubbing the stains from the ornate carpet, his fingers working vigorously as he tried to ignore the weight of the King's presence.
He felt the King stir behind him, the bed creaking slightly as the man stood. From the corner of his eye, Gabe caught a fleeting glimpse of movement, a discarded blanket falling to the floor and the King's figure crossing the room toward the grand wardrobe.
Gabe's heart raced as he realized the King was fully undressed, searching through his clothes mere steps away. He kept his head down, his scrubbing more forceful than necessary as he refused to look up. His cheeks burned at the sheer awareness of the situation.
Thankfully, the vaisas had already left the room. If they had stayed, Gabe knew they'd be smirking at his flustered state, making fun of him back in the enclave.
The King retired to the bathroom with his clothes, returning twenty minutes later, completely transformed into his usual Kingly form.
"I am done, Your Majesty," Gabe said, bowing.
"You've done an amazing job. Maybe you were born to be a maid and not a vaisa after all. I'll have to ask your senior to permanently assign you to cleaning duty in my room."
Gabe gulped, unsure how to take that comment. He nodded in agreement. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
"See you, my sweet, in our class tomorrow. I hope you'll make time in your busy schedule."