Free Web NovelChapter 9: Chapter 9
Astrid lay wide awake beside her sister, who was fast asleep. She turned and tussled, unable to reconcile the day’s event. Her heart sank more deeply into an abyss of sorrow as she thought of her sister’s predicament. The bastard, she thought. No matter how much he felt he had everything figured out, she would make sure he realised otherwise. He may be the next ruler of an empire, but he would need more than a charming smile to get by.
Astrid stood up slowly from the bed so she wouldn’t wake Hera, changed into more fitting clothes, and went out for a stroll.
She walked as silently as she could, making her way down the stairs, towards the front door. She needed the cold night air washing over her.
"My apologies, mistress," said one of the guards stationed just outside, "but you cannot leave."
"I’m simply trying to take a walk around the premises," Astrid gently argued. "What is so wrong with that?"
"I’m sorry, mistress, it is just not possible. Perhaps, if you sought the Majesty’s permission, then your walk can be granted."
Astrid grimaced. It was the most stupid rule she’d ever heard. How did the other girl survive this for so long? They were all essentially locked up in a golden cage.
She huffed and shook her head, but decided to turn back and instead explore the floors. At least that was allowed.
She scoured through the first floor, peeking through the dining halls, the kitchen, and the banquet hall. The building was crafted with extreme detail. Everything felt extraordinary. It was simply a shame that the people who lived within these walls were nasty fellows.
Then she stealthily went down towards the cellar. If Hera’s words had any truth to them, she would need to seek from the one place that had all the answers: the servants’ quarters.
The cellar was much too bare, unlike the rest of the house. The rooms are lined vertically, side by side. All the doors were closed, and it was mostly silent. But there was one room where she could hear voices.
"I don’t know if I can do this, Mary. " The woman sounded distressed.
"You wish to be in her favour, do you not?"
"Yes, but..."
"But nothing, Eliza, you must do as Lady Lilith has instructed or lose her."
"I can’t believe this," Eliza sighed. "She isn’t even the queen yet. She’s nothing within these walls, and she’s ordered me to kill someone? Spike their food?!"
Astrid’s heart pounded furiously. She hoped to the gods it wasn’t what she thought.
"She doesn’t have to be the queen for you to understand where your loyalties should lie." Mary retorted casually. "She has the prince’s favour... For now."
"What do you mean by ’ for now?"
"It means what you think it means, Eliza. I can say no more."
Eliza went silent.
"The poor girl," she said again. "She’s only been here one day and now..."
Astrid’s heart sank in her chest. Why would the gods want this to happen? To Hera, of all people. No, she thought forcefully, she was here, and nothing would happen.
A door slowly creaked open a few rooms away. Astrid turned frantically to her sides, her heart in her mouth. She couldn’t get caught. Not now.
She had no choice but to go deeper into the cellar. She turned and ran, as silently as she could, before whoever it was would realize who she was.
She could hear a pair of feet following behind her.
"Is someone there?" The man called faintly behind her.
She reached the end, but luckily saw a little flight of stairs that descended downwards.
"Hello?"
"Homer?" another voice hissed, what’s all the ruckus about?"
"I thought I saw someone," he said, his voice uncertain. "A woman. She ran towards this way." freewēbnoveℓ.com
"You miss Dimitria’s warmth so much that you’re beginning to see things."
"No, Bash," Homer whispered through clenched teeth. "Why do you bring her up at the time?"
"Because of times like this," Bash replied, pointedly. "Go back to bed, Homer, you’re going to wake everyone up."
Homer sighed, a little too loud. "I need to take the piss."
"Do you need my mouth for that?"
Homer sucked his teeth.
Astrid could hear both feet retreating back and heaved a sigh of relief.
She finally registered her environment. This was a little kitchen of some sort. She sensed the servants used the space regularly in their moments of respite. Too regularly, in fact, she concluded, when she spotted a lady’s undergarment on the floor.
There was a staircase going up at the other end of the kitchen. She glances at where she’d just come through, too dangerous at the moment. She would have to follow the stairs and hope she had left the basement.
The stairs led to all the floors; she realized when she’d climbed. A needed miracle. She stopped at the foot of the door, which opened up to the second floor, where all the girls were currently accommodated. A thought had struck her.
As silently as she could, she tiptoed up the stairs leading to the third floor and eased the door open.
A few of the doors were shut, while some were slightly ajar. She saw the princesses sleeping soundly in their lush beds and felt a strong urge to strangle them in their sleep. That would help no one, she muttered, trying to calm herself.
Just as previously, she heard voices talking in hushed tones. She peeked through the door and saw the prince with an older man, whom she concluded was his father from both their demeanours.
It was the first time she actually saw Prince Adonis with a serious expression. There was a pained look on his face. She relished every bit of it.
"... You’ve been woefully inefficient, Adonis. The council will not take any more of your foolery."
"Father, I have things under control," Adonis said, his voice strained, " All the girls are here, we will be sending out the ships soon, I promise.... "
What ships? Astrid thought in a panic.
"Shut up, Adonis," his father scolded harshly. "Every day I wonder if your sister wasn’t right all along."
"Father..."
"Let me finish! Our reserves are almost empty. By the time those ships of yours make their way to all twelve kingdoms and back, we would have almost nothing left. Which would be a few months, no less than six spent entirely on talking."
"I understand your worries, Father, but..."
Astrid could hear feet shuffling in one of the rooms. It was time to go. Slowly, she backed away from the door and walked briskly back towards the stairs she took and hurried to her room.
She heaved deeply as soon as she shut the door behind her. Slowly, she took off her clothes, put on her nightshirt, and lay on the bed next to her sister, who was still sound asleep.
It was almost dawn, and she hadn’t gotten any sleep. However, she was glad. The gods were with her; otherwise, she wouldn’t have learnt any of the things she did.
As much as she was horrified to learn, she sensed the danger her sister would face from a mile away. At least now she would find a way to stop it from happening. But the prince and his father, it was terrifying to imagine what they planned.
She would need to learn more, find a way to prevent what was to happen. But for now, she needed her sister alive and well.
Sleep evaded her for the rest of the night. She lay wide awake until the servants knocked.
"Mistress? Your majesties? It’s time for your bath."
Astrid pretended to sleep, her back turned towards Hera as she began yawning beside her.
"Your majesties?" The servant called again.
Hera sleepily announced for her to enter while Astrid pretended to wake beside her.
"Sister, did you sleep well?" Hera asked with a small smile.
"I did," Astrid replied, returning the smile.
Hera narrowed her eyes and looked at her for a while, frowning a little. "You don’t look like you slept well."
"Probably because the grating noise from all your snoring kept me awake," Astrid retorted.
Hera’s eyes widened, and she took a glance at the servant.
"How could you say that?"
Astrid was laughing now. "Because it’s the truth."
"Good heavens," Hera muttered to herself.
After they had washed and were properly clothed, the servant informed them that they would be served breakfast downstairs, in a different hall from the day before.
Astrid tensed at the sound of this.
"Why don’t you go ahead, Hera? I’ll be there in a while," she said. " Also, don’t start eating without me. "
She tried to sound as playful as she could without rousing her suspicions...
Hera chuckled. "Of course, sister, I’ll wait."
As soon as Hera left, Astrid rushed over to the room Selene and Iris shared before they went for their breakfast. The princesses did not share their meals with the ladies in their company.
"I need your help," Astrid said as she barged into their room. "You may leave," she said hastily to the servant girl who was still helping them dress.
"What has gotten you so riled up this morning?" Selene asked, already worried.
"One of the girls, Lilith, plans to poison Hera, and I need you to cause a diversion for me while I swap our breakfast."
"What?!" exclaimed Iris, wide-eyed.
"I don’t have much time, come on, " she urged.
They all hurriedly went down. Astrid entered first and instructed them to enter after a while.
Almost all the other girls were seated. Ironically, Hera sat beside Lilith. The viper, she wanted to make sure everything went as planned. Unfortunately for her, her sister was far from death’s door.
Thankfully, Hera did just as she had promised and hadn’t taken a bit of her food.
"Sister, you’re finally here. Was something wrong?"
"No, no," Astrid replied, a little coy. "I needed to take a shit," she whispered.
Hera laughed. "That is a disgusting thing to say right before breakfast."
Just then, Selene and Iris burst into the room, shouting at the top of their lungs.
"You miserable wench!" Selene cursed. " You dare steal from me?"
"How dare you accuse me of such a heinous crime? The gods are my witness, I have never stolen a thing in my life. And to think you would say something so horrible."
Everyone was turned towards them now in rapt attention. Hera had stood up and tried to intervene while the servants rushed towards them.
"You think I would accuse you of nothing? That I have no evidence? How then were my earrings found among your belongings?"
"Selene, Iris, please calm down, we can always sort this...."
"You put them there, you vile creature. I’ve seen the look in your eyes for a while. I knew you were jealous of my friendship with Hera."
Hera reeled back.
Astrid stealthily nodded for them to continue. She needed a proper chance to switch the food.
"You dare call me jealous?"
Selene and Iris, as if reading Astrid’s thoughts, began to shout even more loudly, pulling each other’s hair, dragging each other around the room.
Lilith finally stood up when it seemed that they would come close, scowling and shouting at them to move away from her.
Astrid looked around the room to make sure no one watched, her heart pounding, then she switched the food.
"Enough, you two, " Astrid bellowed, "leave right now. I will handle it later. "
The two of them quieted down and nodded. It was done. They understood. All the other girls glowered at them as they left.
"You should train those uncouth savages better, princess," Agatha said from across the table when they all sat down.
Astrid simply rolled her eyes.
"Dogs will always be dogs, dear Agatha, no matter how much you clean them up," Lilith said while laughing.
Astrid smirked. "Do not bother that pretty head of yours with thoughts of my dogs princess lilith. I take care of my problems one way or another. "
