It is the season for love and murder in the court of Ravaeryn.
After a chance encounter one winter night, Lady Catarina de Fontaine had fallen hopelessly in love with Julian, the Crown Prince. However, upon discovering his untruthfulness, she immedi...
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1711, Aethiel Palace, Kestramore City
"WHAT A WONDERFUL ROOM," Catarina remarked lightheartedly as she walked into the servant's sleeping quarters. "I particularly appreciate the lack of windows. It creates such a cozy ambient, reminiscent of a mole's burrow, don't you think so Lady le Comte ?"
"Indeed. This straw matress is exquisitely soft and comfortable. It reminds me of the beds I used to sleep on back at the barracks, except that this one isn't soaked with blood."
"And the sheets! Such beautiful sheets!" Catarina exclaimed while roughly tugging the stiff, scratchy linen that had been tucked into either sides of the bed.
"What are you two fools gloating about ? This is not something to be glad of!" Lavinia cried out exasperatedly, choking in between sobs. Not only did she need to part from her entourage of beloved maids, she had to abandon the expensive brocade and silk gown that Daddy bought for her too! When she first received the invitation to the choosing ceremony, Lavinia expected that she would be allowed to stay at one of the royal quarters, and she would dress up beautifully and cause the Crown Prince to become enamoured with her at first sight. Later, he would tell the Queen that he favours he so deeply that he wanted to marry her that very day!
"We already knew that," Catarina replied stoically. "I'm not happy with this arrangement, and I'm sure none of you are too. But what do you want me to do, Lady Olivier ? Mope around and cry for Daddy ?"
Lavinia was frozen in an instant, and a second later, tears began to trickle down her cheeks like a waterfall. "How cruel you are!" she screeched before running off to her bed at the other end of the room.
"Terrible attitude," Rosie whispered under her breath.
"Awful, awful behaviour," Marie subsequently followed, shaking her head in disdain.
Catarina let out a sigh before sitting down on her own bed. The straw bed was awfully lumpy, and even she could not understand why they were forced to live like this. Their maids were given separate quarters, and according to Rosie, while the mattresses were definitely not filled with goose feather, they were far better than these straw beds.
"Miss, I can switch places with you," Rosie proposed. "You can change into my clothes and sleep in the other quarters."
"Or we can smuggle one of the mattresses inside here," Marie suggested.
"There is no need for that, Rosie, Marie," Catarina chuckled. "There must be a reason why the princess made us sleep here, and I intend to know why. Now, both of you, off to bed!"
The two maids reluctantly left, and Catarina eventually laid down of her straw bed. The beds were placed in a neat row, and Cosmina occupied the bed nearest to the door, followed by Jessamine, and then Catarina. The bed to her left was occupied by a girl she had never seen before, but she found the girl's abundance of freckles and shiny gold-red curls quite lovely indeed.
