Between the Pages

Chapter 9

"Have you heard the news?" whispered one of the maids to another as they swept the floor.

"What news?" asked the other maid, stopping in her tracks.

"The king is ill," replied the first maid, looking around cautiously.

"Impossible," scoffed another maid, who was nearby. "The palace is still in peace. If the king were truly sick, the crown prince would surely tell us."

"But why would the crown prince tell us that?" chimed in another maid. "If anything, it would only cause chaos and panic."

Snow, who was sweeping nearby, couldn't help but overhear their conversation. She had never heard any news about the king being ill, and she didn't believe it for a second.

"I don't think that's true," she spoke up. "If the king were truly sick, I'm sure the crown prince would step in and inform the people." However, since I came here, the palace has remained peaceful. She wanted to add the last sentence, but she refrained from doing so.

The other maids nodded in agreement, but Snow couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She wondered if there was any truth to the rumors and if there was something the royal family was hiding.

As the maids continued their chatter, suddenly the head maid burst into the room, her expression stern and her eyes ablaze with urgency.

"Quickly, all of you, come with me," she said, her voice sharp and commanding. "There is no time to waste."

The maids scrambled to their feet, their hearts pounding with fear and anticipation. Snow, one of the maids, followed the head maid, her mind racing with questions.

"What is happening? Is everything alright?" Snow asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

The head maid shot her a withering glance. "No questions," she snapped. "Just come with me."

Snow followed the head maid, her heart racing as she tried to piece together what was happening. She knew this path, but had only walked it once before when she had delivered tea to the Crown Prince and had to sneak in.

As they walked, Snow noticed that they were heading inside the palace, but when they turned left instead of right, she realized that this was a different route than the one to the Crown Prince's chamber. Her confusion and anxiety grew with every step they took.

"Where are we going?" Snow whispered to the maid next to her.

"I have no idea," the maid replied, equally bewildered.

They continued walking until they reached a large door guarded by two imposing soldiers. The head maid spoke to the guards in hushed tones and then turned to the other maids.

"Wait here," she said, before disappearing through the door.

Snow and the other maids exchanged worried glances, wondering what was going on. After what felt like an eternity, the head maid returned with a stern expression.

"The King is ill," she announced, her voice low but firm. "And we have been instructed to tend to him. Follow me."

Snow's heart sank. The rumors she had heard earlier were true after all. She tried to keep her emotions in check, but her mind was racing. What would happen to the kingdom if the King didn't recover? And where was the Crown Prince?

As they entered the dimly lit room, Snow noticed the still figure lying on the bed. She could barely make out the features of the King, but she could tell that he was very ill.

The head maid approached the bed, and Snow followed closely behind. Suddenly, she noticed something strange about the way the King looked. His skin was unnaturally pale, and his breaths were shallow and labored.