The Prince and His Slave [REWRITTEN]

Chapter 14 - [First Day]

– Arius –

I walked off with Chione after grabbing a tight hold of her arm. She was protesting and trying to pull away but when we were a safe distance away I stopped and looked at her. "You wanted to pay me back?" I asked. "Well here's am excellent idea... you can pay me back as my personal maid."

Chione gawked. "Personal maid?"

I nodded.

"What does that even mean?"

"You'll have to attend to me. Mostly in the mornings and evenings, so throughout the day you can continue with your usual assignments," I said. "I can get you a separate room–"

"No!" She squeaked. "No, I'm fine in the Servant's Quarters."

"Okay, well Aziza is no longer in charge of you so you have nothing to worry about when it comes to her."

Chione hesitated, looking both nervous and relieved. I didn't really know if that was a good thing though. So I let out a breath, not wanting to seem too needy or anything like that. "Go ahead," I said with a smile. "Go do what you normally do for today and I'll start your lessons on how to be a good personal maid to the prince tomorrow morning, understood?"

She hesitated once more before nodding and turning to run off towards the stables. Once she was gone, I sighed.

Well, things may be starting to get a little interesting.

– Chione –

I couldn't believe what had just happened. Arius's personal maid? I was going to be his personal maid? How could I be a personal maid? Usually personal maids were girls who were raised to become maids! I was still relatively new! How could I possibly become a personal maid?

When I arrived at Ram's stable, he looked at me with surprise. "Chione! You're back!" He walked over to me with a small smile. "How did it go? How is your father?"

I smiled back at him, happy to see him. "My father has recovered. He's better."

Surprisingly, Ram looked more relieved than I expected him to be. "That's great to hear... now why do you still look so worried then?"

I let out a breath, and as always I felt like I could trust him enough to talk to him. "The Prince... or the Pharaoh, made me his personal maid!"

Ram's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Personal maid?" He asked. "Why?"

"I think it's because he thinks Aziza may murder me or something of the sort."

Now Ram chuckled. "Well, why are you so worried? Being a personal maid to the Prince should be considered an honor."

I guess it was an honor... but that didn't help me from feeling less worried. "He said that I could continue to work with you and Doctor Tumini... so that's good news."

"Good news indeed. I was worried for a second that I'd lose your help."

I smiled, always glad that he felt like he needed me. "Do you know what I'd have to do as a personal maid?" If Arius said that I could still work with Dr. Tumini and Ram, then it couldn't be that bad, right?"

Ram turned to the horse he was tending to before I arrived and began brushing through it's mane. "Nothing too difficult," he said. "From what I know, it involves making sure the royal has awoken on time, preparing his bath, organizing his things, getting his clothes and jewels ready for him in the morning, bringing him his meals, and so on and so forth."