Maid For You

Chapter 9

I was no longer going to waste my breath trying to appease this jealous brat.

"Hmm, let me think. How long have I been here?" I started counting on my fingers and pretended to do some math in my head. "I'd say it's been a full five hours now," I answered with a smile.

"What did you say?" she growled.

"I said I've worked here for five hours. Are you deaf?" I smirked.

Way to win friends, Cassie! I thought sarcastically. I almost laughed at my own joke. I probably should have been more upset with myself for wrecking a chance of friendship, but did I really want to deal with a brat like this girl?

"Miss Raven," a cool voice interjected. "I noticed from my table that you looked quite upset. What seems to be the matter?" It was Missus Lucille, here to save the day with her calm Aregano voice.

"Who is this girl?" Raven—aka the jelly belly—demanded, pointing at me. "Missus Lucille, I've been working here for two years now and I've been very diligent. When Prince Coleman's previous maid retired, you said that you'd most likely give me the position. So why is this girl who has only been here for five hours the new personal maid to Prince Coleman?! I wanted that position!"

"Miss Raven, I understand your desire to serve and be near the prince," started Missus Lucille. It struck me then, as I looked at the pain in Raven's eyes and the earnestness in her features, that she didn't want the job for the money like me. She wanted it for him. For the Prince. "I most likely would have awarded you with the promotion, but I'm afraid that this was out of my hands."

"How so? You are the Housekeeper, the only people above you are..." suddenly Raven turned a daggered glare to Luke. "Was this you, Mister Lucas? Did you call this chick to be the personal maid?"

"Miss Raven, mind your manners!" Missus Lucille said sharply. "Mister Lucas had nothing to do with calling Miss Cassie to be the Prince's personal maid."

"Then who—"

But she was interrupted by Missus Lucille.

"It was requested by the Prince himself," Missus Lucille said loudly, her temper rising at Raven's disrespect. "Prince Coleman gave me direct orders to make Miss Cassie his personal maid." I felt my shoulders hunching with the tension and I began rubbing my forehead. The room had gone silent, everyone gawking at this announcement. I felt icy stares from every young maid in the room.

"Mister Lucas," Missus Lucille said, changing the conversation. "I'm surprised to find you seated here."

"Well, I had matters to discuss with Miss Cassie, since we will both be working closely with the Prince," Luke mumbled. He certainly didn't seem to be in a higher position than Missus Lucille.

"I see," she noted. She then headed back to her head table and took a seat. I looked around the tension filled room.

"Well the bad news is," I whispered to Luke. "All the Prince Coleman-loving maids hate me now."

He was trying to stifle a laugh. "And the good news?"

"Um, the good news is...I'm not competition since I hate him?" I struggled.

A goofy grin rose on Luke's face.

"So, are you one of the Prince's bimbo girls then?" growled Raven, who was still across the table from me. A horrified look filled my face at this offensive remark.

"No! Of course not! Why, are you? Is that why you're so upset with me?" I snapped back, standing up from my seat for emphasis.

"How could I be? I can't get close to him," Raven retorted. I seriously hoped that she wasn't aspiring to be one of Prince Coleman's bimbos. How shameful.

"Well consider yourself lucky. Sorry to shatter your weird fantasy, but Prince Coleman is honestly a brat, Raven." I folded my arms.

"How dare you insult him!" Her eyes bugged out. "Prince Coleman may be harsh, but he is strong. You should consider yourself so lucky to be near him!"

Maybe Raven WOULD be good for Prince Coleman. Bratty birds of a feather flock together.

"Okay then." I rolled my eyes.

"What if someone told the Prince that you called him a brat?" Raven challenged me, clearly hoping to get a rise out of me. "Imagine how he would react." A wicked grin curled up on her lip.

I gave an over exaggerated gasp. "No. You wouldn't tell him, would you? He probably thinks I love him!" I cried. Raven looked so incredibly smug, and I couldn't believe she didn't recognize the sarcasm in my voice. I glanced down at Luke and felt quite triumphant to see him desperately trying to hold back laughter.

"I would cherish your time as Prince Coleman's personal maid," Raven told me with a malicious tone. "Because it won't last." She snatched her food from the table, and headed away from us. One of the maids who had been by her lingered a moment and looked at me.

"Do you really not have a crush on the Prince?" she asked timidly with her cute little accent. She was a rather mousy girl, with thin dirty blonde wisps of hair flying out of her bun. I laughed a little, and settled down in my seat next to Luke.

"No. Not at all. I promise you this, I am not in any way competition for Prince Coleman's heart. You can rest easy knowing I'm his personal maid. I might be the only one here who won't try to win him over," I answered.

She looked relieved. "That's good," she said. "I—I mean, it's just, everyone here loves him so much, and I've only been here a few months and I feel like I have no chance."

"Well, to tell the truth I think he and Raven both have similar winning personalities. And you seem like a nice person. You're too good for him in my opinion."

"Oh, you're funny Miss Cassie," she chuckled.

"Really?" I said.

"Yes," Luke suddenly interjected. I looked at him and felt a dopey grin grow on my face.

"Well, thank you," I told the petite maid. "I try. I really do. Usually I just laugh at my own jokes, but perhaps my sense of humor is appreciated in Aregano. What is your name, by the way?"

"Mindy."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Cassie."

"Nice to meet you too," Mindy peeped. She gave a slight curtsy before walking off. I turned to Luke.

"You all have just the cutest accents," I said. "I love it."

"We have the accents?" he said in his. I think I liked the accent best when he spoke. "Cassie, you don't understand. We all sound the same. It is you who has the cute accent." He smiled, though he suddenly seemed to realize what he implied and his cheeks turned a slight pink.

"My accent?" I responded skeptically. "My accent's harsh and boring."

"I like it," he murmured.

The dopey grin of mine came in right on cue.

"Are all Embryian girls as feisty as you?" Luke asked me.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I've just never liked to deal with nonsense, or to be pushed around," I said. "I think it's just annoying people that bring that side out in me."

"It's very amusing to watch, I must say. Like watching a TV show with a sassy heroine."

"Is that a compliment?" I asked.

"Yes."