Unmasked

Chapter 22

-unedited-

Chapter 22:

Heart, stop racing.

His room was ten times bigger than mine is, I can actually walk spaciously, but no matter the size of the room I was still in it with him behind me.

"There isn't much but here they are," he walks ahead of to his bed where there lay a small pile of his clothes.

I almost respond to him, but I hold back, instead I make my way over to it. Without looking at him, I ball them up in my arms and take it to the cart, I walk back in and I begin to pull the sheets of his bed.

I sneak a glance at him but he isn't looking at me, he's gazing out the window that's by the head if his bed. I relax a little, for some reason his far gaze calms me down.

"I haven't seen you around before, are you one of the new ones that just came in?" He suddenly asks without looking at me. I tense, nodding even though he can't see me.

I continue taking his bed sheet then moving them basket on the cart. I look for replacement sheet but find none on the cart so I wonder back in, might as well take the ones covering his pillows as well.

"You don't speak much, do you?"

I felt my face getting warm and glance at him again, he smiles to himself, making my cheeks grow warmer.

It's was then I hear another maid come in but she by looking at the duster in her hand she's for cleaning. Another one comes in but it's to attend the bathroom I didn't know he had until the rather old looking woman went in there. My heart slows, I'm not alone in his room anymore... I should be thankful.

I look back at him again. He's still gazing out the window unaware of the commotion going in his room. Unaware or his doesn't care, either way he's not paying attention.

Even though my work is done I still feel the need to stay. Now that we're no longer alone and he's not paying attention I want to wander his room, just like I did the others.

Prince, it's me yet I can't tell you that, I'm near you right now and I wish to stay this near to you but sadly I have work to do...

So I leave but my heart still skips as if I didn't.

~*~

Another maid brings him his sheets, that's how it works. I can't say I'm slightly disappointed, but I am. Days later I find this out.

It was probably the only time he'd be there when I cleaned his room. Surprisingly I was able to find another route downstairs and to the laundry room. I had cross roads with Harriet, only once and briefly. I wished she worked inside with me just so I had comfort, not with being with her, odds of that were slim, but of her working near me so I know she's not being overworked.

"Seems as though you're slowly catching up with us," Mariah appeared in the same empty kitchen as before except I was the one in hiding, "but just so you know, only I can take breaks here."

She wasn't trying to play around with me.

"Will we always be maids?" I ask her.

"Until the day we die," she says.

I look at my hands that are dry and rough from washing piles of clothes the other day, one lady fell ill so they needed an extra pair of hands.

Mariah sighs and sits next to me, "Originally it was supposed to be until we catch up on our taxes but times have become harsher and it's pretty much until we die."

I look at her.

"Why do you ask?"

"I wasn't born into this lifestyle, I was out here to pay off something, but now I feel as if that debt will never truly be paid off..." My voice trails off, remember that one day as a child.

"You're right, it never will be." I suddenly regret speaking to Mariah about this.

"You want to know why there are so many rooms in this castle?" She says not as a question but as a statement, then continues, "it's because far back, the kind use to love throwing parties, parties that would last for days, and how did he pay for those parties? You may ask, with stolen taxes. Leaving a gap, meaning any debts that were being paid off suddenly needed to be paid off over and over again until the king had died and left it over to his son, who demanded more rooms to be built to house those who had lost their due to their missing taxes."

"I-"

"There's a reason for things being the way they are, but believe me when I say, things used to be better," she looks away, her jaw tensed, almost as if she is angry.

"Is this why you think Prince is either smart or a coward?"

"Let's not get into politics too much," She stands, "but yes, yes it is."

~*~

Upstairs, too, seems empty, perhaps it's because the family is too busy to be in their rooms for too long.

I wonder what it is like. Being royal... What is it they have to do everyday.

Why he would rather run away than become king?

I make it to his room and I only stand by the door.

Why am I suddenly so interested?

Maybe it was that day when his hid in his room until that man was gone and let me in. I wonder what it is that he is afraid of...

I knock softly at his door.

He's not there but still.

My hand touches the handle and I hesitate.

His room.

I don't have my cart with me so I don't have a reason to go in other than...

I want to.

Can I deny myself the simple pleasures of exploring a room? But this isn't any other room, it's his and besides, I won't have a reason to come back for another day. Should I just wait until then?

Suddenly, it's image appears in my mind...

The mask.

My mask.

He kept it, but I didn't see it last time I was here, but he must have it somewhere.

I grasp the handle tightly.

I can't.

Taking a step back, the memory of that night crawls back into my mind. Us dancing, him escorting me out back the fountain... Dropping my mask as I ran away from him.

I left the hall before I could remember anymore.

~*~

The day soon came. I shouldn't be disappointed, but I am.

He isn't here.

Is it possible to be relieved yet sad? I haven't seen or heard of him lately, it hasn't been that long but still... I want to know.

This time I did bring that change of bed sheets for the probability that he would be here. The other maids are already inhabiting his room, I should be gone now but my eyes wander and I begin to take in the details.

The walls and his carpet are the same color, dark ocean blue, yet his curtains and bedsheets are Champaign. The cases of his pillows are lace and hand knitted, with the royal symbol sewed on each edge. There's something different about his room from all the rest. I've been into the king's and even the queen's but they all lack the sense of comfort and calming atmosphere in them. Or maybe I being biased about it?

Just as I turn and step out of the room someone brushes passed me to come in... He brushes passed me to step in.

I find myself lingering back into his room. I can't help but stare taking him in, my eyes for some reason begin to wander and I see it.

There it is.

On a stand, like a trophy.

My mask, standing by his window, catching all the rays of sunlight that sneak in.

The other maid, the cleaning one, bumps into me awakening me from my trance.

"E-excuse me," I say to her, forgetting why I didn't speak in the first place.

I feel his eyes on me and I look and accidentally meet them.