Chapter 9

#Chapter 9 I want Doris to be my Lady’s Maid.

“Your majesty.” Doris curtsied as he passed her. Prince William never failed when it came to making her nervous. Among so many other things she didn’t want to think about.

Prince William only nodded, barely looking at her as if he didn’t remember her at all. Perhaps he didn’t, why would he? Doris released a small breath of relief as she followed him into the library. She’d never seen him in here before, she didn’t even realize he liked to read. She briefly wondered what kind of books he liked as she adjusted the collar of her dress.

He took the first book his hand touched from the bookshelves and flipped through the pages absently as if he didn’t really care what it was about. “Did Prince Martin just pass through here?” He asked Doris without looking at her, his voice almost casual.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Does he come here often?” He asked, a bit more intensely.

“Oh, no. Not very often.” Doris hesitated. Something inside her felt uneasy, perhaps it was just due to his wretched presence but she couldn’t shake her discomfort. Why was he asking about Prince Martin? Why would he even care if he came by here often? It didn’t seem like a big deal to Doris if he did or didn’t.

Prince William frowned and shot a sharp glance towards Doris when she hesitated. Slowly, he turned to walk towards her, she held her breath as he neared her. Close, he was too close to her—she wanted to step back but didn’t dare try it with him. His warm breath caressed her skin but she refused to look up into his blue eyes. Her unease quickly turned to panic, did he remember her after all? Is that why he was here? What did he—

Prince William pressed a book in her shaky hands. “Go on.”

“I—I’m sorry?” Doris allowed herself to breathe again. Her eyes flickered to his mouth when he frowned.

“Don’t you have to mark which books are borrowed?”

“Oh! Yes. Yes, of course your majesty.” Doris bowed her head and turned away to write down the name of the book. Not many people borrowed books, Doris almost forgot it was required to note which ones left the library and with whom. She often forgot to note which ones Prince Martin took with him, only because he always brought them back the same week.

She felt his eyes on her as she wrote as quickly as she could manage. The faster she finished, the faster he would leave and she could go back to blending into the walls.

“Who taught you to read and write? I thought most maids couldn’t.” He asked suddenly, the question startled her.

“I had a home tutor when I was younger, before I came here.” Doris set down her pen and handed the book back to the prince. He took it with a thoughtful expression, she didn’t want to admit how handsome he looked when he wasn’t angry. But he was—extremely handsome. His raven black hair was messy in a charming way, as if he’d just ran his fingers through it before he came into the library.

“Where is it? Your home, I mean.” He asked, pulling her from her traitorous thoughts.

Doris glanced up at him in surprise. To a maid like her, home was a very sensitive subject. Not many people had ever asked her where she came from, and she hadn’t asked them. Home was a daydream to Doris now, too far away to ever reach but one day hoped to see again. As each year passed, it only became a fading memory to the ones she had here. She didn’t expect Prince William to be the first person to ask her about it. Or about anything, for that matter.

“I—don’t really remember.” Doris lowered her gaze.

When she looked back up at him, his face had gone a little red. He shifted uncomfortably and she could tell he knew she was lying. He knew she just didn’t want to talk to him about it. It angered him, and she wasn’t sure why something like that would, but she could see it on his face.

“Your majesty?” A shocked voice came from the entrance, they both turned to see Melody. Her eyes flicked between Doris and Prince William as if she couldn’t believe they were here together. Doris took the opportunity to step away from Prince William.

“Melody,” Prince William’s brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

“I came here in search for Doris.” Melody said.

“Her?” Prince William frowned again. “What would you want from her?”

“Well, your majesty,” Melody plastered on an innocent smile as she walked further into the room. “I came here to ask if Doris would be my lady’s maid. I prefer to have someone I know and trust attending to me.”

Doris’s eyes widened at Melody’s words. Why would she ever ask Doris to be her maid when she hated her? Everyone knew how horribly Melody treated Doris, it wasn’t a secret that the girl enjoyed making a fool out of her whenever she got the chance. They’d never gotten along, not once in the years since they met. Doris always tried being kind to Melody, even when she didn’t deserve it but it never seemed to work in her favor.

“Her?” Prince William asked, a bit surprised himself.

Melody walked straight to Doris and took her hands. “We’ve been such good friends for so long, you’re like a sister to me. We always said we would look after each other, didn’t we? Please say yes.”

Doris furrowed her brows and looked at Melody, confusion in her gaze. They never promised to look after each other. “I—“ Her eyes flicked to Prince William. Was she allowed to say no? She didn’t want to be Melody’s personal maid, what a nightmare that would be! Doris loved being in the library, never mind that it would be considered a high promotion if she accepted. On the other hand, if she rejected… she knew how mad that would make Melody. And Melody did her worst when she was mad.

“I’m… I think I would be too clumsy for that role, my lady.” Doris said carefully. “I might just be nothing but an annoyance to you rather than helpful.”

“Nonsense! I’ll take that as a yes!” Melody grinned and looked over her shoulder at Prince William. “Your majesty, you would approve this, right?”

“It’s your decision.” Prince William said as if it was the last thing he cared about. He turned and left without another word, his book grasped in his hand. Doris frowned and watched the sunshine go with him.

Melody dropped her hands the second he was out of sight and turned as well. “Then it’s decided, you’ll work for me.” Her voice quickly grew empty of the sweetness it had contained when Prince William was in the room, it sent shivers down Doris’s spine.

Doris deflated as she watched Melody leave.

Doris was quickly moved into a space closer to where Melody lived, as well as Prince William. It was possibly the hardest thing she ever had to do since she started working at the Palace. No longer would she get to share a room with her best friend, now she had something a bit more grander but it didn’t make her feel even a tiny bit better. She wanted the simplicity of her library job, of seeing her best friend every night and hearing all the gossip she’d heard during the day. Not… this. Not with Melody.

It would be fine, she reminded herself. Soon Beth and Doris would be free and far from here. As far as they could possibly get so she’d never have to hear the fake obnoxious laugh Melody gave every time Prince William opened his mouth. It was astonishing how no one had ever seen through Melody’s mask, but Doris always had.

At night, she entered Melody’s chamber to find her seated at her vanity. Doris caught a strange smile on her face in the reflection as she walked in. “My lady?”

“What are you waiting for? Come here and do my hair.” Melody demanded, her voice like ice. Doris grabbed the comb and carefully brushed out her curls.

“You’re very beautiful, Doris.” Melody said almost as if it was a question and not a statement. Doris glanced in the mirror to see her face was anything but kind. “You know that though, don’t you?”

“Don’t make fun of me, my lady.” Doris said softly, her hand moving gently through her hair. “You are much prettier than I am.”

“Who do you think Prince William would choose between you and I?”