The Royal Maid And The Lost Kingdom

CHAPTER TWENTY- SEVEN

The days passed by, and I found myself falling into a routine. I woke up early to start my work, and I went to bed exhausted. But no matter how busy I was, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of sadness that lingered in my heart. I was still thinking about that kiss, and I couldn’t help but wonder what could have been. As the weeks went by, Prince Andrews proved to be just as strict and unapproachable as I had feared.

He was demanding and always seemed to be unhappy with something. I tried to keep a low profile and avoid him as much as possible, but it was impossible to escape his gaze. I could feel his eyes on me whenever I was in the same room as him, and it made me uneasy.

It was a warm summer night, and I was making my rounds in the palace as a maid. I was tasked to deliver fresh towels to Prince Andrews, the older brother of Prince Edward, who was back after being away for a long time. I knocked on the door, and with a soft voice, I called out to the Prince.

“Your Highness, I have brought fresh towels for you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

There was no answer, and I was about to turn away when the door creaked open. As I entered Prince Andrew’s room, I was taken aback by how much more mature and sophisticated it was in comparison to Prince Edward’s room. The walls were painted in a warm, deep brown colour and were adorned with various paintings and tapestries depicting scenes of hunting and battles. A large fireplace was set at one end of the room, its warm glow illuminating the space.

The furniture was all made of dark, rich wood and each piece was intricately carved and polished to a shine. A large four-poster bed took up one side of the room, its dark green curtains drawn back to reveal plush bedding. A large wardrobe stood against one wall, its doors slightly ajar to reveal an array of expensive-looking clothes and shoes. There was a writing desk in the corner, a tall stack of books and parchment beside it. A large armchair sat beside the fireplace, a blanket thrown over the back.

The room was spotless, not a single thing was out of place, giving it an air of efficiency and order. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe as I looked around Prince Andrew’s room. It was clear that he was a man of authority and power, and this room reflected that perfectly, the differences between him and his brother were miles apart. I turned around to see Prince Andrews, standing shirtless in front of me. He quickly put on a shirt, sensing my discomfort. I tried to excuse myself, but he stopped me.

“Please, wait. I am curious. Who are you? I don’t think I have seen you around before,” Prince Andrews said, his voice gentle and kind.

“I am Alice, Your Highness. I have just started working as a maid in the palace,” I said, bowing my head in respect. Just as I was about to leave, Prince Edward walked in. He saw me and a look of recognition crossed his face.

“Andrews, I see you have met our thief. This is the same woman who stole from me months ago,” Prince Edward said, a smirk on his face.

I was taken aback. I had not expected Prince Edward to remember me, let alone to bring up my past to his brother, and when did he return? I felt my face flush with embarrassmentConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

. “Is that true, Alice?” Prince Andrews asked, looking at me with concern. I took a deep breath and straightened my back.

“Yes, Your Highness. It is true. I did steal from Prince Edward, but I was desperate. I had no food to eat, and I had to take care of others in the same situation as me,” I explained, hoping that he would understand. To my surprise, Prince Andrews nodded in understanding.

“I see. Well, I believe everyone deserves a second chance. What do you say, Edward?” Prince Edward shrugged.

“It doesn’t matter to me. She’s just a maid now. Do what you want with her,” he said, before turning on his heels and leaving the room, his words hurt more than I want to admit, what was I expecting? For him to say he has feelings for me, of course not. He could have anyone he wants, like he said I was just an ordinary maid that caught his fancy for a while… Prince Andrews turned to me with a smile.

“Alice, I am glad you have found work in the palace. Perhaps we can get to know each other better over time,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling. I smiled back at him, grateful for his kindness.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I would like that very much,” I said, before making my exit from the room.

I walked away yet I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of emotions. I was embarrassed by my past, but also grateful for Prince Andrews’ understanding. I couldn’t help but compare the two brothers. Prince Edward was cold and distant, while Prince Andrews was kind and understanding. I could not help but think that I would much rather spend my time in the company of the latter yet my heart longed for another, how was it that within a few days I have been overwhelmed by the emotion I felt for him. I continued my work throughout the day.

I woke up early due to the nightmare gain and started my day early, my work load has eased for a while now, but I still have to do my part in the cleaning of the halls, I was doing just that when I heard a light cough. I was surprised that Prince Andrews approached me and asked me about my life in the palace. He was curious about me, and I found myself opening up to him, telling him about my past and my hopes for the future. My greatest surprise was that he listened attentively and offered words of encouragement. I couldn’t believe it – was this the same person who had seemed so cold and distant just a few weeks ago?

I saw Edward from the corner of my eye looking at me conversing with his brother, he looked like he wanted to approach me before he shook his head and he left, I felt sad that he has been avoiding and won’t even talk at all to me. I turned to the prince right in front of me and listened to his talk. And he was not even as cold as his appearance had made him look, he was like a soft bear with the qualities but loves to cuddle.

Over the next few days, Prince Andrews always finds time to come to me and we would talk every chance we got. We talked about everything and anything, and I found myself looking forward to our conversations. He was a good listener, and he made me feel comfortable. I found myself telling him things that I had never told anyone else. As the days went by, Prince Andrew arrived and I found myself in his company more often than not. To my surprise, we got along quite well. He was kind and considerate, with a good sense of humour. We would often engage in light-hearted conversations, and I found myself feeling more at ease in his presence. One day, as I was tidying up the head maid’s quarters,

Prince Andrew came in to check on her. He noticed me and struck up a conversation.

“Good day, Alice,” he said with a warm smile. “How are you finding life in the Palace?” he asked me like had always done. I think he might have heard about what had happened and he was always trying to protect me form his brother whom should I say avoids me now and he was even nice to me. It shocked me the first time he did it and it must have showed on my face because he frowned before he left me.

“It’s been quite an experience, Your Highness,” I replied, trying to hide the nervousness in my voice.

“Please, call me Andrew,” He said, waving a hand. “And may I ask, what is it that you do in the Palace?”

“I am a maid, Your Highness,” I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Ah, yes. I remember seeing you around. You’re quite skilled at your job, I must say,” he said, looking impressed. I felt my cheeks flush with pride.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I take pride in my work.” “Well, it shows. You should be proud of yourself,” He said, a genuine smile on his face. We continued talking, discussing various things from the Palace life to our interests. Before I knew it, hours had passed and I had to leave for my next task.

“It was a pleasure talking to you, Alice,” Prince Andrew said as I was about to leave. “We should do this again sometime.” He said again, he always said that every time to remind me that he would come again.

“Yes, Your Highness. It was a pleasure talking to you too,” I said, trying to hide the excitement in my voice. I looked forward to our talks too just like him, I liked his attitude and I was already lacking a friend. As I walked down the corridor, I couldn’t help but think about the Prince. He was nothing like I had imagined a prince to be. He was friendly and approachable, and I found myself looking forward to our next conversation

Prince Andrew and I spent more time together, chatting and laughing. I was happy to have made a friend in the Palace, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for his kindness, I couldn’t help but feel a connection growing between us, and it was then that I realized I was falling in love with him. One day, as we were talking, Prince Andrews suddenly stopped and looked at me intently.

“Alice, I have to go away for a few days on business. But I will be back soon. I just wanted you to know that I will miss our conversations,” he said. I knew he liked me as I liked him. And this time around I was able to feel exactly what I was feeling not like when I was with Edward, he confuses me and makes me do daring things while Prince Andrew is kind and gentle.

“Alice,” he began, “I’ve been meaning to tell you this for some time now. I love you. I know you may have feelings for my brother, but I promise to treat you with the love and respect you deserve.” I was stunned, my heart racing with emotions. I had never imagined Prince Andrew feeling this way about me. But at the same time, I couldn’t deny the feelings I had for Prince Edward.

“Prince Andrew, I’m honoured and flattered by your words,” I said, trying to gather my thoughts, “But I tink we are close enough to let you know that I also have feelings for Prince Edward. I’m so confused honestly; I don’t know what to do.” I rushed put hoping with all of me that he was not insulted or disgusted with the maid that is having romantic affection for two brothers. Prince Andrew smiled gently.

“Take your time, Alice. Think about what you truly want. I will be here waiting, if you choose me.” He spoke softly, yet even though he smiled I felt it was a bit stiff than the ones he uses to give. I was grateful for his understanding, and I knew I needed to take some time to figure out what my heart truly wanted.

As the days passed, I found myself torn between the two brothers. I couldn’t deny the chemistry I had with Prince Edward, but at the same time, I couldn’t ignore the love I was developing for Prince Andrew. I was caught in a whirlwind of emotions, and I didn’t know what to do. But I knew one thing for sure, I needed to make a choice and stick with it, for my heart’s sake. I struggled to understand my feelings for both of them, both so different in their own ways.

Prince Edward was charming, his smile could light up a room and his touch could set my body on fire. On the other hand, Prince Andrew was kind, he listened to me, he was genuine and caring. But then Prince Edward returned, and my heart was torn once again. I was torn between the fiery passion I felt with Prince Edward and the deep love I was beginning to feel for Prince Andrew

Why did he have to return when he did, if only he had gone for a long time then this would not have happened. I know what I was thinking of was stupid because when he was not around I felt lost and empty within, but then I tried to move past it yet just as I was getting used that new routine, the darn Prince Edward just had to make a surprise return to the Palace.

I tried my best but I couldn’t help the nervousness I feel around him, knowing the history between us. But to my surprise, he acted as if nothing had happened between us. He was cordial and polite, unlike the first time, he treats me like any other person n ow and it irritates me because it made it look like we had just met and that it was a fragment of my mind and imagination that the kiss happened.

Despite this, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease whenever I was in his presence. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking and feeling. Was he regretting what had happened between us? Or was there something more to it? These thoughts consumed me, and I found myself caught in a love triangle between Prince Edward and Prince Andrew even though I called it one, a nagging feeling deep in my heart already knew that I had made an unconscious choice that I do not want to recognise.