MALIA’S POV
Wordlessly, I nodded. I had already gathered enough stress for myself to last me a lifetime and I did not need any more of it added to the last so trying to prove any point to the individual in front of me would not be wise so instead of doing that, I decided to just put on the good girl act and perhaps it might get me out of her premises unscathed.
I have no idea what was currently going on through her head but she most definitely didn’t find the whole thing pleasing and although I had done nothing to wrong her, she still didn’t look convinced with the whole act I was trying to sell off to her.
“What are you doing here anyways?” She proceeded further even though there was no reason for it after she had asked the initial question.
“I was just roaming around, and I ended up here. I didn’t know that I was not supposed to be here. Sorry if I overstepped my boundaries” I mumbled, my head facing the ground.
If there was one thing I have learned living with the royals, it would be how much they hated being looked in the eyes directly while speaking, have your head facing down and you might reduce the amount of punishment meant for you, if at all there was any.
“You did overstep your boundary. I will let that slide this once because you are new here but next time, you won’t be so lucky”
This was the part where I was meant to thank her before leaving but I just couldn’t bring myself to do that. Not when I had already displayed all kinds of respect that I could.
“I will keep in mind not to cross this part of the palace next time”
“Or any other part of the palace. Just stay within your lane. Stay where you are kept and do not wander” Her words might sound like some sort of instruction but the look in her eyes clearly showed that it was nothing short of a threat.
“I will stick to your words” My reply was curt but fortunately was enough to get her convinced this time around. She gave me a once over with a heated gaze as if trying to keep every part of me to her memory. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter cause she left a moment afterward.
I released a breath I didn’t even know I was holding when her gaze was no longer weighing me down and I waited until I could no longer hear the sound of her footsteps before I finally took steps toward the exit.
I didn’t know much but I knew for a fact that I was damn lucky to have had myself not get her riled up. She seemed to be the kind of person who would not hesitate to deal with who ever crossed her once. And here I was, doing it for the second time and surprisingly getting away with it.
Instead of going back to my room like I had initially intended to, I decided last minute to just roam my way around the palace and perhaps the pack at large. That was pretty comical if you would ask me considering I had just made it clear that I wouldn’t be roaming the palace again. Well at least, now I knew where not to enter.
Navigating my way around the palace was much more easier than I thought as all I had to do was follow the guards around to dump myself from one location to another. With this method, I ended up finding myself in the familiar stunning main hall that led to the main entrance which was used to come in and exit the building.
The number of people roaming around, each definitely with a purpose, trying to get one work or the other done was overwhelming, and at some point, I thought of just turning around to find my way back to my room.
But then if I went back to the room, all I was going to do would be just sitting around idly doing nothing, so instead of that, I would certainly prefer to be out here, getting uncomfortable in the midst of others.
Fueled by that motivation, I breathed in deeply and began to take steps down the stairs, together with many different individuals who mostly didn’t even take notice of me except for a few.
The spiral stairs were absolutely the longest I had ever had to walk down on. I might not have taken notice of how long it stretched the first time because I was busy admiring the beauty around the room.
When I was finally down the stairs, I took the direct route that led toward the wide-opened entrance door with guards placed at each side of the door. I tried to not stare too much at things so that I wouldn’t end up looking like the odd one in a crowd of even beings.
I didn’t know if it was just me but the moment I footed my legs outside the palace, even the air felt different. No matter how beautiful and extravagant the inside was, nature they said “is more beautiful than any other thing” and I seriously couldn’t agree any less.
The lush green trees and flowers scattered all around surely got me in a way better mood, making breathing super easy for me.
I looked from my left to right and then repeated the process, finding it difficult to choose which route to go with this time around. The beauty was all around me and I could literally choose anywhere and it would be the same.
Nevertheless, I chose to go right, taking a stroll with my hands buried deep down in the pockets of my dress, I pushed myself further away from the palace with each step I took, the number of guards getting progressively lower.
Let’s see what this pack entails.