Rosalind’s POV
I couldn’t believe that I was now working in the palace.
Prince Cillian has ordered his driver to bring Bast in from the districts and though I had to speak with him using Prince Cillian’s phone, to get him to come out, he had.
Prince Cillian had then taken both of us to the specialist and I was in awe of the place. Bastien had just watched everything with wide eyes and when we were alone he looked at me with wide eyes.
“What do you think about all this?”
It was such a sudden change and he would be admitted here for the treatment. I didn’t want him to be in an unfamiliar place that made him anxious.
“All of this looks so cool,” He hesitated. “Can we afford this?”
Bastien was so sensible for a child. I smiled and took his hand.
“The prince can and he wants to help us.”
Bastien looked thoughtful.
“The prince seems nice, does he like you?”
I was appalled. What if Prince Cillian heard?
“Bast!”
“It’s just… he is doing a lot for us. What is he getting out of it?”
It was a hazard of growing up in the districts to expect the worst of people. No one did anything for free down there but Prince Cillian was different even if sometimes it felt like he looked at me with something other than friendship.
“I’m paying him back. All of it.”
“All of it?”
“Yes, all of it.” “I know we haven’t been separated in years but I want you to do this for me. Get stronger and then we will explore the capital together.”
“I will try my best. I never thought I would get treated fully. Thank you, Rosa.”
I hugged my brother and tried not to cry.
I snapped back to myself as Prince Cillian’s attendant spoke. The prince had handed me over to him and he brought me to the kitchens where I would work now.
“This will be your workstation. You will assist here in whatever duties you are assigned to by your supervisors. Will that be amenable?”
The kitchen was massive. It was at least five times the size of Ronny’s caravan which was one of the largest in the district. Everything was gleaming and spotless.
All around people dressed in white moved in organized chaos like a well-oiled machine. Everyone seemed to have a duty. A purpose. I wondered how I would fit into that.
The scent of spice, freshly prepared food and soft murmurs hung in the air.
I realized I had not responded.
“Of course. I live to serve.”
Bastien was finally getting the help he needed and I would scrub the entire palace clean in order to pay back that debt if that was what was required.
A woman white with brown hair firmly held back approached us and Prince Cillian’s attendant introduced me to her before making his exit.
She looked serious and I imperceptibly straightened.
“I am Somei. And I will be your immediate supervisor. I detest lateness and ineffectiveness. Any work left undone will result in deductions from your pay and appropriate punishments where necessary.”
Well, thankfully I was used to strict regimens. If one didn’t adhere strictly to the words of their employer, one would starve in the districts.
I bowed low.
“I will do my best to be worthy of this job.”
She nodded. Then took me to two younger ladies that looked around my age and similarly outfitted in white that were currently chopping up some vegetables and root crops.
“Today you will shadow Umi and Gladheart.”
Then Somei left me to go and supervise some other activity.
“Hello, I’m Rosalind. Pleased to meet you.” I didn’t know which one was Umi or Gladheart but it was probably best to start things on a friendly basis.
“You don’t sound like you are from around here.” The one with blond hair said. “I’m Umi.”
The other one – Gladheart looked at me nodded and continued chopping up the carrots.
“No, I am from the districts.”
Umi’s eyes widened momentarily.
“All the way from the districts? How did you even know there was an opening here?!”
“A friend told me.”
It felt presumptuous of me to label Prince Cillian as a friend but it was better than telling her that a prince had invited me here. I didn’t know what her reception would be like.
Umi got over her surprise quickly and smiled at me.
“Gladheart isn’t much of a talker but we hope you enjoy working here. I do. The hours are lighter and there is always extra food.”
Gladheart coughed lightly drawing my attention to her.
“Some people only signed up for the food.”
Umi’s cheeks coloured lightly and she turned to face Gladheart.
“Hey, that’s not true!”
I fought back a smile. This didn’t seem too bad. Although the day was tiring due to the long hours of standing required, it wasn’t anything I wasn’t used to. Plus the food was really good.
I was assigned a single room to sleep in the servants’ quarters and it was surprisingly large and airy compared to my place in the districts. I was beginning to realize that my life in the districts might have been smaller than I imagined.
I went to bed dreaming of a better life. A better everything. I would work hard and pay Prince Cillian back.
The next day though everything went wrong. The air in the kitchen felt tense, especially in the section where the junior staff were concentrated. My section.
I wondered if something had happened. I joined Umi and Gladheart.
“Hi.”
None of them responded. They were washing and cutting vegetables again but the way they positioned themselves was such that I couldn’t join in or help out.
When I moved forward to help them, their formation tightened.
Had I done something wrong? I tried and failed to recall. We had parted on amicable terms the day before.
Suddenly I heard Somei’s voice from behind me.
“Why are you just standing there idle? There is loads of work to be done.”
I didn’t want to rattle in them mainly because I didn’t know what to say but u didn’t want it to seem like I was already being lax on my second day.
“But Umi and”
Umi interrupted me with an uncharacteristically sharp tone.
“Why haven’t you disposed of the trash as we told you to?”
What trash was she talking about? She had never told me anything at all. She didn’t even reply to my greetings.
“But”
Somei had heard all she needed to because she shook her head emphatically.
“This is just your second day and you are slacking off, you might not be able won’t to last a week here.”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I wanted to speak up to tell her the truth but the last thing I wanted was for Somei to think I was trying to shift the blame to them.
“I apologise. I will clear the trash.”
The day didn’t get any better as they seemed to be assigning me tasks silently. Or maybe I had gone deaf.
“Where are the cabbages?” Gladheart asked softly.
I was confused.
“What cabbages?”
Umi glared at me pointedly.
“The one we told you to get from the farm to be used in Prince Killian’s favourite meal.”
There was no way I would have forgotten something like that if they had told me but I nodded.
“I will get it immediately. I apologise for my inadequacies.”
On my way to the farm, I fumed silently. Why were they treating me so weirdly now? They had been fine yesterday. Welcoming even. I couldn’t understand the sudden shift.
But it didn’t matter, I was going to pay Prince Cillian back no matter what. I refused to be discouraged by the situation in the kitchens.
As though summoned from my thoughts, Prince Cillian suddenly appeared.
“How is the job going?”
For a moment I was breathless, why did he look so good in his royal ensemble?
Rosalind focus, I berated myself.
“Very well. Everyone is nice to me and I only have you to thank for all that.”
Prince Cillian smiled and my traitorous heart skipped a beat. Many beats. It should be criminal to look that good.
“I’m glad I could help out. Is there anything else you would need my help with?”
Yes. With the people messing with me. The words stuck in my throat though. I couldn’t use Prince Cilllian’s benevolence to bypass all my inconveniences in the job he had gifted me.
So I smiled a bright smile that didn’t reach my eyes.
“No. Everything is perfect. I appreciate all you have done for me. I hope you know that.”
His brows furrowed as though he had noticed something was up. It was time to make my escape.
“Sorry, I have something to get. I need to get going.”
Before he could object or say anything, I ran away.
This strange attraction between us just wasn’t meant to be. We were literally worlds apart.
I was so caught up in my thoughts that I bumped into someone landing flat on my back.
I looked up to see Prince Killian.