FRAMED
3006 Words
Isolde had already spent a few days in the palace, and she remained exactly the same — polite, graceful, and seemingly kind. Everyone either liked her or respected her.
Everyone except Selene.
Selene didn’t like her one bit.
But she never tried to cross paths with Isolde. Not unless she absolutely had to. Because she knew herself well enough — if Isolde pushed her even a little, she might not be able to hold her tongue.
And who would believe her anyway?
If Selene ever said Princess Isolde wasn’t nice, they would probably laugh in her face.
So she avoided her.
----------
Mara stepped into the laundry room quietly, picking up a bundle of freshly cleaned sheets.
The scent of soap clung to the fabric as she carefully folded them into her arms. With small, careful steps, she turned to leave—
Only to stop.
A group of maids stood in the doorway.
They didn’t move.
Mara froze.
They wore different uniforms — finer stitching, more elaborate trims.
Isolde’s maids.
Mara gave a small, nervous smile.
“E-Excuse me… you’re blocking the way…”
The maids looked at one another before chuckling as if she’d said something amusing.
Mara’s smile faltered.
Sweat began to form at her temples.
“P-Please… I need to bring these to Her Highness’s room…”
The lady standing at the front — Isolde’s lady-in-waiting, Elyse, looked Mara up and down slowly before scoffing.
“Goodness… you’re a lady-in-waiting?” she said, her voice dripping with mock surprise.
“You hardly look the part.”
Mara froze.
“I mean,” Elyse continued, covering her mouth lightly, “the way you stutter and shrink like that… it’s quite embarrassing to watch.”
The other maids laughed.
Mara lowered her head, her fingers tightening around the sheets.
“I heard,” Elyse went on casually, “that you’re not even from a noble family.”
The laughter paused.
Some of the maids looked surprised.
“Really?” one whispered.
Mara’s shoulders trembled slightly.
Her fingers squeezed tighter.
“They must have been desperate,” Elyse continued with a faint smile. “To let someone like you serve so close to the princess.”
Mara bit her lip.
Her eyes stung.
“And her highness, Princess Sera…” Elyse sighed dramatically. “She must be terribly naïve. Or perhaps careless. To choose attendants without considering the dignity of her own position.”
Mara’s head snapped up.
“P-Please don’t bring Princess Sera into this!”
The lady’s expression immediately turned cold.
“How bold,” she said sharply. “A commoner speaking so casually about a princess.”
Mara froze.
She realized too late.
“I- I didn’t mean-”
“How improper,” Elyse continued.
“Someone of your status shouldn’t even be saying her name so familiarly.”
Mara faltered.
And then—
The air shifted.
It felt colder.
Heavier.
The maids felt it too.
Footsteps echoed softly.
Selene walked in.
No one spoke.
She walked straight toward Mara without even glancing at the others.
Then she stopped in front of her.
Two fingers lifted gently under Mara’s chin, raising her head.
“Hold your head high,” Selene said calmly.
Mara’s trembling eyes met hers.
“You are Princess Sera’s first lady-in-waiting,” Selene continued. “Not some stray servant for idle tongues to toy with.”
Mara’s lips trembled.
Selene’s gaze slowly shifted to the others.
Sharp.
Cold.
“These pathetic women chose you,” Selene continued, “because they lack the courage to aim higher.”
Silence filled the room.
“They loiter in laundry rooms picking apart others,” Selene went on, “because it’s the only place they can pretend to feel important.”
One maid shifted nervously.
Another looked down.
Selene’s eyes landed on Elyse
“And you,” Selene said quietly, “hide behind another princess’s name as if it gives you worth.”
Elyse shuddered.
Selene took a small step forward.
“And yet all I see…” she said softly, “…is a pack of bored parasites feeding on someone kinder than yourselves.”
The room went still.
It felt like if anyone moved too suddenly—
Something would snap.
Elyse gulped.
Then scoffed weakly.
“Tch… How vulgar.”
She opened her mouth to continue—
But no words came out.
Selene didn’t look away.
Didn’t blink.
Didn’t move.
Elyse turned sharply instead.
“Let’s go.”
She strutted out stiffly, the other maids quickly following behind her.
Not one of them laughed this time.
The moment they disappeared, the tension broke.
Mara’s knees nearly gave out.
Selene steadied her.
“…Thank you,” Mara whispered shakily.”
Selene let out a small sigh before crossing her arms.
“I meant what I said,” she replied firmly.
“You’re Princess Sera’s first lady-in-waiting. You should hold your head high.”
Mara looked up at her.
“And don’t let people like that prey on you, don't give them a reaction” Selene continued. “That’s exactly what they want.”
Mara’s eyes dropped again before slowly lifting back to Selene.
“I just…” she hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around the sheets.
“I never thought this would happen again. But it feels like everyone ends up picking on me eventually.”
Selene frowned slightly.
“This has happened before?”
Mara nodded.
“Yes… back when I was still a maid,” she said quietly. “Some of the maids used to gather around me and… say things like that.”
Her lips curled into a faint, sad smile.
“It all stopped the day Princess Sera came to my aid.”
Selene stayed silent, listening.
“And then… I was appointed as a lady-in-waiting,” Mara continued. “After that, I never had to deal with those kinds of problems again.”
She paused.
“But now… it’s like everything just resurfaced.”
She gave a small, helpless smile.
Selene felt something twist in her chest.
How could they do something like that to Mara?
Most maids were commoners themselves.
To look down on someone who came from the exact same place as you… it was disgusting.
Pathetic.
Selene looked at Mara for a moment before speaking.
“They won’t,” she said simply.
Mara blinked.
Selene adjusted the edge of the folded sheets in Mara’s arms.
“I doubt anyone will bother you again after this,” she said. “Not unless they’re stupid.”
Mara stared at her for a moment.
Then she smiled — a real smile this time.
“…Thank you, Lady Selene.”
Selene turned slightly toward the door.
“Let’s go.” she said
Mara nodded quickly.
And for once—
Her steps felt a little lighter as she followed behind.
-------------
By afternoon, Princess Isolde came to visit Sera.
She arrived with her lady-in-waiting, and after the proper greetings were exchanged, she took a seat across from Sera, who was already seated comfortably in her chair.
Selene and Mara stood quietly nearby in their usual positions.
Isolde wasted no time addressing the issue.
“I heard,” she began with a gentle smile, “that my lady-in-waiting behaved improperly and spoke disrespectfully… even going so far as to look down on you, Princess Sera.”
Her lady-in-waiting gulped.
As she lifted her head slightly, her eyes met Selene’s — who was glaring at her without the slightest attempt to hide it.
Elyse immediately lowered her gaze again, her hands trembling slightly as she stared at the floor.
She didn’t look up again.
Not until Isolde spoke.
“Apologize to Mara.”
The lady stiffened.
Slowly, she raised her head and looked at Mara… then at Isolde.
Apologize?
To a commoner?
Her lips tightened, and for a moment she didn’t move.
Then she met Isolde’s eyes — and the gentle princess from before was gone. In its place was a sharp, pushing glare that left no room for refusal.
Elyse bit her lip.
Slowly, stiffly, she bowed.
“I… apologize,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Ah… it’s alright—” Mara began nervously.
“I don’t think that was a sincere apology.”
The room fell silent.
Sera’s voice was cold. Completely cold.
Mara froze mid-sentence.
Isolde gave a small, nervous chuckle.
“In what way,” she asked carefully, “could my lady-in-waiting apologize better?”
Sera didn’t hesitate.
“Kneel.”
The word fell heavily into the room.
Elyse’s eyes widened before she quickly looked toward Isolde.
Isolde looked back at her with an expression that clearly said: You’re on your own.
Elyse’s lips trembled.
Slowly… she sank to her knees.
“Your Highness,” Mara said quickly, bowing as she spoke. “I don’t think it has to go this far-”
Sera didn’t even look at her.
“This isn’t even close to going too far,” she said flatly.
Her eyes rested on the kneeling girl.
“After all, you went quite far in insulting her… and even had the effrontery to bring my name into the matter.”
Elyse began trembling.
“I don’t consider this excessive,” Sera continued calmly. “Don’t you agree?”
The question was directed downward.
Elsye quickly bowed, her forehead nearly touching the ground.
“I-I’m sorry!” she said, her voice shaking as sweat dripped down her temple. “I sincerely apologize!”
Sera smiled.
It wasn’t a warm smile.
It was sharp. Dangerous.
Then she turned to Mara.
“Are you satisfied with the apology?”
Mara hesitated before nodding.
“Yes… Your Highness.”
Selene, standing behind them, looked satisfied herself.
Sera waved her hand dismissively.
“You may leave.”
Isolde rose gracefully.
“Thank you for your understanding, Princess Sera,” she said with a polite smile.
Elyse stood on shaky legs and followed behind her, trembling the entire way out.
The moment they were far enough from the room, Isolde’s expression darkened.
She glanced at Elyse with clear disgust.
“How disgraceful.”
The girl’s eyes filled with tears, but she kept her head down and said nothing as she followed behind.
Isolde looked forward again, her expression tightening.
Who does she think she is… humiliating me like that in front of those lowlives…
Her gaze flicked back to Elyse.
And it’s all because of this fool.
Her eyes hardened.
That girl will regret this.
And this time
She was thinking about Sera.
-------------
A FEW DAYS LATER~
The palace gardens were quiet in the fading light of evening.
Princess Isolde walked slowly along the stone path, her lady-in-waiting, Elyse, just a step behind her.
A short distance away, Princess Sera was also passing through the garden with Mara and Selene accompanying her.
The air was calm.
Too calm.
Then a shadow dropped from the garden wall.
Another followed.
Steel flashed.
“Your Highness!” Elyse shrieked.
Three masked men rushed forward, blades drawn, heading straight for Princess Isolde.
Before anyone else could move—
Selene did.
She stepped in front of Isolde just as the first assassin swung his sword downward.
Selene grabbed his wrist mid-strike and twisted.
A sharp c***k echoed as the man screamed, his sword clattering to the ground.
Another assassin lunged from the side.
Selene ducked the blade and drove her elbow hard into his ribs before slamming her knee into his stomach. The man doubled over with a gasp.
The third attacker rushed past her, aiming straight for Isolde.
Selene kicked the fallen sword toward herself and snatched it up just in time to block the strike.
Steel clashed loudly.
The assassin staggered back as Selene forced him away.
By then, palace guards were already rushing toward the commotion.
The last assassin attempted to flee toward the garden wall, but several guards tackled him before he could escape.
Within moments, the attackers were subdued.
Two lay unmoving on the ground.
The third was dragged away alive.
Princess Isolde had collapsed to her knees, trembling violently as her attendants surrounded her.
“I… I thought I was going to die…” she whispered, her voice shaking.
Tears ran down her face as she clutched her chest.
Selene stood a short distance away, the stolen sword still in her hand, her expression unreadable.
-----------
Hours later, the captured assassin sat tied to a chair inside a dim interrogation room.
A few palace knights stood nearby.
The man’s face was bruised, blood running from the corner of his mouth.
“Speak,” one of the knights ordered.
“Who hired you?”
The assassin said nothing.
The knight slammed his fist on the table.
“Answer!”
The man laughed weakly, though his voice trembled.
“You’ll… kill me anyway.”
“We might,” the knight replied coldly. “But you’ll wish we had if you keep silent.”
Minutes passed.
Then slowly....
The assassin’s shoulders slumped.
“…I was hired…”
The room grew still.
“…By someone from her highness, Princess Sera’s palace.”
Murmurs spread among the guards.
“Who?” the knight demanded sharply.
The assassin swallowed hard.
“A… a lady serving there…”
“Name her.”
The man hesitated.
His eyes flicked nervously toward the door.
Then toward the guards.
Fear slowly crept across his face.
“…I… I wasn’t supposed to say this much…”
The knight leaned forward.
“What are you talking about?”
The assassin’s breathing became uneven.
“I wasn’t supposed to-”
Suddenly he bit down hard.
The guard’s eyes widened.
“Stop him!”
But it was already too late.
Foam bubbled from the assassin’s mouth as his body began to convulse violently.
Within seconds, he collapsed forward.
Dead.
Silence filled the room.
One of the guards cursed under his breath.
“…Poison.”
The knight stared at the corpse grimly.
“Spread the report.”
He paused.
“Tell the council what he confessed.”
The words felt heavy as they left his mouth.
“…Someone from Princess Sera’s palace hired the assassins.”
And with that.....
The storm within the palace truly began.
-----------
The atmosphere inside Princess Sera’s chamber was tense.
No one spoke.
Outside in the corridors, the sound of armored footsteps echoed as the royal knights continued searching the residence.
Sera stood near the window, her arms folded tightly across her chest.
Mara paced back and forth restlessly.
Selene remained seated near the table, her expression calm, almost detached.
Finally Mara stopped pacing.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. “You literally saved Isolde.”
Selene didn’t respond.
Sera turned from the window.
“They’ll find nothing,” she said firmly.
“Because there’s nothing to find.”
Just then—
A knock sounded at the door.
Before anyone could answer, the door opened and the captain of the royal knights stepped inside with several guards.
His expression was serious.
“Your Highness.”
Sera straightened.
“Have you finished your search?”
The captain hesitated slightly.
“…We discovered something.”
Sera frowned immediately.
“What do you mean something?”
One of the knights stepped forward and placed several folded letters on the table.
“They were found in Lady Selene’s room.”
The words fell like a stone into the room.
Mara stared at the letters.
“That’s impossible.”
Sera walked over and picked one up.
The seal had already been broken.
Her eyes scanned the contents quickly.
Her expression darkened.
The letter contained instructions.
A meeting place.
Payment arrangements.
And at the bottom—
Selene’s name.
Mara grabbed another letter and read it herself.
Her face paled.
“No… no way.”
She turned toward Selene.
“These have to be fake!” Sera said
The captain spoke calmly.
“They were hidden among Lady Selene’s personal belongings.”
Sera set the letter down slowly.
Her gaze moved to Selene.
“Selene…?”
Selene looked at the papers.
Her brows knit slightly.
“I’ve never seen those before.”
The captain watched her carefully.
“You deny writing them?”
“Yes.”
Her voice was calm and steady.
“They weren’t there before.”
Mara nodded immediately.
“Exactly! Someone must have planted them!”
The captain crossed his arms.
“You’re suggesting someone entered Lady Selene’s room unnoticed and placed these documents?”
Selene spoke before Mara could respond.
“Yes.”
The captain’s gaze sharpened.
“And who would do such a thing?”
Selene didn’t answer immediately.
Her eyes rested on the letters for a moment.
Then she shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Sera frowned.
“This doesn’t make sense.”
She gestured toward the papers.
“Selene fought the assassins herself. Why would she arrange an attack only to stop it?”
The captain nodded slightly.
“That question has been considered.”
He paused.
“But the letters were found in her possession, and the assassin confessed someone from this household hired them.”
Silence filled the room again.
Finally the captain spoke.
“Until the investigation is complete…”
Two guards stepped forward.
“Lady Selene will be placed under temporary confinement.”
Sera’s voice sounded sharply.
“I will not accept this accusation without proof.”
The captain bowed his head slightly.
“This is the proof we currently have, Your Highness.”
Selene stood up slowly.
“It’s fine.”
Mara turned toward her in shock.
“Fine?!”
Selene shrugged lightly.
“If someone planned this much, arguing won’t change anything right now.”
Her gaze returned to the letters.
“They made sure the evidence would be found.”
Then she looked at Sera.
“Don’t worry.”
Her voice remained calm.
“The truth will come out eventually.”
With that, she allowed the guards to escort her out of the room.
Mara watched in disbelief.
While Sera stared at the letters on the table.
Her hands slowly clenched.
“…Someone is playing a very dangerous game.”
- Writer
