Moon String

Chapter Fourteen:A Maid's Worst Morning

CHAPTER Fourteen:A Maid's Worst Morning

Lyra's POV

"Are you angry?" Liora asked.

"No."

She raised an eyebrow.

"So... sharpening knives in the middle of the night is what? A hobby?"

"You don't understand." I sighed dramatically. "That bastard embarrassed me."

Liora looked around the room before lowering her voice.

"I'll just assume you're talking about someone else and not the King."

"Who else would I be talking about?"

"Lyra!" she hissed. "Do you have a death wish? Just because he forgave you once doesn't mean he'll do it again."

I smirked.

"Honestly... dying doesn't sound like such a bad idea."

Her eyes widened.

"Don't joke about that."

"You're no fun. You take everything too seriously."

She shook her head, trying to hide a smile.

"I honestly think you are the one at fault here,if you had just listened to me and not gone to his pool then this wouldn't have happened"

"So you're on his side"

"Are you even listening to me lyra,why did you go to his pool in the first place "

"Well it's not like there was any sign that says the King's private pool or something like that "

Liora sighed.She knew it was of no use to argue with me.

"Can I ask you something?"Liora asked

"Sure, bae. As long as you're not asking to borrow my vibrator."

"..."

"..."

"What?!" she squeaked, nearly choking.

"Can you be serious for once?"

"I am serious."

She grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at me.

I caught it effortlessly.

"Violence? Really?"

"You deserve worse."

I laughed.

"Fine, fine. Ask your question."

Liora hesitated before speaking.

"Is... anything going on between you and the King?"

I blinked.

"...What?"

I clutched my chest dramatically and pretended to spit out imaginary tea.

"The way he looks at you..." she continued.

I stared at her in horror.

"Liora..."

"..."

"You need glasses."

She frowned.

"I'm serious."

"So am I! How could you accuse me of something so disgusting?" I shivered dramatically. "I'd rather mate with a frog."

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Lyra, can you just..."

BANG!

The bedroom door burst open without warning.

I groaned.

"I guess your arms would've fallen off if you had knocked."

The chief maid marched inside with her nose tilted so high I wondered if she could still see the floor.

"In case you are unaware," she announced proudly, "His Majesty has ordered that the two of you serve as domestic slaves within the palace."

Silence.

"What?!" Liora and I shouted together.

"And as the chief maid, my rank is far above yours. You will address me with the utmost respect and..."

"Well," I interrupted, "you can come pluck that respect out of my asshole, you old hag."I absolutely didn't want to listen to this nonsense.

Liora gasped.

"Lyra! be respectful"

The maid's face twisted with rage.

"I'm sure..." Liora hurriedly stepped forward. "There must be some mistake. Could you please check again?"

"There is no mistake."

The woman smiled with unbearable satisfaction.

"Starting tomorrow morning, both of you will perform your domestic duties."

She turned to leave before stopping at the doorway.

"And you..."

She pointed directly at me.

"This is the last time you speak to me like that.i won't tolerate it next time or trust me there will be severe consequences"

I folded my arms.

"As long as those 'severe consequences' don't involve me seeing your face again, then I'm fine with it."I retorted.

Her eye twitched.She looked shocked and angry.

"I'm guessing nobody has ever talked back to you before."

She looked seconds away from exploding.

For a moment, I thought she'd slap me.

Instead, she inhaled sharply.

"This isn't over."

"Close the door on your way out!" I called after her.

She slammed it shut.

The room fell silent.

Liora slowly turned toward me.

"...Why are you like this?"

"I ask myself that every morning."

She sighed.

"What if she tells the King?"

"Then maybe he'll promote me from palace maid to professional troublemaker."

She groaned.

"I'm serious, Lyra."

"So am I."

She sat beside me on the bed.

"What if the King really ordered this?"

I frowned.

"Wow."

"What?"

"So you're doubting His Majesty now?"

She rolled her eyes.

"A few minutes ago, you accused me of having something to do with him. Now he's made us maids."

I folded my arms.

"I hope that answers your question."

The joking smile slowly disappeared from my face.

Why had he done this?

I frowned and laid on the bed, hoping to get a good night's rest.But instead what assaulted my mind was thoughts of him.

Why the f**k am I so sad and affected?

Why did it bother me so much?

I hated that it bothered me at all.

Liora must've noticed the change in my expression because she quietly lay beside me and wrapped an arm around me.

I leaned into her embrace.

For a brief moment...

Everything felt normal again.

Just two sisters.

No prison.

No palace.

No King.

No painful past.

Just us.

It brought me back to those good old times when everything was perfect.

If only moments like these could last forever.

Sleep eventually claimed me.

...

I found myself standing before a long wooden table overflowing with roasted meat, fresh bread, sweet pastries, and steaming honey cakes.

Finally.

Some respect.

I reached eagerly for one of the honey cakes.

Just as my fingers touched it...

Splash!

A freezing wave crashed over my entire body.i felt something cold all over my body

I gasped.

Everything went black.

My eyes flew open.So it was just a dream.

Cold water dripped from my hair onto the bed.

Standing above us with an empty bucket was the chief maid.

A smug smile stretched across her painted face.

"What the f**k?!" I shouted.

Beside me, Liora sat bolt upright.

"What is wrong with you?!"Liora asked visibly annoyed

"It's morning," the chief maid replied sweetly.

"Time to begin your duties."

She placed the bucket on the floor.

"The palace toilets need cleaning."

She smiled wider.

"So do the dishes."

I clenched my fists.

I swear... one day I'm going to make this woman cry.

I forced the sweetest smile I could manage.

"You're lucky I don't have a wolf."

The chief maid folded her arms.

"Oh?"

"She would've scratched that ugly makeup right off your ugly face."

Liora smacked my arm.

"Lyra! That's enough."

The chief maid's smile vanished.

For a second, I thought she was actually going to throw the bucket at me.

Instead, she straightened her back.

"You'll both report to the kitchen once you're finished cleaning the east wing."

She leaned closer to me.

"And don't keep me waiting."

With that, she turned and walked away.

"You're not seriously going to let her get away with that, are you?" I asked.

Liora sighed.

"We're prisoners, Lyra."

"So?"

"So we don't have the luxury of picking fights with everyone."

"I wasn't picking a fight."

She stared at me.

"...Fine."

"I was finishing one."

Liora pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Just... please get ready."

She disappeared into the bathroom.

I sat quietly on the edge of the bed.

There was something I'd wanted to ask ever since we'd reunited.

Something that had been eating away at me.

"Liora?"

"What is it?" she called from inside.

"What brought you here?"

Silence.

"Why were you locked in that dungeon?"

Still nothing.

"How long have you been there?"

The sound of running water stopped.

For a brief moment...

The room became unbearably quiet.

When she finally stepped out, there was a smile on her face.

But it wasn't real.

"It isn't important."

I looked into her eyes.

For the smallest fraction of a second...

I saw it.

Pain.

Fear.

Guilt.

Then it disappeared behind another smile.

"We'll talk about it another time."

I knew better than to push.

Not yet.

But someday...

I'd learn the truth.

No matter what it was.

---

Two hours later...

I had officially decided palace work was invented by demons.

My back hurt.

My hands hurt.

My feet hurt.

Even my soul hurt.

I leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

"I'm tired," Liora groaned beside me.

"Same."

"I'm hungry."

"I'm Liora."

I blinked.

Then burst into laughter.

"My sense of humour is finally rubbing off on you."

She smiled proudly.

"I've been learning from the best."

"I knew there was hope for you."

She laughed and nudged my shoulder.

For the first time that day...

Things felt almost normal.

We gathered the last stack of cleaned dishes and carried them toward the kitchen.

As we rounded the corridor...

A familiar figure approached.

The Lycan King.

Several guards followed behind him.

The hallway instantly fell silent.

Every servant lowered their head.

Liora quickly bowed.

I did the same...

Well...

Mostly.

I lowered my head just enough to avoid getting yelled at.

The King's footsteps echoed across the marble floor.

Slow.

Steady.

Powerful.

When he reached us...

He stopped.

Great.

Just great.

I kept my eyes fixed on the floor.

Maybe if I pretended to be invisible...

He'd leave.

"What happened here?"

His deep voice cut through the silence.

The chief maid hurried forward.

"Your Majesty, these two have completed their duties."

The King looked at the pile of spotless dishes.

Then his gaze settled on me.

"You."

I looked up.

"What?"

Liora elbowed me so hard I nearly swallowed my tongue.

"I mean..."

I cleared my throat.

"...Your Majesty."

His golden eyes studied me.

"You've been unusually quiet today."

I smiled innocently.

"I've been trying something new."

"And what's that?"

"Staying out of trouble."

One of the guards coughed, clearly trying not to laugh.

The King's lips twitched ever so slightly.

If I hadn't been staring at him...

I would've missed it.

"I see."

He turned to the chief maid.

"They've done enough for today."

The chief maid frowned.

"But, Your Majesty, there's still..."

"I said they've done enough."

His tone was calm.

But final.

The woman immediately lowered her head.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Without another word, he walked away.

I watched him disappear down the hallway.

That was...

Unexpected.

Liora slowly turned toward me.

"See?"

"What?"

"He doesn't hate you as much as you think."

I scoffed.

"He literally turned us into maids."

"And yet he just stopped her from making us work even longer."

I folded my arms.

"Maybe he just got tired of looking at my face."

Liora laughed.

"I don't think that's it."

I refused to admit it...

But the strange heaviness in my chest had eased.

Just a little.

---

By evening, we'd eaten a decent meal and finally returned to our room.

I collapsed onto the bed dramatically.

"If anyone wakes me up tomorrow..."

"I know," Liora interrupted.

"You'll haunt the palace."

"I was actually going to say I'd cry."

She chuckled.

"Sleep."

"I don't want to."

"You need to."

"What if trouble happens while I'm asleep?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Lyra... you're usually the trouble."

"...Fair point."

I laughed and pulled the blanket over myself.

Just as I was beginning to drift off...

Voices echoed outside.

Loud.

Panicked.

Then came hurried footsteps.

Doors slammed.

People shouted over one another.

I sat upright.

"What in the Moon Goddess' name is happening?"

Liora hurried to the window.

The palace courtyard was filled with guards carrying torches.

Servants rushed in every direction.

Even nobles had come outside.

"It's too noisy," she murmured.

"I can't make out what they're saying."

A loud voice suddenly rang through the palace.

"No one leaves!"

Another voice followed.

"Search every room!"

My stomach tightened.

Something was terribly wrong.

Liora and I exchanged uneasy glances.

Without saying a word...

We stepped out of our room and followed the growing crowd.

Neither of us knew that before the night was over...

The entire pack would be staring at me.

Accusing me.

And my life in the palace would change once again.