Finding Love In Darkness

My name is Iris Luciano. I’m twenty years old, and I work at the palace to earn a living. My mother passed away when I was five, leaving me alone with my father. A few years after her death, my father fell gravely ill. We owned a small farm, but we had no choice but to sell it to cover the costs of my father’s treatment. Since the age of twelve, I’ve been working at the palace to make ends meet. Over the years, I’ve heard countless rumors about the king and his immoral behavior. He’s infamous for being a womanizer, and I’ve always taken care to avoid his attention—especially since it’s said he has a particular interest in young, beautiful virgins. I had no intention of losing my virtue to him. The king’s reputation extended beyond that. He was known to pursue married women despite having numerous concubines, yet he had no children. I often wondered why, but it wasn’t my place to question such things. My father’s illness had worsened significantly, and I was running out of options. I needed to find a way to save him before it was too late. The thought of losing him terrified me—I couldn’t imagine being left an orphan. One day, during my free time at the palace, I sat with Joy and Jessica, two sisters who loved to gossip. That day, their conversation turned to a mysterious portrait in the forbidden room. My curiosity was instantly piqued. "Where is this room?" I asked eagerly. They hesitated, exchanging cautious glances before pointing me in the right direction. Stealing had never crossed my mind before, but desperate circumstances call for desperate measures. If taking something from that room could save my father, I was willing to risk everything. My only focus was on finding a way to help him. As I wrestled with my thoughts, the head maid, Ma’am Prisca, called out to me. I excused myself from Joy and Jessica and hurried over to her. "Iris, take this tea to the king’s chamber," she instructed. I froze. In the eight years I’d been working at the palace, I had never once entered the king’s chamber. It was a place no one dared to go unless summoned, and even then, it was a rare occurrence. Why was she sending me there now? I couldn’t help but feel uneasy, knowing all too well how manipulative the king could be. Reluctantly, I took the tea tray and made my way to his chamber. My heart pounded as I approached the grand door, but I gathered my courage and knocked softly. When I entered, I was relieved to find the room empty—the king was in the bathroom. Hastily, I placed the tea tray on the table and poured the tea into the cup. Just as I heard the sound of water stop, signaling the king was about to emerge, I slipped out of the room as quickly as I could. Once back in the kitchen, I returned the tray, and the maids washed it. I exhaled deeply, relieved to be away from the king’s chamber. Eager to resume my earlier conversation, I returned to look for Joy and Jessica, hoping to learn more about the forbidden room. Unfortunately, they were gone. My frustration mounted as I realized the next step in my plan: I needed the key to that room. The problem? Only Ma’am Prisca had the key. But how could I get it from her? I didn’t have a plan yet, but one thing was certain—I had to try. My father’s life depended on it.