Queen Bethesda had sent her maids away back to the carriage, but before doing so, she had hurriedly pulled off the finest dress she had worn to impress Lucas and exchanged the outfit with one of the maids.
They had looked at her in awe, but asked no questions as she did so.
“You would pretend to be me as you leave. I would catch up to the palace later,” she told them.
They nodded without objecting. They loved their jobs, and questioning her was never an option.
The maid wearing the queen’s dress walked carefully, as though she was about to fall. It wasn’t her fault, the dress was heavy.
“Gracefully,” Bethesda had said, watching the girl adjust herself and walk with the other maids behind her.
Immediately after, Queen Bethesda took the east corridor.
She pulled away the remaining pea
