Attention Seeker!
1780 Words
Vallin's POV
That girl, Aria. There's something off about her. I know she's my father's new favourite maid and even my brother has interest in her already.
But I feel drawn to her. What is she? I mean, who is she?
The moment I stepped foot into that dinning room, the other day. I felt this energy bursting out of her. Her sweet piercing gaze and cute smile. I can tell it's fake, but who cares.
I should stop thinking about her, she's just like the rest of the maids. There is nothing special about her.
That's what I keep telling myself. The other day, Natalia came to me crying in my room about her. She's a threat to her reputation as the head of the maids. I don't care about her reputation, she's a maid and I'm a prince.
.
Last night, after rough handling her on the bed as usual. I fell on the other side of the bed and Natalia sat up. She tied her hair into a rough ponytail.
"What did you notice about that girl?" She asked me.
I don't need her to ask twice before I know it's about Aria. I pretended not to know or she'll think I'm going to leave her.
"What girl?" I asked.
"The new maid. The one who retouched your father's soup" she said.
"I don't know. I left early, I didn't get to see her face" I lied. I stared at her clearly. Her jawline, her tight maid uniform. Even the thought of her now was making me hard again.
"Don't look at her. She's ugly. I'm here for you, Vallin" she touched my cheek. I took her hands off my face.
"You should go to your room now" I said, wanting to leave the bed. She snapped and remembered something.
"Your father hit me today and you couldn't do anything" she said.
I paused and glared harshly at her.
"If you say something like this again, I'll have no choice but to banish you from the palace. He's the king and my father, what do you want me to say? It's your job as the head of the maids to check the king's food" I scolded her. She turned away and scratched her head.
"I'll go to my room now, good night" she wore her uniform.
"Don't ever look at that girl" she threatened before she left.
I wasn't going to look at her till I found her in the training ground, with Natalia. She was watching me. I decided to do a little show off and increased my energy. Todd's sword flew right out of his hand and Natalia walked towards me.
She started cleaning the sweat off my body and started kissing me. I thought that would make that girl look jealous or surprised, but she didn't look like it.
Todd even dropped his sword and ran to her, but she walked away. What is she? How can she not have any interest in the princes?
Other maids around would die to watch me fight, but she was different. I knew I sniffed it out that day.
"I have things to do. There's a new maid now" Natalia said and left.
Todd came back and sheathed his sword.
"That girl just ignored you" I said to him. He just faced me with a cute smile on his face.
"She's playing hard to get. I'm going to get her soon, just watch and see" he said.
Hard to get? She doesn't look like she's playing that. She's not just interested in us.
"You see brother, I've always liked girls but, this one is different" Todd said and left. He was right, this one seemed different. But, I can't get close to her, seeing that Natalia has sent all the maids away from me. She's the only one wanting to bath me and cloth me.
"I'm leaving now"
"Don't run away from your lesson Todd" I said to him, as his elder brother. He just smacked his lips.
"Whatever" and replied with that. He was never interested in learning.
I grabbed my own sword, hoping to fight alone but, that girl was still stuck on my head. I've never thought of another maid before, other than Natalia but, things has changed. This girl came from no where and stole my attention, but the worse thing is that she's not an attention seeker.
I need to find out about her.
.
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Aria POV
My sword was still in good shape. Seeing prince Vallin and his brother at the training ground made me remember the training house. I missed Ramsey. I cleaned the sword and wrapped it up.
Just while I was hiding it under the bed, a knock came in. I walked towards the door and opened it.
"You must be the new maid" the girl said. She looked like she was depressed and at the same time, happy.
"Uh... Yes" I said.
"Good" she replied and pushed herself into my room.
"Being a palace maid is good but, I'll have to remind you about the bully. I heard you got a little taste of it this morning. Trust me, it's just a little. I've been the youngest maid here for months and now, you're the youngest. You have more duties more than anyone. I've finally handed the baton to you" she said. I rolled my eyes.
"Are you done?" I asked her.
"You have a task now, go and prepare for Prince Todd's bath" she said.
I shot my eyes wide open.
"What?"
"I know it's hard. You'll wash every part of him but, prince Todd won't let you go deeper than that. He'll probably send you away" she said.
"Fine, I've heard you. Now leave, please" I said. She smirked and left.
What is this? I thought it was going to be easy when I step feet in here, but it's hard. I can't stop to rest for just few minutes.
Am I ever going to get my revenge at this rate? When will I even get the chance to train?
I gathered strength and left my room. I immediately head to the kitchen and started preparing for prince whatevers bath. I waited for the water to boil. While I waited in the hot kitchen, everyone went out to have fun and chat. I was thinking the fire wasn't much to boil the water.
I dropped the fan and bent over to check it. I used my mouth instead. I kept blowing strong air into the fireplace.
"Please, boil fast. Please boil-"
I froze and my eyes sparked when someone touched my waist from behind.
I slowly turned my neck and saw Vallin. I gasped and moved a little away from him.
He just touched me. Why? How dare he?
"You were blocking the way with your body" he said. That was his reason for touching me. I clenched my fist angrily. But, what could I do?
He's a prince and I'm a freaky maid. He has the right to do whatever he wanted.
"I'm sorry for blocking your path, my prince" I bowed, still vexed. Instead of him to walk pass me, he moved closer to me. My breath ceased for some seconds.
"You have something on your nose" he said. I tried to clean it, but his hand already reached for my face. With his left hand inside his pocket, he wiped whatever was on my face off with his right thumb. His touch was so calming. Who said this one was ruthless and arrogant?
"Did you kiss the fire?" He asked. Oh, it must be the coal I got, trying to increase the fire with my mouth.
"Thank you, my prince" I bowed.
He just walked to the fruit basket and grabbed a fruit and left. How uncomfortable. There was so much eye contact but, it was different. If Natalia was here, she would have killed me.
The water was finally boiling. I rushed and head to Todd's room to prepare him for his bath.
I knocked his door. It took some seconds before he came to open it.
"I'm not... Oh, it's you Aria" he said.
"I'm here to bath you, my prince. If you're not ready, I can come back" I said to him.
"No, come in" he said. He looked excited to see me. He even helped me carry the basin of hot water to his tub.
"I'll take care of it, my prince. Please, get ready for your bath" I said. He rushed out hurriedly and came back. He stood right behind me, wearing nothing but his robe. I sighed and walked closer to him, taking off his robe.
"Your hand is warm, Aria" he said to me.
The robe fell and he was standing naked before me.
"Thank you, my prince. Please, get into the water" I said and turned to check the water.
"Huh?" He asked. I could sense the disappointment in his voice. I wasn't interested in looking at his body. I've seen a lot of naked bodies at the training house, both dead and alive.
He got into the water and I started to wash him. I knew he was watching me, trying to read my expression but, one thing that someone can't do is to read the facial expression of an assassin.
We were taught that at the training house. When we went on missions to kill the bad guys, they hardly knew what we were thinking, no matter how skilled they were.
I snapped back to reality when Todd took my hand.
"Is anything the problem, my prince?" I asked.
"I'm hurt" he said.
"Should I get the royal physician?" I asked.
"No! Aria, you hurt me. I was excited that you get to bath me and I let you. I never let anyone bath me. They just prepare my bath and leave"
That's a shocker. I smiled at him.
"Tell me, Todd. How did I hurt you?" I asked, calling him by his name. His eyes brightened.
He couldn't say anything else. He just smiled too. He took my hand and placed it on his chest.
"You hurt me here" he said.
It's annoying how some people try to be romantic. I just have to act along. Besides that, if I get prince Todd to like me, it's going to be easy to find my mother.
"I'm sorry, my prince. I'll try to be nice to you from now on and you'll also do me a favour" I asked.
"Anything for you Aria" he said. I have a cunning smile. That wasn't too hard. He has just made my job easy.
- Writer
