Chapter 36 - They aren't Real
916 Words
Catherine's eyes wandered everywhere as she came into the kitchen. Today, she would finally say it to Princess Zenith. For a few days it had been hard as whenever she came around Celia was there to stop her. And she was now sure that Celia was also a wizard!
Otherwise, how could she be able to stop her at every step? Celia must have known that she would be telling it to Zenith that's why… a voice whispered in her mind as a shiver ran down her spine.
A footstep came and Catherine's eyes went bigger and it became more roundish.
"Oh! Miss Catherine!" said a flowery voice from behind her as she released a sigh. It was Greta.
"Greta! Oh! How wonderful it is to see you—" The head maid whirled around and halted as Celia entered as well with a smile.
"Catherine!" She greeted and went near the head maid as she stepped back. Her blood ran cold at the nearness of the maid or the wizard.
"Ce—Celia..." Catherine gulped as sweat formed on her forehead and Celia scrutinized her.
No! No, no. Now she must be suspecting her or worse, she must be reading her mind and would stop her again! Catherine stumbled back.
"Are you alright?" Celia asked, "you've been sweating a lot. I think you should see a physician... lately, you seem so weak."
"I— I'm alright," she chuckled nervously and said while putting a distance between them, " I must prepare for my Highness's morning tea..."
Celia smiled and said, "Don't rile up now, Catherine. I've already made it."
Catherine went still. Why would Celia want to make everything for Princess Zenith, all of a sudden? Was there some hidden motive behind it and that wizard who had been living with them in the place of the real princess must have suspected something... They weren't suspecting Catherine to know everything about them, were they?
"Umm... Catherine?" Celia asked, taking the beautiful tea set and waiting for her response while Greta looked between them. Even she could feel the uneasiness in the air.
"Oh! Yes... Tea... Morning... I—" In a lightning speed, the maid snatched the tea pot and the tray from Celia's hands and dashed away leaving behind two shocked maids in the Royal Kitchen.
"Did something happen to her?" Greta asked.
Celia shrugged, "I don't know. She has been acting weird lately."
Greta narrowed down her eyes at the head maid's way and said as she clapped her hands. "That must be it!"
"What?"
"I think she must be thinking you are taking her place as not so long ago after she informed Princess Zenith about your herbal tea and she was very impressed." Greta remembered the moment about their secret orders given by the Princess Zenith. It must be because Celia was excellent in her work even when she was young but Catherine was already reaching her mid age and never got any praises from any of their superiors even when she worked hard to maintain her position.
Celia portrayed a worried face and said, "I only serve my princess and I am planning to serve her for the rest of my life." She smiled. "She doesn't have to worry about it. I would never take her place and honestly..." Celia chuckled, "I can never have her place."
Greta shrugged as she barely cared about any of this and she didn't find any unusual behaviour in Celia. She was poor and needed money for her family and she certainly didn't want to entangle between any of this.
****
As Catherine reached Princess Zenith's doors she released a sigh. Finally her moment had come. Should she ask for her reward?
She knocked as Princess Zenith's voice bloomed, her voice was a bit hoarse, "Come in."
She entered and bowed her head low as Zenith said, "Ah! You came! I was tired of waiting for the tea."
She tilted her head and found her princess was still in her morning robe and was leaning against the pillows in her large bed. She had no ornaments and no make ups on her face. Beside her, the bed was empty but the crumbled sheet told the crown prince was here.
Catherine reached her and set the tea cup as she poured the hot liquid and instantly the room filled with the fresh aroma of mint leaves with lemon. Zenith smiled, her face lit up and her shoulders relaxed.
The head maid gave her the cup and she sipped on it. "Wonderful!"
Zenith praised which was unusual as Catherine had ever heard her praising anything other than the jeweler and the royal dressmaker.
Catherine sat on her knees as she said, her heart banged loudly against her chest, "Your Highness..."
"Yes..."
"I had kept my eyes and ears open around The human princess and the maid as you have asked."
Now that made Zenith a bit interested as she stopped sipping her favourite tea and gave her all attention to the maid, "And did you find anything?"
Catherine gulped as she nodded, "I heard their conversation the other day."
Zenith sat straight as her eyes glinted with a devilish hue, "Prey, tell me, what did you find?"
"It is as you have said, your Highness." Catherine looked at her with a horrified face as Princess Zenith's eyes narrowed at her.
"They are not the real princess and maid." Catherine recalled their conversation, "They are wizards."
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