Chapter 6: The Guests
2601 Words
*MAXINE’s POV*
The next day, I woke up early as I heard someone knocking at the door.
“Hmm,” I mumbled then yawned.
“Yes?” I inquired, more like whispered to the pillow on my face.
“Princess, it’s time to wake up,” I heard a female’s voice outside of the door.
“Princess,” the woman keeps repeating the word princess, and it’s annoying so I decided to finally get up.
“Alright, alright, I’m awake,” I shouted and decided to sit up on the bed. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table and saw that it’s still six in the evening.
“Awww it’s too early to get up,” I complained and lay back down to the bed.
“Princess? Your servants are here to help you prepare for today’s practicum,” the woman talked furthermore.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll go to that practicum later,” I mumbled and was about to fall asleep again when I realized what the woman said. I quickly got out of bed and ran towards the door and opened it.
“What practicum?” I raised a question but I didn’t get any reply from them.
Hello? I’m asking you guys.
“Uhm, princess, your hair,” the woman, wearing a black long-sleeved dress up to her knees with a white apron and a white headband.
“My hair? Why? Is there something wrong with my–?” I was not able to finish my sentence when I tried to touch my hair and realized something and quickly ran towards the bathroom where a round mirror is pinned into the wall.
My hair looks like a bird's nest.
I tried to fix my hair but I can’t do it since it's tangled everywhere.
Is my sleep that well last night that I ended up turning around most of the time and tangling my hair?
”Ow!” I yelped while I try to brush my hair with a hairbrush. I tried again but it only broke the brush.
What a stubborn hair you got, Princess Zarah.
”Princess, do not worry, we will take care of your morning routine, ” one of the servants said.
”Huh? What do you mean?” I asked but they didn't answer me, instead, one of the servants, a petite girl with short brown hair started running the water on the bathtub.
”Uhm, I’m sorry, what’s going on?” I asked again.
”We will help you with your daily morning routine, you’re highness, ” the servant with red hair and a fair complexion answered my question while holding a hairbrush bigger than the one I broke.
”Uhm...okay, ” I decided to just let them be so that they won’t have to ask me anything anymore.
I saw the petite girl dropping some honey on the bathtub and gently dip her hand in the water and mixed the honey with the water. After that, she took another small glass of liquid soap that smells like roses, and just like what she did with the honey, she mixed the soap in the water. After adding the soap, she then grabbed a small bucket filled with pink rose petals and throw some of it into the bathtub, then she looked at me and smiled.
”Your bath is ready, your excellency, ” the petite girl said while bowing her head.
”Oh, okay, thank you, ” I said. Even though I am confused right now on why do they still need to help me with my daily morning routine, I did not bother asking anymore to avoid any suspicion.
”Princess, please take your clothes off, ” the blonde servant said while bowing her head.
”Huh!? You want me to take my clothes off in front of you guys?” I asked the servant, my eyes are getting big because I can’t believe what she just said.
”Yes, princess so we can give you a bath now, ” the servant replied.
”Oh no, I’ll do it myself, ” I said while continuously shaking my head as a no and I hugged my body tightly.
”But princess we are your personal servants, it is our duty to help you with your daily needs and wants, ” the servant with the apron said but I just shook my head as a no.
”Don’t worry, I can take care of myself, ” I said to them while holding the hem of my sleeves, trying to convince them to leave me already so I can take a bath now.
”Are you sure your highness?” the servant asked and I just nodded at her.
”If ever I’m going to need something, I’ll just call you guys, is that alright with you?” I added. At first, they are still reluctant to let me bathe myself but after a few seconds of thinking, they finally agreed and left the bathroom.
”Finally,” I whispered to myself. I started taking my clothes off and soon, I stepped inside the bathtub and sink my body underwater.
Wow, this feels good and this is my first time taking a bath with drops of honey and rose scented liquid soap.
”There are also petals of pink roses, ” I whispered to myself.
”Princess?” a servant called out from the other side of the room.
”I’m fine!” I shouted back and decided to just finish my bath quickly. As soon as I was done, I quickly wrapped the bath towel around my body and opened the door.
”Are you alright Princess?” one of the servants asked and I just nodded at her.
”Uhm I’ll change my clothes first,” I said as I walked my way to the walk-in closet, however, the servants stopped me.
”Why?” I questioned, looking confused on why are they stopping me from getting dressed.
”We already prepared your outfit for today, you're highness, ” the servant with short hair said and pointed towards the bed where a pink dress is displayed and put on the mannequin beside the bed’s pole.
”That’s...my outfit for today?” I asked, reluctantly.
”Yes, princess, ” they replied in chorus. I’m still not sure about the gown so I secretly looked in the mirror where I saw the real Princess Zarah peaking and giving me a thumbs-up sign which means I should wear the gown. I looked at the gown once more.
But that’s too formal for an ordinary day.
I looked at the mirror again, and still, Princess Zarah wants me to wear the gown so I just heaved a sigh and gave in.
”Alright, ” I said and decided to just let the servants helped me to wear the gown. At first, I have to wear my underwear, of course, next is a fitted short that goes all the way to my knees, then I have to wear a waist cincher to add some shaped in my waist.
”Princess, please hold on here, ” the servant with blonde hair said so I stand in front of the pole of the bed and hold on to it.
”Uhm why do I have to–ow!” I winced as the cincher tightened.
”More!” the servant with an apron said and once again, the cincher tightened.
”Ah!” I yelped.
”Is this even necessary?” I asked the servants while trying to catch my breath since the cincher keeps on tightening and I have to catch my breath.
”Yes, princess, you always do this every day, remember?” the short-haired servant said so I looked at the mirror again and saw Princess Zarah trying her best to hold her laughter back.
Oh my gosh! So you knew this is going to happened!
”Ouch! I can’t breathe!” I complained but the servants didn't listen to me and just keep on tightening the cincher. Every time they pull and tightened the cincher, I think I will pass out, it’s too tight, and I can’t breathe easily.
”Now, princess, please wear your gown, ” the servant said as I let go of the pole and stiffly faced them and they helped me wear the gown.
After putting on the gown, another servant went behind me and again, tightened the dress.
Oh my gosh, this is too much!
”There you go, princess, you’re done changing, ” a servant smiled at me as I try my best to smile at her too.
”T-Thank you, ” I thanked them as they bow their head and grabbed a pushcart with different hair products on it.
”What is that for?” I inquired.
”We will fix your hair for you, princess, ” the servant with an apron replied so I just nodded my head to her and she leads me in front of the mirror as they drag a chair and helped me sit on it. One of the servants slowly combed my hair as the others massage me in my hands and the other one is placing different kinds of high heels sandals on my left side.
Don't tell me I'm going to wear heels?
When I looked at the mirror I can’t see where the real Princess Zarah is, all I can see is my reflection in the mirror, the same as to the servants.
After an hour of fixing my hair and dressing up, I’m finally done with my morning routine.
”Have a wonderful day, you’re highness, ” the servants said and bowed to me then they all left the room while dragging the pushcart filled with hair products, out of my room.
As soon as they left the room, I quickly locked the door and run back to the mirror and I almost tripped myself, and knocked at the mirror glass.
”Princess? Princess?” I called her.
”Yes?” Princess Zarah said as she just finished drying her hair.
”Is this even necessary?” I asked her while pointing at the gown, the hair, even the heels.
”Pfft yes, that is necessary, ” the princess answered.
”Why do I have to wear this too? I’m not you, ” I complained but she just raised her left eyebrow to me.
”I thought you said you want to borrow my identity?” she asked, provoking me so I sighed.
”But I’m not used to wearing these things, especially the heels, ” I said to her, pouting.
”Well, you have to get used to it, if you don’t want to be found out, ” Princess Zarah replied.
She’s right, I have to practice myself.
”Alright, I’ll train every day, ” I said to her.
”No worries, because every day, those same servants will come here every morning to prepare the same things as they did earlier, ” the princess said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
”What? So I have to endure this every day?” I asked the princess and she just nodded at me.
”Oh well, I guess this is my payment for borrowing your body, ” I said to her and she nodded at me too, a sign that she agrees with what I said.
I was about to say something when I heard someone knocking at the door.
”Wait, hide, ” I whispered in the mirror and Princess Zarah quickly hid at the corner of the mirror. I checked her first and as soon as I’m sure that she’s well hidden, I went to open the door.
After I opened the door, I saw the queen standing in front of my room.
”M-Mother, what are you doing here?” I asked the queen.
”Good morning sweetie, ” the queen greeted me with a smile so I smiled back at her and greeted her too.
”Good morning, mother, ”
”What are you still doing here? I thought you have a practicum for today?” The queen asked.
”Practicum?” I inquired.
”Your class about magic, sweetie, you have to attend that lesson so you can improve your magic power, ” the queen said.
My power? But I don’t have on– Oh! Right, I am inside the princess’ body right now.
”Uhm, mother, ” I called the Queen.
”Yes? Is everything alright?” the queen asked.
”Uhm, I-is it okay if I don’t attend the practicum lesson for today?” I asked for her permission.
”But why? I thought you like practicum lessons, ” the queen said.
Oh sh*t! I have to look for an excuse.
”Uh...well...Uhm...” I said while thinking of something that will make the queen believe in me.
”Uhm, right, I still have to enroll myself in the Universidad De Vampiros, ” I said to the queen, remembering our conversation last night at dinner.
”I see, do you really have to go now?” the Queen asked again and I just nodded at her as a response.
”Alright, I’ll inform your father, ” the Queen said and smiled at me.
”Thank you, mother, ” I thanked her and smiled back.
”Well, come on, join us at breakfast, ” the Queen invited me and so I agreed. I turned around to close the door and glanced at the mirror but I didn’t see the princess so I closed the door and walked with the Queen.
When we finally arrived at the dining room, the king and the prince has already taken their seats, together with two women sitting beside the prince.
”And here is my lovely wife, ” the king said then stood up and kissed the Queen on her forehead.
Such a sweet couple.
”And of course, my one and only heiress, ” the king said as he approached me and kissed me on the top of my head.
”Come, have a seat, ” the king said as he guided the Queen and I to our seats. First he pulled the queen’s chair and let her sit down first then he helped me with mine.
”Thank you, father, ” I thanked the king and he just tapped my shoulder before going back to his seat.
”Zarah, you haven’t greeted your auntie Kraemae and your cousin, Kennedy, ” the king said so I smiled at the two women and greeted them.
”Good morning Auntie Kramae, good morning Kennedy, ” I said and they just smiled at me but I noticed something about their smiles. It’s faked. I knew it since I have seen a lot of faked smiles before, and there is no difference from those royal blood from the university to these two, who think of themselves as high as the Goddess.
I think I have to tell this to the Princess.
- Writer
