THE ABANDONED LUNA

CHAPTER 7

Sunshine met her on the way to the palace the next day. She wanted to finish her chores and retire for the whole day but today, she wouldn't be coming home. She would stay in the palace for as long as it will take, for her not to be embarrassed of mama anymore.

She hadly slept a wink yesterday. She was restless. Kept rolling over from one side of her wooden bed to the other. Of course her eyes were drowsy but her body's needs were much more stronger. Jade wanted to have another taste of the forbidden apple. It had just been hours but Jade kept wanting more by the second. It was as though the tiger had been unleashed by those wanton acts yesterday.

Jade was dressed in a simple orange gown. As she walked, she made sure to look around. In her tiny head, she imagined yesterday's wolf among the people she would meet today. This was one of her pains. She wished she knew his human form. It would have done her good. But now, she had to keep looking over her shoulder for a dark natured man.

Contrary to the main palace, the servants quarters were noisy as hell. Jade had arrived earlier than she had expected. She walked right through to her room and changed her outfit. There, now she could fit in with the servants just well. Just as she stepped out of her room, she met Aubry. Jade smiled and greeted cheerfully even though the woman did look like she was in a haste.

"Come dear, no time for pleasantries. Just got word that the Prince's horse is not in the stables. He has left for his morning runs earlier than expected. 'Tis good you're on time." Aubry stated hastily.

Jade nodded. "What a beautiful morning then."

Aubry laughed. Jade would get to complete her chores earlier than expected and get some extra time for herself. Her stomach growled but Jade ignored it. She could always eat to her satisfaction later.

"Hurry dear. I will take you to the palace, but i will have to leave you there. The King has called for me."

Jade wasn't worried that Aubry would leave her there. Instead, the King's name caught her attention.

"The king?" Jade asked. She couldn't hide her curiosity. No one said anything about the king except the king loved silence. Jade, in her little mind, had imagined how horrible the king would be, if he was married to that witch of a queen.

Aubry was used to getting this kind of reaction from her daughter anytime she called the King's name. Everyone imagined the worst of him when instead, he is the better of the two. He is much more attentive and kinder than the queen would ever be.

"Yes dear. The king. Have you had any opportunity of meeting him yet? Aubry asked.

"God no." She wouldn't even dream of meeting the king. She would make sure she avoided the two noble heads during her stay.

Aubry released a laugh as they neared the Prince's palace. "The king is much more softer than you think. He is a just and strict ruler. Don't confuse the two. Do not think he's like the Queen."

Aubry made sense. Jade understood that to rule, you have to close your eyes to a lot of things and rule fiercely. Some rulers were kind enough to be flexible at intervals, a good combination of fire and water. That, to Jade was the best kind of ruler.

They came to a stop at the entrance. Aubry turned to Jade and smiled. "This is you now dear. I shall leave you to your task."

Jade noddes stifly and climbed the stairs. She stopped and asked a black headed guard in particular for confirmation. "The prince isn't in his chambers?"

The guard nodded. "The prince has left for his morning ride."

Aubry smiled as she watched Jade disappear behind the open giant doors. Aubry deep down wished Jade was her daughter too, to make two daughters. In just a day, she had observed her. Jade is strong, smart and so much beautiful. Rachael was indeed lucky to have a daughter this gifted. Aubry made a mental notion to make sure their daughters were good friends.

Inside the palace was cold and quiet. She walked past the main hall and entered the Prince's chambers. She groaned. Just yesterday they had arranged the Prince's clothes and today, he did worse. It was as though he threw his clothes at different angles of the room, intentionally. The prince wasn't stupid, of course he knew someone had been in his room yesterday. He had definitely noticed his organized and clean room, didn't he?

Jade sulked as she went to the kitchen to retrieve her cleaning materials and got to work. She first picked up the clothes and folded them before making the bed with clean sheets and covers. She brushed and washed the windows and bath tub before drying them off. She placed clean towels and good soaps on the stand by the tub before scrubbing the floors. Jade wasted no time scrubbing the floors because she was used to scrubbing floors. Mama had taught her since the day her body began to curve. Mama had said learning chores was an added advantage and it would do her good one day.

She cleaned the excess water before finally drying out the floors. She stood up in her now wet clothes and disposed of her cleaning agents. She had done more than she thought she could accomplish and now, it was time to leave before the hot headed prince came back.

Jade gave one last look at the now cleaned and organised chambers before turning around and walking towards the exit. Before she could make it to the exit, the black headed guard she had asked earlier about the Prince's whereabouts barged through the doors in alarm.

"Quickly hide. The prince is back!"

Jade stood still, unable to think. Surely the guard was joking, right? He wanted to see her freak out, didn't he? But did he look like he was joking? No. He didn't. If anything he looked scared for his life. He definitely wasn't allowed to be inside the Prince's quarters.

Jade willed her feet to walk. She had no clue about where to hide. She looked around the plain hall and pictured herself getting caught by the prince. The image wasn't welcoming and that was enough for her to run to the Prince's chambers and squeeze into one of his wadrobe that was empty.

Only a second was what it took for Jade to hear the strong, loud footsteps of a person, the prince in the main hall. Jade tried as much as possible to stabilize her breathing before the prince came into his chambers. Her palms were already sweating, so was the rest of her body.

Jade wasn't ready when the chambers door swung open. If anything it startled her. She was trapped inside a wardrobe with a broody killer of a wolf present in the chambers. Only now did she realise what a stupid decision this was, to hide inside one of the vital places the prince would use. Even though this wardrobe was empty, the prince would surely sense her if he came to the sets of wardrobes for a change. She was as good as dead already.

Jade heard a loud grunt realised by the prince, in acceptance or annoyance, she knew not but she guessed it was about the state of his room other than that, it was all quiet. No footsteps, no grunts nor groans, just quiet. Jade was confused. She needed to know what the prince would be doing in order to sneak out of this place. The more she listened, the quieter it became.

Jade thought of the stories about the prince and for some reason, she wasn't scared. Instead, a sense of comfort and calmness washed over her. That didn't mean she would just open the wardrobe and tell the prince, "Sorry my Lord, I got stuck here earlier whilst i was cleaning."

Jade sighed lowly. The wardrobe was getting stuffy and she was starting to sweat more. Jade doubted she would survive this for long. If she stood here for much longer, she would kill herself by herself.

Then she heard a sound. Splash. The prince was in the tub, having a bath. This was a good chance for her to escape. Jade firstly removed her shoes before placing her finger in the hole and twisted the lock open. The wardrobe creaked a little bit but that was that. Jade made a run for the chamber door but to her dismay, it wasn't opening. It was...locked. There were no keys by the door side. Jade felt her heart drop in her ribcage. What was happening?

She hadn't heard the prince locking his door when he came in. Why would he even lock his door in the first place...except if he already knew that Jade was inside to begin with.