The New Maid

"Take the jar," Adrian said and the maid walked to the jar and took it. Her hand trembled slightly, but she held on to it, knowing that letting it go was not an option.

"What do I do woth this, my lord?"

"You are to kill the queen." He said, then looked down at his fingers.

"My lord."

He broke into a wide smile. "Of course not. She is the woman I want to marry."

The maid's relief was obvious as she sighed. "Then what do I do with this, my lord?"

"As far as I know, the Queen has Earl grey tea at 11 a.m every morning. You need to slip that in to it. Every day. There are exactly thirty pills for each day she spends there."

She nodded. "Is there anything else, my Lord?"

He shrugged. "Never put more than one. One is not detectable by taste or silver. Two is. I need her health to start failing by the time she comes here, so I can have that lowly servant to blame. Afterall, he was the only one with her over there." He chuckled to himself, and shook his head. They won't know what hit them this time.

"My Lord, that means I have to join the maids that will serve the queen during her honeymoon. But they have been counted, and it will be easy to find me out."

"I already took care of that," he answered. "Lana, a maid will help you get settled."

The maid nodded, understanding as he gave her a portrait of Lana.

Hector sat on his bed as the maids went around packing his things. He didn't understand how he would need all of the boxes they were heaping on top of each other, but the Queen herself had given directions and he would not object.

The one thing he knew for sure about her was that she knew exactly how to handle him. He could be at his lowest, most cowardly phase of existential crisis and she would be there, holding out her hand to him, and safely guide him to the light.

He swallowed as he heard her voice from a distance and he stood from the bed and smoothened out his robes.

She walked in, her brows lifted as she examined his boxes.

"Where is the jewellery?" She asked, without looking at him.

He watched her as she herself opened the smallest box there. It contained the accessories that go on his clothes, the heavy signet rings that he has not gotten accustomed to yet. He looked down at his fingers. He was wearing the ring she had worn on him for their wedding, and strangely, he did not feel so weird looking at it now.

"May I know what you are thinking about?"

Hector looked up, realizing he had actually drifted off looking at the ring. He slowly put his hand behind him, then looked up.

"I was..." He trailed off, unable to bring up something. Was it not a little weird to tell her that her ring had somehow caught his attention after at least a fortnight of wearing it?

She chuckled. "You do not need to tell me. Everything is almost ready. I hope you are too."

He nodded. "Yes, your highness."

She lifted a brow. "Of course, your highness."

He swallowed. "I apologize."

She said nothing as the maids took out the boxes one by one, and headed to the caravan with them.

"Are you, by any chance, Lana?"

Lana turned to the young maid who had asked, and raised a questioning brow. The maid in turn leaned towards her.

"Lord Adrian has sent me here."

Lana nodded. "Of course. The caravan is almost ready, and you will join the servants. It is my position in the third row to the right, and the fifth there. You will occupy the space there."

The maid leaned away from her, gave a brief smile and nodded, then walked out.

"Her highness, the Queen and His Majesty are approaching." Came the announcement.

Lana watched fron the open door as the maids aporoached first, then Hector.

She couldn't deny, he looked beautiful. He was wearing a dark purple and black robe, and even though he wasn't wearing a crown, he had a brooch on his robe, and two signet rings, apart from the one from his marriage.

She sighed, just as Queen Elvira came into view too. Her head was held high, her veil dangling in front of her, her hand dangling gracefully on Hector's arm.

Lana swallowed the jealousy that brewed like gall behind her throat, her fists clenching so hard that her fingers dug into her palms that had gone white fron the pressure.

Hector always turned to at least catch a glimpse of her whenever they did pass by the servant's quarters. But now, now he had his focus in front of him, and occassionally, in small, perhabs unnoticeable moments, she saw his eyes turn to the queen as they made their way out.

She stood watching them, and the train of maids that accompanies them closely. Her lips parted in a small smile when, in her place, was the maid Adrian had brought, following the train diligently.

Hector helped Queen Elvira into the carriage first, before he took a final look at the maids. There was no sign of Lana, but as he turned to go in after Queen Elvira, something suddenly struck him.

"Your highness?" He suddenly said, and she turned to him.

"Is something wrong?"

"It is that...a maid..." he said and trailed off, observing the naid who stood, her head lowered and hands clasped neatly in front of her. It was almost too neat, as if she was hiding something.

"What about her?"

"I have..never seen her before. She looks...very different."

"Summon her then. You are king anyway." she said, then leaned back.

He nodded, then summoned the maid. She walked to him, her head lowered.

"Who are you? I have never seen you before."

She bowed again, a small smile on her face. "I am standing in for the maid Lana as she is currently indisposed and unable to follow the caravan."

Hector felt a little guilty. She was probably avoiding it on purpose because of him and what had happened the previous night. But it could not be helped. He turned away after waving her off, then entered the carriage with Queen Elvira.