Alexander just sat on the bed as he patiently waited for Isadora. His gaze searched around the room. It was way too smaller to what he was used to. His room was at least thrice of hers, not to mention the bathroom and garden. He couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to stay in such a small room. And for once, he cursed the person who designed the maids’ quarters.

He looked at the room searching for nothing in particular when his gaze landed on a drawer that was besides the bed. What could she have kept in there? He wondered. Curiosity got the better of him and he found himself heading towards the drawer. It was slightly open and a padlock and key were hanging on its handle. So she had forgotten to lock it. But what could she lock inside a drawer?

His hands slowly pulled the drawer as his heart raced in anticipation. He looked inside and there, a sheathed dagger lay. What the hell was a maid doing with a dagger? That, he planned to ask her later. His hand held the dagger as he stared at it. Its pocket was made out of the rarest leather skins he had ever seen. In fact, only a few wealthy Lords and members of the royal family could afford it. But she, a mere maid, was holding a priceless piece that he had not even laid his hands on. Additionally, this type of leather was very rare, only found in the Southern most part of Arcadia. How the hell did she lay her hands on such a rare piece? He now started being suspicious of her. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Pushing the burning questions at the back of his mind, he unsheathed the dagger and nearly gasped at what he saw. This was the perfect description of craftsmanship. The dagger was embedded with mysterious symbols that looked gothic but added on to the beauty of the blade, and releasing an immense danger too. He had never laid his eyes on such a piece. Just how the hell did a maid lay her hands on such kind of artifact? Was she an assassin? Her innocent face flashed across his mind and he shook his head in denial. No! That can’t be.

He ran his fingers on the edge of the blade but the moment he touched its sharp point, his skin got pricked. Blood oozed out of the spot and his eyes widened. Just exactly how sharp was this dagger? If touching it alone was enough to injure someone, that meant it was one dangerous equipment for her to have. Why did she have to keep such a dangerous thing with her? What if she hurt herself with it?

He looked emotionlessly at his bleeding figure while taking a handkerchief out. He slowly wiped the scarlet liquid off his finger and placed it there until the bleeding stopped. What he needed now was answers. Answers to the questions that were swirling in his mind. He removed the handkerchief from his hand and sheathed the knife. He would wait for her until she comes back. That was when he was planning to ask her.

Alexander just sat there staring blankly at the ceiling. He was now feeling restless. Gods! It was taking ages for her to return. Had something happened to her or had she been given other work? He shook his head in denial. No one else had the right to allocate jobs to his personal maid except him and the head maid. And thinking of Jessica, he knew she would never do that. But then why was it taking so long for her to return?

Time had passed now and Alexander was pacing in Isadora’s room restlessly. Had the kitchen been relocated to some other continent? Gods! He was clearly losing his patience here. He looked at the dagger that lay on the nightstand before he picked it and stormed out of the room.

The maids who were working along the hallway abruptly stopped to look at him but lowered their gazes when they saw it was the crown prince. Nobody wanted to lose their jobs by being on his bad side. So they just threw furtive glances at his retreating figure. Those who were brave enough stood holding their hands on their backs when he passed while giving him a mocking gaze. Once he was out of sight, everyone present started murmuring.

"Did you guys hear what he did to the new maid last night?" A maid begun. The others left their work and joined her forming a gossip club now.

"Yes! I heard that he slept with her all night and used her body for his own satisfaction. Poor girl!" Another blurted in.

"And he was in her room now." Another one said.

"But she left the room a few minutes ago. Maybe he grew impatient and went searching for her. Is he forcing her to have sex with him?" Another maid said before she got hard glares from her fellow maid.

"Watch your tongue Edith. Even if he is forcing her, this is the crown prince we are talking about here." Another maid warned and the rest shook their heads to affirm her words.

"Is that how you talk about his highness when he’s not around?" A cold feminine voice resonated through the hallway making the maids to look around surprised. Their gazes shifted towards the source of the voice and their heats almost came to a halt. An angry Jessica was standing there while her arms were placed at her waist. She shot an angry glare at each of the maids before she approached them.

"Do you know the consequences of your actions?" She asked looking menacingly at them. "I suppose you don’t. And so I will tell you instead." The maids were now trembling at each sound that came from her mouth. But this was shadow compared to what she was about to say.

"Talking and gossiping about the affairs of a member of the royal family is a crime only punishable by death, with the least being the cutting of your tongue." The maids gasped in fear at this. Jessica added onto this by the menacing look she was affording them at the minute.

"But don’t worry ladies." She said smiling wryly at them. They smiled back in fear, staged smiles at that. "I have everything under control now. Not a word about this will get out so your tongues will remain intact and so will your lives." She looked at them and saw the relief in their faces.

"But the next time I will find you committing the same mistake, I will not be as merciful as I am now. Get back to work now!" She ordered. The maids bowed and resumed their working. Jessica shook her head as she continued forward through the hallway. She still found it hard to believe what she had heard the maids talking about. If that was true, then she had no other option but to fire that lady. She had not even stayed here for a week and yet she had caused so much trouble. This time, she couldn’t get away with it that easily.