Some would say that being hand-picked to become a lady-in-waiting for a princess is a blessing. I say that it's a curse. Especially for a princess like Caspia, who has to be the most demanding woman I have ever met in my entire life. I barely had enough time to breathe when Captain Fredrick took me through the kingdom's large, brown, brick castle. I glanced down at the moat underneath us, staring at my reflection and questioning my current decisions. This was for the family. I had to remember that. I had to make this place...this...seemingly gigantic place...my home. Somewhat. My home away from home. I just had to change my perspective around and make it positive.

"There's several dead bodies in the water," Captain Fredrick said out of nowhere. There goes the positivity.

"H-huh?"

"From when this kingdom was first built. People fought over the land, but the Chapman's had leadership like no other. That's the reason why they were able to create this kingdom."

"Oh-"

"But, if I'll be frank, the leadership quality has...declined over the years. And I'm worried for our future if things continue the way they are."

"Wait what? What's going on with the king?"

"Nothing for you to worry about for now. His son should take over soon after he's married."

"He has to be married to become king? That sucks."

"And he has to be expecting a child within months after his marriage. For the sake of the bloodline."

"Blech."

I'm glad that wasn't my problem. Still, though, I felt bad for the prince. Hopefully, he'll find a wife soon.

"There you are!"

Caspia's familiar voice rang through the halls the moment we entered. I didn't even get a chance to look around. The hallways were wide and full of windows just feet apart from each other, giving the place plenty of natural lighting. The floors were made of stone, and large pillars that were neatly carved helped to add some sort of regalness to the atmosphere. A few banners hung from several walls, each banner a different color than the last. I wondered what they meant.

"I needed you for my massage thirty minutes ago," she wailed. "It helps with my digestion before dinner."

"That makes zero sense."

"Watch your tone," Captain Fredrick hissed. "Again, don't make me-"

"Fredrick, she's fine. I told you, I like her like this. She's opinionated. I need someone like that in my life. Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to get going. I must show her around."

"Hm."

She started tugging me by the arm once we went deeper into the castle. She went a few minutes without saying anything until she stopped us at a random door.

"The washroom," she explained. "Where...you'll need to shave."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you think I didn't notice all that hair when I looked at your arm earlier? Goodness, you're like a..."

"Watch it."

"Well it's true! I've never seen anyone so hairy before!"

"It's not even that bad. My mother has much more hair than me."

"I can't imagine what your father looks like in that case. He's probably a bush."

"Your hair looks like a bush."

"Excuse me!? My golden curls are nowhere near bush-like! You're just jealous because your hair is straight and boring."

"And probably easier to comb through than yours, right?"

"Ugh. Maybe I made a mistake choosing you as my lady-in-waiting. I guess I would've had better luck letting my father pick one for me instead."

Now I felt bad. Not that bad, obviously, because I know I won the argument. But still.

"...I'm sorry. I've just never had to worry about shaving my hair."

"It's fine. I just want to make you look presentable. You're my lady-in-waiting. You're not a mere peasant anymore. So shave. When you're done, you can continue down the hall and stop at the next door you see on the right side. That'll be your bedroom. Across from your bedroom is my bedroom."

"We stay across from each other?"

"I must need you at all times. It's easier to just have you live across from me just in case something happens. Oh-like if my pink fabric rips again. That was a nightmare."

I could think of worse nightmares than your dress fabric ripping. Like falling to your death.

"Give me an hour."

The moment I shut the door behind me I went to work. I nicked myself a few times with the blade, but other than that I think that I did okay for my first time shaving. After a while, I was out of the washroom and into my...very depressing-looking bedroom. The walls were made of stone bricks, the floor was also made of smoother stone like in the hallways. Everything about the room was bare, with only a few bedsheets for me to spread across my so-called "bed." I wasn't going to sleep on it. I was used to sleeping on the ground, so I planned to sleep on the ground. I set my things down in a nearby chest before walking into Caspia's room. Her room was the polar opposite of mine. Everything was elegant, and so...so green. Green and gold were the theme of her bedroom, from her green and gold velvety bedsheets to her green and gold patterned walls. Her floors were made out of wood that seemed polished to perfection. She hadn't even noticed that I walked in when I did. I sat on one of her chairs, waiting patiently until she looked up from the book she was reading.

"OH!"

"Surprise, I shaved. Also, shaving sucks. I'd rather not do it again."

"You can wear long-sleeved dresses, then. Now massage me. Can you start at my shoulders?"

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't feel like it. But, if you'd like me to do anything else for you, I'd be glad to assist."

"...You're so rude."

"Says the woman who just forced me to shave. You should've seen the tub in there. It's a bloodbath."

"Ew. You're so weird, Jessella."

"Thank-"

"Where are you from again?"

"A long way out. Far from Town Square."

"Do you live by the caves?"

"Something like that."

"You're brave, then. So many people have lost their lives going in those caves. They say that whoever goes into them never comes out. I couldn't imagine what must be lurking within them. What do you think? A beast?"

"I think that you need to take a break from that book," I sighed. "Somebody's been reading a lot of fiction."

"It's better than spending my time looking for boring suitors," she sighed. "If I had a choice, I'd rather marry someone like you instead of a prince from another kingdom."

"Someone like me?"

"Yes! Someone...poor and simple."

"I'm not-"

"But father wants me to marry a prince. Someone we can be allies with. We're a small kingdom, you know. A weak kingdom. So the more allies we have the better. My brother and I must be married to royalty. There's no way around it."

I felt bad a little. I've personally never fallen in love myself, but I knew that if I were given the opportunity I'd rather marry for love than for benefit. But my parents got together for the benefit, and now they're in love. Sort of. It can be hard to tell with my mom. Maybe the same could happen with Caspia.

"Your wardrobe," she suddenly gasped. "I can't let you wear those rags around me. It'll clash with my dress colors."

"So what do you suggest I do?"

"...We're around the same size."

She pulled at my arm again, this time dragging me to her closet. It was massive. Dresses of all colors, fabrics, and designs were displayed from wall-to-wall. Matching shoes-mostly heels-laid underneath them. Caspia looked at me up and down-as if she were looking for something-before eventually turning away to take some dresses out.

"Put this on," she said, throwing a deep purple dress my way. I didn't want to put it on. But if I wanted to gain her trust I had to. I let out a little groan as I slipped out of my usual clothes and into the dress, which surprisingly fit me just right. Then, Caspia gave me some black flat shoes to slip in, assuming that we had the same shoe size as well.

"Something tells me you don't like heels."

"I hate heels."

I hated shoes in general if I'll be honest. I like going barefoot as much as possible.

"You look better," she mumbled as she messed with my hair. "You still look kind of poor but...now it's less noticeable. Now, I'd ask for my massage again, but I'm afraid that I have to meet up with my mother at the castle gardens for a private matter. We'll see each other again later tonight."

"What do you expect me to do in the meantime?"

"I don't know and I don't care. Just don't do something that'll get you killed."

When she walked out of her closet and out of her bedroom, some of the castle servants began to enter and look around. Two of them began to make her bed, while one went into her closet and gave me a kind smile. She was a woman around my mom's age, her hair red in color and eyes as blue as the sky.

"Hello, Jessella is it? I'm Mary."

She brushed herself off before reaching out her hand.

"Hi," I said, shaking it firmly. "How'd you know my name already?"

"Oh, word gets around here. This castle may be big but the staff is...kind of small. There are enough people for us to get by just fine, though. ...And enough people for the word to get around about Caspia's newest lady-in-waiting. Did you know that you're her twelfth?"

"What!?"

"Yeah," Mary laughed. "She's been through that many. Most of her previous ones quit...there's her last one that died...you know, Caspia doesn't have a good track record with keeping lady-in-waiting's. You'll be lucky to last six months with her."

"Well, I'm going to try my best. I need this job."

"That's what they all say...and then they quit. Oh-but I don't mean to discourage you."

She brushed off her dusty black dress again before tying her hair up with a white rag.

"We have to clean up a little, don't mind us."

"Should I help?"

"No, no of course not, dear. Your duties require you to attend directly to the princess. We step in whenever she's away."

"Well, I need to find a way to pass the time."

"Why don't you help set up things in the dining hall, then? We could always use some help in there. Let me show you where it is before I forget."

And off we went, back into the naturally-lit castle halls until we could reach our destination. When we finally got to the dining hall I was completely blown away. It was incredibly grand. There were three tables, with the table in the middle being the longest. They must've built this to host at least a hundred guests. The color scheme of it all was brilliant brown and gold, with a mural of the sky painted on the ceiling. The lit chandeliers added a nice touch to it all. I also noticed right away that some of the servants were beginning to work on the table settings, so Mary persuaded me to go on and pitch in.

"It was nice meeting you, Jessella," she said with another smile. "Hopefully we'll have some more time to talk later."

"I hope so too."

I made my way over to the tables, unsure of what to do with all the silverware. We had utensils in the caves, but we had nothing near this level of fancy for just eating. We ate with our hands most of the time anyway.

"Um-"

"That's not your job, silly!"

Another servant woman came up to me, her grabbing the dining equipment from my hands.

"Your job is to serve the princess."

"She's busy right now dealing with private matters, so I figured that-"

"Oh I see, you just want to help around. Do us a favor and see when the food will be ready then, will you? The kitchen is to your left and it's right around the corner."

"...Okay."

I really was just trying to pass some time. If I couldn't do that, then I guess I should've gone back to the caves when I had the chance. When I finally got into the kitchen, a staff of at least a dozen people were running back and forth trying to get things together. They hadn't even noticed I walked in. Trays of food were being passed around, each person adding or taking away a different thing from each dish. I didn't know where I could begin in such a fast-paced work environment. I nearly jumped when I felt a sudden blast of heat from the enormous brick oven that was behind me.

"Watch it!"

"...Sorry-"

"Who is this in my kitchen?"

A tall man-a very tall man-with no hair on his head but with a long, grayish-brown mustache began to walk up to me. The apron he was wearing had flour all over it, though the rest of his clothes seemed pretty clean enough. Well, except for his leather shoes. They had flour all over them as well. His deep green eyes gleamed with curiosity while he eyed me up and down.

"Ah. Jessella!"

"You know my name too?"

"Word gets around. The names Reginald. Reginald Iverson. But the folks around here call me Chef Flame."

"Chef Flame? Wh-"

He cut me off by suddenly breathing out a beam of fire, which answered my question immediately.

"Oh, so you're a dragon."

"I ain't a dragon," he coughed. "That's just a party trick."

"How do you pull it off?"

"That's a secret. Now, what are you doing here when you're supposed to be-"

"She's doing something private. I can't join her."

"Ah."

"I'm just looking for a way to pass the time."

"We're about done cooking for dinner, so you can't assist us with that."

"Okay then. I can go back out there and see if they'll let me set the table or-"

"You can help with cleaning up," he suddenly said, tossing a broom my way. "This kitchen is always a mess whenever we're done making a meal. Sweep the floors, then organize the pantry. Put the items in alphabetical order."

"Alphabetical order?"

"Apples first. Bananas second. Carrots third. Dates fourth-"

"I get it."

"Good. Next time, get here earlier so you can help us with the more fun stuff."

"Oh-you may not want that, if I'll be honest. I'm not the best cook."

"That's okay. We all have to start somewhere."

I guess he was right. I had to get used to it if this place was going to be my second home. So I swept for who knows how long, then I began to organize the pantry, which was bigger than my room, by the way. I don't know how on Earth Chef Flame expected me to get the entire thing done. I was in the pantry for so long that he had to come back and tell me to stop.

"How long have you been back here for, Jessella?"

"I don't even know."

"Well come on, get up. It's about time to start serving the dishes."

"Will you need my help after dinner is over?"

"If the princess doesn't have anything for you to do, then sure. We could always use some more hands back here."

I could see that all of the dishes-from the juiciest steaks to the most sweet-smelling pastries, were lined up by a nearby counter, ready to be brought out. Several of the servants grabbed each dish, one by one, forming a line as they began to serve to the tables. I peeked my head outside and noticed that Mary, along with some of the other servants I saw earlier, were all sitting together. I planned on sitting with them up until Chef Flame told me otherwise.

"You're going to sit next to the princess."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes," he chuckled. "You always sit next to her. Just in case she chokes on something, you'll be there to assist her. And you won't speak at that table unless you're spoken to, since you'll be sitting next to royalty."

"I have to sit by the entire royal family every time?"

"Until the princess says otherwise, yes. So watch how you eat. Oh, and also how much you eat. You don't want to look like a pig."

"Uh-"

"But don't eat too little, either."

"Okay...so just the right amount."

"Yes, precisely. And don't forget about table manners."

"...Uh..."

"You have no idea, do you?"

"...I mean...I..."

"Just go."

"Okay."

I awkwardly went towards where Caspia was, her face looking flabbergasted from the moment I sat down.

"There you are! Where have you been?"

"...Back there...? Why?"

"I need you here before they start serving the food. That way, in case a servant trips over their feet, you can jump up and prevent the food from falling on me."

"Well, I do apologize, Caspia. You told me to go somewhere that wouldn't get me killed, so I decided to help out in the kitchen a little."

"You can be killed in the kitchen! There are knives everywhere! Not to mention all that fire-breathing our chef does...what if your dress catches on fire and you end up burning alive?"

"Fine. You're right."

"I know I am. So don't go back to that kitchen anymore."

"You got it."

I planned on going back to that kitchen anyway. There was plenty of food back there, some of which I've never seen before in my life. I had to bring some to the caves for my people to try.

"Ugh."

"What?"

"My brother is here."

The dining hall silenced as he walked in. Like Caspia, he had curly blonde hair and blue eyes, though his eyes were a bit warmer than Caspia's. His hair was also long, but he kept it in a bun most of the time. Unlike Caspia, his appearance wasn't as formal. He was wearing a simple shirt and pants, with his white shirt caked in a little sweat as if he had just worked out a few minutes ago. Anyone could tell that he preferred to maintain a healthy shape since his muscles were showing a little with every movement he made. His eyes landed on mine, then on Caspia's, and he simply gave both of us a bit of a smirk before sitting down.

"That's your twelfth one now, isn't it, sister?"

"You should mind your business."

"Maybe I should. But if I do that, you'd be on your fifteenth lady-in-waiting before I can even blink."

"My track record with lady-in-waiting's is not that bad!"

"Hm, okay." He began to stroke his goatee a little as he thought about what to say next.

"...How many have died while serving you, again?"

"Just shut up. You get on my nerves."

"And you get on mine."

His eyes went back to me again.

"Jessella?"

"...Yes?"

"Welcome. I'm sorry you have to deal with my sister, but I promise you, as annoying as she is, she does have a...somewhat sweet side. Potentially."

"Shut up, Charlie."

"Anyway...where are you from?

"I live near the caves."

"Do you really? Tell me, have you ever gone inside of them?”

“Don’t be a fool, Charlie, of course, she hasn’t gone inside of them. Everyone knows how dangerous they are.”

"Maybe they're not as dangerous as we think, Caspia."

"Every fool that's gone in has never come out. I think that says enough about how deadly they are."

"Who says they're deadly? What if the people who went in are still alive? Or, better yet, what if they found a treasure so valuable inside of those caves that they decided to never come back-"

"Now you just sound ridiculous. I hope you don't waste your time on those theories when you become king. You should be focused on other priorities."

"That's if I become king, I still need to find a wife. Maybe your lady-in-waiting would like to court me?"

"You'll be lucky if one of our servants wants to court you, Charlie."

"You two need to start treating each other with respect."

Our heads turned to the sound of an older man's voice. The king. He walked next to his queen, both of them having the same features as their children. Blonde, curly hair, and blue eyes. I guess dark hair and eyes didn't run in the family. They both dressed similarly as their children, however, their clothes seemed to be made of even more expensive, colorful fabrics, which made me wonder how much money this family had.

"The sooner the better. As future king and as current princess, you two need to maintain a good image. A proper image. Especially for next week."

"What's next week?"

The king and the queen looked at each other before smiling.

"We're going to be hosting what we call an...engagement ball. By the end of it, both of you will be engaged to be married to one of those who attend. It will finally be a chance for you both to get closer to starting a family."

I could see Caspia's face darken almost immediately.

"What do you two think?"

"It doesn't matter what they think, dear." The king chuckled as he took a sip from his cup. "They're going to get engaged at that ball whether they like it or not. I'm tired of trying to find suitors for them. Charles should've become king years ago. And Caspia should at least be engaged by this point in her life. But for some reason our children-"

"I'd rather marry for love."

Caspia said it so quietly that I almost didn't hear her. But I could see how shaky she was becoming. Like it was her first time expressing how she truly felt to her parents. She could barely hold her fork upright.

"Marry for love?"

"Yes, father."

"No. You can't marry for love. Not unless you find someone you love who will heavily benefit our kingdom. And, for that to happen, you must marry royalty."

"But what if I don't want to marry royalty?"

"It doesn't matter what you want, Caspia. You were born a princess of Cambiot, which means you have to put this kingdom before yourself. Quit being selfish."

"Is wanting to marry for love really selfish, father? Is it too much to ask?"

"When our kingdom is as small as ours is, yes. It is too much to ask. Now quit speaking that nonsense and eat."

"I'm not hungry anymore."

"Caspia Chapman, if you leave this table then so help me you will not be allowed to dine at it any longer. You will have no other choice than to feast with the servants."

"I'd rather feast with them than feast with someone as demanding and heartless as you."

Her mother let out a small gasp, but Caspia was too angry to care. She stormed off, leaving me alone and unsure of what to do next.

"Um-"

I had to go with her. Right? It was my job to be at her side. But that food we were eating did look delicious...so I went ahead and grabbed my plate, as well as hers, and stood up to go follow her. You can imagine how much I struggled trying to chase her down with plates in my hands.

"Caspia-"

"Go away," I heard her sob. "Just leave me alone."

"Okay. But would you still like your food? I brought it along."

When she turned towards me her eyes were so red and puffy. Even though she forced me to shave earlier, I felt...terrible. I felt terrible for her and what she had to go through. And I wanted to help her the best I could. Even if that meant leaving her alone for a while.

"Feed it to the dogs," she sniffed. "I no longer have an appetite."

"...You guys have dogs?"

"Ugh."

"Wait-"

That's when she slammed the door in my face. Extra hard and extra loud. At that point, I didn't feel as terrible for her. So I decided to brush her rudeness off and bring the plates to my room, not realizing that someone was behind me.

"She'll be fine."

"WH-"

The sound of Charlie's voice made me nearly drop both plates. I made sure to set them down before clutching my chest, checking to see if my heart was okay.

"Sorry."

"It's...fine. Just warn me next time you do that."

"Will do."

He took a look around my room, his face showing a mixed expression of disgust and pity.

"No wonder my sister has had so many lady-in-waiting's," he muttered. "This place is depressing. Where is the color?"

"Who knows."

"Ah. Well...if this place is going to be your home away from home, we need to make it special, right? I say we change out these bedsheets to something softer, repaint the walls, and give you a refreshed closet. That's what women are into nowadays, isn't it? New clothes?"

"...Sure."

He leaned against a nearby wall, looking at me as if he were trying to study my behavior. I looked back at him, folding my arms until he was planning to stop staring so much.

"Tell me about those caves," he said out of nowhere. "What's in them?"

"I wouldn't know."

"You're a good liar, Jessella. I'll give you that. But I know you've been in them before. You had to have gone in them before. Who wouldn't be curious enough to go inside if they had the chance?"

"My family and I, that's who. We pass by those caves and never look back at them. They're too dangerous."

"I don't believe you."

"So you think I'm lying about how dangerous they are? Fine then, go see for yourself. But I doubt your sister will want to reign over this kingdom after you go missing in those caves."

"You're funny," he laughed, though I was being completely serious. "Fine then. Keep your secret. But I'll find out the truth about where you live eventually."

"Don't you have anything else better to do?"

"Other than bother you? Not for the moment, no. Have a good rest of your night, Jessella. We can work on your room in the morning."

"...Good night, Charlie."

I couldn't let him find out about the caves. About my people. I didn't know what type of person he was-and I didn't want to know. My main goal was to still get close to the princess and bring some valuables back...though I knew it would be more challenging to accomplish if he planned on watching me like a hawk. I had to get him off my back. Somehow.