Chapter 2
Lillith
A fter some trial and error, I eventually find the laundry room located near the rear of the house, only to find Mrs. Umbernuckle there waiting for me with her arms crossed sternly over her chest.
“I see you made it,” she says as I approach. “Now, let’s get started. As a part of your job here, you will be washing all of the linens and the prince’s clothing by hand. I expect you to use the special soaps and starch them properly without leaving any residue behind. If there is a stain, like blood or wine, then extra care must be taken when cleaning that particular item or room. Remember that most of these items value more than your annual salary, so be sure to take extra care.”
She points around the room and demonstrates some of the techniques she suggests while speaking. Once our initial lesson is complete, she points to a large basket full of clothes.
“Your first task will be to clean those. His Highness just returned from a mission, so watch for stains carefully. When you are done, hang them on the lines over there and open the windows to allow the cross breeze to help them dry quickly. Then, come find me for your next job.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will. Thank you,” I mumble.
I wait to begin until she has left the room entirely. Hesitantly, I step forward and study the overflowing wicker basket. Exquisite fabrics of all hues and textures spill out from the top—deep red velvets, lush greens, silks, and ivory linens. I soon discover a less pleasant discovery, a crumpled pair of underwear with a streak of brown running down its back.
Quickly , I drop them back into the basket with a laugh. I refuse to touch those again with my own fingers. Unfortunately, I can’t use magic to clean them because I have to be careful not to use too much magic, or else my magical signature could be picked up by someone. Apparently, Prince Perfect isn’t so perfect.
Mrs. Umbernuckle said something about using lemon on some stains. I dig in the cupboards and find none. Disappointed, I go in search of the kitchen in hopes of finding one.
As I travel through the winding hallways and past the mysterious rooms, I’m filled with a sense of awe. Who knows what secrets these walls hold? A wicked laugh fills my mind at the anticipation of discovering every single one of them.
My heart races as I step into the kitchen, and something stirs. Instinctively, I stop in my tracks, my eyes desperately scanning the darkness until they lock onto the source of movement. Crouched on the cold stone floor is a small creature, its beady eyes fixed on me as it greedily devours every morsel it can find. The little thing is grotesquely adorable with its long ears and large eyes. What is it doing here?
I tiptoe closer. The creature stops in its tracks and turns to face me with a timid expression. I can feel its vulnerability and desperation.
“Come here, sweetheart,” I say gently, motioning with my hand.
It hesitates for a moment before slowly walking over to me on two feet. Its skin is dry and tattered, a clear sign of starvation.
Taking pity on the poor animal, I scramble through the cupboards in search of something that might help it. I find a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread. It isn’t much, but it will have to do.
After I tear off a piece of bread and spread some peanut butter on it, I hand it to the creature. It eagerly takes the offering and gobbles it up in seconds, leaving no crumb behind .
I smile, happy to have helped the little guy.
Suddenly, I feel something shift inside of me. It is like the air grows heavier and darker, and I find it hard to breathe.
The creature looks up at me with big, sad eyes, and I feel like it is trying to tell me something. I can't understand what.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I ask, reaching out to touch it.
As soon as my fingers brush against its skin, I’m hit with a jolt of energy so strong that it knocks me back a step.
The creature scurries away, disappearing into the shadows.
This is strange, but with the creature gone, there isn't much point in me pondering too much. There are no answers to be found at the moment, so I divert my attention to my original goal. After a few minutes of searching, I manage to find a lemon that seems perfect for cleaning stains, as Mrs. Umbernuckle had suggested earlier.
With the lemon in hand, I quickly return to the laundry room, where the basket of clothes, including the crusty underwear, await me. I place the lemon on a wooden table and, grabbing a small knife, slice it in two.
I eye the disgusting undergarment while contemplating how to go about this without actually having to touch it. A stick allows me to pick up the underwear, and I keep it far away from my body. With speed, I drop it onto the ground. Then, I grab half of the lemon and squeeze it onto the brown spots, trying to ignore the stench filling my nose. Hands on hips, I stare at the garment. Something isn't quite right. This will not be enough to remove the stubborn stains.
Suddenly, I remember something from my childhood. Adding salt to the lemon and leaving it in the sun removed many of my worst stains. I was quite the troublesome child in the best way. My clothes were rarely clean by the time breakfast was over, not to mention by afternoon tea.
I grab salt from a nearby cupboard and toss it onto the underwear. Unfortunately, the sun patch on the ground won't be enough. I’ll have to find a more creative solution.
With the stick, I drag the underwear over to the door, trying not to breathe too deeply as I do so. Sure, it probably doesn't actually smell, but at this point, I’m convinced I can detect the slightest hint of poo wafting from it.
I open the door to the outside. Sunshine spills into the room, momentarily blinding me. Blinking away tears, I scan for somewhere to put the garment where it will get good sun exposure.
Nearby, there is an evergreen bush that is shaped like a heart. It seems as if it is in just the right spot to get good sunlight for most of the day.
Without hesitation, I drape it over the bush and step back to admire my handiwork. It now looks much more interesting with the white garment sitting atop like a patch over a broken heart .
With satisfaction in finally finding a solution, I clap my hands together and go back inside to work on the rest of the pile of laundry left in my care, content with a job well done.
Several hours later, I finally finish hanging the clothing. I’m exhausted. I require a snack and a break before I can start my next task.
I search the castle for Mrs. Umbernuckle but can't find her anywhere. With a sigh, I decide to head into the gardens in case she is outside enjoying the sunshine.
An ear-piercing screech echoes off the walls as I walk through the gardens.
Startled, I run toward the sound and stumble upon Mrs. Umbernuckle and a tall, muscular handsome man standing together. She looks angry and is muttering something at him while pointing behind his back.
The underwear!
The moment her eyes find me, she starts to scream. “How dare you leave his... his... clothing his... unmentionables out in the open like that? Do you know what could have happened if anyone else saw them?” She paces around in a circle, her hands on her hips as she continues to yell. “You are responsible for this mess! I can’t believe you were so careless and irresponsible!”
The man meekly glances at the bush with the clothing before turning his gaze toward me. He seems amused by the predicament but tries his best to hide it behind a polite smile.
Mrs. Umbernuckle, however, waves her finger in my direction and continues to berate me for being careless and irresponsible. “This is not something that you can just ignore! You must take responsibility for your actions! As an experienced maid, you should know better than anyone how important it is to be careful with delicate items.” She grabs my shoulder and gives me a hard look. “You need to understand that there are consequences for your mistakes, or else you won’t last long here!”
I stand there, speechless. Already most of the stain is gone. I fail to see what the exact problem is.
Before I can respond, the man beside her steps forward, soothing Mrs. Umbernuckle. “Really, Mrs. Umbernuckle, it’s fine. No one saw anything other than ourselves. There was no harm done.”
Who is this man? I appreciate him helping me out, but in my personal experience, no one ever does something like that without their own personal agenda behind it.
“Prince Asher, please forgive her. She only started today,” Mrs. Umbernuckle begs between sobs.
My jaw drops. It can’t be. This is the hero prince of Necia? He is even more handsome up close than he is in paintings. His bright blue eyes twinkle as he smiles down at me, and my heart flutters as a lock of his long white hair blows across his face .
Mrs. Umbernuckle clasps her hands together, her eyes glistening with tears. “I’m so sorry,” she says in a hushed tone. “I never meant for this to happen. I... I beg your forgiveness.” She looks up pleadingly, her voice quivering.
Prince Asher waves away her apology. “You hung my clothing outside? How did that even occur to you?”
I shrug. “It’s the most efficient way to get out particular types of stains. I’ve used it on my own clothing often. “
He nods thoughtfully and smiles. “That’s pretty ingenious. I’m impressed. Although, perhaps in the future, we can put up a temporary barrier so those passing by don't get quite as good of a view of my underwear. I would even be willing to speak to the gardener about erecting a dedicated space where this could be done safely on a regular basis.”
“Of course,” I say, giving a slight curtsy.
He smiles again. “I very much appreciate your help taking care of my clothes. I won’t forget.” After pausing for a moment, he adds, “By the way, what’s your name? In case I ever need it again.”
“Lilly, your Highness.”
“It was nice to meet you, Lilly. If you would excuse me,” Prince Asher says.
I watch as he leaves, admiring the view before a cough pulls my attention back to the woman beside me.
“You’re lucky, you know. Any other member of the royal family, and you would have just lost your head. ”
“Of course. You’re right. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
I turn slightly so she doesn’t see my smirk. Chop off my head? I would love to see them try.