Dydra followed the lead of the coloured maids, taking every corner they took. She could sense the tense atmosphere and she quickened her pace to match with a maid few steps away from her.
"Hey, what's going on?" She asked in a low tone. The maid didn't spare her a glance as she answered.
"Princess Naiya has summoned all coloured maids." The maid also held a quiet tone. A frown formed on the redhead girl's face as she wondered why.
"Why is that?" Her blue eyes were fixed on the maid, who refused to make eye contact with her.
"We don't know. But whatever the reason is, it is not good." She could hear the fear in the maid's voice, which had her wonder how the princess is.
The maids reached the corridor of the art gallery and saw Madam Sandra there. They all bowed in sync—all except Dydra as she didn't react in time. Sandra didn't bat an eye lid at them, as she instantly knocked on the door.
"I have gathered the maids, your highness!" She announced before she went ahead to open the door. She entered with the maids following suit. Every single one of them heads were bowed, with their hands placed by their side.
Having been worked as a maid in her previous home and her experiences with the elites, Dydra knew never to look the princess in the eyes.
A pleasant smile enveloped Naiya's lips and she gave a sharp order. "Form a straight line!" With quick reflex, the maids did exactly what she ordered without making a sound.
Naiya gracefully stood up from where she sat, with a cup of blood tea in her hands. Her eyes sized up every single one of them. She could hear their hearts beating thunderously against their chest, which showed they were scared of her.
The princess eyes travelled from one face to the other, before landing of Dydra's. Out of all the maids present, the red-haired girl's beauty stood out, which had the princess wonder if her beauty caught her half-brother's eye. Slowly she made her away towards the girl, before stopping right before her. Dydra's body instantly tensed. What does the princess want from her? Did she do anything wrong? Her heart beat loudly against her chest, which was very audible to the princess's ears. Dydra's eyes didn't leave the floor, as she dearly hoped for the princess to turn away from her.
"Lift your head, dirty thing." The princess said cooly, which had Dydra frown. Was the princess referring to her? That was possible since she was right in front of her. Dydra wasn't too taken aback by the princess's insult as she had received worse from the elites she's came across.
The red-haired girl knew better than to actually look the princess in the eyes, so taking a deep breath. She lifted her head, but kept her eyes on the princess's chin.
"Last night, my half-brother, Leonard, was spotted carrying a maid in his arms, heading to his room. A coloured maid. Do you happen to know anything about that?" Naiya's eyes were fixed on Dydra's face as she asked.
The frown on the young witch's face deepened as the previous night, she was with the kind elite the previous night, so she doesn't know anything about it. Or could it be that her half-brother, the crown prince, is the kind elite? The thought swept through her mind, but she was quick to dismiss it, as she pictured it to be impossible. But the name Leonard lingered in her mind, as it had her remember the pervert who tried to rape her twice and she wondered if he was the crown prince. She also quickly brushed off that thought and answered the princess.
"No, my princess. I do not know anything about that."
Naiya narrowed her eyes with a displeased frown when she heard this. From the expression the maid had on, it was clear she was telling the truth. So, if it wasn't her, then who was it? She questioned inwardly. She stepped away from Dydra and asked the room in a loud tone.
"Are any of you, rats aware of this?"
The maids shook their heads violently not daring to make a sound. Naiya eyes swept their faces and noticed they were all telling the truth and she was not happy.
"So, are you ugly chimpanzees claiming, I, Princess Naiya is incorrect about this information?" Her voice held anger, which had the servants in the room quiver. They all shook their heads again, which added fuel to the fire.
"Don't you have voices? ANSWER ME!" She roared, smashing the tea cup she was holding on the ground, with the content spilling out, pouring on her dress. She clenched her teeth, and glared at the servants, not caring about the spilled tea on her dress or the shattered glass on the floor.
"We know nothing of this princess!" The maids echoed, with all bowing deeper than they previously were. Naiya's chest hovered up and down, and she rolled her fingers into fists.
"Guards!" She yelled, and almost immediately the door to the art room bursted open, with two guards coming in.
"Yes, princess!" The answered simultaneously.
"Get these disgusting maggots, out of my sight and punish them with five lashes!" She ordered. When the maids heard this, they all fell to their knees and started begging.
"Please, Princess Naiya. Spare us!" But the princess wouldn't listened. "And give their leader an extra five!"
Sandra's eyes almost bursted out of her sockets when she heard this. Their pleading became louder, and they all placed their foreheads on the floor, with tears rolling from their eyes.
Dydra was beyond shook. She had never been whipped before, and she planned to keep it that way. She stood cried on her knees, begging the princess seriously. She never knew a princess could be this petty. It wasn't their fault that they knew nothing of her half-brother bedding a coloured maid. Why were they being punished by five lashes. She recalled the look of pain the man she saw at the market square being lashed had, and she doesn't want to feel that.
"What is going on here?" Before the guards could react, a voice asked, and all attention was turned to the door. The fierced look Niaya had instantly vanished, and was replaced by fear. When did he return to the castle?