Heart of the Wolf Prince

Chapter Five (a)

After what feels like hours of walking aimlessly around the palace, I finally find Gertrude's room. I know it's hers, because her initials, 'G. Cliffgard', are painted on the door in gold.

Voices emanate from the inside, and I take a moment to breathe as I close my hand around the knob and twist it open.

I immediately notice that the lady's suite is nice, much better than my room in the maid's quarters. A four-poster bed with a gossamer curtain sits pushed up against the wall, with two nightstands on each side stacked with makeup and hair clips. A white dresser sits by the only window in the room, and on the right wall I can see a doorway leading to an ensuite.

I see Macy packing away clothes as Gertrude sits before her white vanity mirror, touching up her lips with red lipstick. Our eyes meet in the mirror, and a strange tension fills the air. She looks much older now, almost as though she aged ten years as opposed to only three. Her mousy-brown hair reaches her shoulders now, and her grey-blue eyes seem to have sunken even further into her face. Her nose sticks out like a sore thumb, and she regards me with a tight frown.

Fortunately, she doesn't bring up who I am. She just waves towards the pile of clothes on her bed and says, "Pack those away, and don't distract me."

I nod, but she's already looking back into the mirror. Slowly, I approach Macy, and that's when I notice the thin line of her lips. None of that light is in her face, and she almost looks as though she's holding back tears. It makes me wonder what Gertrude said to her before I came here.

We share a glance, but her face tells nothing. Wordlessly, I pick up a blouse and tit to the dresser. Macy does the same, and for a little while, we just continue to put away her clothes. As we do, I notice that Macy's limp becomes more severe, and her face looks almost pained. Unfortunately, it's enough to catch Gertrude's attention, for she turns to her and says, "Quit limping. It's distracting. God... who the hell thought it was a good idea to assign a goddamn limper?" she adds as she returns her attention to her makeup.

My hands clench around the dress I'm holding. I knew Gertrude was rude, but I never thought she could be this mean. Still, I swallow my anger as we continue to silently move about the room. Macy disappears into the ensuite, and I continue to pack clothes away. Finally, she returns with a pitcher of water, and goes to set it on the nightstand when she fumbles on her leg and tips the whole thing over.

Water sloshes onto the entire right side of the bed. Gertrude stands, rearing on her. "God, look what you've done!"

Macy cringes away. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Fucking clean it up! God, I'm going to have to ask for new maids, because I don't need crips like you—"

"She said she was sorry, alright?"

Gertrude turns to me. I hadn't meant to speak; it just came out. I raise my chin and stand a little taller, but my heart pounds at the confrontation.

Her eyes narrow on me. "Did I say you could speak, Runt? Shut up."

My throat burns, and it takes every ounce of strength I have not to curse her out. Still, I know better than to have a pair of loose lips. Gertrude has more power over me – over us – and starting an argument would do us no good. So, I bow my head in submission.

We continue packing away, and are dismissed the moment we're done. The moment we're outside, Macy sniffles. Then hiccups. I look to her, and her eyes are glossy and red.

The sight physically pains me. I barely know Macy, but seeing the bubbly girl who'd made my first day somewhat tolerable on the verge of tears strikes something in me. Without hesitation, I pull Macy into a tight hug as she sobs into my shoulder.

"It's alright. Let it out."

Macy sniffles. "She's so mean," she says. "I did everything right and she still, yet she... No one's ever even called me that before."

Her voice quavers, and I sigh. I pull her back so that I am staring into her hazel eyes. They're glossy and blood-shot.

"I probably should have told you this... but the Cliffgards have always been known for their rudeness. I actually met Gertrude before. I'd hoped she changed, but she's only gotten worse."

Macy sniffs again, swiping an arm under her nose. "Still... I don't hear that often. People are usually so kind."

I place my hand on the small of her back and walk us towards the maid's quarters. Fortunately, I know enough of the way there. "Well, if it's any consolation, me and my siblings joked that her rudeness must have soured her face."

Macy sniffles. "Really?"

I nod. "Yes. Have you seen the girl? She looks like a bullfrog."

She chuckles, and just like that, the light is back in her face. Not much, but a little. We eventually make it back to our room, and despite my remark, I can still see some sadness on Macy's face. Without thinking, I walk over to my dresser and open the jewellery box sitting on top. Inside, a golden necklace with a pearl necklace glimmers, and I pull it out. Pearls have always been a sign of nobility, seeing as they are quite rare and only found in the isles of Triule. Only nobles can afford them. I let the necklace dangle before my face, my throat tightening a little as stare at it. Mother gave me this necklace. It was the only gift she'd ever given me, the only true affection she'd ever shown, and I'd treasured it ever since.

I fist it in my hands. But she'd still let me go, hadn't she?

I turn and hold out the necklace to Macy. Her eyes go wide as they land on it. "I want you to have this."

She blinks at me, her mouth slightly agape. "Really?"

"Yes," I say, even though my chest aches with the word. Still, it's worth it when Macy's face lights up, the encounter with Gertrude gone and forgotten as she limps over. Grinning, she lifts her curls and allows me to clasp the necklace around her neck. It looks gorgeous on her. Better than it ever looked on me.

"Do you like it?" I ask.

"It's beautiful," she says. Her smile wavers, and her face finally scrunches as she looks at me. "This is... this is too nice of you. I think it's the nicest thing anyone has done for me." She wraps her arms around me, pulling me into an embrace. "Thank you. This... means a lot."

I hold her back. Yeah... maybe I won't miss Mother's necklace as much as I thought I would.

After a few moments, we break apart, and the tightness in my throat demands that I get away. I'm about to cry, and I don't need Macy seeing it.

"I'll be right back; I just need some fresh air," I say as I head for the door. Macy beams my way, oblivious to my sadness as she admires the necklace. I must be getting better at hiding my emotions.

Once I make it out into the hallway, the floodgates I'd been holding back all day swing open, and before I know it, silent tears are spilling down my face. I cry because of the opportunity that was ripped from me. I cry because I am now just a maid, not a revered lady like my other sisters. I cry because I am angry at Gertrude, so angry yet so powerless. I cry because the Gahndors are cruel, and I am expected to serve them.

Just as I am rounding a corner, my chest drops with a heavy thump, and I gasp as the air is ripped out of me. My heart spasms, then stops. One. Two. It spasms again. Then again. Then again.

Dunk-dunk-dunk-dunk-tha-dunk-dunk-dunk-tha.

Oh shit.

Continue Chapter Five >>>>