The Mad Princess and the Dying Prince novel Chapter 43

Lucia slept until the sun was high in the sky.

When she finally woke, a worn bundle sat on the table.

Someone had placed a clean cloth beneath it, likely because it was so dirty.

It looked familiar. After a moment, she realized it was the same satchel she had brought from the countryside.

When House Beaumont sent men to retrieve her, poor young Lucia had hurriedly packed this single bag, hiding it from the Countryside Beaumonts.

It had been lost during the bandit attack on the road to the Royal Capital.

"My lady, His Highness ordered me to bring this to you," Celia said.

Lucia was surprised. "He actually took the time to find my belongings?"

And how did he find it? Even she couldn't remember where it had been dropped.

She had planned to use her earth divination to track it down once her strength returned. This saved her the effort.

"His Highness said his men recovered it on the mountain road just outside the capital," Celia explained.

Lucia rose, walked to the table, and untied the bundle.

"Did your prince say anything else?" she asked.

Celia hesitated before pulling out two folded parchment sheets and offering them with both hands.

"I asked the question you gave us last night. These are the deeds of bondage for Celeste and me."

Lucia glanced at the contracts. "Prince Jareth doesn't want you anymore?"

Both maids offered a bitter smile.

"My lady, His Highness left the choice to us."

Celeste, being the more talkative of the two, elaborated.

"We were trained by Matron Cecily to serve as His Highness's personal chambermaids upon his return to the capital."

Lucia's gaze swept over their faces.

"Personal chambermaids..."

Did they mean the kind of personal service she was thinking of?

Or was he simply terrified of someone seeing the bizarre Shadow Serpent marked across his chest?

But he didn't have to take his tunic off for that.

Heavens above. Lucia realized her thoughts were drifting into deeply inappropriate territory and quickly reined them in.

"Wouldn't it still be better for you to remain at the Prince's Estate?"

Celia pulled Celeste down, both of them dropping to one knee.

"My lady, Celeste and I have thought it over carefully. We wish to follow you."

The night before, Celia had told Celeste about the man she had killed, and how Lucia had washed away the invisible stain of death from her hands.

Furthermore, the king had issued the marriage decree. Lucia was the future Princess Consort.

"The estate does not lack servants, but you have no one," Celeste said.

Seeing her stand alone against the entirety of House Beaumont yesterday had stirred their sympathy.

If they hadn't been there, no one in the manor would have even brought her a cup of water, and her meals would have been scraps.