The hallways got narrower and narrower, but Fiadh never slowed or faltered, walking through the place with ease and familiarity.
It was obvious to her that the young woman was used to these narrow pathways, whether they were in this palace or elsewhere.
Rache glanced around the narrow hallways with interest.
She didn’t know why it felt so different, why the narrow halls made her more comfortable.
But they did.
Maybe because she wasn’t from royalty.
Neither in her past life nor in this one, she’d never been wealthy and rich or extravagant.
The pomp and circumstance and elegance of royalty had nothing to do with her.
Not this life, and not her previous one.
All the extravagance, all the pomp and circumstance of royalty and wealth…
It had nothing to do with her.
Not in either of her lives.
But the Siderans didn’t know that.
Her hand gently touched the smooth wall beside her, running over it lightly.
This place wasn’t like the rest of the palace, where every inch of the walls were covered in artwork or paintings or tapestries or engraving.
Even the sparsely decorated places…
They’d been designed for the idea of beauty.
Whoever commissioned them, it was their idea, at least, of beauty or fertility.
This part was simple, utilitarian.
No one would think twice about walking past it, but there was still a sense of homeyness to it that the other part of the palace didn’t have.
A sense of normalcy.
The sound of laughter echoed in front of them.
It wasn’t a cruel or malicious sound.
Rache glanced toward Fiadh, who was walking in front of her.
Was this really okay?
To just go into the kitchens, to be among the people who lived and worked there?
Fiadh’s expression didn’t show any doubt.
It was only her own nervousness that caused her to hesitate, but then she followed anyway.
There was nothing else to do, after all.
She couldn’t eat any other way, and it wasn’t like the servant who took pity on her would offer another more dangerous way if she rejected this
They entered a large kitchen.
A fire burned in a huge oven in one corner, and a long table ran down the middle of the room.
There were dozens of pots and pans hanging from hooks along the walls.
The room was warm and filled with delicious smells.
They stopped talking and looked up as the two of them walked into the room.
Rache paused, feeling nervous.
She didn’t want to intrude.
They were all looking at her.
She cleared her throat, standing awkwardly in the doorway, not certain if she should go in or back out.
She was saved the choice by Fiadh, who stepped in front of her, bowing low.
“Your Highness. We are honored by your presence.” She straightened up, smiling.
“May I present to you the kitchen staff.”
She gestured to the others in the room, introducing each one in turn.
Rache gave each of them a small, uncertain nod as she did.
When the introductions were done, the others went back to their food, leaving the princess and maid standing alone in the doorway.
Rache glanced at Fiadh.
“I hope I’m not intruding,” She said, quietly.
The maid smiled at her.
“It is not a problem, Your Highness. We always have room for more.” She motioned to the empty seat beside her, and the others made space on the bench, scooting down.
There was no way to decline.
So Rache slid onto the bench between the servants.
Fiadh immediately picked up her plate, which was full of delicious looking food, and handed it to the princess.
Rache hesitated, but accepted it gratefully.
“…I don’t mean to take your dinner from you.”
“It is my pleasure, Your Highness,” The girl said.
“I will make more for myself. It is an honor to share a meal with you.” She smiled at her again, then turned away to start cooking another meal.
Rache looked down at the food in front of her.
It smelled amazing, and she was starving.
She picked up a spoon and began to eat, listening to the chatter around her.
It wasn’t as good as the food in Aurania, but…
She was hungry, and these servants…
Seemed kind.
It was better than sitting alone in her temporary room with an empty stomach.
She listened to the chatter around her.
The other people in the kitchen were all talking about their lives and families.
It seemed that most of them lived in the nearby town, and came here only arrived to help out when there were royal weddings.
It seemed from the chatter that there hadn’t been one in a while.
Most of the servants, then…
Didn’t actually live in this strange, lonely palace all the time.
She glanced to Fiadh.
“Do you also live in the castle town?”
The girl looked startled.
“I…no. I live in this palace, Your Highness.”
Rache looked at her curiously.
“Do you not have family?”
She flushed, looking embarrassed.
“…My mother and I were brought from Alvere.”
…Alvere…
A small nation, not important in Auberon’s edge, but it was among those ruled by King Donncahd after his conquest.
She only knew about it because it was mentioned once or twice as supplying some weapons to Sidera.
That was all.
Fiadh was a slave, essentially, though.
Like she would be if she didn’t get out of there, like Airie was before her untimely end.
She smiled at her, and the girl returned her smile nervously before turning back to her cooking.
Rache ate quietly, listening to the others around her talk.
The room was warm, comfortable.
She hadn’t realized how cold she’d been in the garden.
It felt good to have the warmth of the fire, the warmth of the other people, to fill the void left behind by her isolation.
These weren’t her people.
She wasn’t a part of them like she’d been in Aurania but.
It did still feel…more at home to be among servants, even Siderans, than among royalty.
She felt that in the pit of her stomach.
She felt like she belonged in the small, narrow, dirty servant hall more than in the wide open luxurious spaces meant for her.
“Hey.”
She blinked, looking up at a large, older man.
“…I heard that the Prince told ya not to dare attend the meal, and that’s why ya missed mealtime. Is it true he hates ya that much?”
…It was not quite true.
It hadn’t gone down like that, anyway.
But as for him hating her….
She frown slightly and shook her head.
“It…didn’t happen like that.”
At least.
Not exactly.