A displeased frown settled on the prince's face as irritation flared within him. Very few people in the castle were careless enough to collide with him, and fewer still would dare. His sharp midnight eyes snapped downward, already prepared to deliver a cold reprimand, but the words died before they reached his tongue. His gaze softened the instant he saw the spill of vibrant red hair before him.
Dydra's hair was loose and unruly, cascading down her back in tangled waves, untouched by pins or ribbons. The color stood out starkly against the muted stone corridor, impossible to miss. For a brief moment, Leonard simply stared.
Dydra, on the other hand, was spiraling into panic. Ignoring the sting flaring through her lower back, she forced herself upright and bowed deeply, her head lowered in submission as her heart pounded violently in her chest. She did not dare lift her eyes. One of the oversized sleeves slipped down her shoulder as she bowed, exposing dark chocolate skin, and she bit her lower lip in distress. Her gaze dropped to the floor, where she caught sight of polished leather boots—male boots.
Fear rushed in fast and sharp. What if someone saw her like this and assumed she was trying to seduce him? Worse, what if he demanded something from her and she refused? Would he force her the way the other man had tried to? And what if this person was someone far more powerful—someone no one would dare oppose? A lord of the royal court, perhaps, or even a prince? The thought made her heart slam painfully against her ribs.
"My lord, forgive me for not noticing you," she pleaded, her voice trembling despite her effort to steady it.
Leonard heard it then—the frantic thunder of her heartbeat, loud and rapid, betraying her fear far more than her bowed posture ever could. A faint smile tugged at his lips. His gaze drifted over her exposed collarbone and arm, noting how utterly swallowed she looked in his clothes. The sight amused him more than it should have.
"So am I so small," he said lightly, "that a maid such as yourself cannot notice me?"
The teasing tone caught her off guard. Dydra stiffened, then slowly narrowed her eyes. That voice—she knew it. Her heart skipped as she cautiously lifted her head, just enough to steal a glance. Relief washed through her when her ocean-blue eyes met those familiar midnight ones.
"It's you," she breathed silently, tension easing from her shoulders even as she quickly remembered herself and straightened. "Absolutely not, my lord—"
"It was a joke," Leonard cut in, his voice calm. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her. "What are you doing here?"
She hesitated, fingers curling at her sides. No maid was assigned to the East Wing. He knew that, and she knew he knew. Dydra avoided his gaze, weighing her options. Lying felt wrong. Since the day they met, he had helped her more than anyone else, never crossing a line, never demanding anything in return. Against her better judgment, she trusted him.
"I'm new," she admitted quietly. "I only started yesterday, and I haven't been registered yet. I was going to be, but then… someone tried to…" Her voice trailed off as the memory surfaced. Her body shuddered involuntarily, arms wrapping around herself as if to ward off the sensation of unfamiliar hands.
Leonard noticed immediately. He said nothing, his expression unreadable as his eyes dropped once more to the clothes she wore. His clothes. Something dark flickered behind his gaze, but he masked it quickly.
Dydra lifted her hands to her hair, fingers threading through the thick strands in an unconscious gesture. She had never known how to tend to it properly. It was too long, too heavy, too wild. Agatha had always helped her, patiently braiding or tying it back, but now the old witch felt impossibly far away. The thought dampened her spirit, and her gaze dulled with homesickness.
"Come with me," Leonard said abruptly.
She startled but obeyed, falling into step two paces behind him as he turned and began to walk. "Where are we going?" she asked, glancing around, trying to memorize the route in case she needed it later.
"To make you an official maid," he replied without looking back.
Gratitude bloomed across her face, genuine and unguarded. "Thank you so much, my lord. How will I ever repay you?"
"I'll let you know in the near future," he said smoothly.
Silence followed after that. They walked side by side through the winding corridors until they reached a modest building at the back of the castle. Leonard instructed her to wait outside before disappearing inside. Minutes later, he returned and pressed a small seal into her palm—a hummingbird etched in metal.
Emotion swelled in her chest. She bowed deeply, murmuring her thanks, and followed him back inside.
"Why aren't there any maids around?" she asked as they walked.
"Most haven't arrived yet."
"Why is that?"
"Aren't you a curious thing, little fox," he said, amusement threading his voice.
She scowled at the nickname, though she said nothing.
They stopped in front of a familiar door, and confusion creased her brow. "I thought we were going to where I'd be cleaning."
"In your current state?" Leonard said dryly. "It seems you enjoy rumors."
Realization struck her, and she nodded sheepishly. He opened the door and ushered her inside, then closed it behind them.
"Stay here," he instructed. "I'll find someone to give you a tour and proper clothing. I'm heading out."
She nodded and watched him leave, the door closing softly behind him. An odd warmth settled in her chest, absurd and unexpected, like that of a housewife seeing her husband off to work. The thought startled her, and she clapped her hands over her face, mortified by herself. When she lowered them, she laughed quietly under her breath, shaking her head.
Her gaze drifted around the room. Everything was immaculate, including the bed she remembered disrupting earlier. She pressed her lips together, unsure of what to do as she waited. In just a few days, her life had shifted in ways she never could have imagined. She wondered what she would have been doing now if she were still in the Thelmond mansion, unaware that her fate had already begun to change.