The maids returned to the palace, with Megan going to deliver the shoes to Princess Naiya herself. Megan's feet hit the marbled floor with rapid speed as she headed to the art gallery, where the princess currently was. She reached the door and knocked on it softly.
"Princess Naiya, you're shoes have arrived." She informed, before opening the door and stepping in.
The art gallery was a huge hall with different kinds of paintings hung on every wall. Princess Naiya, in a dark purple dress sat from across an open window. Her brown hair was packed in a tight bun. With the position she sat, one would think she was painting something she's viewing outside or perhaps the sky. But no. What was on the sketch board was nothing that was in sight. It was a dark stick-like figure, with a skull head, that was bigger than it's body frame. Inside the eyes were red apples with buttons sown on them.
Megan was taken aback by this, wondering what was going on in the princess's head.
Naiya sensed the maid wasn't coming to her, and sharply turned to her.
"Disgusting imbecile, walk to me!" She hissed, turning her attention back to her painting.
Megan was hurt by the harsh words, but everyone in the palace knew the princess to be this way. She came to the princess's side, tightly holding the boxes of shoes in her hands, she bowed deeply.
"Forgive me, princess." She pleaded, her heart racing in her chest.
Naiya didn't reply and instructed her sharply.
"Take each one of them out and try them on me. Burn away anyone that doesn't match my skin tone." Her instruction sounded simple, but they were the most difficult thing a palace maid could do. The problem is, for the shoes to arrive at the palace and directly sent to the princess, it means she had previously reviewed them, and liked them.
And if a maid does as exactly as the princess said, and actually burn the one they think doesn't match her skin tone. She would stop them and say they are insulting her. Claiming they think the shoes she choose are out of style and doesn't look good on her. She would order a guard to take the maid and give her twenty lashes on the back. The last maid that attended to her, didn't remove any shoes and the princess accused her of disobedience. And for that, the maid was subjected to death, by drowning.
Megan's hands trembled as she sat on her knees, and carefully started to pull off one shoe at a time, gently slipping the new ones onto the princess's feet. She bit her lips tightly, as sweat broke out on her face. She was going to lose her life today. There's no way she could please the princess, and the image she's painting doesn't show the princess was in a good mood. Lucky for Megan, her brother walked in.
"Nai, come with me. Mother wants to discuss something very important with both of us." Henry informed, not sparing a glance at the lowly maid at his sister's feet. There was already shoes on Naiya's feet when she stood up. She began to walk toward the door, when she paused. Turning to Megan, who was still on the floor with her head bowed, she ordered.
"Burn the rest, I don't like the way they look." With that she exited the art gallery alongside her brother.
Megan breathed a sigh of relief and was quick to gather the shoes and the boxes the came in. She left the room, heading to the kitchen, so she could burn them in the fire. The shoes were pricey and if she's sells one of them, she could get incredible money, but the chances of that happening before the princess's guard catch up to with her, are very slim. She would rather burn the pricey shoes, than go against the evil princess.
Naiya and Henry arrived at their mother's room. Henry was the one to twist the knob, before they both entered. Maye stayed at the balcony and when she saw her children, she urged them to join her. The two royal children sat on different cushions that awaited them. Maye asked them there so she could discuss an important topic with them, and she wasn't the one to exchange greetings or beat around the bush.
"As you've heard your father is sick. He wouldn't make it past this winter, so we need to act fast. Henry, you and I would be attending the royal court on a daily basis." She paused, staring sharpy into her son's eyes. "Learn everything there is to know about handling things in the royal court. And before you're father takes his last breath, you need to marry."
A frown formed on Henry's face when he heard this, and he asked.
"Is that necessary, mother?"
The Queen rolled her eyes, at her son's foolish question.
"Of course, it is. The royal court would have a vote to determine who really needs to wear the crown. Being the crown prince and always present at the court, making meaningful impact, and also going to wars, and winning. Leonard's chances of being the next King, are high. He has eighty percent chances, and the remaining twenty comes to him if he gets married. But, if you get married before him, you would have that twenty percent. And start attending the royal court meetings, you would get more percent." Naiya explained, earning a proud smile from her mother.
"I wish you were a boy and this one was a girl." Queen Maye said, not minding that it would hurt Henry's feelings.
He pressed his lips into a thin line and glared at his sister. "I knew that." He muttered.
"Naiya dear, I'm sure you also know that you need to get married." She told her daughter, who didn't really have a shocked expression.
"I am aware of that, Queen Mother. I've prepared a list of powerful suitors and soome are even princes." She wore a smirk as she locked eyes with her brother, who glared at her.
"That's why you are my favourite child, Nai!" The queen exclaimed with pride in her eyes.