"Kuhn, can you
secretly smuggle someone out of the palace?" Sienna asked after explaining
why Patricia had come. As Patricia suspected, the maid in question was hiding
in the Silver Palace, following Sienna’s instructions.
Sienna had thought it would
be safer for the maid to stay within the palace rather than try to escape.
While she was also concerned for Fatima, the foreign princess was less of an
immediate target due to the diplomatic consequences that Patricia couldn’t
easily overlook.
Kuhn listened carefully,
then nodded without hesitation. He knew that if they didn’t help, the maid
would undoubtedly face death—Patricia would never let a traitor live.
"I promised her safety
and a comfortable life. Can you make that happen?" Sienna asked.
"Of course. If she
wants to leave the Empire, I can create a new identity for her and help her
settle in any country across the continent."
The Raad Trading Company had
branches not only within the Empire but across many parts of the continent.
Moreover, the Raad family had influence in various regions, providing ample
connections for the maid to start a new life.
"Your mother trusted
her enough to give her an important task. Why did she betray her so easily?"
Sienna mused.
"Patricia probably
ruled through fear. It’s a powerful but fragile way to control others."
Sienna nodded in silent
agreement.
"It was also thanks to
Princess Fatima’s help. You should make sure to thank her personally," Kuhn
added, hesitating.
"I’ll meet her
together with you," Sienna offered, noticing Kuhn’s reluctance.
"She helped more than
just me. We should both show our gratitude."
"Alright, let’s do
that," Sienna agreed, understanding his sentiment.
Kuhn didn’t want to add any
unnecessary burdens to Sienna’s already heavy heart. He would do whatever it
took to avoid filling her cup with more stress.
Sienna then gave the order
for the maid in hiding to be brought to her. The maid was trembling, having
heard that Patricia was at the palace looking for her. She was terrified and
regretted the choice she had made to betray the Red King. The image of
Patricia’s furious face haunted her, and the wealth she had once greedily sought
now seemed worthless. All she wanted was to survive.
Sienna addressed her
calmly. "You’ll leave the palace with Marquis Rad and go to his estate. He
will ensure your safety and help you start a new life."
The maid, still shaking,
looked at Sienna in fear. "W-What will happen to me?"
The maid had realized too
late that the stakes were much higher than she’d anticipated. The thought of
what Patricia might do haunted her, and she cursed herself for ever asking for
riches. Now, all she wished for was mercy, not wealth.
"It would be easier to
kill you than to give you what you desire," Sienna said, her words cutting
sharply but truthfully. "But I promised you wealth and safety. With that,
you’ll live a life without fear or threats. I keep my promises."
The maid, who had been
bowing her head low, looked up. Sienna’s face, as beautiful as a doll’s,
remained expressionless. And yet, it inspired far more trust than Patricia’s
ever had. Tears welled in the maid’s eyes, and she collapsed to the ground,
overwhelmed with emotion.
"Thank you, Your
Majesty. Thank you," the maid sobbed, repeating her gratitude over and
over until Sienna told her to stop.
Sienna and Kuhn agreed that
Patricia wouldn’t give up easily. Together, they devised a decoy plan. Kuhn
would lead one of Sienna’s maids out of the palace with her face hidden,
drawing attention away. Meanwhile, Gilbert would escort Patricia’s maid to Kuhn’s
carriage.
It wasn’t until much later,
after Kuhn had left the palace, that Sienna received a brief letter from him:
Safe return.
The message was terse, with
no additional details, likely due to concerns over its interception. Sienna
smiled, reading and rereading the simple words, her heart lightened with
relief.
.png)
0 Comments