The Servant With The Mark Of The Goddess

HANNAH'S POV "Little pains won't wreck my heart. My flaws have got me walking alone, like an outcast, unloved and unneeded. I still take a sure step forward, I don't know, maybe one day I will find where I fit in this world." I whisper the song in the lowest of voices as I walk far behind my mother and my two sisters. They talk and laugh, like a happy family. Sometimes I wish to be part of the little fun, but just like everyone, they have a tendency of treating me like an alien with a bad disease. I can't deny that I am quite flawed. If I could just be a little less curvy and a little taller, maybe people would be nice to me. Unlike my sisters, I don't feel elated to be walking past the big gates of the palace. The exquisite house has got me gaping and yearning to see the inside of it. But there is also the fear that I am such a mess to be in a place like this. Mother has been working here as a maid for years. All she did at first was clean tables and deliver meals, but people quickly recognized her for her sewing talent and she became friends with the beautiful Queen. After making a number of stunning dresses for the Queen herself, mother is simply the Queen's favorite servant. So I guess it wasn't very hard for her to ask the royal beauty to hire her daughters too. Especially at a time when the Kingdom is preparing to welcome the famous Princess Aria. Unlike my two beautiful sisters, I have no good talent I can flaunt. Lina, my elder sister and my mother's favourite, knows how to sew almost as good as her. Julian, my younger sister and father's favorite, is passionate about cooking and makes the most delicious of meals. I think I am the ugly duckling of the family. I am not just the one without a talent, I am also the one that trips on thin air. Tables and walls also seem to always be getting on my way. I am simply a failure according to my parents. No man may ever wish to marry me, they say. I don't doubt that because men don't react to my appearance the way they do to my sisters. I don't make any effort to look appealing because . . .well, I think I am fat. And fat don't look good. So I am taking comfort in dressing in whatever makes my body feel free. I will still trip over nothing despite being in flat shoes. I don't know how excusable that is in the biggest of all palaces. I will be mopping floors, which is okay with me. I am not as lucky as my sister's to have a work that I enjoy doing to perfection. I hope I make it through the first month and earn my first salary. I will buy a new pair of boots and save the rest. "Is Prince Nathan's room on first floor or third?" I hear Lina ask. The two are more eager to see the famous Prince than they are to start working in this magnificent place. I would be excited as well if I were not certain he will be disgusted by what this person looks like. People talk of him as the true object of royal perfection, extremely beautiful and masculine, charming, daring and kind. If he actually got all those virtues, kind is my favorite. Not many people are kind to me. I heard mother saying that his little brother got the disease. That's why Princess Aria is visiting the Kingdom. While I could have heard wrong or it could all be rumors, the disease is real and people have been dying of it. Some say it's a curse. Because the wars left blood of innocents flowing and Goddess Israel is never comfortable with that. How would she be? She is the Goddess of life and righteousness. How would she not be angered by people slaughtering others in the name of power and expanding empires? People in this Kingdom are dying of the disease as well, but this is the first time a big party is being set to welcome the Princess that people believe can heal the disease. I wonder if it's because the only life that matters is that of the little royal Prince. "His room is on the fourth, I will show you." Mother answers Lina as she leads the way towards the front entrance. There are a couple of servants tending to the lovely flower gardens outside. Mother greets them and even introduces my sisters. I stand behind as none of the servants seem interested in knowing who I am. "Is there a chance we will meet the Prince today? I just want to see his face." Julian inquires excitedly as we finally walk past the front door. The place isn't just strikingly beautiful in a way that makes you forget to breath, it is also sparkling clean. I am suddenly afraid that they don't need me and I may not be able to meet the high standards of work here. "Prince Nathan must be training with the soldiers at this time. We will first meet the Queen then I will take you around the place, including the training grounds." Mother answers Julian. The girl had painted her nails, bought new shoes and styled her hair elegantly all in preparation for meeting the man. I hope she at least gets a complement when they meet. Mother guides us through corridors and grand staircases. There are more people in here than I expected. They may be servants, but you can't tell because they are not in uniform and they look very neat. Mother said no one is restricted to wearing uniform unless there is a party in which foreign guests are in attendance. My sisters ask tons of questions about the Prince, Mother seems happy to answer them all. I always whisper a song anytime I feel like the rest of the world has forgotten about me. But I am trying to concentrate on where I am walking so I don't start showing them the various ways I can trip on air. I am assuming we are about to walk into the Queen's chambers. I fix the collar of my long dress as mother knocks on a door. We are ushered in by a lady in a blue dress. Mother quickly introduces her to my sisters as the Queen's personal servant. "I wish I had at least one daughter. Yours look beautiful!" The lady tells mother as she smiles sweetly at my sisters. "Yeah, they are quite the angels!" Mother smiles proudly, my sisters too. They shake hands with the lady and she leads them inside. I walk in last and end up closing the door with a lot more strength than needed and the results are a loud banging sound. The four ladies look back with shocked faces. Mother's face has turned into one big frown. "Sorry . . . I didn't mean to do that." It's my sincerest apology but Mother and my two sisters still glare at me. "She is the clumsy daughter you were talking about?" Asks the Queen's servant, also frowning at me. So they already told them about me. And here I was thinking I could build a good reputation. "Yes, she is practically a walking mess! But she can mop floors so she is not completely useless." Mothers replies. "Every family has that one dull child that doesn't live up to expectation. It's very normal and shouldn't worry you." The Lady comments. They turn and keep going, I follow. We walk through another heavy door before walking into a luxuriously furnished room with a lot of things coated with gold. Yet nothing is more beautiful than the lady seated on the coach in a lovely, white dress. She must be close to my mother's age but looks stunning. "Good morning my Lady." Mother greets as the other woman smiles up at her and my sisters. I stand a few steps behind, unsure what to do with myself. "Good morning Martha. These two are your daughters? You're are already making me jealous!" The Queen appears quite impressed. "I was telling her the same thing. She got two lovely angels." The Queen's servant praises. Lina and Julian shake hands with the Queen, looking exhilarated. "I also brought my other daughter, Hannah. She isn't much talented, but she can clean floors and a few other things." Mother finally introduces me. "Oh . . . hello there." The Queen greets but doesn't seem interested in shaking my hand. "Hello Your Majesty." I say in a respectful tone. She smiles politely. "She isn't as bad as you said she is." She says to my mother who shrugs her shoulders in response. "Take her to Kyla, she will show her where to clean." The Queen orders her servant. "Come with me." The servant says to me and I follow her out of the room as the Queen invites my sisters and my mother to sit with her.