The Tearless Concubine

Gloria Floyd

GLORIA'S POV

I stood with my mouth ajar open as I looked at the most beautiful and vast building I've ever seen in my life. And here I thought to myself that my former home is big. But this place; words can't even describe how beautiful this building is.

So, this is my new life?

"My dear, close your mouth. You're a lady after all. I'm sorry that you have to be here as a maid but you're still the baron's daugther." I closed my mouth when my caretaker noticed me.

"Seems like the palace is taking quite a lot of new servants. Perhaps the emperor is taking a new concubines in his harem." My caretaker suddenly turned to me before placing both hands on my shoulder.

"Gloria, please listen and remember this well; although you were sold to the palace, you can't let that fact changes the way you were raised. You're a noble! Don't succumb yourself to their level." My caretaker is being rude now. I don't like how the others look at me.

This woman should leave!

"Can you please leave. You're only making it worse." I ushered for her to leave.

"But I haven't met the head maid! I need to have a word with her." I shake my head no while pushing my caretaker away from the entrance.

"I know what to do. Please leave now." The palace guards seems to understand my reason for doing this. One of them give me a nod and forbid my caretaker from entering the palace.

"Only servants of the palace can enter this place. Are you here to be one of the servants?" The guards used their spears to prevent my caretaker from walking in.

"But- Lady Gloria! I need to speak with the head maid! If the palace doesn't know who you are, they might give you a hard time! You're young! You have no idea who reside in this palace! You can't serve the evil concubine! I need to speak with-," my caretaker immediately stop screaming when the guards take a step forward.

"Anyone who speak ill of the palace shall be consider as doing treason against the Empire! Are you here to mock the palace?!" The guards seems offended.

"No- that's not what I mean-," the guards grabbed my caretaker by the arm and carried her away from the entrance.

"Thank you." I thank the guard who nodded at me earlier.

"Don't mention it. You should go now. The head maid is probably on her way." He is right. I smiled before going back to the palace courtyard.

"I hope I get to serve the empress. I heard that anyone who serve the empress receive a handsome reward." I heard one of the many servants who wait at the courtyard talks among themselves.

"What if we were told to serve the evil concubine? I heard her former servants were cane to death just because they served the concubine wrong tea." They gasped among each other.

"Just because of tea?! How can someone like the emperor even have a concubine like that. No wonder the emperor decided to take more concubines into his harem. The emperor probably think that the evil concubine is an eyesore." The young ladies chuckled.

"Keep your thoughts to yourself, ladies. If anyone who works at the palace heard what you just said, they will punish you." The ladies were surprised to see a woman dressed as one of the palace maid suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"We apologise." They bow.

"I am just a maid. There's no need for you to bow to a servant like me. It's good that you all learn from your mistake. It's just a taboo to talk about concubine Rochelle that way. But since you have no idea of what is happening inside the palace, you're forgiven." The palace maid suddenly face me with a smile.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Rebecca but everyone here calls me Becca. I am the head maid of Hizar Imperial Palace." Rebecca, the head maid, smiled as she introduced herself.

I never thought that the head maid would be this young.

"You, brown hair woman, what is your name?" I looked around to see who it is.

"I mean you; the one who holds that huge suitcase." Me? Is she referring to me?

"Yes, you. What is your name?" I bow at the head maid.

"My name is Gloria Flyod." The head maid seems surprised to hear my name.

"Are you baron Flyod's daughter?" I nodded. It seems that the head maid knows who my father is. But I don't think I like the atmosphere here now. I'm pretty sure they're all wondering how did a noble like me get into this situation where I have to be a maid.

"Interesting." The head maid smiled before she asked us to form a straight line before entering the medical tent.

"Before you could enter the palace and serve the royal family, all of you need to undergo a basic medical procedure. This is to ensure than none of you carries any infectious diseases and are in perfect health to serve the royal family." Rebecca explained.

I have to go through basic medical procedure?! My caretaker didn't mentioned about this! It's almost my turn and I am nervous.

"Is there a problem? Also, just leave your suitcase outside of the tent before you enter." The head maid suddenly standing beside me looking concern about my state.

"I- well, the thing is-," I didn't even get to say anything when the medical personnel asked me to entered the tent. I sighed before entering the tent.

"Please remove your clothes and use this gown." My hands were shaking as I reached out for the gown.

"Are you okay?" The nurse asked me. I smiled and when behind the screen. What if they saw my old scars from my father's whip? Will they still accept me? But what will happen to me if they asked me to leave?

"Hmmm, I understand now. Please don't worry. The doctor will give you a proper checkup. But, this is just a heads up, your condition will be on your report. So I hope you'll be honest to us, okay?" I nodded and proceed with my checkup.

The doctor was kind and she did examined every single part of my body. She even asked me if I ever had any intimate relationship with a man or a woman. I was confused at first but I just answered their question truthfully.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Now, you may changed into your clothes and wait outside." I nodded and changed into my clothes before walking out from the the tent.

I heave sigh of relief when my turn is over.

***

It should be fine, right? I mean, this is my first day working as a maid. As long as I don't do anything that anger the royal family or anyone who came to the palace, it should be fine, right?

I sigh while looking at myself through the mirror. Even the maids working for the palace has better living condition than back at home. Even though I am the baron's daugther, I was a mere prostitute daugther. My father's current wife isn't that fond of me.

In the end, I have to do all kind of odd job while my father's children with that woman live with all the luxury. Now that my father is no longer capable of providing the luxury, that cruel woman sold me to the palace because my father lost a bet with a Marquis. Why didn't she sold one of her children?

They're beautiful; they could easily be any nobles mistresses.

"Wow! I have never seen anyone looking that good in a maid's uniform and this is a compliment." I smiled through the mirror when Esther, my roommate walked out from the bathroom wearing the same uniform.

"Same goes to you."

"I think it's time for us to go. I wonder if they will go easy on the rookie. I really don't want to serve the evil concubine." Esther sighed as we walked out from our room. I'm pretty sure everyone is thinking of the same thing.

In my opinion, there is no one more cruel that my father's current wife. My stepmother is the epitome of evil woman. There's even a time which she forbid me from eating after such a long, hard day of doing all the chores.

"I am amaze everytime I walked past this hallway alone. I never imagine the servants would be having their own building. The emperor really do care for his servants welfare." Esther is right. We were immersed in looking at the decor when Esther accidentally hit on somebody.

We apologised and even bow at the person, fearing they might be someone important.

"That's alright." The person said before leaving us. When I looked up to the person walking away, I can't help but to feel at ease how soft and gentle her voice is.

"That woman looks important. But why is she here?" Ester question.

"What a beautiful blonde hair she has." I said out loud. Esther agrees with me.

"Well. It's better if we go to the servant lounge now before the head maid arrives. I heard she is not a fan of latecomers." Esther and I arrived at the servant lounge and we were surprised to see the head maid is already there, looking through papers.

"Is everyone here?" The head maid suddenly asked. Before the head maid continues with her brief, a butler suddenly came rushing and whispered something in the head maid ears.

"What?! Her maid suddenly gave birth in front of her?!" I'm pretty sure all of the new servants was shocked to hear what the head maid said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Lady Rebecca, that supposed to be a secret!" The butler said while face-palming himself.

"What secret? She's probably a celebrity by now! How did her highness reacted? Was it bad?" The butler once again whispered to Rebecca's ear before the head maid heave a sigh of relief.

"That's good. But this news only brought me more work to do. I have to rearrange the servants schedule again!" I'm not sure if it's just me but the head maid suddenly smiled when her eyes landed on me.

"You, brown hair woman from yesterday, Gloria Flyod, daugther of baron Flyod," the head maid pointed at me. I was too surprised to react to my name being called out.

"You're a noble; that means you were taught basic noble teaching, right?" I nodded my head. The head maid suddenly face the butler.

"Gloria Flyod will serve concubine Rochelle from now on. You may bring her to concubine Rochelle's palace." The head maid turned to face me.

"This is butler Elias. He works for concubine Rochelle and also the head of servants serving at concubine Rochelle palace. You may follow this man." I- I am speechless. Why- of all the people in this room- why did she choose me to serve the evil concubine?

"Did the concubine killed the maid who gave birth? I pity the maid." I heard one of the servants talking about me.

"Good luck, Gloria." Esther shows her support before I make my way towards th butler.

"Are you literate?" The butler asked first thing when I bow at him.

"Yes sir. I can read, count and speak several foreign languages." I am still a noble's daugther after all my education was top notch since I pay most of my education with my own money that I earned from working.

"Perfect. I'm sure her highness will be please to hear that." Her highness? But she's a concubine, right?

"Ah, I understand your confusion. Everything will be explain the moment we arrive at the Rochella Palace." At least the butler seems friendly.

Rochella Palace must be the name of the concubine's palace. I mean, Rochelle, Rochella; it's inevitable.

"We have to ride a carriage?" I asked when we walked towards a grand carriage.

"Yes. The palace is quite far from the servant's building. But don't worry, the palace provides all servant with the necessary transportation." The butler was being a gentleman as he let me entered the carriage first.

This is probably one of the finest carriage I have ever seen in my life! As we're on our towards the Rochella Palace, the butler explained to me about what I should and shouldn't do when we arrive at the palace.

"There is a few rules that every servants have to obey while working inside the Rochella Palace. Rule number 1, do not come late to work. Rule number 2, never question her highness decision. Rule number 3, don't ever forget to prepare her medicinal bath because that's the only time when the mistress finally have a time for herself." I'm having a hard time remembering this. The butler smiled.

"Rule number 4, as servants who works for the Rochella, we ought to keep our mistress away from danger thus the members of the harem are not allow to enter the palace; that includes the empress." I was surprised.

"It seems you're curious about something. What is it? It's better to ask around rather than making a mistake in the future." The butler smiled yet again.

"I'm sorry for questioning this but aren't the empress has access to all building that's inside the palace?" The butler nodded.

"Yes, that is true but concubine Rochelle is different. The emperor himself gave her this privilege so as servants, we ought to listen." I was shocked!

"We have arrived." My head automatically turned to to look outside of before the carriage even stop. My eyes widen to see the size of Rochella Palace. It is even bigger than the main palace if I have to consider the size of the garden and the courtyard.

"Rochella Palace is the home of concubine Rochelle, prince Nazareth, prince Solomon and princess Florence; the empress daugther." I am confused to hear the last tenant but it is not my place to even question that.

And just like that, my new life as Rochella palace maid begins.