A Royal Love Triangle

One

Reina Lagatha throws the sponge into the large tub in annoyance, she grinds her teeth as she begins to scrub the sides of the tub. Just a second ago, she was rejoicing thinking she is down and dusted with today’s chores. Who knew the tub hasn’t been scrubbed yet?

Being the daughter of the oldest worker in the castle, Madam Grace, the head of the castle workers. Her life isn’t any fair than she thought it would be when she decided to come here. From the scrubbing to rinsing and that to humming a song, she could be compared to Cinderella.

She moved to the castle when she became eleven and she has hated every single day of it. Reina thought she would get to ride spiral stairs and attend balls, but little did Reina know that she would be behind closed doors. 

Hiding her perfect face and graceful body, all contained in the walls of a bloody back house where royalty would never perceive her. To her, she was wasting her youth; every passing of the day, every sewing second, she believes her youth is eating away.

"Scrubbing and scoring ceramics, pots, and kitchen utensils."

Reina grits her teeth and curses under her breath, she wouldn't have left Aunt Debra if she knew she would be working these menial chores for two years now. Aunt Debra told her the tales of the castle and how royalties met.

She told Reina that she would be lucky to meet royalties eyes and there her life would be changed forever. Aunt Debra has given her a picture to know what’s forward and now, all of that has been submerged by the chores that leaves her hands sore every day.

The main reason why she didn't want to travel back to her aunt was because her mother would be disappointed.

Her mother, Grace wanted her to learn how to cater for the royal family, so that maybe one day when she retired, her daughter would be of help to the royal family . Reina on the other hand, did not want to be in any part of it–if her mother would not even allow her to be in close contact with the imperial family, then she wouldn't help her to.

As she scrubbed the dishes, she momentarily stares at the dish where she faces her pale reflection. Dark pool of bright eyes, a pointed nose, and black jet curls cascading over one eye. Reina knows she is more than beautiful, back at the village–every lad wanted to speak with her, to talk with her–it wouldn't take her seconds to get attention from both genders.

But, Reina didn't care for their attention–she is searching for a Prince Charming. 

She waits for one who will pick her from the slumps and would turn her life around. The only problem is she is at the castle, but her Prince Charming hasn't set eyes on her yet. Reina releases one of her hand from the dish, her long finger has foam on them, but she still touches her stray curls and tugs it behind her ear.

"Will you stare at yourself forever?"

Reina hears the unwarranted opinion from behind and she rolls her eyes and continued to score the dishes. It is no other than, Rudwick, the stable lad that the servant girls longs for.

Except, he doesn't have what Reina wants, he's not a Prince Charming!

Rudwick walks into the kitchen and stands beside her, will you allow me help, my lady? His voice is clear, young and bright. Any lady who hears it behind them should turn in shock and heart beats hitting every comers of her mind, but for Reina, it’s no news.

I'm no lady! 

Reina says as she dips the dishes into clean water to rinses the soap off.

You don't say! His voice has a mixture of confusion and playfulness now.

"Dear Reina, with such poise, a lad like me may mistake you for a princess." He says and walks around her. It is a graceful way to approach her, she would mistake him for no less than a prince assuming assuming he wasn’t working closely with her mother.

Really? She asks looking over at him with an arch brow, not buying any of his lies.

"You work in this very giant castle and you have surely seen the King's family." Tell me, does the princess normally wash the dishes too?

"You might never know." Rudwick says and moves closer to her.

Reina rolls her eyes and decides not to have a conversation with him anymore. She turns to continue her chores but he again, finds something to attract her.

"I have something for you." He says.

"Keep those royal snacks to yourself, Wick." She says before her even gets to show her what he has for her.

Are you sure? He asks while he rolls a blue pendant in the air and it catches Reina's bright eyes.

What is that? She asks with astonishment as she stands on her feet, her eyes following the beautiful pendant.

"A pendant for you." He replies.

Reina laughs with glee as she watches the beautiful pendant. It is the brightest thing she has seen so far, her mother doesn’t let her walk around in the giant castle you see. Her mother knows that she is a sweet poison, she knows the desires of her daughter and will it willingly put her in a place where she would fail.

So beautiful! Where did you get such an item, an object like this must cost a fortune. She says.

"Well, maybe I earn a fortune." Rudwick answers as he sees the excitement in her eyes.

No you don't! She scoffs, looking at him for a second.

You couldn't have stolen this, have you? Reina asks.

Rudwick rolls his eyes when she asks, perhaps I should keep it to myself then? He pretends to keep the pendant in his pocket.

Wait!

She says.

"Promise me you didn't steal it." Reina says.

"I promise." He answers.

What he loves about her is her freeness with him, he knows that she has bold dreams but she will still do the right thing when need be and this question asked is a reminder of her goodwill.

She collects it from him and stares at the object in her hands once again.

"Wow, thank you Wick." This has made these horrible two years of scrubbing and scouring less miserable. 

"Of course, if it puts a smile on your face." He says and Reina stares at him with her dove eyes.

"You know what, take a rest." I'll clear the dishes for you, go rest your little legs. Rudwick says as he begins to do her chores.

"Thank you Wick, I owe you for a life time." Reina says before placing a kiss to his cheek and leaving him flushed and tainted with a hue of red.

It is the closest she has ever gotten to him, they have talked for hours before, watched the sunset before but Reina only gave short answers while he prolonged the conversation. And now this, she has made the first move with him.

*********

Reina takes off her apron and hangs it on the wooden chair in her small room, she grabs her petit mirror and places it on the table in front and of the window where her eyes are glued to the purple pendant.

It is the prettiest thing she has ever seen after herself , she ties her curly hair in a rough bun before gently wearing the jewelry on her neck, in awe  of how exquisite a touch of riches made her look so refined. 

It totally changes her look.

And she is a witness to how she changed in just few seconds, she looks like the one of a kind that she is.

Reina stands  and opens a chest where she removes an orange gown, she strips away her servant gown and puts on her best dress. She stands in front of the small mirror, it doesn't show her full physique, but Reina knows that she doesn't belong in this small hole, this space.

She is convinced that she belongs to a ball, one with vast lights and noble people–in the arms of her Prince Charming who she would steal the spot light with. A place where necks will turn and mouth would whisper.

Reina, her name.

They would all whisper her name and would want to know where she comes from.

This is the moment where she decides she isn’t going to listen to her mother anymore, she will not remain in the back kitchen anymore. She holds onto the pendant in her hands and closes her eyes, she can see herself in the middle of a large space.

She is twirling and looking majestic–Reina believes she is one step closer to it. She opens her eyes and she wishes she never did.

Her reality is a small room, unknown to the royalties in the Castle of Woodrell.