Because of the servants the beast had killed and harmed, the number of workers in the palace had been greatly reduced. As a result, the housemaster had to reorganize everyone, assigning servants to new duties and different parts of the palace so that every area could still function properly despite the losses.

One of those newly assigned servants was a young woman who now made her way toward Rosalind’s chamber.

The guards immediately straightened the moment they saw her approaching. "I’ve been assigned to serve her today," the young woman explained, stopping in front of them.

The guards exchanged a look before studying her carefully. After a brief moment, they stepped aside and allowed her through.

The maid entered the room just as Rosalind was waking up. Her eyes landed on the unfamiliar face immediately, and the young woman quickly lowered her head in a respectful bow. "Good morning, my lady," she greeted.

"Good morning," Rosalind replied quietly.

The maid then explained that the servants had been reassigned throughout the palace and that she would now be attending to Rosalind from that day onward.

Rosalind offered a small smile before allowing the morning routine to continue.

She bathed, dressed, and prepared herself for the day as though she had somewhere important to be, even though she knew she would spend the entire day within these walls. Sometimes she felt as though she was slowly withering away in this room, watching life continue without her while she remained locked inside.

The maid stood behind her,

quietly braiding her hair, and after several moments Rosalind caught her reflection in the mirror.

"What’s your name?" she asked.

"Freya, my lady," the maid answered with a gentle smile while continuing her work.

Rosalind watched her for a moment before speaking again. "I noticed our accents seem quite similar. Are you from Merovia too?"

Freya nodded. "I am, my lady."

Hearing that made something brighten inside Rosalind. It felt almost like a blessing.

After all, it was only because the beast had killed so many servants that this reshuffling had happened in the first place. Normally it had been Jae who attended to her, but now Freya had been sent instead.

"You’re from Merovia too, my lady," Freya observed with mild surprise.

Rosalind smiled.

"So how did you end up in Eryndor?" she asked, finding herself genuinely interested.

Freya’s expression softened slightly. "My mother was from Merovia while my father was from Eryndor. I lived with my mother for years until she died protecting me during the war. After that, I had no choice but to come here and live with my father."

Rosalind’s heart tightened. "I’m so sorry."

Freya merely smiled and shook her head.

"It happened many years ago," she said quietly before continuing to weave the braids together and secure them with a pin.

"Do you miss Merovia?" Rosalind asked. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Certainly, my lady," Freya admitted. "Things here aren’t quite the same. Merovia always felt more lively."

She paused briefly before adding, "At least it used to be. I don’t know how much the war changed."

"It still feels that way," Rosalind said softly, remembering the short time she had spent there.

For a moment silence settled between them. Then Rosalind spoke again before she could stop herself. "I only recently discovered that I’m from there too."

Freya blinked.

Rosalind continued slowly. "I didn’t know all these years. During the war I was separated from my family and suffered an injury. After that, I couldn’t remember anything anymore." Her voice became quieter as she spoke. "But now I’ve started finding things out, and sometimes I wonder if they’ve been searching for me all this time... I wonder if there’s some way for me to reach them."

The words left her mouth before she realized what she was doing.

She looked up.

Freya was staring at her.

The realization hit Rosalind immediately.

Oh no.

What had she just done?

Why had she revealed so much?

Just because Freya was from Merovia didn’t mean she could be trusted. For all Rosalind knew, she could be loyal to Alaric and reporting everything she heard straight back to him.

Rosalind immediately stiffened. "Forget I said anything." The words came out much sharper than she intended.

Freya blinked in surprise. She clearly hadn’t expected such a sudden change after both of them had been sharing personal things only moments earlier.

An awkward silence followed.

Finally, Freya stepped back. "I am done braiding your hair, my lady."

"Thank you," Rosalind replied.

Freya bowed respectfully and turned to leave, but before she reached the door, she hesitated. Then she looked back. "If you ever need help, my lady, I can help you."

Her voice trailed off slightly as Rosalind stared at her.

Freya smiled. "We Merovians like helping one another."

Rosalind swallowed... She didn’t know whether she could trust her.

She didn’t know whether this was genuine kindness or a trap waiting to spring shut around her.

But what other option did she have?

She couldn’t leave the chamber.

She couldn’t reach Rowan.

She couldn’t speak to Verity or Thalia.

Every path had been blocked.

The maid was the only opportunity she had.

And as Rosalind looked at Freya standing there, she couldn’t help feeling that perhaps fate was finally offering her a chance.

If she let this opportunity pass, she might not receive another one before the wedding arrived.

"I do have something," Rosalind said as she rose from the chair and moved toward her bed, where she retrieved a small package.

She didn’t even know how she would go about it. She had no real plan at all. She had just written the letter and placed the pendant inside before sealing it, and now holding the tightly wrapped package she added, "I wonder if there’s a way you can help me get this to Merovia."

Freya accepted it carefully and looked down at it before asking, "Where would you like to send this?"

Rosalind took a deep breath as she steadied herself. "Could this reach the royal house?" she asked.

Freya’s eyes widened slightly. "As in House Merovin?"

So that was what it was called.

Rosalind simply nodded.

Freya studied her for a moment, as though trying to understand if she truly meant what she was saying, before finally speaking. "I think I know how to help"

Rosalind tried to hide the flicker of excitement that passed through her.

"But my lady," Freya continued, "if you’re trying to send something to the royal family, unless it’s something very direct, I’m not sure it will be treated with importance."

"But this is important," Rosalind said, although even as she spoke she felt her confidence waver slightly.

"Then I’ll get it to the caravan merchants. They can take it there," Freya said at last.

"Thank you," Rosalind said, unable to hide her relief. She was also grateful that Freya hadn’t asked what the letter contained, because anyone who heard it was meant for the royal house would immediately understand its weight.

Freya bowed her head once more and turned toward the door, but Rosalind stopped her again. "One more thing," she said, making Freya pause. "We can’t let the king find out. Do you promise to keep this safe?"

"I promise," Freya replied without hesitation, and Rosalind decided that for now, she would trust her.

****

While Rosalind remained in her chamber, Freya immediately set her plan in motion, because she had a feeling she had to help the lady.

A quick way was to send the message through the royal message route but there was a high chance the king would know of it. Which was exactly why Freya chose to deliver it through the caravans instead, so it would bypass official inspection entirely.

She approached one of the servants, Kira, who was working despite looking visibly unwell, her face pale and strained. "Kira... are you alright?" Freya asked.

Kira let out a small breath and shook her head slightly. "I’m not feeling well... I think my monthly cycle is about to start, and I really can’t focus right now."

Freya’s face tightened with concern, then she asked, "You’re supposed to go out this afternoon to pick something up, aren’t you?"

"Yes," Kira replied weakly, "but I don’t think I can manage it like this."

Freya paused briefly before speaking. "I actually have something to do outside as well. Do you think I could go in your place?"

Kira’s eyes widened. "You would do that?"

Freya gave a small smile. "I would."

"Oh, thank you so much... you’re a blessing," Kira said immediately, visibly relieved.

Freya then said to her, "Just finish what you’re doing and go rest, alright?"

Kira nodded gratefully.

When afternoon came, Freya went to the palace gates where the guards immediately stopped her. "Where are you going?" they asked.

"I’ve been assigned to collect herbs and medicines," she replied calmly.

They checked their list. "Kira?"

Freya nodded with a polite smile, and after a brief inspection she was allowed to pass.

Once outside the palace, she carefully retrieved the package Rosalind had given her from inside her clothing where it could not be searched, and then made her way into the city.

There she located the caravans heading toward Merovia, explained that the package was meant for the royal house. She paid the required fee with the money Rosalind had provided, and watched as the caravan finally departed, carrying the message away toward Merovia.