I Love You, My Cursed Prince

Some more minutes passed on, and then the butler returned, holding a thick cane with a gem encrusted handle. Behind him was the housekeeper, Radine Cardon, and two men holding the arms of a frightened looking maid with black hair. They brought her before the princess while Radine held up an ornamental looking dagger made of gold. Muriel took the dagger with cautious fingers. Then she put it on a table near the princess and waited for the next scene to play.

Princess Arya coldly asked Radine, "Where was this dagger found?"

"Inside Mara's room, Your Highness," Radine answered with a curtsy.

"And Mara is the maid here?"

"That's so, indeed," Radine said. She had a very unhappy expression.

"Precisely where was this dagger found? Behind something?"

Radine shook her head. "It was found under Mara's bed."

Princess Arya's head moved to one side as her clean fingernails tapped each other. "Each servant has their own ċhėst of private belongings, do they not?"

"Yes we do, Mistress," Radine said.

"These ċhėsts even have locks with keys, is that correct?"

Radine nodded. "Yes."

"Assuming a maid would steal anything, it would be prudent to keep the stolen object in her ċhėst, wouldn't it?" The princess' head returned to its straight position. Muriel was starting to understand her logic.

Radine gasped and put one of her old hands to her mouth. Then she said with a surprised voice, "That's a vital detail!"

Just then, someone knocked on the room's exit door. "Pardon me?! I have something urgent to report!"

The princess called out, "Enter!!"

The man that came into the room was Doctor Aron Bergson. He had a dignified gray coat with wide sleeves. He wasn't wearing a hat. His brown hair was loose and free around his shoulders. He walked up to the princess and bowed, holding out a folded paper.

Without turning, the princess said, "Bring Hattie Pan here."

The butler immediately obeyed. He leaned the cane against a wall and left the room.

Some time later, during which Mara the scared maid tried to plea but was stopped by Radine, the butler appeared again with his hand around the arm of another maid. She had blonde hair and lots of freckles on her cheeks. He put her near Mara and her captors and released her arm.

Princess Arya turned around then. She was grimacing. "Hattie Pan, where you last night, just before dinner?"

That blonde maid answered with a straight face, "I was dusting the railing in the foyer."

"Did anyone see you?"

Hattie's posture wilted a little. "Ah ... well ... I don't know."

Princess Arya's head moved back and forth very subtly as she looked down at Hattie. She didn't look away as she ordered, "Release Mara."

Mara was allowed to stand by herself. Almost stupidly, she blinked and gaped at everyone.

Princes Arya spoke to Hattie again. "You sleep beside Mara, correct?"

Both Mara and Hattie nodded.

And the Princess said very quietly, "What if I were to tell you, Hattie, that you have been seen stealing the golden dagger?"

"What?" Hattie was shaking her head. "No, I ... I swear! Mara stole it! I saw her do it!"

That statement didn't matter, it seemed, because the princess walked over to her cane.

Muriel held her breath.

"Hold her down," the princess said.

The struggling Hattie was held very well.

Princess Arya then beat Hattie's back and backside many, many times.

Each strike brought out the most pathetic cries.

When it was over, Princess Arya had Hattie dismissed, as in permanently removed from the castle. She wouldn't receive a recommendation. She'd have to find a new job on her own.

And, rather abruptly, Muriel thought of what the princess had told her when she first arrived.

"As long as you are on this land, you should always ȧssume you are being watched."

Later on, it was discovered that Hattie had a grudge against Mara over something incredibly petty.

People were like that sometimes.

But Muriel wondered who in the world was watching, and why?