Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
The driver stops in front of the staff entrance of the palace. I fumble through my purse and hand him some money. “Thank you,” I say. He waves his hand toward the backseat as he flashes a friendly grin in the rearview mirror. I swallow hard as I place my hand on the car door handle and slowly open the door. I know I have to go inside, but I really wish I could just slam the taxi door shut and tell the driver to take me back to my parents’ small home on the other side of town.
But the palace isn’t going to wait for me. I get out of the cab and close the door behind me and then the driver pulls off, leaving behind only a cloud of exhaust smoke. I clench my purse in my hands as I stare at the staff entrance door. Glancing at the watch on my wrist, I realize that there’s no sense in delaying – it’s almost time for my shift to start. I take a deep breath as I step forward. My heart is still racing, but at least I’m not turning back around to run.
I scan my badge to unlock the door and wrap my hand around the knob. I take one last deep breath to steady my nerves before stepping inside. To be honest, no one notices, or seems to care. Staff members zip past me as they hurry about with various tasks, and only one footman raises his hand in a quick wave. Somewhat relieved, I make my way to the staff quarters and open my locker before stashing my purse inside. Then, I adjust my uniform, smoothing out any creases. I can’t look sloppy on my first day cleaning the royal private quarters; I have to look my absolute best. Tossing my hair into a tight bun, I make sure every strand of hair is tucked away before placing my bonnet on top of my head.
“Kitty,” Mary calls out from behind me. I quickly turn toward her with my shoulders squared and my chin up.
“Good morning, ma’am,” I respond with a deferential nod.
The middle aged woman merely sniffs while pushing a cart piled high with fresh sheets and towels toward me. “Take this cart with you to each of the royal chambers. Change the sheets and pillowcases for each bed, and swap out the dirty towels with clean ones.” I look down at the cart, feeling a bit intimidated. It all sounds simple enough, but this is the royal family of Chromia we’re talking about here – one of the wealthiest families in the world. The source of their largesse dates back to the empire they once controlled, but they’ve done well even in the modern age. The casinos and Monte-Carlo like atmosphere of Chromia ensure that the royal coffers stay full, and as a result, the King and his family rank among the wealthiest in the world. But that’s none of my business, and I nod professionally.
“Where should I start?” I ask. Mary checks the time on her watch.
“Start with Princess Ella’s quarters, then do Prince Eric’s, and lastly, King Wilhelm’s,” she says. I nod and then hurry off with the cart.
I push the squeaky rolling trolley toward the staff elevator and press the appropriate button. To be honest, I’ve only been in this part of the palace once – it had been my second day on the job, and Aunt Nellie and I had to bring fresh towels to the maid who was cleaning the King’s bathroom. His all-white bathroom was practically luminescent, it was so impressive. The toilet looked like it was made from the ivory tusks of an elephant, and the knobs on the bathtub looked like they were made of pure gold, and that is not an exaggeration. I’d never seen anything like it before.
The elevator dings as the doors open wide. I push the cart inside and press the button for the top floor. The doors close, and the elevator slowly goes up. I try to shake all of my doubts out of my head. Aunt Nellie is right; they chose me because they know I can get the job done. I have nothing to worry about. Taking a deep breath, I step out into the hallway with the cart once the doors slither open.
Princess Ella’s room is the closest, and so I push the cart up against the wall and gently knock on her door. I listen closely for a response, but her room is as silent as a tomb. She’s probably already off on her royal duties, whatever those are. After all, Ella is always by her father’s side at state dinners, and she’s very involved in the politics of our nation. Suffice to say, the fair princess is adored by the citizens of Chromia for her commitment, not to mention her beauty and charm. With her raven black hair and crystal blue eyes, Ella resembles a real-life Snow White.