Sarah had barely caught her breath from the morning encounter when she found Jessi lounging by the courtyard water basin, humming a cheery tune and throwing breadcrumbs to some fat pigeons.
But the moment Jessi saw Sarah's face—stormy, flushed, and twitching with rage—she burst into laughter and tried to hide behind the water barrel.
"You little brat! You actually sent me to the lion's den to die!" Sarah hissed, storming toward her. "I thought we were friends, Jessi! I almost cried blood today!"
Jessi peeked around the barrel, still chuckling. "Oh, please, my lady! Spare me today!" she said dramatically, hands raised in mock surrender. "Did you die? No. You survived the great Princess Zaria!"
"Survived?!" Sarah gasped. "I forgot how to breathe! How can a lady be so… so beautiful and terrifying at the same time? Her smile alone could murder a grown man."
Jessi wiped a tear of laughter from her eye. "Well now you know. She's not just a princess—she's the embodiment of grace and grave danger."
"You say that like it's normal! Jessi, she could've beheaded me for dropping her tea!"
Jessi waved it off. "Of course you'll survive. Mind your business. Follow orders. Don't breathe too loud. And someday, the princess might even like you."
Sarah snorted. "Sure. I'll know she likes me when my head's already rolling on the palace floor."
"Oh hush, my little dove," Jessi cooed, ruffling Sarah's hair. "Be happy, sing a song, shake that stress off—"
Sarah's eyes widened. "Jessi—watch out. The head maid is coming! She's behind you—shut up before you get us both killed!"
But Jessi was lost in her own world, now twirling around like a court jester on wine.
Suddenly, a cold, bone-chilling voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Oh yes, dance, sweet fool… dance while you can," sang Mrs. Alori in a terrifyingly sweet tone, emerging like a shadow from behind the pillar. "Dance your final jig before I tie your legs together and drop you in the royal well."
Jessi froze mid-twirl and turned slowly. "Oh, Mrs. Alori! You're... you're here. Hahaha. I was just—um—just heading to the laundry room!"
"Laundry?" Mrs. Alori tilted her head like a predator circling its prey. "You're dancing like a drunken goat while the princess's room hasn't been swept, her bath not drawn, and her royal pets still waiting for food."
She suddenly grabbed Jessi's hand and yanked her into a mock waltz, dragging her across the courtyard. "Come, let us enjoy your little concert. Dance, my sweet friend! Sing for your life!"
"Mercy!" Jessi cried, nearly tripping over her own feet.
Sarah, hiding behind a pillar, stuffed her fist in her mouth to suppress the laughter bubbling inside. But Mrs. Alori's voice turned sharp as a dagger.
"And you, Sarah," she said without turning, "I see you've joined the League of Lazy Maids. Freshly hired and already following in this goat's hoofprints."
Sarah stiffened. "No, ma'am! I wasn't—I mean—I just—"
"Silence!" Mrs. Alori barked, finally facing her with narrowed eyes. "You are new here, which means you still have time to shape up… or be shipped out. If Jessi hasn't explained the punishment for tardiness and gossip, allow me to demonstrate it later."
Jessi whimpered. "She means the chamber where they make you polish royal chamber pots for twelve hours…"
"Exactly," Mrs. Alori purred. "And if either of you is caught giggling or dancing again during duty hours, you will polish the chamber pots and write an apology letter in ten different languages!"
"Ten languages?!" Sarah gasped.
"Leave my sight before I change my mind!" the head maid thundered. "Bunch of lazy, featherbrained fools."
Jessi grabbed Sarah's wrist and yanked her away in a full sprint.
As they turned the corner, Jessi whispered between wheezes, "Worth it… still totally worth it."