I come to find out that my first task in serving Princess Asteria will be delivering her breakfast. Shortly after I return to the maid's quarters after dropping off my letter, Alba finds me to give me my own set of keys to the princess's quarters and my instructions for the day.

"Asteria will not be eating in the dining hall today. It will be your job to retrieve her breakfast from the kitchen and bring it to her," Alba says. She pauses before turning to leave. "Do not linger. The princess is not feeling well today."

I nod dutifully, though I am bothered by her strict instructions. How can I learn anything from Princess Asteria if I am barely allowed any contact with her in the first place? My mother will be angered if I continue progressing at such a slow pace.

I heed Alba's instructions for the time being and head to the kitchen, where I have mainly been serving over the past week during my probationary period. The chefs know me by name now, and while I have never struck up long conversations with them, they are at least more inviting than the maids I currently live with.

"Good morning," I say as I enter the busy kitchen. Judging by the slowness of their cooking, they must know already that Asteria will not be dining. "I've come to retrieve the Princess's breakfast," I announce to the head chef, a short and stout man with dark hair and a finely trimmed beard.

He nods and points for me to wait by the counter. I linger in place for a few moments, glancing out at the spacious dining hall. As someone who has set up the hall but never seen it being eaten in, I wonder what it must be like. Does Princess Asteria dine alone? Does Alba eat with her? How many courses are they served? My stomach rumbles at the thought. I only managed to get a few bites of breakfast in before being whisked away to my maid duties. What I would give for some fresh eggs and fish from the market in Tetoa this morning.

One of the chefs carefully slides a silver platter with a closed lid toward me a few minutes later. I thank him and pick up the platter carefully, terrified of spilling its contents. As this is my first time delivering a meal to the princess, I walk slowly up the stairs toward the upper floor. The constraining sleeves of my dress make it difficult to hold the platter as firmly as I desire. Thankfully, there is a cart near the top of the stairs that I can place the platter on to carry the princess's meal the rest of the way. I slowly set it down onto the cart and let out a sigh of relief.

Once I come to the large wooden doors blocking off the rest of the corridor, I finagle in my pockets for my keys, quickly locating the small brass key that Alba delivered to me earlier in the morning. The door creaks open slowly as I unlock it. I glance at the small key, thinking suddenly how much power this key holds. As long as I am careful, I can sneak into the princesss's part of the estate as often as I desire.

I walk down the hallway slowly, wondering if Alba is lingering nearby since her living quarters are in this part of the building. I hear and see no one however, and make my way to Asteria's bedchamber as instructed. When I arrive to her doors, I take a deep breath, knowing I must do everything I can to serve the princess well. Perhaps Alba has held power over me for this long, but it is the princess's opinion of me that will ultimately shape the trajectory of this mission.

I hold my fist to the door and lightly tap.

"Princess?" I ask.

"Come in," she responds.

I unlock the door slowly, finding Princess Asteria sprawled out on one of the velvet sofas, a book in her lap. She looks up as I roll the cart in.

"I am here to deliver your breakfast," I announce. "Where would you like me to set it?"

"Right here on the table is fine," she says, gesturing to a small sitting table directly across from her.

I maintain the quiet as I carefully set her breakfast down. Slowly, I pull the lid from the platter, revealing a plentiful breakfast spread that is far superior to what myself and the other maids are entitled to. There are cooked eggs, sliced ham, ripe fruit, and a freshly-baked pastry that smells divine. Asteria's eyes light up at the sight of food.

"Wow, it looks amazing. If you run into the kitchen later, tell the chef I send my gratitude," she says.

I nod. "Will that be all? Shall I come by later to retrieve the plates?"

Asteria shakes her head. "One of the other maids can take care of that. Thank you for delivering it."

I nod and curtsy, ready to take my leave, but I feel I have accomplished nothing thus far. So, going against Alba's orders, I continue to speak.

"Alba said that you were not feeling well earlier. Is everything all right?" I ask. While most likely an inappropriate question to ask, if Asteria is often ill, that may be a piece of valuable information to pass along for my mother, and that makes her much less of a threat than I previously envisioned.

"Oh. It is just my time of month, that's all," Asteria replies. "Josie is planning to run me a warm bath later. I'll feel better in no time."

"I see. Forgive me for prying. I worried something might have been wrong," I state, trying to cover my prying as best as I can, though it is messily done.

"I appreciate your concern, Fe. Truly, I will feel better in a day or two," Asteria assures me.

I nod. "Enjoy your meal, then," I say, curtsying once more. I leave Asteria's room in low spirits, wishing there was more I could have said to initiate a conversation. However, I know Alba would have been upset if she learned I was lingering, and ultimately, I know I cannot rush the princess's trust in me. It will have to build gradually, much to my dismay.

The rest of the afternoon, I return to my normal duties, and in the days following, I only see the princess in brief intervals. Though my probationary period may have ended, it is clear to me that the amount of time spent serving the princess is based entirely on seniority, which I do not have. I bring Asteria meals and towels occasionally or make short visits to collect her laundry, but I am barred from doing any of the tasks that would allow me to get closer to her, such as drawing her bath, preparing her for bed, dressing her for the day, and the like. While the temptation to complain is there, I know I cannot bother Alba. I must play fair in this game.

One afternoon, I return to the maid's quarters after helping Zofia with the princess's laundry. The other maids are out, busy with their own chores, which leaves me some peace and quiet to enjoy my midday meal. As I sit at the kitchen table, I jolt at the sound of the door opening. I prepare myself to make awkward small talk with one of the other maids, but Alba's gaze meets my own instead.

"Miss Fe, are you almost finished with your meal?" Alba asks.

I glance down at my half-eaten plate of food. "I can be," I respond. "Is something wrong? Does the princess need me?" I realize it is foolish to think the princess would specially request my duties when we have barely spoken, but I can only hope that it may be a possibility, allowing me to gain closer contact with her.

"No. You have a visitor. I told them I would come get you. They are out at the back gates," Alba explains. "I will allow you an hour or so for a visit."

I thank her and quickly shove down the remaining bites of food left on my plate. As I place the dish away, I wonder confusedly if my letter was not enough to appease my mother. I wonder what she will have to say to me. I wonder if she will be upset enough to force me to leave Esterpool.

I take a moment to briefly check my appearance in the mirror and then promptly leave the maid's quarters. I wander nervously down the dirt path toward the back of the estate where my visitor waits for me. I think of all the ways that I can promise my mother that I will be able to follow through with my plan. While I have never been excited about my role, I can only imagine how upset I would feel to give up now, when I feel my mission has only just begun.

I see a figure standing near a tree past the gates of the estate. All of the pent-up anxiety leaves my body in an instant when I recognize not my mother, but Taika. I let out a long exhale in relief and hold up my hand to wave to him. He appears alone, which means my mother must have not come with him. Strangely though, my heart sinks at this fact. I had hoped my mother would be interested enough in my progress to come see me. Though, perhaps it would have been too dangerous for her to travel.

I walk quickly up to Taika, and in a matter of moments, he engulfs me in a strong hug.

"Fetia, it's good to see you," he says quietly.

I dig my fingers into his the fabric of his shirt as he hugs me, thinking how nice it is to hear my actual name leave his lips. He pulls back, and we smile at each other. I am hit with immeasurable emotion and use every force in my body to withhold tears. How nice it is to have a family member in front of me again. Finally, I feel I can let my guard down.

"It's good to see you, too," I say.

"Let's go for a stroll in the meadow," Taika suggests. "We should be out of earshot there."

I nod and walk alongside him, turning back occasionally to see the estate shrinking in the distance. The meadows in Esterpool are beautiful, coming to life with vibrant spring flowers. There are farms surrounding either side of us, with fresh crops growing from the soil. It is a different type of beauty compared to Landiani, but being in nature, away from everyone else, is where I feel most at peace.

"We shouldn't speak too loudly, but it should be safe to speak more openly out here," Taika says.

I nod. "Alba says I can be out here for an hour or so, but I probably cannot linger much longer."

"Then I will keep the conversation brief," Taika says. "How is your progress going?"

I can feel my heart drop at the question, knowing that whatever I tell Taika, he will have to relay to my mother. "I am progressing, but slowly, I'm afraid," I say. "You didn't tell me there was a probationary period!" I exclaim.

Taika looks at me in shock. "That probationary period was not something I ever had to do while serving in Magewell, nor something Alba ever informed me of, but I suppose it only makes sense. That was my fault for not receiving all the necessary details. I apologize, Fetia."

"It's okay," I murmur. "I made it past the probationary period in ample time, thankfully. I finally met the princess a few days ago."

"And?"

"I have not been able to speak to her as much as I would like," I admit. "I keep being assigned smaller tasks, like bringing her meals or taking her laundry from her. The other maids have been here longer. They already have a connection to her. It is hard to compete."

Taika quietly nods. "Your mother received your letter," he explains.

"And?"

"She is not happy with your progress," Taika says simply.

I nod. "Is that why you visited today?" I ask.

"Partially. I truly did want to see you and check up on your health. You don't appear weak or sickly, so I can only assume they are taking good care of you," Taika says.

"Oh, yes! We get three square meals a day and proper care. I am working myself to death though. I've never fallen asleep so quickly at the end of the day before," I say with a laugh.

Taika nods and chuckles.

"Taika, I truly am putting my all into this plan," I say. "But it is difficult. I cannot gain the trust of Princess Asteria if I am limited access toward her."

"I understand that. I truly do. But you will have to try harder, Fetia," he says. Taika has always been less harsh than my mother, but even I can sense the seriousness in his words. "I do not know what that will take. Obviously you need to keep your identity safe first and foremost, but try to stage more run-ins with the princess, offer to take on more of the other maids' duties. You must do whatever it takes to get Princess Asteria to open up to you."

"I know," I murmur.

"How are you getting along with the other maids?"

"My roommate Maria is kind to me. We are friends of sorts, The other maids...they do not hate me, but they aren't quite as welcoming. I don't think they like anyone different from them, and I stand out more than I would like being the only one from Landiani. I had hoped I might be able to form a friendship with another maid from Flumensia, but she is as cold to me as ever," I admit.

Taika frowns. "You must try to get along better with them."

I sigh. "I know. Alba emphasized the importance of us working as a team. I've done nothing to get on their bad side, but I suppose I could work on being more friendly with them." Tears begin stinging the corner of my eyes, though I try to force them away. "This is hard, Taika. I am trying so hard, but nothing is going as planned."

"Come here," Taika says, extending his arms.

I fall into his hug and hold him tightly. I know he is not my real father, but in the moment, I truly wish he were. These are things I would never feel comfortable telling my mother, and while I cannot trust Taika to keep all that I've said a secret, I trust he will only share with my mother the important details of our conversation. I savor in the feeling of his arms around me and hold onto him tightly, dreading when I will need to let go and return back to the estate.

"You can do this, Fetia. I have faith in you," Taika says, rubbing my back. "But you cannot let the other maids see your weakness. You must keep playing this role for now, okay?"

I nod and reluctantly pull away from him. We begin walking once more. I sniffle and wipe my eyes like a child as the remaining tears fade."How is Kiana doing?" I ask at last.

"She is surviving, just like you. She has already been gaining notice in Magewell as a soldier. She hopes, with enough determination, that she can enlist in the royal guard next month," Taika explains.

"That soon?" I phrase the question as if I am shocked, but deep down, it is not much of a surprise. It was always clear that Kiana was trusted to be more skillful with this mission. Of course it makes sense that her progress has been smoother than mine. Even if jealousy threatens to arise within me, I am more happy for her than anything else. At the very least, she will ensure the mission is successful if I cannot.

"Don't beat yourself up about it," Taika says. "You both have very different roles. She doesn't need to form personal relationships. You are trying to gain the trust of the princess of all people. It is understandably a big task."

I nod. "Taika, can we stop talking about this now? Can I ask you how things in Landiani are going? How everyone is doing?" I ask.

"Of course," Taika says. "You should know that Lagi left for the army a few days ago."

I frown hearing this.

"His family had a small farewell. He'll be undergoing some training in Magnuvia before taking off to the Kilneu Mountains," Taika explains.

"And Palila?" I wonder.

"She is upset, understandably, but I saw her working at her parents' booth at the market the other day with a smile on her face. She will survive it," Taika says. "If Lagi performs well, he will be home for their wedding in no time."

I smile slightly. How I miss the scent of the marketplace and the view of the ocean and even the cursed Landiani Jungle that my mother and Kiana made me hike through so many times. Taika and I walk for a bit longer, discussing life back home. Eventually though, I can see the estate reappearing in the distance, and I know I will have to leave our comforting discussion behind to resume my role as a maid in Esterpool. We arrive to the gate, and I linger uncomfortably, long enough for Taika to speak up.

"It's about time for us to part, don't you think?" Taika asks. "Alba will be worried if you're out too long."

"You don't wish to see Alba if she's around?" I wonder.

Taika shakes his head. "We spoke already when I asked for you."

"Will you be back soon?" I ask, suddenly not wanting him to leave.

"I can visit when I can, but these visits must be occasional and brief," Taika says. "Truly they are just to ensure everything is going according to plan. Do not fret, Fe," he says, and I know we are done now, since he has used my Esterpool name. "Keep writing, okay?"

I nod and thank him again for coming. As I turn toward the back gate of the estate, I watch as Taika turns left and begins to disappear in the distance. I watch his silhouette fade until I am truly left alone once more, and suddenly, all my emotions come pouring out all at once. I walk depressively back toward the maid's quarters, upset that Lagi is in the army, upset that I am alone again, and upset, most of all, that my mother was so disappointed in my progress that she sent Taika to come give me a pep talk.

When I arrive back to my room, I am wiping tears from my eyes, missing life in Tetoa, missing my friends, missing Taika, missing my sister, and even missing my mother despite my anger towards her. I wish suddenly that I could be back there and not here in Esterpool, where I have never felt so isolated. These are the thoughts that run through my head as I enter my room and find Maria inside, placing some laundry away in her dresser at the most inopportune time.

"Oh, Fe! Welcome back!" Maria exclaims. It only takes her a moment to see my swollen eyes. "Oh, no! What's wrong? Did something happen? Alba said you were off with a visitor. Was it your lover from home? Did he end things with you?"

"Huh?" I ask, the shock breaking me out of my sadness. "No! Who told you that?"

"Zofia said she saw a man out waiting for you. She thought it might be—"

"N-No! That was Taika, the man who helped me get situated here in Esterpool. He used to serve in Magewell, and he's good friends with Alba," I explain. "He came to check on me and see how I was adjusting."

"Oh! My apologies, Fe," Maria says. "But still, you're upset! Did something happen?"

I shake my head. "I am only feeling a little homesick, that's all. He was telling me about Landiani."

"I understand, Fe. I miss Okchester sometimes, too, though Alba and the princess let me visit sometimes. I hope I can plan another trip soon to see my parents," Maria says. "Will Alba let you do the same?"

"I don't know," I admit. "Truthfully, there is not much for me to go back to. My parents passed when I was very young."

"Oh! I had no idea," Maria says. "You have no lover either?"

I giggle slightly. "No," I say. "I only have a few friends back in Otakoro. There is no large reason for me to visit."

"What about Magewell? You used to serve there, didn't you?"

"Yes, but it has been quite some time since I was last there as well," I say. "Whatever the matter, can you please not share I was upset? I don't want Alba to think I am ungrateful for this opportunity. I truly am thrilled to be serving the princess. It is still just a new adjustment for me."

"Your secret is safe with me," Maria assures me.

"Are there any more tasks I can help with for the day?" I wonder. "I need a distraction."

"I think you would have to ask Alba. I've completed all of my duties," Maria says. She ponders for a moment. "Alba told you the gardens were accessible for the maids, right?"

"Yes."

"I like to go there during my breaks. I visited often when I first started working here. It's quite a beautiful garden, and a nice, private place to stroll. Perhaps you should go take a break there until you're feeling better," Maria suggests.

I nod. The idea does seem nice. I am not in the mood to socialize with the other maids or ask Alba for other chores when my emotions are still outweighing the rest of my thoughts. "Thank you, Maria. I think I will," I say.

"I'll cover for you if Alba needs anything," Maria promises.

I nod, thank her once more, and head toward the garden.