The snake, seen as cunning and mistrusting, but much to the surprise of others can hold many great qualities, calm and collective, overflowing with passion, great-speakers and deep thinkers. They are filled with so much, their thoughts and emotions convoluted yet beautiful and strong, a common trait among the royals and inhabitants of the kingdom of Ophia, across the Droniel Sea where a tall castle stands by shores. Their sigil, two snakes intertwined with one another, with Ceramium roots surrounding it in the colors of silver and a deep turquoise color of green/blue to represent the very sea it stands high with. Across the Droniel Sea, in another land, by the mountains and the forests, where storms and weather of all sorts plague with the deep strength of the tiger reigns.

The Kingdom of Thera, large and mighty, almost in a different world, their sigil, a tiger with the color of gold and burnt orange, with their royal family known for their bravery and unpredictability, as well as their competitiveness. King Elforth Thera II of the Thera royal family had begun his reign twenty years ago, a fierce king who ensured the strength of his kingdom and reigning over other smaller kingdoms who would not dare to challenge his power or come for his lands. The only other place that holds as much power and strengths, the kingdom of Ophia, where Queen Thalassa Ophelia has ruled with patience and intellect after the death of her late King husband until her son is of age to become the next king. Two kingdoms, rich, powerful, and a challenge for each other, with years of trading stemming from the second kings to keep them at peace with one another after years of war.

Unfortunately, the reign of King Elforth held wariness for the Queen, her choices to restrict trade on behalf of the Kingdom, would be taken as a form of insult and perhaps lead to another war. As such, the promise of marriage, to fortify their union, the eldest daughter to King Elforth's eldest son, the successor to the throne. With the promise of marriage, the eldest daughter had gone missing, the King impatient and prideful, begins to find threats in these convenient disappearances of the Ophelia daughter. The problems of trade, a missing princess, and no fortified union brought upon rumors of battles, the two kingdoms at risk. Preparations for war are expensive, and with drafting for soldiers, families are desperate to make up for the loss of extra hands for labor and wages.

Thus, I found myself working for the royal Thera family, telling those that my father had gone to the shorelines, to join in protecting their ports for what may come. As a result, having no other family I've decided to find work wherever it may take me, even working as a seamstress, then a maid for a local lord who is well acquainted with the royal family, and a governess for their children. Soon talk of my work would be delivered to the castle where my lordship would bring clear passage to a position as a handmaiden with better wages and living. In the tumultuous storm one night, I was drenched in rain water and the skirt of my plain dress riddled with mud from the long trek. The distant side door of the walls of the castle stood before me, where I was instructed in a letter to approach. Upon my knock a little wooden slot opens to reveal two eyes in this rain.

"State your business!" A sharp and rough voice speaks, I hold the hood of my cloak farther over my face to cover from the heavy droplets.

"I am Maren Delmar. I am the new handmaid." At the mention of this, the little slot immediately shuts and the wooden door creaks open to the courtyard that these walls surround along with the grand castle. I look up right as the guard guides me through, walking me down the side of this courtyard to another side door. He grumbles about how I'm late in the day, that I was expected earlier. I give an excuse about troubles in my travels, something about a broken wheel on the carriage I hitched on, and the rocky roads making it a hassle to get up the mountain roads. I couldn't help but gaze up at the large towers in the rain and thunderous clouds in this vast night, the deeply colored bricks of gray standing high and mighty. There are stories that the first king himself built these very walls to protect his poor family from the weather and after he began he couldn't stop, thus creating this immense home that sat before me. The guard grumbles out a brief sentence to snap me out of gawking at the structure before I walk forward to where he unlocks the side door and opens it to reveal a hall in front of us of stone and torches to illuminate. My eyes adjust to the long hall, the guard continues to guide me down and at the end of the short walk, I am met with a large kitchen, large enough to cook foods for grand banquets and feasts, and in the middle, an older woman sat by a table it with a lantern. Her graying brunette hair tied tightly back with a narrow and sharp face, and stern eyes to pair with it, she wore a long navy blue dress that was plain and simple. She stands up at my entrance, carefully observing me, her wrinkled face looked at me scornfully
"Madam Heign, this is the new handmaiden, Maren Delmar." The guard introduces before turning to walk. I take off my drenched hood, my appearance must be in a terrible state. For a moment it is silent, I feel like a specimen being observed the way she stands there and takes me in.

"You're rather young." I nod and clear my throat, "yes Madam, I am only twenty years of age; but I am a fine worker with much experience."

"I did not mention your experience, simply your age." I clasp my hands in front of me tightly, my nails digging into my palms.

"You're dripping all over the floor, come, I shall show you to your room." She turns without a response from me and guides her down another hall, the storm rattles against the windows as I walk behind her. We pass multiple doors, no doubt rooms for the other staff.

"You will report early in the morning and leave your post late evening, you are to serve the princess, attend to all her classes and events, dress her and assist with appearances, maintain her schedules, and advise her if need be as she is in dire need of some in regards to her intolerable behavior." We turned the corner into another hall, with only two doors for rooms, and led to the far door at the end. Before we enter, the Madam turns to me, "I will not accept lackadaisical behavior, we've gone through many handmaidens in the last few years, you are easily replaceable, and as such you must work hard to earn your keep here." I realized the rumors were indeed true, the Madam was someone to tread lightly with. The woman pulls out a ring of many keys that jingle from every movement, and unlocks the ebony door in front of us. Inside, there was a simple room, with a bed against a window, stone floors cold to the touch, a desk across from the bed with a chair and a candle, on the other wall by the door, a wardrobe, with cracked paint peeking out from behind it. Next to that wardrobe, a door that was opened to reveal a small bathroom with entirely tiled floors and a window, with a water pump and a drain underneath, and a tiny toilet and a wooden bucket. No tub, I assumed the water pump is to be used as a sink and a form of bathing.

"This was the last room here in the servant's quarters, unfortunately this one does not have the best water and drainage system, and I will not hear any complaints."

"Thank you Madame," I slightly bow my head, the Madame still carefully inspecting me.
"Change out of those drenched clothes, there are towels and new clothing in your wardrobe that is appropriate for your work." Madame Heign leaves me, shutting the door behind. I place my suitcase of clothing down before unbuttoning my cloak and placing it on a nearby wall hook. My eyes took in the small room with a sigh, the window was rattling from the rain and I could hear howling from the halls outside my room, no doubt a draft but to many it sounded like a ghastly ghost. I needed rest right now if I were to awaken for instructions. I noticed a bell hanging off the wall beside the door, and labeled under it, "the princess' quarters." So is this how I would be summoned at every whim if need be? I wondered if I would have down time, I heard the princess was rather high maintenance, and hard to please and keep up with.

I stripped out the wet clothes from sticky skin, placed them in a corner in the bathroom to later be cleaned and dealt with, and rather than opening my suitcase and unpack since I was exhausted and cold from the rain, I opened the wardrobe to find towels and a nightgown perhaps to change in. My eyes look to see a mirror attached to the inside of one of the wardrobe doors, I was trained on my appearance, it was rather different than how I first was before starting this long journey of work. I was fuller in figure, the previous children I worked with did well to sneak tarts for us. I was only 19 when tensions started about a year ago between the two countries. I was surprised the war hadn't begun by now, it's mostly been a waiting game and preparations, trades being slowly closed off and soldiers at ports. We all knew it was bound to happen at any time, if they didn't find the princess soon and continue the unification, who knew what was to happen. I grab a towel and begin drying, and once done I change into a nightgown. My body held no energy to do anything more, so without thought, the minute my head hits the pillow I am fast asleep.

In the morning, the early chimes are rung in this wing for the servants and any other staff to awaken at this early hour, with barely much sleep I found myself with the Madame being carefully trained. I can't help but gawk at the beautiful castle, the careful architecture, some depicting the stories of the kingdom, others paying homage to their symbol of strength, the tiger. One sculpture in particular of an infamous knight riding the back of the largest ever recorded of the mighty feline. There were many tapestries draped throughout the dark castle, paintings of old rulers. There was one of the royal family, though outdated since the promised king and young princess looked nothing more than mere babes in the depiction. I overheard the Madame mutter to herself how the next portrait will be as stressful as this one was. My eyes can't help but notice the lack of smile on the little girl that sat on her mother, the queen's, lap. She looked about two, and most two year olds are filled to the brim with curiosity and happiness. I have never seen such a forlorn child. She wore a pink dress adorned with white ruffles and a little tiara across her dark hair, with a small frown on her face and eyes glossy. She must've been crying before the painting was taken, how horrid of the painter to depict the princess in such a way.

There were many staircases, and I found myself following Madame up the grand stairs that normally lead to the throne rooms and the rooms of the royal family members. I grew uncomfortable from the dress I wore, a gown of dark brown, most of my clothing were earth tones, plain and simple, and I noticed it was like most of what the staff wear. It adhered long sleeves for the drafty days, and required a tight corset with a long skirt and petticoat underneath. The dress held a high neckline, almost suffocating, one could mistaken it for a priest's clothing. My curly long hair was tied back in a tight braided bun, as part of the required appearance of a handmaiden. We had spent an entire day going over protocols, duties. I watched the way the food is cooked, how there is taster in case of wrongful ingredients or of a more foul substance. I followed proper folding techniques for clothing, ways to fix and set tables just in case, trying my best to memorize the princess' schedule.

"The princess has a particular schedule, you are to make sure everything is done in a timely manner and that she is attending to everything accordingly, when visitors are to appear you must inform her of them so it is best to have an education on near nobility and backgrounds for her sake." The Madame would continue to run down the expectations for me, essentially training me in such a short amount of time I felt like my head was spinning as we walked for what felt like ages. She would repeat this the day after, as I was only allowed a mere day to learn what I can before being thrown to the wolves. There was no time to ease into it, the princess needed her handmaiden as soon as possible. Alas, that morning we stopped in front of large heavy dark double doors with golden lining, hinges, and knobs. The Madame without thought or knocking pushes the heavy doors open to reveal a mess in front of us, clothing strewn everywhere, large windows from floor to ceiling covered with thick velvet curtains with only a sliver of light entering the room. The floors were of dark wood with velvet rugs covering it, the walls were of beautifully painted florals on red walls with gold and wooden lining. The ceilings are made up of gold architecture and a beautiful painting of a well-known myth of a tiger and a princess, her body covered in a red silk dress as she carefully caresses the head of a sleeping tiger on her lap. To the side there were canvases of paintings, some halfway done, some that looked done, all beautiful and of different landscapes and fruits. Across from where we stood, a bed against the far wall, with dark wood and huge enough to fit probably three people. I can hear shuffling on the bed, a thick blanket slowly falling off onto the ground with a tired groan. The Madame scowls as she is picking up the clothing off the ground and placing it on a nearby velvet couch, she grips the drapes of the canopy bed and pulls it entirely back revealing a sea of pillows and blankets atop a lump of a body. For a moment I stood there awkwardly, eyes trained on the bed.

"Awake princess, you have a long day ahead." The Madame pulls the blankets back onto the ground, and there, atop the mattress, a naked body. Before I could get a better look I could feel my face flush and turn to look away, eyes downcast to the abandoned clothing on the floor that I decided to help pick up and place on the near couch. I can hear the Madame behind me, scolding the said princess, followed with a tired groan and low muttering. I look back up to find the naked and rather thin body sitting up, staring tiredly at the Madame before her eyes turn to me, dark hair with slight waves draped down across her chest, hiding her perky breasts but barely because pink nipples poke through the long black straight strands. Her hair was long, about to her rear, and the color of coal, it was almost straight if it weren't for a light pattern of waves. She had thick sideburns, uncommon for women in nobility; hair other than atop the head is frowned upon and side burns were always deemed "manly," even thick brows, but seeing hers made me feel better about mine. In fact, if not knowing she were a woman I would've mistaken her androgynous look for that of a very feminine man. Her skin was pale, creamy, but it obviously lacked sunlight. I was told the mountain people of Thea were always on the paler side.
However it wasn't her skin, nor her hair, nor her breasts and naked body that struck me; but the brown eyes that stared intensely back. I had never seen such a deep set of eyes, they were the darkest shade of Umber I had ever seen, you'd mistaken them for being entirely black. It's funny, I'd always wanted another set of eyes, brown felt boring to me, yet her eyes felt alluring from just one look. I can feel my own body become tense, and avert my eyes to the Madame who throws an undergown at her.

"Cover yourself child! You are with a new company." A deep chuckle can be heard before a sultry voice speaks.

"Ah yes, it seems my bare body is causing them to stir." I grit my teeth before looking back at the princess, eyes trained on hers and nowhere else before I curtsy with hands picking the skirt of my dress slightly. I can feel my face hot from redness.

"Good morning your highness, I am Maren Delmar, your new handmaiden." I rise back up from the curtsy and stare back at her. She tilts her head, almost in amusement, and I ignore it as I walk over to the wardrobe to search through her gowns for dressing, whilst the Madame speaks to her behind me.

"You will behave yourself with this one, or god forbid I will be your next handmaiden." I can hear the princess sigh, "oh, woe is me, I am absolutely shivering from fear."
"You should be." The Madame looks to me right as I pull a gown out, "not that one, it is far too cold for such light fabrics, work a little better Ms. Delmar." I nod in response and pick out a different one, her sharp eyes look at the princess one last time.

"I shall leave you to attend to her."

"Yes Madame," I respond lightly before she walks hurriedly out the room with the obvious intention of working on something else of more dire importance. There was silence, I walked over to the bed and splayed the newly chosen dress across the foot of it to prepare for dressing. I can feel her eyes on me, I look up at her, ignoring the piercing gaze as best as possible.

"I shall draw you a bath, your highness." I walked over to the door a few feet on the same wall the bed sat up against, and through it there was a large bathroom, far more grandeur than the one I had indefinitely. The floors were made of stone and walls with a large window, the curtains pulled back showing a cloudy sky, a sink and a porcelain toilet that looked far nicer than mine and probably worked better with the pipes, and a large stone tub, it looked like a tub you would find at a hot spring. I walk over and turn the faucet on, allowing the water to run and become hot.

I can hear shuffling and movement back from the bedroom, I stand upright and begin to walk back, and I have to keep from a reaction as I watch the princess shred her dress that I had laid out with a pair of golden scissors. She was muttering to herself, piercing it with every cut she made to destroy it. I was frozen, they warned me the princess was a handful, most in the kingdom knew this, and yet I can see now I would have my work cut out for me. A creak from a floorboard under my weight brings her attention back to me, her eyes staring intently before she stands upright, leaning against one of the bed posts, still holding the metal scissors in her hand with a smirk. I looked over to see the gown riddled with holes and rips, it looked nothing like a gown rather than a pile of spare and expensive fabric. She was watching me carefully, expecting a reaction.

"Never did like this gown." I look up from the dress over to her, my hands clasp in front of me as I walk forward.

"Perhaps another gown shall suffice? Or will you be destroying that one as well?" She blinks, I couldn't decipher her lack of words for confusion or shock. I walk over to the wardrobe and sift through the other gowns.

"Is there a particular color you are fond of, princess?" I push through the different fabrics of weight and feeling, and that's when I can sense the close presence from behind and the hot breath on my neck and I almost jump from it. I turn my head slightly to see her face right by mine, staring into the wardrobe alongside me. As if instinct, I grab a random dress out and step away from her to place it on the bed behind us, my attention sticking to the dress and not the woman behind me. My hands begin pressing out the creases of any wrinkles. I stand upright once more to gaze at it before speaking again.

"I ask that you please not destroy this one," I speak as sternly as my low and soft voice would allow and without waiting for a response I walk back into the bathroom. I can feel my face flushed once more, the close contact a bit too much for my liking. I ignore it as I walk over to the bathroom cabinet and shuffle through the elixirs and herbs. The Madame had told me about the princess and her different preferences including how she takes her baths. I grabbed three different vials she had told me to take for her, each with different properties and scents that she preferred. Lavender for calming remedies, mint for refreshing the skin, and roses for dried skin patches she tends to get, along with soft smelling soaps. I relish in the scent of each one as I spill them into the hot bath, the steams overtaking the bathroom from the running water.

"Are you normally easy to blush?" She was standing at the entrance, scissors abandoned somewhere else, the front of her nightgown open even more, her hair was ruffled and a mess. I place my hand in the water to feel the hot temperature before shutting it off.

"Your bath is ready." I get up to walk past her.

"Aren't you going to bathe me? All of my handmaidens did the same." I look her in the eyes.

"I was informed by the Madame to allow you to tend to your own bathing."

"That pompous cow knows nothing, I do well with company for my baths," she argues, walking closer to me until I can feel a hand graze my waist. I knew better, she would throw me into the tub like she did to many on their first days. I'd like to avoid the unnecessary outfit change.
"I unfortunately am allergic to roses, your highness, just by touching the elixir bottle I seem to be growing a rash on my palms." I hold up the slightly reddened wet palms caused by the hot water, but she did not need to be made aware of that as I quickly dropped my hand before she could closely examine.

"If I help bathe you I will be risking myself, and I would much rather not be afflicted by a swelling throat that could cause me to die rather painfully might I add." That questionable stare again, it feels like forever before she turns away from me in annoyance, her jawline tense.
"Get out, you're boring," she drawls, before dragging her feet to the tub.

"As you wish, your highness." I exit the bathroom, shutting the door slightly behind me. The remainder of the time of getting ready she did much to startle and toy with me, though I did my best to not be phased by either of it. When doing her hair she was not fond of my combing or brushing and snapped at me a few times. When breakfast came she sent the poor maid to bring the food back and remake it according to her liking, nit-picking at everything. All of these I was warned about before taking on the position, though I've dealt with worse, the children of the lordship at my last occupation were little devils, and to me she was nothing but a spoilt royal of twenty and two. Although, it was rather interesting, the way she went about the day, her studies, her meals, her horse riding lessons, attending to visitors, all of it was rather a lot yet she did her best to bring madness to anyone and everyone who was around her. I did my best to tend to her, but at times when she was deemed too much I would try and distract her.

"Perhaps some scones, your highness?" I point to a platter, directing her attention to the tea snacks before she could insult the governess further. The poor aging woman was red in the face and about to explode. It was a long day, and she was tough to catch up with at times, purposefully making a game of chase as we moved from one thing to the other. However, I did notice, when the dinner time arrived for the royal family, the way she grew fidgety as we walked down to the grand dining hall. The way her eyes flickered among her family, the clenching and unclenching of her jaw, the light sweat on her forehead.

King Elforth was a man of large and burly stature, with gray hair and a beard to match, and blue eyes, though nothing like the icy stare of his wife, hers were an unsettling blue, matched with the blonde almost white hair it seemed as if I were staring at an unearthly being. She was a rather thin and pale woman, unlike the tanner skin of her husband, and she did not seem easy to please, as demonstrated when the eldest son and child, Prince Titus, sat across from her boasting of his achievements, and yet she remained stoned face. Prince Titus was a tall and muscular man, with dirty blonde hair, and softer blue eyes like his father. I had then realized the princess looked nothing like her family. She walks forward, as we approach the dining table, her mother's eyes snap at her before looking at me.

"And who is this? The new toy?" Her voice was smooth.

"Yes mother," the princess responds curtly. The Queen looks back at me, "and your name?" I curtsy and speak my name.

"Pardon my lack of introduction, Maren Delmar, your grace. I arrived late the other night and was unable to attend a formal greeting. Forgive me your grace."

"Delmar? I don't think I've heard of any noble house named Delmar." The King speaks with a drunken chuckle at the name, the Prince just eats from his meal without a care for my existence. The Madame walks up from where she stood at her post by a near wall with the other handmaidens, advisors, and staff.

"She is a common girl, your grace." The Queen smirks, "how refreshing, now we need not worry of another noble daughter being scared off or tainted by our hellish daughter, lord knows we have enough rumors to deal with as is." The princess stood there, her gaze glazed over while she spoke badly of said daughter, "I trust you will have the grit to deal with my monstrous child." I simply bow my head a little in response, "the princess will be in good hands your grace." The Queen looks at the Princess.

"Sit, child." She walks over to her seat, and it is then we are dismissed to the servant quarters for our meals before we return for nightly routines with our respected royals to serve. I had met the manservants to the King and the Prince, one an older gentleman of refined class but obviously strict moral codes with the way he spoke of certain things. Then the manservant for the Prince, a nearby Lord's son with a rather carefree attitude, makes sense considering the Prince's disregard for conversing when we had entered, his attention rather taken by a piece of chicken on his plate. Then, the Madame, who I had come to find was the handmaiden to the Queen, which made all the more sense. As all of them were of noble blood, I did not have the satisfaction to sit with them for meals, and instead was sent to the darkest corner of the kitchens where a table is made for the servants, chambermaids, and other non-noble staff.

"Oh, you must be in the wrong place my lady–"

"No, no, I am not, I am not a nobility." The servant girl looks at me in confusion before looking at the other staff, a stable boy looks up at me, "aren't most handmaidens and man-servants of noble blood?"

"I am a commoner, no penny to my name in fact." They seemed to find that refreshing, and I was fond of the dinners with them. Each dinner played the same, I would dine with the staff, and after every dinner, I was met with the Princess' drained demeanor, her usual wit and mischievous self not the same as it normally is every morning and throughout the day. It felt like staring at a new person each time, though I did my best to maintain nightly routines no matter the emotions she may have been feeling. It didn't matter, she would usually fall fast asleep the minute her head hit the bed, and it did me well to not deal with much every night. I would find solace in the idea of keeping a routine of work here in the castle. I wanted nothing more than to live currently under a regular schedule, a living wage, and a roof over my head.