CHAPTER EIGHT

I smiled and took his hands in mine. "I'd absolutely love that, can I count on you?" 

He rubs my hands gently with his and nods, he seems like such a sweet old man. "I'll be back princess, I must get the step ladder." He let go of my hands.

"Do you not have any help?" I asked as he was about to carry on with his duties.

"Oh no miss, you see my wife couldn't bear us children so it's just her and I, but she is not doing well you see she's sick so it's up to me," he says as his smile fades.

"This is unacceptable, I must get you some help." My heart hurt at his words of a man with such a kind heart to care for his wife so deeply.

"That's not necessary, I promise princess I can do this," he pleads as if I were to replace him.

"Don't mistake me, I'm not replacing you, I'm getting you some help, someone you can train, it must be lonely for her all by your lonesome." He looked at me with a small huff, and nodded.

"I have worked here for a few generations, and not once have I been offered to be assisted by royalty, I am forever grateful." His eyes welled up with tears as he wiped them away with stubby fingers.

"We will be on a search, even volunteers would be enough. Alot of townsfolk would do almost anything to work in the castle." I boasted excitedly.

"Maybe your previous Castle miss, but our reputation here isn't all that great. King Geoffrey made sure of that." The man had a glint of pure hatred for barely a moment.

"King Geoffrey, and Queen Kora will no longer be in charge starting tomorrow, instead it will be Prince Senya and I in their place. I can't promise I can fix everything but what I can promise is that I'll try." I explained trying to ease his mind.

"Thank you princess, I'd never ask for anything more," he gave me a small smile looking from the stoned walkway to me.

"What's your name sir?" I asked, trying to put names to faces so I remember later.

"My name is Articus, but you may calle Artie if you'd like, milady." Artie answered.

"Well Artie, it was very nice to meet you and I will see what I can do in such a limited amount of time, okay?" He looked so proud to be called his nickname I couldn't help but smile as I patted him on his shoulder.

"It was my pleasure, Princess Celeste, and please don't hesitate to visit again, you are welcome here any time." That's when I saw him genuinely smile for the first time.

"Artemis, you aren't bothering the princess are you?" A man's voice boomed from behind the fountain.

Artie began to cower away like an animal in trouble, shaking his head and backing away from me. 

"He is doing no such thing, and his name is Articus, not Artimis." I corrected the unfamiliar voice.

"Is that so?" He came into view, as I should have known it was the king.

He looked as if he waited for me to cower from his intense gaze like the rest of his subjects, but I am not one to cower, nor am I one of his subjects.

His face twisted into disgust as I didn't do what he was waiting for, his crown leaving indent marks on his forehead.

"Do you not realize who you're talking to?" He says beginning to get red in the face.

"The crown squishing that brain of yours definitely doesn't give you away sire." I know I'm using unnecessary sarcasm but stupid questions deserve stupid answers.

"I am king Geof- wait a minute, how dare you mock me?" He asks unbelievably.

"You make it quite easy to do so your majesty, but don't get too excited you might pop a blood vessel in that big head of yours." I replied carelessly. "Now if you don't mind I have a wedding to plan and right now it's obvious you rather see suffering than actually help so please see yourself out sir." 

He stood there flabbergasted as if no one had stood up to him before, he just stood there frustrated and trying to find words to say. "Is there anything else, King Geoffrey?"

He shook his head and spun then walked out the door with nothing else to say.

"My thirty years working here I have never seen him so speechless, you're certainly something else, milady. I am definitely curious to see the way you rule our country." Articus laughed.

"As am I, my friend, I have a feeling there are a lot of changes needed here." I say half jokingly.

I know I will be talked to about this later tonight but it's not like I was lying.

"If the king does anything before I am ruler just know I will do everything I can to help you and your wife." I smiled as I turned to leave with Asiya following behind me.

"Thank you again, I'll keep you informed." Articus called after me.

We made our way going back to walking throughout the halls, and I noticed there were children playing with dolls while their mother was cleaning the room. 

The woman is wearing her black and white maid uniform, with her thinning hair in a tight neat ponytail.

It reminded me of my days as a child when Isla had to bring Aris, and we would play together as she worked. I smiled at the memory and walked over to the young girls.

They were dressed in purple and blue frilled dresses; the youngest had pigtails and bows holding them in place, the other a ponytail with a large purple bow to match her dress.

"Hello there," I smile as they turn their heads to see who I was.

They gasped and stood up dropping their dolls on the cool tile. "It's the princess!" The older one loudly whispered to the other.

That's when they quickly attempted to curtsey.

I smiled at their attempt and did it back. 

"What are your names children," I ask gently, a smile still stretched onto my face.

"Avari." The younger one nervously introduced fidgeting.

"My name is Ivory." The oldest announced confidentiality pointing her thumb toward herself.

"Ivory and Avari, what have I told you about bothering the royalty?" The maid scolded with a duster in her hand and both hands on her hips.

Avari became even more quiet then she did before and Ivory pouted and crossed her arms frustrated.

"Oh they aren't bothering me, I actually came over to them, I wanted to introduce myself." Explaining this it began to feel like deja vu.

"My apologies princess, however there is no need for that we are very aware of who you are, milady." She bows her head apologetically.

"No need for such an apology, however I'd like to know your name as well." I tried to lighten the anxiety in the room by smiling.

She began to look around as if she could get in trouble at any moment.

"Y-You want to know my name?" She fidgeted with the duster, mother like daughter I guess.

My smile slowly began to fade and turn into a worried frown, all the workers in the castle seemed so worried and… scared?

"My name is Euri." Her voice is quiet even in the silent hallways.

"It's very nice to meet you Euri, I hope I see you and the girls more. I'll let you get back to what you're doing okay?" I smile again and this time she smiles back when she realizes she isn't in any trouble.

She pats her daughter's head and goes back to dusting the paintings hung on the wall.

"You two, be good girls okay?" I call out to them as we walk away.

I looked back at Asiya who was following quietly. "Why is everyone so timid?"

"Because of the king, Princess, I mean Celeste, sorry." She blushed at the mistake and I stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile. 

"There's no reason to be afraid anymore." I let go of her shoulder and we continued to walk.

"The change will take time to get used to, I'm surprised he didn't order for you to be executed." She whispers.

 We made our way to the living room, the fireplace was lit and the wood burned and crackled.

It was warm in here, I walked over to the fireplace and placed my hands above the flame.

"Please be careful I wouldn't want you to burn your hands." She called over my shoulder.

Thats when I remembered I was wearing my mothers dress and the tricks she used to play when I was little, she taught to me before she was murdered. 'I wonder if I could still do it,' I thought to myself.

I let the amulet take over again as I felt the flames through my veins and my eyes turn a fluorescent fiery red.

The flames from the fireplace snaked their way up around my wrist, up my arms and around my body.

I spun around as the fire danced on my body as Asiya watched in horror not knowing what to do or say.

I grinned at the intoxicating feeling of of my power swallowing me, but when I noticed her panicked face I put down my arms and let my flames go out.

"You're a magic user," it was a statement.

"Yes, I am." I nodded.

"You're…" There was a long pause. "You're like me!" She yelled in a hush tone, running over and taking my hand excitedly. "I'm a magic user too." She let go and grabbed one of the blocks of wood.

 "Watch," she whispers, and I watch her focus for a brief moment then the wood becomes liquid dripping on the floor and it quickly begins to melt the tile.

"Oh no, oh no." She repeats to herself as she thinks of a way to fix her mistake.

She put the now liquified acid into the fire. "Asiya wait it will,-" it's too late the fire becomes higher and it begins to smell like poison.

"We have to get out of here." I began to cough on the poison she created.

"What do I do, I made things worse." She started to pace, not paying attention.

"Asiya let's-." I started coughing again and instead I took her acidic hand holding her wrist, pulling her out of the room and closing the door behind us.

Instead I took her acidic hand holding her wrist, pulling her out of the room and closing the door behind us.

I choked on the smoke wheezing to breath letting go of her hand. "I-I'm so sorry, princess I didn't mean to."

I shook my head as I coughed and sputtered. "It's okay."