Chapter 5-Promises

I felt as if my whole body was floating on cloud nine. I practically was skipping from foot to foot, feeling giddy, rapt and elated. Talking to Adeia had helped numb the pain inside. She made me feel more optimistic that things were going to be okay, she made me feel safe, she made me dare to hope that things will get better.

I stealthily padded down the stairs to the ground floor, on high alert for any signs of guards. The last thing I wanted was to end up behind bars for something silly such as trespassing.

Thankfully, I didn't run into any other people except a few exhausted maids, carrying baskets full of neatly folded washing. They stared at me but were too tired to do something more than lightly grunt.

As I tiptoed down the stairs to the kitchen, a wave of realization washed over me. I had shouted, snapped and acted in such an uncivil way towards Haidyn and Mahra. My cheeks flushed a tinge of red when I thought of how impolite I had been. I tried to justify what I did with excuses, but they all sounded flimsy and feeble inside my head.

I had no idea how I was planning on getting myself out of this situation.

Screwing up all of my courage, I knocked on the kitchen door, crossing my fingers. What if they were mad and fired me? Could I end up losing my job? Did they all hate me?

Fears and worries circled me, chipping apart at my confidence as time went over. I always knew I was a terrible overthinker, constantly turning problems into something bigger than they actually were. But for this time, I was certain that there was no forgiving for what I had just done. Besides, I had only met them yesterday. I wasn't even sure if they got on with me.

The door swung open with a small groan to reveal Mahra, looking at me with concern.

"Oh, child," She said, sighing with relief, "There you are! We were scared that we had scared you off."

I stared back at her, perplexed. She didn't look in the least cross or irritated. This was not the response I was expecting.

"You aren't angry at me?" I whispered, my cheeks flooding with guilt, "Mahra, I was so awful to you and Haidyn."

"Of course I'm not angry!" She reassured me, pulling me into a hug. "We're all too worried about you to feel even the slightest bit cross."

As I reached my arm up to hug her back, I realized that Mahra felt like a true mother to me. Although I didn't know her very well, I could picture her being the perfect mother to a young son. She had the right caring nature to be one too. I felt safe in her arms like I could trust her with everything.

"Heliodora!" I heard Haidyn squeal, "Thank the gods that you are okay!"

Soon I was being yanked into another big bear hug from behind. Haidyn's arms wrapped around my two shoulder blades, squeezing my chest. I certainly didn't feel very comfortable but at that moment, I didn't care.

"We tried chasing after you, but believe me, you were very fast," Mahra told me, her eyes twinkling merrily, "We thought for a second that the guards had caught you."

"Princess Adeia sheltered me in her room," I confessed, smiling dreamily at the thought, "She's so marvellous."

"What?"

"Yes. She pulled me into her room, and we spoke to each other for a little."

The other servants stopped what they were doing. Each one of them turned their gazes to look at me, some still had the same disapproving glance but most were eying me with envy. Mahra and Haidyn were looking at me with such a shocked expression, I had to stifle a giggle.

"You're fibbing," Haidyn declared after a short silence, "There's no chance she did that."

I shook my head.

"I've been inside. She's so truly fantastic, not to mention comely."

Mahra lightly smacked Haidyn around the head before gently touching my shoulder.

"We believe you, Heliodora," She smiled tender-heartedly. "You're a very lucky girl. Only two servants in this room as ever met the princess in person, let alone speak to her."

I twisted my head upwards to check if Mahra was being serious or not. The sincere look behind her eyes told me that she was. That thought alone made me feel very special, primary and momentous.

"I wish I could meet her one day," Haidyn sighed, "I constantly see her at special events, and she also looks so sophisticated."

She grabbed a basket of washing, lost in her own thoughts. I saw the rest of the girls do the same, beginning to head back to work one by one.

I decided that it would be best to follow along and get back to work. My family needed this income, and I was intending to work my hardest to ensure that we had that.

Grabbing the coarse, brittly, brown broom from the side of the kitchen, I began sweeping the floor with every ounce of energy that I had. Even Mahra admittedly told me that she had never seen the floor look shinier.

---

In the evening, I arrived home armed with my four drachmae. There was a subdued atmosphere the second I stepped in through the door. It was enough to make me shiver. Homelife just wasn't the same without the presence of my father.

I felt shattered. Upon looking into a mirror, I could see the dark circles imprinted under my eyelids. They carved into my skin, making me look about ten years older than I really was.

My Aunt Iris's footsteps echoed down the hall. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of me.

"Child," She whispered hoarsely at me, "You return with the money?"

I nodded, handing her my day's earnings. My fingers slid over the engravings of the coin, the frigid metal soft against my skin.

She sighed with relief.

"The gods have answered our prayers," I told her reassuringly, "I will get us out of this, I promise."

Aunt Iris patted me on the shoulder. A sad look passed over her eyes.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, child."