Chapter 6-Money

I drifted off to sleep that night, listening intently to my Aunt's soft breathing. I decided to snuggle in beside her, unable to sleep on my own. I felt relaxed, knowing that somebody I loved was by my side. I knew that she loved me. I knew that she would protect me. I knew that she was there for me.

And I was so fortunate to have her.

If I didn't, I would have no idea what I would've done. With my father gone and all... she's been the only motherly figure to me in my childhood.

My heart throbbed at the mere thought of my father. I missed what life was like before he caught the sickness. The way he hugged me when the air around me was static and stormy. He would hold me tight and promise me that things would be alright. And it would all be over within a few hours. I couldn't help wishing I still had him to tell me that life at the moment would be alright. 

I woke up feeling tired and groggy the following morning. The open, beaming sunlight was streaming through the open window, revealing to me that my Aunt Iris had gone. I assumed that she had gone to prepare breakfast.

Groaning, I pushed myself out of bed and dragged my feet down the stairs. I wasn't usually a very good morning person. 

"Morning!" My Aunt beamed, handing me a plate of food. I eyed it warily. 

"But...Aunt Iris," I began, staring open-mouthed down at the food. There were potatoes roasted still in their jackets with a slice of fresh, white, springy bread laid out neatly beside it. Upon closer inspection, I swore that I could see a thin layer of butter spread across the surface of the bread.

"What is it, child?" She asked me nonchalantly. I pointed to the food, unable to stop gaping, and she let out a laugh. "Yes, it is real, in case you were about to ask."

"This must've costed a fortune!" I stammered, "H-H-How did you get this?"

"With your earnings of course," she responded, "and besides, a growing girl like you needs her nutrients. Now, eat up!"

And without another word, she shoved the plate in front of me. I started biting into the crust of the bread, savouring its rich taste. I had missed the taste of food this good. It had been almost ages since I had eaten such a filling breakfast. 

I finished it within minutes and stood up, feeling more energized than I could ever remember being. Snatching my satchel, I waved goodbye to my Aunt and dashed outside. The walk to the palace was the most heartening and enjoyable. The cloud of tiredness that usually hung over me had cleared, leaving me feeling refreshed. I felt ready to work. 

As I manoeuvred my way through the palace, I felt a hand curl tightly around my wrist. I let out a small yelp, only to be greeted by a muffled shush.

A woman dressed up in a large black cloak had my wrist. She tugged me in a different direction to the kitchens. When I opened my mouth to say so, she had wrenched open a storage cupboard and dragged me inside.

I struggled against her grasp, but she was miles stronger than I was. Just when I was about to start screaming for help, the woman pulled off her hood to reveal...

"Adeia!" I exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief, "Phew, it's you."

"Who did you think I was?" She whispered back, grinning.

"All I saw was a figure in black. It scared me slightly."

She laughed. It rang through the storage cupboard, high-pitched and tinkly. I couldn't help but twitch my face muscles into a smile. 

A moment passed between both of us. We were staring at each other, our eyes interconnecting. I could feel my heart pumping vigorously in my chest. I couldn't stop looking at her, she was just too beautiful for words.

Adeia reached up and touched me lightly on the nose. I could feel my insides squirming with excitement and panic, but I did my best to remain calm. I ended blushing a dark crimson colour which made her smile even harder.

"Why all this secrecy?" I asked her casually, "Surely the future queen of Eresus does not need to be hiding in storage cupboards with a kitchen servant?"

"What if the future queen of Eresus wants to be hiding in storage cupboards with a kitchen servant?" She responded, mimicking my casual tone. I chuckled weakly.

"But why can't we stand out in the hallways? I still don't understand."

She put a finger to my lips and leant in so close that I could feel her warm breath on my face. My hands were shaking from the exhilaration and for the first time in a while, I felt important. I loved how she made me feel needed. It was a feeling that somebody else had ever made me feel.  

"My father, King Paios, would never approve," She murmured sadly, lowering the volume of her voice. "He claims that I spend too much time around girls. He wants me to start and mingle with some of the Princes located in other sections of Greece."

I listened, my eyes were wide as saucers. It was hard for me to imagine my father like that. He wasn't a controlling man and used to support me unconditionally. I couldn't relate to how Adeia was feeling.

"And do you want to?" I asked, out of interest. She smirked, shaking her head.

"Of course not."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not-"

Adeia suddenly cut herself off, looking down at her fingernails. That's when I realized that she was trembling slightly like she was on the edge of revealing some enclosed information. I stared at her expectedly, waiting for her to continue. She didn't pick up what she was saying again.

"Not what?" I blurted out, missing the signs that Adeia didn't want to tell me. She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter," She replied sharply.

I could tell that the atmosphere had turned frosty. I didn't think that she wanted me around. I turned to leave, resting my hand on the handle. Before I could get out, Adeia gripped my shoulder tightly. 

"Wait, Heliodora," She commanded softly, "I have to give you something."

My eyes met hers again and she looked away hastily, a small flush creeping up her cheeks, She looked momentarily embarrassed, and then it vanished as quickly as it came.

Adeia pulled something out of the pocket of her gown. She reached for my hand and pressed a silk bag firmly into my palm.

"To compensate for the loss of your father. I send my best wishes to your family at this troubled time."

I peeped down and saw the glistening reflection of gold beaming up at me. The bag jangled in my hand. I let out a gasp. It was heavy.

"Adeia, this is wonderful but I can't possibly accept it-" I began but she interrupted me.

"I have plenty of gold. You don't have very much. Giving you more gold only makes logical sense," She said reasonably, "Take it. Give it to your Aunt."

I threw my arms around her, inhaling her sweet, lavender-scented perfume. An overwhelmed feeling washed over me. I didn't know what to say. I was so stunned. This was enough money to afford enough nutritious meals for at least a fortnight. 

"I must head off to my duties now," She told me, "Until we meet again, Heliodora."

Adeia pulled the black cloak over her head, yanked the door open and disappeared down the hallway. I watched her go before dashing off to the kitchens. I was almost certainly late, but my head was spinning so much, I barely cared. 

Before I entered the kitchen, I safely tucked the money inside one of my pockets in case it was questioned. I wasn't in the mood to be aggressively interrogated by some grumpy colleague. 

"You're late," Mahra's voice interrupted my thoughts and brought reality back to a skidding halt. "Where did you run off to?"

"Sorry, Mahra," I apologised, dropping my sachel onto the floor. I swiftly grabbed the dustpan and brush off the front table and started sweeping the floor. I kept my eyes down and head focused on work. I didn't want anybody questioning where I was. The last thing I wanted was to get Adeia into loads of trouble. 

I could feel Mahra and Haidyn's eyes on the back of my neck as I worked, but I didn't look upwards. Not for them, not for the world. 

Adeia's kindness touched my heart with the money but I felt guilty. I didn't want Adeia to feel like she needed to give me money just for me to like her. It was wrong. I didn't deserve or work for the money, meaning that it wasn't rightfully mine.

I thought of the delicious breakfast I had eaten that morning and my stomach decided against giving it back. I wanted to continue eating really nice, filling meals rather than just nibbling on potato peels. My aunt was right. A growing girl like me needed as many vitamins and nutrients as she could get.

But what if that growing girl could barely afford a loaf of bread on a regular day?