Chapter 2 - The Duke of Mills (1/2)
The next morning three knocks on the door dared to wake Anne up from her beautiful dream. She was teasing her Samoyed dog, Gandalf the White, with a big bone toy. They were so happy running on the grass of the nearby park, but someone dared to return her to the land of the unsleeping.
'This person will suffer the ire of the Evil Queen!'
”Who dares?!”
”Your Highness, it's morning and the Duke of Mills is here to request an audience with you.”
”…”
'That damn Duke, can't he let me sleep for a minute? Goodness, I will show him my most powerful evil smile today.'
”Help me dress, Tia.”
”Yes, Your Highness, also the breakfast is ready.”
The little maid looked at the Queen for a few seconds, then bowed her head. She knew very well the strangeness of the Queen, all the servants knew it but no one dared to show any signs for fear of being fired or worse. They had to train themselves on maintaining a poker face or a scared face even though they wanted to laugh and smile in appreciation.
”Yes… what is for today?”
'Please, let it be fruit tart… come on, fruit tart, fruit tart!' Her eyes couldn't hide the eagerness as she didn't look anywhere else but the little maid in front. She looked like a cute puppy waiting for a treat.
”It is fruit tart, Your Highness.” The little maid only looked once at the Queen and then bow her head holding a little smile.
”What a lousy breakfast… the chef should be reprimanded for his incompetence.” 'Great! Fruit tart!' Her eyes sparkled for a second and a strange smile crept on her beautiful face, although she tried to suppress it.
”Don't let that damn Duke have any of my breakfast.”
”Yes, Your Highness.”
'All of it must be for me, hehe.'
When she was completely dressed in a beautiful golden dress and some bright jewelry to finish the magnificent attire, she made her way quickly to the table where her dear breakfast was waiting for her and, of course, the damn Duke.
”Your Highness.”
The man bowed at her sight, but she didn't respond, she only spared him a little glance.
”…”
The man was a sight to see, his dark soft hair was something she wanted so much to touch and ċȧrėss as some kind of treasure, his eyes were like two green gems filled with mystery and uniqueness, and those dimples were even more beautiful than hers. 'Goodness, how dare he smile in front of me? Is he competing?'
”Duke of Mills, what brings you here?”
”Your Highness, the three farmers from yesterday escaped, it is said that someone helped them broke from the prison, even their families are nowhere.”
”What incompetent guards! Who dares go against me?!”
”We don't know, Your Majesty, but the guards said it was a group of masked men and their tracks are covered very well. We should investigate the matter more.”
”Punish the guards for their incompetence and make a complete research on these masked men, this is the highest priority. Also, tell the Minister of Justice to come here, if this is happening to one of his prisons, then the others are lacking in quality too. I should give him some reminders.”
”What about the farmers?”
”For now this is a high priority, those low lives are not worth my thoughts.”