fanqie novel
2
Chapter Two
Alice tried to escape but to no avail. The palace guards searched her and collected the necklace from her. “Hey, give me back!”, she ordered as though she was the owner of the necklace. The people at the central market wondered why she was taken away by the palace guards. She gave up on trying to escape after so many attempts as they dragged her to the palace prison, otherwise the king’s dungeon. “Why did they drag me in here?… It’s not like I am a royal thief” She complained to no one in particular, observing her surroundings. She sat down on the bench waiting to know if they would call her and explain why she was in the dungeon. She remembered Phineas and Ferb. “Poor twins, they must be waiting for me”, she sighed heavily and walked to the cell. “Hello…anybody here?” She called but the palace guards turned deaf ears to her calls. She stomped her feet in frustration and sat back on the bed. “At least this dungeon is better than the commoner’s prison” She complimented and laid down on the bench, slowly drifting off to sleep.
The clanging sound made by the cell as the palace guards opened it woke her up from her beautiful sleep. She has not slept this peacefully in a long time and for a moment, she thought she was in dreamland as the smell of food hit her nostrils. “What is Madam Beatrice up to these days”, she said, stretching her arms, which is her normal routine anytime she wakes up from sleep. She saw the dish on the plate and her eyes widened, “Is this for me?!” She questioned the palace guards after coming back to reality. The palace guard ignored her questions and walked out in silence, she devoured the book without leaving crumbs on the plate. She has never eaten something like this since she was born, or since she can remember. She gulped down the drink and belched. “Wow… I would like to bring Phineas and Ferb to this place so we can stay here forever. Of course, I will bring the other kids along.” She made a mental note to herself as she washed her hands and sat back down on the bench. Still thinking of why she is in the dungeon in the first palace, she wondered what would become of her if she continued to stay there. Will she stay here forever? She thought and decided to just rest for the time being.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.
Once it was time for dinner, the prison guard brought another plate of food. She hurriedly collected the plate from him and thanked him countless times before devouring the food. “I have finally given up on why I am here. I am never going to think about that again”, she affirmed, grinning from ear to ear while her eyes remained fixed on the food in front of her.
This continued for three consecutive days and on the third day, the palace guards opened the cell. Alice wondered while he was opening the door when it was not even dinner. “Follow me”, He instructed her and she followed suit. They passed through the Queen’s chamber, heading towards the maid’s chamber which is in the northeast of the palace. She struggled to keep up with the palace guard’s steps and when they finally reached the chamber. A middle-aged old lady came out of the chambers and they had a brief conversation with the palace guards while she maintained a safe distance. The palace guards waited outside while she followed the lady inside the chambers. “Look on that bed, it is a dress for you. Go into the bathroom and have a nice bath. Be fast about it” The lady ordered her in a calm tone. She was confused at first but just complied with what she was told to do. “All this happened to me recently… it has to be a dream,” She thought and looked around to see if there was anything she would steal in the room. “I will do it right after I finish with what they want me to do. ” She said, looking at the expensive ceramic jug on the table. The room is huge and it is made up of ten bunks and a total of 20 maids. None of the maids were around but from the number of beds, Alice could conclude that there are 20. She walked into the bathroom and saw the clean water inside the bucket. Her happiness knew no bounds as she poured the water on her body, rubbing her body with the scent of handmade soap in a container. She came out of the bathroom a few minutes after feeling the scent of the soap all over her body. She danced around the room and then, wore her dress with full admiration. “Oh my goodness I love this!” She squealed with joy and the lady came in, clearing her throat to attract her attention. The lady was amazed by the person standing in front of her, earlier she looked like trash but now, she looks like a damsel. “The palace guard is waiting for you” The lady had said, staring at her. Alice nodded and thanked her before rushing out to meet the palace guard. She tagged along not knowing where they were going. One thing she learned about the workers in the palace is that they are very secretive.
Alice was dumbfounded when she saw herself standing in front of the royal family. She could not dare to look any of them in the eyes, or else, she will be beheaded. “Do you know why you were in the dungeon? ” The king asked in a calm tone and she shook her. “No your highness but I beg your pardon” She answered with her hands tightly held together. “Pickpocketing is a very bad thing. You tried to steal something from someone who belongs to the royal family and the sentence for that is five years imprisonment. Where do you stay?” The king asked again. “I am from the orphanage” She answered, still lowering her gaze. “Since when?” He asked again and she told him since she could not remember. For all she knows, she has been in the orphanage ever since she was young. The King and the Queen whispered something to each other and the queen finally spoke, “You will start working here as a maid but under one condition”. Alice’s eyes widened when she heard the joy, her tears filled up her eyes. “I we-wi-will do any-anything, ” She said amidst tears, going down on her knees and bowing her head. “Never pickpocket again. If you do that, I will send you into exile” The king said in a commanding yet soft tone.
Alice swiftly raised her head with tear-filled eyes to appreciate the king and the queen but the person she saw sitting next to the king, froze her on her spot.