The Maid and Her Princess - Chapter 33: Chapter 33

"You've certainly kept up with your training," Lord Leopride kept up his composure. He was out of breath from Madoka's attack. She kept the axe at his throat.
"Madoka!" Elise approached Madoka. "What the hell are you doing? Get off of him!"
"I killed you the night I destroyed the rocks," Madoka said, her voice calm. "So how is it you are here right now?"
Lord Leopride's eyes shifted in confusion.
"Let him go!"
Madoka felt the full weight of Elise crash against her body, her ax narrowly missing Leopride as she lost hold of it. No, Elise managed to knock it out of her hand away from Lord Leopride's neck. The two girls tumbled into the dirt. Madoka heard the scared thoughts of Ciara as she neighed. The horse was fearful for Madoka's safety, but was hesitant to do anything. Elise managed to restrain Madoka, but she did not offer any further resistance anyways. She instead clicked her tongue in frustration.
Her answer to her question was already there. The Leopride that attacked her was an illusion and the real one was alive. He did not seem to have any bloodlust or hidden agenda at all since he could have simply ordered her to die for her insubordination at any moment. Still, Madoka did not understand what that illusion was. Her hand still had the scar.
Elise was on top of Madoka, breathing heavily. Leopride was getting up, dusting himself off and slightly perturbed but Madoka did not care. Sunlight made the princess's face glow, skimming orange stones over the reflection of her eyes. Madoka was swallowed in the view.
"You look beautiful up there, princess," Madoka said absentmindedly, recalling that was the same line Elise used when they tumbled together trying to put out a fire she made.
"Are you back?" Elise said, with a hint of fear that Madoka might attack again. "No funny business right? Everything is okay between you and Leopride?"
Madoka's head spun as the pounding of adrenaline receded but she nodded obediently. She refused to apologize, however Lord Leopride laughed.
"Truly marvelous," he clapped. "The form of your attack. Honed. As expected, my dear."
Madoka lay there for a moment trying to regain her bearings. Elise got off of Madoka and Lord Leopride held his hand out to help her up. Madoka accepted it. She eyed him awkwardly but he held no bitter feelings.
"I have been dodging the princess's spells to keep up with my training, sir," Madoka said, recalling the princess's water spells during her training. He picked up the ax and held it up. The fading summer light glinted off its blade as he admired it. Satisfied, he handed it back to her. The axe used to be heavy. It now slung comfortably around Madoka's waist. Its weight was as light as a feather for her.
"I can tell that you've been working hard," Lord Leopride said, but grew more stern. "But you need to rest more! Your judgment and discernment of what is real will become useless. It will be your undoing. So do not neglect your rest, you understand?"
"I understand, sir," Madoka hung her head. Elise patted her shoulder.
"That's my Madoka, right there, Uncle Leo!" Elise cheered. "She's always working too hard."
"And you, princess," Lord Leopride directed his attention to the princess who seemed to shrink beneath his gaze.
"Eep!"
"You've been working hard, too, I trust?" Lord Leopride snapped incredulously. "Look at what you are wearing. Ridiculous! And need I remind you to not go venturing out there?"
"B-But!" Elise protested. "I have her! She's a beast! You saw how she took you down from the top rope, like—"
"You work her too hard!" Leopride was having none of her nonsense.
Lord Leopride growled at the princess who made a squeak in a mock-fear. The exchange between Madoka reminded her of their time at the Palace, making her laugh out loud. The two paused and listened to her as she did. At first she did not notice the two's quarreling died down, but after she did Madoka quickly stifled herself.
"M-My apologies," Madoka bowed her head. She truly missed those simple times dearly.
"That's, like, got to be the first time I've heard you laugh," Elise remarked, beaming at Madoka. "You sound lovely!"
Lord Leopride grunted in agreement.
"S-Stop that please," Madoka begged the two out of embarrassment. She made an excuse that a servant should remain quiet, but she could not help herself.
"Now then," Lord Leopride said. "The reason I am here is to inform Your Highness of... ah private matters. And of her. Your Highness should come inside first and the both of you should clean yourselves off."
"Yes, sir," Madoka gulped and bowed before she dragged the complaining princess to the washing room.
"Come to my chambers tonight," Elise said as Madoka washed her back. "We have a lot to discuss tonight."
"As you command, Your Highness," Madoka said. She nearly dropped her cloth and felt suddenly unwell from the oncoming feeling that came with the shift of Elise's tone. A pang of guilt lingered in her throat as she washed herself off. Her reckless and foolish attack was definitely going to be declared unforgiven.
"Aw, Madoka," Elise sighed and fell silent.
Madoka was in trouble but said nothing as well. She dried her princess off and sent her off to meet with Lord Leopride. She was instructed to wait by her chambers, but Madoka preferred to stay busy and clean the entire hallway while waiting for Elise to return. She was trying to fend off the overwhelming sense of anxiousness flooding her senses but she was just a mere twig in a raging wave. She did not even notice the princess's return when the twin moons hung above in the night sky.
"Madoka," the princess folded her arms. Madoka snapped straight and bowed. "Please, I didn't mean to startle you like that. Come."
Madoka obeyed as if her being dutiful now would save her from the impending disaster, leaving the duster behind. As she was led to Elise's chambers, Madoka felt her offhand being pulled by the princess; her thumb tracing the outline of that scar. As soon as they entered, Elise shut the door before Madoka could. She stood by as the princess closed her eyes and looked up.
Like her father did with her when she was younger. Madoka felt like a failure at the age of 13 for letting the princess face trouble on her behalf.
"What's with you, Madoka?" Elise paced before her. Her voice was tense and angry. "That was out of line, even for you. I am shocked, like, astounded how you did not get killed by him or the guards."
"F-Forgive me, Your Highness," Madoka fell to her knees. The fear of getting punished by a Royal crept back into her heart from the shadows. The princess frowned in thought. "You can have my head, now."
"What? No! This... this wasn't in my plans," her eyes flitted back and forth, like she was searching rapidly for something Madoka could not see. "I mean, thank God that we were able to play it off and it was Uncle Leo, however... That doesn't make it an excuse for you to put yourself at risk like that! I don't want your life, I want you to live, dammit!"
Madoka was sobbing as her head planted on the carpet. She has failed her duties as the princess's maid. How could she face a day like this? Was she forgetting that she was nothing but a slave?
"Madoka?" Elise's voice quickly drained of her anger and was concerned. "D-Don't cry! I wasn't angry that you did it, just that... I'll get a handkerchief!"
The princess frantically searched for something to dry Madoka's face.
"Here, here," the princess cooed. Madoka shifted away from Elise, refusing her help. "Come on."
"Why do you care so much about me?" Madoka mumbled. "I'm a slave and I have failed you by attacking your ally."
"Well, you're the woman- '' The princess started.
"Enough," Madoka cut her off. She scooted away towards the doors and buried her face in her knees. In the heat of the moment, Madoka hid her unworthy self from Princess Fiara but she had so many questions for so long. "Be truthful to me! Why do you scheme so? You could have lived as a brilliant ruler! Why am I a part of your plans? Am I just a part of a game Royals play?"
She received silence in response. She cared little for the answers. She only sought after one answer to one of her questions.
"Why me?" she sobbed, her voice dying down like the last embers of a dwindling campfire. After sometime, Madoka felt Elise's back lean against hers. She did not bother turning to face the princess. It was just the two of them sitting on the floor with the princess in the twin moonlight and Madoka wanting to slip away in the shadows.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Elise said, her voice almost as soft as the wind outside. Madoka heard a sniffle. Was the princess crying too? "I was so worried that Leopride would act like the rest of those men and take you away from me."
"Why me?" Madoka repeated in a defeated voice. She felt a hand place itself on her own offhand, once again tracing the scar stretching across her palm.
"Something that looked like him must have attacked you," Elise whispered back. "This scar is a sign of the changing times. Someone must be watching over you, testing you. I believe in you Madoka, no matter if it was Lord Leopride or someone else. I can't explain to you my visions.... I simply cannot bear this world if I lose you, Madoka."
She did not know how times were changing, but for some reason it made her feel less pain. The changing of times- the shadow that attacked her, the supposedly fast growth in combat, the princess. All must be a part of the kind gods' plans.
Madoka instinctively squeezed Elise's hands in response.
"Please, Madoka," the princess sounded like she was begging. "Don't do anything wild like that anymore."
Another squeeze was given and the night sealed itself for the two girls once more.