Eden Brighton has always known (even if she thinks that the rumors about her highness are so far-fetched by now and she was so ashamed at how she once readily believed them when she was younger) that Princess Aria wasn’t really what someone you would deem to be… normal.
 
Physical appearances aside, the girl has always been different, has always felt different enough that no animal would voluntarily come near her without bristling or dare to attack her point-blank should she deigned to come closer in a bid to touch them. And as her personal handmaiden, Eden has always been subjected to her highness’ presence, so she always felt it, that being in the Princess’ presence, for some reason… has always felt so cold.
 
No wonder the Princess always has the fireplace lit, always had it burning brightly whenever Eden–or Jin–comes in to keep her company. Eden realizes now that it had always been for their benefit, not her’s.
 
 
(It also hurt to think that the Princess wasn’t really horrible as the people had come to make her to be, what with the subtle kindness she would show to Eden and her family here and there.)
 
 
That's completely normal, Eden realizes this… and really, she was so used to the cold by now, Eden didn’t really mind because if her highness is like that, then as a servant, she really had no right to complain but… but... the Princess is... 
 
For some reason, Princess Aria looked like she was in near tears more often than not Eden finds her in the garden.
 
The girl didn’t look just sad or angry… or… or even someone who misses her friend at that point. She looked like she wanted to level the entire place, sometimes she looked like she was in pain; she looked like she wanted to scream.
 
It… it scared Eden.
 
Especially at how quick, how easy her highness could just look like a second ready to burst into tears only to turn into someone who looked calm and okay.
 
At a drop of a hat.
 
As though the Princess was just switching masks.
 
And that… that couldn’t be normal, right?
 
Eden fleetingly wonders if it’s possible that the Princess may need to talk to someone. As in, an actual qualified person fit for these kinds of things… surely the kingdom has some of those available for the Princess, right?
 
Now that she thought more about it, it’s an absolutely ridiculous, foolish thought to have–what would the people say should that come out? –that… that the Princess was not really a demon after all but a pitiful, motherless little girl who just lost it? That would ruin Princess Aria’s reputation altogether!
 
No, Eden won’t let that happen.
 
There must be something else that can be done.
 
But… but what if it’s already too late?
 
No.
 
No, no, no –
 
Maybe… maybe Eden should just really speak to His Majesty about this now. She couldn’t sugar-coat this.
 
Because at this rate, with how things are spiraling so quickly out of her control (was she even in control here?), maybe the next day, with the entire dilly-dallying Eden was doing, the Kingdom might wake up one day only to find the sole heir to the throne already gone mad or worse, dead like its first Queen–
 
Just as quickly the thought came, her stomach dropped. And Eden shook her head forcefully at that, trying and failing at pulling herself quickly away from that dangerous line of thought she absolutely refused to look through in because… the girl has never shown signs of being suicidal before, was too proud to do such a thing and… and that’s–!
 
Because that was just absurd! 
 
I know her highness, I know her.
 
She wouldn't.
 
 
She... wouldn't.
 
 
 
...would she?
 
 
*
 
 
 
The handmaiden thinks she is literally getting ahead of herself here but what other choice does she have?
 
Queen Ysabel, no matter how… disrespectful and venomous the Princess is around the older woman, was literally the only mother figure she ever has. Surely that has to count for something at the very least?
 
“Is there something you would like to speak of or are you just going to stand there all night long, miss?” Queen Ysabel drawls out, voice thick with boredom as she purses her lips in front of her strange-looking vanity mirror.
 
Eden immediately curtsies once she fully enters the room, turning briefly around to hurriedly close the door at the Queen’s impatient gesture, “Your Majesty, forgive me if I am stepping my boundaries here but… if it is alright with you… may I speak to you about her highness? There is something that concerns me–”
 
“What of my daughter?”
 
“Well… have you noticed anything wrong with her?”
 
The Queen’s alluring eyes met her’s from the reflection, her expression a strange mix of annoyance and disturbed, “Let me be frank with you then, I have no idea what is the matter with that girl. I am in the dark as much as anyone is. It seems to me that she is slowly becoming a shadow of her own self. I feel like I hardly see her around, let alone hear her speak anymore. And that reminds me…”
 
Eden blinks, “Your majesty?”
 
“You are her maid, are you not?”
 
“Yes, your majesty.”
 
The Queen rolls her eyes as she turns away to pick at a golden hairbrush, fingers ghosting over some of the tiny, colorful jewels embedded in it, “And let me guess… you see her far more often than I do, let alone her father. How bothersome,”
 
Eden swallows uneasily, mistaking the dour words of the Queen for a mother’s petty envy vying for their child’s attention on someone else (specifically that someone being a servant or anyone in the lower class) or something along those lines, “I… I can assure you that I try my best to serve her highness as best as I can, your majesty.”
 
“And how is that working for her, miss?”
 
“I…”
 
“My daughter looks like a corpse with each passing day. She is failing at her studies. Can you believe that? Oh, the absurdity of it all,” the Queen simpers as she begins to brush her hair and Eden tries not to wince at the cold smile on her majesty’s face, “Not to mention, His Majesty just told me that he had ordered her training to be put into halt immediately due to a leg injury.”
 
The handmaiden wrung her hands at that, because she knows… she knows that because she told him that.
 
And her highness had been enraged.
 
Eden prays the Princess will never know of the tiny slip.
 
“…so, let me ask you this: why was she injured in the first place?” the Queen demands, crossing her arms, “Were you not watching over her? Why did you even allow such a thing to happen?”
 
This time, Eden did wince.
 
“Who is taking care of the poor girl as we speak?”
 
“Your majesty…”
 
The Queen pauses for a while, as if relishing in her clear discomfort, “You know… the Princess may not show it all that much… but I like to think that I know her well enough because I can tell whenever she's paranoid.”
 
 
Eden’s mouth falls, “Paranoid?”
 
“I said scared, dear girl,” the Queen simply frowns at her as if she was being ridiculous here, “…were you really listening?”
 
“I… my apologies,” she mumbled.
 
But Eden was so sure the Queen said ‘paranoid’…?
 
“Good… ah, yes. Where was I?”
 
“You… you were saying her highness was scared?”
 
“Yes, have you not noticed? The Princess acts some sort of…” the Queen made a vague, impatient gesture with her hand, “Never mind, there is also something else that I noticed.”
 
Eden immediately perked up, “Yes?”
 
“How far do you stand next to her?”
 
The handmaiden blinks, wondering where this one is even going… “Well, I usually stand next to her highness at arm’s length or so. If we are walking, I am a few steps behind… as is proper, your majesty.”
 
 
Queen Ysabel suddenly whirls in her seat and points to Eden with her hairbrush, expression triumphant, “THERE!” Eden nearly jumps in surprise at her majesty’s suddenly loud voice, “You see?! You can’t even get close to that girl, let alone actually touch her without her lashing out like an animal!”
 
Eden bit her tongue.
 
Her Majesty didn’t have to know that Eden still brushes her highness’ hair every single night…. wait a minute, come to think of it, even during those moments… the Princess… Eden wasn’t even able to touch the girl more than what was necessary because she’ll pull away, as if burned.
 
Unaware of Eden’s wandering thoughts, the Queen continues to ramble, waving her hands animatedly, “Last night, did you know I tried to speak with her highness after His Majesty did not bother to show himself for dinner? I just knew that girl must have done or said something to upset her father so much so I immediately came up to her because I wanted to ask what the matter is… but when she dared to walk out on me, can you imagine such disrespect, I grabbed her by the arm–really, I wasn’t even thinking– and she recoiled so badly that she actually threw herself on the wall just to get away from me!”
 
Eden… knew that.
 
She had seen how badly that ended up.
 
In that one moment, the Princess really looked like a terrified child as she stared up at her stepmother last night… as though the woman towering in front of her was not her adoptive parent but a hideous monster of some sort.
 
The Princess had looked so afraid.
 
 
“To tell you the truth,” the Queen murmured, her voice quieting down as she turned her head away, “…it really scared me too.”
 
There was suddenly a loud knock on the door.
 
Simultaneously, their heads whipped about in its direction just in time as the door was unceremoniously slammed open and (speak of the devil and she shall appear–) lo and behold, the Princess in all her scowling glory stepped in.
 
“Am I interrupting something, mother?”
 
Eden’s eyes widen.
 
Did she hear them? 
 
It was suddenly so silent.
 
You could have heard a pin drop across the hall.
 
“Why, no, my darling girl,” the Queen intones, smiling so sweetly at her stepdaughter, “…and please, child, do learn how to knock.”
 
“His Majesty doesn’t teach me that.”
 
 
The Queen’s smile faltered, unsure, “Then I shall ask him to do so.”
 
“I don’t think he knows how.”
 
“What?”
 
The Princess doesn’t deign her stepmother with another response and instead turns her head to subject her handmaiden with an unreadable stare before whirling about as if to stalk out of the room, “Miss Brighton. With me now.”
 
The Queen stands, “I am still talking to her–”
 
“My handmaiden,” the Princess snaps.
 
Eden hurriedly bows to the Queen before another argument starts between the two of them, “It is fine, it really is late, and her highness is well past her bedtime. I honestly apologize for disturbing you, your majesty. Thank you for your time.”
 
Queen Ysabel merely frowns at her but waves dismissively nonetheless, “Very well. Have a lovely night… oh, and sweet thing?”
 
The Princess reluctantly turned to look at her stepmother.
 
The Queen smiles, a mother’s smile.
 
 
“…I bid you sweet dreams.”
 
 
Eden almost smiles too but…
 
Beside her, the Princess instantly stiffens, eyes sharpening into such a burning glare as her jaw visibly clenched–as though she was desperately holding back a scream.