บท 6: Interrogation in the Bathhouse
Madison's heart raced as Crown Prince Wald cornered her in the steamy bathhouse. The scent of lavender and sandalwood filled the air, but it did nothing to calm her nerves. She tried to keep her eyes lowered, avoiding the prince's piercing gaze.
"I asked you a question, maid. What are you doing in my private bath chamber?" His deep voice was laced with suspicion and irritation.
Madison's mind raced, trying to concoct a plausible excuse. "I...I was sent here to prepare your bath, My Lord. The head maid instructed me to lay out soaps and fragrances for you." She kept her eyes downcast, praying he would believe the lie.
"You have a lot of explaining to do, maid," Wald said, his voice low and threatening. "I don't believe for a second that you're here just to prepare my bath."
Madison swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "I assure you, My Lord, I am only following the head maid's orders. I meant no disrespect."
Wald scoffed, taking a step closer to her. "Do you take me for a fool? I know there's more to you than meets the eye. No ordinary human maid would dare to come here without permission."
Madison's mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. "I deeply apologize for my mistake, My Lord. I am new to the castle and still learning the proper protocols. I never intended to offend you."
The prince's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed her arm, pulling her closer. "I don't trust you, maid. And I intend to get the truth out of you, one way or another."
Before Madison could protest, Wald dragged her towards the steaming bath. "You will join me, and we will have a little chat. I want to know everything about you, and you will not leave this room until I am satisfied with your answers."
Madison's eyes widened as Wald began to undress, revealing his toned, muscular body. She quickly turned away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "My Lord, I don't think this is appropriate. I am just a lowly servant, unworthy of sharing a bath with royalty."
Wald let out a dark chuckle. "You will do as I command, maid. Unless you want to face the consequences of disobeying your prince."
With shaking hands, Madison removed her uniform, keeping her eyes fixed on the marble floor. She stepped into the warm water, the heat enveloping her body and doing little to calm her racing heart. She kept as much distance as possible between herself and the prince, but the bath suddenly felt incredibly small.
Wald leaned back against the edge of the bath, his arms resting on either side. "Now, let's start with your name. Who are you, really?"
"My name is Maya, My Lord," Madison replied, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "I am just a simple maid, hoping to serve the royal family to the best of my abilities."
The prince raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "And where do you come from, Maya? How did a human like you end up in the heart of the werewolf kingdom?"
Madison took a deep breath, remembering the backstory she had carefully crafted. "I come from a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom, My Lord. My family was poor, and I had no prospects. When I heard that the castle was hiring maids, I saw it as an opportunity to better my life and escape poverty."
Wald studied her for a moment, his gaze intense and searching. "And what of your family? Do they know you are here?"
A lump formed in Madison's throat as she thought of her real family, long gone and destroyed by the very man she was sent to kill. She blinked back tears, trying to keep her emotions in check. "My family is dead, My Lord. They were taken by a terrible sickness that swept through our village. I have no one left in this world."
Something flickered in Wald's eyes - a hint of sympathy, perhaps? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual stern expression. "I see. And what do you hope to gain by working in the castle, Maya?"
"I simply wish to serve, My Lord," Madison replied, keeping her gaze lowered. "I want to prove my worth and loyalty to the crown, and perhaps one day earn a respectable position within the castle walls. I have nothing else to live for, so I will dedicate my life to serving the royal family."
Wald was silent for a moment, the only sound being the gentle lapping of the water against the sides of the bath. Then, he spoke, his voice low and almost gentle. "I know what it's like to lose everything, Maya. To feel like you have nothing left in this world. But I also know that sometimes, the things we lose have a way of coming back to us when we least expect it."
Madison's heart skipped a beat at his words. Was he trying to comfort her? She looked up, meeting his gaze for the first time since entering the bath. There was a softness in his eyes that she had never seen before, and for a moment, she forgot that he was the enemy she had been sent to destroy.
But the moment was short-lived. Wald's expression hardened once more, and he leaned forward, his face mere inches from hers. "Don't think that this changes anything, maid. I still don't trust you, and I will be watching your every move. If I find out that you are hiding something from me, or that your intentions are anything less than pure, you will face the full wrath of the crown. Do you understand?"
Madison nodded, her heart racing in her chest. "Yes, My Lord. I understand perfectly."
Wald held her gaze for a moment longer before leaning back, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Good. Now, wash my back. And don't miss a spot."
Madison swallowed hard, reaching for the washcloth with trembling hands. As she began to scrub the prince's back, her mind raced with thoughts of her mission and the unexpected turn of events. She had never expected to find herself in such an intimate situation with the man she had been sent to kill, and she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of fear and excitement at the thought of what lay ahead.
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