The Tyrant’s Leash Is Held by a Maid

Ch. 19:

A maid’s morning always began with tasks that seemed inconsequential but could not be overlooked.

The same was true for Liana and Deborah. Normally a lady’s personal maid was not expected to do the cleaning, but they were serving Lady Natasha, not Lady Angelica. Count Baldwin’s failure to provide sufficient staff for his youngest daughter made their mornings quite hectic.

And so it was at noon, at the tail-end of a very busy morning, that a sleep-deprived Liana heard the news.

As she changed out of her morning uniform, her eyes widened when she heard Annie’s words. “The second prince is coming this afternoon?!”

“Didn’t you hear from Deborah? I asked her to tell you.”

“No, I didn’t…” Liana bit her lip, remembering that Deborah had been just as frazzled as she was. Maybe that was why she’d gathered all of the sheets and taken them to the laundry room today. “She must have been so busy cleaning up that she forgot.”

“Anyways, I got a letter today saying that Prince Illyd was coming to visit, so I was sent to help out again,” Annie said cheerfully.

Liana turned to the closet with tears in her eyes. “But I don’t have a clean uniform! What should I do?”

“What? You didn’t wash it before?”

“I’ve just been so busy this week…”

She hadn’t had time to wash her own clothes since Lady Angelica’s tantrum a few days ago, so she had put it off until now.

Annie stood next to Liana and examined her wardrobe with a thoughtful look on her face, then pointed to a uniform. “This one looks clean.”

“No, there’s a stain on the hem. Look, see?”

Anna stared at the spot Liana was pointing at, then shook her head. “I don’t think anyone will see it unless they know it’s there. Can’t you just wear it?”

“No, I’m sure he’ll notice. But we’re running out of time…” Liana looked between her watch and the stained hem nervously before making a decision.

She sighed and desperately grabbed her friend’s hands in a last-ditch effort to look presentable. “Annie, I need you to lend me one of your uniforms. I’ll buy you any book you’d like for the next holiday!”

At Annie’s nod, Liana changed as fast as she could, barely pinning the ill-fitting borrowed clothing in place. She hurried across the courtyard and into the Count’s main house. Deborah, who didn’t even remember that she had forgotten to tell Liana the news, ran to her quarters to change as soon as the other maids arrived to relieve her.

“Are you that afraid of the second prince?” Annie asked cautiously.

Liana, who was arranging centerpieces in the parlor, kept her eyes low and said, “Not scared, exactly. More… uncomfortable.” She kept her hands busy and continued in a smaller voice. “I’m sure you feel the same way- he’s royalty.”

As Liana had hoped she would, Annie nodded in agreement.

***

The second prince’s arrival at the Count’s mansion was as grand as before, and just as before, he went straight to Lady Natasha.

As Liana’s violet eyes gazed at the tightly closed curtains of the lady’s parlor, she felt an indescribable emotion flow through her.

After things had settled down a bit, Deborah had realized that she had forgotten to tell Liana that the prince would be visiting and apologized, offering to take Liana’s shift. She told her to take a while to rest and said she’d call when she needed her. Because of this, Liana got an unexpected reprieve.

She had thought about doing her much overdue laundry, but going to her living quarters during work hours was strictly against the rules, even if she was on break. She couldn’t go too far from the main building.

It was for this reason that she found herself pacing next to the zinnia bush near the guest dining room, looking up at Lady Natasha’s parlor window.

‘I wonder what they’re doing in there.’

Realizing she was staring, Liana quickly lowered her head.

‘What am I doing?! And what do I expect to do about it?’

She tapped her foot on the ground, feeling like a small bird was grumpily poking at her chest with its beak.

Time had flown by. The year was half over, and summer was fast approaching.

The zinnias, heralding the beginning of a hot and sunny day, swayed in the slight breeze, releasing their fragrance. Hovering around the bush like a bee, Liana kept thinking of Illyd. Thoughts of him had tormented her all night.

Two hours ago, she’d seen him in front of the Count’s manor. He was wearing a pale gray jacket and carrying an elegant cane. He had gotten off the carriage in one smooth motion, glanced at the onlookers gracefully, and then smiled at Lady Natasha and held out his hand to her.

And that had been the end of it. Well, it wasn’t like Liana had expected some sort of special bond to occur between her and the prince after the events of last night.

‘I’m the only one who will remember it clearly, anyways. But even knowing that…’

Liana smiled self-deprecatingly and fiddled with the bandage on her wrist. She sighed again, as was her habit, and her nose caught the unfamiliar scent of a cigar.

Cigars were strictly forbidden near the dining hall! She couldn’t believe someone was smoking one so openly, especially at a time like this, when everyone was working so hard. She turned around to give the person a piece of her mind, when-

“Hey.”

Her stern expression morphed into one of a rabbit who had suddenly made eye contact with a wolf.

The man whose smoke wafted towards her was no footman or valet- it was Prince Illyd himself.

“…..Greetings, your Imperial Highness.” Liana quickly wiped the expression of surprise off her face and curtsied deeply.

Illyd, sitting in a relaxed position on a bench beneath a flowering tree, tilted his head slightly. Intimidated by his overwhelmingly aristocratic demeanor, Liana lowered her head and looked at her worn shoes.

“Did you put medicine on?” he asked her in a nonchalant tone, extinguishing his cigar.

He had to be able to see the bandages on her wrists, so why ask?

“Yes,” she said, and bowed. “Thank you so much for yesterday. As you said, I’ll keep quiet about it, no matter what happens in the future.”

A thin smile was his only response to her sincerity. For some reason, Liana felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

How long had he been here? Why wasn’t he saying anything? Most importantly, why wasn’t he with Lady Natasha…?

Liana had many questions she wanted to ask, but she held them in. Unlike yesterday, when she had been overwhelmed with gratitude, she was beginning to realize that she was very uncomfortable around him.

His presence here almost felt like a threat. Like some kind of virus that had invaded her calm, tidy routine. Perhaps he had come to hear her swear secrecy again?

With that thought, Liana cautiously raised her head. He was still watching her. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Liana vividly felt everything around them.

The scent of zinnia she hadn’t been conscious of, the brightness of the hot pink flowers, the wind carrying a slight heat that brushed over her skin like the sunlight falling through lush leaves…

It felt as though time had stopped, and she was briefly lost in the sensation. Upon realizing her mistake, Liana bit her lip and turned her heel.

“Where are you going?”

“I think I should go to Lady Natasha now,” Liana answered, ever the loyal maid, even though she wanted nothing more than to run far away. Feeling disillusioned, she looked up once more. “Is she in her bedroom now?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think you’re needed in there.”

So she was asleep. Liana’s neck flushed hot at his casual innuendo. “I see.” She nodded, feigning calm. Why the lady was sleeping- what the two of them had been doing- it was not a maid’s place to be concerned. “Still, I think I should go take care of my lady. I will have an attendant sent here for you.”

With that, she hurriedly turned away. For some reason, she couldn’t get the thought of the two of them out of her head, so she decided to remove herself from the situation. Relief swept through her at the thought that she had finally escaped.

“Wait.”

Liana stopped dead in her tracks at that voice.

Slowly turning to face him, she saw Illyd sitting cross-legged, tilting his head with an impassive expression on his face.

“Come here.”

“Did you need something else, your highness…?”

Illyd made eye contact, a nonverbal confirmation.

“If you tell me from there, I can…” she began to utter a feeble protest when she saw the arrogance in his set jaw and took a step back.

“Come closer.”

“From there, I can-”

“Closer.”

When Liana took only half a step towards him, Illyd smirked. “Are you kidding? Come here, right in front of me.”

He had the power to command, and Liana had a duty to follow.

And so, when she finally stood within touching distance, he commanded her again. “Turn around.”

Liana hesitated, and Illyd frowned slightly. “Come on.”

She slowly turned around, then jumped like a rabbit caught in a trap, startled by a hand on her waist. “Wh-what are you doing…!”

“Your ribbon came undone,” he said nonchalantly. The bemused look on his face made her feel foolish for reacting as she had.

She pouted and reached for her back, fumbling for the ribbon at her waist. He wasn’t wrong. In her haste this morning she hadn’t given the ribbon a second thought, and it had come undone while she was cleaning the parlor.

But why would the prince care about something so small…? Liana shook her head in bewilderment as she tried to make her hands cooperate.

“I’ll tie it for you, so come here.”

“Why would I…?!” Just before she refused him on instinct, Liana caught herself. It was futile to deny the prince anything. She turned around again, biting her lip.

His clumsy hands passed over her back as she stood, now blushing too much to be hidden. An occasional chuckle could be heard from behind her, as though he was amused by her reactions.

With her head bowed so low she felt her neck would snap, Liana withstood the tickling touch as if it was a punishment.

She felt her pulse race. Even though she herself was still, her heart was bouncing around like a cheap carriage driving on a mountain path covered in gravel.

“I’m done.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Illyd finished, and Liana jerked away. He laughed, as though he could see her thoughts.

“Go ahead then. You’ve been dying to get away from me, huh?”

As he pulled out a new cigar, Liana clasped her hands together and bowed her head.

Laughter was still in his voice when he softly said to her, “you look good in pink.”

 

 

 

TL/N: Sorry for the delay, I am very sick ;-; Maybe it was the covid but this chapter was a nightmare to translate. S’cute though! In case that last line is confusing to anyone, she’s blushing, which is what he’s referring to. Anyways, back to our regularly scheduled programming, please leave a comment if you enjoyed it ~