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9

Penulis: Pen Glowy
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2022-01-09 02:51:05
The storm had passed, leaving the air heavy and still. Hours had gone by since Amber vanished. On the front porch, Isis and Rhea stood barefoot in their nightgowns, staring into the quiet, moonlit night.

“Why isn’t she back?” Rhea asked, voice tight with worry. “It’s already midnight.”

“Amber!” Isis called out, her voice piercing the silence. It echoed once, then faded into the darkness.

Rhea hugged herself. “What if something bad happened? The storm was wild… and remember what she said? She claimed she saw a mermaid.”

Isis turned sharply toward her daughter. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one’s seen a mermaid in ages. And even when they did, no one believed them. The last person who claimed such nonsense was Amber’s father—and he was dismissed as a fool.”

“So… people have seen them?” Rhea asked, her eyes wide with a flicker of awe.

Isis gave a dry laugh. “Folktales. They say this kingdom once worshipped a mermaid. That she disappeared when people grew wicked. Others claim mermaids bless the
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  • Maid for Him   31

    The sun beamed brightly across an azure sky, clouds drifting lazily in its path. At a stunning beach, framed by coconut trees and lush vegetation, a waterfall tumbled from a towering mountain, its crystal-clear waters cascading into a river that met the sea in rhythmic waves.On the shore, Rhea lay unconscious.The waves lapped at her, nudging gently until she stirred. A cough escaped her lips as her eyelids fluttered open. Above her, birds wheeled across the sky, the sunlight glaring down with an almost personal intensity.With her hand, she shielded her eyes from the brightness, blinking away the daze. Bit by bit, she remembered how she got there—and why. Treasure. The thought of it had her sitting up sharply. There was no time to waste.She backed off the beach and scanned the unfamiliar landscape, heart pounding in excitement. She didn’t have to wonder where she was—or how she had gotten there.The memory was there. She smiled smugly. The mermaid had taken the bait and seized her,

  • Maid for Him   30

    Deep in the woods, far from the lantern-lit streets of Upland, Nanna’s cottage crouched under the shadow of twisted trees. Inside, Amber sat bound to a chair, her wrists raw from rope. Shadows flickered across the crooked walls as a small fire crackled in the hearth. Isis, Nanna, Rhea, and Bibo stood around her like a tribunal.“Please, let me go,” Amber pleaded, her voice trembling.Rhea twisted her mouth into a mocking pout. “Please, let me go,” she mimicked in a high, whiny tone.“Tell us what we want to know, Princess,” Rhea sneered. “Then maybe we will.”“I told you already. It was a family treasure.”Isis stepped forward, her eyes hard as flint, and slapped her across the face. The blow split Amber’s lower lip, and the metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth. She let out a sob that seemed to echo in the small, crooked room.“Why are you doing this to me?” she wailed.“She’s so pathetic,” Rhea said, curling her lip.“Dear, dear girl,” Nanna crooned with false sweetness. “Just te

  • Maid for Him   29

    The music of the ball spilled out into the courtyard, warm and bright against the cool night air. Laughter and the rhythmic beat of the orchestra floated through the open doors, mingling with the faint, heady scent of jasmine drifting from the gardens beyond. Golden lamplight poured out from the ballroom and met the cool silver glow of the moon, casting the courtyard in a shimmering mix of warmth and shadow.Amber stood just beyond the doors, where the sounds of music felt softer, less demanding. She closed her eyes briefly, drawing in the quiet between each note, letting her heartbeat slow.“Hello, Amber,” said a voice—smooth, low, with a certainty that seemed to ripple beneath the words.She turned. Stepping out from the shadow of an archway was Bibo, his tall frame catching just enough moonlight to show the keen set of his eyes. They held a quiet intensity, a gaze that seemed to weigh her without judgment, yet still left her oddly exposed.“I suppose I’m not the only one who needed

  • Maid for Him   28

    A few days after Commander Benjamin accepted the King’s request for reinstatement, the town crier’s voice rang across the village square. “Three days hence, the Commander of the Army of Upland shall be sworn to his post once more!”Excitement swept through the crowd like a quick wind through tall grass. Neighbours murmured to each other, shopkeepers grinned over their stalls, and even the youngest children repeated the news in their own shrill voices.Right on schedule, the ceremony was held in the palace’s grand ceremonial hall—the same place where Upland’s great balls often glittered deep into the night.The Army of Upland filled the chamber in full dress uniform, every button polished, every boot gleaming. Dignitaries in embroidered robes lined the front rows. Commander Benjamin’s family stood near the dais, dressed in their finest. Outside, soldiers stood in neat ranks upon the palace square while villagers filled the tiered seats surrounding them, their chatter a steady hum.Insi

  • Maid for Him   27

    Following Isis and Rhea’s banishment, the hours after the villagers left felt like the air in Upland itself had shifted—lighter for some, uncertain for others.Commander Benjamin lay unconscious in the palace, the healer tending to him with quiet, deliberate hands. His chest rose and fell steadily, the only sign he lived. The bed’s white sheets made him look as though he were merely resting, but the stillness in his face told another story.Gathered around him were the King and Queen, Prince Arnold, Cressida, Amber, Miriam, and a pair of guards outside the door.The healer, a stooped, silver-haired man with eyes like pale glass, examined him for the third time that hour. “The spell bound him for many years,” he said gravely. “It will slow his recovery… but this is not cause for despair. He will return to himself, given time.”The tension in Miriam’s shoulders eased a fraction.With the news, Miriam found herself close to the royals again—especially the Queen, whose guilt had not gone u

  • Maid for Him   26

    Miriam, Amber, and Cressida sat in stunned silence, their minds reeling from the blow Isis had just dealt. The livingroom felt smaller, suffocating under the weight of her words.Isis laughed—a cruel, delighted cackle that echoed like a curse around the walls.“You see?” she said, eyes glittering like polished stones. “He’s so deeply enchanted, he’s eager to tie the knot. Isn’t that amazing?” Her smile cut through Amber like a dagger. “I wanted to spare you the embarrassment of hearing it from the town crier—especially you, Amber.”Amber’s eyes shimmered, the pain unmistakable. The betrayal, the heartbreak, the injustice—too much.Isis leaned forward slightly, her voice mockingly sweet. “Wealth hasn’t freed you from tears, has it? Oh, don’t cry, little princess. Maybe one day, another prince will find you.”She turned with a triumphant swirl of her dress, laughter trailing behind her like perfume. Cressida followed close and slammed the door behind her.“Amber… my star,” Miriam whispe

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