The two maids are joined by the old lady without missing a beat as the three of them take her deeper into the beast.

“This will be your room, you will be called for when the time come.” The old lady says before turning on her heel leaving her alone with the two maids.

The room was small and decorated plainly in cream and mahogany furniture, a small single bed at the side, another door on the other side leading to the washroom, Autumn assumed. Exhausted by the events of the day; Autumn collapse onto the single bed, giving her leg a breather. But she is alarmed by the two maids’ loud gasp. The quickly reach for her, pulling her off the bed.

‘Miss you can’t sit there.” One says quietly, her voice trembling, clearly not used to speaking to the people she serves.

“Why? It’s my bed, is it not?” Autumn replies confused, is there some etiquette regarding this? Or is she simply not allowed to so as she wants.

“It’s for people like us…” The other girl said softly as she reached for the other door. Servants; Autumn thought.

The door opened into a larger room, it takes Autumn a minute to realize what it was. It wasn’t the washroom as she had suspected, but a bedroom, a large bed in the centre, clean crisp bed. She looked around Mahogany furniture matching the one outside, but grander, more refined. She takes a step inside, her shoes clicking loudly on the polished tiles. “This is my room?” She says in awe.

“Yes, your highness.”

That title takes her by surprise; she turned around half expecting to see some princess walk into the room before she realized that they were talking about her. She was considered royalty now, to be married to a prince. It makes her shudder, not out of fear, but not from joy either. She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the vanity; she was still wearing her dress from this morning

“Call me Autumn.” She laughs; she was repeating the prince’s words.

“We can’t, your highness.”

“At least when it’s just us?” Autumn pleads, she had promised herself to be strong, but she couldn’t help but need a connection with people.

The two maids look at each other exchanging silent words, Autumn looks on nervously when she noticed how they were about her age, probably a little bit younger she decides.

“If you wish so, Yo- Miss Autumn.” They finally answer, the ‘miss’ part bothered Autumn a little but she will have to live with it for now.

She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the vanity, She was still wearing her dress from this morning, the contrasting the earth tones of the room, She didn’t belong here she thought as the she started removing her dress looking for something more comfortable. The two girls immediately step forward to help her out of the dress.

“What are your names?” Autumn asks, embarrassed to have someone undress her.

“My name is Ocean, and she is Tide.” The taller one answers for the two of them. Their name takes her by surprise.

“You’re from Water Court.” Autumn gasps; she had never known many people outside of Fire court. Both of them look up, their characteristic blue eyes shone proudly.

“What are you doing here?” Autumn asks carefully.

Ocean hesitates for a moment, “The same reason why you are here.” She says softly.

Autumn has heard about it before, most of the courts offered their people as servant or soldier to Earth Court to keep in good favors with Earth Court. Of course with Autumn, it was different; she didn’t come here to become a servant like them. She was chosen to become royalty.

“Were your names also drawn?”

Ocean speaks up first, “Tide was chosen by the draw, and I volunteered.”

It was rare for people to volunteer, it remind her of Blaze, Blaze’s face flashes in front of her eyes, He will be sent to here soon. Autumn wanted to ask why Ocean volunteered, but looking at Tide, Autumn could guess why. But she didn’t push for answers; she knows it wasn’t easy for them to talk to her. They fall into silence as they help her into a simple cream dress, not what Autumn had in mind, but she decided to trust them.

Dinner was sent to her room, she has yet to be summoned, but Ocean informed her that it was the Queens order let Autumn rest.

Autumn spent her time exploring her room, it wasn’t large but it was definitely something new. There is a balcony overlooking the back garden; A never ending expanse of blooms and foliage the melts into the forest. It was at times like this when her family would pop into her head, how are they doing? Are they getting by ok? Night was falling fast, stars sparking around the moon. Three precise knock on the door brings her back to reality. She wonders who it would be, especially at this time of day. Ocean had told her that maid knock once.

She slowly walks though the small room to the door, she gasps when the door is flung wide open before she could open it. A tall male with dark hair looks around panic in his eyes when his eyes meet hers the panic disappears, his face becoming expressionless. He looked a little older than Autumn, but it hard to tell. His facial features smoothed out, his face perfectly proportioned, beautiful, and symmetrical, except a light scar on his left cheek that disappears in the light. Autumn would have thought he was a statue if she hadn’t seen him move.

“My apologies, I thought there might have been a situation because it was so silent.” He says deeply and softly, his voice smoothing like a breeze on a cool summer day.

“It’s fine.” She whispers unknowingly, her breath stolen away.

“Forgive me for not introducing myself first, your highness. My name is Hurricane; I have been assigned as your personal guard.”

He is from Wind Court. “Autumn.” She says, “You are my personal guard?”

He remains expressionless, “Yes, Miss Autumn, I believe the prince told you that you will require a chaperone.”

Autumn nods, she then dismisses him, she was tired, exhausted by the new environment. However, once she was in bed, sleep never came, the bed too new and stiff. She tossed and turned, eventually giving up and laying on her back staring at the ceiling; that was when she heard it, movement in the small room. She got up carefully, she was used to the occasion burglars that would try to break into her house, but she couldn’t believe someone would dare to rod a palace. She grabbed a candelabrum that decorated her bed stand and head toward the small room; she raised it ready to strike if the situation called for it. She took a breath and shoved the door, startling the figure. Her muscles strain, striking down, but it is easily caught and stopped by the figure.

“It’s just me.” the figure answered, Hurricane, they voice soothing and the tension ebbed away.

“What are you doing here?” Autumn asks still cautious.

“I stay here now.”

Autumn paused, confused.

“I have to keep guard in case of emergency.”

It then all made sense, the placement of the room. IT makes Autumn feel slightly sick, of course the guard would stay here, to protect the royalty inside, also the first to go down if there is an attack.

“Miss Autumn, I would like to ask you a question.” His expression unchanging.

“Go ahead.”

“What were you trying to do with that?” He asks pointing at the candelabra in her hands.

Autumn lift’s her chin, “I was going to protect myself.” She blushes when she says that, it did sound a bit ridiculous, even to her.

For the first time since they met, Autumn saw the expressionless mask slip, as Hurricane burst out laughing, deepening Autumn’s blush as the air around them dancing as if the air was laughing too.

“How was I supposed to know?” She protests, there was never a lesson about this. She mentally makes a note to tell Spark off for not warning her. She huff back to her room, shutting the door on the laughing man. She could still hear him laughing as she got into her bed. When the laughter finally seized, she could hear the sound of shuffling followed by the soft creak of wooden frame of the bed.

“Good night, Miss Autumn.” He says though the closed door.

Autumn kept silent, still too embarrassed. She fell asleep soon after, his words still swirling in her mind.