“Princess, please stop running!”

The head maid and her assistants had a hard time keeping up with the young lady’s speed as she stomped across the inner court of the palace with an objective in mind. Even though it is cold outside, the princess gave no mind and continued striding against the freezing wind.

Guards bowed lowly when Princess Baekhyun passed through the entrance of the maids’ residence, Susagan. The place was oddly silent and no noisy chatters are heard except a tiny sound of waters swashing somewhere in the corner. Baekhyun stopped in her steps, causing the women lining up behind her to stumble in place. She turned around, glared at her maids who are following close to her, and bit her lips.

“All of you are dismissed and please do not follow me. If you wish to disobey, I will report to His Majesty right away and I will not try to defend you in front of the king. Now leave me alone!”

The maids know not to flout against the princess or their heads will be on the line. Even though it is their job to follow the royal blood everywhere, they still want to be alive so the head maid, followed by the lower rank maids, bowed to the girl and walked backwards while keeping their gaze on the floor while exiting.

Once the 10 women have left, Baekhyun ventured inside the cleaning department of the palace, following the beautiful humming.

The princess relieved a deep sigh when she found the person she’s been searching since this morning. Luhan was sitting on a small stool, sleeves of her hanbok rolled up to her elbows, and hands working efficiently to wash the piled clothes. The bucket of hot water is the only heat source and Baekhyun wondered why she’s even washing the clothes. It isn’t part of her job.

Baekhyun looked around and saw that the only person there is Luhan while the rest of the maids responsible for laundry are nowhere to be found. One more thing to report to the king, she made a note to herself.

“You left me all alone.”

Luhan placed the cloth back into the bucket and turned around. Baekhyun was crossing her arms as if she is mad but Luhan knows better and patter her wet hands on the dry rug before standing up.

“You were still sleeping when I was tasked with this,” Luhan gestured to the mountains of laundry needs to be done by the end of the day. “I thought you’re still sleeping.”

 “Who told you to do the job?” Baekhyun asked in a nonchalant voice but her anger level has risen.

“Ah, the others needed to do something so they asked me to help.”

“The others? Did you mean the sedapbang nain? And they asked for your help? You’re not lying?”

Luhan closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m not, Baekhyun. They just disappeared somehow and I guess they are tasked with different chores.”

Baekhyun quietly observes Luhan. “And why are you not wearing any shoes?”

Luhan looked down to see her bare feet, shaking from the cold and numb as hell. “I lost it.”

“Enough of this, stop protecting them Luhan and tell me the whole truth. If you don’t, then I’ll really give them some punishment.”

And so Luhan reluctantly told the royal princess what really happened. From the early dawn incident where she’s pulled by the maids towards the cleaning area, forced to wash clothes without her own consent, almost hit for not obeying them, and until the moment where they took her shoes away because those pair are gifted by the third prince himself.

“Please don’t be mad,” Luhan said, face sheepish after telling the story.

“You’re the one supposed to be mad!” Baekhyun voiced out, rage uncontrollable. “If I were you I would have slit their necks and hung their bodies. Or maybe ask the king to just send them to the war zone. I don’t get it Luhan, why are you not upset?”

The slightly older girl only offered a sad smile, “I guess I can understand how they feel. I’m an outsider and already given a comfy position while they spend their youth inside the palace but still stuck with the lowest rank. And besides, they also see me as a maid so they don’t see what’s so wrong about it.”

They were sitting on the tiny stools near the well, Baekhyun sitting right next to Luhan who’s still busy washing the clothes. Even when the princess told her not to do it anymore, Luhan did not listen.

“Are you not tired?”

“Have gone through worse than this. Have you bathed a horse before?” Luhan asked.

“Princesses aren’t allowed to do anything close to that. Why?”

Luhan chuckled, “Cleaning a horse equals to washing 500 garments. So I don’t think this is a bad thing.”

Baekhyun smiled along, admiring the endurance Luhan had. “So, about the shoes. Should I get someone to make one for you?”

“No no no no no,” Luhan shook her head. “I can make my own, I just need a few straws and hay.”

A glare from Baekhyun had Luhan immediately close in surrender. There is no way to win an argument with the princess and everyone knows it. Luhan hung the robe she had been washing and stretched her numb body, cracking a few bones.

“What are you girls doing here?”

Prince Jongdae and prince Sehun walked at a slow pace towards the princess. While Jongdae was full of smile, the second prince offered nothing but a flat expression. Luhan immediately bowed at the uninvited royals and only stood straight when Jongdae acknowledged her.

“Sehun, Jongdae! The maids are being mean to Luhan and asked her to do all things!” Baekhyun reported exaggeratingly. “And they even stole her shoes. Just look at her feet.”

Luhan suddenly felt se