The other night dear

As I lay sleeping

I dreamt I held you in my arms

When I awoke dear

I was mistaken

So I hung my head and cried

It was early in the morning, just after dawn, the maids and the guards in the royal palace were getting ready for the day ahead. The head cook was out talking to the jolly gardener, Becky and her friend Irin were also hanging out nearby, admiring the patch of pink roses. 

Right then, the royal butler strode in hastily, interrupting the conversation of the gardener and the Chef, "The princess has arrived. She asked for a full-course meal," he announced.

"This early?" Asked the head cook. "I am not going to survive today."

"Yes, you might want to hurry. She doesn't seem to be in a good mood." The butler gave one knowing nod at the head cook and went away.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" Becky asked, wanting to be helpful.

"Yes, please inform the cooks to gather in the kitchen."

___________________________________________________________

The royal kitchen was filled with anxious cooks running around with the head chef constantly shouting and giving orders. Becky and Irin retired to a corner now that they found they cannot be of much help.

Becky almost felt sorry seeing how terrified they all were. The chef and the cooks were perspiring in the early morning. She wondered how cruel the princess was to have this effect on the people.

Some of the lady cooks started mumbling and Becky couldn't help but listen in. "I thought we'd get some days of peace. I wonder why the princess is back so soon. Doesn't she usually stay for at least a week? Do you think she did not get what she went for?"

Another cook discreetly looks around to check whether anyone was paying attention to their conversation. She leaned into her friend and spoke in a low voice, "No, she got the painting. I think maybe she fought with the crown prince."

The other maid nodded.

"Make it again," yelled a frustrated-looking head chef at one of the cooks. "We can't afford to make mistakes at this time" he continued as he poured the gravy off a pan. "What's the time now?" It was the fourth time the chef was asking for the time in five minutes.

"It's 6:40, chef, " Becky supplied, trying to be of some help.

"The princess is ready and waiting. She wants to have her meal in her room. The table is set." A servant girl informed.

A little bit of running around later, the meal was ready. The head chef took one tray in his hands and waited for one of his cooks to take the other tray but no one showed.

"You are all cowards," spat the middle-aged chef.

"Can I?" Becky enquired to which the chef fave a nod.

Becky was hit with a wave of nostalgia as soon as she entered the princess's room. The huge, lavish room felt familiar yet very foreign to her. In the distance, the princess sat at a table much smaller than the one in the main dining hall, she was clad in a silk night dress and her wet locks draped over her back and sides. Beside her, a maid stood with a white towel, hesitantly reaching to dab the wet hair of the princess. 

"Leave me be," the princess spoke. She paid no heed as Becky and the head chef approached her table. 

After the head chef laid his tray, he reached out to take Becky's and then began to serve food for the princess. The lunch was elegantly served. The pork belly dish looked appetising but the look on the chef's face had other things to say. He stepped a few steps backwards and joined Becky where she stood.

One bite later, the princess turned to look at the chef with pure disdain. 

" I deeply apologise. Is something the matter, princess? Is the pork undercooked? Overcooked?" The chef enquired nervously. The princess was just about to rebuke the chef but she stopped as soon as her eyes landed on the person right next to the chef. Becky held eye contact with the princess for a good few seconds before wilfully tearing her eyes away to look at the floor instead. She could still feel the weight of the stare. Her heart was hammering in her chest for no reason and she hated feeling that way. She felt alienated, betrayed and rejected, which was all too unbearable for her. 

Silence answered the chef as the princess resumed eating without another word after what seemed like a whole minute of staring.

When Becky looked up, the chef gave her a weird look. 

"I will leave" Becky mouthed and she almost rolled her eyes when the chef shook his head and whispered "no" with a pleading look. 

"You may leave," the princess said, almost as if she had witnessed the exchange between the older man and Becky.

The man bowed deeply before taking to his heels and out of the room. Becky followed after the chef.

The princess let out a long breath she wasn't aware she had been holding, trailing her eyes behind the retreating figure of her old companion and maid.  "I'd rather starve and eat this." She muttered but ate the pork and the fried rice anyway.

__________________________________________________________________

Becky had a pleasant afternoon again, she didn't have to work like the rest of the maids today all thanks to Prince Ratchanon, who had come and rescued her from work to stroll around the palace. 

The tour around the palace was nice and she actually bonded with the prince. Becky genuinely thought the prince had really grown up to be a down-to-earth, considerate gentleman. 

What a stark contrast with his sister. 

It really was true that Becky had been hearing rumours about the princess giving a hard time to everyone around her including her brother and parents. News had it that the heart attack which left the queen paralysed was also because of the princess. 

Becky was now slowly but surely realising that people do change, friendships could break and most importantly, a person doesn't remain someone's favourite forever. It hurt to acknowledge the truth as it was but there was nothing she could do about it. 

She sighed. 

She had been a fool to believe she would be received with open arms, with as much love and care like those gone days. 

"I am alright. I'll be okay." Becky assured herself.

"Pardon?" The prince asked, unsure of what Becky just said.

"Nothing" Becky smiled. "I will go and help Irin out. Thank you for today." 

Prince Non smiled back. "I could come every day and steal you away from working if you want," he joked.

___________________________________________________

"Becky, there you are," An impatient Irin called out from the distance. "The chef has been sending people out to fetch you. Where did you go off to? Ugh.."

"Why does he need me for?" Becky asked as both of them headed for the royal kitchen. 

"What can I help you with?" Becky asked as soon as the chef was in sight.

"The princess is to have tea in her garden now and I need you to accompany me."

Becky nodded sideways, suddenly feeling nervous at the mention of the princess. "She told me the garden is off limits, I can't go there." Becky reasoned. "Besides, there seems to be only one tray. What am I supposed to carry? It'll be awkward. I can't come."

"No. Please I beg of you. We can all enter the garden as long as we are delivering her afternoon tea. You can pour her tea, you don't have to stand awkwardly."

"No" Becky replied.

"I'll make you something you like after I am done cooking for the royal family later." The chef implored.

"Tell me, why me? Bring Irin, I have stuff to do." 

"This is the only favour uncle will ask you," the chef said.

"Alright. I'll go. If she tells me to go off, I am going to tell her I came because of you."

Becky walked like an obedient child following their parent with her hands tied at the back. She absolutely didn't want to look at the princess sitting behind the quaint round table under an elaborate-looking garden hut, waiting for her afternoon tea. Becky could feel the Princess's eyes on her as she walked closer.

She half expected the princess to tell her off for coming in the garden but none of the reprimanding came. 

The chef carefully placed the tray and beckoned Becky to pour it for the princess. 

Becky reluctantly walked up, accidentally meeting the princess's eyes and she thanked the gods when the princess looked away with an air of nonchalance like she hadn't been staring at Becky the whole time. 

Becky wanted to be quick. She took down the violet and white, fine porcelain cup and saucer and kept them in front of the princess before delicately holding the breathtaking, matching teapot with a smooth glazed finish and a golden accent. Becky would have taken a moment to admire such a fine and luxurious tea set hadn't she been this nervous and agitated. The yellow-coloured liquid that came out of the teapot was no ordinary tea as Becky noted, the flowery fragrance filled her nostrils. She then opened the sugar bowl and hurriedly added exactly three teaspoons of sugar in the princess's cup earning a surprised gasp from the chef and the maid standing nearby. Becky stopped, looked back at the chef and then at the princess. The princess seemed calm, her eyes not leaving the teacup. Becky resumed her task and stirred the tea with the spoon and stepped away.

I hope I didn't do something wrong. 

Everything went absolutely quiet save for the few birds chirping nearby.

It took a whole minute for the princess to finally move her hand to take the cup for the first sip. It was evident she did not like it at all. Becky didn't know but the chef did, the maid did as well. Too much sugar was a no-go for the princess.  She now turned to munch on the crumpets from the tray. She normally didn't eat them unless she was feeling a little hungry. 

A whole agonising five minutes passed. All they could hear was the occasional chewing sound the princess made every time she bit and ate a piece of the crumpet.

 Becky grew restless. She wanted to run away. Did the princess not like the tea because she poured it? Every single thought was taxing. 

"I'll go on ahead," Becky whispered to the chef and walked off as fast as her legs could carry. 

"Pour me another cup" the princess calmly said, to which the chef agreed, taking another spare cup from the tray. 

"That imbecile put too much sugar. What a waste." The princess spoke, eying the cup Becky poured. 

____________________________________________________________

It was past midnight, and the palace was dead silent but Princess Sarocha blinked on into the night. Her feathery soft beddings were not to bring her sleep yet again. 

She was afraid to close her eyes. She disliked how she saw nothing but Becky's face when she tried to close her eyes. If this kept on, she was pretty sure she would look like a dead body very soon. 

All semblance of peace had gone since Becky decided to show up again. She'd been losing sleep, her nightmares had begun coming back, not to mention she had been losing focus on everything. 

Her dead grandmother's words were right: Becca was a bad omen. All she brought was chaos and unrest. 

The princess hated how profoundly she was affected by such an insignificant, lowlife peasant as Rebecca Patricia Armstrong. 

She must leave. 

******************************

If there's any person reading from the Phillippines, I wanna say thank you. You have been absolutely kind and accomodating to Freen and Beck. The reason why the girls were so comfortable being in your country is because of the love you gave them. Thank you again. I am learning few Tagalog words. Maraming maraming Salamat po. Sana all.