A Maid Named Bessie and Her Ultimate Revenge
After the death of the Queen Dowager, the palace remained in mourning for several days. There were those who didn’t care if the woman had died, but just cared about what she hadn’t left behind, and there were those who actually mourned her.
"Your Majesty, Princess Oriana hasn’t had anything to eat since last night, and the physicians are trying to get her to take even a drop of water," one of the maids reported to Queen Saline.
The Queen waved them away and continued dressing. "Children are like that sometimes; when she’s hungry, she’ll leave her room," Saline replied. Finished with her attire, she left her room and made her way straight to the dungeon, where prisoners were held.
"Upon the Mother Queen’s request, release all the maids, but send them out of the palace. It’s the least I can do for that old hag. So I can feel at ease," she ordered.
The dungeon gates creaked open, and the servants were freed. Among the maids was a middle-aged woman who had been serving the youngest princess just days earlier. Her legs and hands had been beaten so badly that she could hardly move them.
"Mama," a young girl of about five shouted, running toward her mother. "Mama, please wake up..."
The maid, Amara, opened her eyes. Though her face was covered in blood and filth, she still gave her daughter a warm smile. "Bessie, what are you doing here?"
"Mama... I’m going to make them pay for this... the people who did this to you," the girl cried bitterly, her eyes glaring at the palace gates as fury burned in her young soul.
Amara coughed, dragging herself on the ground. "There are good people in there too. The youngest princess... she was good to me. I hope Oriana is okay," the woman whispered.
Several years later, an older Bessie, now a young woman, knocked at the palace gates, joining the new recruits of maids. She didn’t yet know who her target was, but she had vowed to make the lives of those who caused her mother’s suffering miserable. Even if it meant becoming a maid again, she was willing to do it for revenge.
"Who is at it again?" Bessie asked. On her first day of work, someone was already causing trouble.
The older maid, Julia, eyed her before clearing her throat. "The only person capable of disturbing the palace, even after being punished repeatedly. It’s as if the punishments have become a part of her."
"There’s someone like that here? Why won’t the king send her away? Isn’t that insubordination?" Bessie wasn’t really concerned about the noise; all she wanted to know was who her mother had served before being thrown out of the palace.
"Insubordination is for subordinates. What happens when it’s family?" Julia sighed deeply. "Watch and learn. Also, avoid serving her, she’s bad news."
Bessie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, ’bad news’?"
The older maid chuckled. "You’re fresh blood, alright. All the maids who served her either ended up in the dungeon or were sent out of the palace. The last one... was it Amara?"
Bessie’s eyes lit up. "Maid Amara served under her?"
"Mm-hmm, yes... it was sad what happened to her. I heard she died a few years later, unable to walk on her own. Poor woman. If only she’d stayed away from that princess."
Bessie dropped her basket. "And the princess? She never looked for the maid or tried to help her?"
The older maid smiled bitterly. "Our lives mean nothing to these people. Even if we die while slaving for them, they don’t care. Look at her."
Bessie’s eyes followed where the princess stood, the one who had made her mother’s life miserable and destroyed her entire family. She had a smile on her face, looked healthy, and still held her head high.
"Let me serve Princess Oriana," Bessie suddenly declared.
Other maids gasped, staring at the newcomer who had just announced her intentions.
"Child, didn’t you hear me? It’s your first day; don’t start with bad luck," the older maid warned.
Bessie chuckled. Her life had been filled with bad luck ever since her mother was thrown out of the palace. "I want to do it. Please let me serve her." She was determined to find out everything about Oriana, stay by her side as a friend, and, at the moment the princess least expected it, strike. Bessie was going to make her feel the pain her mother had endured. She had survived up until now, and she wouldn’t stop until she had her revenge.
"Good morning, Princess Oriana. I’m the new maid assigned to you. My name is Bessie," she introduced herself with a small smile. All she had to do was play her part. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Oriana’s face when she betrayed her, when she caused her downfall. All that smile and happiness Oriana had now would be fleeting.
"Bessie, come in. Why have they suddenly decided to assign a maid to me? Care to enlighten me?" Oriana asked.
Bessie bit her tongue, wishing she could end the princess’s life by smashing her head against the wall. But death would be too easy. Compared to the bitterness Bessie had harbored all these years, patience was her true weapon. Just a little more patience, she told herself.
"Well, well, it seems my reputation precedes me once more. About bloody time, wouldn’t you say, Bessie? Let’s get this ridiculous pageant over with."
Bessie smirked upon hearing this. To Oriana, other people’s lives were nothing more than a ridiculous pageant. Careless, oblivious to the lives she had destroyed. But soon, Oriana would pay the price.
Biding her time, Bessie blended in as a maid, studying Oriana’s attitude. One day, when Oriana complained about a dress, Bessie knelt down in apology. "I’m sorry, Princess. I’ll quickly fetch you something better. I’ve just started today and am still learning the royal standards."
"Are you sure you can serve beside me? You seem... too fragile," Oriana remarked, placing a hand on Bessie’s shoulder.
Bessie’s skin crawled. The same hands that had caused her mother’s death. She glared at the princess with burning hatred. The time for revenge was coming, sooner or later, Oriana would fall.
. . .
Standing in front of the princess’s door, Bessie exhaled sharply. She was tired. Just a few days in, and she was disgusted by Oriana’s carefree demeanor, her obliviousness to the pain she’d caused. But now, with the forged letter she had sent to Avon, Bessie knew the perfect opportunity was near.
Bessie turned and made her way to Princess Sophie’s room. Getting to her door, she knocked gently, if anyone was going to believe her and do exactly what she wanted it was the gullible older princess.
"Princess Sophie," she bowed, "I have something for you."
Sophie frowned. Eyeing the maid in front of her door, before she said. "Aren’t you my sister’s maid?"
Bessie sneered internally. More like a mayhem. She was going to be Oriana’s doom and fall, she was going to watch her writh in pain abandoned by her own family. "Do you want Princess Oriana out of your way?"
Sophie shrugged. "I don’t care about her that much. I’ll soon be married off to the Crown Prince of Avon. What happens to Oriana doesn’t matter to me."
Bessie gritted her teeth. This one was foolish, but Bessie knew how to get her, through her love for the Crown Prince. For every woman, the worst drug of all was their addiction to a man. And this princess? Was already head in the clouds with love. And so will her judgement when she realizes her own sister wants the crown prince too. Even if it was a lie, Bessie didn’t care. She was going to be it the truth.
"Your sister..." Bessie began, faking a tear. "She also loves the Crown Prince. She told me she plans to send a fake letter to Avon, making you look foolish so she can win his love."
Sophie’s eyes widened. "She what?" She grabbed Bessie by the collar. "You’re lying! Oriana doesn’t care about men! Why are you telling me this?"
Bessie grinned internally. She had prepared for this moments she wasn’t a fool. She pulled out a parchment, one of Oriana’s scribbles. "I could have kept this from you... but my conscience won’t let me, because you’re so kind. And although I serve your sister, I admire you deeply."
Sophie snatched the parchment and read it. Her anger ignited. "I’m going to break Oriana." She hummed, as she squeezed the parchment imagining it was her sister.
Bessie’s heart swelled with joy. Finally, things were in motion. Oriana’s downfall was coming, and Bessie would be there to witness it. How happy she would be, to watch Oriana being punished by her own family with nobody by her side. Only then would she feel a little of the pain her mother had felt.
"Don’t rush," Bessie said with false concern. Acting like she was on the princess’s side. "If you confront her now, she might deny everything and blame me. Let me help you plan it." She said with a deep bow, her hair falling to cover the smirk on her face. Finally she was getting her revenge.
After telling Oriana about what had happened and how everyone had caught on with the forged letter. Bessie stood in front of her with her eyes filled with fake tears.
"I can’t, someone needs to be here. Don’t worry I’ll be fine Princess Oriana. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for you," Bessie waved with a smile on her face before running back inside the palace. Her tears turned to smile, when she was finally out of Oriana’s sight.
Bessie stood by a pillar, watching the princess run towards the fence. She knew the Oriana would turn back and try to save her. She smirked, whispering, "Walk back to your doom, Princess. It’s all over for you."
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