The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

Maya whispers "I have to go".

Xavier gets sad "I apologize for my rudeness My Lady! Please don't-".

Maya takes her hand back from his hand and runs grabbing her skirts roughly leaving Xavier behind.

Xavier curses himself under his breath.

'I shouldn't have scared her! She must be afraid of me now!'.

He looks around the dark forest and sighs before going back towards Charles.

Maya reaches The Countryside Pavilion and stops before entering into it. She looks at the bright Pavilion and lets out a deep breath.

'I need a place to think peacefully. Only this place would provide me some peace now. Isn't it ironical?! But I have no other way!'.

She looks around carefully and sneaks back to her chamber from where she left.

She climbs the window and hops into the chamber skilfully.

'At least climbing trees in my village helps me here to sneak in and out easily! Would any Royal Princess know how to climb a tree?! Would they even dare to jump from this window frame?!'.

Maya chuckles at the thought and shakes her head 'My mind is wandering randomly these days...'.

She walks to and fro in the dark room thinking.

'I don't know what to do now. After loosing my book who would guide me whenever I am confused... I wish I had someone to help me. I really wish I too could be taught and guided by someone'.

"So be it!".

Maya jerks in shock hearing the sudden voice.

'Who is it? Is that the Strangerman? No..I can find his voice easily now. This voice is new. Who is this new person?'.

"You wished to guide you. And here I am!".

Maya steps away from the voice carefully and whispers "Who is it?!".

"Your Master! Since you called me to help you Little girl. Here I am!".

Maya tries to keep her sanity even after hearing the frightening voice in dark. Still she isn't afraid of the dark. She would never be afraid of something even if the opposite person is many times mightier than her.

What we can see in front of us won't scare us as much as what we can't see. It's scaring her that she couldn't see her enemy!

The most fearful thought of everyone. One can't fear the enemy who stands before them. But everyone fears the enemy that they can't see. They would be the most dangerous!.

'Ignorance ...could be one's worst enemy!'.

Maya's mind starts to enlighten her with mostly forgotten knowledge which she had long forgotten because of the curse.

Her hand grabbed something hard and Maya waits for a chance to fight her whoever enemy it was.

She stops noticing something. Suddenly the beetles noises which has been screeching stopped. Even the whole place become mute.

'Is....this place....abandoned? Suddenly? '.

She looks around confused 'What happened?'. She peers around stepping back cautiously and stumbles by a wooden furniture on which Sarah would place the flower vase.

She panics 'Why is it so silent suddenly? !'.

WHOOOSH!

WHOOOSH! WHOOSH!

Hearing wind sound, Maya asks "Who is here?!".

She gets irked as she couldn't see anything due to the darkness.

'Does this person has...magical powers?! How can he control the surroundings?!'.

Maya realises something and gasps "My Master?!".

"Yes Little girl. I am here to teach you. Guide you".

Maya felt something hit her heart. She had never heard these words ever since she was cursed.

'Even my own father didn't try to help me...or teach me new lessons..He didn't even try to find a new way to help me..'.

Even though she felt overwhelming emotions bubbling in her, she didn't cry. She asks looking around "Where are you?".

"Everywhere".

Hearing him, Maya chuckles nervously "Stop boasting yourself and appear before me if you are saying the truth!".

"Do you even remember how to treat your Master Little girl?! You should pay respect to your Master first!".

Maya frowns at his irked voice and says "Then earn it from me!".

'I stopped Emperor's servant from kneeling before me, because I want to earn my respect myself. I have to do something so that they can respect me whole heartedly. What's is the use if he pays us respect just because I became a Royal over single night!'.

"...."

Maya likes to speak to this voice and asks still trying to find him "How can I believe a stranger?".

"Like how you came here to marry a stranger?".

Maya "...".

Maya blinks dumbfounded at the voice's question. 'How does he know?! Why doesn't he sound polite? Is he intentionally mocking me?!'.

"What is the matter Little girl?! Have you asked this to yourself while stepping into that Stranger's carriage?!".

Maya "...."

Maya gets spellbound by his straight and brutal questions. She stammers "He... His father knows my father!-".

"Then how did you spend a night with an another stranger few minutes ago?",

Maya ".." 'Does he not know anything?!'.

She rebukes "I didn't! Can you see I am here?! I did not stay with him a night-'

"You are here because you fought with him! Don't try to fool me Little girl".

Maya bites her lip embarrassed "..."

She recalls him saying that he is 'Everywhere' and frowns suspiciously "Do you have the power to move fast?".

"You can assume whatever you understand Little Girl. Now tell me how could I help you?".

Maya scoffs "Why can't you show yourself?".

"I might not visible to a Cursed Soul like you Little girl".

Maya asks helplessly "Do you not know anything about me?!".

'He knows about my Curse!!. Only my father knew about this!! Not many know about it's existence. This man should know something about this!'.

"Your future Little girl".

Maya smirks "That's a neutral answer but tell me why are you here suddenly? Where were you all the time? Who sent you now? Why are you helping me only now?".

'He knows well to play with words! He didn't tell about him anything but still managed to close my mouth hinting that he knows everything about me'.