2. Disrespect

Paula's P.o.v

I woke up with a slight headache and found my ladies ( servants ) looking at me quietly, I sat upright and cleared my throat, those days I used to wake up with their eyes on me I felt so uncomfortable, but now I was so used to it. 

"Morning princess." They greeted together. 

I smiled happily, they were like my own 6 blood sisters.

"Isn't my hair a mess?" I asked while standing up, I moved and sat on a chair that was opposite my big mirror.

Bridget got a brush and carefully started brushing my hair. 

"My Princess aren't you nervous about tomorrow? You know you will be wedded to the king right?" The new servant asked.

"Cleo Know your place!" Lauren yelled at her angrily. 

"What did I do? I was just asking politely, we can't all just pretend to be calm, we are about to take a journey to a foreign land who knows how people live there!" Cleo yelled back making me lose my temper. 

"Enough!" I yelled while standing up. 

The ladies quickly bowed. 

"Why can't you all learn from Lauren! I hate it when you talk as if I'm not in your presence, I'm a princess for crying out loud if you can't respect me here then what makes you think the others will when we go there?" I yelled angrily. 

"Princess Paula please don't get upset, forgive us, we will try our very best to improve, tomorrow will be a big day, you don't have to be stressed okay?" Lauren said calming me down. 

"I think I will request for new ladies to attend to me," I said as they all looked at each other in fear. 

Cleo quickly knelt down as everyone else did the same, I looked at Lauren with a pained heart, why would she kneel in front of me when she knew I wasn't mad at her. 

"Debby prepare a bath for me," I said then turned and went to the balcony. 

"You see? Your stupid mouth will one day cost us our heads" Miriam said angrily. 

"Debby you heard the princess, prepare a bath for her, as for the rest of you, don't get back to your duties until the princess forgives us" Lauren instructed. 

"Lauren please ask for forgiveness on our behalf from the princess," Janet said lowly, while I acted as if I heard nothing when I heard it all. 

I heard footsteps approach me then shortly Lauren stood next to me. 

"Let me guess, you are here on everyone's behalf right?" I asked facing her. 

"Yes," she answered honestly. 

"Lauren, the ladies have been attending to me for years, I thought by now they knew me better, why is it that you are different from them, you understand me well and know what I like and dislike?" I asked. 

"Well princess we have known each other since we were young" she answered. 

I sighed and looked away, she was right but that still didn't answer my question. 

"Is that an excuse?" I asked.

"No, to me you are more like my little sister, I like your stubbornness and your kind heart, I know I'm not suppose to say this but I just feel like you should know" she whispered. 

I looked at her sadly then laughed softly. 

"You laughed?" She asked in disbelief. 

"I hate how disrespectful they can act towards me at times, every mistake should not settle without a punishment, remember what father used to do to me every time I made a mistake?" I asked loudly. 

"Yes, he used to starve and lock you up so you could do better" she answered sadly. 

"Exactly, I don't want to do the same to them but I want them to learn, that's why I was thinking of having new lady servants to attend to me" I answered. 

"Paula, I know how much you care for all of us, you treat us like family and we are lucky that you do, not all princesses can be this kind, many are self-centered but you aren't, please reconsider your decision, are you going to be happy after letting us go?" She asked as I widened my eyes in fear. 

"Us? Why are you including yourself in the sentence?" I asked loudly. 

"Because I wasn't appointed alone by the king, he chose us as a group to attend to you, if you are to send the ladies away, that will include me too because I am part of the group" she answered. 

I bite my lower lip thinking hard.

"I can talk to father, he can agree in letting you stay," I said quickly. 

"No princess, I can't stay behind even if the king did agree, to me you and the ladies are my family, I can't choose sides, so I would rather disappear" she answered. 

"You are not being fair Lauren, you are not really giving me a choice here" I whispered feeling tears swell in my eyes. 

"I am giving you a choice Paula, so? What will it be?" She asked seriously. 

I took in a deep breath then released it. 

"Fine, they will stay, I won't say anything to my father, but as for their punishment, they will continue to kneel, they have to learn to respect me," I said firmly. 

"Thank you princess" she answered with a smile then went down on her knees. 

"What are you doing?" I asked trying to understand what she was doing. 

"Accepting my punishment" she answered calmly. 

"But...but I didn't punish you" I stammered. 

"My princess, I don't want any special treatment from you, I'm to be treated as they are treated, I trained and took the vow that they too take, I'm glad that you have given us all a second chance, for that I'm grateful, I will gladly accept the punishment you have given all of us," she said while avoiding my gaze. 

"Why are you doing this Lauren? You are suppose to understand that everything I'm doing is for their own good" I whispered. 

"I know" she answered. 

"Fine, may you all stand, you are forgiven," I said loudly for everyone to hear. 

They stood up happily, Lauren looked at me then smiled happily too, I nodded then walked past everyone and got in the bathroom to take a bath.