She saw her mother with her head on her knees, crying against the wall of the kitchen. Was she crying because of her?

Elisi felt her distress and run off to her.

“Please don't cry mommy! Don't cry ...”

She wrapped her little arms around her trying to console her mother, that's what they did on tv and on books, maybe this time she could do it right.

“Please cheer up mommy...”

Something yanked her arm from her hand and tossed her with force to the side.

“Don’t dare to touch me with those dirty hands!”

“I’m sorry!!!”

She just wanted to see her smile. Why could she not make her mother smile?

The mother approached her and grabbed her by her hair.

“Don’t say a word. Make yourself useful for once after all what you did to me”

“Why did you make your mother cry?”

Her father came to her mother's defence and slapped on her tiny face. She was still a little child, she just wanted to comfort her mother.

“I... I... just wanted to hug her”

Said Elisi, crying .

“Just a hug”

When her father was about to hit her gain, everything became warm, all the sadness that those memories gave her flew away like butterflies.

Elisi’s eyes opened slightly in the middle of the night and, while blinking, she opened them fully.

As she looked to the side, her eyes became even bigger when she found herself in the king's room. It wasn't dark as usual. The white curtains let the moonlight dust come in, making every piece of glass sparkle like title stars sprinkled around the mellow space.

She had no power to move, but warm and comfortable she was.

While trying to adjust herself into a suitable position, she recalled the dreadful moments before she fell asleep. Just thinking about it made her body sink into misery.

Elisi now knew the painful void inside the king. She could understand how hard must have been every day trying to prevent himself from becoming consumed as the curse kept reclaiming every part of him.

Is that what the king is trying to fight against?

It was too painful... It was like hell.

He should not bear that kind of burden all by himself.

How could Sebastian force him to tolerate her in his room?

Ah! Is this his bed?

The King!?

The king was holding her hand as he laid on the bed with half of his body on the floor.

The moonlight bestowed a divine shine into his hair, like an angel watching over her.

Elisi was more confused than usual by it all. Why is he holding her hand?

She kept looking at him quietly, trying not to wake him.

He looks so peaceful and beautiful... Can I take the curse fully from him?

If I touch him again, will I be able to free him?

Still determined to save him. She took all her courage and leaned towards him, resting her hand on his head.

But nothing happened.

“Don't touch me with such intentions, I won't let it happen again”

Was he awake?

She almost lifted her hand from the surprise, but she was glued to him once again.

The softness she was feeling under her palms was addicting. Sadly, his hair was in a messy ponytail, couldn't run through her fingers like she usually did.

But this much was enough.

This time she only wanted to let him know she just was by his side.

She didn't want him to suffer anymore.

In the book he became crazy. Although he had the love of his daughter, he lost his mind for not being able to release his sorrows.

In the end he killed his bother and then himself trying to save Berit from death.

Such a pitiful life he lived.

Elisi wanted to prevent similar things from happening. She wanted him to know happiness.

****

Jeremy, the butler, instructed everybody that under no circumstances were they allowed to enter the king’s room.

“Where is Elisi?” Asked Mirna

“She is attending the king after all, she his maid”

“You are his butler! You always attend to him. Never did a maid stayed by his side... You should have told me and I would have sent a more experienced maid”

“That’s not...”

“Call Elisi back and I will go there myself until we find a suitable maid”

“Please do not interfere at this moment. Those are the king's orders. I myself cannot go there until he calls for me”

Jeremy couldn’t tell her what happened. He also could not tell her he was more of a friend to the king than his butler.

Although he helped the king with administrative work, he did not have any part in his personal matters.

The king didn’t need a maid. He would clean and organize the room with his magic, but him being the king he should have a maid to do so.

He fired most of his maids after they touched his drawers, curious to find little secrets about the king. The only reason Elisi might have survived is that she did not, and because she was a healer.

Mirna kept looking at him with an unpleasant gaze. There seemed to be nothing that would calm her down.

*****

The next morning, like always, all the breakfasts were ready to be served. The knights always had their breakfast in the lounge room.

Some aristocracies would have a separate, more luxurious lounge or have it in their rooms.

And for the main royals, they usually opted to have them in their room.

This time, the king opted to have a slightly bigger breakfast.

“Why is Elisi not coming to pick up his breakfast?”

Mirna asked the butler.

“I will bring the breakfast myself. Do not concern yourself with such unimportant matters”

“Well, she is required to work in his room for 5 hours, unless she becomes his personal maid, I need her here”

Mirna did not become the main maid for no reason. Ordering people was her expertise.

***

When Jeremy entered the room, the king was laying down on his divan with a thoughtful look on his face and Elisi slept on his bed.

He remembered leaving them on the opposite sides. When did she move to the king's bed?

“Mirna is asking for Elisi. Unless you intend to make her your servant, she needs to stay here only for her given hours she said”

“Mirna,” sighed the king, “I can't send her back in this state, can I?”

“If she stays here, nasty rumors can flourish. That might put her in great trouble. You know that too”