Instinctively, I rushed over to the window and flung it open. I poked my head out and scanned around. It was calm outside. The sun shone down on the little garden below. A few birds were chirping and hopping on the ground by the fountain. The wind blew cool air into my face, and made the leaves dance about. Nothing seemed out of place.

After a short while, assured that there was nothing out there I could see, I shut the window and sat down on the chair confused. I closed my eyes, and tried to think.

What was that? It sounded like a lady’s scream. It sounded relatively close by. But where did the scream even come from? And why did someone scream? Are they in trouble? Here?

At first I thought that it was a monster rampaging outside. It was still bright, but the creature that attacked me came to me when there was sun out as well.

Maybe it wasn’t from outside. Maybe it came from inside the Rose Palace somewhere. But if that’s the case, why isn’t anybody doing anything about it? Did I mishear it? Was I hallucinating… but a scream? I can’t have. But… what if for some reason I am the only one who heard it?

There did not seem to be any other commotion happening outside, or inside the Palace. At least, nothing that I could hear from my room right at that moment. I wondered if I should pull the cord and ask Holly if she heard it to. But I decided against it, lest her opinion on me soured.

She still seems on edge over that incident with her brother. Maybe I’ll ask her when I next see her, but there’s no point calling her just to ask a single question. She might find that irritating. She’s probably busy helping with preparations anyway. Or trying to find a way to clean up my dress. I wouldn’t want to disturb her over something that might not be anything. She might return back herself to take away the dishes soon. Perhaps I can question her then. Assuming she even knows anything.

I was about to give up thinking and just continue on my search for mother’s book, when I heard the scream again. This time I sprung up from my chair and before I knew it, I had rushed out of my quarters.

As soon as I did, the screaming stopped. There was no one out in the hallway. I walked all the way to the end and then back again to the front of my room. Holly told me that there were other ladies who already arrived, but none of them left their rooms.

Perhaps the sound was coming from one of their rooms? Is someone in danger?

Mother told us that during her time at the trial, many a lady was attacked. Assassins, poisons and other plots.  

I couldn’t be too sure. But I wasn’t going to knock on every single door, in hopes that they were the ones screaming.

I think they would think me rather mad if I did that. Most will not like my family. I don’t want to make a further bad impression at that. But… what if someone is in trouble?

I walked back down the hall, this time slowly, keeping a close ear to the doors, trying to see if there was any commotion within. There were a few rooms where I heard people moving and chatting excitedly, but nothing that seemed out of the ordinary.

If anyone was to see me do this, they would assume that I was trying to plot something against the other contestants.

Yet, I kept at it, until I was at the large staircase at the end of the hall. I peered out over the stairs, to see if I could catch any other noises.

Was I really the only one hearing that scream? No it can’t be. Most likely the girls inside did not want to have to deal with whatever was screaming. Right? I guess… let’s just go back.

But before I could take a step back to my room, I heard the scream again. This time, it echoed up the stairs, a much longer and higher pitched scream than before.

Alright. That… definitely came from inside the building!  

I quickly rushed down the stairs, dodging some maids who were on their way upwards with heavy trays of delicious looking food.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I yelled back at them, as I made my way down. Luckily they stepped out of my way, as if my running did not phase them in the slightest.  

They don’t seem to be reacting to the noise at all! Am I really the only one hearing this? …What if I am? What if this is some sort of trap? But mother did not warn me about a never ending scream. She warned me of plenty of other things though. But she did not say anything about a scream. At least, not that I remember. And this sounds too… human to be faked.

I stopped in my tracks as soon as I made it to the floor where the scream was coming from, and peered into the hallway. The guest quarters were on the fifth floor. I had run down all the way to the second floor. The hall in front of me split into several sections.

Without a guide I’m sure to be lost. I can’t hear the scream anymore though. Should I attempt to walk down the hall, or should I just wait?

Suddenly a little girl darted out of one of the hallways. She was carrying a pile of folded linen in her arms. She wore a maids dress, and had her black hair tied up in pigtails, adorned with two yellow ribbons. Though she was rushing as if in a hurry to get to her destination, she seemed calm.

Like she didn’t hear the screaming.

“Excuse me,” I called out.

She’s not listening. I don’t think I’m supposed to be on this floor. And I’m not sure how I should approach her.

“Excuse me. Little… maid? Girl?”

The girl stopped and peeked her bright blue eyes from on top of the pile of linen at me. She stared at me confused. “A guest? A candidate?” she murmured to herself. “Or maybe a something else.”

“Um. Excuse me?” I repeated.

Her eyes widened further. “And she’s talking to me!” She murmured. She tilted her head to the side. “Is she? Really? Me?” She quickly looked around behind her. “Is she really?”

“Yes. I am?” I said. I mimicked her, and looked around me. There was no one else but us. “Yes, I am.”

Shocked, she took a few small steps backwards. “I’m so sorry, my lady,” she said loudly. “I didn’t see you there. I was busy with the linen! I wasn’t doing anything else. I wasn’t slacking, or secretly having treats. Really I wasn’t!”

I wonder how many times she has been caught doing so.

I crouched down. “It’s alright. I’m sorry for stopping you from your duties. But I’ll only be a second. And I’m sorry to frighten you.”

“It’s okay,” she said understandingly. “It happens.”

“It … does?”

She gave a slight nod then loudly whispered conspiratorially. “At least it does. Because of the castle and all, you know?”

Castle? I think she means Palace, she’s young. She’ll learn in time. Dusk and I used to make the same blunder when we were around her age too.

“Well, no matter. I was wondering if you heard screaming coming from the hallway?”

She shook her head. “No my lady. I’m afraid I have not.”

“Really?”

But it was so loud.

She nodded, her little tower of linen moving precariously as she did. “I just left one of the rooms to the right,” she said tossing her head in the direction she just came from. “And I didn’t hear anything while I was there. Honest. I mean. I wasn’t asleep or anything!” She said narrowing her eyes, as though asking me to believe her.

“Ah, it’s alright, I mean, I wouldn’t care if you were asleep,” I said conspiratorially.

“Really?” She said tilting her head again.

How cute. She reminds me of a wary cat. I’ll have to write to Dusk about this encounter.

“Really,” I nodded. “I wouldn’t. And I wouldn’t tell anyone if you were.”

“Alright then,” she said with a little sigh. “I was taking a break. But you promise you aren’t going to tell.”

“Yes,” I promise. I said smiling. “My name is Dawn. What’s your name then?”

“Maple,” she said.

“That’s a nice name. Now, Maple, you really didn’t hear a scream from within this hallway?”

She shook her head. “No. It would have woken me up if I did,” she said thinking. “If I was asleep!” She added. “It was only a break. Really.”

“Ha ha! It’s fine.” I stood up. “I guess…”

I thought about asking her to guide me down the hallway, but decided not to. She was probably busy.

“You can go then,” I said. “I’ll try to find out what’s going on myself.”

“But… some of the hallways are dangerous,” she said looking around. “You need lots of training to know which ones are alright.”

“I think I’ll be fine,” I said.

Then the scream came again, louder, this time with words I could hear.

“Help. Please help. Oh someone. Please, please. Mistress. Please help my mistress. Someone please. I beg of you. Please.”

“There it is! Can you hear that!” I said, excitedly to the girl. “Do you hear it! It’s coming from down that way!” I said pointing to the left.

But the girl looked at me scared.

“There are times where humans don’t hear the screams,” she mumbled to herself, looking me in the eyes.