“Oh, I told you not to overdo it, didn’t I?” Leila whispered as they made their way to the west wing. “You got caught red handed and punished! Oh my, oh my.”

“Punished?” Cherry questioned. She didn’t receive any punishment. Not that she knew of. She was made to go to her room right away last night, guilty and all. But no word of punishment was given, which puzzled her all the same.

“Of course! Punished!” Leila hissed, dismay at her face, “What worse punishment than being assigned to the west wing!”

Cherry’s mouthed an ‘ah’ of understanding, which promptly changed to ‘oh’ of confusion. “But you work in the west wing, Leila. Did you get punished as well?”

“It’s retribution for my everlasting beauty.” Leila nonchalantly pushed a few stray hairs out of her forehead. Seeing the confusion on the girl’s face, she went on, “My dear Cherry, it’s common knowledge that any work in the west wing is basically a punishment.” Leila bent closer to Cherry, “You-know-who’s chambers are there! Ugh,” she pretended to shiver from cold as they went on.

But Cherry didn’t know who’s. 

Seeing the confusion on her friend’s face, Leila bellowed, “The Duke’s!”