@Rhindeer Elysia anxiously walked down the main hall of the castle. She had taken a big enough risk lying to the guard at the front gate, acting like one of the castle servants. Stealing a uniform was easy enough.
This castle was ginormous. The most elaborate castle she had
ever been in. Everything was plated with gold, or encrusted with diamonds. Or, made out of some rare silk probably shipped in from Panzhong.
Her plan was to pray that the hall guards were stupid.
She carried a duster, pretending to occasionally dust off a mirror that lined the hall. Fixing a golden picture frame that was just a tad bit crooked. Man, the servants were sleeping on their job today.
One of the guards walked up to her and Elysia tensed just a little bit. She could see the door to the reception hall, and if her earlier sneaking around had been correct, the throne room was just on the other side.
"First day here?" The guard asked conversationally, leaning against the wall and folding his arms.
"No, but this is my first day in this area," Elysia replied, praying she wasn't breaking out into an obvious sweat. Her palms were sweaty though.
The guard puffed out his chest, straightening up alittle.
"Well, I make it a point to meet everyone personally. So, if you need anything, I'm always around."
Elysia rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Yeah sure, I'll keep that in mind. Wait, actually, my next assignment is in the throne room, could you point me in the right direction?"
The guard, if possible, got even more prideful.
"I'll escort you there myself," and he bowed, before holding his arm out to her.
Elysia could not believe it. This had to be a setup. No one just gets their job just like, handed to them! Except for today.
She took his arm, internally screaming but just going along with it.
"I'm sure you treat every person this way," she said with a fake pout.
The guard laughed as they walked.
"Only to the special ones."
He winked as he got to the entrance to the throne room.
"Well, I'll leave you to it, then." He bowed once more, and walked off.
Elysia just stared after him, absolutely dumbfounded, and then, when he was gone, closed the glass door behind her. The throne room was breathtaking. There were three glass pedestals, one holding the golden silk dress the Queen would wear for ceremonies, and then the Queen's gold and silver scepter. And then there was the crown. Light, but elegant, and looking as if faes had designed it. The crown itself was made of gold, but somehow, there were branches of silver weaving through the gold, rubies interspersed throughout, and a beautiful, simple diamond in the middle.
There were also two guards standing on either side of the throne. Elysia acted like she knew exactly what she was doing.
"Good day," she nodded to the guards, but they didn't even acknowledge her.
She dusted the first two glass pedestals. She stole a glance at the two guards. Still not paying any attention.
Then, she got to the pedestal with the crown on it. With one hand, she dusted the crown, and with the other, she lifted it.
She glanced at the guards again. Oh shit. They were now looking directly at her.
"Welp this is my cue to leave!" And she took the crown and ran for the door to the courtyard, praying that the guards would be too shocked to follow.
