Adelaide finished braiding her long hair and tied it off with a green ribbon she had found in the vanity. She still could not believe that this was her life now. The fancy meals, maids and butlers, castle, and people treating her like royalty were all so foreign to her. Her parents raised her to work hard and value what you have, which was always little but Addy thought their meager possessions were a king's bounty. Her father had dreams but he was practical. He believed in hopes and dreams, but did not want to break the social class they were in. That was the one thing that Adelaide disagreed with. A person should not be defined by what station they held in the social class, but by their worth and attitude.

Whenever rich people rode through the villages, they would look out of the windows in their fancy carriages and spit on the ground, sometimes at the feet of the villagers. Adelaide remembered how one villager went up to the window of a rich family and cursed at them for spitting on his feet. The driver turned in his seat and hit the villager across the face with a horse whip. From that day on, the villager was blinded in his right eye. The rich treated the poor like dogs and Addy always wished for a change.

Someone knocked at the door and entered when Adelaide beckoned them in.  A young woman curtsied and stood in the doorway. "Pardon me, ma'am, but you need to get dressed for breakfast. I am your ladies maid. What might I assist you with?"

"Oh. Well, I am quite capable of dressing myself, so please have a seat. You really do not need to help me."

The woman raised her eyebrows. "Ma'am?"

"Yes? Oh, and please, call me Addy." Adelaide stood and smiled at the woman, who still looked stunned.

"Ma'am, I was sent to help you from this day forth. Dressing, bathing, everything in your daily life. I will fetch your meals if you are unwell and I see to your schedule." She walked over to the closet and pulled out a light yellow dress. "Does this dress please you? Breakfast will be served soon and the royal family is starting to dress."

"That dress is lovely, but I can take care of it. Please, let me help you." Addy went to take the dress. "Oh, what is your name?"

"E-Elaine, Ma'am."

"Well, Elaine, I am sure you already know that I am not royalty and I am from a small village where we were taught to take care of ourselves. I think you will understand as to why I do not need a ladies maid." Addy smiled. "I am capable."

"Ma'am, what about grand ball gown and corsets? Not to contradict you, Ma'am, but you will need assistance with those." She laughed. "Corsets take a while to tie."

"If that happens, I can assure you that I will call on you. Please, hand me that dress." Addy slipped off her robe. "I can tie it in the front."

Elaine looked between the dress and the stubborn redhead in front of her. With a sigh, she did as she was told and walked over to the vanity and stood there while Addy dressed. "Ma'am, my job and sole purpose at the castle is to assist you. There has to be something that I can do, surely."

"I can bathe myself, brush my hair, and dress on my own, Elaine. There is nothing that I cannot do."

With a look of defeat, Elaine rubbed her palms together. "Ma'am, this is something I would never do and my mother, bless her, would faint if she knew I were to say this and be this cheeky, but might I be honest with you?"

"I would prefer it, Elaine."

"The fact of the matter is this, Ma'am. I work here in the castle to do one specific job and one only, which is to assist you. Without that work, I am useless here and will be cast off. My husband is dead and I have two young children at home who depend on me to feed and clothe them. This position is everything to me and if I do no work, then I am out of a secure position and bring home nothing. I am begging you, please let me help you."

Adelaide's hands dropped to her sides and she chewed on her bottom lip. She never saw it like that and she did not want Elaine's children to starve and be cold. "Alright. I apologize." Addy gave a sad smile. "I am not used to these things and having help is foreign to me."

Elaine smiled. "Ma'am, 'tis I who should be apologizing to you." The bell for breakfast rang and feet shuffled in the hall. "Now, let me retie your laces and then you shall be off to dine."

➵ ➵ ➵

Adelaide rushed down the stairs and into the dining hall. "I apologize for being late!"

Philip stood, bouncing Roisin, and smiled. "Good morning, Addy. I hope you slept well."

She sat down across from him and nodded. "It was like sleeping on a cloud. It is so much different than the cot I am used to."

He laughed and it echoed in the room. "Well, get used to the soft bed. There will be no more hard cots in your future, I promise you that."

The queen walked in the room and both Addy and Philip stood up. "Please, have a seat."

Breakfast was served and drinks were poured into the silver goblets. The daily schedule was discussed and it was decided that Addy and Roisin would accompany the queen at a garden planting and meet with the staff. Philip had matters to attend to and would not be with them again until later in the day.

Adelaide finished her meal and looked at Roisin, who was chewing on her bonnet string. Their life was forever changed and it seemed for the better.

A/N:

I am so sorry that this chapter is kind of boring. It is a filler for the next few chapters. I think Gold Heart will be ending at around 30 chapters and then when it is finished, I will go through and edit. My goal is to have GH completed by the end of this summer! *fingers crossed*