It was the start of another busy week. With the approval of the kentavaria, Shenla gave the handmaidens their new schedules. Nuviette was surprised she was given a different assignment.

"Is this correct, Ma'am? I am on the night shift?" Nuviette asks

"Yes, I need somebody to cover for Merema. Get some rest now and report to the queen's quarters at nightfall."

"Yes, Ma'am," Nuviette responds to her senior before taking leave.

"When she got to the servant's quarter. Chiriu was about to go into her room.

"Hey Chiriu, guess what? I've been assigned the night shift!" Nuviette gleefully utters.

"I'm in it too. That's why we have to get some shut-eye."

"Oh great, we'll be partners again! Why are you so sad about it?"

"No, it's just that I prefer the daytime shift," Chiriu explains.

"Why?" Nuviette is curious to know.

"You'll see later on. For now, trust me. Get some sleep." Chiriu holds her friend's shoulders in emphasis and then leaves.

Nuviette followed her friend's advice. Just after sundown, she was on her way out of her sleeping quarters when she encountered Chiriu again.

"Are you reporting for work now?" Nuviette asks Chiriu.

"Yes. How was your sleep?" The other servant asks as she closes her door and starts to walk. Nuviette follows by her side.

"It was good. I think I'm ready for the night shift." Nuviette claims.

"Okay, that's good." Chiriu leads her companion to the service room.

Another girl was there waiting for them. She is a senior staff in her thirties. Her uniform is spick and span with her hair tied in a perfect bun.

"Hi Chiriu and you must be the new girl, Nuviette. Right?" The girl says.

"Yes." Nuviette was surprised.

"My name is Anlise. I am Shenla's counterpart for the night shift. Welcome to our station. We, the night attendants, stay here until the next shift comes in. See the screen over there." Anlise points to the screen while Chiriu moves closer to examine what was written.

"Our orders will appear there. If the queen wants an extra blanket or a bottle of champagne, the orders will appear there. The instruction will be in purple. The orange instruction is from the royal sister while the blue code is from the prince consort.

"Not for long, a soldier entered. He was a bit old for a soldier probably around his late twenties. He had a clean look but spoke like a countryfolk from the far regions like her hometown of Miriotim.

"Hi guys! I haven't seen this girl before. Hi, my name is Commander Gerin. I will be the security detail for the night. It's a pleasure to meet you." The soldier introduces himself.

"Oh, I see. I am Nuviette, Sir. Yes, pleased to meet your acquaintance." The new handmaiden replies.

Not long after, a valet enters. It was Methleon.

"Commander Gerin!" Methleon salutes him and then looks at the ladies. He then turns to Nuviette. "So, you're on the night shift too?"

"Yes, I just got the order today. How about you?"

"Restes is supposed to be here tonight but he swapped schedules with me. I agreed because tomorrow is my day off. I'm going home to Craiine."

Before she could reply, Anlise continues to orient Nuviette.

"I see you met Methleon. When the valet is here, the prince is in the chambers. The blue light is present on the screen. Any order in blue will be handled by the valet. The purple order is our duty to respond to."

"Yup, and when the screen lights up red, there is a security breach. It means I have to get that!" Commander Gerin jokingly adds.

"Hey, tone down guys. The room is sound proof but we are ordered to keep a quiet working ambiance." Anlise reminds.

"Yes, Ma'am," Commander Gerin respectfully agrees.

Anlise then continues to brief Nuviette. "By the way, the night shift is the most sensitive shift in our work schedule. The most trusted are being assigned this shift thus, anything you might see or hear tonight should be kept confidential. That is part of our work code. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Nuviette replies.

A few minutes later, there seemed to be a commotion coming from the other end of the wall.

Nuviette seemed worried but the others just looked at the screen.

"Nah, they're just having fun." Commander Gerin laughs.

"Or they could be fighting," Chiriu says sadly.

"Whatever they are doing, it's none of our business. Watch the screen for any orders." Anlise reminds.

"Yes, Ma'am." The group responds.

Not for long, they saw an order in purple that said a bottle of diamond wine.

"I'll go get it." Chiriu immediately says. She rushes out to get the order from another small room that looked like a mini kitchen. It had shelves where food and other items are stored. She then hands over a hovering tray with a cold container where the bottle of champagne was held upright and chilled. There were two wine glasses garnished with fruit on its lid.

"Here you go, Nuviette. You can serve it now." Chiriu says.

Nuviette looks at Anlise. "Just leave the champagne and glasses on the table at the center of the room."

Just as Chiriu swiftly prepared the items, an instruction in blue appeared. Methleon was puzzled but still hurried to get the item.

"What do they need Ice Cream for?" Methleon rhetorically asks as he prepares what was ordered.

"Midnight snack," Chiriu says.

"Or maybe it was too hot for him to handle." Commander Gerin's comment made them all laugh.

Chiriu opened the door leading into the bed chambers so that Nuviette may proceed. As she was walking, she noticed the canopy bed had sheer curtains. She could only see the silhouette of the queen getting out of her bed.

Nuviette let the hovering tray land on the table. Soon, the queen was approaching the center table. Nuviette was stunned but she immediately curtsied. Elzilaura recognized her.

"Oh, it's you Nuviette. You're working late." Elzilaura says.

Nuviette found her mistress so stunning in her blue-violet sheer lingerie with floral design. The queen had a simple necklace with a sapphire pendant hanging just below the dent where her collar bones meet. Her hair was a bit messy but still, she looked like a fairy in the forest.

"Yes, you're majesty." Nuviette stood still.

"Is the ice cream there yet?" Zyric asks in the background.

"Here it is your majesty." Methleon appears with two garnished bowls filled with ice cream and the ice cream container at the side. He bows his head and then, places the items on the central table.

"It's here now," Elzilaura informs.

Quickly, Zyric appears in his boxer briefs and sees the servants.

"So, you're both working late tonight," Zyric says. "I thought you went home." He looks at Methleon.

"Tomorrow is my day off. I'm going home to Craiine once the shift is done. Is there anything I can do for you or deliver to your home, Sir?" Methleon claims.

"Oh right. No, I'm going home tomorrow too. You can come with me so you don't have to take public transport."

"Gratitude, Sir."

Elzilaura moved closer to the bottle of diamond wine. Nuviette was about to reach for the bottle when Methleon offered to help out.

"Allow me, your majesty." He opened the bottle while the handmaiden instinctively prepared the wine glasses so that the valet could easily pour the alcohol. Once he was done, Elzilaura grabbed one of the goblets and drank as fast as she could.

"You know, Elle. We brought Nuviette with us a few days ago. We went to the restaurant and Methleon bought her a hair clip." Zyric says as he got a cup of ice cream.

"Really Metie?! Awwww, it was just like yesterday you became a young valet and now you're growing up so fast." Elzilaura jokes around which made Methleon blush.

Nuviette was surprised. She stared at the valet who defended himself.

"It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. I just wanted to pay it forward just like my master."

"Awwww, how sweet but I've heard that excuse before." Elzilaura jests some more. "That's what he told me before. He used to give me gifts claiming that he was being nice."

"Hey, you were in love with another. I don't know how to tell you how I feel." Zyric retorts as he was fixing himself some ice cream. Methleon offered to help but Zyric motions his hand showing the boy he was fine.

"Correction. I am engaged to another back then but I'm not in love with him." Elzilaura approached him. "If you took a shot, you' would have learned sooner that I don't love him. I love you. It was always you." She then hugged him.

Zyric was surprised by her gestures. He hugged her back and kissed her forehead. "I know. Thank you, my love." He sighs. "That's why you should be honest with your feelings." He glares and points to his valet. The two servants laugh at the master's teasing.

He then released the hand that was holding his wife and moved toward the center table. "Let's have ice cream." He took a sample of the cold dessert. "Hmmm, I love this flavor. You've got to try this."

Elzilaura follows and takes his spoon to taste the ice cream in his cup. "Yeah, that's really good. You know what's better than this?"

"What?" Zyric asks. Elzilaura gives him a come-hither look. She drops the spoon back into the cup and takes him by the wrist slowly drawing him toward the bed. "You're excused, guys." She commands the attendants.

The two servants bowed their heads and hurriedly left. As they approach the door back to their service area, Nuviette gives a sigh of relief. She looks at Methleon whose facial expression looked as if he was in deep serious thought until she looked at her.

"That ice cream will melt before they're done." He utters and then, they both laugh.

Nuviette then asks. "So, you bought me the clip."

"To make your first day in the city memorable. One day, you can do the same to another newbie. It's just a cycle of spreading random kindness."

"Thank you, Met." Nuviette says.

"What happened? What took you so long to get back?" Anlise approaches them before Nuviette could say anything further to Methleon.

"I did as you said. I was about to leave the items on the table when the queen showed up and talked to us. The prince came in and talked to us too."

"It was good. The prince loved the ice cream." Methleon responds

"And the wine?" Anlise looks at Nuviette.

"The queen drank it but said nothing. She was more interested in being with her husband than what we served."

Commander Gerin laughs but stops when Anlise looks at him sternly.

"Alright, good job guys." Anlise moves back into the mini kitchen clearing up the counters. Chiriu assists their superior. Nuviette joins them as well.

"So, you bought the girl a present eh." Commander Gerin says. It seems he had overheard their conversation since he was so near the door when they came back in.

"You should have bought her ice cream as well." The soldier laughs rowdily.

"I'm just being kind." Methleon defends himself once again.

"Sure, you're being kind. Maybe you could be kind to me by buying me a clip too." The soldier makes a point.

"You don't wear clips." Methleon smirks.

"Yeah, but you could buy me a drink." Commander Gerin grins.

"Or better yet, I'll prepare you a healthy drink for long life." Methleon jests. Commander Gerin grunts showing his dissatisfaction.

The rest of the night went well. After their food and beverage requests, the couple didn't have any more orders. The team diligently waited and chatted while passing the time. Soon, the sun would be rising. The daytime shift came in and Anlise began her endorsements. Shenla was on leave so her counterpart was Kandania. The security detail as well as the next valet came to take over from the night duty staff.

"I guess I'll see you when I get back." Methleon says to Nuviette.

"Yeah, see you around Met. Lovely to have Met you again." She jests.

"Likewise." Methleon just smiles in amusement at the lively young handmaiden and then goes on ahead.

Someone from behind wraps his arm around his shoulder taking him by surprise. "See you around lover boy. Haha!" Commander Gerin shouts in his ear. He releases the young valet and salutes at him before going about his way.

Meanwhile, Nuviette then chases Chiriu who was yawning as they headed back to the servant's quarters. Chiriu notices her friend and asks.

"So how was your first night shift experience?"

"It was alright." Nuviette then started to yawn as well.

"It was interesting." She took a pause as she recalled being stunned by the royals in their night garments and talking to them as if they were long-time roommates picking on Methleon. She wondered about the valet and the prince's revelation that the former was the one who bought her the souvenir.

Nuviette yawned again. It seems weariness got to her too. "I'm looking forward to the next one."

"Yeah, but we got to get some sleep." Chiriu says as she hurries back to her room. Nuviette follows until they parted ways.