In the highest tower in the center of the castle, Estelle sat on the balcony as the moon rose into the sky and the star came out to play. Watching the stars was always a pastime of hers, not to mention that up in that tower was the only time and place she ever was allowed to be left alone. Guards would notice anyone attempting to scale the gray stone wall and even the best Graceling archer couldn't manage to hit anything on the balcony. She pulled her cloak close to her before sighing, she would need to get her beauty sleep, knowing well that he handmaidens would noisily enter her chambers at the crack of dawn to draw a bath that was too cold for her. Turning into the tower, she walked through the small room filled with meaningless knick knacks stuffed into books that were hidden away. The useless objects were mainly from Lords and Ladies trying to impress the King. After all, if anything happened to any of them, one of them was in the position of gain.
She stepped out of the room, and spotted the young maid who had followed her to ensure that no one entered the tower. She was a bit useless herself as she stood, leaning against the wall asleep. Estelle snapped her fingers in front of the girl's face, "Marielle."
The brunette jumped at the sound of her voice and looked around, trying to figure out where she was. Estelle rolled her eyes and turned, walking down the vast number of steps and back to the castle below. Marielle followed after her quickly, "Oh, your highness, I'm so sorry. That was terribly rude of me, dozing off like that."
Estelle said nothing and had no intention to say anything to the girl. Had some light foot assassin come up through the stairwell, Marielle would have been absolutely ineffective and Estelle would be absolutely dead. Thus, she was not going to say it was fine that she had drifted off. Yes, it was late but that was hardly as excuse, after Estelle was wide awake. Why did Marielle get to sleep?
She walked out of the tower stair well and the short way to her chambers. She stopped at her door and looked at the guard, one of the many that rotated to ensure her room was always safe, and rose her eyebrow. The man quickly turned and opened the door for her. She rolled her eyes and walked into the large bedroom. It consisted of more than just a bed of course. She walked through the first room that consisted of a couch that sat in front of a fire place. She tossed her cloak onto the couch and walked over to the bookshelf that was tucked neatly in the corner and grabbed something to read before she walked into the adjoining room that held her bed and two doors, one going off to her bathroom and the other going into her closet. She stood and waited, she heard Marielle enter the room and the sounds of her footsteps come to a halt. After a moment, Estelle cleared her throat and Marielle gasped, quickly running forward and undoing the corset of her dress and helping her out of it.
Left in her undergarments, Estelle walked over to her bed and climbed in, opening her book. She waited a few moment before looking at Marielle, "... Leave."
The girl gave her a hasty curtsy before she rushed out of the chambers and into the hall. Estelle sighed and relaxed back in her bed with her book in hopes of sleep coming to her as she read.