At Len's question, the two maidservants exchanged a glance, a faint smile playing on their lips. The first maid leaned forward with great humility and said, "Yes, Master. We have something that fits your temperament perfectly."
She gestured to her companion, who immediately headed toward an ornate cabinet in the corner of the room. Moments later, she returned carrying a carved box crafted from ivory and dark ebony.
As she placed it on the imperial table, a solid thud echoed through the air. "Chess," the maid said, gently sliding open the lid. The pieces inside shimmered like a miniature army.
In the afternoon light, the white ivory pieces and the soldiers carved from black stone sat waiting for their turn. Len's eyes measured the pieces with meticulous precision.
He extended his small hand and touched the King. He could feel the cool surface of the stone against his fingertips. "Chess..." he tasted the word, as if grasping the deeper meaning.
Of this new game. "Do you know how to play, Master?" the second maid asked gently, her voice filled with curiosity and respect. Len didn't offer a direct answer.
He simply picked up the piece and placed it in the exact center of the board. There was a profound brilliance in his eyes that did not belong to an ordinary child.
He settled deeper into his seat, his back sinking into the velvet cushions of the imperial sofa. Staring at the table, he said in a flat tone, "Just tell me the rules."
"I'll figure out the rest."
The maid leaned over, tracing her fingers across the board as she clarified each rule for Len. She explained how the small pawns could leap two squares on their first move.
She explained how the Queen commanded the entire board, and how the King had to step with absolute caution. Len listened in silence. He released his entire weight into the velvet cushions.
Reclining completely as if all his energy had converged into the shimmer of his golden eyes. "But this requires another person," Len said, shifting his gaze from the board to the maid.
"Yes, Master," the maid bowed humbly. "A rival is indeed necessary for this game, but if you wish, you can practice your moves alone for now." Len reached out to slide.
The lid of the box shut, but then he paused. He studied the maid's face—the one who had been teaching him with such patience. "Do you know how to play?"
He asked innocently. "You explain the rules quite well." At his words, the color drained from the maid's face. A light sheen of perspiration appeared on her forehead, and she stepped back.
"No... no, Master! I am but a servant. I can arrange for a skilled player who knows the intricacies of the game and can play with you with due respect."
Len shook his head, that old stubbornness returning to his eyes. "But I want to play now," he said in a calm yet firm voice. "There's no need to call anyone else."
"Why don't you sit across from me? We shall play together." The maid stood frozen. Looking into the confidence reflected in the eyes of the young Master reclining on the sofa.
She couldn't find the courage to refuse. Within these palace walls, it was the first time a 'Young Master' had invited a lowly servant to sit as an equal before him.
At Len's invitation, the maid's face turned pale. She immediately stepped back, shaking her head vigorously in refusal. "No, Master... I could never sit as your equal and play. It is not possible."
Len narrowed his eyes, as if trying to reach the depth of her hesitation. "Why is that? Has someone forbidden you?" His tone carried a strange gravity. The maid remained silent.
Her eyes fixed on the floor. Len watched her closely and then asked, "Did... Astria say something to you?" At the mention of Astria's name, the maid's anxiety spiked.
"No, no! She said nothing," she replied in a flurry. "Then why are you refusing?" Len infused his golden eyes with an innocence that could weaken anyone's resolve.
"This is the first time I am asking someone for something... Can't you grant me even this one small thing?" There was a faint hint of hurt in his voice.
Which turned the maid's fear into empathy. She was about to say something when her eyes fell on the massive, carved table between them. "Young Master... but look, this table is so large."
"How can we play from such a distance?" she tried to find a logical excuse. A small smile played on Len's lips. "Is that all?" He nimbly climbed down from the sofa.
Before the maid could react, Len took her hand and gently seated her on the very imperial sofa where he had just been reclining. The maid's nervousness was now at its peak.
She sat on the velvet cushion as if sitting on shards of glass. Len moved toward the long, wide table. He placed both hands on the edges and, in one swift motion.
Climbed up and sat right on it. Now he was right next to the chess box, directly across from the maid. He quietly pushed the plates of food to the side.
He kept only one sweet pastry for himself, placing it beside the board. Sitting comfortably cross-legged, he locked his gaze with the maid's eyes. "Now there is no table between us."
He said, breaking off a small piece of the pastry. "Now we can play."
The grand hall of the palace was bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun. Its soaring ceilings and intricate wall carvings stood as silent witnesses to the unfolding game.
Lin turned his head toward the second maid, who stood like a statue near one of the massive pillars. He gestured to the empty space beside him, his voice a calm invitation.
"Why don't you sit here as well? There is no need to remain standing in such a vast space." A flash of panic crossed the maid's face. Looking up at the heights.
She bowed her head and whispered, "Young Master... I am fine right here." Lin did not press her further, returning his focus to the board where the first maid awaited his move.
With a silent nod, Lin signaled the maid to take her turn. In the stillness of the hall, the rhythmic click of the game pieces echoed against the marble.
Lin made his move, but his fingers held a trace of hesitation. "No, not there," the maid's voice rose, now carrying a note of growing confidence. She pointed to a specific corner.
"If you place it here, the entire direction of the game will shift." Lin leaned in, listening to her instructions with the intensity of a dedicated scholar.
As the match progressed, his moves became sharper and more deliberate. He wasn't just playing anymore; he was beginning to command the board, understanding every subtle nuance of the strategy.
The maid's face, once pale with fear, now looked remarkably composed within the grand setting of the hall. Her anxiety had completely vanished. Just then, a group of other palace maids.
Passed through the hall on their way to their duties. They froze in their tracks, eyes wide at the sight of a common servant seated upon the royal sofa.
They opened their mouths to protest, but Lin's sharp, piercing gaze met theirs, stripping them of their words. Without a sound, they lowered their heads and hurried away.
Time slipped away unnoticed. The shadows grew long across the marble floors as the evening deepened. Nearly two hours had passed, and Lin's play had become so clear and precise.
It was as if he had mastered the game entirely. Elsewhere, Queen Austria's eyes fluttered open. Shaking off the remnants of sleep, she straightened her royal gown and swung her feet.
To the floor. She reached out, her hands gripping the heavy frame of the door for support. Stepping out of her chambers, she moved toward the grand hall.
Where the air felt heavy with the transition of the day.