Queensmen

Chapter 88

~Backing~

The doors opened with the softest of squeaks but that didn't stop Oris' heart from trying to claw its way up her throat. She pressed a hand to her chest when she glanced up and saw that it was only Mayree. I'm being ridiculous.

She offered the maid a weak smile. "You scared me."

"Oh, Mistress," Mayree returned the smile and rushed to her side, setting the tray she carried down on the table as she began fussing at the mess, "when Andrea said I should come as soon as I could, I didn't expect... Well, I didn't expect this."

Oris almost laughed at the irritated frown the girl wore. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"Not as bad as it looks?" Mayree was beyond aghast. "Mistress. This... This material costs at least five pieces of gold per roll. It isn't like the clothes you we snuck you from the servants' quarters."

"Ah, I know. But I've already explained to Andrea. It'll be as good as new, I promise." Oris took her by the hand, staining both their skins purple. "She said you were cooking a feast. What exactly did you cook?"

Mayree knelt beside her and started dabbing the spots of wine with her handkerchief. "Nevermind what I cooked. We have to get you out of this dress."

"That's a good idea." Oris got to her feet as casually as she could. "While I take a bath please prepare my night wear so that I'm refreshed while I eat my first meal."

Mayree rushed towards the drawers and wardrobes on hearing her mistress' words and only remembered herself when Oris was halfway through the bathroom door.

"But Mistress, what is that thing in your hand?"

She paused and held up her clenched fist. "This? I used it to clean up the wine that soaked my letter. I'll get rid of it now."

"Mistress? You haven't taken the medicine!"

"I can't wait to eat what you've cooked, Mayree!" Oris shut the door and slumped against it.

A sigh slipped out of her as she stared at Bren's message. It was rumpled now, from being squeezed in her fist. "It's not that I don't trust them," she explained to herself and slid down until she sat on the floor.

She leaned her head against the door. "It's just..."

Treason... Saving my people is treason. She didn't want Andrea and them to have anything to do with it. If she was ever caught, she didn't want them dragged down with her. The less they knew, the better the general situation would end up being. If it all came crashing down, it would be easy to say that she had used their loyalty to her for her own purposes. They'd still be able to live their own lives afterwards. She wouldn't have them die needlessly, because of her.

Hermes' visage flashed through her mind. Have his children? She shut her eyes.

The promise he had made to her seemed so fickle now. Will he let me go if I'm leaving with his children?

She smoothened the letter on the floor and stared at it. It had been silly of her not to think of this before. Sleeping with the enemy had never crossed her mind and it would take a miracle for Hermes to trust her enough to let her get that close.

Getting him to trust her, it was a necessary condition of being a spy. Getting him to lust for her, on the other hand...

Oris shivered at the thought. Him? Just two hours with him and he already wanted her dead. If not for the fact that he needed her, he would have definitely interrogated her. How in the gods' names was she supposed to handle that?