Becoming a Royal || rewrite ||

Servitude

The wind had picked up outside. Through the window of my room I could see the trees and grass practically bend against the air. The sound whispering through the window as it tickled the glass. A brush tenderly stroked my brown hair, and worrying about what will happen when I step outside I put it into a tight bun for the time being.

I quickly hugged my Mother and Father once I heard a soft tapping at the door. They spoke their goodbyes and I was on my way from the small cottage I usually called home. When I opened the door Cecilia grinned and pulled me into a hug. "You do this every time you see me, like you haven't seen me for decades," I rolled my eyes as she squeezed me. She was the type of girl that could show kindness to just about anyone.

"Always treat the ones you love like you'll never see them again," she quipped as she pulled away and led me down the dirt path that headed towards the tall, stone castle. That was where we worked. Servants to the Great King Arlend... what an honor.

"There's never going to be a time where I'm not here, you know that," I gave a quick but fleeting smile then glanced down to my clothes to make sure they weren't wrinkled. I wore a straight tan dress, the sleeves puffy from the shoulders down. Cecilia wore a somewhat identical dress, possibly passed down from her mother. I would know that because mine was as well.

We had started walking at Market Hours, which only meant this was when the shops were set up and the street was busy. My golden haired best friend took her time stopping at most of the shops and dragging me along. I didn't like the crowds, but I tried to focus on her and where she took us to.

Once we were out, I felt a wind of fresh air hit me and my shoulders relaxed. "I need to seriously stop you next time you do that..." Breathing in again, we continued on our original route. The guards paid no mind to us as we walked through the entrance and made our way to the servants quarters.

"So, how are things with Geoffrey?" Cecilia threw a small, devious smile as we walked through the rigorously long hallways. You'd think she'd ask me before we entered the stone structure.

A fierce blush smothered my face. "Oh don't you start..." I nudged her with my shoulder, my hand coming up quickly to my cheek.

"Don't start that my best friend is being courted by the new young and hot guard Geoffrey Humphreys! With his dashing good looks, and blonde hair made of silk! The tall and manly of mans, at least among the young guards here, and you don't want to spill the wine!"

Cecilia can be... over the top. "We've just been friends since we were kids and thought we should try... you know that. It's not a big deal," I smiled but sighed as I started thinking about him. "He's wonderful... always complimenting me and just so kind hearted, unlike the stories I've heard from the ladies in waiting about the men they try to get their paws in. Geoffrey is different... It's so clear he's absolutely perfect!" Not only that, I didn't have to go through the process of getting to know him. That was always a thought in the back of my head. A fear of having to actually get to know some stranger.

In the hallway that intersected ours there was an echo of voices, one of them being a familiar one to me. Two guards came around the corner and one I immediately recognized.

"Speak of the sexy devil," Cecilia murmured under her breath.

He looked up at me and that gorgeous smile appeared, making me melt. It felt good that Cecilia was jealous, simply because they always looked so good next to each other. You'd think they were the ones that were to be married.

"What a beauty," Geoffrey spoke as he approached us, gently taking my hand and kissing the top of it. "Are we still meeting tonight, Amrea?" When he spoke my name it was like the heavens had opened and gave water to a drought.