The Gaze of a King

Chapter Thirteen| Royal Jewels

Four weeks later...

The doors of my chambers creak open. I spin on my heels to find a feeble elderly woman slowly making her way towards me when shaky steps. She carries something within the clutch of her weathered hands. I glide towards her effortlessly, wishing to spare her the trouble of having to cross the distance between us.

She begins to sink into a bow, but I instinctively reach out to her, gripping her upper arms. I pull her upright and offer her a gentle smile.

"There's no need for that," I say.

She nods her head, in gratitude. Her clear blue eyes peer up into mine as she raises the box in her hands before me.

"His majesty wishes to bestow upon his favorite wife these jewels," Her cracked voice relays, as she lifts the lid of the intricately engraved box.

"These he claimed from his enemies after his defeat of the Philistines at Baal Perazim. He wishes to bestow them to you, Highness."

The sunlight dances on the surface of the gold and diamonds. They shimmer, striking my eyes brazenly. A necklace of rubies strung together by gold links outshines the rest. I catch myself lowering a finger to touch the dazzling piece of jewelry. I shut the lid with a forceful thrust. Then, I take a hasty step back.

Anger begins to boil in my blood. Does he think that mere jewels can replace everything I have lost? I'd rather be the poorest woman on the face of the earth and still have Uriah than be in this palace surrounded by all this wealth without him.

"Is something wrong with them, Your Majesty?"

"No," I mutter.

"You may place them among my things."

She nods her head and hobbles over to the other side of the room to place the chest among where I store my other finery.

"Would you like for me to give the King a message for you," She asks, after facing me once more. I shake my head, sternly. I may not be able to return his jewels like I wanted, but I refuse to thank him. I owe him nothing. The anger that has been dwelling inside me flares up at the thought of him.

"Very well, Your Majesty. Is that all?"

"Actually... Fetch my ladies for me. I wish to bathe."

~*~*~*~

As I take a step into the pool, my toes breaking through the cool surface of the water, my ladies pull on the strings of my chemise. The light fabric falls off of my skin. I descend the stairs, slowly sinking further into the cool watery depths.

The fragrant flowers around me permeate the air; their nectar soaks my skin. My ladies watch over me with careful eyes while I scrub the thoughts of the king off of my skin. I rinse him out of my thick tresses and submerge myself in a world that is untainted by his sins.

Through the rippling surface above me I see the fluid and blurred movements of my attendants. Their voices are faded, but I sense the worry in their movements. I wonder how long I can stay under before one of them braves the water and comes to rescue me...

I like it down here, though. It's tranquil. It's still. A burning sensation begins to spread across my chest, an ache for air gradually strengthening in my lungs. I clutch my breasts, kicking my feet against the bottom. I crash through the surface, colliding with air. I gasp for breath, satisfying the hunger in my lungs.

My ladies look relieved. One of them even releases a strained sigh. For the rest of my bath I swim around in circles, kicking and splashing my feet. I float leisurely on the water's surface and decide to open my eyes. That's when my eyes catch sight of him.