𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰'𝓼 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮

Chapter Sixteen: Trust

.•° ✿ °•.

My eyes flickered open, and I squinted against the light of the morning sun, glaring through the window. It took only a moment for me to realize that I wasn't in my room. My heart rate sped up as I sat up, looking around, panicked. Suddenly, the closet door opened, and the King came out, wearing an open button-up shirt. I looked away, as my face was instantaneously consumed by an intense blush. Why was I in the King's bed? What in God's name had happened last night?

"Good morning." the King said, and without even looking at him, I could tell he was smirking.

"You're enjoying keeping me in dark, aren't you?" I asked, my voice reflecting how flustered I was.

"What ever do you mean, darling?" he asked, feigning an air of obliviousness.

"Why am I here?" I demanded, still refusing to look at him.

"Well, after you so rudely took it upon yourself to fall asleep on me," he began taking a seat on the opposite side of the bed, "I figured you'd prefer me to move you inside, rather than let you sleep in the garden."

"Why did you bring me here, and not to my own room?"

"That sounds awfully ungrateful, you should be thanking me for taking you in at all, when I could have so easily left you." he said, pretending to be offended.

"I'm sorry, you are right, thank you." I spoke softly.

"Do my ears deceive me, or did Rosalie Alcott just thank me while fully awake?" he whispered, leaning in beside my ear.

I jumped at this, shuffling away from him, only to fall on the floor. I winced as my head hit the cold wooden floorboards. After regaining my composure, I sat up, facing him, only to find a wide proud-of-himself smirk on his face.

"I only thanked you the other night for not pressing me for answers, that's all." I said flatly.

"If you insist." he replied smugly.

"Nothing questionable happened last night... Did it?" I asked hesitantly, avoiding the King's gaze.

"Perhaps..." he drawled.

"What? Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire!?" I exclaimed, my head whipping around to face the King.

"Nothing happened, dear," he laughed, before switching to a more serious tone, "Did you wish something had?"

"No! No, no, of course not!" I sputtered, standing, "I must go... Goodbye."

Before the King had a chance to make another remark, I fled from the room. In a panicked frenzy, I made my way back to my own room, shutting the door behind me before sinking down to the ground. How could I have let that happen? What had happened to being careful around the King? Falling asleep on him surely wasn't the ideal way to go about it! And spending the night in the same bed as him!? The thought made a blush creep up into my face for what felt like the hundredth time that day. I would just have to avoid him. If I could avoid him for long enough, we would eventually forget about all that had happened these past few days, and all of the feelings that came with them would subside.

However, avoiding him became a very hard task, harder than before, as he was now actively trying to find me whenever he had the chance. I soon became familiar with all of the castle's hiding spots, as I had to put them to use every day. A little over a week passed by, and I'd succeeded in avoiding the King the entire time. One morning, though, I woke up, and the King was the furthest thing from my mind. Today was the day Samuel would return. I hopped out of bed, readying myself hastily, eager to see my friend. I raced through the halls and to the front doors, but stopped in my tracks when I saw the King standing there, a smile on his face. He'd known I would be there, he was waiting for me.