The King's Servant

Chapter Two

"Emilia, do you understand the importance of your up keeping? We must strive to fulfill our kings wishes and keep the castle running perfectly, otherwise we will-"
"Fall into despair and ruin forever lost to the sands of time... I know," Emilia spoke with a heavy sigh, interrupting Ms. Grendich. She looked out the window towards the trees and wished she could be somewhere out there. Anywhere but here.
Ms. Grendich huffed and crossed her arms. "Then why are you not fulfilling your duties to the best of your ability?"
Emilia turned back toward Ms. Grendich as she thought of a suitable answer.
"Maybe I am," she sighed and turned back to the windows view. "...maybe I'm just not cut out for this." She really did try at every job they had given her but she always seemed to fall short of their expectations.
"Let's try to find something that you are cut out for then, shall we?" 
Ms. Grendich dismissed the idea without a word and continued down the stone corridor talking of what positions were open or where they could squeeze her in. Emilia knew the only reason they kept her here was because of her half nobility. Her mother was a ladies maid who had slept with a Knight and gotten pregnant. The Knight never knew... before he was killed by bandits while on patrol. Emilia never knew her mother either because she ran away two weeks after Emilia was born.
Besides her rare beauty that was constantly masked by dirt and grim she was nothing special. She had no great talents and was mediocre at almost everything. Ms. Grendich was the most mother like figure Emilia had but she often scolded her on her wild behavior.
They continued down the hall until they reached two large wooden doors that lead to the library. She turned and faced Emilia. Her face was smeared with dirt, her dress was torn at one edge, and her hair stuck up in random places. She sighed disapprovingly at Emilia and reached out to try to fix her hair and brush the dirt from her face.
"Just stay by my side until we can find a new place for you." She tried to smile kindly, but Emilia just slightly nodded her head as she stared at the floor.
"Alright. Stand up straight, don't make eye contact with anyone, keep your hands folded in your lap, and don't say a word. Ok?" She spoke quickly as she gave a final brush to Emilia tattered dress.
"Stay close behind me now." She warned as she reached up and opened the large doors. They slowly swung open with a loud creek, but Emilia focused only on staying close behind Ms. Grendich as she began to walk into the library. Emilia's eyes caught sight of some men around a table but she quickly looked down remembering her instructions. She had never been in this room before and she began to notice how large and grand the room was. She started to feel very small and insignificant compared to what lay before her. There were shelves and shelves of books of all colors and sizes as far as she could see up. Ladders lined the walls to reach the far placed books and room smelled of cinnamon.
"Mm hmm." A loud coughing sound caught Emilia's attention causing her to turn around toward the table in the center of the room. She suddenly blushed realizing the whole room was staring at her as she gawked about the room. She then caught the eye of the King as she looked across their staring faces. She quickly looked down at floor and hurried over to where Ms. Grendich was standing and all but hid herself behind her.
"Ms. Grendich," a booming voice then spoke over the silence of the room causing Emilia to tremble. "Who is that? And why is she here?" The King  spoke with such authority it scared Emilia to think what he would do to her if he found her gawking of disrespect.
Ms. Grendich stepped forward exposing Emilia as she bowed toward the King.
"She is just a serving girl who is need of new placement. She is shadowing me for the day, my lord." She spoke swiftly but gently and with a great deal of respect. Emilia watched as she bowed gracefully and then stood tall as she spoke and she secretly wished she could be that elegant yet empowered one day.
"Well if she is done making a fool of herself.." he spoke harshly looking directly at Emilia making her face turn red with embracement as she stared at the floor. "Then we shall continue." He turned toward Ms. Grendich who apologized for Emilia's behavior and stepped back into her place. As the men around the table went back to discussing things that Emilia knew nothing about, Ms. Grendich turned her face slightly back toward her trying not to attract attention.
"You foolish child!" She scolded her, whispering harshly. "I bring you in here with specific instructions and you break all the rules but one in less than a second." Emilia bowed her head and her shoulders drooped as she listened to her speech about respect and formality. Emilia looked up for a moment only to catch the King's eyes once again as he stared directly at her. She quickly looked away fearing he would call her out on her disrespect. But nothing happened. She looked up again to see him talking over a pile of papers with another man she did not know. She kept her head low but continued to watch the King. She had never seen him before and she was fascinated by him. She didn't know what she expected but she surely didn't expect him to look like this.
He was taller than everyone else in the room and he had dark features about him. He stood like a king would stand, authoritative and strong, with one hand on the table and the other at his hip holding his sword. He had dark hair and a beard that was closely trimmed to his face. She couldn't quite make out his eye color and as she squinted to try to see better Ms. Grendich pulled her out of her fascination.
"What are you doing? Stand up straight and stop squinting your eyes like that. Good heavens, you have so much to learn." She huffed and turned back toward the table. Emilia was getting tired of standing in one place and not being aloud to move. Just as she thought she couldn't stand it anymore the King spoke up.
"Boy," he called to the young boy who had been standing as Emilia had been behind the King. The boy rushed forward without hesitation.
"Yes, sire?" He bowed before the King.
"Fetch some water for us. We're parched." He turned back toward the other man as the boy looked around and counted each person before scurrying from the room. A few more moments passed as the men stretched and chatted aimlessly as they waiting for their water. Emilia watched in fascination as how they spoke and behaved with one another. They must have all been noble men or even royals from other kingdoms. She noticed one man staring at her and she looked down hoping to go unnoticed. He began to walk over toward Emilia, and her heart began to race but she kept her gaze down and hands folded.
"Funny," He smiled at her as he rubbed a coin between his fingers. "I didn't know you had any ladies as beautiful as this one." He sneered. "Holding out on us are you James?" He laughed as he raised her chin with his callused hand to view her face better. Ms. Grendich swiftly stepped in between Emilia and the man and spoke respectfully.
"That is because she is not one of those ladies... She is merely a serving girl." She bowed her head slightly but did not move as she waited for him to leave. He gave a low snarl and walked back to the table.
"You have plenty of women back home, Allon. Do not worry yourself here." The King spoke earning a few chuckles from the other men standing around the table.
The door creaked open as the boy came back into the library. He had sweat on his brow from carrying the heavy tray filled with many cups of water and a large pitcher for refilling. The men kept talking as the boy walked around the large table to serve the King first. He was standing before the King when he tripped on something and sent the cups of water flying forward, drenching the now infuriated King. The boy paled and stood quickly trying to dry the King.
"Get out." The King spoke through a clenched jaw.
"But sire, it was an accident. I didn't mean-"
"Get out!" The King boomed. And the boy turned and ran shaking in his skin.
"You!" He pointed directly at Emilia with fire still in his eyes. She wanted to run, just as the boy had. "Get some rags and clean this mess up." He said as he tried to calm his anger. Emilia didn't hesitate a single second as she ran out of the room glad to leave. She ran through the corridor and down the stairwell to the kitchen where she grabbed the cleanest rags she could find and the ran back up the hall only stopping when she came upon the door. She didn't want to go back in. She wanted to hand the rags off to some unknowing soul and run toward the woods. But she remembered how Ms. Grendich had behaved with such great respect and boldness. She clutched the rags and determined that she had to go in and brave the fiery King's anger if she wanted to be that woman one day. She pushed the door open a crack and snuck in walking along the walls until she reached the far end of the table. Then she knelt down to clean the spilt water and pick up the cups. She was almost done when she noticed it had grown silent and she heard a man clear his throat above her. She looked up to meet the eyes of the King once again. She quickly looked back down.
"I am so sorry my lord." She let the words out before quickly covering her mouth, realizing what she had just done. She heard a light gasp from somewhere in the room. Oh no. She had spoken. That was the only rule she hadn't broken yet and she just did. And to the King no less.  She closed her eyes waiting for the stinging pain of a blow to her face or a fierce fit of anger and yelling. Instead she heard him scoff.
"Stand." He ordered and she quickly rose to her feet, but didn't dare look up again. There was a long moment before anyone spoke or even moved. They all watched and waited to see what the king would do. He walked over to his head chair and sat down.
"Everyone leave me." His voice echoed in the great room. "Except you." He demanded pointing directly at her. The men all looked at to other, some wide eyed waiting to see what would happen and some suppressing smiles and laughter knowing she was busted, before they slowly began to walk toward the door.
"Ms. Grendich, please wait right outside. I wish to speak with you next." He called after her. She turned and bowed her head toward him in agreement and then without even a glance toward Emilia she walked out of the library and closed the doors behind her with a loud thud that echoed through the library.