The King's Servant

Chapter Fourteen

Emilia followed behind the king as he made his way through the hallway. He turned down another passage she had never been down and led her to a doorway. He pulled a few keys out from his pocket and chose one carefully. He opened the door and held it for her. She hesitated wondering if this was proper etiquette... for the king to hold a door open for a servant girl.
"It's ok, Emilia." He said, as he gestured for her to pass through. As she slowly squeezed pass him in the doorway he caught the sent of her hair. Lavender. He closed his eyes and the image of her by the tub quickly and clearly came to mind. The sent drifted away with the image in his mind but it still made him ache to feel her skin. Once they were both outside he breathed in the cool air, trying to clear his mind. They passed through the vegetable gardens and then out the garden gate. As they neared the trees he turned and began to walk around the outskirts. He didn't dare go into the cover of the trees, afraid to be that much alone with Emilia.
As he walked Emilia kept a small pace slightly behind him. He stopped and looked back her and waved her forward to stand next to him. Once she was by his side he began to walk again. He noticed she was fidgeting with her sleeve, obviously uncomfortable. He tried to think of something to say.
"I always love taking walks after long meetings." He said. Emilia stayed quiet so he continued.
"Trevor... the serving boy before you... used to join me on these walks." He added, trying to ease her tension. Still no response. He swallowed, suddenly nervous himself. He wondered what she was thinking about.
"He always talked to much though... not that I don't want you to talk, I love your voice- I mean I love hearing what you have to say.... as a person in the kingdom- I mean... I uh..." he let out a frustrated breath and shook his head. He decided not to say another word. He couldn't trust himself around her. She made him so... weak. They walked in silence for a minute more for Emilia spoke up.
"Maggy is my friend." At first her words didn't register to James. He thought she was just making a statement, then the name sprung to mind and his ears instantly reddened remembering his rash behavior in sleeping with the girl to try and forget Emilia. Then he reddened even more remembering his dream later that night that did not consist of Maggy, but of Emilia. He hadn't realized he had stopped walking until he heard her speak again.
"I am so sorry, my king!" She had one hand over mouth and the other on her stomach with her eyes wide in fear.
"No." He said calmly. "It is I, who am sorry." He turned to face her completely. Her eyes still wide with fear but now also with shock.
"I-" he chose his next words carefully and as a test to see what her reaction would be. "I saw a beautiful woman... the most beautiful woman... bathing alone, in the servants bathing room..." he paused and saw a slight blush come to her checks as she realized she was the only one who had bathed alone last night and that he had seen her. He continued before she spoke a word. "And I don't know who she was..." he lied, but he saw relief flood her eyes. Though she quickly looked down to hide it. Her checks still blushing. "I was so overcome by her beauty that I couldn't rid myself of her image so I asked Grendich to find someone to help me... remove the woman from my mind." She still looked at the ground and began to fidget with her sleeve again. Then she spoke in a barley audible voice.
"Why didn't you ask for that woman specifically?" At first he was shocked at her response, but then he knew what she was really asking.
"I felt that woman was to beautiful to worthy that she needed to be loved and cherished... and not simply... used." He bowed his head in shame knowing he had used Maggy though. "I was jealous... I knew I could never really have that woman and so acted out of desire and of my flesh. I behaved wrongly and I am forever sorry to your friend." He gulped as he finished his confession. He still couldn't bring his eyes to meet hers. He didn't want to see those beautiful eyes filled with hate toward him or disgust. For a few moments nothing happened. Then he felt trembling fingers touch his face. He reluctantly looked up into her eyes. She held his face so gently she was barely even touching him, afraid to actually touch the king. He saw fear and forgiveness in her eyes and... something else he couldn't quite make out. He lifted his hand to press hers more firmly to his face and their eyes held. When she didn't pull away. He closed his eyes and moved her hand lower. He slowly pressed a gentle kiss on her wrist. He opened his eyes and lowered her hand back down. Before he could search her eyes for a reaction, a horse whinnied nearby. The two quickly released hands and stepped a apart looking up to see a man riding up on a horse. Emilia instinctively took a step behind the kind almost hiding herself and James wondered if she was embarrassed of being seen with him. The man, seeing the king jumped down off his horse and quickly bowed his head.
"I apologize your majesty, I didn't know it was you walking out here with..." he trailed off his eyes shifting back behind James towards Emilia with concern written on his face. "I was just hopping to speak with Emilia..." the man requested, bowing his head. James studied him and could sense his hesitation. He wasn't quite asking but at the same time he was. James turned toward Emilia who looked almost frightened her eyes pinned to the ground.
James turned back toward him. "And who might you be?"
"Matthew, Sire. I work in the stables with the horses. I was just stretching Betsy here when I saw- you both." The king squinted his eyes at him, knowing he saw a little more then he said but he looked at Emilia. He looked for an answer from her but eyes just they stayed glued to the ground. James thought maybe she was afraid that Matthew saw them just now and would start spreading rumors. He looked back toward Matthew and noticed the boy had a broken nose and a black eye and he wondered if he had been in fight or kicked by a horse.
"You may speak with her... but make it quick. She has other matters to attend too." James began to walk back toward the garden when Emilia called out after him.
"Please don't go to far, my King...." her eyes held a pleading look as she spoke. "We won't be long..." She almost said it more as a question in hopes he would stay near by. He nodded and only walked far enough away to be out of earshot of Matthews whispering voice.
What was going on with them?