The King's Servant

Chapter Seventeen

Emilia stood outside the Kings door.
She felt unsure of herself... how was she supposed to dress the king for dinner when thinking of the things Maggy had so vividly described. She took a deep shaky breath and knocked on the door.
"Enter!" His called. She hesitated only a moment longer before opening the door. She walked in swiftly hoping to go unnoticed... but he watched her ever movement as she set the dinner robes on the bed and pulled out the dressing cover. James carefully watched Emilia as she ducked around the room quickly and quietly. He stepped behind the dressing cover and wondered if she was acting odd because of their interaction from earlier or if something else was bothering her. Like that Matthew boy.
Emilia began to unbutton his sleep shirt and her fingers would lightly graze his chest as she did so. He tried to not let it affect him. Once she finished with his shirt she looked down at his pants and blushed. He looked down to see he was hard and she knew it. He cleared his throat but did not remove his pants himself. He wanted her too. She glanced up at him, but when he didn't move or say a word, she knew she would still have to do it. She tried to carefully remove his pants, but again, her fingers grazed against his groin and he let out a low moan. It was so quiet she could have pretended not to have heard it but instead she stopped and looked up at him. She was standing so close she could feel his body heat. Immediately Maggys words came rushing to her mind. "He was an animal! It was out of control!" Emilia didn't move. She was scared something was going to happen yet she was disappointed when nothing did. He just kept staring into her eyes and she into his. Not moving a muscle. Then in an instant he reached down and pulled her face to his a passionate kiss. It all happened so quickly she didn't have time to react, her eyes still open he pulled away just as quickly as he had kissed her. She stumbled back a step or two, and tripping over something, sent herself hurling backwards onto the bed. He had reached for her hand but again it all happened so fast he didn't have enough time catch her. She laid there on his bed, still in shock, looking up at the king who stood above her. She never thought she'd be in this position. She blinked coming back to her senses and rushed to stand up and move away from him. Although part of her wished he would push her back down and kiss her again. She was confused and shocked and, and, and- Emilia looked into the kings eyes and before he could say a word she bolted from the room. She could hear him calling after her but she needed to get away from him, away from here. She needed space, she needed air, she needed common sense!

Emilia ran out the kitchen door once again, and up to the forest's edge. She didn't go to far into the wood, but far enough to hid herself from anyone who might be passing by. She fell to her knees under a tree and tried to catch her breathe. What was she thinking!? She had almost caught her breath when she heard a man's voice humming a song and footsteps walking by the edge of the trees.
She scooted over a little to stay hidden but her hand landed on a twig and snapped it. The humming stopped and so did the footsteps. Emilia held her breath. She didn't want to see anyone. She wanted to be alone. The footsteps started coming her away but she was afraid to move again and make more noise. A handsome red headed young man peered through the branches at Emilia. She wished he would just keep walking but he pushed the branch aside and came closer. He looked down at her and frowned in almost sarcasm.
"What's a beautiful damsel in distress doing out here all alone." She rolled her eyes at him not in the mood to be toyed with. She scooted furthest away as he took a seat on the log across from her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were truly in distress." His words were softer but Emilia still didn't reply. A voice in the distance made the two of them look up but they couldn't see anyone. Soon footsteps came running up to the trees.
"Emilia!" It was James. Emilia tried to scrunch down smaller holding her knees up under chin. the red haired man tilted his head at her in curiosity.
"Emilia?" The branches moved, and Emilia sighed, she needed a better hiding spot.
James came through the trees with his pants buttoned back up and his shirt as well. He looked from Emilia to the red haired man then back to her.
"Emilia." He spoke sternly. "Come here right now." She noticed his eyes were trained on the other man. Was he jealous? She thought. Good. She hopped he was. Now he knew how she had felt. As she stood and began to wipe the dirt from her dress he didn't wait for her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her through the trees without a word to the man or to her. He was angry and she felt it. He dragged her back through the kitchen door, everyone drew up quiet and started with wide eyes. More than any other time. He continued to drag her through the halls past Ms. Grendich. She was about to say something but the king kept marching on and Emilia looked at her with pleading eyes but there was nothing she could do. He was the king. He opened his chamber door and threw her in. She was terrified. He slammed the door and turned toward her his eyes full of anger.
"Don't. Ever. Talk. With that man. Again." Emilia's jaw dropped. What!? She thought she was in trouble for running out and trying to hide. He flopped into a chair and sighed deeply.
"That man is not a friend." He rubbed his forehead. "Especially not to woman." He mumbled that last part.
Emilia heard the words leave her mouth before she could regret them, "more than you?" His head slowly looked up at her. Instead of anger and wrath his eyes held hurt. She opened her mouth to apologize, say she didn't mean it! Her mind screamed at her. Say that you were just confused right now!
James stood with rage now filed in his eyes and walked slowly toward her. She glitches when his arm moved upward, but he was only reaching up to rub his neck.
"Just go help Grendich." He said calmly as he turned and walked toward the bed. "I'll ready myself for dinner." Without another word he pulled the dressing cover out and began to finish dressing himself. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She didn't care that she might be getting released soon... she only cared that she had hurt him, deeply.
Emilia walked over to the dressing cover and stood on the other side opposite of him. She hopped her disobedience to him would not make him more angry.
"My King?" She almost whispered, her voice suddenly dry. James stopped shuffling around and stiffened.
"What?" He asked sternly.
"I'm sorry, I.... I mean I didn't really mean... I just..." she couldn't find the rest of her words. She gave up trying and sighed in exasperation. It has been such a long, hard, confusing day and it only seemed to get worse and worse.
"I'm sorry, my King..." was all she could get out as she bowed to him, even though he couldn't see her from behind the cover. After a moment she began to walk toward the door with her eyes on the floor.
Emilia heard the king shuffling behind the cover again just as she reach for the door knob. She looked back up before leaving the room when all of a sudden he was right in front of her. They stood so close together that she could feel the heat from his body. Emilia couldn't read his expression and tried to look back down at the ground but his eyes held her there. He didn't touch her or say anything even though every part of her, feeling him so close, wanted him too.
Finally his hand gently reached up to push a loose hair behind her ear, letting the back of his finger trail along her ear then down her jaw to her chin as his hand lowered. Emilia couldn't help but let her eyes flutter softly at the gentle touch that left her skin tingling. Holding her chin his thumb grazed her bottom lip then traced the top one stopping at the corner of her mouth. Starting to feel warm Emilia quickly looked down and took a step back as she tried to regain her composure. But James took a step forward and she was now pressed between him and the door. A quiet, shocked gasp escaped her lips which seemed to make him press into her even more. She could feel his full body pressed against her own and his face bent down toward hers almost touching. His hands were now on her waist as he held her there and their breathing became heavier.
"Emilia..." James whispered, the way he had whispered it in his sleep. Shivers ran up her arms and neck despite the growing warmth she was feeling. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her neck right behind her ear which made her inhale at the contact and unwillingly turn her head slightly to give him more room. Her kissed the same spot again getting another good reaction from her so he kept at it. Enjoying her body squirming again this and her shocked little gasps. Emilia didn't know when it happened but she was now more pressed into him than the door and her hands were now grasping his shirt to hold herself steady. He started moving lower down her neck and then to her collar bone. He had a great view of the tops of her breasts rising and falling with each heavy breath. Emilia tried to stay quiet and to not react to his burning kisses but she couldn't help it. When he kissed her collar bone even lower she heard a moan leave her lips. Her eyes widened and she pressed back against the door and covered her mouth. A switch flicked in the kings eyes and he suddenly pulled her back into him. When she gasped at the impact of their bodies his lips captured her open ones. They stayed locked together for a moment before James pulled away mumbling something. Before Emilia had even opened her eyes she felt her body being launched forward as he pulled her hand behind him as he marched swiftly to the bed. Emilia opened her mouth to say something but they had reached the bed and his lips were on hers again. His hand reached down to the bottom of her skirt and slowing lifted up the back of her leg up to his waist. Emilias mind began to race but she couldn't think. She couldn't speak. She couldn't run away. Suddenly a knock came to the door and Grendich's voice was heard as the door began to creek open. Emilias eyes shot open and immediately pushed the king away from herself and pushed her dress down. Her cheeks were flushed and her neck and chest were hot so she quickly turned to make the bed so Grendich couldn't see her. She felt the Kings eyes on her as she pretended to work.
Grendich was now in the room talking to the king but Emilias ears were tingling and she hardly made out a word.
"Emilia!" Grendich snapped her out of her trance.
"Stop dilly dallying, and crown the king...." She huffed as she turned back toward the doors. "We're running behind schedule." She exited the room as Emilia quickly ran to the box and lifted the kings crown out of it. She stood before him once again and quickly placed the crown upon his head trying not to make eye contact. His hand grasped hers as it lowered from his head. She knew he wanted her to look at him but she couldn't move. She was frozen in place. After a moment, he cleared his throat as he dropped her hand, "we should go now." He whispered. Then he turned and walked to the doorway.  Immediately, Emilia felt her body ache for the attention and touch he gave it.
What was she getting into?