"Emily!" Elizebeth called for her one fine day.
"Yes, My Lord." Emily came in with her power walk while bowing.
"Send this to His Majesty." She gave a white envelope with the seal of Chandler's house that she took inside her father's office when she played over there last night.
"Yes, My Lord." Emily was ready to honor her wish.
"Ask sir Ojas to accompany you."
"The vice leader of Elizebeth's unit?"
Sir Ojas was the vice leader of her own army unit. Every child of Chandler's family has their own army unit that has been assigned under each of them to protect the child from danger. They were a war hero and now personally taught the children in sword fighting and also protected the children. Sir Derrick was the leader of her unit.
She shifted around and nodded in her radiant smile. "Only the best for my first-hand maid. Enjoy the show to your fullest."
Emily bowed again. "Thank you for taking me as your trusted subject, My Lord."
"I will soon take another one to be by my side." She told her plan to Emily, purposely.
Emily raised her head even though her body was still in the same position. "You are planning to take another maid with you?"
Elizebeth nodded and smiled, her eyes crinkling with the movement. "You may choose whoever you want for the candidate. I'll give you my decision after I meet them personally."
Emily's lips twitched in full happiness. It's a big task to carry and her young lady trusted her enough to let her choose the best among the best. "I will prepare everything that you ask. Do you require me to make any inquiries on your behalf?"
"I do not have any currently," she thought alone, playing with her pen. "But I do require contact as soon as the selection of the maid has been finalized a few days before I meet them. I know that you would have done so anyway, but a reminder is always useful." She talked like a grown-up now. Disappearing her mask completely in front of Emily.
"Of course I would have, you are my dearest master. I will do my job sincerely with My Lord in my mind, My Lord." She said in a very respectful manner. After the oath took place a few days after, Emily became more respectful towards her to her liking.
"You are dismissed." She waved Emily away after there's nothing to discuss.
"I understand, My Lady." Emily walked backward a few steps before reaching towards the door and opened it. She got out as she bowed again to her.
Elizebeth beamed until Emily was completely gone and her expression changed. Throwing the pen on the table, she got up from her desk and waltzed to the door. Her tiny hand pulled the door from inside.
"Sir Derrick?" She called him charmingly.
Derrick bowed at her as soon as she came into a view. "Yes, My Lord?"
My Lord. To Sir Derrick and Emily, her status now was not a mere lady in the house, but the ultimate lord to them. They exclusively served her, not anyone else anymore. Her words were the highest, even for the duke to them and to another three knights that swore their loyalty to her. Sir Ojas was one of them as well.
"I want to meet father."
"Yes, My Lord." He gave way to her and offered his hand.
"No! Hug Elizebeth." Another achievement unlocked for the loyal knight. Only four of them have the right to hold her in their arms. Their inner desire that Elizebeth knew too well but acting blind for this entire time.
Derrick glowed. "Thank you for the honor, My Lord." His hands were itchy. It was a sudden request and he loved it. The moment he was assigned under Elizebeth, he desires to hold Elizebeth the same way her family held her and after the oath ceremony, he had the right. If he knew, he would take the oath way before just for this moment.
"You don't want to?" Elizebeth blinked sadly when Derrick paused his movement.
"Ah, no My Lord. I want to." He softly took her inside his arms. The warm body heat and the flutter gown blessed his entire body. He could die in peace now. His goal has been achieved.
"Are you that happy?" Elizebeth chuckled, her voice sounded like an angel in Derrick's ears. He almost passed out.
"Yes, My Lord."
Elizebeth chuckled before wrapping her arms around Derrick's neck. Seeing Derrick wobbling due to his excitement, she decided to stop until that. The peck on the cheek should be delayed a little while or her knight wouldn't last long.
Whilst at the palace, Callisto has received the letter safely. In fact, he acted unlike him after he met eyes with Emily. He in rush to take the letter from Emily without Emily having to explain anything. Leaving everything inside the office when he heard the arrival of Elizebeth's exclusive maid.
"Your Majesty. What are you do-"
"Shh!" Callisto shut his vassal. Tore the envelope and opened the sweet smell letter. She sprinkled the rose powder to make it aromatic. Making him even more nervous than before even when he was supposed to be the ruler of the kingdom. He couldn't ignore the sweet smile or threat from Elizebeth. She seemed to know something. His dark secret that even the duke didn't know.
"Your Majesty…" The prime minister cried behind his back.
"Shit! Shit, shit, shit." The series of curses shut everyone in the room after he read the letter. "Prepare for the horse. We will travel to the duke mansion right now." He roared inside the room as if they were in an emergency case.
"Your Majesty?" The prime minister or Marquis Lyes almost had a heart attack to hear his lord spouted nothing but gibberish.
"Where is the duke, currently?" He asked Emily kindly, ignoring Marquis Lyes.
"He's just finished inspecting his territory," Emily answered graciously.
"Inside the office." He calculated something inside his head. "What about your lady Elizebeth?"
"My Lord? She is currently with the duke."
Callisto sighed, his shoulder slouched down. It's the word 'My Lord' that caught him off guard. This means that Emily had already sworn her loyalty to Elizebeth exclusively and maybe had completed the oath. She trusted Elizebeth to the fullest. It's hard to even for him to receive the oath by knights, it took him 20 years to receive one. His son still had not received any even when he was older than Elizebeth.
"She is the real deal. Elizebeth is the real deal. She is evil in angel appearance." He gritted the teeth. He was more terrified of Elizebeth than the duke. His secret was at her hands.
Until these days, he didn't know how she got one but she had it. His investigation of the lady was fruitless. She's clean. There's no suspicious movement from her until now except entering the magical forest.
"What are you doing inside the forest?" He asked in an accusing voice, narrowing his eyes, trying to intimidate Emily.
Emily bowed calmly, "I apologize, Your Majesty. I am binding with an oath to protect her secrets. Worry not, however, Your Majesty. She enjoyed herself inside the forest. For further detail, I wish you to ask her personally."
Tsk. Callisto clicked his tongue. Of course. It's hard to dig anything from the maid. "Get me ready at once." He ordered his people.
"Your Majesty. It's best if you use your carriage instead of the horse." Marquis Lyes gave up the idea to hold his lord down. He assisted him to his best ability.
"Did you use a carriage?" Callisto turned towards Emily. For some reason, he was so interested to know everything about Emily and Elizebeth simultaneously.
"I'm riding a horse," Emily answered him in courtesy. Bowed her head still.
"We are using the horse. It's an insult for our Lady Elizebeth to see her exclusive maid and her exclusive knight guarding my carriage. Currently, her status is higher even for me." He said tightly.
The vassals including Emily were shocked by the declaration. Emily didn't know Elizebeth had something big up her sleeve. She binds the king of the kingdom with a single letter. If she wasn't careful enough, her act would be viewed as treason.
"At ease my people. In my hand was not a threat but rather a secret that I imposed on her. She required my presence at the moment. As she trusted friend, I wish to fulfill her desire."
Secret? Friend? The king wasn't talking about the duke, but the duke's daughter. What secret that she knew enough to put the king of the kingdom inside her tiny palm? They were aware the king and Elizebeth were so close. They didn't view their relationship this close, however.
"Get ready. We will discreetly move. I wish not to have a large number of followers."
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Marquis Lyes signaled the king's footman to prepare the cloak and also the horse for the king and also a few knights.
"And you! Wait for me at the entrance. We will go together." He pointed at Emily. "And everyone around here is required to assist our Baroness Emily with your best ability. I wish but to hear a good report from you to your Lord, Baroness Emily."
The vassals just bowed down to Emily per request by their ruler. Gracefully, Emily accepted everything amid her chaotic mind.
Baroness title was the title that he bestowed upon her after the persistent duke nitpicked at him without stopping. It's all for his dearest daughter. Lifting other status and downgrading their status was his favorite side job. Although, never in a million years he had thought to use a respectful title towards the maid just because she served the duke's daughter.