"Did you hear about it? the king has taken fancy of an unknown woman!"
"Right! It has been the talk in the ship these days. Mira! What else do you know?" As the group of imperial servants scurried to listen to her, Mira felt even more proud of the gossip she just learned.
Her brows raised as high as the sky with a proud smile on her cracked lips. "Well… did you know? That woman was said to be so beautiful that the king immediate take her into his cabin the moment he saw her!"
"Oh my!"
"Are you sure about that? Then, she must be so beautiful!"
"You've said it right. They also said that even the imperial guards who saved her was smitten by her. but since the king had set his eyes on her, no one dared to even lay their eyes on her for a second."
"Maybe you've just exaggerated it, Mira. How can there be a woman more beautiful than lady Hailey? Among the women in our kingdom, no one can compete with her in terms of beauty!"
"She's right!" All agreed except Mira who only grinned and looked down on them.
"Are you all stupid? If Lady Hailey was indeed the most beautiful woman, then why is it that she never caught the attention of His majesty?" With her words, again, the servants were confused. She continued, "Lady Hailey had stayed by his side since they were kids. And yet, she was still given no title. Then what does it mean?"
Mira broke into giggles, echoing into the hallway. Yet, her giggles soon turned into a scream of pain as the end of the whip hit her back. She fell dived into the floor as all the servant fell into their knees.
"How dare you, impudent servant! You insult and talk about your masters behind their backs! You deserve to die!" the whip repeatedly hit the servant's back until she could move no more. Even the other servants were too scared to raise their heads from the floor.
"Anne. Stop it now," she ordered as she held her arm.
"But my lady-" with just a look, Anne halted and nodded. "Be thankful that Lady Hailey don't want to waste time with lowly creatures like you! But if you dare talk about her again, you will meet worse than this servant! Understand?!"
Though trembling in fear, all the servant forced to answer the cruel servant. And though she was a servant, they all knew. That their status was incomparable to the servant of that noble lady.
As Hailey walked on the narrow hallway, her mind was only filled with one thought. "Looks like I needed to visit his majesty."
***
"It had been three days, Imperial Doctor Jin. Why isn't she still waking up?" though his voice wasn't angry, it was obvious that King Derian was already impatient and anxious.
Noticing this, the doctor kneeled in forgiveness. Yet, he was just old enough that when he bended his knees, his both his knees fell at the same time. Still, he endured it and bowed his head to the floor.
"Please forgive my incompetence, your majesty!"
"Imperial Doctor Jin! Please get up. I didn't mean it that way." He held his arm and help him get up. "Sig. help him seat."
As they both sat, he on the side of the bed where the woman was, he spoke. "Tell me. why is she still unconscious?"
"Your majesty. This woman had been floating on the waters for at least a week. It was even hard to believe that she's still alive. So, whether she'll wake up or not, it will only depend of the will of the gods. I already did my best, your majesty."
With thick brows meeting, Derian waved his hand and looked at the sleeping woman on his bed.
"I will take my leave, your majesty." As soon as the doctor left, again, Derian was alone with the woman again. though he actually wasn't alone since Sigmund refuse to leave; saying that it was inappropriate to let the king alone with an unknown woman.
"When will you wake up? You've already been sleeping for too long…" Derian whispered as he brushed the tip of his fingers into the woman's cheek. Yet, realizing he did an improper action, he immediately stood up. His face was the color of a blooming rose on the imperial garden.
He wasn't sure what exactly he was feeling but just staring at this woman's face was a delight. It's as if, she was an oasis in the dessert. Like a rainbow after the rain. Like a streak of hope in his lonely life all through these years.
He sighed and decided to leave which Sigmund must be wishing for. Since in all these three days, the king had spent hours of just watching and staring at this woman's sleeping face.
When he already turned his back when suddenly, he heard a soft moan which can only belong to the woman. Like a bold of lightning, he immediately run back into the woman's side.
"You're awake!" he said it too excitedly that even surprised the newly wake woman. "Quick! Summon Imperial Doctor Jin!" he ordered and immediately, Sigmund rushed too call the doctor.
"I'm sorry. Did I scare you?" Derian asked, a smile on his lips was painted. He didn't even realize he was holding the woman by her arms.
The woman was still half-awake. With a confused and wondering look in her velvet eyes. She looked too innocent that only added to her charm.
"Who are you?" Her soft and sweet voice uttered, still hoarse because of being afloat in the waters for too long.
"I'm the one who found you. you were floating on the sea when I saw you. So, I asked my people to bring you in my ship. You're three days sleeping." As he explained this, the woman just kept staring at him that made the king blush. Thus, he kept looking away.
"So, you saved me…" she uttered in a whisper again.
"Well…you could say that. OH!" realizing he was holding her by the arm, he immediately released her and slightly moved away. in his kingdom, they were always following a strict etiquette between men and women. And his action was a bit improper.
However, he was taken aback when the woman held his arm and pulled him near to her.
"Young lady, I don't think this is proper…" he said but was defeated and still let the weakened woman pull her until their faces were too near. He was frozen.
Yet, his thoughts were all but messed. 'What was she planning about? Was she trying to thank me in this way because I saved her? but that was a bit…improper…'
"Can I ask you a favor?" the woman asked in a softer voice than before. It was obvious that she's still weak. Was that why she wanted him to get closer?
That time, Derain wanted to hit himself by thinking something like that when this woman just escaped death.
In his king-like voice, he asked. "What is it?"
Hearing his reply, the little smile crept on the woman lips. "I'm still so sleepy. Can you let me sleep in this bed for more?"
Surprised, King Derian couldn't help but be confused at the strangeness of this woman. However, before he could answer, the woman again fell into deep sleep. And he was left, staring at her peacefulness. It was hard resisting himself especially now that they're too close. Should he…kiss her?
"Ehem!" with that fake cough coming from Sigmund, King Derian glanced at the door where his face was covered in embarrassment.
At the door, not only Sigmund and Doctor was there. But several servants and some of the guards who were guarding near the hallway.
And though it wasn't a secret that he was smitten by this woman, it was still embarrassing to be found at a scene like this.
"Should I just pretend to be asleep beside her?" he asked himself but realize it was more foolish and childish.