"Pardon?" I stuttered.
"Take off your clothes," Verbena smirked, watching me like a predator. I had no choice but to do as ordered and slowly started stripping off. I opened the buttons from behind and unclasped the hook, sliding the sleeve from my shoulder, the cool breeze touched my naked skin and I shivered, hoping she'd stop me soon. But to the princess, it was a form of entertainment and she didn't stop me when I let go of the dress as it pooled on the floor. I stood there shivering in the cold, wearing only undergarments, my nipples hard.
"What are you waiting for?" she said, keeping her eyes on my breast, and then slowly they went down on my body, just like her father did. "Take off your clothes," Verbena whispered, and that's when I saw the change in her eyes.
It wasn't entertainment, it wasn't rage, it was just...pure lust. I somehow felt a rush of relief but still, getting naked in front of the princess felt humiliating. I unclasped the bodice and my breast sprung free, and then I grabbed the waistband of my underwear. Verban got up and I suddenly stopped hoping she'd ask me to stop. I swallowed as she took small steps toward me. The princess was an inch taller than me, her eyes so beautiful, her skin soft and clean, and her lips pink. I wonder if I'd ever look like that.
Verbena ran a finger on my throat, goosebumps sprouted from her cold touch. Her finger slid down my neck, past my shoulder, and then down my breast. They stopped on my nipple and I exhaled.
Verbena pinched my nipple and I whimpered, closing my eyes. "This should be punishment enough to never be late again." the princess chuckled at my reaction. I opened my eyes when I couldn't feel her body heat.
"Take a walk outside and then come back after a minute." she handed me a stopwatch, but I was too baffled to hold it.
"B-but Your Highness, there are people outside," I said. Verbena shot me a look, "I know. They have been ogling at you the moment you walked on the ship, go and give them the full show. It's an order."
My heart started beating faster, I didn't care I was half naked in front of the princess, I went on my knees.
"I apologize, your highness. Please forgive me. I will never do it again, please Your Highness."
"Are you rejecting a royal order?" verbena folded her arms, sitting on the bed, she threw the watch on the floor. "Take this and leave, unless you want to spend the whole night outside."
I quickly got up. Feeling shamed, and humiliated, and wondered if I'd be able to show my face to my parents. "As you wish, Your Highness," I murmured, taking the stopwatch and walking towards the door. I opened it and stepped outside, barefoot. The corridor was empty and dark. I covered my chest with my arms, hugging myself. I could hear the ocean, and the strong cold winds whipping my hair away from my face. I clenched my teeth and looked at the stopwatch. Three seconds had passed.
I walked out of the corridor and suddenly froze, there were voices, men. Laughing, jeering, drinking, singing.
I closed my eyes, took a long breath, and walked out on the deck. Looking straight at the ocean, hoping for the seconds to pass by quickly.
"Hello there, you seem to be missing some of your clothes." I heard someone call out to me, and the other men laughed at his comments. I looked down at the watch. 15 seconds had passed. Why was time so slow? Then the worst thing happened. An old man with a hairy belly broke from the group and started getting closer to me. I took a step back, my arms tightening around me.
"Go back girl, this isn't the time for pranks." he spat on the floor and walked away. Relief washed over me and without seeing the time on the watch, I dashed back into the corridor. I knocked the royal suite and opened the door, at this point, my toes were numb from the cold and my body had been sprayed with the cold ocean.
"Your Highness, I-" I stopped mid-sentence, upon seeing Verbena sleeping soundly on her bed as if she didn't completely humiliate me. My clothes were on the floor, and without making noise, I silently got dressed, looked over at her again, and felt this rage starting to build inside me. She is already doing terrible things to the people around her while holding the title of a princess, I couldn't imagine what was she capable of doing when she became the empress.
No, I thought to myself as I exited her room, there was no way in hell will I help her become the empress. I know why she asked me to come with her because the people in Waedal are not that welcoming to outsiders, especially people who don't look like them.
But I do. The Empire's blood runs in me, the people will recognize me, I was her ticket inside the empire, to gain the trust of those people. I may not have been born in Waedal, but I remember the stories of my parents, and there was no way I let anyone like her rule the empire of my people.
I slumped down on the bed, looking up at the plain wooden ceiling. "Verbena, you will never become an empress," I muttered, you may marry into the family but the power only resides with the emperor. What if she seduces the emperor? Verbena was beautiful and clever, she had been brought up like a lady, taught the way of the palace, what if she slithers her way into the emperor's bed and bore his child? That way I would never be able to stop her from becoming an empress.
I don't know when I fell asleep but in my dreams i saw Verban cruelly laughing while holding a whip over me and I was on my knees, helpless and naked.