I went back inside the dining room, Grace and Jasmine had left the table and Orion was talking with Helios, their heads bent, Helios nodding to whatever Orion was saying. Verbena didn't come back with me. Orion saw me and stopped talking, his eyes fell on the red mark on my cheek and my messy hair.
"Where is her Highness?" Helios asked.
"She went back to her room, your highness," I replied, ignoring his stare and walking towards the table to clear the dishes.
"I should get back to training." with that Helios got up, placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, and then left. Leaving us alone together.
"Did she do that to you?" Orion asked, watching me pick up the dishes. I kept my focus on my work, "What do you mean, your Majesty?"
"Did Verbena slap you?" I didn't expect him to be blunt about it, especially take her name so openly given we were sitting in the open dining room. I glanced up at him and then down at the table. "Yes, your Majesty."
"I'll send some ointment for the cut on the lips, apply that, and come to my room." With that he left the table, leaving me to stare at him with an open mouth. A cut lip? Is that why it stung? I touched the upper corner of my lip and noticed a tiny bead of blood on my fingertip. She was testing my patience with this.
****************************
I had just bathed and changed when a knock at the door made me groan. I was untangling my wet hair, putting down the comb, I went to open the door. Emiline stood outside, wearing a soft blue gown, and holding a brown basket, covered with a red sheet. "Gift from the emperor," she said with a smile, handing me the basket.
"What is it?" I asked I was only expecting an ointment, shouldn't that come in a small tin?
"I cannot look inside, it was his orders."
"Thank you," I replied and closed the door behind her. Placing the basket on the bed next to it and took off the red sheet. Meat sandwiches, sliced pieces of mango, a marigold flower, and a small steel tin can stared back at me. I gasped at the exotic sight, mango was rare in Kralen, imported from Waedal, and was expensive so only the nobles got to enjoy them. In Waedal I saw everyone indulging in mangos though since I came here I never got to have a taste, by the time Verbena let me off for my lunch or dinner break, I would get the leftovers.
When picked up the sandwich I found a folded note. Taking a bite of the sandwich I read the note.
"I hope it's to your taste. I know you can't do anything against the princess, but you should know I see the injustice you go through." it felt like a thank you and a sorry note. Maybe I could forgive him a little, I thought, swaying to the imaginary music playing in the back of my mind while I emptied the contents of the basket. When i was done eating, I felt light and sleepy. The tiredness of two whole days came back to me and I lay down hoping to get a few hours of nap before dinner.
I saw Verbena in my dream, which is what woke me up. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the time. It was exactly dinner time. The emperor, remembering his order threw off the sheet and combed my hair, twisting it into a neat bun. Placing the basket at the side of the bed I left the room, making my way towards his room. I had just walked up the last stair when Verbena came from the left side and I almost crashed into her.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" she asked, fanning herself with the folding fan. It looked new.
"His majesty asked for me, Your Highness," I replied, keeping my eyes down.
"Before that, go and fetch some ice from the kitchen for my bath. My maid is busy stitching embroidery on the dress." she walked past me, going downstairs. I turned around, "I apologize for your highness, but I am already late, I can fetch the ice for you after I meet with his majesty?" as expected Verbena stopped in the middle of the stairs, she looked over her shoulders and smirked, "Did you just refuse me?"
"No, Your Highness. i …. I work for him-" I flinched just as I saw her stomp upstairs and raise her hand to slap me again. But a familiar voice called out from behind me. "I wouldn't do that, Your Highness." the cut on my lip grew hot again under the ointment. I heard footsteps coming closer to us and stopped just before Verbena. I looked at my savior. Orion stood towering over the both of us, glaring at Verbena.
"I was just teaching her manners, your majesty. It's nothing uncommon." She replied with her innocent smile, I saw how her cheeks flushed upon seeing him and remembered the time they spent in the library.
"She works for me, only I can scold and teach her," he said. Why was he here? Shouldn't he be having dinner in his room?
"Yes, i agree Your Majesty. But she still belongs to me, and I feel ashamed that someone who worked under me is so mannerless."
"Don't worry about that anymore, I'll take her off your hands." he gave her a polite smile and turned his back to her, "Colette, follow me." with that he started walking. I glanced at Verbena's dumbfounded look and before she could say anything I obeyed him.
We were out of earshot, walking down the hallway towards his bedroom when Orion spoke. "You are late….again." he stopped outside his room and I looked at the knob.
"I fell asleep, Your Majesty. Thank you for the gift, it was delicious." I smiled up at him, Orion stared back at me, and we held each other gaze for a second too long, before he coughed and opened the door. "Have dinner with me."
He took me to the adjoining area of his suite, where a 6-seater dining table was loaded with delicious food. "Sit," he said, taking the head seat.
"Pardon?" did he just ask me to sit with him? I thought I would be eating separately. "Take a seat, Colette."
I took the seat on his left, my mouth watering at the sight. I wasn't hungry, but the sight made my stomach grumble. What does it feel like to eat this every day? "Tell me about today," he said cutting up his steak.
"I think the princess suspects us, she….." I trailed off, unable to bring up the scenes she described to me so vividly.
"She what?" he asked.
"She….explained to me…about the time…..you and her had in the….library."
"What did she say?" he chewed on the steak while looking at me. Did he not know? Or was he pretending to not know?
"About how you....um…..made her…orgasm." the moment I said that word, I swallowed, blushing and feeling shy.
"Do you believe that?" I didn't answer him but stared at him with my lips parted. Orion nodded at my silence, taking a sip of water, he smacked his lips and spoke. " we only talked, Colette. Nothing happened. "
"Oh."
He grinned at my response, and his smile made me smile and after a while we were both chuckling. "It's a good thing she suspects us, she'll come for me sooner now." Orion said, "Spend another night with me." his eyes twinkled when he said that and I knew that I might regret my choices later, but right now i wanted to feel that rush of adrenaline again, when my heart raced like a horse, and i felt him tremble inside me. The feeling was what i craved for whenever i looked at him.
"Of course, your Majesty," I replied.