It had been a day after her conversation with her governess to escape, and Elysia had not rested properly after that, her heart was always beating rapidly scared of the fact that things could go wrong at any point and ruin her chances of leaving the palace.
She had tried her best to avoid any suspicion that something was going on, a full smile on her lips and her words still soft and gentle. She had dined with Sevastian twice and played the part perfectly as he did not seem to suspect anything out of the ordinary.
Thankfully, she had not been in the presence of the King since the night he asked her to cut his hair. Elysia hardly doubted she could look the King in his eyes and lie to him without making a fool out of herself.
The golden rays of the evening sun covered the palace in warmth, but Elysia felt none of it. Feeling extremely and restless, she decided to wonder the empty halls, perhaps, she would find something interesting as she did the last time she wondered aimlessly, her mind clouded with thought of her escaping plans.
With each step, her curiosity grew. She was highly interested in what she would find this time. Her feet carried her into the opposite direction, though her thoughts were scattered, wondering if she would stumble upon something that would provide a momentary distraction from the unease that had settled in her chest.
But as she walked, something caught her eye. A door, that she had walked past the last time she was here, came into her view. The last time she tried to open the door to this room, it had been locked. Elysia wrapped her fingers around the door handle and it cracked open surprising her.
For a moment, she hesitated. This felt so wrong, yet something compelled her to push the door open. Slowly, she stepped inside, her heart thumping in her chest, an unfamiliar feeling of anxiety growing within her.
The room was dim, and the air felt heavy, as though it held secrets too long kept. The room smelled like dust and old books. What immediately struck her were the large canvas-covered shapes that filled the room, arranged haphazardly as if abandoned mid-creation.
It was covered in paintings of different sizes. She stepped forward taking slow steps, her fingers brushing against the cool fabric that concealed the art. A flicker of curiosity sparked within her. Why were these hidden?
Unable to resist, Elysia gripped the edge of one of the white cloths, pulling it away with a sharp tug. Fits of coughing escaped her lips as the dust particles filled the room. Her breath hitched, her eyes widened and glued on the canvas in front of her.
The painting revealed the King Azrael. But he wasn't alone. Beside him stood a woman, her blonde hair cascading down her back like a river of gold. There was something intimate about the way they stood, close, their expressions soft, familiar. It was not just a portrait of two figures. It was a moment, a memory frozen in time.
Elysia's hand trembled as she reached for the next cloth. With each reveal, the same woman appeared. Some were simple portraits, others showed the two of them in elaborate clothing, but it was the final painting that made her blood run cold.
It was a nude painting, Azrael and the woman, intertwined in a way that left no doubt of their closeness, their intimacy. Her bright blue eyes were locked with the King's, his long muscular hand was wrapped her waist, his fingers buried in her hair. One of her legs was wrapped around his with just a small cloth covering the private part of the King.
Elysia felt her body betray her, her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor, hands flying to her mouth as she stifled the gasp that threatened to escape. Her heart pounded in her ears, but as the room closed in around her.
At first, they were indistinct murmurs, but then, as if the room itself willed her to hear, they sharpened. It was Azrael's voice, low and smooth, and the woman's in response, her tone soft and melodic. Elysia clutched her head, her hands pressing tightly against her ears, but no matter how hard she tried, the voices wouldn't stop.
'You know I would like to do something else than sit here, hard as a rock.' Azrael's voice echoed in her mind, warm and tender.
The woman laughed, a sound that sent a chill down Elysia's spine. 'I am almost done Azreal, then you will be free to do something else.'
'How about you come over here? So, I can hear you better.' came the deep voice of the King Elysia recognized.
'You are such a stubborn man.' the woman laughed loudly, as she placed the paint brush on the table and walked towards Azreal, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.
Tears welled in her eyes as she gasped for air, her chest tightening with each breath. The woman in the paintings, this was the one Azrael truly cared for, not her. Elysia felt something shatter deep inside her.
The voices continued, a cruel reminder of the distance between herself and the King. She had allowed herself to feel something, a small spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, she was not as insignificant as the title of "pet" made her feel. But now, that hope was extinguished, leaving only emptiness behind.
Elysia's fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, her mind racing. She could not stay here. Not anymore. How could she look at him? how could she face him, knowing he held this secret so closely? The intimacy he shared with this woman, the one he had never spoken of, was something she could never compete with.
Still on her knees, she fought back the sobs threatening to break free. She had to be strong. She had to find a way to rise above this, to protect herself from the pain coursing through her veins.
Her mind snapped back to the moment, and she scrambled to her feet, her hands shaking as she hurriedly covered the paintings again. No one could know she had seen this.
Staggering backward, Elysia's breath came in ragged gasps as she fled the room, her vision blurred with unshed tears. She stumbled into the hallway, closing the door behind her with trembling hands. She pressed her back against the cold stone wall, trying to calm herself, to push away the flood of emotions that threatened to drown her. There was no future for her here, not as long as he held on to this mysterious woman.