The enormous corridors of the castle were warm busy, with many paintings and ornaments carefully placed along the walls which gave it an inviting look, but didn’t take away the fact that you were inside the royal palace. You followed anxiously behind the King, too afraid to make eye contact with the stern looking guards that looked you up and down with intimidating stares as you passed. The sun filtered its way through the colossal glass windows, painting your exhausted face with an illuminating light and causing you to squint. The only sound now was the rhythmic tap of the King’s and your feet combined echoing through the hallways.
You stepped with your back straight and your eyes focused, absorbing the image of the man that strode before you. His masculine shoulders dipped with each step, and you watched the fabric of his clothes crinkle with his muscles and movements. A few stray white hairs had escaped from the King’s head and lay lazily over his forehead. He quickly combed them back with his pale fingers, before turning to face you.
“Here is where you will get cleaned up,” he said, motioning towards the closed door. You dipped your head in response, remembering the dirty ash that stained your cheeks. Elias’ lips twitched into a friendly smile. “A maid will be in there to help you.”
You nodded and with a small thank you and turned to enter the room, but a firm hand on your shoulder stopped you. You craned your head towards the King, your eyes connecting with his. His pupils seemed to enlarge ever so slightly as your line of sight connected, sending a chill down your spine. Or, maybe, it was his power radiating from his hand?
“And leave those gloves on, _______. We’ll be dealing with them later,” he said, his voice coated with a friendly tone. You couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Okay, Your Highness,” you responded. You didn’t like the feeling when his smile dropped, but his ice-looking eyes still had a warm glow to them.
“Please, ______, call me Elias,” he smirked. He gave your shoulder a light squeeze, before finally letting go and allowing you continue on your journey to the bath.
You had to admit, it was embarrassing being stripped down by other woman and place in a hot bath. As soon as your skin collided with the hot bath water, the swirling, steamy liquid turned a filthy grey. A maid pulled a face at your shameful state, before pulling out a fluffy brush and towel and scrubbing you down. You were sure she scrapped some of your skin right off with her hard scrub, but it was nice to finally be clean. In all honesty, you hadn’t had a hot bath in months. Not everyone had the same privileges as The Great King Elias himself.
The maid’s skinny fingers jabbed and poked at your skull as she scrubbed your hair clean, her unyielding grip ripping your fine hairs from your scalp. You contorted your face as she poured the now luke-warm water over your head, the shower collecting all the bubbles that danced on your head.
With your clean self finally out of the bath, the maids grabbed and pulled at your hair, brushing all the knots and curls that you had grown accustom to all these years. You grit your teeth as they harshly ripped and pulled your poor hair. Your scalp felt like it was going to rip right off if they pulled another hair out. After what seemed like hours of pain, your hair was finally brushed and clean, tied back into an appealing French braid.
You stared at yourself in the slightly cracked mirror, your fingers massaging your gloved palm. You hadn’t seen yourself so clean and done up in years, it looked strange to you. You weren’t used to looking so... nice.
You were dressed back into your now clean leather huntress wear, refusing to wear the silk dresses that the maids offered. Too flammable. Too dangerous.
Finally, after minutes of stubborn arguing about clothing, there was a knock upon the door. You breathed out a sigh of relief as the King appeared in the doorway, his familiar warm smile still painted across his face. You could finally escape the rough grasp of these maids. You stood to face him and tried to return his friendly smile, but it came out more awkward than expected. The King’s smile dropped ever so slightly as his eyes flickered up and down your now clean body, his light brows coming down into a concentrated frown.
YOU ARE READING
On The Same Level - Male!Elsa X Reader
FanfictionReader is born with with a dangerous power she has not yet learned to control. In fear and grief, she runs away from her destroyed home with no where to go, and is completely alone in the cold, deserted mountains of Arendelle. It is only when she me...
