The Duchess (Outsider #2)

Chapter 37: Not Your Fault

Dusk had been taken away by Imperial Security in an A-SAPT to the Imperial Palace. For once, they were not willing to listen to her protest or her wishes. They were under instructions from the Crown Prince and also under fire for their failure to protect her.

In the Palace, she was received by the ADC and Julien's Butler. The Butler had seen her before on the fateful night when she had 'barged' into the private suite of the Crown Prince. He noticed a marked change in her attitude and body language as compared to that day. He had already been informed of the incident at the factory, so he was not surprised. In fact, he had expected her to be petrified and needing assistance. He was happy to see she was holding up well. He felt Julien needed a strong mate like her.

Dusk was suddenly surrounded by a retinue of maids, who guided her to a guest suite next to that of the Crown Prince. Once in the suite, she was quickly stripped of her clothes by the maids and taken to the bathroom. On a normal day, Dusk would protest and not let the maids help her and definitely not let them see her naked, she was too tired with the incidents of the day.

In any case, she felt, they would not listen to her. The orders of the Crown Prince were paramount. Somehow, she also felt that the maids knew of her relationship with Julien, and they were waiting for an opportunity to serve her and perhaps they would not listen to her protests even if he had not given orders.

The bathtub in that room was massive. It was at least 3 times that of any she had seen earlier. Even larger than that is the room allotted to her in the Occulta Palace. The tub was fitted with an AI that had advanced scanners. It checked Dusk's body temperature as well as her pulse, blood pressure and other signs to try and guess her level of tiredness and her mental state. It correctly guessed she was stressed and upset. It already figured she was tired. Therefore, it adjusted the temperature of the water just perfectly and put in herbal additives to the water along with soothing bubbles.

Dusk did not know that the suite she was put in was actually the Chambers of the Crown Princess... built for the wife of the Crown Prince. Which is why it was next to his own and the one of the best facilities in the entire palace. The designers had considered the comfort of the consort and the fact that women needed long luxurious baths, skin care and the likes.

The Head-Maid checked the bath water again and then helped the completely naked Dusk into the tub. The other maids had, in the meanwhile massaged her hands and thighs and feet and put specially designed oils meant to release stress and energise the muscles. The original purpose was, of course, more for enhancing her 'strength' for spending the night with the Crown Prince, but in this case, it was the prefect remedy for her condition.

Dusk spent more than an hour in the tub. First the bubbles and the herbal additives took care of her skin and then seeped into her muscles and her system to work from inside. Then the scrubbers cleaned her body. After 10 minutes the water drained out. She was about to get up, the maids restrained her, and she found fresh water pouring in from all sides till the water level was perfect, keeping only her neck and head out.

By the time the entire exercise was over, Dusk was about to fall asleep in the bathtub...

They helped her out, very gently wiped her body and then sprayed her with perfumes intended to enhance her confidence and keep her mind calm. She wondered if it was also meant to make her attractive to her 'Partner', but then she quickly pushed that thought out of her head.

When they came out of the bathroom, she was made to sit on one of the sofa seats and they gave her a full pedicure and manicure treatment, combed her hair and wrapped her in soft cotton bathrobe and gave her a pair of very soft room-slippers.

The Head-Maid brought out 4 sets of nightwear to ask her which one she would like to wear. She also got 8 sets of clothes for the next morning, asking which one should be kept ready. Dusk selected a light blue nightwear and a light pink business suit for the next morning. She idly wondered where they got her size and how much money was wasted in getting multiple dresses, just on the possibility that she may use it.