Two days after the forbidden affair, the confrontation and tormenting herself with the erotic memory, Emmeline was back at work after her short break. Her hair was up and small pieces of it framed her sharp jawline, the pieces of hair near her ears curled a little. She wore a light brown dress that was decorated with a corset bodice, it snuggled and revealed whatever figure she had.
Emmeline had thought of wearing the deep emerald dress but thought it to be too much for her line of work and that maybe there would be another time to wear it with an emerald necklace that her mother gave to her, who claimed it to be her grandmother's.
Sunlight stormed into the corridor as Emmeline was cleaning the glass windows. It looked out upon the garden that she had once been directed through by Silas. At some points of cleaning, she would stop and visualize the night they shared but was then quick to remind herself that regardless, she had a job to do.
Earlier that day she had already given Queen Zella her breakfast but soon realised that Silas was not in the room. When she had gotten into the kitchen, Emmeline was told by an exhausted Marissa that King Silas had requested for his breakfast to be delivered to his office. Emmeline had no idea that when she got there that she would be 'the breakfast'.
As Emmeline cleaned, her thoughts ran into the land of nod. His touch, from his hands to his lips, felt indescribable as if no one was in the world but them. As much as Emmeline wanted to deny the way he made her feel, she couldn't. The only reason she wanted to suppress her emotions was that it was wrong however his touch, his smile, his laugh and his co-, made it feel otherwise.
"Emmeline, helllooo?!" Harriet called. She and Emmeline had the same job and work in the same corridor by coincidence.
"Yes? I'm sorry."
"No need to apologise. The King wants to make an announcement to staff. We should start making our way there." Harriet spoke in her gentle, soothing voice.
"Yes, of course."
They hurried their way to the grand hall and stood at the back of the crowd. King Silas was already on stage and began delivering his message.
"I will be gone for a week. Marissa will be here to check on you. The standards of this palace will not decline, I'm hoping. The Queen will still be here so as ordinary you will keep to your duties." There was a pause and Silas discreetly scanned the crowd for Emmeline. "You may all depart!"
People began to leave the hall but the King stood talking to Marissa about something. It wasn't until both Harriet and Emmeline were summoned that they realised what the King was conversing with Marissa about.
They both curtsied as a form of respect to the King. Emmeline glanced quickly at his features as if meeting him for the first time before turning her attention to Marissa.
"You called for us, Marissa?" Harriet started.
"Yes. The King will need you, girls, to accompany him."
Silas' deep voice interrupted Marissa, "Yes. The King of Acquatico can be... neglectful to my wishes." He lied.
During his small confession, he gazed at Emmeline with that glint in his iris' before glancing shortly at Harriet to make it seem the explanation was for both girls.
Harriet nodded and Emmeline replied, "We will be at your service, Your Highness."
He nodded and turned to Marissa, "Make sure they are ready for the trip and the week's visit. I leave tomorrow at sunrise."
Silas walked out of the hall. Had he stayed longer, he wouldn't have been able to control himself. The way her dark eyes spoke illicit words to draw him in. The immoral thoughts that swirled into his mind taunted him to take her and kiss her was overwhelmingly convincing.
"Right, girls, you are relieved of your duties today. Please go and gather your things and meet at the front entrance of the castle, a carriage will be waiting for you when you arrive." Marissa informed and muttered, "I will have someone else do the windows."
She rushed out of the hall and into the kitchen to assign new maids to the now open duties.
"Well, I guess we can walk into the city centre together."
"I suppose." Emmeline replied.
The girls caught up with each other and they talked about anything and everything that occurred during the large amount of time they hadn't seen each other. Emmeline talked about her family mostly but didn't mention her relationship with Silas. They were on the topic of Ida, Elizabeth and Rosemary.
"I heard that they confronted you about something but no one knows what. Nor do those three witches want to disclose anything."
"Well, that time they were just making up stories that they supposedly heard about me and the King, of all people." Emmeline chuckled off. "They said something about exposing me but how can they when the King barely acknowledges me."
Emmeline lied smoothly about King Silas but she needed to be cautious even though Harriet wouldn't tell anyone, someone else that eavesdrops on the conversation could.
"Then another time, I came in for my nightshift and at the end of the night, as I entered the cloakroom, they taunted me about being the King's whore." Emmeline sighed.
"Of course, you're none of those things even if it were so. Just be careful, okay?" Harriet begged.
They had stopped at the location, where they were about to part separate ways to go home. Harriet held on to Emmeline's lower arm in a light grip and her face was filled with worry.
"I know there are some things that you are unable to tell me. I know when you're lying but you're doing it for a reason I may not understand. All I asked of you is to be careful. Yes, Ida, Elizabeth and Rosemary's 'theories' may just be theories but I have seen others that have suffered tragically at the hands of them. I do not want you to be one of those people, I cannot bare to see you suffer and die like another maid did."
Emmeline nodded and was thankful that Harriet was so admirably understanding. She pulled Harriet into a tight hug before making her way home in deep thought.
Now home, she informed her mother and sister that she was to go to Acquatico and accompany the king on his trip. Her mother seemed surprised at first but then announced that they all should go into the city centre to buy whatever Emmeline needed as well as things they were running out of. Emmeline would insist to her mother and Esme that she didn't need anything but ended up with two new dresses, lingerie and a decent bag to put her belongings into.
She laid in bed and gazed up at the stars that scattered the night sky. A feeling had made her get out of bed. A feeling had her walking dressed in her royal blue dress, making her way through the now empty city centre and now that feeling had led her to the front entrance of the cabin.
Adjusting her satchel full of clothes and essentials on her shoulder, she knocked and made her way in after receiving no reply. It was apparent that she was not the only one that had gotten that feeling because Silas was sitting in front of the fire, drinking a deep brown alcohol on the sofa. He seemed deep in thought and his whole body was tense.
Emmeline made her way to him slowly, she put her satchel beside the sofa and sat beside him placing a hand on his shoulder. Immediately his body relaxed and he was out of his web of thoughts.
"Emme," he murmured, smiling as his fingers glided over her cheeks. 'What was she doing here at the dead of night?'
"I had a feeling that led me here, Silas." Her hand trailed up his shoulder and into the nape of his hair, which made him close his eyes and sigh.
"If anything, love, I am just glad that you made it safely. No more walking alone at night, okay?"
"Okay." She whispered as if to delicately promise him. "Are you alright, Silas? You seemed in conflict with yourself."
"I have a plan but I'm doubtful if it will work." Silas opened his eyes to gaze into hers, "I need to believe but it's so difficult when it feels that everything's against you."
"I know but one thing I know about you is that you are strong-willed and over the time of your rule, you have made laws that I thought would never change, change. The war you fought with Acquatico and won. You have never given up and I know that you, King Silas, will not allow anything to stop you from getting the fate you want."
This made Silas grin, 'she surpasses perfection, it's like the blood of a Queen runs through her veins.'
"And besides, I have enough belief for the both of us so you needn't worry." She smiled and gave Silas a long peck before stripping to her undergarments to sleep. Silas watched and followed her to the wide bed.
Silas chuckled, leaning on one of the thick wooden posts on the very large bed. Emmeline had snuggled into the bed and asked Silas to join her.
"I see that you've made yourself at home." He had stripped too and cuddled with her under the thick animal fur. Silas kissed her shoulder blade and pulled her in by the waist before whispering 'goodnight'. However Emmelines soft snores filled the quiet room, making Silas smile.
He snuggled closer to her as if she would disappear and dozed off.