The Servant
Chapter 5
Chastity loved her birthday. It was just a simple little celebration that included herself, Helix, his parents, Iona, and Michael. It was nice, just having them around. It was nice being able to tell them the truth about her birthday.
Afterwards, she and Helix decided to take up his mother's offer to spend some time out of the castle. It was nice, having time to just themselves. No parents, no siblings, just them.
"Chastity, I have a surprise for you." Helix said as they ate dinner. They had arrived at a tiny, cozy restraunt as per her request. She wanted it to be small, not some big fancy restaurant that she would feel uncomfortable in. Helix understood and gladly went to a small restaurant. It had made her smile.
"What would that be?" She asked. She couldn't help but smile at him. She was thoroughly enjoying the night.
"A birthday present," He said, pulling out a small box with a ribbon. The box was a pretty dark blue color with a white ribbon. The kingdom's colors.
"You didn't have to do that." She said. He gave her a look.
"Of course I do. My princess deserves a birthday present." He said. She blushed. All day he had been calling her his princess. While she liked the sound of it, it also worried her. She wasn't sure she was capable of ruling.
"Thank you," She said, taking the box from him. He smiled softly, lovingly, at her. That caused her to blush even more.
"Go ahead," He prompted. "Open it."
So she did. Inside, past the silk hiding what lie beneath it, was a beautiful necklace made of what seemed to be silver, but she knew better. Helix didn't like silver, he liked gold. White gold, she decided. A twisting pattern made up a moon. Sitting on the moon was a girl holding a star. Coming off of the moon was three stones. Moonstones. They were her favorite.
"Oh, Helix, I love it!" She exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"
"You don't have to keep thanking me. I thought you deserved something special. It is your eighteenth birthday. You are now a true adult and your father has no control over you even if he did show up to take you away from me." He said.
"Take me away from you?" She asked him. He smirked, something she hardly saw. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means I don't plan on letting you go anytime soon." He said. "Believe it or not, I've been waiting on this for quite some time."
"You've wanted to go out with me for some time now?" She asked, blushing slightly. He nodded.
"Of course, Chastity. I have no idea how you have not noticed it. Over the past year I got over the idea of hiding it. It was not like you could see it." He said.
"Oh," She said. "I guess I am just oblivious."
"It's alright, Chas. I know how you are. That's why I like you." He said. "I've gotten to know you. I know what you like to do, to eat, what you look good in. I know you like I know the back of my hand. That's why I like you as much as I do."
"You are just too kind." She said, smiling shyly and blushing. He had never said anything like that to her before. She didn't know what to say.
"Chas, I don't expect you to know what you should say. Neither of us has been in a relationship before. We are both new to this." He said.
"Did I say that out loud?" She asked. Helix laughed slightly.
"No, you didn't. I told you, because we've grown up together and have been best-friends, I know you better than most people. I can read you." He said. She laughed slightly.
"I forget, you know me better than I know myself." She said.
"Is that a bad thing?" He asked. She shook her head.
"No, it's a perfect thing." She answered, clutching the box that held her necklace close.
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Chastity smile at the Queen the next morning. As soon as Chastity had woken up, Queen Lucy had called her into the Ladies' Room. It was part of the queen's quarters and was used when her friends came to visit her. It was here that the Queen would have her tea, paint, or anything of that sort.
"So, what did my son get you for your birthday? He refused to let us know." She told Chastity. She smiled.
"He got me this." She said, raising her necklace up to be seen. The Queen gasped.
"It's absolutely gorgeous!" She exclaimed. "You adore it, don't you?"
"Yes, I do. He knows me better than anyone, even better than I know myself." She said. The Queen gave her a once over.
"Sweetie, why are you wearing that dress?" The Queen asked. Chastity blushed and looked down. "It looks amazing, but I thought you said you weren't sure about wearing it?"
"I decided to give it a try." She said.
Chastity hadn't been so sure about wearing it when she first saw it. It was a little much, she had thought. The rhinestones, the embroidery. She wasn't sure it would look good on her.
"Well, you look amazing, sweetie. So, since we have guests coming, are you going to move back into the crown princess quarters?" She asked. "Or has my son bothered to move you out?"
"He never helped move me back into my room. I didn't know you told him to." She said.
"We didn't tell him to, we asked him to ask you if you wanted to. Seems my son didn't want you moving away from him."
"It seems like he didn't." Chastity told her. The Queen smiled brightly.
"Well, why don't you go see my son? A king and his family are coming for a visit so tonight will be busy. I believe it's best if you and my son spend some extra time together now. There is a good chance you won't have any time later on." She said. Chastity nodded, smiling softly to show her thanks.
"Thank you," She said.
"It's not a problem."
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Chastity couldn't help but laugh. It seemed he always was able to make her laugh. He knew what she loved, what she didn't. He knew her.
"So, did you wear the dress because I told you I liked it?" Helix asked her. Chastity blushed.
"That is not the only reason!" She exclaimed. Helix laughed.
"So you aren't going to deny that it is part of the reason?" He asked. She shook her head. There was no denying it.
"What is the point of hiding it?" She asked. "You are bound to find out sooner or later. Why not just admit it?"
"What is the other reason?" He asked.
"It's not the council or a duke and their family. It's a king and a queen, Helix. I need to look like I belong here around them." She said. He nodded.
"I understand, Chas. I get that you want to show them you belong, but I want you to know that I don't think you need to have the fancy dresses to belong here." He said. Tears filled Chastity's eyes filled with tears. "Hey I didn't mean to make you cry."
"I'm not upset," She said. "It just means the world to me to hear you say that."
"You are a princess, my princess; no matter what you wear Chas." He said. Chastity smiled. He always knew what to say to her.
"Thank you," She said. "I forget sometimes that it doesn't matter to you what I am."
"No, it doesn't. I'll spend my whole life making you remember that." He said, bringing her closer to him. She gladly welcomed his warmth surrounding her. She just couldn't resist it. "I really do like that dress though. It fits you."
"What do you mean?" She asked. He smiled ever so softly at her. That smile melted her heart, she loved it so.
"I mean, while you believe with all your heart that you could never be a princess or a queen, it suits you. You look like you belong on a throne when you wear those dresses. Like you've grown into this woman that could command the world. The dresses don't make you, Chastity, but they certainly do look like you belong in them." He told her.
"You mean I look like I was born to be a princess?" She asked him. He nodded.
"You do. You look like you should have grown up with a tiara on your head and servants catering to your every wish. It's like you're some princess in disguise." He answered. That bothered her.
"I do not believe that." She said. "But, there's no point in arguing with you. I never win it seems." She wanted to make light of the situation now.
"Well, you do win; I just never let you know that. I wasn't supposed to give into you." He said in a teasing voice. "I was only supposed to give into my princess. Now that I have her, I can give in."
"Oh, so now I can get whatever my heart desires?" She asked him teasingly. That seemed to bring out his serious side again.
"Of course you can have whatever you wish." he said, whispering it in her ear. She shivered at the feel of his breath on the back of her neck. She had not, as of yet, gotten used to him being so close. "You deserve much more than that, but I will try my hardest to make every wish of yours come true."
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Chastity couldn't sleep that night. There happened to be an abundance of things floating around in her head that made it impossible to rest.
"You can come into my room at any time, Chastity." Helix had told her earlier. He had learned of her sleeping patterns and was worried she was not getting enough sleep. "I don't mind. I just want you to be able to sleep."
So, she got up and walked to the door that combined their rooms. Taking a deep breath she opened the door.
"I was starting to wonder if you would stay in there all night." He told her quietly. He was in his bed looking her way. She blushed.
She looked down at her hands that were clutched around one another. That's when she remembered what she was wearing. It was a short, thin nightgown that was nearly translucent. She started to grow nervous then, as it was improper for her to be dressed like this around a man she was not wed to.
"Chastity, I've seen you in a nightgown before. It will be alright." He said. She could feel her blush grow hotter and larger. She had forgotten about before.
"Do you mind if I lie with you?" She asked. She could just barely see his heart melting smile.
"Of course you can lie with me." He said in a voice she had never heard him use before. She made her way across the room to his bed.
"Thank you," She said as she crawled into bed. She was facing him.
"You're welcome." He said, moving his arm underneath her. "Besides, I like having you close to me."
She rested her head on his chest and moved closer. She could feel his arm that was under her move until his hand was playing with her hair. His other hand came around her to rest on her waist as hers clutched tightly at the shirt he wore. It didn't take long for her to fall into a deep sleep.
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"They look adorable," Chastity heard a slightly muffled woman's voice say. She didn't bother opening her eyes as she was still exhausted from barely sleeping here lately. She just wanted to sleep for a little while longer.
"They may, but they also broke rules. They are not supposed to sleep in the same room, let alone in the same bed." She heard a male's voice say this time.
"Darling, she has barely slept here lately. If she needs him to be able to sleep then so be it. They have not done anything wrong. They are still fully clothed. She just needed him near her. I did the same thing, remember. We were not supposed to sleep in the same bed until after you became king. That did not happen. I couldn't sleep without you near so we slept together. I can promise you that was what happened last night." The woman said. Chastity smiled slightly.
"Alright, but they need to be woken up." he said.
"No, let them sleep. They both need it." She said. The man sighed.
"Alright, we will let them sleep."
Chastity fell back into sleep after that.
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"Good morning, Princess." Helix told her, leaning down to give her a sweet kiss. She smiled up at him.
"Good morning to you to, Prince." She said, kissing him back. He smiled back at her.
"You know, I could get used to this." He said.
"Get used to what?" She asked, cuddling into him even more.
"Waking up with you." He answered. She could feel herself blush.
"Chastity, Helix, it's time for the two of you to wake up." They heard his mother say before opening the door. "Oh, you two are awake. I'm glad. Did you both sleep well?"
"Yes, we certainly did." Helix said, a smile on his face.
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"Helix, they are here!" His mother exclaimed later that day. "Where is Chastity?"
"She's in the library." He told his mother. "Want me to fetch her?"
"Please," She said. "I want her by your side when they enter. They need to see the woman you plan on making the crown princess."
"While I want her there as well, I don't understand why you're so adamant on it. I've asked her and she rather not be there right away." He said. His mother shook her head.
"They have a daughter, Helix, which they are trying to marry off to a prince. She isn't to be crowned, so they want to marry her off to a crown prince. While they are welcome here, I rather Chastity and yourself not be bothered by them trying to convince you to marry their daughter." She explained. He nodded; a smile on his face.
"Alright, I'll go fetch Chastity." He said; walking out of the room. When he turned he saw Chastity walking towards him. "Chastity, come welcome the royal family with us." He told her.
"Why do I need to come welcome them with you all?" She asked, looking nervous.
"I asked my mother, as she is adamant about you being there. She said they have another child, a daughter, which they are trying to marry off to a crown prince. She wants them to meet you so that they will not cause us any problems." He answered. She nodded in understanding.
"Well, I guess I will join you then." She said, smiling softly.
They walked with his mother to the front entryway. There, they saw the carriage that had brought the royal family. Helix heard Chastity suck in a breath.
"Hey, I'm right beside you. Nothing bad is going to happen." He told her, trying to calm her down. He hated her being upset or nervous.
"Helix, I'm not ready for this. I could barely handle meeting the council members. I doubt that this meeting will go well." She said. He could hear the nerves in her voice. He looked at her and what he saw nearly broke him.
She was almost in tears.
"It will be just fine," He said, pulling her close. He could feel her take shaky breaths, but nothing seemed to calm her.
"What's the matter Helix?" His father asked him quietly, so even Chastity couldn't hear. He sighed.
"Sweetie, come here," His mother said, pulling Chastity aside and away from him. Helix turned to answer his father.
"She's a nervous wreck, Father. She's nearly in tears and can hardly breathe properly." He answered. "She cannot handle this meeting right now. I shouldn't have pushed her into doing this."
"You weren't the only one that made her come out here." He said and then sighed. "Take her inside. She doesn't need to be here and neither do you. The King and his family will understand once everything is explained."
"Thank you."
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"Thank you for staying with me," Chastity told Helix later on. He smiled softly.
"I don't mind, Chas. I want you to be happy, not upset. I upset you by dragging you out to meet them when you weren't ready. That's not your fault. The both of us will meet them tonight at dinner. Until then, we can do whatever your little heart desires." He said. His words made her melt. She liked that he wanted to please her. Even after all the years of being in the castle, it still shocked her sometimes to have people that cared to greatly about her.
"I'm sorry for making such a scene. I didn't mean to, but I just, I just paniced." Chastity told him. He shook his head.
"Chastity, we shouldn't have forced you. You weren't ready to meet them. It's our fault for forcing you." He told her. "I knew you weren't ready, but I went ahead and made you come out there. I'm the one that should be sorry."
"It's alright," She told him, curling into him even more. "I understand your mother's reasoning for wanting me there. I just am still not used to being around really anyone but you and your family. I was terrified at the idea of meeting anyone for the longest time, and while that has eased some, I'm still scared to. I don't understand why, so instead of being nervous, I end up being terrified for some unknown reason."
"I hope you'll forgive me. I couldn't live with you being upset with me. That thought bothers me." Helix said. Chastity pulled away from him and smiled softly.
"I'm not upset with you, Helix. You should know that. You've done more for me than anyone. That's why I know you're only trying to do what you think is right and follow rules. I trust you, no matter what." She told him. He smiled down at her, bringing her lips to his own. His soft kiss made all her nerves and fears melt away. He was all she knew at that moment.
Pulling away, he gave her a heart-stopping smile. "Know that I'm always here for you, no matter what." He told her, bring her close to him again.
"I know." She said, resting her head on his chest. She could hear the steady beat of his heart. She loved that sound. That sound was what brought calm and peace during the times of nightmares and fears. That sound was what she longed to hear when she couldn't sleep.
Helix was her everything. She couldn't live without him. He was her rock.
Just like she was his.