Chapter 3 Blood

Aurora

Something wet and warm dripped down from my lips, and I unconsciously swiped at it while still staring at King Raymond in shock. He stared at me for a while, his brows raising in surprise. His eyes then dropped to take in my outfit, then his face turned cold.

"What are you doing here?" His icy voice rang out, drawing me out of my daze. I quickly scrambled to kneel on the cold marble floor, bringing my forehead to do the same- I bowed.

"Gre - Greetings Your Majesty." I stammered out, wracked with fear and nervousness. My show of respect earned me nothing but a tension-filled silence. The silence was so long that I found myself gaining interest in the marble pattern on the floor. An interesting back tile, with white swirls it was. An insistent dull ache came from my lips, and something wet still dripped down from it.

Resisting the urge to wipe my lips again, I tried to make myself smaller, hoping it would ease the glare I felt from the pair of eyes above me. Gosh, I wish this beautiful marble floor would just open up and swallow me.

"I said, what are you doing here?" I heard him say it again.

"Um, I was just cleaning up your chambers, your majesty. I was just - just about to head out." My voice came out frantic. Why couldn't I speak well without stammering, the king probably sees me as an idiot now.

"If I recall, one of the rules given to you servants was to make yourselves invisible. Yet why do I see one scurrying around in my chambers by this time of the day?" His voice grew icer "Perhaps Stella has gone soft."

Oh boy, I've done it now. Madame Stella will definitely get in trouble for this, and the result of it would be several punishments bestowed on me. She'd be sure to make the next two years of my life hell.

"Your majesty, I -" "Raise your head." his voice cut me off.

"Pardon?"

"Do you have a hearing problem or what? I said, raise your head" he repeated again.

Gulping, I slowly raised my head meeting his black leather boots. Damn, he really wears those boots nicely. Suddenly, the said boots in question started walking toward me until they stopped right in front of my face.

One of the boots then stretched out to touch my jaw, lifting my face even more until it met with a pair of hazel eyes. My breath hitched. I knew he was already good-looking from afar, but seeing him this close was blissful.

He had on black leather pants to match his boots, a white shirt threaded with gold embroideries, and then a complimentary white cape hanging from his shoulder. The right side of his hair was slicked backward and the left side was hanging out, making his hair fall above his left eye.

"What is your name?" he asked.

I was beside myself in shock and happiness that the king himself wanted to know my name. No doubt this was so he could report me to madame Stella and see to it that I was punished.

However, the mere fact that my name was something he was curious about made me leap for joy. I don't typically have a crush on this man or anything. It was just simply that I admired him. He was tall, strong, witty - from the way he governed us and most of all good looking as hell.

My sniffing his clothes wasn't because I had a crush on him, it was simply because his perfumed oil smelled really good, not like those cheap ones sold in the taverns. I loved nice smelling things, especially floral and earthy ones. And it seems most royals base their perfume oils on naturally scented themes.

"Are you deaf or is it that you have a speech impediment?" he spat in a venomous tone again. His feet yanked my face even more upward, causing me to wince from the pain that traveled up my lips.

"I do not like slow people".

"My name is Aurora, Your Majesty" I managed to speak through the pain.

"Hm." was all the reaction he gave to my name.

I didn't know what I expected from him, but my initial happiness was starting to fade. His eyes dragged all over my face like he was scrutinizing my facial features, stopping on my lips for seconds long.

He must be staring at the liquid dripping from my lips, and no doubt it was blood. He dropped his foot from my jaw and I immediately lowered my head, feeling extremely self-conscious.

Just then, a voice yelled out from the hallway leading into the room. "Darling!" the smooth voice called out.

Oh shit, I mentally face palmed myself. Only one person could call the king 'Darling' and that means I am going to be in more trouble.