Chapter 9: A refreshing Bath
Cassia’s POV:
When King Derek left the bedroom, I was left standing there and I honestly had not eaten anything since I had gotten here…. I had no idea how long I have been here and I looked at my body and looks like nothing was done, I was still clothed so nothing to worry about there….I said relieved within myself as I sighed in relief.
I looked around at my surroundings once King Derek left the room…. I can’t believe it… I am engaged to the Shadow King…. The King who had been enemy of my country since I can remember…. Father would tell me the stories as a child that the shadow kingdom pillaged our kingdom for centuries and took off precious metals and took women and children from our Kingdom when they ransacked it over the centuries and they were a constant threat of my Kingdom ever since I was born…. My father told me not to have anything to do with the Shadow Kingdom growing up, but now I have no choice because my own council want me dead….. I can’t believe it, I am both shocked and horrified that they want me dead… my own councillors…. What for…. Why… I mean I am the rightful heir to the throne. It took the enemy of my country to take me in as a refugee and…The fact that an enemy is showing me more kindness than my own council…. And… the Shadow King….now marriage partner… what will…. My Kingdom think of me for doing such a thing…. Would they still accept me as their queen or even disband me from the throne all together… if that happens… what will become of me then…. Am I really doing the right thing here by marrying the shadow king….. we don’t love each other nor do we have feelings of mutual affection to one another, he is completely indifferent and…. somehow…. Different….. I mean I met potential marriage candidates who just wanted the throne before I went to battle over a month ago, but this one… he seems honest somehow…. Maybe I am just over thinking things… All this thinking is making me anxious…. Honestly I would not mind a hot bath…. When all of the sudden, one of the King’s servants opened the door as I was thinking deep in thought which made me jump.
“Oh!” I grasped as I covered myself with the King’s robe, out of all things to grab I grabbed the closest thing to me which belonged to the King himself. When the male servant looked at me, he glanced at the King’s robe…. For sure he probably thinks that me and the King has done something intimate but it is nothing like that.
That would be completely embarrassing to explain this to the servant. He cleared his throat, “good evening miss. My name is Lucius. I am his Majesty’s personal Servant. He has instructed me to assist you with what ever you need for your stay here. If there is anything you need or require miss, please do let me know and I will be of assistance to you to the best of my capabilities, young miss.” Lucious bowed to me. He looked like he was around in his early twenties and he was tall fair and handsome with dark black short hair and brown eyes. He looked like a humble person by nature.
“Uhhh sure…..” I said. I am not sure if he knows I am a princess, or he probably thinks I am one of the King’s many lovers of some sort. “Actually…. I do have one request, I hope that the King’s servant would help me with this that is” I said to him formally. He looked at me for a moment, he probably thinks only royalty speaks like this, but Derek did mention to me to keep my identity a secret while I am here…. I am sure due to obvious reasons he doesn’t want me to disclose my identity to these people….. but I will just tell them my name and not mention anything of me being a princess, who would know? I thought to myself…. Me… the future queen of Aspire.
“Anything, young miss” Lucious asked me.
“I would…. Like a refreshing bath…. Is there somewhere I could perhaps wash and freshen up?” I asked Lucious.
He looked up at me, “Yes ma’am, come with me this way and I will arrange for some fresh clothes to be arranged for you” he said to me as he lead the way to the palace baths. He led me through the palace to the palace gardens behind the palace which has stone walls around about the garden with pink cherry blossom trees and natural hot springs. Being the late afternoon early evening, there was candle light all around the place, looked like a perfect romantic night with someone to be honest but these palace hotsprings were the best thing after a long couple of days.
The sun had begun to set…. Turning from a bright orange turning to a pink mixed with orange evening sunset into light evening. The breeze was so calming but not too cold. The hot springs around about me were almost crystal clear with natural steam forming above them, they must be on some volcanic rock face for them to be this naturally hot and warm. The palace garden is surrounded by a stone wall that we can’t see out on the sides but we can look into the clear starry sky above us… but from the stone wall leading behind the palace, we could see the sun set and the colours of the sky change….
The atmosphere here is light and refreshing around me. The servant lead me to a place where I could put my belongings on the wooden seat that could fit at least five people. Makes me think just how many lovers did the King really bring here at some stage…. But then again I am in no place to say at the moment… “Thank you….” I bowed to the servant softly. Although I am a princess, I will be humble because the King and his servants have been kind to me ever since I got here.