Chapter 9

A shiver went through down my spine, and my hands started sweating.

Did he just invite me in and close the door? And be alone, just the two of us?

But how do I always manage to get in trouble?

I didn't want to go inside. I didn't want to be alone with him. I felt trapped. But I had to do what he asked me to do. After all, for him, I was just a maid. And the maids do that. They obey.

My heart started pounding as I closed the door, and I turned to look at him.

His eyes were fixed on me, looking at me, in the same way he looked at me the first time we met. I felt the same pinning down, as he was sending me the same magnetism all over my body. He got up from his chair, and suddenly the space was filled with his presence.

I felt the space shrinking, and the air lessened in my lungs.

The chair creaked as he pushed it back and moved, leaving his seat behind the desk empty. His footsteps echoed in my ears as he approached me in slow steps. I remained stuck in my place. I couldn't take a step. It was impossible for me because my legs began to tremble.

I remembered the workers' words about their Captain, and with difficulty, I managed to take my eyes off his, lowering my head on the floor.

He reached next to me, throwing his shadow at me.

"Why are you looking for the kitchen?" he asked me with his hoarse voice.

"I need water. I want it for my Lady. She is thirsty. I am thirsty too. Our flasks were empty."

"I told you to look at me when you talk to me," he said somewhat impatiently, adjusting his fingertips under my chin and raising my head to look at him intently.

"You can speak now." He told me in a soft voice. Velvet. Combined with his hoarseness, it was the most tempting thing I had ever heard in my life. His breath was hot, it hit me in the face, and the pungent smell of alcohol reached my nostrils, making me shiver.

"I need water for Lady Brielle but also for me. We are thirsty. Our flasks are empty "I repeated what I wanted with my heart racing in my chest. I was listening to its echo in my head. While I was talking, his gaze fell on my lips several times. His lips were well-formed and juicy. They looked so soft and, unfortunately for me, so attractive.

I pinched my hip to save myself from my thoughts, and the sharp pain I felt really helped me.

A scream of pain was about to escape from my lips, and from a clear reflex, I bit my lower lip to prevent it from coming out.

Seeing this move, the Captain, his jaws tightened, and the pupils of his eyes grew larger.

He jerkily removed his hand from my chin and took a step back, straightening his body.

"The next door you will find is the kitchen," he informed me.

"Okay. Thank you for the information. I can leave now, so you can continue your job," I told him, opening the door. Only a step away from freedom.

With one step, he approached me again. He pushed the door and closed it.

"I didn't give you permission to leave," he stressed.

I felt weak on my knees. "Oh, forgive me, Captain. I thought that… it will not happen again." I assured him.

"I hope so." he said, and his eyes went up to my hair and peered at them.

"So, blonde eh?" he asked, pointing to my head with his gaze. Was he talking about my hair? How did he know about my hair? My eyes wide opened when I remembered that I didn't wear my cap before leaving the room.

A small scream of terror escaped my lips, and I put my hands in my hair.

I felt my face burn, and the Captain smirked.

"You blushed," he remarked. "Why? There is no reason. Your hair is look better like that."

"But the cap covered them," I said, lowering my hands from my head, somewhat relieved. I believed that he would discover the truth at that moment. Fortunately, he didn't show any sign of recognizing my true identity.

"Exactly. We say the same thing." he replied.

"Thank you," I replied, trying to smile but no to vail. I didn't know what else to say to him. I had nothing to say. Only questions that I didn't find wise to ask because they may raise suspicions to him.

I remained motionless in my seat, waiting for him to permit me to leave.

I avoided his gaze as much as possible, looking mainly on the floor.

My lips were dry, and I licked them to moisturize them.

"Okay. Serena. You can leave now. Take the water to your Lady," he told me abruptly and opened the door for me. I went out, and the door closed immediately.

I leaned against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. I brought my hand to my chest to calm down my beating heart.

When I set my mind at rest, I went to the next door. I knocked, but no one answered me. I entered, opening the door that creaked loudly. Alma was there washing some vegetables and fruits. She had already turned her head to the door to see who it was.

"Hi," she said as soon as she saw me and smiled. "Do you need anything?"

"Hi, Alma. Yes. I need some water, please. Is there some?"

"Yes of course."

"Oh, perfect. Is it possible to fill my flasks? Or at least the one, I don't mind. "

"Of course, you can fill your two flasks. Here is the water," she told me, pointing to a fairly large barrel with a wooden tap. I looked at it for a while without knowing how to make it work.

"That's how it works," the girl told me, and she turned the handle a little and put it back in place almost immediately. Some water fell to the floor but didn't seem to bother her.

"Now you can fill your flasks," she told me, returning to her work.

I filled my flasks, thanked her, and left the kitchen.

I went to my room. I hurried my step as I found myself outside the Captain's cabin and finally entered my room safe and sound.

"I brought the water," I announced as cheerfully as I could to Brielle, but I didn't get an answer. I looked at her and found that she had fallen asleep. I sighed in relief and sat down on the chair. I had time to recover from everything I had experienced without having to give any explanation to Brielle. For now, I would keep to myself everything I had heard from the workers and everything that had happened in Captain Carter's cabin.

I drank some water, quenching my thirst. It was cool and delicious. It was the first time I have tasted such nice water.

I sat in the chair, staring into nothing until I felt my eyelids grow heavy. I spread my hand on the table and rested my head on it.

I fell asleep.

***

There were knocks on the door.

"Serena?" I heard a voice say softly.

It was Jimena. Still dizzy from sleep, I went and opened the door.

"Hello, Serena. Oh, forgive me! I woke you up!" she said, looking at me still bleary-eyed.

"No, no. It doesn't matter." I assured her.

"What happens?" I heard Brielle asking, and I turned to look at her. She had woken up and sat up in bed, dizzy from sleep.

"It is Jimena, my Lady," I replied.

"We brought your bed," Jimena told me with a smile.

"Ah nice! Come in, "I said, opening the door wide.

Jimena came in, followed by some men who carried the bed. Basically, the pieces of the bed that would become my bed after fixing.

It took them a few minutes to assemble it, and it was ready! And all mine!

"Good job, men! Now, let's go for Alma's bed!" said the woman in a loud voice. The men came out of the room greeting us, and Jimena followed them, closing the door behind her.

"Thank you!" I said out loud as I ran to the closed door and heard Brielle laughing softly. I looked at her, a little confused. "They left so fast. I didn't even manage to thank them."

"Didn't you thank them now?" she told me, pointing to the closed door with her eyes and a playful smile on her lips.

I sighed. "Sometimes you are impossible!" I told her sulky.

"Oh, come on! I'm teasing you. Why don't you try your new bed?"

I approached and sat on the bed. The mattress - filled with cotton - was at the same time soft and tight enough to support my body well.

"Lie down," Brielle urged me.

"First I would like to lay clean sheets on it."

"I put some sheets in one of our bundles. You can take if you want."

I found the sheets and made the bed under Brielle's watchful eye, which occasionally highlighted my mistakes, and I corrected them stoically.

I had watched her countless times making my bed in the castle, but now it was different actually doing this with my own hands.

When I finished, I took a step back to admire my perfectly made bed.

And then there were knocks on the door. This time no one talked from outside. Who can be?

I turned and looked at Brielle, upset. She nodded, encouraging me to calm down.

After I calmed down, she moved her lips in silence. "Ask, Yes?" she advised me.