Chapter 6

Emerald woke up early the next morning to discover King Robert was gone. This left her feeling cold and hollow inside, but she scolded herself for feeling that way. Though last night it seemed that she meant the world to him, she couldn't delude herself into thinking that he really felt that way about her, but a part of her wanted to believe that he did.

She didn't regret what they had done. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced and she was sure she would never experience something so beautiful ever again, even if she lived long enough to get that chance. She was sure no other man could give her what Robert had. He really had given her the 'Greatest Gift'.

She got out of bed, pulling Robert's shirt back on. It had ended up on the floor at some point in the night. Going into the sitting room she saw a breakfast tray there. Only then realizing how starving she was, having not eaten since yesterday morning. As she reached for the bread she saw the note from King Robert.

I'll be back by noon.

Seeing that note somehow made Emerald feel better. Though she was anxious to see him again, she was afraid of how he'd react to her now. Maybe he just wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. She told herself again that it didn't matter, but she didn't really believe that.

When she had finished her breakfast and was contemplating what to do until Robert's return. She heard a thump from the bedroom. Cautiously she peered around the doorway to see what it was. To her shock a woman who looked in her late twenties, early thirties was sitting in Robert's bed. She was tall and beautiful with long blonde hair, bright blue eyes and full pouting lips. The tight bodice and scandalously low cut of her dress revealed her generous breasts.

Emerald gaped at her until the woman asked, "Who are you?"

Emerald closed her mouth, but ignored her question and asked, "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Through the window and I'm doing the same thing you are by the looks of it. But I got here first so you can try your luck another day."

"What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean, what am I talking about? We're obviously both here for the same reason, to try and seduce King Robert. He has a different woman almost every night, trying to find the one who can and will satisfy his every hunger, his every desire. So far he has not been successful. I'm sure I might be able to put a stop to his endless searching." The woman then looked Emerald up and down and shook her head in pity.

Emerald was stung at what this revelation meant. The rumours were true. She had started to believe that King Robert wasn't so uncaring about women, but to him she was just another cross off his list. One of the hundreds of experiments, if that. How could she think that Robert could be attracted to her. Though it had seemed that he had been last night, with his experience he could make her believe anything. Emerald was nothing compared to this other girl. She was short, plain, and had no experience. It was a wonder he would even take the time to put up with that.

"Listen girly," said the other woman. "You got guts," she nodded towards her, indicating the fact that all she wore was Robert's shirt. "But I think you should maybe wait ten years, then try again, if tonight doesn't put an end to his search, that is," she laughed.

Emerald's cheeks burned with anger and pain at being referred to as a child, but she was more mad at herself for falling into this mess. Angry she blurted out, "I'll have you know that I've already seduced King Robert and he seemed pretty satisfied to me. With that she grabbed her clothes from the chair by the bedroom door and ran out of the room.

Emerald hastily threw on her clothes then blindly dashed out of the castle. She didn't stop running until she was far from the town and she collapsed under a tree. She cried out in frustration, at the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Why?" she asked herself. "Why did I think he cared about me? I have to leave here." She was sure she would be able to sneak back across the border. They needed her back home. She had to free her parents. It may already be to late.

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King Robert returned to his bedchambers. "Emerald - ?" He stopped abruptly when he saw that Emerald wasn't the one in his bed waiting for him.

"Hi," the woman said in a husky voice, leaning forward so that he got a pretty good view of her breasts. She might have enticed him at one time, but not now. Now she just looked cheap. She had no mystery about her at all. What you saw was all there was. Immediately he thought of Emerald. To him she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He found that he wanted to know everything about her. About her life, her childhood, her family, but realizing he knew very little. He had never felt the way he did when he was around her with anyone else before.

"What happened to the girl who was here?" he asked, suddenly angry.

"That little baby?" she said disgustedly, angry at that girl for saying she had slept with King Robert. She couldn't believe he'd waste his time with her, but from the tone of his voice she began to wonder.

"What happened to her. You'd better answer or you'll find yourself rotting in the dungeon. You're lucky I don't send you there for breaking into my chambers."

The woman's mouth dropped open and she paled visibly. "I don't know. She just ran out of the room."

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me," King Robert snapped.

The woman jumped. "I - I just said why I was here and that I assumed she was here for the same reason. I . . ." she hesitated, but knew she would have to tell it all. "I said she should come back when she was older. She just ran out of here."

King Robert's eyes lit with a blue-white fire. "Get out of here now!" The woman scrambled out of the bed and ran from the room. Robert cursed, then went to search the castle for Emerald.

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In town a man was asking around for a girl who fit Emerald's description, so far with no luck. Really, had no one seen her or had they been scared into silence, or maybe King Robert was keeping her close by his side. King Robert had been foolish to allow her to come to the meeting though, or maybe he didn't even know she was in Evermore at all.

Just then a woman ran into him, knocking him to the ground. "What the hell -?"

"Sorry," the woman said. She had been running from the direction of the castle.

"Just a moment. Have you seen a short girl with brown hair and green eyes.

The girl in King Robert's chambers fit that description. "Are you asking for King Robert?"

The man caught the contempt in the woman's voice. He had a feeling she did not like Emerald and he could use that to his advantage. "Actually she's in trouble with the law."

"Oh, really?" She smiled.

"Yes, and you say King Robert is looking for her?"

"Yes. She was in his rooms, but ran out. I think that King Robert actually has a thing for that little brat."

"Really? Any idea where she went?"

"No. Sorry I can't help more." She smiled apologetically, noticing his rugged good looks. He had short dark hair and cold dark eyes that heated on her. That was the way it was supposed to be. Men were supposed to recognize her beauty and not be able to resist it.

The man watched her breasts, which heaved from her mad dash from the castle. Another time he would have taken her in a flash, but if he didn't get Emerald, King Darius would kill him, and he didn't mean figuratively. "That's quiet all right. Unfortunately, I have a job to do or I would love to stay and talk with you some more."

From the way he said 'talk' she knew that that wasn't what he'd meant at all, but that was perfectly fine with her. "That's too bad. Oh well, some other time then."

"Definitely." With that he left before he could change his mind.

Finally he came across some villagers who admitted to having seen the girl dash out of town in a south-westerly direction. He followed that direction until he saw her sitting under a tree with her back to him.

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King Robert had finished searching the castle, but hadn't found Emerald anywhere. He was afraid to draw attention to her by asking around, but she could be in far more trouble if King Darius had spies and they had seen her. Leaving the castle he got Lightening from the stables and quickly mounting, bareback again, he searched through the town.

He began asking villagers and it was soon revealed that a man had been looking for her too. From his description, he had a feeling it was one of King Darius's guards, who had been at the meeting. If this were true, King Darius knew she was here and had sent someone to collect her. He was sure King Darius wouldn't just kill Emerald. He'd have something far more cynical in store.

King Robert urged Lightning on in the direction both Emerald and the man were said to have gone.