Chapter 17:
"I must go." The pair of dark brown eyes held a shine of pure happiness. She had never felt more...loved.
"Now? But the sun has not come up to allow me the pleasure of looking upon your beautiful face." She lowered her eyes shyly as he raised her chin to meet his eyes. She would never get used to his comments. He treated her with a tenderness she'd only dreamed of. His soft voice against her ear, and his delicate kisses against her jaw line were reinforcing her second option, to simply stay and forget any consequences.
"If they find me, they will murder me."
"I cannot see them finding you, for it is not even light out and the King's chambers are off limits until the late morning." His eyes held a playfulness that reminded her so much of their youth and of the passion they'd always held for each other.
"If I leave now, then it will be ever sooner when I will find myself in your arms again."
"If you don't leave at all, we would not have to wait." She smiled at him, her eyebrows raised as if laughing at a persistant child. He laughed out loud, a rich, deep laugh that made her body tingle. The sound of sheer happiness that radiated from him sent her into a different reality. It was not possible that she was there. That they had been married and had enjoyed a honeymoon. That he looked at her so passionately, desire obvious in his body language, all because of her, a servant girl.
"I love you." It was so random, and yet his timing was perfect. Her expression grew serious as she saw him prop himself up on his elbow to look down at her on the bed. She held the sheets up to her shoulders, but he was lying before her, his chest chiseled and muscular in all its glory. He reached his spare hand over to her and placed her loose hair behind her ear to see her face clearly. He loved her face. It held so much promise, safety, comfort, and love. Her eyes looked at him in a way he never thought anyone would look at him. He leaned in closer and kissed her lips softly to reinforce his words.
"And I love you..." She whispered to him and kissed him again, the taste of him now seeming familiar and desirable to her senses. "And yet I must leave you." She turned to get up and suddenly she found herself face to face with honey colored eyes. He had grabbed her waist and dragged her so that she was directly next to him, their eyes now looking into each other, neither wanting to back down.
"I cannot bear to wake up without your warmth beside me." He had this way with words that made her stomach flutter. The butterflies just didn't seem to go away and she felt like a school girl.
"It is the strong desire to be near you that will allow me to finish my chores quickly, in order to catch even a glimpse of his royal highness."
"You need to learn to call me Zan."
"Ok... Zan." She smiled, that sweet and vivrant smile he loved so much about her and finally she stood up, blanket wrapped around her small frame as she made her way to the bathing room. He watched her leave and sighed loudly as he dropped his head on his pillow. He closed his eyes as images of her face filled his mind, his senses suddenly alive, memories of her touch flooding his system. God, he loved her. When he reopened his eyes, she stood before him, a simple maid's dress on. Even with that, a glow seemed to be radiating from her. She held a look in her eyes and she quickly hid it as she saw his eyes fly open.
"What is it?" He looked up at her, unsure, and she leaned down to kiss him quickly, but softly on the lips. She pulled away and he looked into her sad eyes. "Elena?"
"I fear that this may not work out for us." Suddenly, his face changed and he sat up. She sat next to him on the bed and played nervously with the hunter green silk sheets.
"There is nothing that could keep us apart."
"Except our entire system."
"Love is blind... it sees nothing but the emotions of the heart."
"If anyone were to find out... things could go very, very wrong."
"I would not let anyone lay a hand on you."
"It is not that, that I am afraid of." She looked down and then she looked back up into his eyes. He was so concerned, the look on his face serious and comforting. He knew she loved him as much as he loved her, but he would not have regrets or doubts about their perfect union the night after their wedding.
"Then what is it, my love?"
"I am afraid of being deprived of seeing you again. Touching you, kissing you. Speaking with you, and understanding you without a word. I am afraid of losing all that I hold dear in this meaningless life of mine. If I lose you..."
"Shh... speak no more of this. You cannot lose a person who's soul is tied with your own and who's heart is in your hand. It is simply impossible." He kissed her softly again and she got up to walk out. As she reached the doors she looked back one more time and smiled, the look of her King at that early hour of the morning made her want to giggle with contentment. She closed the door behind her and quietly tiptoed down the hallway. She went to turn into the ballroom when she felt a strong hand grab hold of her wrist and place a hand over her mouth.
"We have to get out of here now. Don't scream." Elena turned to see Mayala, a terrified look in her eyes, demanding that they leave.
"Maya... what are you...?"
"Sh!! They can hear us!" Mayala was trembling now, a fear was in her eyes that Elena had never seen before, a look that purely screamed tht something was wrong. She ran after her friend down the ballroom floor and into the open air of the morning. The light of the sun was just beginning to appear over the horizon and Elena was enjoying the scent of the morning dew, if Mayala would just slow down and calm herself. They reached the front door of the cabin and suddenly the door flew open as Alakiah held out three suitcases and closed the door behind him.
"WHAT is going on?!?" Elena felt her head begin to spin and was frustrated with her friends for their strange behavior.
"Ask questions later Ellie... we must go!" Alakiah picked up the bags and looked ahead and suddenly his face dropped. Mayala recognized his expression too clearly as she and Elena turned to see what he was staring at. In front of them stood a beautiful blonde, her eyes icy and cold, two huge men beside her.
"And where did you think you were going?" There was a mock in her voice and Elena felt a sense of familiarity. She had seen her before... but where?
"Grab them." The two men grabbed the three of them with a small fight, and soon they found themselves tied up inside of a royal transporter.
"What could you possibly want with us? We are simply servants." Alakiah tried to reason with the woman, figuring that if she was as smart as she was beautiful, she would rethink the situation. She looked at them and for a second there was a strange expression in her eyes. It was something along the lines of pain and regret. Just as quickly it was gone, replaced again with the icy stare.
"My orders are to kill you, for treason against the Antarian government."
"WHAT!?" Alakiah could not believe what she was saying... she wasn't even an Antarian, why would she care?
"And you... you are to be kept alive for intense questioning and then... imprisoned. Permanently." Her eyes held a look that frightened them as she spoke in particular to Elena. Suddenly, she had an image in her mind, and she remembered. She had seen this woman at the ball the first night. She had been with Zan... all over Zan actually.
"Whatever I have done to offend you milady, I am sure it can be undone." Her head spun around and her eyes seemed to hold a death threat for Elena.
"You turned his heart against me. There is no way that can be undone. Now I must play by my own rules... and unfortunately, my rules are not always fair." Mayala gasped loudly and both Alakiah and Elena couldn't help but look at her terrified expression. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. Alakiah tried to calm her down but to no avail.
"Mayala...?" She turned to look at Elena, tears suddenly in her eyes.
"It has begun." Her voice was trembling and Elena was beginning to feel her stomach rise to her throat.
"What has begun?" She tried to meet eyes with her friend and when she finally did, she wished she hadn't. The angst in her stare was enough to kill a person. She shed a tear and then looked at Elena head on.
"The fall...."
"I must go." The pair of dark brown eyes held a shine of pure happiness. She had never felt more...loved.
"Now? But the sun has not come up to allow me the pleasure of looking upon your beautiful face." She lowered her eyes shyly as he raised her chin to meet his eyes. She would never get used to his comments. He treated her with a tenderness she'd only dreamed of. His soft voice against her ear, and his delicate kisses against her jaw line were reinforcing her second option, to simply stay and forget any consequences.
"If they find me, they will murder me."
"I cannot see them finding you, for it is not even light out and the King's chambers are off limits until the late morning." His eyes held a playfulness that reminded her so much of their youth and of the passion they'd always held for each other.
"If I leave now, then it will be ever sooner when I will find myself in your arms again."
"If you don't leave at all, we would not have to wait." She smiled at him, her eyebrows raised as if laughing at a persistant child. He laughed out loud, a rich, deep laugh that made her body tingle. The sound of sheer happiness that radiated from him sent her into a different reality. It was not possible that she was there. That they had been married and had enjoyed a honeymoon. That he looked at her so passionately, desire obvious in his body language, all because of her, a servant girl.
"I love you." It was so random, and yet his timing was perfect. Her expression grew serious as she saw him prop himself up on his elbow to look down at her on the bed. She held the sheets up to her shoulders, but he was lying before her, his chest chiseled and muscular in all its glory. He reached his spare hand over to her and placed her loose hair behind her ear to see her face clearly. He loved her face. It held so much promise, safety, comfort, and love. Her eyes looked at him in a way he never thought anyone would look at him. He leaned in closer and kissed her lips softly to reinforce his words.
"And I love you..." She whispered to him and kissed him again, the taste of him now seeming familiar and desirable to her senses. "And yet I must leave you." She turned to get up and suddenly she found herself face to face with honey colored eyes. He had grabbed her waist and dragged her so that she was directly next to him, their eyes now looking into each other, neither wanting to back down.
"I cannot bear to wake up without your warmth beside me." He had this way with words that made her stomach flutter. The butterflies just didn't seem to go away and she felt like a school girl.
"It is the strong desire to be near you that will allow me to finish my chores quickly, in order to catch even a glimpse of his royal highness."
"You need to learn to call me Zan."
"Ok... Zan." She smiled, that sweet and vivrant smile he loved so much about her and finally she stood up, blanket wrapped around her small frame as she made her way to the bathing room. He watched her leave and sighed loudly as he dropped his head on his pillow. He closed his eyes as images of her face filled his mind, his senses suddenly alive, memories of her touch flooding his system. God, he loved her. When he reopened his eyes, she stood before him, a simple maid's dress on. Even with that, a glow seemed to be radiating from her. She held a look in her eyes and she quickly hid it as she saw his eyes fly open.
"What is it?" He looked up at her, unsure, and she leaned down to kiss him quickly, but softly on the lips. She pulled away and he looked into her sad eyes. "Elena?"
"I fear that this may not work out for us." Suddenly, his face changed and he sat up. She sat next to him on the bed and played nervously with the hunter green silk sheets.
"There is nothing that could keep us apart."
"Except our entire system."
"Love is blind... it sees nothing but the emotions of the heart."
"If anyone were to find out... things could go very, very wrong."
"I would not let anyone lay a hand on you."
"It is not that, that I am afraid of." She looked down and then she looked back up into his eyes. He was so concerned, the look on his face serious and comforting. He knew she loved him as much as he loved her, but he would not have regrets or doubts about their perfect union the night after their wedding.
"Then what is it, my love?"
"I am afraid of being deprived of seeing you again. Touching you, kissing you. Speaking with you, and understanding you without a word. I am afraid of losing all that I hold dear in this meaningless life of mine. If I lose you..."
"Shh... speak no more of this. You cannot lose a person who's soul is tied with your own and who's heart is in your hand. It is simply impossible." He kissed her softly again and she got up to walk out. As she reached the doors she looked back one more time and smiled, the look of her King at that early hour of the morning made her want to giggle with contentment. She closed the door behind her and quietly tiptoed down the hallway. She went to turn into the ballroom when she felt a strong hand grab hold of her wrist and place a hand over her mouth.
"We have to get out of here now. Don't scream." Elena turned to see Mayala, a terrified look in her eyes, demanding that they leave.
"Maya... what are you...?"
"Sh!! They can hear us!" Mayala was trembling now, a fear was in her eyes that Elena had never seen before, a look that purely screamed tht something was wrong. She ran after her friend down the ballroom floor and into the open air of the morning. The light of the sun was just beginning to appear over the horizon and Elena was enjoying the scent of the morning dew, if Mayala would just slow down and calm herself. They reached the front door of the cabin and suddenly the door flew open as Alakiah held out three suitcases and closed the door behind him.
"WHAT is going on?!?" Elena felt her head begin to spin and was frustrated with her friends for their strange behavior.
"Ask questions later Ellie... we must go!" Alakiah picked up the bags and looked ahead and suddenly his face dropped. Mayala recognized his expression too clearly as she and Elena turned to see what he was staring at. In front of them stood a beautiful blonde, her eyes icy and cold, two huge men beside her.
"And where did you think you were going?" There was a mock in her voice and Elena felt a sense of familiarity. She had seen her before... but where?
"Grab them." The two men grabbed the three of them with a small fight, and soon they found themselves tied up inside of a royal transporter.
"What could you possibly want with us? We are simply servants." Alakiah tried to reason with the woman, figuring that if she was as smart as she was beautiful, she would rethink the situation. She looked at them and for a second there was a strange expression in her eyes. It was something along the lines of pain and regret. Just as quickly it was gone, replaced again with the icy stare.
"My orders are to kill you, for treason against the Antarian government."
"WHAT!?" Alakiah could not believe what she was saying... she wasn't even an Antarian, why would she care?
"And you... you are to be kept alive for intense questioning and then... imprisoned. Permanently." Her eyes held a look that frightened them as she spoke in particular to Elena. Suddenly, she had an image in her mind, and she remembered. She had seen this woman at the ball the first night. She had been with Zan... all over Zan actually.
"Whatever I have done to offend you milady, I am sure it can be undone." Her head spun around and her eyes seemed to hold a death threat for Elena.
"You turned his heart against me. There is no way that can be undone. Now I must play by my own rules... and unfortunately, my rules are not always fair." Mayala gasped loudly and both Alakiah and Elena couldn't help but look at her terrified expression. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. Alakiah tried to calm her down but to no avail.
"Mayala...?" She turned to look at Elena, tears suddenly in her eyes.
"It has begun." Her voice was trembling and Elena was beginning to feel her stomach rise to her throat.
"What has begun?" She tried to meet eyes with her friend and when she finally did, she wished she hadn't. The angst in her stare was enough to kill a person. She shed a tear and then looked at Elena head on.
"The fall...."
