I'm back, sorry for the delay!
Maid for You - Chapter 13
Serena however, despite her head start, had not gotten very far at all. She had quickly become lost in the Twisted Woods and had been wandering aimlessly for hours. Then darkness had fallen, making it even harder to find her way. Now, just to make things even worse, a huge storm was raging. As the thunder rumbled nearby, she screamed. She was terrified of storms, she always had been. The thunder triggered a fear buried so deep she could not name it, she only knew how it made her feel. To be trapped in one now, lost and alone in a dark, strange wood, was more than she could bear. Bursting into fresh tears, she ran. Tears and rain blinded her as she went, branches tore at her face and ripped her clothes. Several times she tripped, cutting her hands and knees on the harsh forest floor. Yet each time she picked her self up and carried on, her desire to get out of the storm the only thing keeping her going.
A burst of lightning suddenly illuminated the surrounding area. As it did so, Serena saw something. Over the years, several gnarled old trees had knotted together, forming a tiny arch above their trunks. Although small, it could easily hold a small person, the arch sheltering the ground below and the trunks acting as a breaker from the wind. Gasping, she flung herself in, claiming the meagre shelter for her own. She pressed her back to the trunks and pulled her knees towards her chest. She shivered and rubbed her hands in a vain attempt to warm them. She was so cold…. "Endymion." She sobbed. "Endymion!"
"Serena!"
Her head shot up. Was someone calling her? She looked around and saw no one.
"Just the wind." She thought miserably.
"Serena!"
"Just the wind…."
Deeper and deeper into the Twisted Woods he had gone, ignoring the rain that beat at his body and the discomfort that came from riding in clothes that were so thoroughly soaked. Even Yoru's saddle was wet through. It did not matter to him. All that mattered was her. He would not, could not, stop until he found her.
A branch crashed down in front of them and Yoru reared up. Endymion gripped the reins and tried to calm the horse. He had done a lot of work with Yoru since that day in the courtyard, but this was enough to scare even the calmest of animals. Desperately, he called out again into the night.
"SERENA!"
As the storm reached it's height, Serena squeezed herself further into her tiny shelter. Tears still fell unashamedly from her eyes, showing her utter misery. "I was so stupid." She thought. "I should have told him, he's never been anything but good to me, we might have worked something out. But it's too late now." She shook with sobs. "Far too late."
"Serena!"
"Oh, why does even the wind sound like his voice?"
"Serena!"
Endymion was growing desperate. He was beginning to fear that something had happened to her. "SERENA! PLEASE, ANSWER ME! SERENA!"
As the words reached her ears, she froze. That wasn't the wind! It was him - he'd come for her! "ENDYMION!" She screamed out and scrambled out of the shelter, running towards the sound of his voice.
His heart leapt as he heard her call his name. For a moment he was frozen, unable to move. Then, with a rustling of branches, she appeared in front of him, soaked to the skin and clutching a small bag. "Serena! Oh thank God!" He jumped off of Yoru and ran to her, pulling her into his arms. "Thank heavens you're safe." He said, his voice threatening to break. "I was so worried."
"I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I didn't know what to do, Endymion, I'm…" At that moment, a huge rumble of thunder sounded directly overhead. She screamed and clung to him.
"We have to get out of the woods!" He yelled over the noise of the storm, now directly overhead. She nodded and he lifted her onto Yoru's back. Swinging himself up behind her, he rode as quickly as he could back towards the palace.
All the way he held her close, so grateful that he had her back in his arms. He never wanted to go through that again.
They rode through the gates that led to the stables and saw the groom waiting for them. He had been almost tearing out his hair in worry, he had let the prince leave, it would be his fault if anything happened to Endymion. So he was greatly relieved when he saw the dishevelled figure riding back into the palace grounds. He dashed out into the rain to meet them. "Your Highness!"
Endymion rode up and slid off the horse, pulling Serena down after him. She had given in to her exhaustion sometime on the way and was now in a deep sleep. He cradled her gently in his arms as he turned to the groom. "Look after Yoru. He's soaked through, I do not want him getting sick." The groom nodded wordlessly, not understanding what had happened. He wished he knew who the girl in the prince's arms was. But he had no time to ask as Endymion started to run, desperate to get Serena inside where it was warm and dry.
Although she had been off duty for some time now, Jessica had been unable to relax and was pacing the corridor outside the prince's rooms. She ran a hand through her long brown hair in frustration. "Where are they?" She muttered. She was worried for her friend and prince. She was fairly sure now, after going through all of the evidence, that they were having some kind of secret relationship. If it ever got out, she knew there would be hell to pay.
The sound of running broke into her thoughts. She turned and saw Endymion running towards her, Serena in his arms. "Dear God!" She cried, forgetting her manners at the sight of her friend. Endymion called out to her.
"Quickly, draw a bath! I must get her warm!" Jessica nodded and rushed to do his bidding.
Endymion entered his room and laid Serena gently on the bed. She stirred as he did so. "Endy…." she murmured.
"Shhh, It's okay." He whispered as he carefully removed her soaked clothing. He picked her up again when he heard Jessica's voice informing him that the bath was ready. Holding her close, he carried her into the bathroom and placed her in the bath.
Jessica tried to leave, but she was frozen to the spot by what she saw. The great Prince of Earth, tenderly washing the young servant girl, whispering to her all the while. Then, when she felt warmer, he lifted her out of the bath and placed her on the soft mat. He passed his hand over her body and the cuts and bruises vanished. Jessica was shocked, she had heard rumours that the prince had strange powers, but she had never really believed them.
She was shaken from her daze as the prince reached for a towel and she dashed forward to place one in his hands. Then she held the door as he went back to the bed and dried Serena before dressing her in her nightdress which was, Jessica noted, already on Endymion's bed. Silently, she wondered how long their relationship had been going on.
When he was satisfied that Serena was comfortable, he turned back to Jessica. "That you for your help. You may go now."
Jessica frowned. "Yes sire, but do you not want me to lay out some dry clothes for you?" She asked.
"No thank you." He replied, a hint of irritation in his voice. He was cold and tired, he wished only to sleep.
Jessica caught the irritation and nodded. "Yes sire," With a quick curtsey, she left the room.
Alone now with Serena, Endymion peeled off his sodden clothes. Quickly, he climbed into bed and pulled the sleeping girl close. "I love you." He whispered. "I don't know why you left me, but I'll always love you no matter what. You're my life." Serena mumbled at his words and snuggled closer. He smiled as her warmth filled him and he saw her face in his mind as sleep finally claimed him.
End Chapter 13
Maid for You - Chapter 13
Serena however, despite her head start, had not gotten very far at all. She had quickly become lost in the Twisted Woods and had been wandering aimlessly for hours. Then darkness had fallen, making it even harder to find her way. Now, just to make things even worse, a huge storm was raging. As the thunder rumbled nearby, she screamed. She was terrified of storms, she always had been. The thunder triggered a fear buried so deep she could not name it, she only knew how it made her feel. To be trapped in one now, lost and alone in a dark, strange wood, was more than she could bear. Bursting into fresh tears, she ran. Tears and rain blinded her as she went, branches tore at her face and ripped her clothes. Several times she tripped, cutting her hands and knees on the harsh forest floor. Yet each time she picked her self up and carried on, her desire to get out of the storm the only thing keeping her going.
A burst of lightning suddenly illuminated the surrounding area. As it did so, Serena saw something. Over the years, several gnarled old trees had knotted together, forming a tiny arch above their trunks. Although small, it could easily hold a small person, the arch sheltering the ground below and the trunks acting as a breaker from the wind. Gasping, she flung herself in, claiming the meagre shelter for her own. She pressed her back to the trunks and pulled her knees towards her chest. She shivered and rubbed her hands in a vain attempt to warm them. She was so cold…. "Endymion." She sobbed. "Endymion!"
"Serena!"
Her head shot up. Was someone calling her? She looked around and saw no one.
"Just the wind." She thought miserably.
"Serena!"
"Just the wind…."
Deeper and deeper into the Twisted Woods he had gone, ignoring the rain that beat at his body and the discomfort that came from riding in clothes that were so thoroughly soaked. Even Yoru's saddle was wet through. It did not matter to him. All that mattered was her. He would not, could not, stop until he found her.
A branch crashed down in front of them and Yoru reared up. Endymion gripped the reins and tried to calm the horse. He had done a lot of work with Yoru since that day in the courtyard, but this was enough to scare even the calmest of animals. Desperately, he called out again into the night.
"SERENA!"
As the storm reached it's height, Serena squeezed herself further into her tiny shelter. Tears still fell unashamedly from her eyes, showing her utter misery. "I was so stupid." She thought. "I should have told him, he's never been anything but good to me, we might have worked something out. But it's too late now." She shook with sobs. "Far too late."
"Serena!"
"Oh, why does even the wind sound like his voice?"
"Serena!"
Endymion was growing desperate. He was beginning to fear that something had happened to her. "SERENA! PLEASE, ANSWER ME! SERENA!"
As the words reached her ears, she froze. That wasn't the wind! It was him - he'd come for her! "ENDYMION!" She screamed out and scrambled out of the shelter, running towards the sound of his voice.
His heart leapt as he heard her call his name. For a moment he was frozen, unable to move. Then, with a rustling of branches, she appeared in front of him, soaked to the skin and clutching a small bag. "Serena! Oh thank God!" He jumped off of Yoru and ran to her, pulling her into his arms. "Thank heavens you're safe." He said, his voice threatening to break. "I was so worried."
"I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I didn't know what to do, Endymion, I'm…" At that moment, a huge rumble of thunder sounded directly overhead. She screamed and clung to him.
"We have to get out of the woods!" He yelled over the noise of the storm, now directly overhead. She nodded and he lifted her onto Yoru's back. Swinging himself up behind her, he rode as quickly as he could back towards the palace.
All the way he held her close, so grateful that he had her back in his arms. He never wanted to go through that again.
They rode through the gates that led to the stables and saw the groom waiting for them. He had been almost tearing out his hair in worry, he had let the prince leave, it would be his fault if anything happened to Endymion. So he was greatly relieved when he saw the dishevelled figure riding back into the palace grounds. He dashed out into the rain to meet them. "Your Highness!"
Endymion rode up and slid off the horse, pulling Serena down after him. She had given in to her exhaustion sometime on the way and was now in a deep sleep. He cradled her gently in his arms as he turned to the groom. "Look after Yoru. He's soaked through, I do not want him getting sick." The groom nodded wordlessly, not understanding what had happened. He wished he knew who the girl in the prince's arms was. But he had no time to ask as Endymion started to run, desperate to get Serena inside where it was warm and dry.
Although she had been off duty for some time now, Jessica had been unable to relax and was pacing the corridor outside the prince's rooms. She ran a hand through her long brown hair in frustration. "Where are they?" She muttered. She was worried for her friend and prince. She was fairly sure now, after going through all of the evidence, that they were having some kind of secret relationship. If it ever got out, she knew there would be hell to pay.
The sound of running broke into her thoughts. She turned and saw Endymion running towards her, Serena in his arms. "Dear God!" She cried, forgetting her manners at the sight of her friend. Endymion called out to her.
"Quickly, draw a bath! I must get her warm!" Jessica nodded and rushed to do his bidding.
Endymion entered his room and laid Serena gently on the bed. She stirred as he did so. "Endy…." she murmured.
"Shhh, It's okay." He whispered as he carefully removed her soaked clothing. He picked her up again when he heard Jessica's voice informing him that the bath was ready. Holding her close, he carried her into the bathroom and placed her in the bath.
Jessica tried to leave, but she was frozen to the spot by what she saw. The great Prince of Earth, tenderly washing the young servant girl, whispering to her all the while. Then, when she felt warmer, he lifted her out of the bath and placed her on the soft mat. He passed his hand over her body and the cuts and bruises vanished. Jessica was shocked, she had heard rumours that the prince had strange powers, but she had never really believed them.
She was shaken from her daze as the prince reached for a towel and she dashed forward to place one in his hands. Then she held the door as he went back to the bed and dried Serena before dressing her in her nightdress which was, Jessica noted, already on Endymion's bed. Silently, she wondered how long their relationship had been going on.
When he was satisfied that Serena was comfortable, he turned back to Jessica. "That you for your help. You may go now."
Jessica frowned. "Yes sire, but do you not want me to lay out some dry clothes for you?" She asked.
"No thank you." He replied, a hint of irritation in his voice. He was cold and tired, he wished only to sleep.
Jessica caught the irritation and nodded. "Yes sire," With a quick curtsey, she left the room.
Alone now with Serena, Endymion peeled off his sodden clothes. Quickly, he climbed into bed and pulled the sleeping girl close. "I love you." He whispered. "I don't know why you left me, but I'll always love you no matter what. You're my life." Serena mumbled at his words and snuggled closer. He smiled as her warmth filled him and he saw her face in his mind as sleep finally claimed him.
End Chapter 13