Katrina looked up as one of the other women came storming into the convent. The woman, Bayley, was normally the quiet type. This was the first time anyone had seen Bayley run. She looked bewildered.
"The king!" Bayley yelled. "The king is here!"
Everyone stood up in surprise. The king had never visited before.
"Everyone out!" Seth barked. "Go outside and tend to the crops and the animals. You are not worthy in the king's eyes."
The women stormed out before the king could make his entrance. The priests moved to the windows to look out. King Drew was getting down from his horse. He was traveling with four of his men. All five of them moved inside the convent and looked at the priests. Everyone suddenly seemed tongue tied.
"What's a man got to do to get a drink around here?" Drew asked.
"Get the king some water!" Finn hissed to the lower ranking priest Karl.
Karl stormed out and quickly returned with a pitcher of water and a glass. With shaking hands he poured some water in the glass and handed it to Drew. Drew grabbed it, swallowed it all down and sighed loudly.
"Cold. Just the way I like it. Serve my men too," Drew said.
Karl ran out again to get more glasses for the king's men.
"King Drew," Seth bowed. "What brings you here?"
"I like to look around my kingdom every so often," Drew said.
"But you've never been to our convent before," Seth said.
"So it's about time I come here, don't you think?" Drew smirked. "Entertain my men while I take a look around."
"Allow me to escort you," Seth said.
"No need. I can walk on my own two feet. And I always think that we see so much more when we walk on our own with no one to distract us," Drew said.
Drew walked out of the room and strolled through the convent. He knew there were women here, and he was looking for them. He made his way outside and watched the women watching him curiously from different places. He nodded as he passed them, and then one woman made him stop. She was tending to the chickens. Her curves and her long, dark brown hair had him intrigued. He straightened his back and walked up to her.
"Greetings, miss," he said.
Katrina raised her head to look at him and he was taken aback by her eyes. They were several shades of dark blue.
"Your eyes," he leaned down to study them closer. "Full of waves. Beautiful waves. I curse any man who has ever made the water spill from this ocean."
"You're too kind, my king," she said.
"Call me Drew," he said.
"I couldn't," she said.
"What have you heard about me?" He asked.
"That you're both kind and cruel depending on what people deserve. And that you're a man of the people," she answered.
"And would a man of the people allow them to call him anything else but his name?" He asked.
She blushed and smiled. He was right.
"You got a way with words," she said.
"With words and other things," he smirked. "Or so other women have told me."
"Those are not stories for my ears," she said.
He ran his eyes down her body and up to her face again.
"Have you ever been with a man?" He asked.
"I live in a convent," she answered.
"But have you?" He asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"Have you ever been with a man of your own choosing?" He asked.
She wasn't prepared for that type of question. She turned her back to him and started picking up some eggs.
"Answer me," he said.
"I don't want to," she said.
"So it's a no," he said.
"Does it matter?" She asked.
"It matters to me," he answered.
She stood back up with the basket of eggs in her hand.
"As a king you shouldn't worry about things like that," she said.
"What should I worry about then?" He asked.
"Lunch," she held up the basket. "If you like eggs, I can make you some. With any of the priests' blessings, of course."
"Screw their blessings. I'm demanding you cook for me and they're not gonna turn that down," he said. "Go to the kitchen and work your magic. I'll go tell them I want a quiet lunch to myself served on the meadow. No one will disturb us."