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Chapter 2
The Eunuch
James
I looked out of the window of the palace, because I could already hear them coming back.
When they stepped out of the forest and came toward the palace, they moderated their steps. But then I was surprised.
My Master was carrying a woman in his arms. It was indeed a woman. I saw her long brown curly hair blowing behind him. A rather small petite woman. That was surprising.
I pondered.
Hmm ... the last woman he had brought with him was twenty-eight years ago, if I remembered correctly. But she had only survived three days because she annoyed him. Oh girl, I hope you have more chances, I thought and now ran down after all, because now I got a new task, I guess.
I opened the door for the masteries and they entered.
"James," said the gentleman.
"My Master?", I asked.
"I brought someone with me. Please treat her like a Princess. You know what you have to do. She gets the room next to mine," he said.
"Very well, Your Royal Highness," I said, bowing.
Gently he put the young woman in my arms.
They must have been out for a long time ... she had fallen asleep.
Immediately she snuggled up to me.
Treat her like a Princess, I guess I had misheard? He wanted to keep her? He had a real interest in her? My unapproachable Master! I could not believe it.
Carefully I carried her to her room.
The masteries left.
I laid her on the big four-poster bed and gently took off her shoes.
She was wearing a white top, a pink cardigan, jeans and white sneakers and socks. It was simple clothes, nothing expensive, but clean. She was well-groomed at all and smelled very good.
I studied her face.
She was very pretty, about twenty years old, I estimated. Striking for the present time was that she was neither made up nor pierced, nor did she wear any jewelry. Her figure was very slim but shapely and she had nice firm breasts. A dream woman.
I bent over her a little.
She really smelled incredibly good. On the one hand, her blood, which gave off a very delicious aroma, but on the other hand, her natural womanly scent. Hmm ... magnolia, it reminded me of magnolia. Princess Magnolia, I smiled, that's how she looked, that's how she smelled. No wonder my Master found her attractive. Now I could only hope that she didn't have a nagging voice and wasn't constantly whining and annoying him with thoughts. Then she would have a chance.
She moved restlessly.
I stepped back a little.
Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling.
Clearly she was irritated and did not know where she was. Astonished, she looked around and then she discovered me. Very briefly she was startled and then she examined me. She had beautiful brown eyes, long black eyelashes.
In one graceful movement, she rose and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Who are you?" she asked.
Her voice sounded very pleasant.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"James, Your Highness. I am your servant and am at your disposal."
She looked at me skeptically.
"Servant? And why do you call me 'Highness'?" she asked.
"Yes, your servant. I will take care of your well-being in all areas. Please express your wishes. Highness is what I call you because you are. You are a Princess now. My Master has chosen you," I said kindly.
She smiled briefly.
"Only he forgot to ask me in the process," she then sighed.
Slowly, she stood up and looked around the room. She walked once in a circle through it. She looked at the big pink four-poster bed, stroked her fingers once over the dressing table, looked in the mirror, looked out the window, walked past the seating furniture and stopped in front of the bathroom door.
She looked at me questioningly, "May I?"
"Yes, Your Highness, it is your bath," I nodded.
She opened the door, the light came on automatically.
Her gaze went through the large bathroom, tub, shower, toilet, large sink, massage table. I knew what she saw. It was large and spacious ... in shades of blue and very pretty.
Slowly, she stepped back and quietly pulled the door closed again.
She move easily and gracefully. They are gracile movements, like those of a Princess, I thought.
Then she looked at the next door and looked at me.
"This is the door to the chamber of the Master," I explained her unasked question.
She backed away and discovered the third door.
"This door leads in the palace," I explained.
"Palace," she whispered. She looked at me. "Am I right in thinking that there are certain rules here and I can't go anywhere?"
I nodded sadly.
"That is so ... unless the Master decides otherwise," I said.
She nodded.
"Are you here voluntarily?" she asked me.
"No," I said honestly.
"What will happen to me?" she asked.
"I don't know exactly, Your Highness. The Master has not brought a wife for twenty-eight years. But if things go well, you are very lucky. He is very sensitive and emotional. He will not cause you any pain."
Her brain was working.
"He's going to rape me?" she asked directly.
"Hmm ... you could call it that. But he'll do it gently," I nodded, feeling infinitely sorry for her.
She went to the window and looked out. While doing so, she rested her forehead against the glass. She stayed like that for a long time, then I saw that she rubbed over her face.
Wiped away a tear?
"Your Highness, you must be hungry and thirsty. May I send for something to eat for you, please?" I asked gently.
"Yes please, Sir," she said quietly.
"You may call me James," I said, leaving the room briefly to order her something to eat.
Then I went back to her in the room.
She was still standing at the window.
When the door opened and the girl brought the food, she turned around. The girl put the tray on the table and went out again with her head down without a word.
My Princess slowly walked to the table and took a seat.
I helped her to put the chair in place.
She looked at the food on the tray, poured water into her glass and drank. After that, she ate only salad and fruit and left the rest.
She turned around and eyed me.
"Will you stand beside me continuously, James?" she asked.
"Yes, Your Highness," I said.
"Can I go to the bathroom alone?" she asked.
"Yes. But I have the order to bathe and oil you, to massage and care for you," I said quietly.
"YOU?" she asked, horrified.
"Yes, I am your servant," I said.
"But isn't he afraid that you might touch me then, or doesn't he care if you rape me too?" she asked fearfully.
"Please, my Princess, I would never do violence to you, I promise. Besides, I am a eunuch, that's why I have this job," I explained.
Horrified, she looked at me.
"A eunuch?" she breathed.
I nodded.
"But they existed in the ancient Chinese dynasties and in the Orient. Good heavens, how could they do this to you?" she asked, visibly indignant and compassionate.
She surprised me with this in two ways. First, she knew what a eunuch was without asking, and second, she was also historically informed. Hmm ... and thirdly also honestly dismayed and compassionate.
While I was still thinking about what I was allowed to say to her, she was already formulating the next questions.
"Did HE do this to you? Are you a vampire too?"
I hadn't expected that. She already knew about it? In any case, she was well-educated.
"That's a lot of questions at once, my Princess," I smiled gently.
"Please don't distract me, James," she said, smiling too.
It was beautiful to see her smile.
"I'm a vampire. For thousands of years, my Princess. No, he didn't do this to me. I became a eunuch in ancient times and have served and guarded Princesses since time immemorial. But that's why HE chose me."
"But if he hasn't had a wife in twenty-eight years, that should be a pretty dull job for you," she noted.
I nodded.
"Getting back to the topic from earlier. You want to bathe and groom me?"
"I must, Your Highness," I said softly.
"What if I refuse?" she asked.
"Then I'll be punished and he will perhaps choose another guard for you." She gulped in horror. "Would you prefer that, Your Highness?" I asked.
"No," she breathed.
"We could trick him if you can keep confidential and do a bit of acting, Your Highness?" I asked quietly.
"How, James?" she asked just as quietly.
"Vampires have very good ears. He hears everything we talk about when he's in the next room. So keep that in mind. He's not there now, though. Some vampires have a special gift. He can read minds."
She looked irritated.
"What, from us?" she asked softly.
"Yes, of all of them. But he must never know that I have betrayed this to you, Your Highness," I said forcefully.
"I'm silent."
"It's not that simple. You mustn't think about it in his presence either. Consider a song or a poem that you recite in your mind whenever you want to hide something from him."
She nodded.
"I could run the water for you in the bath ... with lots of foam. You undress alone, get in and call me. Then I help you wash your hair and go again ... and you dry yourself alone. After that, you lie down on the massage table, oil yourself in the front and call me when you lie on your stomach, then I massage only your back."
I looked at her.
She pondered.
"Why do I need to be oiled up anyway?" she asked.
"Because he wants you to have a soft skin. And I need to wash and massage you a little bit, then I can imagine you lying in the tub and me washing your hair or me massaging your back. He will want to see into my thoughts and he would notice if I permitted you to do everything on your own or possibly permitted you to do nothing at all. Would that be an acceptable compromise for you?", I asked, fervently hoping for a yes.
Silently she looked at me.
"Have you ever offered that to one of his former women?" she asked.
She asks some pretty extravagant questions, I smirked.
"No, Your Highness."
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because none of them have been that dignified yet," I said honestly.
"Thank you," she said softly.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your Highness, I'll prepare the bath for you," I said.
She nodded.
I picked out nice soft towels for her and put them on a chair next to the bathtub, ran the water in and hoped I found the right temperature. Then I poured bath oil and bubble bath into it ... magnolia ... she would surely like that. I quickly lit some candles and turned on a fragrance lamp, tangerine magnolia.
I was curious if she would like that.
I dropped some rose petals on the water.
Hmm ... yes, that was worthy of her.
I left the bathroom.
She was still sitting at her table, staring at her writing pad that I had put there.
"It's prepared, Princess Magnolia," I said, bowing slightly.
She smiled.
"Princess Magnolia?" she asked.
"Yes, Your Highness. You smell like magnolias and are just as beautiful!"
She rose and went into the bathroom.
I quickly picked out some clean lingerie for her and hoped that it would fit her to some extent. White silk underwear with lace and a nightgown with lace ... also white silk. I would still have to get her shoes. There was nothing here that would fit her.
I listened for their sounds.
She used the toilet, brushed her teeth and at some point I heard her get into the water.
"James?" she said.
Quietly I entered the bathroom.
I knelt on the floor next to her and took the shampoo.
"You did that very lovingly, thank you very much," she said softly.
"Do you like the scent, Your Highness?", I asked.
"Yes ... very much," she said.
"If you bend over backwards, I'll wash your hair, Your Highness," I said.
She slid forward a bit and put her head on the back of her neck. I rinsed her hair wet and then rubbed the shampoo into it. I tried not to pull the hair and tenderly massaged her scalp.
"No one has ever washed my hair," she whispered.
"Not even your mother?", I asked.
"Them? Certainly not," she said sadly.
I rinsed out the foam.
"Conditioner?", I asked.
"Yes ... please," she said.
I washed her hair again. Then I took a sponge.
"May I wash your back, Your Highness?", I asked.
She nodded and leaned forward.
I let the sponge glide gently over her back, up and down.
"Maybe the hands and feet, too?", I asked.
Now she leaned back and handed me her hands and then her feet one by one. I washed them very gently and she smiled.
"Is that all right that way?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Thank you, James."
"You're welcome, Your Highness!"
"Why do you have such beautiful golden eyes, James?" she then suddenly asked.
"Because I only drink animal blood and not human blood," I explained.
"That works?" she asked in amazement.
"Yes," I said simply.
"Then why doesn't he?" she asked.
"Human blood gives more power. I'm strong too, but animal blood doesn't give as much power as human blood."
"But doesn't it stand out when people die all the time?" she asked.
"Of course, that's why they run far away to hunt. They also prefer the sick or the doomed, criminals, loners," I explained.
"Hmm ... today it was a group of students," she said sadly.
"Yes, but they really rarely do things like that. Since they are also the Royal Family, they only kill as many as are really necessary. They also don't play with their food like some vampires do out of boredom."
She got goose bumps and seemed to be afraid.
"What does Royal Family mean, James?" she asked after a pause.
She leaned in the water with pleasure, the warmth seemed to please her.
"I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to tell you. There are many vampires worldwide. The supreme law for us is that we must not attract attention. People must not know of our existence. But there are always black sheep who kill mindlessly or kill too conspicuously or too much in the same place or the like. These must then be called to account. For this task there have been the Volturi, the Royal Family, for centuries. Part of them live in Volterra, Italy, part here in America. This is our Master with his brothers. The King is his father."
She thought about it.
"That's why I'll never be allowed to leave here alive again," she said.
"Yes, Your Highness, it is so."
"I'm getting cold," she whispered.
"I'm going out. The towels are here, Your Highness."
"Thank you, James," she said.
I left the bathroom and heard her get out of the tub.
"Is that cold," she said to herself and I heard the tremor in her voice.
I should have turned up the heating in the bathroom. I was annoyed at my carelessness.
I quickly turned up all the heaters in her room.
After a while she called for me again.
She was actually naked on the massage table and had not even put a cloth on her bottom. I was grateful for her trust. It would make everything easier for both of us.
First, I turned up the heat full blast.
I quickly warmed my hands under hot water and then reached for the oil. I quickly rubbed it into my hands. Then I gently rubbed it on her back.
Her body was beautiful. There was not a gram too much, rather she was a little too thin. Her skin was quite delicate and soft, the oil would not have been absolutely necessary. She was shaved under her arms and on her legs. That was also an indication that she was well-groomed. I liked her. She had already won my heart. She seemed very honest, smart, sensitive, and had a healthy mix of fear and courage. Hopefully, he wouldn't hurt her. I had almost promised her. Surely she would be angry with me if it came otherwise.
She visibly relaxed under my hands. She lay very loose. Without asking, I massaged her buttocks and her arms and legs as well. She remained relaxed. I was very relieved about that.
When I was done, I put a bath towel over her body.
"Your Highness, I'll bring you some more fresh clothing," I said, quickly bringing her the sleepwear I had picked out earlier into the bathroom.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"9:00 p.m.," I said.
"Oh ..." she said in amazement.
I left the bathroom and she got dressed.
Then she came into the room.
The lingerie fit. She looked beautiful in it.
"I need a hairbrush," she said softly.
"Please sit there, my Princess."
I pointed to the dressing table. She sat down on the chair in front of it and I put a dry towel around her shoulders so that her nightgown wouldn't get wet. Then I carefully began to comb her hair.
It was wonderful. Long and soft, fragrant.
I still blow-dried it and she put up with everything.
"Thank you, James," she said again.
"You need never thank me, Your Highness," I said.
"I want it, though," she said, smiling kindly at me. "Can I have some more water?" she asked.
The girl had fetched the tray.
I quickly ordered new water by phone, which was brought immediately. I poured some for her.
She came to the table and drank.
"Will he still be coming today?" she asked.
"I don't know, Your Highness," I said honestly.
"Can I go to bed?" she asked.
"Of course," I nodded.
She climbed into bed, tucked herself in, and stared into the pink curtains of her four-poster bed.
She looked small and lost in this huge bed. I wonder what she was thinking. I felt so sorry for her.
I just stopped next to the table.
Mostly I looked straight ahead. I didn't want her to feel that she was being watched.
"Can you turn out the light?" she asked.
She listened for the sounds in the house.
And then she cried. Soundless. She didn't know that I could see even in the dark and I saw the tears running down her cheeks.
I went to the bed, knelt in front of her and just took her little hand in mine.
"Please, don't cry, Princess Magnolia. No matter what happens, I will be with you and comfort you."
She smiled.
"That's good to know," she said, and then she whispered, "'How many wrongs can a friend's hug make up for?'"
"That's from Rousseau, isn't it?", I asked.
"Yes, Jean Jaques Rousseau."
"Can I be your friend?", I asked.
"I think you probably already are," she whispered.
"Yes," I whispered back, "I'm honored."
"Me too, James. You are a very lovely creature."
"Thank you, my Princess." I was touched. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. "What is your worldly name, Your Highness?", I asked.
"Isabella Marie Swan," she said softly. "Most of the time, I'm just called Bella."
"Beautiful swan," I said.
She smiled.
"Good night, Isabella," I whispered.
I held her hand and at some point she fell asleep.
What a lovely woman - an angel.