.
Chapter 14
Emotions
James
She had kissed him of her own accord and my Master was overjoyed. Alice was right, she had enchanted him. He was as gentle as a lamb to her and I could only marvel at his words and actions. Isabella had earned Princess status - she was worthy of it. Like no other Princess here in the palace.
My Master held her gently in his arms until dawn. Then he carefully pushed her into the pillows and sneaked out of bed.
"James, I have to go in a minute. Please take care of her and try to distract her so she doesn't feel sad, please. She is the most precious thing I own," he said.
"I think she is the most precious thing we all have here, Your Royal Highness. I will not let her out of my sight for a second!", I said.
"Thank you, James," he said, taking one last look at his Princess and leaving.
She woke up very early and looked for him right away.
"Good morning, my Princess, he's already gone. Sorry!"
She sighed.
"Good morning, James."
She reached for the cell phone on her nightstand.
"Does it bother him when he's hunting if he gets a text?" she asked.
"No, certainly not. He'll turn the phone down when he needs quiet, Your Highness."
She wrote him something and a minute later a reply came. She quickly looked and smiled briefly. Then she got out of bed.
"I think I'll take a bath," she said, "I have to get rid of a lot of time somehow!"
"Your Highness, we have our own bathhouse. Maybe that would be a change for once?", I asked.
"Oh ..." she said in amazement. "Hmm ... I'd love to, but I don't own a swimsuit at all?"
"You don't really need it either, because it's only for the princesses. Except for the eunuchs, no one is allowed in the bathroom, and you can't see anything from the outside."
"I think I'm already uncomfortable with strange eunuchs, too," she said hesitantly.
"We can go see if we're alone there this morning," I suggested.
"Okay," she said.
She ate breakfast quickly, disappeared briefly into the bathroom, and came out in her bathrobe.
"Can I walk around the palace like this?" she asked.
"Of course, one can't see anything," I reassured her.
I led them to the bathhouse.
We are alone, I noted with relief.
"Here is a basin with clear water and massage swirls. The basin there is warmer and with oil, and there is one with a kind of care milk in the back. The water is everywhere without chlorine because it is constantly changed."
"I'll take the one with the oil," she decided.
From the pocket of her bathrobe she pulled out a hair tie, twisted her long hair into a braid and then put it up. At the same time she went to the pool. In front of the stairs she undid the bathrobe, I took it from her and she got into the water.
"Oh ... it's nice and warm," she sighed with pleasure, swimming back and forth a bit.
It was beautiful to watch her. Even in the water she moved elegantly.
Shortly after that, unfortunately, the door opened.
Oh ... it was the Majesty herself.
"Isabella," she called out delightedly and came straight to us.
Her eunuch ran after her, helped her out of her robe, and she immediately joined my Princess in the water.
I hoped that she now also lost her inhibitions a little.
"How are you, my dear?" asked Esmé.
"Good," she said with a smile.
"You look better too, you have color in your face!" said Esmé happily. "Is this your first time here today?" she then asked.
"Yes, I didn't know we had a bathroom like this until just now," said my Princess.
"Oh ... there must be a lot for you to discover here in the palace," Esmé said. "James, have you shown her the library yet?" she asked me.
"No, Your Majesty," I said.
"Then you'll have to make him do it today, Isabella. You love to read so much! Our library is huge!"
My Princess smiled.
"Thanks for the tip!"
Today seemed to be a big bathing day, because Princess Alice, Rosalie and Grace came chattering in. Well bravo, two more guards. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
"My Princess, if this is too much for you, I will have the guards wait outside if you would like to step out of the bathroom."
"Thank you, James, not at the moment," she said.
"Are there too many men for you?", Esmé asked her gently.
"Yes, it takes some getting used to," my Princess replied.
"I felt the same way at first, but they are really well trained and discreet. You don't have to worry," Esmé said then and my Princess nodded doubtfully.
Alice had spotted us and of course immediately got into the pool of the two ladies and Rosalie joined us with her daughter as well.
"I would like to ask all the guards except James to move a little away from this pool so that Princess Isabella does not feel uncomfortable," said the Majesty and immediately the three went back to the entrance of the bathhouse and waited there for further orders.
"Thank you," Isabella said, and then was immediately besieged by Alice.
It was good that we had gone here. It distracted them. The ladies were chatting lively and having fun.
"We have a ball next week," Esmé said.
"Oh ..." asked Alice, "what are we celebrating?"
"Aro's birthday. And since we bad guys don't come to Italy, he wants to come to us - with the whole court."
"And I was just getting excited," Alice said, disappointed.
"Oh, we'll make the best of it," Esmé said, "we'll have our fun."
"How long are they staying?" asked Rosalie.
"Five days," Esmé said.
Alice groaned.
"What do we have to fear, Alice?" my Princess asked anxiously.
"Stupid questions from Aro, bad jokes from Jane and undressing-looks from the entire guard staff," Alice said.
"Oh ... then maybe I'd better just stay in my room," my Princess breathed in horror.
"Oh come on," Esmé said, "Edward and James will be with you non-stop."
I saw from her look that this did not convince her. She was afraid. We would have to calm her down.
"I'm getting cold," she said.
"Then you'd better get out," Esmé said, and I quickly fetched a large bath towel.
I held it out to her and she quickly got out of the water and let me wrap her up. She dried herself and then slipped into her bathrobe.
"Bye, dear ones," she said smiling to the ladies and I led her back.
"Would you like another massage now, Princess Magnolia?", I asked.
"Oh, yes, I'd love to!" she said.
She took her cell phone into the bathroom and listened to music while my hands pampered her beautiful body.
The rest of the day she read, made music, listened to music and took a walk in the garden. In the evening she texted him again and he answered her immediately. It took forever for her to fall asleep. She tossed and turned and whispered his name more often.
Already at 6:00 a.m. she woke up and got up.
"If we went to this bathhouse right now, maybe I'd be alone?" she asked.
"Certainly, my Princess. The other ladies rarely get up this early."
So we went to the bathhouse and this time she tried the white water.
"Oh ... that smells good," she noted enthusiastically.
I smiled.
I had magnolia lotion poured into it.
She stayed in it for a long time.
Afterwards I was allowed to massage her again. I started with the back and gently spread the oil on her delicate skin.
"James," she said.
"Yes, my Princess."
"What would you like to do instead of running after me here?" she asked.
"Nothing," I said, "I like running after you."
"I only believe that to a limited extent. I know you like me a lot, but I guarantee there are things you'd like to do if you could," she said.
"But I can't, Princess, and that's why I don't worry about it," I said.
"But if you could, what would it be?" she persisted. "It's cruel, isn't it, to just stand around and watch me all the time?"
"No, it's the most beautiful job I've ever had. I adore you, Princess Magnolia."
She sighed.
I had to smile.
She was so cute.
"What music do you like to listen to?" she asked.
"Classic," I said.
"What's your favorite color?"
"Pink," I said.
She laughed.
"You're not serious, James!"
"Yes you do, pink suits you very well. It emphasizes your delicacy, that's why I like pink."
She giggled.
"What's your favorite flower?"
"Magnolia," I said immediately.
"James, please!" she said indignantly, and I smiled.
I took new oil between my hands and now massaged her legs.
"Do you have a favorite poem?" she asked.
"Oh, yes," I said, and then:
"Princess of Dreams
You look at her in awe, Princess of Dreams.
You only see her now and then, near her a white swan.
She is the bubbling spring in the shade of swaying trees.
You know, you know this place.
It holds up a mirror to you,
the image of your soul that froze in the spring.
And it shows you the golden gate, the path to the inner world,
full of longing and feelings.
Trust her, because she holds your hand.
She will gently seduce you, virgin nymph, lets you feel her breath,
she will touch you inside so that you can feel yourself,
the breeze over the marshes.
She laughs when you dance in the moonlight."
"It's very nice, but also reminds me of myself," she noted.
"That's right. It reminds me of you, my Princess!", I said.
"Oh James, what am I going to do with you," she wailed in despair.
Now she tried something new.
"What's your favorite car?"
"A black Mercedes sedan," I said.
"Why is that?" she asked.
"Because in it, I got to accompany you to Olympia for your first visit."
She groaned in annoyance.
"And your favorite blood you drink from beautiful swans, your favorite instrument is the harp, and your favorite book is called Jane Eyre!"
"That's right, my Princess, how do you know all this?", I asked, amused, and she said, "It's okay, James, I give up."
"That's beautiful, my princess, because I wouldn't tell you anything else. You are the most beautiful gift of my existence," I said.
Because that's exactly what I felt.
She jumped off the massage table, pulled my head down and kissed me on the cheek.
"I love you too, James," she said, strolling naked into her room and getting dressed.
I was speechless.
Of course I knew how she meant it, but it made me happy that she was so open and casual around me. I was her confidant. What a woman, what a fantastic mission in life!
That day I showed her the library and she would have missed her meals if I hadn't forced her to go with me. She sank enthusiastically into the books and could not believe how varied the selection was. Her enthusiasm delighted me.
I usually sat next to her and read as well.
Every now and then she wrote to Edward and he always wrote back immediately.
Once I received a text message.
How is she really doing? She only writes positively. So as not to worry me?
he asked.
I wrote back:
She misses you, worst of all at night. But I distract her as best I can. We are in the library.
.
Thank you. I will be back tonight.
he wrote.
She would be happy about that.
She spent the evening reading in the rocking chair, wrote to Edward again and then went to bed. It took again a long time for her to fall asleep and even then she tossed and turned restlessly in her sleep.
He came at three in the morning.
"How is she?" he asked immediately.
"Very well, Your Highness, but she has visibly missed you."
He took a quick shower, then crawled into her bed dressed in a T-shirt and boxers and gently slid his arm under her head.
"Edward," she breathed delightedly.
"Yes, I'm back, my love."
"That's good," she whispered, snuggling close to him.
"Oh ... how I've missed you," he whispered softly.
"Me too," she whispered.
He caressed her and asked, "May I kiss you once?"
"Then I have to brush my teeth first," she sighed.
"Certainly not," he said, gently turning her face to him and kissing her tenderly.
She returned the kiss and it was long and intimate.
"It's too early, you need to get some sleep," he then breathed to her.
"Do you have to work?" she asked.
"Yes, unfortunately, at least somewhat," he said sadly.
"Then I don't want to sleep. I can sleep when you're gone," she said.
He smiled and stroked her.
Then he hummed her sleeping melody and she fell asleep again and he visibly enjoyed her against his body.
Around 7:00 a.m. he got up and put a package by her bedside.
"I'll be back no later than noon!" he said.
My Princess woke up at half past seven and was immediately frustrated because he was gone. Then she saw the package. She took it and looked at it.
Elongated, wrapped in pink paper.
Carefully she opened it.
"Oh James, look!" she exclaimed in surprise.
It was a velvet casket with a golden bracelet. On the bracelet hung many small pendants.
She listed them, "A harp to match my earrings, a piano, a magnolia, an E - like Edward, a pink rose quartz heart - because he gave me his heart?"
"Yes, because he loves you, Your Highness," I nodded.
"A music-note - are they diamonds? A clef, a book, a crown and a swan. My goodness, it's beautiful, and how much thought he put into it!"
She was totally touched.
"Do you want me to put it on you, my Princess?", I asked.
"No, I have to get dressed first. I'd rather not get it wet!"
She showered first and got dressed, deciding on a pink mini dress, then I zipped up her bracelet and all morning she kept looking at it.
She wrote something to Edward and immediately received a reply.
As she was eating breakfast, there was a knock.
I opened.
A servant was standing there.
"Sir, have the gentlemen deliver and install a computer!" he said.
"Ah yes, please come in, gentlemen."
The two were around twenty, carrying boxes and came in. Immediately they caught sight of Your Highness and eyed her greedily.
"Perhaps you would prefer to go next door, Your Highness?", I asked gently.
She understood immediately, nodded and went next door. The guys followed her with glances.
"The PC should go there," I said and put my Princess's diary on her bed.
Now her desk was free.
The men started setting up the equipment and my Princess started playing the grand piano next door.
Again there was a knock.
I opened.
"Oh ... Your Majesty," I said, bowing.
"Where is Princess Isabella?" she asked, "Oh, I hear her already."
She glanced at the workers, who looked behind her in amazement as she walked into the next room.
"Good morning, my dear, you play so beautifully! I thought you might like to accompany me? We still need evening dresses for the ball and we could go shopping together?" she asked.
"Oh ... that would be nice, but Edward was going to try to be back by noon. Then he would certainly be sad if I'm not there - and I haven't seen him for so long, after all," she added quietly.
"I can understand that," Esmé said. "I'll just give him a call and see when he can make it. Maybe he'll go with you?"
"That would be nice," my Princess nodded in relief.
With one eye I watched the PC guys, with one I watched what was going on in the living room.
The Majesty made a brief phone call.
"He'll be here at 12:00 and then we'll drive together," she said with a smile and pressed a kiss to my Princess' forehead.
"That's great, I'm glad," she said, and Esmé said goodbye.
"I need to change clothes quickly, James. We're leaving for Olympia at 12:00 to buy prom dresses!" she said to me and came into her room.
She quickly picked out a skirt, blouse and jacket - wild silk, natural color and elegant.
Ladylike.
With that, she disappeared into the bathroom.
I sighed.
The guys were very distracted and kept squinting at her and now at the door.
It was just before 12:00.
My Princess came out of the bathroom and looked gorgeous in the women's suit. She quickly put on matching shoes and then packed her handbag.
At that moment my Master came in.
"Hello, beautiful," he said with a smile.
He was still wearing his cloak from the court of law. He quickly took it off and threw it over a chair.
Isabella went to him and he gently kissed her hand.
"You look truly regal, Princess," he said softly.
She laughed.
"You're crazy. I want a real kiss," she said and hugged him, kissing him and he returned the kiss.
The two guys' eyes soon fell out of their heads.
"I need to quickly put on a fresh shirt, sweetie, then we can go. The chauffeur is already waiting!" he said and quickly ran next door.
Two minutes later, he was wearing a light blue shirt, no longer wearing a tie, and had his top buttons undone.
"How much longer do you need?" he asked the workmen.
"We're done now, Sir," said the one.
"Good, I would hate to leave you alone in these rooms," said my Prince.
The guys packed up the boxes.
The servant was still standing outside waiting.
"Please lead the gentlemen out of the palace again," said Your Highness, and then he and his Princess, hand in hand, were already walking toward the stairs.
And I behind.
The Majesty approached us from the other side and smiled joyfully.
"There you are, so here we go."
She had ordered a large limousine that could comfortably seat the three Highnesses and us two guards.
My Princess sat next to my Prince and they held hands.
It was a beautiful picture and Esmé was also happy about it.
"Thank you Edward, it's so beautiful," Isabella whispered to him.
"I'm glad you like it," he said quietly, looking at her lovingly.
"But you don't have to give me something every day. I have enough now for the next few years," she said.
"No, it's not enough. I love to give you gifts," he said tenderly and kissed her gently and briefly.
"Is it the bracelet?" asked Esmé.
"Yes," said my Princess happily and held it out to her so that she could look at it.
"This is really very appropriate and lovingly chosen," she said appreciatively to her son. Then she asked, "Have you asked her yet?"
"No, Mom, please don't bring it up. It's too soon," said my Prince.
And I knew immediately what it was about.
"Then you'll have to think of something for Aro. It won't be easy," said the Majesty.
"I know, Mom. I'm still going to talk to Dad about it."
She nodded.
My Princess pondered and I saw that she had no idea what it was about and she would not learn anything from me. But she didn't ask either. It was clear to me that this would come. She was curious.
