Mauve blinked as she looked up at her father, his chubby form stood in front of the doors with his arms wide open. The stairs leading to the castle doors was the only thing between them.
Galath dropped to one knee imdiately and the rest of the guards followed suit as an echoing, "Your highness," resounded in the afternoon air.
"Welco back and good job Galath for bringing her back. Now, co say hello to your father, Mauve."
She nodded and slowly ascended the stairs. She didn't feel the urge to rush. She didn't know what she thought she would feel when she saw her father again but now she felt nothing.
She stopped in front of him and gave him a low cutsey. "I am back, your highness." She bowed her head as low as she could.
"There is no need for you to greet so formally," he said, his hands falling to his sides. "Now give your father a hug."
Mauve stiffly moved closer to him and gave him a side hug. She tried not to think about it but all she could feel was how awkward this was.
The hug barely lasted a second as she pulled from him imdiately their skin touched. She took two steps back, making sure there was adequate space between them.
"I am glad you're safe," he said with a soft smile.
She nodded, "I am glad you're in good health."
"Was the journey stressful?"
She shook her head, "It was fine, thank you."
"I supposed, I should let you freshen up and get so rest, the servants would attend to you."
"I have businesses to attend to, we can talk all about your journey after you have gotten enough rest."
"Yes, your highness."
"Call father, I am your father after all."
Mauve blinked, if she wasn't already in a daze with what happened with Jael her father's statent would have shocked her. Right now, she was a little bit too numb and tired to feel anything.
"As you wish, father."
She watched him brighten up at her statent. Mauve tried to make her expression pleasing. She knew how long she wanted to see this but now she realized she didn't think it was worth waiting for.
"Good, good. Now get so rest, I will see you during dinner. Galath," he called. "Co with , I need you to tell all that transpired during the trip."
"Yes, your highness." Galath bowed and went after the king as he walked away.
As he passed Mauve, he made a subtle eye contact with her before he turned away. She watched him walk away without saying a word.
"Please co with ," a servant said to her.
Mauve frowned as she forced her gaze away from Galath's retreating back to look at the servant talking to her. The maid looked familiar but Mauve couldn't place where.
The maid was a little chubby and she had a no nonsense expression on her face. Not that it mattered, Mauve had made a ntal note to not rember the servants nas so even if she did know which servant it was, she wouldn't be able to tell their na.
She followed behind the servant, the only person she wanted to see now was Vae but it felt a little too soon to ask. Maybe when she was all cleaned up and rested.
Besides, there was a very high chance she would run into Vae without having to ask for her. The last ti she was in the castle, Vae had been one of her personal servants and since the maid that spoke to her looked familiar, it might just be the sa as last ti.
The room she was led to was the sa one she had stayed in just before leaving the palace. Aside from signs that the room had been cleaned recently, it practically looked untouched.
She imdiately moved to the end and watched as the servants brought her bags from the carriage. There weren't a lot of items so they finished quickly.
She watched the maid's expression as she stared at the bags, it was easy to tell she wasn't impressed.
Mauve didn't let it bother her. All she wanted now was a cold bath and so food, hopefully the cold water would help her fall asleep since the weather was so hot.
"Would you like to have your bath now or would you prefer to eat first?"
"A bath," Mauve said without looking up. "A cold bath preferably."
"As you wish," the servant replied and Mauve heard the door shut.
Her bags were gathered in the corner of the room. Mauve figured they wouldn't start unpacking until they were finished with her.
The servant returned monts later with water and another servant. For a second Mauve thought it was Vae, they had the sa slender figure and dark colored hair but the face was different.
She rested back on the bed, feeling deflated. Right now that wa the only highlight of being here and she hasn't seen Vae yet.
"Let help you out of your clothes."
"Of course," Mauve said and got out of the bed. She wondered if she should warn them about the scar but that was a topic she didn't want to get into.
The servants started with undoing the ropes on her shirt and then she pulled it over Mauve's head. Mauve heard the scream from the Vae lookalike.
She had expected so reaction but she didn't think it would be this type of reaction. This was a little over the top, she doubted the scars were enough to incite such a reaction.
"Why are you screaming?" The chubby maid scolded.
The other maid pointed to Mauve's shoulder, drawing her attention to it. The chubby maid squinted her eyes as she looked at where she was pointing at.
"Oh," she said. Her brows raised slightly.
Mauve was impressed, she had a less reaction than Mauve had thought she would. It was a breath of fresh air to not have soone react to her arm so extravagantly.
"That's no reason to scream, apologize to the princess. Please forgive her behavior," she said, bowing her head slightly.
"I am so sorry," the maid that scread started to say. "I shouldn't have scread like that but I was so shocked, I didn't know when I reacted in that manner. Please, forgive princess."
Mauve shrugged, "More than anything, I'd appreciate the bath. Your reactions matter not, as long as you do your duty."
"Thank you, Princess. There shall be no more mishap."
The bath was faster than she expected, maybe it was because she was being bathed by two people.
They dried her up, applied lotion on her pale skin and dressed her up. Mauve wondered if she looked like a vampire to the maids but only because of the color of her skin but even with how light she was, she wasn't as pale as a vampire.
The food arrived quickly. As soon as she was dressed. It was almost as if the maid knew the exact ti to walk through the doors.
"Could we unpack your bags as you eat, princess?" The chubby maid asked. "If this is discomforting, we can always co back later."
"What is your na?" Mauve asked, she was slightly sick of referring to her by her appearance.
"Maria," she replied.
"Maria," Mauve repeated, registering the na in her brain. "Do whatever works for you. As long as there won't be any kind of disturbance, you may unpack my bag while I eat."
"Thank you, princess."
"But if you're not done by the ti I finish, I would like you to leave the room, I want to get so rest."
"Certainly, princess." She replied with a gentle bow.
The other maid repeated her actions. As Mauve ate she wanted them from the corner of her eyes as they unpacked.
"Oh my, what a pretty dress." Mauve suddenly heard the other maid say when she was about halfway through her al.
Mauve paused and lifted her head. She recognized the dress imdiately. It was the second material she had chosen, the one with all the flower patterns.
Why was it here? Her eyes widened. She had specifically told Mill not to pack it up. She didn't even know the dress was ready.
"Oh, there is another one." Maria added.
"Let see," the maids gasped as they heard Mauve's voice close to them.
She had moved from where she was eating to get a closer look at the dress. She poked her head into the bag as they pulled them out.
There were a total of three new dresses. The livid dress wasn't among them but she recognized the rest of the fabrics. When did Yasmin have the ti to sew all these dresses?
Only one had the flower pattern. The others were plain colors. One was a deep pink and the door was a black dress. They were both beautifully done.
Reviews
All reviews (0)