Chapter 8: +Chapter 8+
“Whatever you need will be provided to you at your request, and if you need me, I’ll be in my study.” Lucien said flippantly, making himself scarce.
Kade watched Lucien storm across the carpeted hallway and disappear between two high doors, he looked in the other direction, where the witch was, and then stepped into the room provided for him.
It was decorated in royal blue and silver, themes that were too bright and cold for Kade’s tastes, he preferred burgundy and burnished gold but he was an unwanted guest so he couldn’t be picky.
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Mari stepped into the room provided for her, closed the door behind her, and immediately froze in place. She breathed in and out slowly like she was worried that just breathing would taint the space.
The ceilings were high and gilded, a chandelier hanging down the middle and it was far too big to be a single person’s room. She took off her flip-flops and sank her feet into the soft carpeting, unconsciously letting out a sigh.
There was a queen-sized bed at the center of the room, the sheets a soft pale pink, matching the decor of the rest of the room. The carpet was a darker pink, the furniture all white, making the room very dreamy.
It made Mari stop and think for a moment, what if this had all been a dream? And soon she would be waking up in her cold, dingy apartment, preparing to go to work. She wasn’t sure if she wanted this to be a dream or not because regardless, it wouldn’t last.
She still couldn’t bring herself to move from where she stood, jumping when there was a knock on her door. She spun around and opened the door to a bright-faced uniformed maid who curtsied politely at the sight of Mari.
“Hello, Miss Heath,” She smiled politely, stepping in. “His Highness ordered that you be attended to.”
Mari stepped to the side so the maid could come in, completely out of her depth. “Please call me Mari,” She corrected in a soft voice. “And what’s your name?” She felt the need to ask out of propriety.
The maid’s smile bloomed, “That’s unnecessary, Miss Mari. I understand that you’ll be meeting with King Lucien and I’m to get you ready.” The maid explained, walking deeper into the room as she did. “I’ll prepare a bath for you now.”
Mari speechlessly watched the maid gracefully walk over to the bathroom door and slip in, still having a difficult time believing that this was actually happening to her. The maid returned in no time, her friendly smile never leaving her face, her dark hair cut short.
“I’ll return with an outfit for you, Miss Mari, and lunch, do you want anything in particular?”
“N-No, thank you,” She stumbled over her words.
“I understand, I’ll be back soon.” The maid bowed before leaving.
Mari stood for a few seconds in a panic after the door gently clicked shut, then she forced herself to move forward. She couldn’t keep King Lucien waiting after he prepared all this for her. It was a one-time thing, she would do well to enjoy this short-term luxury while it lasted.
As she walked across the cloud-like carpets, Mari thought for the first time in a long time what it would have been like to be born into wealth. She never liked to think about things like that because it was all she had done when she was younger, she had fantasized that her parents were actually rich and influential and that they would come for her. It was all fantasies though and it didn’t help her put a roof over her head or food on the table.
The bathroom was just as gorgeous, the tiles an airy opal shade which made the bathroom look like it was made from crystals. She took off her nightdress and folded it neatly, placing it on the counter.
Her reflection blinked back at her from the mirror over the sink, her hair was wild and tangled from waking up in a fire and then running through the woods and her hazel eyes gleamed with life. She could do this.
There was a shower that was walled in with glass but what drew her attention was the creamy floral scent from the bathtub which was covered in bubbles. This was clearly what the nice maid had been doing while she was in here so she went right for it.
Tears sprung up in Mari’s eyes when she stepped into the tub, the heat was perfect and it felt so nice and gentle against her bruised and sore body. She completely sank into the tub, trying not to get too used to this kind of life but it was no use.
She knew it would be especially difficult to go back to bathing in ice-cold water after this, it almost made her consider applying to be a maid at the palace, at least they were provided warm water right?
Mari rose out of the tub feeling like a brand new person, the lovely scent of the bath had sunk into her hair and skin, she never wanted it to fade. She wrapped her hair in a towel, wore a bathrobe, and stepped out of the bathroom to find a tray of food waiting by a side table with a note on it.
The note was from the maid and it read that she should eat and that the maid would be back in a short time to help her get dressed.
Mari placed the note back on the tray piled with food she had never seen up close before, a smile on her face. It couldn’t be helped, she felt so clean and was being waited on, it was difficult to not smile while experiencing something like this.
Her stomach rumbled at the sight and scent of the delicious food and it hit that she hadn’t eaten a bite all day. It didn’t help that the day before, she was too miserable to eat, her birthday cake basically the only nutrition she got.