To Love, Once Again

Chapter 16

Sera does her best to keep up with the knight's wide strides. Both keep glancing back at her to see if she's still walking behind them.

One knight, the taller one with brown hair, whistles and calls to a errand boy pushing a cart piled high with various boxes. He quietly whispers in the boy's ear, and the boy nods enthusiastically. Leaving his cart to another maid nearby, the boy takes off with a dash, while the knights and Sera trail after him.

They continue on, deeper into the castle, and start climbing the stairs. This pathway is all to familiar to Sera. It's the way towards the King's chambers, his office. She felt like a little girl getting called to the principle's office.

No it was worse than that. The atmosphere the knights exuded, in combination with the silence of other servants and a few noblemen who watched as they went by, seemed like she was being escorted to an execution block.

The walls seemed to loom over her, and it got darker the deeper they went into the castle. The large ornate doors, carved with the ornate detailing of leaves and vines done by a master craftsman await her. Here was the entrance to the King's official chambers. Two knights stand at either side of the doors, and they, although silent and still, standing at attention, have bloodshot eyes and tense muscles, as if they were in a battlefield.

She'd passed by these doors once, with her ladies in waiting in tow. The doors were wide open then, and errand boys would run in and out, while within the room, dignified noblemen, scholars in heavy robes, and well-dressed noblemen discussed country policies and politics with the King. It was awe-inspiring in a different way, because it gave a glimpse into the inner workings of how a nation grew and thrived.

There were no voices of men talking, of paper rustling, hurried footsteps of the young messengers tapping against the stone floor.

Just a dead silence, and the sound of the guards' fists pounding one sharp beat against their chest to greet her echoes down the hall. Her escort halts just before the doors. This must be as far as they'll take her. It was her turn to go beyond these great doors and see what awaits her.

She nervously licks her lips, and pushes hard against the heavy door. Slowly, slowly, it creaks open. It opens just a few inches after putting her whole weight against the door. The suns were still up, but the room beyond was heavily veiled in darkness.

Sera inches inside, and the door shuts behind her. Those knights betrayed her just like that. She was stuck in a room, again. Except this time, someone awaited her in the King's chambers.

Lucien sat at the wide desk in front of her. Stacks of papers cover up the entire surface of the desk.

Something silver glints and winks at her as she gazes at him.

Lucien's calloused fingers play with the chain around his neck. The thin links woven together catch on the rough skin. Ice-cold eyes pierce into her. He sits forward in his chair and says nothing.

The whole time, his face was in a permanent frown, the lines deep between his brows.

"I hope my work today didn't disappoint you..I did everything I was told...If you're not satisfied, I'll try harder.." Sera speaks haltingly. She sounds out the words, hesitant.

He slowly stands up.

"Was it because I went to go see Bea and the baby? I'm really sorry I went without asking you for permission. Please, can I still see him again?"