by Leslie North
“Well much better than when you last saw me,” the King replied. “And I have you to thank for it.”
“I…uh…I was so worried. I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing. I mean, you’re the King. If I was wrong, regicide is a BIG DEAL,” Zara replied, unsure what to say.
Stepping toward her, the King grabbed both her hands and squeezed them. “You did well, little one. More than well. You saved me and I thank you. Ok?” At Zara’s nod, the King stepped back. “Good. And since I’m supposed to be resting, I thought that I would paint a portrait of you,” he added.
“Huh?” Zara laughed a little. No one had ever drawn or painted a portrait of her. “You mean to paint a portrait of me? But why?”
“You inspire me to paint.”
Zara shifted uncomfortably as the King took her hand and positioned her to where he needed. Zara panicked internally. The King was touching her hand again, and then he was touching her face. He turned her face to a profile and tilted her chin up to catch the light. She felt the redness creep into her cheeks at the intimate contact. The King watched her turning red, as he sensed her shyness. He found it enchanting. He deliberately took his time playing around with her face. He unexpectedly found himself enjoying the feel of her skin. It was very soft and smooth. Her lips looked soft and full. He found himself wanting to explore those as well. He cleared his throat and walked back to his easel.
Arranging paint colours on a well-used palette, he couldn’t resist teasing. “You can breathe now,” he told her as he picked up a paintbrush and dipped it in paint.
“You tease me, your Majesty,” Zara chastised. The King laughed softly. He enjoyed teasing her. As he began to paint the outline of her face, he paused.
“Untie your hair,” he said to her. She quickly did as she was told. He saw her thick curly coils of hair tumble down and rest on her back. He grunted with pleasure, she was beautiful. Her hazel eyes looked magnificent, as she looked at him doe-eyed and asked if it was better. He nodded and started painting.
Zara had to start talking. The quietness was too much. It was too intense, being in a room alone with the King and having him looking at her the way he was. Today, he was looking at her in a different manner. She had to speak. He answered her every question and she answered his. They soon found themselves laughing and enjoying one another's company and the awkwardness quickly passed.
After several hours, the King finally paused. He took a step back and looked at it. He liked how it was turning out.
“Join me for a late lunch,” the King said to Zara and gestured for her follow him.
“Can I see it?” she asked standing on her toes to peek at the painting. She was curious as to how it turned out. The King wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her away from the painting and out of the room.
“Not yet,” he said to her. She pouted her lips like a child. They headed to the balcony where two maids were setting the table. They bowed as the King walked out.
“It’s beautiful,” Zara said as she walked over to the edge and looked at the view. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the cool breeze on her face. The King sat down at the table and watched her as she tilted her head up to the breeze. She was so full of life.
She sat down as Alma walked out with food. Zara thanked her as they picked up their cutlery, but before she began eating, she looked around the table.
“Did you need something?” he asked.
“No, not really; just wondering if there should be an EpiPen included with the cutlery.” At her giggle, the King started to laugh. Granted what happened was life threatening, but that they could be so comfortable with one another made him realize how much he missed feeling such moments of joy and pleasure.
After lunch, she asked again to see the painting but he refused. He said he would show her when it was dry and he was completely done with it. She finally agreed. He kissed her on both cheeks before she left. She bowed her head and left his quarters. She had to go pick up her little sister from school.
Zara was smiling to herself as she walked along the palace hallways. She could still feel the King's lips on her cheeks. It made her blush. It was the perfect ending to a perfect afternoon. She stopped abruptly when she saw Tiana and her retinue walking toward her. She stepped out of the way and bowed her head. Evidently, the women had been released from their rooms.
She heard one of the maids whisper, “It is her,” to Tiana. The King's mistress stopped and looked at Zara. She walked toward her and stopped in front of her analysing her from head to toe.
“You are Sara?” Tiana asked.
“I am Zara, my lady,” Zara replied.
“Whomever! I hear you have been spending time with the King.”
“Sorry?”
“You were with him last night and you are coming from his quarters now?”
Zara was not sure what was happening here or the correct response. She remained silent and kept looking at the ground. She had heard of Tiana's temper and did not want to anger her.
“You are coming from there now, aren't you?” Tiana shouted at her before slapping her. Zara gasped. She placed her hand on her cheek and looked at Tiana. “Why is it that a maid from the laundry has access to the King, when I cannot?” she demanded.
“My lady, I would suggest that you speak with the King,” Zara said.
“I am speaking with you, now,” Tiana responded icily.
“My lady, anything that you wish to discuss regarding the King should be taken up with him. Now if you please excuse me,” replied Zara as she attempted to step around her. She wanted to shout profanities at Tiana but that would only make her think something did happen. She would also be punished heavily for speaking poorly toward the King's mistress.
“Cease any interactions with him, you whore!” Tiana snapped before she walked off. She did not believe that nothing happened between the two of them. Not after last night. Why was she in his quarters when it was supposed to be Amira dining with him?
Zara ran out of the palace. She was angry. There was no justification for the way she was treated. Part of her felt relieved that Tiana had not punished her further. She was usually strict with punishing the maids. Zara took a deep breath. What if the King summoned her again? Was she to say no after everything that happened? There was no way she could deny the King and obey his mistress. It was not right. Everyone obeyed the King on the pain of death. She knew there was going to be trouble and this was only the beginning.
After picking up her little sister from school, she got home to find Racheal attending to her mother. She sometimes went over to her place to help, as it was too much for Zara to handle on her own. Zara hugged Rachael as she walked in and kissed her mother on the forehead, before heading to the kitchen to make something for Ruby; her little sister. Rachael followed her to the kitchen.
“Spill,” Rachael said as she closed the door.
“Excuse me?” Zara asked as she opened the fridge.
“You have been in the King's quarters for hours, what happened? Tell me everything.”
“She was what?” Ruby asked as she stood in the doorway. She shut the door behind her and sat on the kitchen counter. “Tell us everything.”
Zara looked at her sister and Rachael. They were both waiting for her to talk. She sighed and told them about him painting her portrait. She was dying to tell them what happened last night, but she had been forbidden until they knew what happened, so she had to content herself with the events of the afternoon. They were both gasping and sighing as she talked. They loved the idea of being approached by a king or prince. It was simply romantic.
“He kissed you,” Ruby repeated and sighed.
“On the cheeks!” Zara clarified.
“Did he paint you dressed or undressed?” Rachael whispered so that Ruby did not hear.
“I can still hear you,” Ruby said.
“I was dressed!” Zara cried out. Rachael laughed.
“Just checking,” she replied. She was no longer l
aughing when Zara told her about Tiana. Both Rachael and Ruby were not impressed. They felt angry for Zara. It was unfair. She did not deserve that kind of treatment.
Chapter 9
The King could barely concentrate during his meeting. While the attempt on his life should have weighed heavily on him, Zara held his thoughts hostage. He could not stop thinking about her. He found himself positively anticipating the next time he would see her. He couldn’t wait to show her the painting, he felt like he had done a good job with her likeness and he was anxious to hear her opinion. He decided that he wanted to take Zara horseback riding.
“Let us postpone this meeting, gentlemen,” the King said as he stood up. The men looked at each in confusion. They were still very much in the middle of discussion. The King had not been paying much attention and now he was leaving early? This was unlike him. He headed toward the door at full speed.
He returned to his quarters to dress in his riding clothes as quickly as he could. He stared at his painting and smiled to himself. As much as he wanted to show it her, today he was going to take her riding. He turned on his heel and headed for the exit.
“Your Majesty, wait,” Alma blocked his path. “It is better that you do not go to the laundry yourself,” she said to him.
“Huh, why?” the King frowned at her.
“Because, your Majesty, people will talk.”
“And they won't talk if you go?”
“They will but I will send someone else. Your Majesty, you have to realise that either the queen or Lady Tiana might find out and it will not be pleasant.”
“I have grown weary of their demands.”
“Not for you, your Majesty, but for Miss Zara.”
The King took a deep breath and agreed with Alma. He allowed her to send someone to summon Zara for him and meet him at the stables. He told Alma to provide her with riding clothes, and then he left the room and went to wait for her.
Rachael was not surprised when Zara was summoned. Even though it was a different maid that had come, she knew that it was the King calling for her. The other maids were annoyed that she got off work early. They had already grown jealous of her since the King came to the laundry. Their supervisor told Zara that her workload will be there for her when she comes back and that she would have to do overtime without pay to make up for lost time.
Zara changed into her riding clothes when they reached their destination. She was excited since the last time she had been riding was with her father when she was a little girl. She smiled as soon as she saw the King waiting for her. He stared at her walking toward him. She was different. For once, she was not wearing her work clothes. The sun complemented her eyes and skin very well. He suppressed the urge to embrace her.
“Your Majesty,” she said and gave him a deep bow.
“Miss Zara,” he replied to her.
“How are you today?”
“I am great now.”
Zara shifted uncomfortably and laughed. “That's good,” she said as she tucked a curly lock of hair behind her ear. He grunted. She was so adorable when she was shy. He asked her if she could ride. She nodded and told him that she rode when she was younger.
One of the stable hands had a horse ready for her. The King helped her onto the horse. “Since you're too small to get on yourself,” the King teased. He laughed as she mockingly glared at him. She was of average height she voiced out. Five feet three inches was plenty of woman! It only made the King laugh at her even more. She was definitely smaller than Tiana and Amira. They were both tall at five feet ten inches.
They were trotting as they talked. “I'll race you,” Zara said to the King. He raised his eyebrows and agreed to it. She pointed to their destination. “What does the winner get?” the King asked. Zara shrugged her shoulders. She had nothing to grant the King.
“You will grant me a wish when I win,” the King said to her.
“What makes you so sure that you will win?” Even if he lost, it was not as if she could say no to anything he wanted.
“Because this is me we are talking about.”
How very conceited! Zara thought as she narrowed her gaze at the King. As she prepared to count to three, she gave him an impish grin before shouting three and racing off into the fields. It took the King a moment to realize that she cheated before he laughed and urged his horse into a gallop. The wind blew Zara’s hairband off as her hair billowed behind her like a flag. Whooping in joy, Zara stretched up her arms enjoying the freedom of the ride. The King was very relaxed in his gallop, as he enjoyed watching her expression of joy as she rode. This was a side to her that he did not expect. He sped up at the last minute and overtook her.
They dismounted. “I almost won!” Zara said as she ran her hand through her hair, still smiling. She remembered how much she loved riding. She loved the speed, the feel of wind in her hair, everything about riding made her smile.
“Oh habibti, you never had a chance,” the King said as he opened his bottle of water and gulped half of it. He handed it to Zara. She took it with her eyes crossed.
“I definitely could have won,” she said. She drank the water and gave it back to the King. She stared into the distance with her hands on her hips.
The King smiled at her. “Where did you learn to ride?”
“My father,” Zara replied. “I don’t have a lot of memories of him, but I remember riding with him from a very young age. When I was quite small, I used to sit in front of him, but as I became comfortable on the horse, I had a saddle that fit me. The wind. Flying on the horse. It was glorious. I’d forgotten how much I missed riding. Thank you, your Majesty.”
The King was surprised at the level of emotion her response generated in him. Looking down at her, “Now that I won, you must grant me that wish,” he said.
“What does his Majesty desire?”
“Your lips.”
“What?” Zara turned quickly to face him. She was not sure she had heard correctly. He looked so serious. She had half expected him to be laughing, since he always teased her.
“I want to kiss them,” he said as he moved closer to her. Zara raised her eyebrows. Did the King really just say that he wants to kiss me? she asked herself. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. The King traced her jawline with his finger. She looked at him doe-eyed. Her big hazel eyes were filled with innocence. She looked down. She was too shy to keep looking at him. Her brain reminded her of Tiana's words, it warned her not to involve herself with the King, how the queen would be furious if she found out, but those thoughts were drowned out by the sound of her heart beating loud and fast. Her stomach was filled with butterflies, she felt so nervous being this close to the King, having him touch her face like that, looking at her like that.
The King pressed a small kiss against her lips. Zara felt as if she was going to melt into the ground. He kissed her once more, this time longer. He pulled her closer to his body, lifting her easily, as her legs gave out from under her. Her lips were so soft and luscious. The King thrust his tongue into her mouth and deepened the kiss as Zara made small mewling noises of pleasure as her arms found their way around his neck. He groaned as he felt himself growing aroused. He had never found such enjoyment in merely kissing a woman, but there were many things about Zara that surprised him.
When he broke the kiss, he stared at her. She smiled and looked down. She could not bear his gaze. “You are so beautiful,” he told her. You'd look even more beautiful naked, he thought to himself. However, he was not going to take her, she was different. He wanted to take everything slow with her, whatever they were doing. He did not want to ruin it or scare her off.
“So are you,” she said very quietly. The King laughed. Zara always had awkward responses.
“I am, aren't I,” he said as he walked toward his horse. Zara laughed. He was very conceited. She looked at him and shook her head. “Let us ride some more,” the King said as he got on his horse. Zara was happy to oblige as she mounted her horse.
; Upon the King’s return to his quarters, he found the queen waiting for him. She calmly stood and bowed her head to him. “You went riding without me,” she said.
“Next time my queen,” he said and kissed her on both cheeks.
“Must I share you with yet another woman?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The one you went riding with, the one you have been spending so much time with, the one who was in your quarters the other night when you collapsed,” she said, as she looked very unhappy, not that it surprised him.
The King sighed and rubbed his forehead. He knew that she was going to find out sooner or later. He was not sure that he cared anymore.
Chapter 10
“Your Majesty, aren't you going to at least deny it?” the queen demanded furiously.