Suitor

The next day...

Sitting upright on her grand bed in her spacious bedroom, Gladys stared into space. She couldn't seem to forget what happened yesterday, everything replayed in her head again like a play and her face turned red in nervousness.

She didn't know how long she sat on her bed until her maids came knocking at her door.

"Come in."

Gladys' small voice echoed round the room and she sighed heavily before getting out of bed.

The maids greeted her and asked if she was alright because she never woke up late.

"Something just came up on my mind, don't worry yourselves. I'll be fine." She hoped so.

"Please be fine milady, we wouldn't want you to be stressed out." One of them spoke out her worries and Gladys gave her a reassuring smile.

They both went in to prepare her bath while she sat at the edge of her bed deep in thought.

She had lied to the king about not having someone on mind. But she had a reason for that; the person she had on mind didn't look at her with longing, he was always careful with his words and gentle towards her but he never showed any feelings of liking her.

Gladys sighed sadly and stood up. She went behind the dividers and slowly took off her chemise. It slipped to the ground, pooling round her feet.

Her mind drifted to the man she was infatuated with, the man who took away her breath by just glancing at her.

Of only he showed the same feelings...

"Ma'am, your bath is ready."

Her hand maid informed her and she thanked her and told them to leave. Ever since she was little she had been the one taking her bath by herself.

"Should I pay him a visit?" She muttered to herself as she stepped out of the divider with a cloth wrapped round her body. She entered the washroom and closed the door behind her.

She didn't want to hurt brother, yet, she couldn't return the same feelings he felt for her.

She longed for someone else.

Sighing, she stepped into the wide bath and sat in it, letting the water bury her entire figure.

*

After the long bath, she put on ointment on her skin before calling in her handmaids to assist her in dressing up, especially with the corset.

Once everything was taken care of she sat in front of her mirror and applied light make up to her smooth face while one of her handmaid took care of her hair, styling it the way she felt would be appropriate.

Staring at her well structured face through the mirror, Gladys couldn't help but feel blessed for the beauty God bestowed on her.

"Thank you very much Jemima, Zilpah."

"Your very much welcome milady."

They both felt at ease around her, she was very nice to them.

"You may both go now."

Gladys told them and they bowed slightly to her before leaving the room.

Her light brown eyes stared back at herself, they where bright but worried...she was worried.

Getting up from the stool she sat on, Gladys stepped out of her room and went to her little garden which had a round table and two chairs at the side, two tea cups and a small kettle were placed on he table with a plate of biscuits.

A maid stood beside the table with a smile on her face.

"Good morning lady Gladys, was expecting you a but earlier."

"Sorry Tovia, I guess I was really exhausted." Gladys apologized to her maid before taking her seat. Tovia turned the cup over and carefully picked up the kettle before pouring a little amount of green tea into the tea cup.

"Mr Arthur wanted to see you this morning."

"Why?"

Gladys took a sip from the tea cup while looking at Tovia, waiting for her to say more.

"I don't know milady...let me go call him."

She waited for Gladys to give her a go ahead before she left. Gladys took another sip from the well brewed tea before taking a gentle inhalation of it, the fragrance was exquisite.

A relaxed smile lit her face and she closed her eyes while listening to the calmness of her surrounding until she heard the sound of shoes clacking.

Her eyes opened and she turned her head in the direction of the noise to see the butler, Mr Arthur, making his way to her with a basket of fresh bunch of lilies in his gloved hands.

Her eyes narrowed and she carefully placed her tea cup back on the saucer before he approached her, he bowed before handing the gift to her.

"Good morning milady, these are from his highness, the king." Her eyebrows quirked upward and she took the basket from him to find an envelope shoved in between the bunch of lilies.

"Thank you Mr Arthur, you may leave."

She thanked him with her eyes focused on the white envelope with curiosity. She rested the bottom of the basket on her lap before slowly taking out the envelope and opening it patiently.

She took out the letter and unfolded it as well before reading the content, line by line;

'My beloved Gladys,

I know I was straight forward yesterday and I have an inkling you may not like how things go from now onwards. Am afraid I can't apologize because this is how I truly feel for you, I can't deny it anymore Gladys.

We can take things slow if you feel burdened by my way of approach, this is my way of saying good morning to you Gladys.

-with lots of love, Theon.'

Her eyes shifted to the bunch of lilies in the basket which rested on her laps. For a long time her eyes kept staring at them, she felt different and burdened...how would she face him now?

'My goodness, Theon...what am I going to do with you'

She spoke to herself internally.

"Gladys?"

Gladys' eyes snapped up in shock and she ended up crushing the paper like she was caught red handed.

"Celeste!" She breathed out his name in a surprised way.

Celeste's eyebrow quirked upward in suspicion and curiosity, his eyes landed on her hand which held a crushed letter.

His eyes narrowed and he took the opposite chair and sat on it slowly with his eyes still glued to her.

"A suitor?"

He was direct with his question without beating about the bush. Gladys looked down at the gift and nodded, she calmed her nerves before facing him again.

"Do you like him?"

She bit her lips, a look of worry formed on her face and she gave a truthful reply.

"I guess not."

Relief passed through Celeste's eyes and she missed noticing it.

"Then don't hesitate to discard him, sister."

Her eyes almost went wide and she chuckled, if only he knew who her new suitor was...he would be dumbfounded.

He poured himself the green tea into the tea cup in front of him from the kettle.

"What about you, brother?"

She questioned and his light brown eyes lifted, staring at her.

"What?"

He acted ignorant, waiting for her to say more.

"Have you found any woman to you liking?"

"Yes I have."

"Really? Would you be kind enough to share her identity with me?" Celeste snickered a laugh before taking a bite from the biscuit he held in his hand.

"Why should I sister? Give me a good reason why i should tell you about her."

"Easy, because I am your sister."

Celeste watched how she took a sip from her tea cup after her statement. His eyes followed the cup which was positioned between her light pink lips which was slightly parted to take a sip.

Snapping out of his silly thought, he stared down at his own cup.

"Time will tell sister." She frowned at him briefly.

"How is Nero coming along?" She shifted the topic to another reasonable one.

"He's doing perfectly fine...can I ask a favor from you sister?"

Gladys hesitated, she had a look of suspicion in her eyes because sometimes Celeste could ask for too much.

"This evening wear something simple, not something over the board Gladys."

"And why is that brother?"

An evil smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he took a mouth full of tea before swallowing.

"We wouldn't want men hovering round you like flies when they're meant to hover round Nero's work."

She burst into laughter and he basked in the moment, enjoying how melodious her laughter sounded to his ears.

Her laughter soon died down and she spoke.

"I can't do that to brother, you know how much I value his work." He nodded in agreement and she too nodded.

"These biscuits never lose their taste, sweet and savory to the mouth." Celeste praised the biscuits.

"You can give all the credits to Tovia, she would be pleased to know." After saying that, she wriggled her eyebrows at him and he frowned at her idea.

"Have you forgotten I told you I've found someone."

"I was only teasing brother," she covered up and he smiled.

"Do you have someone on mind as well sister?"

His question shocked her for a moment, reminding her of the same way Theon asked her but differently.

Her eyes searched his, wondering if he had the same feelings as Theon but she found nothing. Maybe she was over thinking things.

"Yes brother, I have someone on mind."

She answered truthfully.