Chapter Ten: A Visit To His Chamber

"Seriously Luther?" The men in the room seemed much in disbelief, most of them astonished also.

 "But she is just a maid! That's absurd."

Luther didn't speak anymore. He only took a drink and sipped off it.

I was puzzled.

He has an interest in me? I was surprised but I knew it wasn't any good interest.

His gazes at me were filled with contempt and loathe, and he seemed to have nothing but cruel thoughts of me.

I sighed.

Staring at him, I checked out his features.

He was utterly handsome and the finest of men I had ever laid eyes on. He hardly smiles, at least in my presence, but that does make him look so soulless and unflappable.

He seemed so cold but somewhat warm also.

Did my father made him this so way? So hard to grok and much hardhearted?

What exactly did my father do to him? I wanted to know. I was highly curious but yet, I knew no one would be willing to tell me.

 "Get out." He said, not glancing at me and though confused on who he was talking to, I made to ask.

 "Me?"

He ignored me, grabbing a bottle of wine and gulping it all at once.

Noticing no one was making a move to leave the hall, I realized I was the one being spoken to and without wasting anymore second, I hastily went out of the room, breathing out a loud sigh of relief as soon as I was out.

I walked through the hallways back to the maid's dormitory and saw Evelyn, just at the entrance, probably waiting for me.

 "Evel...."

She cut me off, pulling my hands closer to her.

 "Oh dear, you scared me! I thought you were going to get hurt."

She cross checked me while I confusingly watched her.

 "Why were you scared?" I was bemused.

 "I was informed you were getting punishment for an offense you committed at the rouse. I was deeply worried and for a moment, thought you were going to get killed."

She announced, her voice filled with high concern.

Why does she care? And that too, so much about me? I wanted to ask. I sincerely didn't want any pity or concern from anyone in this kingdom. It irks and makes me abdicated.

But for a reason, my heart gladdens anytime she shows concern for me. It feels so genuine and heartwarming.

 "I'm fine." I said and truly, I was.

At least I wasn't in that room anymore, all thanks to Luther.

But why did he ask me to leave? And why did he save me from Tadeo? I thought he hated and despised me, why then did he show me mercy?

 "I'm glad you are but you need to eat and tell me all that happened."

I yawned.

I was already feeling sleepy and felt hungry too. I would have liked to skip having any conversation and go directly to bed but if she had skipped her sleep just to wait for me, then I own her one.

She served me food. A mixture of omelette and steak. I ate to my satisfaction and moaned at the taste while she watched me scrutinizingly, waiting for me to have my full.

 "So, what happened?" She asked after I was done eating.

I was with a cup of water and was currently quenching my thirst.

 "I got there and one of the guests called me to serve him a drink. He didn't recognize my identity but yet asked for my name. I ignored him since I didn't want him to know. If he gets to know who I was, then I would have faced more trouble."

 "Almira, you could have lied about your name. Tell him your name was Fonda or something. You shouldn't had ignored him. That would obviously rile him."

 "I'm sorry. I was much confused, I couldn't think much."

 "It's alright. I hope you didn't get any severe punishment?"

My mind traced back to I dancing with the exotic dancers. The satisfaction on Luther's face that still yet angered and irked me.

 "I guess not. King Luther only told me to dance with some dancers."

She gasped instantaneously, her palm flying to her mouth. "What? Are they the invited dancers from Plyden?"

She looks frightened.

 "Plyden?" I was confused. "What is that?"

 "It's a place. A province in Sihasin."

 "Uh... I don't really know about where they indeed are from but they danced um... exotically."

 "Oh my! They are surely the ones from Plyden!" She gripped my arm, her eyes boring into mine. "Almira, it's an abomination for a young maiden like you to dance with harlots!"

 "How? I didn't even dance well and it didn't even last 30 minutes."

 "It doesn't matter how long it lasted, it's the fact you danced with them that matter. Hope no one else saw you do that apart from the king and his guests?"

I could remember the maids serving the guests with me. They eyes full of surprise and disgust, and their lips muttering in hush tones to each other.

 "The maids serving were there too."

 "Oh my! This is terrible."

Why was she looking so troubled? I didn't even dance exotically and definitely didn't last long with the dancers, then why was she worrying?

 "Why are you worried?" I asked her, awaiting an answer.

 "Almira, that was a severe punishment! Any maiden caught dancing or even interacting with harlots has her name tarnished for life." She exclaimed while I rose a brow, getting even more flummoxed with her utterances.

 "What do you mean?"

 "Harlots are condemned women used by men. They doings lack ethics and are much perverse. Any maiden seen partaking in their activities or interacting with them is deemed as an harlot too."

 "What?" I frowned.

What stupid ideology!

I didn't even dance exactly like they did and it wasn't even my fault I joined them.... It was Luther's fault!

Perhaps was that why he made me join them? To tarnish any bit of dignity I had and ruin my already ruined image?

Haven't he made being Rupert's daughter a curse already? Why then did he had to add more salt to my wounds?

And oh, the ignorant me thought was that a simple hurt-free punishment.

I bit my lips, enraged.

He humiliated me and made me look like a prostitute, was it to satisfy those men or just himself?

I knew what the answer was. The satisfaction for my distress on his face obviously proved it.

That brute!

 "Madam Evelyn...." A maid rushed into the room, her head bowed towards the floor. "His highness seeks for Almira. He saids it's urgent and wants no delay."

What? Didn't I just leave the rouse just now?

I scowled. I hated the disturbance. I really didn't want to go meet or see him.

 "Dear, you have to leave now." Evelyn said, tapping me on the shoulder in a bid to get me away.

I felt annoyed but however left with the maid to see the king.

We arrived at the rouse room but surprisingly the maid passed by it and headed for another direction.

I wanted to ask her where we were going to but she didn't look like someone who would like to have a conversation with me.

I swallowed my query and patiently followed her.

Soon, we got to a door but four builder guards were standing by it, guarding it but when they saw me, they outrightly opened it, revealing a beautiful corridor, narrow but long, with some dark gloomy flowers at line on the floor.

The windows around were half opened, the much light produced were partly from the moon and the lightened candles and lanterns around.

I could see some statues, all having humanely looks. They looked like late kings of these kingdoms with swords tucked to their armours and helmet on their heads.

We went further and in minutes, she stopped at a door, causing me to halt too.

 "Go in." She simply said and left, leaving me all to my myself.

I stared at the door for a while and ignoring the fear tingling inside me, I opened it, only to see a spectacular room, large but somewhat empty, with not much furnitures.

Only a mouth dropping king-sized bed, with dark bed clothing and pillows, and some strong heavy looking wardrobes, dark colored also, maybe four or five in number.

The windows in here were partly opened and the curtains were swaying beautifully as air penetrated the room.

Why did here look so dim but yet, so eye-catching and alluring?

It lack of much brightness reminded me of Luther.

This must be his chamber but he wasn't in. Where was he?

I walked into the room, staring all around to catch more breathtaking sights.

I went to the bed and touched it. It was quite soft and the beddings seemed apparently dear and expensive. I roamed my fingers around it and then held a pillow...

 "Ah!" I yelled, startled when I heard a door nearby go open and Luther walking out, covered solely in a towel.

He was shirtless and his body was all moist with water continually dripping out of both his skin and hair.

 "Oh my!" I gasped, in obvious shock as I hurried out of the bed, my face bent towards the floor.

The sight felt too fremd and inappropriate for me to bear. I had hardly seen any man half naked, especially one seemingly out of bath.

 "I'm sorry." I quickly said.

I didn't know he was bathing, I would have prepared not to see him like this but it was too late to regret now.

I had already seen his perfect abs and hairy chest.

Oh heavens! How shameful could I be? How could I think that?

I heard his footsteps approaching me. I gulped in saliva, nervous and affright, not wanting him to come closer to me.

It was already bad enough that I was alone in a male's room, powerless and without anything to protect myself. But he even was half naked.

I felt afraid.

Why did he call me here? To make me see this??

 "You seek death." He snarled in my face, two foots away from me. He seemed a little tipsy and his breath smelt of alcohol.

Was he angry I touched his bed? Would he kill me?

Imaginations of him beheading me like he did to my father flooded my head, causing me to go aflame with rage.

 "Why don't you kill me then?"

 "I will... In my bed."