The Savior

Chapter 9

"Florence?"

Who was calling me?

"Florence?"

I tried to open my eyes but they felt heavy with fatigue and exhaustion. I struggled but was able to see only a blurred figure over me. They had hair as white as snow in what looked to be dreadlocks a complete contrast to their beautiful dark skin. What really stood out was their grey eyes that shined brightly against my hazy vision. From only their outline I could tell that they were an enchanting woman. Who was she?

"My lord? My lord, are you alright?" My eyes instantly snapped open. I could feel myself heaving, gasping for air. My chest was rising and falling rapidly as cold sweat ran all over my body. My eyes scanned the room I was in and it did not look like the familiar disastrous area in the church that was mine.

The room was furnished with all kinds of expensive luxuries I never thought I could ever see in my life. There were wooden chairs with plush cushions that had well sewn floral patterns all over. Marble statues of the goddess and other important figures graced the walls along with pictures more detailed than the ones found at the church, a very holy place at that. There was a rug on the floor that looked soft and warm with its vibrant colors. A well sized table that looked like it was made of the finest wood was tucked away in the corner, a silver vase with flowers on top. What really made me double take was the bed that I was on. It was a canopy bed with light burgundy  curtains drawn back and silk like sheets also the same dark burgundy color with hints of gold specks on the edges. Not just only on the sheets, gold was everywhere. The frames for the paintings were gold, the table was trimmed with gold,  and the statues had ornaments that were made of gold.  Gold was all over the room.

In a panic I tried to get up but my head was throbbing as though it was aligned with my heart. Slender hands pushed down on my shoulders and that's when I noticed the woman standing right next to the bed. "My lord you need to rest."

My lord? Was she talking to me? I was getting more confused and the pounding of my head was making my concentration worse. Right now I needed to figure out where exactly I was. "Um, where am I if I may ask?"

Her eyebrows scrunched together in question but she calmly answered nonetheless. "Your grace you are at the royal palace."

I stared at her like she was crazy but the seriousness in her eyes made me take a swallow, the dryness of my throat burning and making me cough. She quickly rushed away to a small table and returned with a silver goblet filled with water. "Drink my lord."

I hesitantly took the cup and down the water, the cool liquid hydrating my throat and helping regulate my body temperature.  I wiped the corner of my mouth and rested my back on a plump pillow. "Thank you."

She took the cup from my hands and bowed. "You are most welcomed my lord." I frowned. I did not enjoy her calling me a lord or your grace it was unbecoming of me to take such a title. "You do not need to call me that I am just a simple commoner who so happened to get lucky."

Her head shot up and she squinted her deep brown eyes at me. After a moment of our little staring contest she finally stood up and fell back onto a chair with a loud and long sigh. "Well you should have said so from the very beginning you had me put on the old act for nothing."  She gave off a completely different presence than she did before. She was slouched far too deep in the chair and her legs were wide open without a care in the world that a man was right there in front of her. It was like she was too relaxed to be in the royal palace. Was she not a worker based on her outfit.

"Do you not care that you leave yourself so unguarded when a man is with you?" I asked her trying to see her reaction. To my surprise she gave a hearty laugh and ran a hand through her long wavy hair. "Firstly, you don't look like the type to take advantage of a woman. Secondly, I could knock you out with a good punch, I am not a weak woman you know. And thirdly..." she leaned forward and brought her voice to a whisper. "You're not the type to find the assets of a woman appealing are you?" She made an obscene gesture with her hands and I knew I was blushing from the laugh she gave me.

"How dare you say such vulgar things!" I found myself gripping the bedsheets. She leaned back into the seat and shrugged. "I could care less who some of these men love to put their repulsive-" there was a knock on the door that stopped whatever inappropriate words that were about to leave her mouth and she quickly stood up.

"Coming!" She dusted her hands off on her apron and turned to move and open the door. She looked back at me with a knowing look which made it unbearable to look back at her. What could she possibly know about me? "Didn't your great goddess once say to express ones love for another and to receive the same affection is the greatest gift to nourish the country on the path of acceptance or something like that?"

"It's the path of growth." I corrected. "Did you not learn this from your daily readings?" I asked.

She smirked and gestured to herself fanning her hand up and down her body. "Does it look like I do?" I could only form an 'o' with my mouth. She was so clearly foreign to this land. Her skin was tanned and her facial features were strong and eye catching. She looked like a powerful warrior who could be closely compared to the goddess which was a high compliment for any woman. She was beautiful but she would have high competition with the other. The woman with the white dreadlocks.

Another knock sounded at the door and she opened it. There stood Augustine at the door with two other men behind him. She bowed her head quite low I thought she was going to hit her head on the floor. "Good day captain." He nodded his head and moved to the side to let her out.

"Wait!" Everyone's attention was turned to me and I felt very out of place. I cleared my throat "What is your name?" I asked her. She smiled and curtsied. "Elizabeth my lord but people call me Liz." Her name was Elizabeth. I smiled in return and gave a small wave goodbye.

Augustine stood by and closed the door. He looked at me before walking to one of the chairs and setting it right by the bed.
He sat and pulled his body forward leaning his front on the side of the bed his weight resting on his entwined hands. His biceps were flexing and the cut of his shirt allowed me to see the peak of his chest and the curly hair that littered across it. It was strange to see him in such normal clothing but I wasn't quite opposed to it.

"How are you?" His voice was deeper than usual and his hair was even messier but it still was attractive from it being tamed. Did he just wake up? He does look tired. "Are you tired?" I subconsciously asked.

He paused but made no action to answer my question. He continued talking ignoring the question. "You need to get better quickly." I fumbled with my fingers awkwardly, a nervous habit of mine. "And why is that?"

"The king wants an audience with you."