Rendezvous in the Romanowskian Empire

56. Ancestors

Althea

I stretched out my arms, a huge yawn escaping me that I didn't bother suppressing.

Sleepy tears formed in the corner of my eyes as I willed myself to sit up, the sheets feeling oddly soft under my palms.

My sheets were never this rich and soft... My half-awake mind mumbled as I did the little stretching exercise of my arms, my eyes still half-lidded. A common thing I did to get rid of the morning fatigue.

Along with the morning breeze flowing in, there was something sweet, tangy flavour in the air.

Oh yes, today is Gamos aka Helaine and Jakov's wedding day. Must be the food and drinks preparation.

At that thought, I forced my eyes open. A lot of work was to be done on my part, and what was I still doing in my room, sleeping?

I looked ahead to find the room wasn't familiar to mine.

Thud thud.

I wiped a hand over my face. Was I drunk yesterday?

Why the hell am I not in my room?!

The moment I jerked my head aside to gauge the unfamiliar space, my eyes met his enigmatic light brown ones, and a shrill scream escaped me before I clamped a hand over it.

Oh, my... did I- did I just...

Sleep the entire night with the... King of Romanos...

And then my brain rewound everything, and soon I was bursting into flames of embarrassment.

Holy shit, Althea. Just what you had drunk yesterday to get such guts.

It was better in the dark when I could just blend in with everything, but now with the blinding morning rays, making every portion of me visible...

"I- I'm so sorry," I fumbled without a thought. He was leaning against the headboard, legs crossed over the other on the bed, and God knows how long he'd been awake, watching my sleeping, stretching self, oh my God!

"For?" His mouth was working as he chewed on a berry placed next to him on a small table. The voice that rumbled a thunderbolt of a heartbeat into me.

"Uh, I-" I was sorry for sleeping in a King's bed? "I um- you know..." Gosh, wasn't he the one who'd asked me to sleep here, and I didn't want to deny?! "I uh-"

He looked at me as if I was out of my senses. Which I was, "Good morning, Althea," he gave a small smile, and I didn't know how he could look this friendly when his dishevelled morning hair, his keen eyes, every ounce of him screamed temptation. Morning temptation.

I resisted the urge to slap myself. The scientists must've added some nasty chemical in that pill that always had me thinking about him in the sleaziest of ways!

"G- Good morning, my Lord," I mumbled in response as I saw his back turned aside while he poured something out of a jar into a little cup.

But when he faced me, his eyes were narrowed, like a hint of warning as he swirled the liquid, silently waiting.

"Good morning, Julian!" I corrected myself, giving an uneasy smile, causing his smile to return.

"Calm yourself," he snickered, extending the cup to me.

It was herb water, which everyone drank after they woke up. A sort of drinkable mouthwash which was both good for health and an energiser to wake from the sleepy state. So healthier than coffee.