Reign ✔

VIII

Oh dear!

There were fireworks exploding. Not in the sky, but inside my heart. My face was plastered with a big smile. I was fascinated at my own feelings; for a man I have just met. But it was love! And I was sure! My heart was leaping with joy, my face flushed at his thought, and all I could do was think of him and him. Think of Christopher. I flushed again at his thought. Gosh!

I walked through the same trail I got to the kingdom, this time to get back to my home. All the way, I thought of Christopher's aristocratic features, his soft peachy lips, the way he made me feel and the way he leaned on to kiss me. The fact that numerous branches kicked me on my face didn't bother me much. I smiled and walked straight back to the cottage, turning right and left wherever necessary. I was amazed at how fast I reached home. And I was amazed how everything seemed so happy; happiness I have never ever felt before. I smiled as I stood in front of the cottage doors.

Sigh. I m home again.

As much as I'd have loved to go back into Christopher's arms, I mainly wanted to get back into my bed and sleep and dream about him. I walked in a slow pace, replaying my memories of the day. As I stood in the front porches, a smile appeared in my parted lips and I opened the door and stepped in. Elizabeth, I saw, was already back home. She was bathing when I had arrived. I heard the full swing of the shower inside the bathroom. I walked into my room and quickly changed into clean clothes and hid my boots under the bed. Then I walked towards the bathroom door and slightly knocked. There was a ruffle of feets and a sudden disappearance of the sound of the water. I smiled.

"Sarah?" I heard Eliza's voice calling out my name.

"Yes," I called out. I heard her deep sigh. Then silence followed.

"I was worried for you, you know that?" Her voice carried agony and irritation in it. I pursed my lips, but my eyes were glinting.

"I m sorry!" I shouted back.

"You better have me an explanation!" She shouted, her voice angry. My smile faded, and so did the shine in my eyes. I trembled with fright, for I knew Eliza in that hoarse voice. Her anger was beyond destruction. I backed off a little from the room as I heard the bathroom door-knob turn. I froze in my place. I knew Eliza and her anger, perhaps I was wrong about not listening to her permission after all. And my good day seemed to be turning bad.

Elizabeth came out, face red in anger, in a towel wrapped around her body. Her blonde hair was wet with water dripping down from the tips. She was beautiful, but her look was dirty. I froze on my legs as my back hit the cold wall. I was scared to death, because with Elizabeth, it was say the truth or face the consequences. But how could I tell her the truth this time? No...I simply couldn't. Instead, I struggled to get beyond the wall. Fortunately, Eliza glared at me for a few seconds and walked away, without a word. I heaved a sigh of relief. But unfortunately, with me, relief was out of the question.

***

"So, you enjoyed?" Eliza asked me, sarcastically. I flinced. The truth was, I actually did. I didn't reply.

"I asked you something, Sarah!" She said, looking down, as she prepared dinner on the stove. I was leaning down on the doorsill, my face pale and dried out. The thing was that I feared I would tell the truth to Elizabeth. Not that I wanted too, of course, but I still feared. And the same fear knocked the air out of my system. "And when you are asked something," she continued, "you are also asked to reply."

Gee, I already know that Elizabeth.

"Yeah," I breathed. My voice came out croaked and I giggled. But Elizabeth was stiff with a rigid expression on her face. I wondered what would happen to me. Gosh! In a sec, I reformed myself into a serious posture.