The Altercation Of The Heart

Chapter 21

Exiting the cabin, they shared the last kiss to seal the night they had. They began meandering their way out of the garden into the maze of hedges. They got back into the kitchen and no one was in sight. Silas watched her walk away to the cloakroom after they had shared their goodbyes.

He could still feel her lips on his as he made his way back to his bedroom. Zella was asleep in the large bed when he entered the room. His imagination held a mirage in front of his eyes and Emmeline was laid in that large bed curled up, hugging the furs to her chest. The voice of someone interrupted his thoughts.

"Where have you been, Silas? You were not here when I got into bed."

Silas shrugged his cloak off and threw it onto the bed he had made his way in front of and sighed, "I was in the office."

"All night?" Zella said with disbelief in her voice.

"I need to bathe," Silas changed the subject and sauntered to the other side of the room, taking off his rings and jewellery.

Zella sat up in bed and the fur covering her pooled at her hips, "Do you want me to join you?"

"No," he began unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing as he stepped into the bathroom.

Zella tutted and sighed, she had been used to Silas' rejection that it had become her norm. She began to get ready for the day ahead of her, not that she did much. There was nothing to do for her and the days Silas worked she got lonely, to the point they would invite governors and governesses over to have someone to talk to. To laugh with.

The contradictory thing was that Zella didn't take them seriously nor treated them with respect. Making sly jokes that were easily covered up because she was a pretty woman and the Queen. She used them as puppets to fill the hole in her person, to make her feel as though she was living the life of a Queen.

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Emmeline made it to the cloakroom to collect her belongings and was also met with the presence of Ida, Elizabeth and Rosemary, who stood in the corner and looked as if they were planning a vendetta. The moment they caught attention of Emmeline's shoes hitting the tiled floor they paused their conversation.

"Oh look who it is, Ida, Rosemary. It's the King's Whore." Elizabeth began and the other girls began to laugh.

Ida made her way to Emmeline, "Oh sweet Emmeline, do tell us. When you play prostitute does the King give you more money or do you just do it for free?"

Ida's eyes were wide, her face held a smirk and her head tilted as if leading Emmeline into the devil's trap.

Emmeline sighed, "Don't you girls have work to do, instead of attempting to taunt me?"

"Oh," Ida turned shocked and laughed hysterically with Elizabeth and Rosemary, "look at who thinks they are boss!"

Elizabeth said,clocking her head to the side, "We have already done our job. As I said last time we met, we already know so there is no point in lying."

Rosemary spoke finally, "You should stop acting like that. You're no Queen and if the real Queen finds out then I don't believe you will be keeping your head long. Or your home if she decides that exile is best." She shrugged and smiled. The other girls snickered at her comment.

"I am not trying to be Queen but I do know that you can't control me through fear as you do other people!" Emmeline flicked her cloak on and began collecting her belongings. "For your information, the Queen cannot and does not pass any laws or punishments without the King's agreement. So if I were you, I would get used to my presence since I will not be leaving nor be scared out of my role as a maid."