The God King's Obsession | 18+

Chapter 3 • The Mistress

I'm like the water when your ship rolled in that night

Rough on the surface but you cut through like a knife

And if this was an open-shut case

I never would've known from that look on your face

Lost in your current like a priceless wine

~ Taylor Swift

   "Good morning and happy day!" A strong and chipper voice bellowed from the open doors of my bedroom. It was the first thing I heard bright and early the next morning. Alarmed at the sudden intrusion, I shot up in bed, holding the covers close to my chest as a group of young maids swarmed me as others worked quickly to remove my belongings from the room. They wore uniforms of gold and white, complimenting the red coat of their ringleader who stood at the end of my bed, eyeing me up and down like a piece of meat. However, he did not seem entirely satisfied by what he saw, his face falling into a slight frown.

   "Uhm," I dared to say. "Who are you?" The maids all giggled amongst themselves as though I had just said something funny, while the man in the red coat just smiled. I could not help but notice his golden tooth and ornate makeup and hair. 

   "Little petal, allow me to introduce myself. I am Morado Skycaster," the man said and then fell into a deep bow. "Your personal stylist."

   "Oh," I nodded, pretending like the name had not just added to my confusion, as though it meant something to me. However, despite the introduction, I was still a little unsettled by the number of strangers who stood staring at me. "Why?" I asked and the maids all laughed again. 

   "Do not take offense, Calliope. Every maiden in the castle has a stylist whom they've imported from somewhere to suit their personal tastes." They did? Truly, this place was so incredibly different from home where there were but two modistes and a limited number of gowns. Here, it seemed there was an abundance of everything. 

   "And where do you come from?" 

   Morado's face faltered for a moment, his perfect, porcelain skin showing but the faintest crack. The maids all looked at him too, suddenly very quiet and awaiting an answer. It seemed I had discovered a sensitive subject and I almost felt bad for asking, but his face suddenly returned its smile before he clapped his hands twice.

   "Alright ladies," he said to the gold and white maids. "Let's get to work." 

   The next hour was a blur. The maids washed and bathed me in the largest bathtub I had ever laid my eyes upon with sweet-smelling soaps and plush washcloths. It was simultaneously a pleasant and degrading experience. I knew it was a normality in wealthier places to be bathed by the help, but that did not prevent me from blushing a deep crimson as they witnessed my naked body. This certainly would take some getting used to. As for my belongings that had been carried out by the maids, it turns out the God King had delivered on his promise to move me into a bigger room. Where it was, however, I had no idea. 

   After the bath, I was wrapped in a velvet robe and thrown into a chair where Morado carefully assessed me, while the maids worked to dry my hair. "Hmm," he said, leaning in close to my face and taking in every painful detail. While he did, I was able to do the same. As an artist, I could not deny he was exceptionally skilled in the art of makeup. I wanted to see how he worked such materials onto his skin, so that I could perhaps take those skills and apply them to my own art. "Brown eyes, brunette hair, tan skin, fairly pretty," he decided. "You, little petal, will be the center of attention today and I shall make your first appearance one to remember. I'll give your competition a run for their money."