Royal Deception (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 13

Princess Faith POV

I stayed on my bed later than I usually do. After last night's event, I didn't feel like getting up. I was exhausted and drained, I might even get sick from walking around town while dripping with river water.

I curled up on my bed and watched the morning sky outside my window.

Usually, by this time, I would be buried in my books trying to study as much as I could. I'm planning to enter a university in the West for higher education and study medicine. I fought so hard for my parents to even consider it.

It's the only way for my parents to not marry me off, so I'd rather be a scholar than be a pawn in one of the Kingdoms my father chooses, and my father's choice would never revolve around my best interest.

I feel bad for my older sister Grace but she would rather follow my parent's wishes than be involved in any kind of conflict and disappointment.

Grace is already betrothed with someone who she doesn't feel anything for. They barely even talk or see each other. I can't imagine being with someone forever and not being able to at least talk to them.

I have nothing against being married, I just want to be happy if I do, even though it seems impossible. I just want a husband who looks at me with love and respect, not a doll he can play with anytime he feels like it and belittles me when he needs to feel a little better about himself, but the more I see how wives are treated in Gona the more I get repulsed by the idea.

I rolled over and looked up at the ceiling. Why am I thinking about this? I never think about romance and marriage as much as I was supposed to. I already have a ticket out of that tradition, I just need to prove to my parents that I can do it.

Why think about this now?

I racked my brain with all the events that happened yesterday until I stumbled upon the thought of Hartley.

I've had a lot of maids growing up and I got used to them leaving every few months. Either from the stress of the three evil ladies or my disobedience, either way, I knew they always leave so I never bothered getting to know them knowing that I'll get attached and feel unhappy when they inevitably leave.

Hartley felt different though. Different in the way like she was a puzzle that I wanted to solve. A mystery I wanted to unravel.

She served me for more than a few weeks and I was always polite, but as expected I only noticed her recently because of my disregard for forming any kind of bond. And when I finally did notice her, a lot of things seemed to draw my attention like a moth to a flame.

The first thing I noticed was obviously her appearance. She looked more like a knight than a maid like a misplaced fighter thrown in the kitchen instead of an arena. If there was a female knight here in Gona, she would absolutely look like Hartley.

I understand why the three ladies chose her. Probably, it's because they're lunatics, thinking that Hartley's appearance of being strong and capable would scare me is just so absurd. They might be trying to scare me from going outside, but whatever their reason is, it didn't stop me from getting curious, especially about what Hartley's life was like before coming here.

Also, I know she sometimes appeared like it but most of the time it didn't seem like she needed the money.

The other day I got too curious and asked Lady Marigold about Hartley after our family dinner. Lady Marigold seemed shocked by my interest but answered my questions anyway.

She said Hartley was an outsider and saw our post in a nearby town for a job. Her answer didn't satisfy even a tiny spec of my curiosity.

The only thing I was sure of was how people didn't know how to act around Hartley and it showed. Here in Gona, she's an anomaly.

I tried to keep her in my room for a conversation after she delivered my breakfast but she seemed to be always in a rush to get away.

Is she that dedicated to her work? Or is my company something she was guarded about? I know a lot of maids and servants feel too intimidated when faced with Royals but Hartley didn't seem like the type, but I can't know that for sure.

Then I remembered last night at the party. My stomach lurched just from the thought.

I don't know what happened. I don't even understand what it was. I just know that I never felt that before.

I was dancing with Ava when my eyes landed on Hartley.

The moment her light eyes landed on me and I saw the raw emotions running through her eyes, I felt the heat and the craving for the unknown.

I loved her eyes on me. She ran her eyes on my body like she wanted to devour me.

I was not new to the lustful looks. A lot of Knights and Royals looked at me that way, but somehow she was different and I was curious to know why that is.

I never had a woman look at me like that and it felt... different.

My father said that my curiosity would be my downfall but I couldn't help it. I just needed to know.

A knock on my door sounded. Shit. Breakfast.

"Come in," I said. I sat up rushing to brush down my dark hair that looked more like a bird's nest than actual hair.

Hartley walked in holding my tray and went straight to the table without looking at me to fix my breakfast. I took this moment to study her better. I know there are women who are attracted to women... is Hartley one of them? They are none existent in our kingdom or maybe they are just pushed into hiding but either way, I've never met any of them.

I took in Hartley's athletic tall figure and her arms that were fit enough to show some fear. I wonder what the rest of her body looks like.

The scene from the river involuntarily entered my brain. I was in too much panic to think about what I was doing but now that my head was leveled, I remember how much contact we had. I ignored the embarrassment that came with it as I thought about her hand on my thigh, my waist, my butt, and how her head was buried in my stomach as I tried to crawl out of the river.

I shook my head. I sound like a Gonian Knight.

Why is remembering her touch doing something to me?

Hartley bowed and got ready to leave. A sudden urge to stop her came over me, "Wait." She turned her gray eyes to me in question.

I opened my mouth but struggled with what to say. "Um, thank you for bringing my food," I said and immediately regretted it because of how panicky I sounded. She looked at me with a tilt of her head and noticed I was still in bed.

"Are you sick?" She asked.

I shrugged, "Probably." I said just to make sense of why I felt so weird today. I probably got a virus from that snake-infested river. I shuddered at the thought.

Hartley studied me a few seconds longer before nodding, "I'll get you some tea," she said and walked out of my room.

I sighed and lay on my bed with a thud. I definitely caught a virus.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! Hope you guys liked this little sneak peek at Princess Faith's thoughts. Thank you and see you on Monday :))