The Courtier

27

THE COURTIER
♡ Josephine ♡

Alone, I was in the basement, cleaning the kitchen as all of the maids had gone home for the evening. My book lays open on the counter as I try scrubbing the scum from the table top. Hurried footsteps race down the steps, and Cecil meets my gaze. Her bag hangs over her shoulder and she is about to leave for the night until tomorrow morning.

I gulp, noticing her terrified gaze that has me locked on hers. Does Beth know? Did Cecil tell Beth?

"What is the matter, Cecil?" I ask in a haste manner.

She visibly gulps, fear showing through her brown eyes. She looked around, hoping no one was around. When everything was clear, she drew near, tightening her grips on the strap of her bag.

"Josephine, I am only telling you this because I care for you. I am here to warn you..." She is quick with her words, but they were soft so no one could hear. Not even anyone upstairs.

"What? What is it?" The blood running through my veins turned cold waiting for her answer.

"I was making my laundry rounds to certain people as I always do every morning..." She trails, eyeing my reaction and I nod for her to continue. "Um- I take laundry to Ugene's room. What I-I found was..."

"What? What did you find?" Tears are now at the stem of my eyes and I am terrified of her words that will soon escape her.

"Paintings and drawings filled his room all over. They were of you, Josephine."

They were of you, Josephine.

They were of you, Josephine.

They were of you, Josephine.

"I am only telling you this because he seems to be-be..." She tries finding the right words for me to understand. "Obsessed."

"Obsessed?" I recall.

"Yes, obsessed, captivated, bewitched. How many words shall you need to understand that he is not mentally stable in the head to be that obsessed with someone? I mean, they were all over his room, Josephine. He had that crazed look in his eyes when I walked in and he even was drawing when I caught him. It was you he was drawing," she explains, her arms going all over the place. "Be careful is all I am trying to get at."

"Thank you." I give her a slight nod, and she descends from my presence. Were her words true? Has he drawn me and has all of my drawings scattered around his room? I could only do one thing, and that was climb those big steps of the palace and trickle into his room to see for myself.

No, that is invading his privacy.

But he never allows us to go into his bedroom at night. It's only mine that we hide away in. Cecil's words have my heart racing, and I take my lit candle with me throughout the palace to climb the stairs to my room.

My room is right there, but my eyes follow the line to Ugene's door. He is not present inside, I know it. He is staying up late with Jaxson in a meeting with reasons unsure.

My legs lead me to the opposite of my room, and my hand finds his doorknob. With shaky breaths, I open the door, unsure of my reaction if I do see what Cecil had explained.

Which was the truth.

Papers scattered across the room, taking every breath from my body and I gasp out as I step on one of them. My hand clutch onto the picture underneath my foot, and my eyes widened.

It was me in bed naked.

My body looked perfect in his image and it makes me wonder if this is what he sees when he gazes upon me. The next paper I lift is a drawing of my doe eyes that he cannot take his own off of. My lips are next, plump and dear, awaiting for his kisses whenever he pleases.