Forbidden

Chapter 15

Aeliana woke by the sun's rays beating against her eyelids, and she opened them to an unfamiliar house. It took her a few moments to recollect the previous nights events before she realized she was in Atilius' hut. Sitting upright, her hair waywardly plastered on her face by sweat, she felt as though somebody was watching her. She soon realized, as she pulled her hair back in her hands, that two people were doing so. Her face turned a shade of pink when her eyes met those of Dilios, whose smug face hadn't removed it's smirk from the last time she'd seen him. "You're finally woken, Princess!" he exclaimed in a jest manner, chuckling at the end of his own joke. Atilius looked with humoured disbelief at his closest friend, a less than serious sigh escaping from his parted mouth. "Aeliana, good morn." he nodded at her, the smile never leaving his hard face. "Good morn, Atilius. Dilios." She turned to the latter with a smile and a glare, as per usual in his case.

It was through the smiles and laughs when she realized that she had not been in the palace since the night before. She abruptly stood, her light nightgown sliding from their high spot on her thighs. "Whatever is the matter?" Atilius asked, befuddled by such sudden seriousness. "What is the time of day?!" Aeliana spoke loudly due to worry. "Mid, Princess. Midday." Dilios spoke this time, his calmed presence staying just that way, but his eyebrows furrowed. "I must go back!" she exclaimed, bolting out the door after strapping her gold sandals on. She had bid them a quick goodbye before she left, her feet leaving trails of dust each time they picked up off the ground.

By the time she had made it to the palace, she quickly realized that her family was to be on an outing that day, with the exception of her. She was meant to try different styles of hair for the wedding. Although nothing of the sorts had ever actually taken place, her maids would stay with her and gossip to her throughout the day until the family came home. She thanked the gods that they had chosen this day to do so, or else there would have been consequences.

"Princessa? I thought you were in your bedchambers?" the head servant, Lerintius, called from across the great hall, face full of confusion. "I was, Lerintius, but-" she looked around for an idea to come to her mind, "-I went to fetch myself water." The elder man's expression changed swiftly from confused to angered. "Your maids are meant for such things, Princess Aeliana. You must order Cassia and Blandina to fetch your beverages, and do so unhesitantly!" Aeliana froze; she had not wished for the attention and trouble to go to her friends. She stuttered, "N-no, Lerintius. They were preparing my gowns and now I am getting the water. You must not speak of such things to Blandina and Cassia." The servant nodded moodily and stalked away, Aeliana sighing with his retreating form.

"Princess Aeliana!" she heard the two girls yell in sync with each other as she was bombarded by their arms wrapping around her in worry. "We stayed in here all night, and your mother wanted to see you this morn but we said you were sound asleep and had asked for absolute darkness." Cassia explained, shutting the heavy wooden door. "Good," Aeliana nodded with a smirk, causing the maids to sigh. "Terentius came about as well." Blandina spoke softly as she combed through the royal's hair with her fingers. "What did that blundering idiot have to say?" The princess said with a fake humour in her voice, her body frozen. "He said," Cassia replied for the other girl, "that he loved you by becoming betrothed to you and so you are to give him love." The girl stammered, avoiding eye contact from her princess. Aeliana let a shaky breath escape, eyes watering slightly.

"We told him you were asleep and that he was to stop being such an arrogant ass." Blandina said calmly, neither maid looking at the royal. Aeliana stared at the servant with her mouth opened, aghast. It was not until several long moments later that the three women burst into undying giggles. "You-" Aeliana clutched her stomach- "You did not truly speak the latter!" The laughter only increased. "No, no, of course we didn't. We thought it, though!" Aeliana, Blandina, and Cassia laughed again, Aeliana half laughing to herself. "Who hasn't?"