Emma pov
The feeling of a cool cloth being placed on my forehead jolted me from my nightmare. I looked down to see bruises covering my arms and a very swollen ankle. My sides ached as I tried to move, so there's probably more bruises there too.
"Don't move miss, you're quite unwell," the maid dips the cloth in water again. I wondered what she meant, I felt disoriented like there was something I'm missing. Then everything came back to me: the injured ankle, the man with foul breath who left bruises on me, and Luke. All of these things resulted in a splitting headache. The maid tried her best to soothe me, but there were too many unanswered questions stewing in my mind. I doubted the handmaiden knew much information, but I asked anyway.
"Where is he?" my voice was hoarse as I ask the whereabouts of the rapist. I didn't want him anywhere near me. But the maid seemed to think I was asking about Luke.
"Prince Luke is in a meeting with the Ambassador of Sweden. He's been quite beside himself, pacing endlessly and waiting for you to awaken. You've been unresponsive for two days, Miss," she explains. I am shocked to hear that Luke has been distressed in any way over my unconsciousness.
"Where did he sleep?" I ask, suddenly realizing I'm tucked in tightly to Luke's bed (or technically our bed). The linens had a scent that was unfamiliar to me a few days ago, but now it's ingrained in my brain as something safe.
"Well when he actually slept, it was in that chair," she answers, gesturing to a small, uncomfortable looking chair close to the bed. I could hardly imagine Luke being able to fit in it, especially with his broad shoulders.
The sound of the door opening and footsteps startled both the maid and me. The curtains were drawn around the other side of the bed, so I was unable to see who the heavy footsteps belonged to. Naturally, I panicked that it was the guard who had defiled me. The maid quickly got up, smoothed her dress, and curtsied.
"Princess Emmaline is awake Your Majesty," she says.
"Thank you for caring for her in my absence. You're dismissed," I recognized Luke's voice, but it sounded worn out. The maid scurries off and Luke's footsteps draw closer until he comes into view. He looks even worse than his voice sounds. Dark circles surround his once vibrant blue eyes, now they look pale grey. His hair was messy, most likely from pulling at it like I've seen him do so many times when he's trying to figure out a difficult document. It's quite likely he hasn't shaved these past few days, there is a beard shadowing his face.
"Hello," I say, weakly trying to give him a half smile. I have no idea where our relationship stands; we've been so cold to each other this past month, but he was so kind to me two nights ago.
"Hi," he says simply, sitting down in the chair he's been sleeping in.
"Do you remember what happened?" he asks carefully.
"Yes," any trace of a smile falls off my face, "Thank you, by the way. For pulling him off me." His face forms a frown.
"Emmaline-" he starts.
"Emma, you can call me Emma," I interrupt.
"Emma you don't have to thank me for saving you from being raped. Any decent human being would have. This was my fault anyway," he says the last part quietly, hanging his head in shame.
"It wasn't your fault Luke," I say, trying to comfort him but finding it a bit difficult considering this is the first conversation we've that didn't make me want to rip his throat out. The reality is, we're still strangers.
"If I hadn't been such a dick when we met, you wouldn't have been alone that night. I'm so sorry Emma," he carries on beating himself up and I let him get it out of his system.
"You can't blame yourself for this. What's done is done, and there's no way you could have known it would happen. Unless you this was part of your elaborate scheme to get rid of me..." I joke. He chuckles slightly.
"I've been awful to you," he sighs.
"We both could have done better," I admit.
"Friends?" he asks holding his hand out.
"Friends," I agree, taking his hands, sealing our agreement.
...
"I fold," Luke sighs, putting his cards down to show his bad hand of cards.
"It's all about the luck of the draw Hemmings," I laugh, putting my winning hand down.
"How are you so good at this game? I only taught it to you yesterday," he wonders out loud. I shrug. I've been on bed rest for a week. The entire castle thinks I'm ill, only Luke and I know what really happened. We both knew there would be an uproar among the people, of course they wouldn't want a Queen who's been raped by a lowly guard. My ankle is mostly healed, and I'll be able to walk on it in a few days.
Luke has visited me for at least two hours each day, and I've concluded he's actually quite pleasant to be around. I've learned the following about him:
~His favorite color is blue, not like the sky but like the ocean
~He takes cream, but no sugar in his tea
~He started riding horses at only four, and he visits the stables daily
~He likes mathematics, but only reads when forced (to which I was horrified)
~He knows seven languages, but insists his French is very poor
~He can play the piano, violin, and the lute and he can carry a tune based on his occasional humming
~He can sleep in a little wooden chair for a week
~He is terrible at cards
I've tried to ask him to help me walk to my private chambers so he can have his bed back, but he refused. I was partly glad he had, for I don't want to be in a room alone while the dangerous man walks around freely.
"Knock knock," we hear Ashton's voice from the open door. He enters, giving Luke a friendly pat on the back and me a dimpled smile.
"I heard rumors that you two were finally getting along, I obviously didn't believe them, but I thought I'd come up and see for myself," Ashton says. Luke and I look at each other at the same time and roll our eyes at Ashton's sarcasm. Ashton raises an eyebrow at our sudden lack of animosity. "I've actually come to say goodbye," he says in a more serious tone "I'm going to spain for two months."
"Does this have anything to do with the girl you met there in August?" Luke chuckles.
"It quite possibly could," Ashton grins.
"Good luck mate," Luke says, standing up to give Ashton a hug. Ashton comes to give me a hug too. I'll definitely miss my friend.
"Don't kill each other while I'm gone," Ashton warns, looking at both of us.
"We'll try," I promise him jokingly. Ashton walks out the door, looking back at us once more. If only any of us knew how much everything would have changed by the next time the three of us are together again.
