The Dark King (Book 1)

Chapter 18

Flora links her arm in mine. "We have so much to catch up on."

I can't help but smile so wildly, then I frown thinking of how I look. My bed head, my makeup from last night I looked very...post-sex.

"You'll have to fill me in," I say to her. "Um, Flora, do you mind if I take a bath. Then we can meet and head into the village or whatever you want to do?"

"That's fine with me, I'll just go dust some room of the castle while you do. We should meet at the front entrance in like an hour then?"

"An hour sounds good," I smile as I turn away and up the stairs to the king's room where Raidyn is getting dressed for the day.

"Guess who has a date," I say sing-song.

"Me with my council?" He asks buttoning up a black shirt.

"No," I roll my eyes as I head into the bathing room. "Flora and I."

"Really? See, the people will come around."

I waste no time getting into the bath and washing myself clean. When I get out I put on my usual attire of a tunic, leggings and boots and I braid my wet hair back and tie it with one of Raidyn's hair ties.

Meeting Flora made me so happy, I considered her a good friend. She reminded me a lot of Astrid and I think I just needed that closeness with someone now more than ever.

"What do you want to do for today?" I smile at her.

"I really was hoping to head into the village and pick up a few things from the market."

"Of course," I begin to walk. "Let's go." We lock arms with each other as we walk out of the castle gates and into town.

"I was really hoping to look at clothing today. I need a better uniform, the one I have now isn't the correct size, it's much too big." She shakes her head.

"You know the village more than I do, lead the way." We pass by various different shops and Flora smiles at strangers as I hear whispers in the distance.

"Is that the king's bride?" One man murmurs.

"The spy from Craylle?" The girl next to him replies.

"I didn't think the king was such a fool," the third scoffs.

"Ignore them." Flora instructs looking over at me. "I heard things this morning of what they were saying and I would've agreed yesterday or the day before, but you've really done nothing except love him like the rest of us do."

I smile at her comment. "Thank you, it means a lot. I really do love him."

"I'm surprised the entire kingdom hasn't connected that and the thunderstorms at night." She scoffs.

I shrug my shoulders and shy away embarrassed. "Nightmares?"

"The king doesn't get much sleep and I'm pretty sure with the power of manipulation he can easily take away the nightmares."

"There really is no excuse then, is there?" I laugh nervously.

She shakes her head and pulls me into a small shop for uniforms. "Help me find something good."

"I hated wearing the chambermaids outfit," I say disgusted as I walk around the store. "How about this?" I say pointing to a black dress with a white collar and cuffs.

"I really like that! Good eye. I'll go try it on right now." She smiles at me and grabs the unfit, taking it to a dressing room in the back of the store.

"I'll wait out here," I call out to her as I roam the rest of the store looking at the various colors of uniform. This definitely wasn't Craylle because not everything was the king's color which is refreshing.