The Violet-Eyed

Chapter 12

"Congratulations, Haywire. You just saved yourself from dying a very unnecessary death." Keith was the first to speak.

Motioning for Haywire to come closer, Solaria looked at him sternly. "You can't tell anyone about our plans – not a soul! Do you understand?" Haywire nodded so hard, everyone thought his neck would snap. "Now, tell us how many palace staff there are, so we know how big an army we can gather." Miriam ordered.

"There are two hundred kitchen staff, which I am in charge of; one hundred garden staff; three hundred clerical staff, four hundred maids; and then there's the Palace Guard, which comprises of five thousand men. It's only the Queen's Royal Guard that isn't on our side." Haywire reported. Solaria gasped. She'd never realized she once had so many staff. Quickly, she made a mental note to reduce the number of staff once she reclaimed her queenship.

"And do you think you can convince all these people to obey me and go against the queen? We're practically planning a small-scale war here, you know. We'll only have one chance. If we fail, it means we sentence all these staff to death with us," Solaria asked him.

Pounding his puffed-up chest, Haywire loudly announced that he would let the staff know about Solaria's intentions. "And...may I know your names, Sir and Ladies?"

"I'm Rosa. This is Miriam, former caretaker of Queen Solaria, who has died a most unfortunate death. This is Keith, a guest of Queen Sonora's, who is apparently quite – ah, fond of him." Solaria replied quickly, hoping Haywire hadn't noticed that she looked remarkably like the 'deceased' Solaria.

Thankfully, true to his name, Haywire Brains seemed to remain oblivious to this obvious fact. "Well then, I'll be off to start my mission." He turned around, discreetly sneaking a wink at Miriam, which was so discreet that both Keith and Solaria noticed. Miriam blushed furiously at Haywire and smiled sweetly.

"Miriam? You know, you're free to help out on whatever you want. You could go with Haywire if you want to meet more of the staff," Keith offered with a smirk. Miriam nodded and muttered her thanks, all the while blushing a bright shade of crimson.

After Miriam had scurried off to join Haywire, Keith and Solaria exchanged a knowing smile. "Well, Keith, shall we go back to your suite?" Solaria asked. Nodding, Keith took her hand in his. Solaria pretended not to notice anything, but she couldn't help but realize how much she enjoyed having her fingers intertwined in his.

Neither said a word on the way back to Keith's suite, but each stared at the floor to hide their unusually rosy cheeks.

Once they'd entered Keith's suite, both immediately pulled their hand away.

Clearing his throat, Keith managed a shy smile. "So, let's have a nap together, shall we?"

"I'll go to the servant's quarters, then. Good nap!" Solaria sauntered away casually, although she half-hoped Keith would ask her to sleep on his bed with him.

"Wait, Rosa – you could join me here, if...if you don't mind the company. I get scared of the dark sometimes – I had a bad experience before." Keith invited her timidly.

Before she could stop herself, Solaria already found herself snuggling next to Keith. She felt warmth radiating from his body, calming her racing heart...

And then someone knocked on the door, slowly but firmly. "Queen Sonora demands your presence, Sir. She is rather fond of you and would like you to join her in her bedroom tonight," the person outside the door announced.

Keith was visibly alarmed. "I'll...be there shortly," he told the messenger. "I wonder what Sonora wants to do with you," Solaria smirked at him. "I'll bet it's something really, really intense that I'd rather save for you," he smirked right back.

Solaria's smirk dissolved into worry. "Be careful, Keith..." But he was already out of the door.

Sighing, she toppled onto Keith's bed and fell asleep in the comforting smell of his cologne.