Angel & Hero

21. Waking up

Emée's Point of View

I turned around, trying to get my body in a more comfortable position. The bed I was laying on was extremely soft and the exhaustion from last night had plunged me in one of the deepest nights of sleep I had in days.

Sun coming through a window and I opened my eyes. For a second, I had forgotten I wasn't in Alexandre's room at the castle or at my home. I was in Léni's cabin in the woods and I was seeing the room for the first time. The walls and the floors were entirely made of light wood which fit very much with the sight outside. High trees covered most of the view, hiding the building very well without blocking the light from coming in.

The window was huge, I had never seen one going from the floor to the ceiling, and since I hadn't closed the curtains yesterday night, it was perfectly bright inside. There were so many things in the room: a King sized bed, two night tables with lamps on them, a dresser whose top would never be reachable for my small height, a vanity and a mirror, even a fireplace!

What was more surprising was that there didn't seem to be any personal items in the room, maybe it was guest bedroom.

Thinking about how Léni would be here this morning, I hurriedly pushed the heavy covers off me and got out of bed. I was still my underwear from the wedding and I really needed a shower but I didn't really care, I was too excited to see him. Doubt washed over me.

What if he wasn't as happy as I was?

After all, he had done that in the only goal to stop Alexandre and prevent me from being a slave. Maybe I mad misinterpreted everything.

All of the sudden, I didn't want to see him anymore. I was chickening out because I didn't know what to do when I see him. Should I hug him? Shake his hand and thank him for saving my life? I sound so stupid! I don't even know if he's here yet. And I'm not going to spend the rest of the day here, stinky and starving just because I feel embarrassed at the idea of seeing him again!

We used to touch each other all the time just some time ago, now I am shy at the idea of being in the same room as him.

I got up for good and started to put on the clothes I wore yesterday night. They were a bit dirty but I shook the dust and the branches off. Marie was right, black felt weird on me but it wasn't something I particularly disliked like... red.

Red... I couldn't believe it was the theme of my first wedding, not that there wasn't any else but maybe, in the future... Technically, I was still a married Angel, a runaway bride which wasn't a crime but it was a constant reminder that this story wasn't over until Alexandre was behind bars or banned from the Alderia.

The house was still silent, it comforted me in the idea of going downstairs. Maybe my socially anxious self wouldn't have to meet anyone and if there ever was someone, I could run back up to my room without making too much noise.

I opened the door silently, fortunately the house seemed very well kept and it didn't make any noise. I crossed the corridor with closed doors left and right and arrived in a sort of salon, with sofas and books that reminded me the one at the Angel's, but of course in a smaller size. It looked very cozy and there was a wood stove on a corner. Books were lined on every wall and there even were some utensils to make tea, it was a dream for cold days.

On one corner, I could see the stairs. The parquet squeaked under my weight on each step. Well if there was somebody downstairs, they had heard me for sure.

Apparently, no one was in sight. I was in a much bigger living room this time which a counter and a kitchen behind it, a grand dining table with several chairs around it and sofas facing another fireplace. Just as in the bedroom I was in, everything was made out of light-colored wood and there were white fluffy rugs at different places in the room, giving it a warmhearted ambiance.