Tԋҽ Eʅϝ Kιɳɠ.

chapter 4

Astrid♡

King Jarith: "This conversation is not finished Artimis !"
You will do as I say ."

Head Guard Artimis: " Sorry ladies I will have to take a rain check on lunch . Maybe another time . I should finish my chat with king Jarith ."

King Jarith squints his eyes at Artimis glaring at him . Then glances over at me. Ember has her eyes cast down at the ground bowing her head . I'm frozen in place staring at the king straight in the face. The king locks eyes with me unmoving for what seams like forever . Until he looks back at Artimis and turns walking back towards the palace . Without saying anything to me or Ember . Artimis gives me a wink with a slight half smile and fallows the king into the castle. Leaving Ember and I frozen like two statues .

Ember exhales loudly like she had been holding in a breath.

Astrid: " That's king Jarith ? I thought he does not come to this part of the castle ? You seamed very frightened by him Ember . That only makes me even more weary of what my life will truly be like here . You said he has never spoken to you and he did not speak to either one of us this time. So why are you so scared Ember ?"

Ember: " That is true he never comes here . This is the first time I have seen him come to this side of the palace . He usually stays by the west side . Artimis works with him closely so he must have come looking for him . Anyone that works directly with him no matter what happens over there they are not aloud to gossip or talk about it. So I do not know really what all goes on or what the king is like . But he has a very powerful presence and I have heard gossip in the palace of people saying he can be very cruel . I have never heard the details of what these cruel acts are . But I must admit when he is around I do get very nervous.  Most of us that do not work with him regularly keep our heads down and do not look at or speak to him unless he speaks to us first . "

Astrid : " so I see . I think that's why he was staring at me because I was looking him in the eyes when I should have been glancing at the ground like you and the rest of the servants do , But artimis looked at him? "

Ember: " Artimis is a special case . Artimis and king Jarith grew up with one another . They have known each other all thier lives . They are said to be like brothers . Artimis's parents were best friends to king Jarith's parents the former king and queen . Now that neither of them have their parents left I believe that pushed them even closer together . "

Astrid: "Artimis seams so kind. If he is close with king Jarith maybe the king is not as bad as we fear . "

Ember: " That is true Artimis is so great but the fact that he is so kind might make him befriend even others that are not as kind . I still feel we should be cautious when the king is concerned ."

Astrid: I nod my head then continue on with Ember to lunch.  where we enjoyed cheese and vegetable sandwiches milk and grapes. All the staff sitting around the table chatted the food was delicious and conversation friendly.
We were coming into the end of our lunch break when an elderly elf woman came into the kitchen holding papers.

Embers mom peony: Rose you are taking your lunch quite early today please come join us we still have plenty of room.

Rose: No thank you mam I'll be in my normal time for lunch. I'm here on official business from king Jarith. Is there an Astrid in here?

Astrid: I stand up so Rose can see me clearly among all the faces in the room . I am Astrid how can I help you?

Rose: this is your amended schedule for the next 3 days. One of our elf's in the west wing will be traveling out of town so you will be caring for the plants and clean some of the rooms in the west wing why she is gone .

Astrid: I take the papers she hands me looking them over . I see that my first day in the west wing starts tomorrow . "Thank you Rose I will read my dudes and make sure I'm ready for all I have to do tomorrow .

The old elf gives us a smile and leaves the kitchen leaving me with weary feelings of the thought of going to the west wing.
I head toy room to leave my new schedule on my desk before heading back to work with ember we spend the next few hours working away then ember takes me to the library so we can each pick out a book to take with us for our free time before dinner.

Most of the day was spent working and breaks for meals then we had free time I chose to go back toy room and read the book I chose before eating dinner and taking my shower ember and I made a mud mask for our faces before we settled into our rooms for bed. All in all the day went quite well.
But sleep did not come easy at first .

I was very unsettled about going to the west wing tomorrow and on top of that I would not have new friend with me . I hope I am able to doy job well and not run into the king . I think even if the king did pass me by as long as I keep my head down this time he will not notice or speak to me . And with that comforting thought I drift of into sleep letting my tired body relax.