By Order of the King

Chapter 19

Talisha walked up to Hector and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Please forgive me, Hector. I didn't want to raise my tone. See, the desperation I was feeling broke out without me realizing it. I can't get out of my mind that Skye got such joy from curtains, sunlight, and a soft bed. All these are granted here."

"I understand how you feel about this and I don't mind," he comforted her with a brief touch on her hand.

Talisha nodded gratefully and wiped her nose.

Her gaze fell on the jumbled bedding on the couch.

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" she asked him. "From the condition I see on the couch, it looks like you were tossing and turning in your sleep all night."

Hector didn't deny it.

"I wonder why. Since you sent your men to follow them unseen throughout their journey here. Skye was completely safe."

"I know. That's not why I stayed up most of the night."

"Who was it then?"

Hector smirked. "It may sound silly to you, but I couldn't sleep knowing Skye was on her way here and being somewhere so near to me. I could feel my blood rushing through my veins, my heart pounding in agony. I couldn't sleep. Maybe I slept a little. I don't know. I can't remember".

Talisha patted him gently on the back. "I understand how you feel and it doesn't seem silly at all. Such a beautiful feeling as love cannot be silly."

Hector simply shook his head, and a hint of a smile appeared on his lips.

"Hector? Dare I ask you?"

"You can ask me anything you want, Talisha. You don't need to gather your courage to talk to me. I don't understand why you are asking me that."

Talisha took a deep breath. "Okay then, why don't you tell me when it will be? Why do you keep me on edge? You know how much I care about Skye and your silence hurts me."

Hector turned and looked at her, his lips pursed. For a few moments, their gazes were locked on each other. "Precisely, your feelings for Skye are holding me back, and I'm not telling you."

Talisha furrowed her brows. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"We both know Skye isn't going to like what's going to happen because she doesn't want to get married."

"Yes, I know that, but…."

"Wait, I'm not done yet. What will you tell her if she comes to ask you if you knew and you didn't tell her?"

Talisha took a sharp breath and put her hand in front of her mouth. "I hadn't thought of that. You're right. I don't want to lie to her. She trusts me, maybe even loves me" In her last words, her voice became low, cracked. She lowered her head and cupped her forehead, rubbing it gently as if it was the first time she realized that Skye might actually love her.

She remembered the pain in Skye's eyes at how she had treated her a few minutes ago when they entered the castle, and her heart skipped a beat. No, she couldn't bear to betray her. She couldn't take to lose her.

"Okay. I'm not going to ask you anything again. I trust you. Do you want me to bring you breakfast?" she asked, and Hector nodded.

"Don't forget to give her my present," Hector said over his shoulder as Talisha opened the door to leave.

"I won't forget it. Don't worry."

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Talisha entered the chamber where Skye was sleeping. She walked over to one of the windows and opened it. The fresh air hit her face, and a lock of her hair escaped the hairnet and flew free, but Talisha showed no interest in picking it back up. She closed her eyes, taking in the gentle mountain breeze. Although she was an English woman, after so many years in Scotland, she loved it deeply. She now considered Scotland her home.

She opened a few more windows to let more fresh air in. The sun had risen for good, and its heat was beginning to spread.

She was putting her hair together as she walked over to the bed where Skye was sleeping. She stood over her headrest and looked at her sleeping. Her face was so calm and peaceful. There was a hint of a smile of euphoria on her lips.

Talisha smiled and stroked Skye's hair gently.

"I'm sorry to have to wake you up, my dear, but I have to," she whispered.

She shook her gently. "Skye? Wake up. Time has come".

It took a few more tries before Skye opened her eyes to look around and realize where she was.

Her gaze focused on Talisha, and she smiled sleepily at her.

"Really? Oh, and I am so comfortable in here!" she said and stretched.

"Come on, get up, you have to get ready, or you'll be late, and it's not right," Talisha told her and gently pulled the sheet down.

"Okay, okay, I'm getting up," Skye protested and swung her legs off the bed. Her soles touched the soft fur on the floor, and its hair tickled her soles delightfully.

"Finally, you're going to wear the dress. I can't wait to see it worn on you. I am sure it will be lovely!" Talisha intoned and walked over to the dress hanging in the closet. First, she gently touched the silk cloth and then unhung it.

"I'll help you wear it," Talisha volunteered. "Take off your nightgown."

Skye's heart started pounding, and she felt numb in her chest.

"No, it is not necessary," she forced herself to smile. "I'm a big girl; I can do it on my own."

Talisha laughed softly. "Oh, I see! You have become a full woman now, and you are ashamed. Okay, it doesn't matter. You can go behind the screen to change," Talisha said, and handed her the dress.

Skye turned to walk towards the screen, so Talisha didn't see the sigh of relief she let out.

She took off her nightgown and took the dress in her hands. She still couldn't believe she would wear such a beautiful dress. I only thought of the dress she would be forced to wear; a knot blocked her throat.

She slid her hands through the sleeves, poked her head through the neckline, and let go of the dress. The fabric caressed her body as it fell, wrapping around her body. A sweet shiver ran through her body, and she felt a lightness in her chest.

She tidied up the fabric around her armpits and breasts, and when she thought she had a decent appearance, she took a few steps away from the screen to get into Talisha's line of sight.

Talisha rolled her eyes, and her lips parted in a broad smile. She put her hands together and placed them under her right cheek. "Oooooh! You look gorgeous!"

Skye giggled awkwardly, gently running her fingers through the lace on her square bodice.

"Really?" she asked, and her cheeks colored red.

Talisha gently pulled her to the mirror and looked at her through it.

"Look, see for yourself how wonderful you are," she told her, showing her reflection in the mirror.

Skye looked down at herself. She trailed her hands to her torso's sides and to her stomach, enjoying the sensation of the soft silk under her fingers.

Then she raised her arms to shoulder height and smiled at the sight of the wide and long triangular sleeves. She adored them, unlike Iona, who had called them awful.

Talisha clapped her hands. "Amazing!! What about shoes?"

"I brought a pair with me," Skye said, and went to her trunk. She opened it and saw the dress Fiona had given her. By the moment she had put on her own clothing, she had banished its existence from her memory.

She took it in her hands and held it up, showing it to Talisha. "This is the dress I would wear if I didn't have the dress I'm wearing."

"Really? That's beautiful too. You didn't have to waste your money and…."

"Aunt Fiona forced it on me," Skye interrupted. "And please, take a closer look."

Talisha moved closer to look, and then she saw the large hole. Her eyebrows rose so high that they reached the other end of her forehead.

"So you'd be wearing this if you hadn't secretly bought the dress you are wearing?"

Skye nodded.

"What a b***h!" she exclaimed. Her teeth chattered as she clenched her jaws and her face turned red.

"Give me this," she said, taking the dress from Skye's hands. She made a ball of it with quick movements, opened the closet, and threw it inside.

"I don't even want to see it again in my eyes. I'll burn it."

When she looked back at Skye, she was holding the shoes she had brought to wear on this special day.

Talisha approached her, wiping her sweaty forehead with her handkerchief.

"I got very much irritated by that obnoxious Aunt Fiona. And whenever I get irritated I sweat like a horse."

Skye just smiled.

Talisha took the leather ankle boots in her hands.

She eyed them thoroughly before speaking. "The leather is tough. That's why they are in good condition, because wearing these ankle boots will be torture, so you don’t wear them. Am I right?" she asked and looked up while her head remained bent over the booties.

Skye lowered her eyes and nodded.

"I suppose your 'nice and kind' Aunt Fiona gave you these too?" she asked again, getting her blood up.

Skye nodded again.

Talisha growled in exasperation, quickly walked to one of the windows, and threw the boots outside with a sharp movement.

Skye gasped. "Talisha! What have you done? Now I have no shoes to wear."

Talisha looked at her calmly as she walked to a small bedside table. "Of course you have," she told her as she opened the furniture door and pulled out a nice new pair of ankle boots.

"These are yours. It's a gift from me," she said, putting the booties in Skye's hands.

Skye touched them, and her breath was taken away by how wonderfully soft the leather was. They had the color of blond sand, and when the light fell on them, they took on a golden color.

"Talisha, you shouldn't have," she told her, and her voice broke.

Talisha looked at her and put her hands on her waist. "Excuse me, but I have an opposite opinion. After what I saw, I believe that dear Lord enlightened me to buy them for you."

Skye laughed softly.

"Come, sit down so I can put you on. I hope I got your foot size right."

Skye obeyed, and when Talisha put them on, Skye stood up and walked them.

"They are great! And so soft! Thank you, Talisha," she said and stormed into her hug.

"Thank you a thousand times. What would I do without you?"

At Skye's words, Talisha closed her eyes as Hector's words came to her mind. He was so right. No, she couldn't lose Skye, or rather, Skye couldn't lose her.

When the two women parted, they looked at each other with tearful eyes.

Suddenly Skye's eyes opened widely.

"Talisha? I just remembered what I wanted to tell you."

"That's good! I hear you."

"In the carriage, I had plenty of time to think, especially in the night when uncle was snoring."

At this point, Talisha laughed softly. "My poor girl."

"And I remembered something that didn't make sense to me." Skye continued.

"Which is...?" Talisha asked her with rising interest.

"Two or three weeks ago, Uncle was away from the castle for a few days. When I asked Aunt Fiona where the uncle had gone, she got hysterical and told me that it was because of me that the uncle had left. Basically, her exact words were, if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have had to leave, and I was sure that the uncle had come here to the castle to meet the king and ask for a new prospective groom. But when the uncle returned to the castle, he told me that he had only gone hunting with a friend, and indeed, some men brought prey to the castle the next day. I don't know what to believe. What do you think, Talisha? Did you see Uncle Malcolm here at the castle two or three weeks ago?"

Talisha pondered Skye's words for a moment. "No, I don't remember seeing your uncle. Has any prospective groom come to the castle since Malcolm's return that day?"

Skye shook her head.

"Then I believe that Malcolm told you the truth and that your aunt probably put on a whole show to upset you on purpose. And I don't think your uncle would lie to her about where he was going, especially with the prey in evidence. Malicious Fiona did it all" Talisha touched her shoulder reassuringly. "So, don't think about it anymore, put it out of your mind and enjoy the day."

"Okay," Skye replied as she nodded.

"We wasted a lot of time talking. I'm going to call the girls who will comb your hair and take care of you," said Talisha, and hurriedly left the chamber.

Skye looked around and saw the dressing table with its burgundy plush seat.

She sat down in the easy chair and raised her eyes to the flushed face of the girl looking at her through the mirror.

After sleeping, she felt fresh and rested, and it showed in her glowing skin and sparkling eyes. She saw the brush and took it in her hands. Strange, it looked new, or it had never been used. She ran her fingers over the shiny bone handle.

When Talisha returned to the chamber with the maids, she found Skye combing her long hair. Skye looked at them through the mirror and smiled at them.

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The two maids finished and took a step back, admiring their work while letting out small exclamations.

They had made many delicate braids which they used to decorate Skye's head, and with the rest of the hair that had not been plaited, they made a neat bun a little above the base of her neck. The end result was excellent.

Talisha came and stood behind her. She put her hands on her shoulders. "Now you are ready," she announced to her. "Shall we go?"

Skye's heart began to pound. She nodded. "Yes, let's go," she replied and stood up.