The Empress Is Searching

Slowly

Although the Empress left without saying another word that day, Kleila couldn't stop thinking about their brief moment together.

In her mind, she pictured even the unimaginable. She knew she should stop her mind from wandering any further but she couldn't help it, just as she couldn't stop herself from walking towards her study chamber.

She slowly tiptoes to her door, always walking normally whenever a maid or the palace guards walks by. When she got there, she stood nervously ..not knowing what to do.

Her mind kept telling her to turn back for she knows how bad it will be for her if the Empress isn't happy that she's there, she has seen her bad mood and at some point it almost made her hate her but she couldn't, how can she hate someone she already loves.

She grabbed hold of her sleeve and began fumbling it, she does this when she's nervous or scared and right now ..she's both.

Whenever she tries to open her mouth and ask if she can come in, she always ends up closing it and this kept happening for a long time until she bent her head in disappointment and sadness and began to walk back to her quarters with the intention of not coming out forever but as she steps two foot out of her current position, the Empress called her name.

She stopped then rushed to the door where she placed her ear, hoping to hear her say it one more time but she didn't and she began to think that her mind was the one playing tricks on her and just as she made this conclusion, the Empress said.

"Kleila, I said you should come in."

Kleila shyly opened the door and entered not knowing if to stand or sit, she decided to stand after greeting her.

"Sit down Kleila, you can sit here." The Empress said pointing at an empty space on the mat where she's sitting.

Kleila looked at the space then at her. "There...? She asked uncertainly.

"Yes Kleila, here, that's if you want to or either still prefer standing." The Empress replied undisturbed and still busily writing something down.

When she was done, she discarded the pen and paper one side and began to look at Kleila who turned her eyes away shyly.

Kleila hesitated for a while before slowly walking over to the space where she sits and began fumbling her dress once again while looking everywhere but the Empress, but in every second, she'd steal a wee bit of her beautiful face.

Immediately Kleila sat beside the Empress, she turned to her and began to watch her, this made Kleila nervous and she removed her eyes from the Empress intense one and continued fumbling with her dress.

"Kleila,' the Empress called and she answered. ' Your Highness' her eyes focused on her dress which she wasn't even seeing.

"Look at me." She said and at the same time tried to raise her head up but Kleila looked away while slowly saying that it isn't right to look the Empress directly in the eyes.

"Kleila look at me." The Empress said once again and Kleila wanted to refuse, not because of tradition, but she feared the Empress will see a lot in her eyes, but then again something in the Empress voice, the way she asked her to look at her, it made her look up before averting it shyly but before she could turn her head back down fully, the Empress grab her and this made her look up.

"What do you want." She asked but Kleila didn't answer and it's not because she couldn't but because she's unsure of what she truly wants.