A Kiss Upon Tears
906 Words
Today, the maid from before did not come. Instead, an older woman arrived, her hair not yet touched by grey. I know not what became of the others.
Linda sat at the table for breakfast. She had woken late today.
“Will you eat with me?” Linda asked the woman.
“I cannot, my lady. But I thank you.”
“Come, let us all eat.”
“My lady, I beg your pardon.”
“Please.”
Hah, she is stubborn, the woman thought as she sat down.
“Thank you,” Linda said with a gentle smile.
After drilling the soldiers and knights, Zachary had scarcely a moment to spare. As ever, the sun was already sinking.
Yet he went straight to Linda’s quarters.
The older woman who attended her had already retired to the servants’ hall — Linda had insisted she leave early.
Knock, knock.
Though bathing and dressing one’s hair was the work of slaves, Linda had never grown accustomed to it. She was unbinding her hair when the knock came.
“Please, enter,” she called.
Her raven hair cascaded past her waist, and her eyes were deep pools of midnight.
Clad in blue, she seemed otherworldly — ethereal.
“May I come in, my lady?” he asked, fighting the heat rising to his cheeks.
“Sir Knight, yes. Please do.”
“May I touch your hair, my lady?”
“Of course. See how long it is.”
“Indeed it is,” he murmured, letting her silken strands slip through his fingers. “What are you about, beautiful lady?”
Her cheeks flushed at his remark.
“Umm… today the maids did not come. I feared something had befallen them.”
“No. They have been assigned to the Emperor’s consort.”
“But… you did not punish them?”
“Did you wish me to?”
She shook her head quickly. “No—” Achoo!
Seeing her sneeze, he asked, “Are you cold?”
“No, I am not. And I did not wish them punished. I was only worried. I am glad they are well.”
“Do not fret over useless people. Go to bed.”
“I am not cold.”
“You are. To bed.”
After a moment’s resistance, she relented and sat upon the bed.
Strangely, Zachary followed. He drew the blanket over her and seated himself in the chair before her.
“Do you like the moon?” he asked, recalling how she watched it each night.
“Nay, I do not. It frightens me.”
“How so?” That struck him as strange.
“When my mother… when my mother took her own life—” her voice faltered, “—she did it in the well, at night. Under a full moon.”
“Enough.” Seeing tears gather in her eyes, he bade her stop. He could not bear to watch her shatter again.
“I apologise,” Linda whispered.
“Sir Knight, will people not begin to talk if you remain so close to me?”
“Would they? They will not,” he said, now gently patting her head.
“Sir, you are like a brother to me. You are so kind. Though I know not what it means to have a brother.”
“Brother?” His jaw clenched.
“Yes. Do you not think— oh, you have a sister. Forgive me.”
Her innocent ignorance struck him like a blow to the heart.
“Indeed, I do have a sister. Which is why I want no more sisters. But I do not have a lover.”
“Umm…” She looked down, confused, and a little wounded.
“See, I was hurt in training. Here, on my head. Would you tell me how deep it is?”
“Let me see,” she said, rising in haste. She brushed his blond silk hair from his brow.
Up close, he was all sharp lines — a chiseled jaw, a high-bridged nose, long lashes, eyes like sapphire pools.
So ethereal, she thought.
Yet she could find no injury. As she looked down, she suddenly found herself upon his lap. He gazed up at her, his expression unreadable.
In one swift motion, she was fully settled in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then let his lips trail down to the bridge of her nose, reverent, leaving no inch untouched until—
“Hick—” her breath caught in her throat.
“Mm.”
His lips found hers.
Strangely, they were far softer and more tender than the man himself.
“Mmph, mmmm.” He traced her lower lip again and again with his own. She gasped for breath and parted her lips—
“Mmhh.”
He took the chance, sliding his tongue past and mapping every corner of her mouth.
She resisted with all her strength, but at last she yielded.
Her mind raced through every possible conclusion, until it seized upon one: that she had been given to Zachary, just as the Crown Prince had claimed.
And it wounded her. It felt as though someone drove a blade into her heart, again and again and again.
“Hick… mmmh… hick.”
Only when he felt warm tears on her cheek did he return to his senses and see the girl before him, sobbing.
- Writer
