A king's desire

Chapter 9

Cassandra

When I woke I felt warm. I pushed at what I thought was my blanket but as I touched it I realized it wasn't. I opened my eyes as the world set in. I was in a bed. One far more lush than I had ever slept in. Even more so than the guest rooms at the manor. It was like a different world from the small bed in my room. As I went to sit up I realized I was still naked. I lifted the soft blanket to cover my chest. Where was I? I had never seen this room before. Though I had yet to see all the guest rooms. I looked to the side and froze. The king was sleeping in a chair next to the bed.

As if he had fallen asleep while waiting for something. His face looked so peaceful and kind when he was asleep. I hadn't dared look at his sleeping face at the manor. I looked around and spotted my clothes on a nearby table. Slowly, I crept out of bed. The table was right near the sleeping king. I crept over softly. I would grab my uniform and leave. I could change in the washroom connected to each guest room and be on my way without him knowing.

He seemed to be a sound sleeper since I had snuck out before. It was just as easy to grab my clothes and head for the washroom. Once I dressed quickly, I slipped back out and crept to the hall door. As I opened it slowly, I came face to face with the guard at the door. I put a finger to my lips to signal for him not to make a fuss. Instead, he put out an arm to block my escape.

"Your majesty," he said just slightly above speaking volume. I heard the king stir and I groaned internally. Before I could even turn arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back into the room. I heard the door shut as I was spun around to face the king. He gave me a strong disapproving look. He reached up to brush a stray hair away from my face.

"You know I am usually a light sleeper," he stated simply, and I felt the shame fill me.

"I'm light on my feet. Perks of being a woman." I tried to defend myself. Though that wasn't exactly true. I had learned to sneak from somewhat of a master. It did help that I was smaller and more nimble as a woman though. Before I could ask about what was going on, the king leaned forward and kissed me again. I pulled back and took several steps back before he could stop me. "I must return to my duties, your highness. My roommates are probably wondering where I am." I saw the king tense and his eyes turn cold.

"Roommates?" The simple word was full of anger and I gulped down the lump that rose in my throat from fear. He could have me killed in an instant.

"Yes, your majesty. I have three. We share rooms. We don't need a lot of space." I thought he was aware of this. He stepped forward quickly and I didn't move. The anger in his eyes was enough to stop me.

"Are these roommates of yours men?" I blinked in confusion. I watched as the king grew even madder at that. I fumbled to respond quickly.

"Of course. It's just to sleep. You know I've never-" I cut myself off. I couldn't bring myself to say those words. "I have no interest in relationships, your majesty, I assure you." I knew how hard it was for female knights to balance relationships and their duties in the past. That was part of why none had managed to serve in the palace for so long. I had never dreamt of a family like the other girls though. I wanted to be a knight. The king's jaw clenched hard and he reached forward. I felt as his fingers brushed over the mark on my neck under my uniform collar.

"No other man in this palace may touch you like I have while this mark remains. That's an order." Like he had? I felt my cheeks fill with heat when I understood. I brushed his hand away gently.

"I told you I have no interest in such things, your highness." I watched him frown deeply at my words. He cupped my chin lightly in his hand, rubbing his thumb lightly over my bottom lip.

"Yet you seem to very much enjoy such things, Cassandra." I couldn't deny how my body reacted to his soft fingers and the s*x. I had never intended to start such a relationship with anybody though. Yet how could I refuse the king? I was a nobody. A nameless orphan. Though I had risen to work at the palace, I was a nobody to him and I always would be.

"That doesn't change things, your majesty." His eyes widened sharply at my words and he dropped his hands. I watched as his hands clenched into fists before looking up to lock with those icy eyes. They searched my face briefly.

"What is our relationship then, Cassandra?" He asked with a soft smirk like the cat that cornered a mouse. I bowed to him briefly.

"I am one of your palace knights, of course, your highness. I am at the beck and call of you and all of your esteemed guests. I shall protect this place with my dying breath if need be. I am a nobody to you. I am a sword for you to wield." As each word left my lips, his face grew darker. Not with anger but with confusion and another emotion I couldn't place. He sighed harshly and ran a hand down his face. Finally, he turned and waved a hand over his shoulder at me.

"Go then. Return to your duties." I hesitated for a moment, thinking he might change his mind again before I started for the door. As it opened, his guard looked in. Once he got a nod from the king, he let me by.

I made my way quickly from that wing of the palace, trying not to be seen as I speed-walked back to my room. I got a few looks from my fellow knights as I passed through our common areas. It was unlike me to speed walk through them with my head down, but I was far too embarrassed to interact with any of them.

The king and I had done THAT again. Not to mention he had taken me to his bed. I prayed no one saw me. If they did, then the whole palace would know by the end of the week and I can only imagine the state I was in while passed out. I tried not to think about it but I felt the memory in the back of my mind and it caused my cheeks to flare up. As I made it to my room, I flopped back on my small bed with a heavy exhale. What was I going to say if someone asked where I had been? Or if someone saw me in that wing? I pulled my pillow over my face with a groan.

Why was he picking on me like that? Surely he had a ton of women who he could call on. Was he determined to embarrass me? I sat up suddenly. Maybe that was it. Maybe he was TRYING to make me quit. Did he hate having a woman serve him? Was he trying to make me quit by doing this? Or was he trying to cause a scandal to get me driven out? If his mother or the other nobles found out he had done those things with me, I couldn't work here anymore after all. Before I could mull this over, the door opened. One of my roommates entered with a broad smile. He was older and loved to brag about his wife. He was a sweet guy. Brown hair and light brown eyes.

"Hey, Cass!" He said with a bright smile and walked over to give me a soft head pat. I swatted at his hand with a huff.

"Save that for your kid Russ." He laughed heartily. He and his wife were trying for a year before she finally got pregnant. Now they were expecting a baby in a couple of months. It was nice for Russ, but I didn't even know if I wanted to do the mom thing.

"Just watch yourself, young one. You'll miss the head pats if you get too bitey." I stuck my tongue out at him like a kid and he laughed again. "The boys are gonna eat together tonight. Wanna join?"

"Sure!" I jumped up from the bed, throwing my pillow down. It wasn't often we all had the same dinner schedule. Just because we were roommates didn't mean we were in the same squads though. "I'll probably be getting new uniforms soon. Then we can break them in with a good spar." I said, with a light punch to his arm. He smiled brightly. I wasn't super strong being a woman but I always put up a good fight. I had the small size to be nimble and dodge in combat. It helped even the odds, even if I would never be as strong as the men.

As we walked towards the dining room, Russ gushed about his wife and I let him talk, just tuning him out a little. Not many people let him just gush like that about his wife and so he liked that I let him. Even if I didn't always pay super close attention. As we approached the table, I saw a blonde flash before I was wrapped in a hug. I sighed dramatically and patted the back of the man hugging me.

"What did Gregory say?" I asked and the man lifted his head with a big fake sniff. He was such a fake crybaby and liked to treat me like I was the three boys' older sister despite being the youngest. His green eyes were dry despite his over-dramatic expression. He was almost the same height as me despite being almost twice my age. I looked at the man sitting at the table with his arms crossed in defiance. He was a bit prickly with Maxwell because he hated such emotions. His dark brown eyes almost looked black when he was upset. He was one of the only men with long hair too. His dirty blonde locks were tied up with a small yellow ribbon I had gifted him. He was just a year older than me.

"He said he wouldn't spar with me," Max said with a big fake sob and I giggled lightly. I looked at Gregory and placed my free hand on my hip.

"Well, why don't you spar with me when I get my new uniforms then?" I could almost see Gregory's ears perk and he looked at me finally. He stood quickly.

"Hold on! I wanna spar with you, Cass." He said suddenly and I laughed.

"You all can. I'll let you fight over who gets first dibs. Now let's be civil Greg. I'm starved." The guys looked at each other and exchanged looks of challenge. They would sort that out. I pulled free of Luka's grasp while he was distracted and got my food. When I sat down, the tension had eased and we all took the chance to catch up and talk. It was always so nice. We even got a rare smile from Gregory at a joke. He usually hated jokes. It was a good evening.