C4 Chapter 4

Going down the stairs reserved for the servants, Adélie realized that she was still wearing her big blue dress. She struggled to pass in the small corridors but still managed to reach her room or her old room, she did not really know.

She hoped to find Flore there, her confidante.

But when she entered the small dark room, she realized that Flore was at work.

She sat down on her little bed. Her dress took up so much space that the room seemed even narrower.

Suddenly she was seized with a panic that she could not overcome. She hastily took off her petticoat and corset so that she could breathe. So in her underwear, she collapsed on her bed.

She was staring at the cracked ceiling when she remembered something.

She got up to rummage under her bed. There was a small rusty metal box sealed with a padlock.

Adélie wore a small silver necklace day and night. The chain was so thin that many didn't notice it. THE pendant was a key, the key to the padlock.

She hastened to open it. There was a letter his mother had sent him when he arrived here, then a letter from his father that he had sent when he left to work in the palace and finally a small notebook containing his drawings. Of course there was a wooden pencil.

Adélie smiles as she sees these memories again. She took the notebook in her hands. Her name was written in gold letters on it "Adélie Bauduin".

Almost all of the pages were covered with sketches and drawings. She hastened to take her pencil and fill in a new page. She applied herself to the portrait of the King.

A few minutes later she admired his work. It would have been prettier if she had had paint, but the pencil was enough for her.

Suddenly the bedroom door opened. Adélie got scared and hid the metal box and its contents under the bed. Fortunately, it was only Flore. She ran to take her friend in her arms when she saw her.

"- Adélie god be praised you're fine! It's been two days since you disappeared and I refused to believe the rumors! She exclaimed

- Flora I missed you so much! What rumors are you talking about?

- They say you have become the King's favorite and ... "

She stopped talking as she looked around the room. Adélie's petticoats and silk corset were scattered there.

"- Adélie ... are you the King's favorite ?! she cried

-No speak less loudly, we risk hearing you. I am not the King's favorite but he made a friendship with me I believe ... "

Adélie told him the last hours spent with the King in detail. Flore couldn't believe it.

After having laughed heartily together, Adélie decided to go back to the room that the King had assigned to her. Flore helped her get dressed, she was used to seeing that she was taking care of the Queen Mother.

Adélie went up the halls as discreetly as she could to her bedroom.

She hoped that the King had not realized his absence alas it was the case.

He was waiting for her, sitting on an armchair, his legs crossed and his eyes annoyed.

" Your Highness ! cried Adélie surprised "

He got up to walk around the bed and join her.

"-I did not expect to see you here ...

-Adélie, he said calmly, I was worried about not being in the palace, where were you?

-I ... Forgive me, Your Highness, I went to see my friend in the halls of the servants ... "

Adélie had lowered her eyes to the ground. The King approached her and lifted her chin with his index finger. This contact greatly disturbed the young girl who felt her cheeks blush.

But how to refuse anything to the King? She let herself be taken aback but this contact did not displease her either.

Gustave hesitated to move his hand up to the young woman's cheek, but he changed his mind for fear of frightening her.

"I would like this kind of incident not to happen again, I don't have to do that to look for you in the immensity of the palace, do you understand, I am King"

The coldness in the King's voice frightened Adélie. As he was about to leave the room she was dying to ask him the last question.

"What do you expect from me, Your Highness?" "

She finally dared. She felt her heart beat in her time. He had stopped walking but was back to her.

Adélie thought it had passed for several hours when Gustave finally turned around.

"What do I expect from you?" "He seemed to hesitate for a moment" You are a rare beauty Adélie, so I would not force you and I would wait until you are ready "

He announced this as he left the room. Adélie did not quite understand what Le Souverain meant by that but she contented herself with this answer.

As she was about to take off her dress to take a dip in her bath, the door opened.

The door opened, two guards made their entrance followed by the Queen Mother.

Adélie felt very vulnerable without the King by her side.

"So my son is in love with you like that?"

-How's your majesty? Adélie choked

-My son, The King, is in love with you miss and I do not know what magic did you use for that but I would not hesitate to take you to the stake for witchcraft if necessary. The King of Vesan will not marry a simple commoner! Exclaimed the Queen Mother ”

Adélie was impressed by this woman. Pale skin, ebony hair, and brown eyes. She looked like a witch.

Adélie swallowed, should she take the threats of this woman seriously, this same woman who was queen before?

However, she decided to find Her Sovereign to tell him about her mother's threats. She had no other solution, she little servant.

Arrived in front of the King's apartments, a dozen soldiers stood guard armed to the teeth. Adélie hesitated for a moment to turn back, but she still tried to approach.

She knocked on the door and no guard moved, she relaxed, so she was allowed to come.

She knocked a second time on the large solid wood doors adorned with gold. No answer, she tried everything and entered the room.

She was gloomy. Only a few candles danced on a table.

" Your Highness ? She stepped forward timidly.

Still no answer, maybe he was absent. She was about to go out when a loud noise came from the bathroom.

Gustave appears in the room. He was in pants, he was no longer wearing his shirt. Surprised Adélie looked away, blushing, she had already seen too much.

The King's smooth torso had protruding muscles that had accelerated the young woman's heartbeat.

"God he is beautiful" she thought

The King was amused by the latter's gene, he put on his shirt without buttoning it in order to put the young woman at ease.

"Do you want to see me?" He questioned

-I ... uh ... well ... "

Adélie found it difficult to regain composure, she had even for a moment forgotten the reason for his arrival.

"- Her Majesty your mother visited me a few minutes ago. She threatened to burn me alive if ... I don't know so that she was right ...

-My mother ? Victorine? He laughed.

-Yes Her Majesty the Queen Mother, replied Adélie without remaining serious

-Why did she say that?

-I don't know Your Highness but she said that you were in love with me and if you were to marry me she will pass me off as a witch ... "

Gustave was no longer laughing. His face suddenly darkened.

"Is ... is that true Your Highness?" Hesita Adélie

-No you will not be burned at the stake, reassured the King

- I'm not talking about that Your Highness, is it true, are you in love with me? "

Adélie immediately regretted her questions for fear that the Sovereign would get angry. He walked towards her. Her heart was pounding.

Gustave knew he was trying everything for everything, either she pushed him away and it would all be over, or ... he didn't know what would happen if she didn't push him away.

Only a few tens of centimeters separated them now. The King was two heads taller than the young woman.

He tenderly placed his large hand adorned with a ring on Adélie's cheek. It flared up immediately.

Getting a little closer to her he whispered

"I can't lie to you Adélie, you make my heart beat without me being able to control anything ..."

Her voice was deep and sweet. His breath had reached Adélie's neck. She felt electric shocks even in her spine and a strange feeling seemed to twist her insides.

Despite this, she couldn't help but smile. She whispered, her body practically glued to the King's.

"Since you saved me that evening, you've made my head spin, Gustave"

She had pronounced his first name while looking him straight in the eyes. The King swooped down on her instantly