delayed punishment

Rose who had been unconscious for hours finally woke up and upon opening her eyes, she couldn't figure out where she was for sometime and turning her head to look at the side, she finally realized. When realization dawned on her she quickly sat up and got down from the bed. How and when did all this happen. She asked herself, but not having all the time she needed to recall what had resulted to her being in the king's room, specifically on his bed, she started to walk in the dark room. "I'm dead." She muttered while heading towards the door and even with several attempts, the door did not open.

Her heart that had been beating steadily now accelerated it's speed and invisible sweat trickled down her spine. What did she just get herself into! She had been in trouble before, but this was on a whole other level which made her terribly scared.

Just when she thought that her problems had reached to the peak, she heard a voice behind her which made her jump out of her skin.

"I thought that you would sleep forever." It was him and Rose who was shivering out of fear quickly turned around only to find that there was literally no space between them which made her take a step behind where her back hit the door.

Her not so subtle moves and the sliver of fear that was written on her beautiful face ignited something in him that made him burn with desire to touch her and see her gasp and sigh in pleasure which made him tighten his fist. Wanting to elicit more reactions from her, he stepped closer to her breathing space and when Rose wanted to take a step aside, his hand shot up and slightly hit the door right next to her head and she slightly squirmed.

When his face moved away from hers, Rose who wanted wanted to see another day alive started to explain herself

"Milord, please allow me to explain myself."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

Lucas was looking at her intently as if he could read whatever was running in her mind. She was trying to remember what had happened earlier today and he could tell with the way she slightly narrowed her eyes and when she finally recalled, she started talking.

"I_...I had come to draw a bath for you in the morning and then I passed out. I swear I did not mean for it to happen. Please spare me milord."

Her voice was something that he could listen to the whole day without even getting tired. "Ever since he laid his eyes on her, his interest in other women disappeared just like a phantom and he did not need to be told the reason for that. He had finally found her. His soulmate.

"And how is it not your fault when you reported to work knowing very well that you were sick?" He questioned while dropping his hand from the door and Rose's hopes to be forgiven disappeared through the window. She should have listened to Stella. She thought regretfully and then added.

"I thought that I would feel better after sometime. I always did." Though her statement was simple, he could weigh heaviness in those words. Did she have a tough life since she was young?

"I will decide what punishment to hand over to you tomorrow. Go to the kitchen and tell the butler bring me my night tea."

"Will you kill me?"

That was something that Lucas did not expect to hear from her. The mere thought of losing her made his eyes darken. He had always thought that he had everything in life before she arrived and now that she was here, he felt whole, as if a piece of him that had missing for a long time had finally found its way back to him.

"Do you want me to?" He questioned her back while taking steps behind before turning around and heading towards the bed.

"No." Came her defensive reply which made Lucas lips to pull up into a smile before he sent her away.

"Go tell the butler to bring me my tea before I kill you."

Rose who did not want to be told twice turned around pushed the door and lucky enough for her, it opened and she disappeared from the king's presence. The corridors were empty with not even a single soul around. Half walking half running, she finally got into the kitchen where there were only two servants and the butler who was busy making the red liduid that he had made the previous night.

"The king has sent me to tell you to bring his tea to his room."

The butler did not say anything to the girl who had been into the king's room for a whole day and instead put the red liquid into a glass and walked out of the kitchen. Not giving a thought to the butler's ignorance, she turned around ready to leave so that she could go to her room when one of the servants, who was a middle aged woman remarked loud enough for her to hear.

"She will be disposed just like the rest of them. What does the king even see in her? So plain." The woman said with disgust and Rose who would have walked away pretending like she heard nothing like she always did when people spoke I'll about her turned to confront her.

"If you feel that you are attractive enough, why don't you go to his room and seduce him and maybe you should stop judging people based on your personal experience."

With that, she quickly walked out of the room before any of the two women could say something to her. Taking in a deep breath and releasing it, she turned on her heels and headed towards the servant's quarters.

She had a punishment that she had to face tomorrow and just thinking about it made her stomach drop.