The Beginning of Secret Feelings

As the instructor left, some maids showed up to escort Emilia to her room to get ready and change for the annual ball held every year in honor of her birthday. Varis had to wait outside her chamber as they prepared her, standing guard attentively.

Emilia didn't pay much attention as the maids giggled and gossiped about other political figures as they prepared her for the evening, scrubbing her down in a bath, drying her off, fixing her hair, and helping her into a corset and elegant ball gown. She just kept thinking about what her instructor had said to her and wondered why she wasn't allowed to know anything else.

She also wondered if she would get to see Kit today. The last time she had missed a day, besides the times when she was sick, was when she turned 13. She hadn't been able to sneak off that morning either, and ended up being unable to sneak off later in the day simply due to the amount of people around her.

As the maids put on some finishing touches one of them brought Emilia back to reality by asking her a question.

Blinking confusedly, Emilia looked at the maid that had spoken to her and said embarrassedly, "Uh.. I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" She could feel herself blush.

The maids giggled, thinking that maybe the princess wasn't sure if she heard correctly and was embarrassed about her feelings. The maid that had asked her a question repeated herself in a giggly voice, "I asked what you thought of your new guard? Isn't he handsome?"

Emilia's face became slightly redder as she replied, "Well, I mean.. he is handsome, but I really haven't thought much about him honestly."

The maids giggled more and a different one spoke up, "Oh? Don't be shy, Princess! We're all girls here, besides, we saw you this morning after that incident." Then another maid chirped in, "You two were hugging almost like lovers do!" They all giggled more.

Emilia pouted, her face becoming redder as she insisted, "It's not like that! I was just scared and he happened to be right there!"

The maids pressed harder though, "Oh? Then why is your face so red?"

Emilia looked like she was about to cry as they teased her for feelings she didn't even think she had for the guard as she said one last time, "Its not like that! Ok?!" She turned around to head to the door.

Then the maid that had started the whole sharad said, "Oh, but he was so brave, defending you! And the way he held you so tenderly as you clung to him afterwards.. if a man would only do something like that for me, I would marry him. If you don't like him, we're certain he at least likes you, Princess!"

"Defending me is his job!" She shouted as a last resort defense as she marched toward her door to leave, hoping Varis hadn't heard any of the conversation.