They reached a quiet corner of the palace, and there laid a large pool glistening beneath the canopy of trees. The water pristine.
"Your Majesty, this place is so calm, why don't you rest here a while?" June suggested and Emilia agreed.
Her legs are already starting to ache after walking for so long anyway.
June helped her into one of the chairs shaped out of a tree and draped a fur coat over her shoulders.
Satisfied she was comfortable, she excused herself to return and fetch another cloak for her because of the strong cold.
Emilia leaned back and stared at the calm water, letting memories flood her mind. Her father's laugh, and their numerous horse adventures to different places.
She hugged herself as she also remembered his last moment and a tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, telling herself not to think about it and tilted her head comfortably on the large seat, relaxing her back.
Emilia closed her eyes for a second and instantly drifted off, falling asleep.
Lucas and Thomas approached the pool a few seconds later from another direction and as they neared the water, Thomas placed his hand in front of Lucas to stop him.
"There's someone here." he warned, noticing the figure resting by the pool from afar.
Lucas furrowed.
"Who is it?"
"I believe… it's a woman," Thomas said cautiously.
In the last ten years since he began ruling, no one has dared to step in here. It is an unwritten rule that the pool is the King's private sanctuary. Lucas couldn't believe someone would dare to come here and even sit so leisurely and comfortably.
"She seemed to be asleep," Thomas added, bewildered and wondering who had a death wish to get on Lucas's bad side when he was in a foul mood.
The place is always used whenever he needs to stay calm and relieve his anger. No one is ignorant of that.
Lucas's face darkened and Thomas could see his mood getting further soiled.
"Why don't I go over to see who it is first?" Thomas asked, but Lucas refused, and they approached the pool together quietly.
Thomas placed his hand on his sword, ready to strike in case of any surprises, but they were stunned when they saw who it was and paused.
Lucas's eyes widened slightly.
"Emilia?" he muttered and stepped closer, immediately letting down his guard, the scowl on his face disappearing.
Emilia didn't respond to his call and simply lied curled under the fur of her clothes, breathing softly.
Thomas held his hand on his sword still, even more wary of her and stayed on his toes.
She has already stabbed the King once, and it might not be a coincidence that she is in this place as well.
The sharpness of his sword being drawn out alerted Lucas, and he raised his hand to stop him.
"Don't." he commanded.
"But your Majesty, it could be a trick," he argued, watching Emilia carefully.
"She came here… knowingly," Thomas murmured.
But Lucas doesn't answer.
His gaze lingered on her peaceful expression, and for a moment, the pain in his head felt distant.
They heard other footsteps hurrying towards them and Thomas drew out his sword again, ready to attack when June appeared, holding a steaming pot of tea with another servant holding a cloak in her hand.
Both of them stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of Lucas, color draining from their faces.
The pot slipped from June's trembling hands and crashed to the floor. She dropped to her knees in a panic, but before a single word escaped her lips, Lucas raised a hand to his lips and silently gestured for her to stay quiet.
Wide-eyed, June nodded and stood shakily to her feet, her gaze fixed on the ground as if it might open and swallow her whole.
She looked over at Emilia, who was unaware of what was happening and tried to wake her up.
"Your Majesty…" she called in a whisper but Lucas interrupted.
"Leave," Lucas ordered to both of them, and the servant hurriedly gave the cloak in her hand to June and took to her heels.
"Yes, your Majesty," June said lowly, and turning around reluctantly.
"What are you also waiting for?" Lucas asked, gesturing to Thomas, who was surprised he wanted him to leave as well.
"Your Majesty…" he tried to protest, but a glare from Lucas was enough to stop him.
He grabbed June's unwilling arm and pulled her away.
"No! Wait!" June protested, twisting to glance back at Emilia.
"I can't just…"
Thomas clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Do you want to die?" he hissed, dragging her swiftly out of the room.
Once the two disappeared, Lucas bent down and picked up the secured pot of tea from the ground to pour himself a drink.
He took a slow sip, letting the sweet warmth spread across his tongue. His lips curled in amusement; he hadn't tasted anything this pleasant in ages.
But after one more sip, he set the cup down. Sweet things are a dangerous distraction.
He shifted his gaze to Emilia, who sat silently with her slender back partially turned to him. Her posture is relaxed, almost careless.
After he met her in court and threatened her, he thought she might try to run or find ways to attack him again, but she had been surprisingly quiet.
Lucas couldn't help but wonder if she was foolish or bold?
Either way, he couldn't believe she stayed and did nothing. Even after, she was almost exiled.
A breeze stirred the air, lifting the layers of Emilia's gown and exposing the soft skin of her legs.
Lucas's eyes dropped for a second, then darted away, his jaw tightened. He let his gaze travel to her neck instead and frowned, finding something not right.
He remembered, although long ago, that she used to wear a necklace and never took it off no matter what, but now it is gone from her neck.
Curious, he rose from his seat, stepping closer to her and leaned in to confirm if she truly wasn't wearing it.
As she looked, careful not to wake her up, he drew closer, her soft alluring scent pulling him closer than intended.
When he looked down, his face was barely an inch away from hers.
Lucas froze and then stared at her, exhaling as quietly as he could not to wake her. One part of him screamed at him to pull back, but another urged him to go on.
His hand lifted slowly, instinctively, toward her face and his heart beat rapidly.
But just then, Emilia's lashes flutter. Her eyes crack open, hazy and muddled, but staring directly into his.
Startled, Lucas jerked back, his breath caught in his throat and he waited for her reaction, but Emilia blinked once, then her eyes closed again as if she hadn't opened them at all.
Silence followed for a few seconds later, until Lucas heard ragged, uneven breathing breaking the calmness, and it took it a few seconds for him to realize it was from him.
Without another glance, he spun on his heels and strode out.