Akhile woke to sunlight slicing through crimson curtains. It should have been peaceful. It wasn't.
A sharp bright light sliced her eyes open. Akhile pulled her duvet covers over her face to hide from the menacing sunlight.
At the back of her mind, she hadn't wanted to wake up from her dream yet.
She instantly pulled her covers down again and her gaze surveyed her surroundings.
"It wasn't a dream?" Cora's voice shocked her some more.
Everything in this room was brown and wooden. A certain regal aura made it expensive. The duvet and sheets? Soft. Her body was almost sliding across, with no friction.
A knock came at the door. The same respectful knock from the previous night.
"Your Highness," said a young maid, as she curtseyed. "Master Nathaniel Redcliff is here to see you."
Akhile almost choked from her saliva. Remembering their interaction last night, she was both excited to antagonise him, at the same time make him intrigued.
He stood at the doorway, wearing a black suit tailored for his body.
Akhile blushed.
His expression was bare but indecipherable, although he never seemed to stop studying his victim. He was judging her.
She was still in bed.
Akhile hadn't overslept for a long time, career and all.
"Princess Cora," he said, his voice low and controlled. "I trust you slept well."
Akhile held his gaze. "As well as one can under so much pressure," she said, surprisingly with a controlled tone as well.
He smirked. She was antagonising him, being sarcastic with him.
She fell under the influence of his unspoken rule of power first, respect is optional..
He stepped entirely into the room. God forbid Akhile was still in her nightdress, her nipples pointing out the silk material.
"You are awake," he murmured. "Good."
Akhile nodded. She would not show discomfort, that was what he wanted.
However, her heart was racing, butterflies in her stomach.
"Mr Redcliff, is there something you wanted to announce perhaps? Or make me aware of?"
"No. I just thought you were dead, having been asleep all morning."
All morning?
He smirked again. "I was told you were very prompt and an early riser?"
Akhile glanced at the maid. "W-well…what time is it?" she said, confused.
"It's 10 o'clock, your Highness," replied the maid.
"And! You missed your breakfast. You can't assume a full day's work on an empty stomach," said Nathaniel.
"Sometimes a princess needs her sleep."
Akhile saw the sunlight darken, and a shadow cast over his body. His gaze deepened, like a parent reprimanding a child.
Nathaniel turned to walk out but paused near the door. Without looking back, he said, "I'll be in my office, Princess Cora."
Then he left.
Akhile stared at the doorway for a moment. As if summoned by his exit, a dull pain was throbbing near her temple.
Something in this land knew that she was an alias.