Fear and something else

HERA’s POV 

I sat in a bath tub, soaked in water, rose, jasmine and a lot of other scents. The maids hovered over me each pretending to be busy with a task I knew didn’t exist.

I heard the little gasp when I walked in, I saw the looks they exchanged when they thought I wasn’t looking, I also did not miss the slight widening of their eyes when I removed my gown and neither did the satisfied smile on the stylist’s face when she saw their expressions go without my notice.

‘I seem to have found an ally’ I thought.

I remained unperturbed as they cared for my body, they scrubbed carefully, each bowing and asking for permission before taking any step and like the stuck up royal I wanted them to see me as, I only hummed absentmindedly with my eyes closed.

When they were done, I asked for some time in the bath tub even though my nose tickled from the scents and my body ached to finally leave the water.

I smiled as they filed out knowing I was getting on their nerves.

“You stay.” I said to the stylist, my back to her.

 Minutes after they had walked out, I called on the stylist. 

“Do I still have attires chosen by his majesty?”

She smiled at the joke.

“May I apologize your majesty?”

I looked up at her. 

She looked like she wasn’t any taller than 5’3, she wore a black suit, tailored to her petite body and I couldn’t help but admire how cute she was.

She must be around my age, a shy smile adorned her face, her large brown eyes shone with the apology she had not even uttered and I realized, she wears her heart on her sleeves. 

“Why would you?” I asked

“ They are my subordinates, it is only right I take responsibility.”

I chuckled.

“I beg to disagree…..but I’d rather not have the discussion now. I am dying to get out of this room.”

She smiled and rushed to get a bathing robe.

The smile on my face fell as the reality I had been trying to escape hit me. I had tried my best to push it out of my mind so I wouldn’t give the girls a chance to spread gossip but now that I was alone, the thought of it all weighed on me.

‘Mannequin’

‘A trophy queen’

‘Or I could just be a desperate power hungry queen.’

Tears stung behind my eyes but I shut them tight  unwilling to allow them fall.

How am I supposed to offer myself to a man whom I do not even want and whom does not even want to?

He has been celibate, why?

What if he has some kind of fetish?

What if he is not even careful, this is going to be my first time.

I bit my lip as the last thought echoed in my mind.

What if he rejects me?

The stylist returned, her steps in a rushing making me raise an eyebrow.

“Your majesty, I am sorry but we will have to hasten things, his majesty is on his way to the quarters.”

My heart dropped but I nodded.

I stood when all I wanted to do was sink back. I collected the robe and covered my body suddenly conscious of everything.

I had been caked beautiful in different languages by different people of different ages but today I wasn’t so sure anymore.

Would I appeal to Eleazar?

Would I be able to move the heart or even at the very least the attention of my masked husband?

I hated my condition right now.

I didn’t even want this but I am reduced to hoping it would happen.

I followed the stylist in a trance, approved everything she suggested and before I knew it , she was escorting me to the room where my husband awaited my presence.

“You are one stunning bride your majesty.” The stylist whose name I found out was Leah said to me as she turned to leave.

Apparently, nobody is permitted to enter Eleazar’s room. I nodded and turned the lock of the room my eyes watering simultaneously.

It will be just me and him once I step in there.

*************

The room was dimly lit, only enough for us to see each other. As I walked in , the sound of my heels echoed through the room but the sound my heart was making was way louder in my ears. The room to my surprise was empty, I turned around unable to believe my luck. 

I looked everywhere in the large room, walked from one end to another, my heart fluttering anytime I found it empty.

A smile began to form on my face, the tears I had held now freeing themselves but for different reasons.

‘He is not here!’

‘He really isn’t!’

The thought even though wrong made me feel light, I still had time to collect myself.

I turned to look for a place to seat when I heard a door behind me creak open.

My heart dropped and I wondered if so many drops in a day could be fatal. My vision blurred for a moment as the shock rippled through me. 

I swallowed, as I tried to blink away my shock.

I hadn’t even heard his footsteps, didn’t feel his presence looming in, one minute I was trying to collect myself, the next minute I felt a hand snake through my waist.

I was wearing nothing but a flimsy black lingerie beneath the deep red robe so his touch burned through.

Maybe it was the fear I felt or the unexpected nature of it but, the feeling of his finger against my skin nothing close to anything I had ever felt before.

Shock waves travelled from my waist to my feet and it was almost too difficult to stand.

“Does my absence please you so much, my lady?”

I turned to face him, my eyes wide with fear and the sight before me only made my mouth drop.

Eleazar was shirtless, his toned abs dripping with water. My eyes ran from his chest to his broad shoulder, and just on his collar bone, small tattoo shone against his toned skin, I squinted my eyes to read it but his other hand on my waist pulled me closer making me gasp while his other hand lifted my chin forcing me to face him.

I was terrified, shocked but above all, there something about being this close to him that did not my fear nor my shock, something that made me stay put and want to look further. His mask remained in place and I must have been staring at it for too long for he asked, his voice a velvety rumble that made my toes curl.

“Does it scare you?”

I swallowed not knowing the right words to say.

Would it be better to tell the truth or say something seductive?

This could be my opportunity to have him where I want him.

Before I could reply, he added.

“Would you still submit yourself to a man whose touch makes you squirm in fear?”