Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
My wakeup call the following morning was from a slender, older woman who made quite the ruckus as she rummaged through my wardrobe.
She scurried around my dorm, hanging gown after gown on the rod at the top of my wardrobe.
I sat up in my bed and marveled at the way the skirts gathered on the bottom of the chest, pooling into puddles of glitter and silk.
King Hawthorne had said that someone would come to deliver me dresses, but I wasn't expecting their arrival so early into the day. I also had no idea how she got into my room, but I elected to not question it.
Once all of the gowns were hung, she gestured for me to rise with a snap of her measuring tape.
My body cracked as I stood and stretched my arms above my head, giving her access.
She wrapped the measuring tape tightly around my waist while informing me to browse through the gowns and select one for the gala.
She would be back in a few hours to tailor it, and said that she would have the others altered by the end of the week for future events.
She let herself out once she was satisfied with her measurements, and I scurried to see what she had left inside of my wardrobe.
Upon opening the doors, I was met by a spectrum of color and a medley of fabric.
Corsets of silk constructed a rainbow in my room, shimmering from the sunlight that danced through the window.
Chiffon skirts glazed with ribbons and lace filled the dresser, some simple and some covered in intricate designs.
One dress caught my attention almost instantly.
I pulled the form-fitting gown off the hanger and laid it flat on my bed.
The fabric was an ivory satin scattered with thousands of tiny crystals, their colors ranging from the palest of purples to the deepest shades of blue.
The bodice was translucent apart from the bosom area and the boning that stiffened the corset.
The gown was completed by a set of thin, beaded straps attached to a sweetheart neckline.
I didn’t even bother looking at the other gowns.
The colors and luster of this one reminded me of the stones that garnished my face.
Though I may not have been happy about my gemstones, I had no choice except to embrace them.
I left the gown out for when the seamstress returned, then got dressed for my day.
It was then that I realized I had absolutely no idea what I was even supposed to be doing.
I had missed the new student debrief while I was meeting with the king.
Classes did not begin for another few days—I knew that much.
But I failed to ask anyone what was expected of me in the meantime.
I sat on the edge of my bed, contemplating my next course of action. If I left the bounds of my room, there would be a soldier waiting for me and I wasn't sure if I was ready to have my every move watched. But then my stomach gurgled, reminding me of a more dire matter.
I was fucking starving.
I didn't eat the lunch Sebastian had delivered for me yesterday and hardly picked at my dinner, either. I haven't had much of an appetite since Jewel-Light. Not to mention that I had thrown up again last night when I tried to eat—King Hawthorne’s orders made me physically sick.
My stomach tumbled again, accompanied by an audible growl. I needed to get some sustenance in me if I wanted to stay standing, so finding something to eat was the first task on my list.
My wardrobe had been stocked with other various clothing items, so I rummaged through the drawers and took out a pair of dark pants.
They were a little snug around my hips, but they buttoned.
I pulled on a plain cotton shirt and then laced my boots up over my pants.
I didn't bother to do anything with my hair.
I let the natural waves flow down my back, then left the privacy of my dorm.
I started my descent down the spiral staircase, only to find my newfound guardian propped at the bottom of the stairs, his nose deep in some literature.
“Ugh,” I groaned and walked right by him. I pretended that I didn't notice him, and prayed that he wouldn't notice me.
He of course, did, and slammed his book shut as he stood up and walked after me.
I considered trying to get away from him again, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that he actually could be of use to me right now. I paused my strides and pivoted to face him. “Where can I find something to eat?”
Sebastian scoffed. “Well good morning to you, too.”
“Morning,” I grumbled.
“I was beginning to think you were going to spend another day locked in your room.” He flashed me a half-hearted smirk that should have made my insides melt, but I was too hungry to think about how handsome he was.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because it's almost noon.”
My eyebrow raised. Was it really? No wonder the seamstress had let herself in.
“Do you always sleep that late? That may be a problem when classes start.”
“No,” I huffed.
“Should I add wake up calls to your regimen?” He didn't hide his teasing smirk.
“No.”
“Are you sure? Attendance is high on the list of importance when it comes to having a successful semester.”
“No,” I hissed, quickly realizing that he planned on bantering with me for a while.
The steady rippling of my stomach couldn't tolerate that, so with a roll of my eyes, I made for the door.
The sun slapped me in the face, but I embraced the daylight and started up the cobblestone pathway towards the castle.
“You do realize you have no idea where you are going, right?” Sebastian said, following after me.
He wasn't wrong—I didn't know much of the castle grounds aside from where the festival was held. At that very moment, however, I didn't care. My hunger led my travels.
“You do realize that the information your father keeps blasting me with has me puking up everything in my stomach, right?” I shot back.
I looked behind me just long enough to get some amusement at the way his nose scrunched.
“Lovely,” he sneered.
I was teetering at the edge of the castle when he grabbed my hand and yanked me off of the pathway. He guided me through the sun bleached grass, away from the castle's main gate. His calloused palm was rough as it rubbed against mine in tune with the motions of our feet.
If I was being honest, I didn't hate the feel of his skin on mine, but I also didn't love it. I knew that once I got my own hands on a sword, that they would feel the same way—thanks to his father’s orders.
I shouldn't have judged him based on his family, but the reminder of who he was still caused me to rip my hand free.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked.
Sebastian didn't answer.
“I may not know the kitchen's exact location, but I know it's not this way,” I said.
He stopped in front of the southeast tower. There was a cement door built into it which he pulled open, beckoning me through. My hunger drove my movements, and with the hope that there was food beyond the door, I stepped into the tower after him.
He was silent as he led me through the cramped corridor. We arrived upon a straight staircase that only led down. He started his descent, and though my brain told me otherwise, I did as well.
We must have climbed down at least ten flights of stairs, and I was out of breath by the time we reached the bottom.
Climbing back up would be torturous, but I stepped into a dark tunnel regardless.
The only light was that emitted by the lanterns hanging on the stone walls.
The air was cool and damp, which felt nice compared to what awaited us back outside.
At the end of the tunnel, I caught a glimpse of a wooden door. I froze at the sight of it, my body refusing to proceed any deeper into the tunnel. Sebastian continued on into the dimly lit underpass, not yet having noticed that I no longer followed him.
I could feel the color draining from my face as a sense of alarm creeped up on me. What if he was taking me to the dungeon until I was needed for battle? Or maybe he was going to cut my gems from my skin, like in the fable.
Those weren't the most rational fears, but I wasn't going any further. Absolutely not.
Sebastian looked over his shoulder. He noticed my hesitation and turned back. “Come on,” he urged.
My voice trembled with the increasing angst that had captivated me.
“I'm actually not feeling that well, so I think I'm just going to go back to my dorm and rest before the gala,” I lied and slowly backed up, not taking my eyes off of him.
I had been foolish to put any amount of trust in this man.
I didn't know anything about him aside from his bloodline—which wasn't something to put faith in.
And if what the king said about my gift was true, I needed to keep my guard up at all times, even with my supposed bodyguard.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow at me. “You just said you were starving.” His voice hinted at his confusion.
My muscles were tense and I tried to hide the shaking of my legs as I backed further away from him. “I'm not anymore.”
Sebastian took a singular step towards me, and I flinched, the fear I suddenly had for him controlling every movement my body made. He sighed, stepping back when he recognized my apprehension towards him. “Just wait here.”
He turned from me and started back down the tunnel. My body relaxed the moment he vanished through the wooden door.
I put one foot back on the staircase. Now was my chance to run if I wanted to. I had no idea what was beyond that door. For all I knew, there could be more soldiers waiting to chain me up in a dark vault. Though I had no reason to suspect that of Sebastian, I decided not to take any chances.
I bolted up the staircase as fast as the weakness in my legs would allow me. I kept a grip on the rail to steady myself as I ran—my hunger combined with the rapid use of energy caused me to feel light-headed, and now would not be a good time to take a tumble down the stairs.
I powered through the dizziness, continuing to climb until I reentered the corridor.
I ignored a few bewildered looks as I rushed through the hall, not stopping until I reached the door.
I pushed the cement slab open with all of my force and burst through.
I was sweating as soon as the raw heat of summer hit me, but relief filled me once my feet touched the grass.
Panting from the exertion I just put on my body, I hunched over, setting my hands on my knees as I took a moment to catch my breath. When I could breathe again, I straightened my torso and found myself face to face with the king's head soldier.
Damn, he's fast.
And he looks pissed.
He held a small satchel which he shoved into my hands. Then he grasped my wrist and dragged me to the side of the tower, out of sight from any bystanders.
“Let go,” I spat, flailing my arm.
His eyebrows snapped together. “I'm trying to be patient with you, because I know you are having a difficult time with everything. But what happened back there cannot happen again.” His voice was commanding through his gritted teeth.
I glared at him and tried to shake my wrist free of his grip, but he tightened his hand around me, causing a sharp pain to radiate up my arm.
“I don't need you to protect me,” I testified, ripping my arm away with such strength that his fingers were forced to unlock.
I tried to put some space between us, but he stepped forward, backing me into the wall of the tower. He put his hands against the wall above my head and leaned forward, putting his face close to mine.
“Do you think I want to be your protector?” he snarled. “Do you think I want to spend my time chasing after you and making sure you aren't taken hostage or killed? I’m a soldier, not a damn babysitter,” he growled in my face.
My mouth settled into a hard line. The term babysitter caused a slight sting in my chest, but I swallowed the feeling.
“Then don't.”
Sebastian's jaw ticked. “You think I have a choice about this? Believe me, there are a million other things I’d rather be doing,” he contested.
“Oh, poor you,” I drawled.
His mouth squeezed shut, and I could tell he was trying not to explode.
“If anyone gets to complain about not having a choice here, it's me,” I added.
Sebastian blew out a deep sigh. He didn't break our eye contact as he slid his hands from the wall, setting me free from the cage of his arms.
“My job is to keep you safe. I know you're not happy about it, but too bad—neither am I.” He paused to grind his jaw.
“I don't need to be by your side all hours of the day, but at the very least, I need to know where you are.
Running away without a word of where you're going won't fly with me.” Without another word, he turned his back to me and strode away.
He wouldn't go far—I was sure that the moment I moved out from under the tower, he would be there. But with him out of my vision, I relaxed my shoulders a bit, not realizing how tense I was. My spine made contact with the stone behind me, and I slouched down against the wall to sit in the grass.
The shade from the tower offered my skin some shelter as I untied the satchel Sebastian had handed me and emptied its contents onto my lap. A variety of fruits spilled out of the bag, along with some oat bars and pastries.
My heart sank.
That door had led to a pantry.
Sebastian was actually trying to be nice, and I made an ass of myself. Although, he did just call himself a babysitter in regard to me, which pissed me off more than it should have.
I didn't quite understand why my disappearing made him so angry, especially considering he clearly didn't want to look after me, anyways. So far he was exactly who I’d expect him to be as the son of King Aldous Hawthorne.
Whatever.
I picked up a glossy, red apple, rolling it in my hands before taking a bite. I savored the taste of it, the ache in my stomach subsiding with each mouthful.
I only stopped eating when the pain from starvation was replaced with a new ache. For a reason I couldn't grasp, my altercation with Sebastian hurt more than I’d ever expected it to.