Hop on- Part 1

A man's lips on her neck, in such an intimate position! She closed her eyes, cursing herself as well as the life she had been pushed into. Maybe for the King, it wasn't a big thing as he was probably used to sucking the women's neck in the whole of Devon. But it wasn't something Madeline did- offering her neck to be sucked. She rolled on the bed to the other side. Now that morning had arrived, her thoughts were much more clearer than yesterday night. She could feel twice the embarrassment she had felt during the time of supper.

Her hand moved up to touch her neck. The King had not killed her. Not yet, as he had given his word to her, but she didn't believe him. The man made a deal with her about entering the maze to find the exit, where in the end, she found out there wasn't another exit to begin with.

In his presence, every word that left from her lips turned against her, and Madeline worried if she should stop talking. At least this way she wouldn't be digging her grave herself and sitting inside it by his words.

Madeline finally got up from the bed because she heard the bird singing not too far away from the window. Her feet padded across the cold floor. Pulling the strings from the side, the curtain pulled itself apart for her to see a bird that was pecking on something outside the window.

The bird had yellow and blue wings. Small and plump that stopped pecking and chirped something to her. Madeline stared at the bird, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Don't come too close," she whispered to the bird when it got curious and hopped on its feet to get a closer glimpse of her. Tilting it's head every now and then, "This place is not for you. You come any closer, they might end up caging you too, pretty bird," she said to the bird even though the bird didn't understand a word she said.

When she heard footsteps in front of the closed room, someone knocked on the door, Madeline quickly shooed the bird away for it to fly before she made her way to the door. Opening it, she noticed it was the maid Agnes who had arrived at the front, her head bowing.

"Good morning, milady."

"Good morning," Madeline greeted the girl. Now that she had opened the doors and wasn't standing near the window, she realised the sun was brighter, and she opened the doors completely for light to enter the room.

"Did you have a good sleep, milady?" asked Agnes. She might have been the only maid who was friendlier compared to the other maids, who had been giving her looks since the time she had arrived at the castle.

"Let me help you to get ready. The King has stepped out of his room and will be expecting you by his side," informed the maid and Madeline sighed internally.

she had been bathed, her hair brushed, and she wore newer clothes that were not the same as the other dresses she had worn the last six days. It made Madeline wonder if the royal members never wore the same clothes or if they repeated their clothes every one or two months. Living in the village, Madeline didn't have the need to have many pairs of clothes, and even if she and her sister did need them, they often got it from the rental shops or borrowing others clothes.

Madeline's family was poor, and thankfully they had a house which was given to her father else it would have been difficult to live in the village with no place to call as their own. Right now, she was in the castle, a solid roof over her head and dresses that she would have never imagined to wear in the past.

She found it to be slightly ironic, how she didn't want them even though they could provide her comfort. Once she was ready to leave the room, in a presentable form, she followed the maid.

Reaching the court, the maid quickly took a couple of steps away with a bow before she left Madeline in the entrance of the court. Some of the ministers had already arrived, standing in front of the King who was sitting on his throne, listening to one of them talk.

On seeing Calhoun's face, Madeline's face turned red. He was yet to notice her and her feet wasn't moving forward to enter the court as she stood at the entrance. Embarrassment coated her cheeks, turning her face flush red. She remembered his hand on her back and in her hair, before which his hands had pushed both her knees apart and she felt light headed. She needed some time to breathe before she would be able to see him. With that thought, Madeline quickly turned around and took two steps forward, when she heard,

"Lady Madeline, good morning," greeted Calhoun.

Madeline could feel goosebumps rise on her arms on hearing him call her name. Would it be bad if she ran now? Asked Madeline to herself. Of course, she wouldn't go too far as he would catch up with her and she didn't want him chasing her this early in the morning.

Gingerly she turned around, walking forward into the courtroom which was big and painted white, the floor clean and smooth. She bowed her head.

"Good morning, my King," she greeted him back.

Resisting the King in private and doing it in public were two different things. Since she had met Calhoun, Madeline had been extremely cautious. Even though there were times where he taunted her, she had to be careful of what she spoke to the King.

When she raised her head, she saw Calhoun staring at her, his eyes meeting hers which looked redder today and maybe less intimidating than what she had come to see yesterday, "Where were you going?" he asked in front of everyone, his voice deep and strong.

Madeline quickly ran her mind on what to answer, "I thought I forgot something."

"What did you forget?" came the next question.

What did she forget?! Madeline asked to herself. She had forgotten she could be seen as the lowly subject of the King. If the King didn't show his interest in her, she would be just another person in the sea of his subjects who could be easily lost.

"I...I thought I forget to," oh dear, God, thought Madeline in her head. Seeing Calhoun right now, staring at her with his eyes intensifying it felt like her brain had stopped working to make up anything, "I thought I left the room open," she finally filled the blanks.

Both Calhoun and Madeline knew it was a lie, at least with the way Calhoun's eyes continued to stare at her, she knew he had identified the lie, but what was she supposed to say? That she was embarrassed to come to stand in front of him?

"The servants know better than to steal or step into the room which has been given to you. You don't have to worry about it," said Calhoun, continuing with her lie, the smile on his lips moving up and she bowed her head again.

"Thank you for the assurance, my King," and then she looked at the hem of her dress that was touching the floor, and she then looked up.

Calhoun then ordered, "Come, stand by my side," and Madeline did as he asked.

She didn't know why he was making her stay in the court when she was not going to be of any help here. During her time in the court, she did nothing but stare everywhere around her other than at Calhoun. It was because every time she saw him, her face turned red. Twenty minutes passed before Calhoun dismissed the group of ministers to have only Theodore in the room along with Madeline.

"Have you eaten breakfast, Madeline?" questioned Calhoun.

"Not yet, milord," she answered, her eyes moved to look at his clothes before they finally met his eyes.

"I have arranged for some recreational activities for you," stated Calhoun and Madeline's eyebrows furrowed. Were they going to jump from the cliffs again? Calhoun then turned to Theodore, "Go get Robin ready."

Theodore held a passive expression which was serene and calm, "Yes, milord," answered the man, complying to the request, "I will get them arranged," bowing his head, he took three steps back before turning around and leaving the court.

Madeline, who was curious, asked, "What is the activity?"

"You will find out," came the reply from Calhoun who stood up from his throne and walked towards Madeline, "Let's have some food. I need to have some too," saying this, his eyes fell on her neck and Madeline was quick to take two steps away from him.