Ch. 11: the Maid's Closet

This is a rewrite of a previously published work. There is a lot of new content in it, but it is not wholly new content. There will be new chapters coming.

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"Good morning!" First Knight Lady Carmella burst through the door with Emilia on her tail.

I jumped and fell out of bed. Which was inconvenient because Meryl was still entangled around me. We had eventually changed positions. Three or four times that night. Meryl whined and batted at me sleepily. Emilia sat on the side of the bed. "So, how was it?

"It was enjoyable. He's definitely the best man I've been with." The queen responded, through a yawn and a stretch. I frowned at the gaggle of gals, none of which even registered the fact. I could not understand why they were talking about me like I was not there. It's not like they're clamoring for my opinion, I thought. Then I hesitated. It's not like I would have a profound revelation to share. I just got up, threw the blankets on top of Meryl's head, and started getting dressed. Emilia's eyes never left me while I did. I got dressed faster.

I also did not understand how they could be so cavalier about naked people around them. But Emilia was weird anyway. She was wearing a blue version of her maid's costume. I was sure she bought the same dress in nine different colors just so she could have one for each day and subsequently torture me. The ladies had apparently realized that I was listening to them talk because they had started to whisper quickly between one another, occasionally pointing and gesturing. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off my face.

Carmella looked me up and down and grinned. Meryl also looked at me appraisingly. I forced a playful glare at them and walked out of the door. The half-elf maid followed me. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Hopefully, somewhere where people remember that I'm in the room," I responded absently, trying to fight back a yawn. Emilia wrapped her arm around mine and squeezed it. She directed me down a hall and took the lead. We stopped in front of the library. "I think you should study today. I'll be here to help."

"Help or distract me?" I asked, a smirk spreading across from my face.

"How could I ever distract you?" She pouted and leaned in, pressing her chest against my arm. My heart skipped a beat. "I'm just an innocent little maid and you're a powerful lord."

"Right. Distraction it is," I responded simply, pulling away. The pile of books Meryl had set out for me had grown since I'd passed most of Meryl's tests. I failed one of the etiquette quizzes she'd given me, not because I didn't know the answer, but because I disagreed with aspects of it and argued with her about it. Apparently, arguing with your teacher was not good manners. Still think it's a little tedious to salute a knight every time I see them. Though it might get Lord Reginald to leave me alone. I grimaced. Or only encourage him more. I surveyed the books I had left and I picked one, sat down, and started reading. Emilia wandered around the library, taking down more books and adding to my stack. "What are you doing?"

"Ryllie says that you are supposed to report back to me every time you finish a book, and I disagree with how narrow her selections are," the maid responded absently. "So we're going to broaden your interests some. It might even keep you so busy that you don't read smutty romance novels." She grinned down at me. I picked up the one she'd just put down. Learning Elvish. Underneath that there was a heavily annotated Treatise on Elven Culture. I smiled and put the book back down.

"If last night is any indication, that romance novel helped me immensely." I wasn't exactly unable to keep the pride out of my tone, flipping to the page I'd left off on.

"Oh?" Emilia asked, considering me from over her shoulder, three more books piled in her arms.

"It let me know that she likes it when I'm... a little more direct." She watched me as she crossed the room and set her books down, eyes never leaving me. I shrugged, self-consciousness eating away at any pride under her gaze.

"Aren't we a good little boy," Emilia said, cupping my face and squeezing it. "Doing whatever is necessary for a bit of praise."

I rolled my eyes and got back to reading. After a while, she sat down on the arm of my seat. She kept shifting and sighing dramatically. She had her own book but had barely made a few pages while I had finished an entire diatribe about court etiquette. Most of it was fairly obvious. Things like using proper titles and such, but some of it was about the exact processes that one should know, such as how to bow and curtsy. I learned how to dress. Which would've been helpful to know when I first met these people. Not that they are too hung up on this. I've broken a lot of these rules and the only one who has even mentioned it was Lady Carmella. Lord Reginald probably wants to but doesn't really know where I stand relative to him. Emilia kept looking over her book at me. It was honestly really distracting. Eventually, I broke down and said, "Can I help you, Emilia? Do you need help sounding out the words?"

"You're different," she replied, thoughtfully, meeting my eyes. She was still sitting on the arm of my chair, forcing me to look up at her.

"Yeah, a few things have changed," I muttered, flipping a page.

"Oh? Like what?" I considered her for a moment. Some of the books I'd been reading were meant to be methods of finding traps in seemingly innocent questions. But even as I started down that line of logic, I sighed and shook my head. I don't want to have that kind of relationship. Not with Meryl, not with Lady Carmella, and definitely not with Emilia.

"Well, for starters, I'm more comfortable here," I said as I leaned into her thigh. She rested a hand on my shoulder. She was warm, almost hot. Even during the relatively short time I'd been here, I'd learned that it was impossible to keep a building of this size heated. I'd never been cold, but her warmth was definitely welcome.

"Ryllie is that good, huh?" She asked, fingers stroking my neck. I leaned into her hand and sighed contentedly.

"Mm," I muttered noncommittally. "There are a few benefits to being here."

"Such as?" She asked, her nails trailing over my scalp. I shuddered and tried to keep my eyes open. It was difficult. Especially as she drew my head down into her lap.

"The food is nice," I murmured absently. My eyes drifted closed. "Get plenty of exercise."

I didn't have to look up to know she was thinking about something; considering me. She wanted me to say something here. I didn't know what it could be. I wasn't sure. But I wrapped my arm around her dark thigh and squeezed it lightly, my other hand running up and down the stockings she wore. "And the people are unlike anything I've ever experienced in my old life. I've never met anyone like them."

"Oh?" She asked, her hand pausing.

"Yeah," I said, my muscles reclaiming their strength. I raised my head and picked up a book, flipping to another page. "There's Meryl. So smart and so capable. It's scary how she can just get what she wants. She doesn't make demands. People just want to help her. She's amazing. Being around her just causes change. Causes people to... want to be better. Makes me want to... want to be worthy of her."

"Yeah," Emilia replied, smiling dreamily. Her hand fell to my shoulder again. She continued to brush my neck with her fingers. I forced myself not to shiver, not to give in.

"Then there's Carmella, sorry. The First Knight Lady Carmella," I said, emphasizing her title. She had earned it. It's kind of weird. I should call Meryl by her title too. Queen Meryl. But I think that would distance her from me. She'd hate it. But First Knight is such an essential thing to Carmella. She's earned it. Fought for it. When I came out of my thoughts, Emilia stared at me, waiting. "She does make demands. She will get what she wants, and anyone in her way be damned. And I never thought I could love someone like that."

"But you do?" There was a stiffness to the question. Something she was holding back. I searched her face for it, but found nothing of use. Her hand had stopped as well. Not moved away, but it was still.

"I..." I realized I hadn't said it out loud before. To any of them. When I thought about them, my heart raced, my stomach lurched, and I realized that this ridiculous fucking situation aside, I would do anything for them.

I also realized that I wasn't thinking about leaving. I tried to imagine myself back in my forge. Well, it had never really been my forge. It was my mentor's, James Sturr. I hadn't thought about him in a while. Or his wife, Stella. She's probably pretty upset. The forge getting used was one of the only things that kept her going. But... It wouldn't feel right to go back. It'd be too.. small. Too empty. I... wouldn't get to see them anymore. My stomach shifted uncomfortably at the thought. I whispered, "I... I do love them."

Emilia was frowning at me and started to pull out of my embrace. I gripped her leg, and she stopped. I met her eyes and considered her for a moment. Her face was hard, and she was trying to hold herself high. My mind flooded with thoughts and considerations. And just like with Meryl and Lady Carmella, I realized I couldn't picture my life without Emilia here. And without consciously doing it, I muttered, "I love you."

Her mask shattered, and her lips parted a little. I didn't pay attention to this much, but she was wearing makeup. Her lips were a dark reddish-brown, and her eyelids were shadowed with a similar brown color, causing her light red, almost pink eyes, the smattering of freckles spreading across her nose and cheeks, the little pieces that made up her face to stand out even more. A thousand little details stood out that I realized I hadn't memorized. She proudly displayed her ears, not using her blood red hair to cover them. She closed her mouth, took a few deep breaths, and then said, "Is that what you think I want from you?"

"I-I honestly don't know what you want. What any of you want," I said plainly. My heart had started pounding against my ribcage. She considered me for a moment. She then crawled off the armrest, putting a hand on my chest. Her legs slid to either side of me. I tried to scoot back but found the opposite armrest and was trapped. She pressed herself into me.

"And what is it that you want?" She whispered against my lips. A floodgate of thoughts opened and options flooded my mind. I sputtered underneath her and tried to collect my thoughts. She watched me, very close to me. I tried to shift, and she gasped and pressed down harder on me. Her nails pressed into the silk tunic she'd set out for me earlier in the morning, and I could feel them press into my flesh. "Now, now. Use your words."

"I don't think... I don't, uh," I paused, the fog of lust and adoration thickening and preventing any cogent thought from forming. I swallowed and started again, "You probably shouldn't let me decide these things."

"Tell me what you want," she reiterated. There was steel in those words. An order. Just as firm a demand as I'd ever heard from the queen or the First Knight. It was almost unbecoming of the maid, but I couldn't deny her.

"I just want to make you happy." My words were soft, almost inaudible, even to my own ears.

"That's a cop-out," she replied immediately. Her voice was almost as low and soft but much firmer than mine. "What do you want?"

"Why does it matter?" I asked, trying to shift the conversation to anything else. Trying to ignore the rise in my own body temperature, in my pulse, and in the thoughts I was barely keeping behind a quickly failing dam.

"Because I want to know," she whispered against my neck. I shuddered and tried to pull away, but there wasn't anywhere to go. She nibbled into my neck, teeth trailing over the flesh lightly. "Tell me."

"You," I whispered. She stopped. I thought I could feel a smile spread on her lips against my throat.

"Me?" She asked, pushing her chest against me. I could feel her ample chest compress against me. "I'm right here. So, surely, that's not what you meant."

With a frustrated growl, I reached up, my arm wrapped around her back and found her ear, and stroked down it with a gentle finger. She moaned in my ear, loud and hungry, which did not help alleviate any of the pressure I was currently feeling.

I tried to continue it, trying to get any purchase on her, to find any flaw in her own willpower. But she grabbed my hand, pulled it away from her ear, and pinned it down next to my head. I could have resisted and maybe even won, but she didn't give me a chance to. She pushed herself fully onto me.

"I don't think you understand what's happening here." She paused to shift, finding a more comfortable position on top of me. Which felt incredible. And did nothing to help me in resisting her. "This isn't an exchange. This isn't something where you have control. You're going to tell me what you want."

"Then..." I swallowed, watching her beautiful, pupil-less eyes. "Then what?"

"Then, we'll see," she replied, grinning down at me.

"I-I want to..." I tried to sit up, but she pinned my arm to the sofa we were sitting on.

'No," she reasserted. "I want you to say it. Then I'll decide if it will happen."

"You're just tormenting me," I whined. It came out petulant and I grimaced internally.

"If that's what you want, I can do that." She whispered into my ear. I could feel her smile against my flesh. "I'm sure I could find some whips, some chains. But you're the one making this harder..." she paused for a moment to lean back onto my strained breeches. I groaned and barely resisted trying to pin her down myself. "Than it has to be. All you have to do is what I'm telling you to do. Now, are you going to be a good boy for me, like you were for Ryllie, or not?"

"You're much more aggressive than usual," I replied breathlessly, licking my lips.

"Am I?" She asked, giving a convincing innocent pout, her chest pressed against mine, her legs tightening around my hips.

"Yeah, you've never been this forward before," I pressed up into her slightly and she took a deep, shaking breath.

"You would've gotten scared and ran away before," she replied, regaining her composure. "But now that I know you're in love, you won't. You're mine."

"So, you've been waiting for this?" I asked, still trying desperately to focus on anything else.

"Yes," she began, considering me. There was a hunger in it that I'd never fully registered before but was too strong to hide now. "But I've been growing more impatient. Both Carmie and Ryllie have played with our new toy." I shivered at those words. I couldn't help it. "Now, tell me what you want." I ran through my options. It was really tough as she constantly adjusted herself against me.

"T-take me somewhere private," I muttered. Emilia's eyes widened, but not as wide as the grin that split her face. In one smooth motion, she pulled herself off of me. I got up unsteadily, my poor trousers stretched out obviously. Her eyes rested on it and she licked her lips unconsciously; she grabbed my hand and dragged me down the hall.

We went to a different part of the castle. It was one that I hadn't really had a chance to explore. It was kept just as clean as the rest but wasn't as decorated. The rooms were also closer together. There were a handful of maids who were chatting in the hall. They didn't quite freeze up when they saw Emilia walk by, but their conversation stopped and they all greeted her. And me, but I was obviously an afterthought. Fortunately, with the walk, I wasn't as strained and could breathe a little easier. Emilia smiled at them warmly, but didn't stop to talk, continuing to guide me through the endless maze.

She stopped in front of a nice, if simple, single door, opened it, and went inside. I followed her and looked around. The floor was just stone covered in a small carpet. There was a writing desk, a bed, a nightstand, and many stuffed animals strewn about the room. Some of them were very old. Others seemed much more new. But it was apparent that love and care went to the organization. It was about the size of my entire first floor at home in Sofen. Which meant that it was much smaller than my current room. I mean the room Meryl let me stay in. When had I started considering it mine? I shook my head and pushed those thoughts away, choosing instead to focus on the present. "Where are we?"

"My room," Emilia said simply. She gestured to the bed. "Sit."

I took a few steps into the room, looking around; little paintings were hanging from the walls. There was a portrait of her, Meryl, and Carmella, huddled close together. Another had two people who looked a little like her. It was a little more abstract than the other painting. Well-done, but I was almost certain it was done by memory rather than having the models present.

I was fascinated; I didn't sit yet, just taking in everything; Emilia reached over and undid my belt in two swift motions. I danced out of the way as she tried to pull my pants down, and she narrowed her eyes at me, pouting. I smiled at her and turned in the room. She wrapped her arms around me from behind and pressed her head into my back; she only came up to my mid-shoulder. I dragged her behind me to the bed and grabbed one of the plush animals, a small, black cat with a yellow moon sewn into its forehead. She looked through my arm at it and then up at me. There was something defiant in her eyes, daring me to say something. I gripped it and turned to her, sitting down on the bed. "Why is your room so much smaller than mi-... than Meryl's guestroom?"

"Are you seriously asking me why a maid's room is smaller than one meant for dignitaries and royal guests?" She asked incredulously, adjusting the ears and fuzz of the stuffed animal in my arms. She tried to take it, but I clutched it to my chest.

"No. I'm making friends." She looked at me suspiciously, her face a little guarded. I gently pet the animal as I gazed around the room, always watching her from the corner of my eye. "And kind of? You're her lover. Her Inya Nute."

"Yeah, and I share her bed most nights. Or did, before you came around, taking up all of her attention. This is more of a closet and a place to keep my stuff than anything. I... don't really feel comfortable sleeping alone." I turned to consider her more directly for a moment, then looked around at the different things she had collected. She had a point. The bed was made perfectly, there was no dust, no debris, nothing was out of place. This room didn't look lived-in. While I was distracted, she stole the little cat plush, put it to the side, and crawled on top of me again, gripping my neck with stubby but nimble fingers. I stared up at her, wide-eyed. "But we're here for a different reason. Tell me what you want."

"I..." I leaned up a little, swallowing, and reached up and gripped her neck back. She leaned into it, grinning down at me.

"You?" She asked. I started to pull her down into a kiss, but she resisted. "Use your words. I want you to tell me what you want."

"Words," I began, breathless. Mostly that was me trying to suppress the annoyance in my voice. The impatience. "Are hard."

"Yes," she whispered playfully, pressing herself down onto me. "And so are you. But you're not getting anything until you ask for it."

"And what if I just took what I wanted?" I growled playfully, starting to push up into her.

"You couldn't," she responded with an easy shrug. "I can take what I want, but you can't take me."

She muttered something I didn't understand, and her pink eyes glowed for a moment. There was a tingle around my body, something wrapping around my body. My entire body. I tried to look down at myself, but my head wouldn't move. I tried to move my arm, but it wouldn't either. I could breathe, and I could control my eyes. But that was it. She sat there on top of me, eyebrow raised.