The Sun King - Excerpt
The hour came to an end and I excused myself, retreating to the privacy of my bedroom. I expected to be called upon so I did not dress for bed.
He may wish my company. My first night with him.
I was prepared and properly schooled in my duty. Mother left nothing to chance, saving that particular part of my education for her lectures. Every secret detail of a mistress’ obligation—all that could and must be done in the effort to please a nobleman—explained. At the age of twelve, when mother first sat me down for a discussion on intimacy, all of it seemed ridiculously comical and quite scary. As the years passed, I would look at some men and those thoughts proved inviting, while the leering gaze of others repulsed me even further. When the king looked at me, I felt a stirring within that caused a fire deep inside.
The clock in my room struck midnight and I sighed, a bit relieved and disappointed. No news or requests had come my way in the last two hours.
I will not be needed. I must not have pleased him. That is why he did not ask for me. I did something wrong. I’ll more than likely be escorted back home tomorrow morning.
I looked around the room and took it all in wistfully. These treasures would not be mine for much longer.
I sat at my vanity, staring into the mirror. My fingers searched and pulled out a multitude of hair pins. Only a few remained, barely holding my mane in place. I then started on the slow removal of the jewelry I had been allowed to wear. The pearls rolled between my fingertips before I placed them on the table. The smoothest texture overlaid such a hard interior.
Give nothing of myself except the shell.
I don’t know how long I held them before I heard the voice behind me.
“They don’t compare to your beauty. I am sorry.”
I jumped in fear, spinning around to look at the intruder. “Wha…?” I stammered and attempted to collect myself. My heart raced and I breathed heavily. “Your Majesty.”
He stood before me, his stance rigid. His hands were clasped behind his back. I took in his figure and all of the royal trappings. His suit of gold sparkled, with exquisite folds of fabric, adorned with buttons and ruffles wrapping around his frame. He seemed to shine in the light of my room, more so than at dinner. I felt the blindness and stinging in my eyes return. I forced them away with my excited will.
He crooked his head slightly, finding humor in my appearance. “I expected the gossiping maids would have told you.”
I looked at him, wonderingly.
He motioned with his head to his portrait. “There is a secret passage, you see.”
“Oh.”
“It is for my safety, an escape route. But I have found…other uses for it.” He raised an eyebrow in amusement.
“I see, Your Majesty.”
He shook his head. “You may call me Louis when we are alone.” My heart raced faster. His eyes widened. “I disturbed you. You were in the midst of something?”
“I was only preparing to retire, Your Majesty.” He gave me a reproachful glance. I realized my error and blushed.
“You have been trained well. It will be a challenge to rid you of your formal habits.” He strolled about the room. My hand clutched the back of my chair as I followed him with my eyes. He studied every area before coming back to stand in front of me. “I hope everything is to your liking.”
“Oh, it is. It is more than I could have dreamed.” I hesitated before adding softly, “Thank you, Louis.”
He turned to me, smiling. “That wasn’t too hard, was it?” I shook my head, smiling in return. “You said you were about to retire?”
“Oui.”
“You have not called on your servant to assist you?”
“Non.”
“May I assist you?” He grinned, eyes questioning.
My mouth opened at his forwardness. “Of course.”
He moved closer. His perfection crept toward me with ease. His hands gripped my shoulders, guiding me to face the mirror once again. I met his gaze in the mirror as his reflection fell over me. His fingers traveled lightly across my bare skin. They found their way over my back and neck, into my hair. He bent down, lifting my curls to meet his nose. He deliberately inhaled my scent.
He found the last remaining hairpins at the crown of my head and released them. The locks tumbled around my face. Grabbing at the tresses, he rested them behind my shoulders. His fingers ran through them again.
“So dark and beautiful.” He spoke to no one in particular. I took the moment to spy upon him. He continued the luxurious combing, wrapping my curls around his skin. Brown tendrils of wispy hair framed his face, falling around his shoulders. The hair, so perfectly arranged at the dinner table, broke free. A few strands fell against his forehead, obscuring one of his azure eyes. A hand lifted from my lap momentarily, wanting to brush them back.
This is his time.
“You have interrupted my thoughts often since I saw you that first time. What it would feel like to touch you. How you would feel beneath me.”
A gasp left my mouth, my thoughts envisioning his words. His hands pulled my hair to the side, over my shoulder.
“Stand up, my treasure.”
I rose slowly from the chair. As I stepped to face him, his gaze wandered over my body again, looking down at me. “Do you know why you are here?”
I nodded before he demanded, “Tell me.”
I stammered. “I-I am here to please you.”
“Do you know how?” I hesitated, not quite sure what response would be appropriate. “It is all right. I will show you.” His hands found my waist before sneaking around to my back. He pulled me against him. The silk of our clothing swished together. His mouth opened. Hot breath washed over me. He licked his top lip. “Do you want me to show you?”
“Yes, Louis.”
He may wish my company. My first night with him.
I was prepared and properly schooled in my duty. Mother left nothing to chance, saving that particular part of my education for her lectures. Every secret detail of a mistress’ obligation—all that could and must be done in the effort to please a nobleman—explained. At the age of twelve, when mother first sat me down for a discussion on intimacy, all of it seemed ridiculously comical and quite scary. As the years passed, I would look at some men and those thoughts proved inviting, while the leering gaze of others repulsed me even further. When the king looked at me, I felt a stirring within that caused a fire deep inside.
The clock in my room struck midnight and I sighed, a bit relieved and disappointed. No news or requests had come my way in the last two hours.
I will not be needed. I must not have pleased him. That is why he did not ask for me. I did something wrong. I’ll more than likely be escorted back home tomorrow morning.
I looked around the room and took it all in wistfully. These treasures would not be mine for much longer.
I sat at my vanity, staring into the mirror. My fingers searched and pulled out a multitude of hair pins. Only a few remained, barely holding my mane in place. I then started on the slow removal of the jewelry I had been allowed to wear. The pearls rolled between my fingertips before I placed them on the table. The smoothest texture overlaid such a hard interior.
Give nothing of myself except the shell.
I don’t know how long I held them before I heard the voice behind me.
“They don’t compare to your beauty. I am sorry.”
I jumped in fear, spinning around to look at the intruder. “Wha…?” I stammered and attempted to collect myself. My heart raced and I breathed heavily. “Your Majesty.”
He stood before me, his stance rigid. His hands were clasped behind his back. I took in his figure and all of the royal trappings. His suit of gold sparkled, with exquisite folds of fabric, adorned with buttons and ruffles wrapping around his frame. He seemed to shine in the light of my room, more so than at dinner. I felt the blindness and stinging in my eyes return. I forced them away with my excited will.
He crooked his head slightly, finding humor in my appearance. “I expected the gossiping maids would have told you.”
I looked at him, wonderingly.
He motioned with his head to his portrait. “There is a secret passage, you see.”
“Oh.”
“It is for my safety, an escape route. But I have found…other uses for it.” He raised an eyebrow in amusement.
“I see, Your Majesty.”
He shook his head. “You may call me Louis when we are alone.” My heart raced faster. His eyes widened. “I disturbed you. You were in the midst of something?”
“I was only preparing to retire, Your Majesty.” He gave me a reproachful glance. I realized my error and blushed.
“You have been trained well. It will be a challenge to rid you of your formal habits.” He strolled about the room. My hand clutched the back of my chair as I followed him with my eyes. He studied every area before coming back to stand in front of me. “I hope everything is to your liking.”
“Oh, it is. It is more than I could have dreamed.” I hesitated before adding softly, “Thank you, Louis.”
He turned to me, smiling. “That wasn’t too hard, was it?” I shook my head, smiling in return. “You said you were about to retire?”
“Oui.”
“You have not called on your servant to assist you?”
“Non.”
“May I assist you?” He grinned, eyes questioning.
My mouth opened at his forwardness. “Of course.”
He moved closer. His perfection crept toward me with ease. His hands gripped my shoulders, guiding me to face the mirror once again. I met his gaze in the mirror as his reflection fell over me. His fingers traveled lightly across my bare skin. They found their way over my back and neck, into my hair. He bent down, lifting my curls to meet his nose. He deliberately inhaled my scent.
He found the last remaining hairpins at the crown of my head and released them. The locks tumbled around my face. Grabbing at the tresses, he rested them behind my shoulders. His fingers ran through them again.
“So dark and beautiful.” He spoke to no one in particular. I took the moment to spy upon him. He continued the luxurious combing, wrapping my curls around his skin. Brown tendrils of wispy hair framed his face, falling around his shoulders. The hair, so perfectly arranged at the dinner table, broke free. A few strands fell against his forehead, obscuring one of his azure eyes. A hand lifted from my lap momentarily, wanting to brush them back.
This is his time.
“You have interrupted my thoughts often since I saw you that first time. What it would feel like to touch you. How you would feel beneath me.”
A gasp left my mouth, my thoughts envisioning his words. His hands pulled my hair to the side, over my shoulder.
“Stand up, my treasure.”
I rose slowly from the chair. As I stepped to face him, his gaze wandered over my body again, looking down at me. “Do you know why you are here?”
I nodded before he demanded, “Tell me.”
I stammered. “I-I am here to please you.”
“Do you know how?” I hesitated, not quite sure what response would be appropriate. “It is all right. I will show you.” His hands found my waist before sneaking around to my back. He pulled me against him. The silk of our clothing swished together. His mouth opened. Hot breath washed over me. He licked his top lip. “Do you want me to show you?”
“Yes, Louis.”