Eight

SOPHIA POV

I woke up with noise coming from outside, it was quite distant but yet it was loud, still loud.

I opened my eyes to find myself back in his room, but how did he eventually come back when I had fainted or was I just brought back here by his men.

I didn't have time to answer as the door opened and I shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

"This is the third day and she is not waking up doctor," I heard Roman says, sounding all worried.

His voice made me angry, seeing how he really made me faint before coming, now he is acting all concerned in front of the doctor.

"Sir, waking up is up to her and how strong her body is," "I have given all the medication I can, with time, her body will respond." The doctor tried explaining but Roman wasn't ready for his words.

"If she doesn't wake by tomorrow," he said, in a threatening voice. "Your family and all relatives will have it," he threatened, and I heard his aggressive footsteps.

The doctor came over to me, holding my hands and begged me to wake up, once he was done with my daily dose, he left.

So three servant girls entered, they were sent here to clean me up and I heard they had made my handmaid busy on purpose so they get to do the work.

I could feel their excitement as they sat there. "Do you think we should look under her mask now," one asked.

"I really want to know why she wears a mask but if we are caught," one said, sounding scared.

"Come on, think about the positive side, we get to be the only ones who have seen her face," Another says with anxiety in her tone.

"The only ones, what about King Roman, he must of have seen, even if she doesn't show him, he would have spied at night," one spoke.

"I don't think so and he doesn't seem bother about it,"

"You know the King has been threatening people, I do not want to get killed," the sacred one said, and I heard her take two steps back.

"The quickly we see it, the better for us," the adamant one said. I was just about to open my eyes to stop them when the door opened.

"What are you doing here," I heard my handmaid voice yelling at them. "We were helping you clean," they replied.

"And you start with the face," she asked. "Leave now," she says and I was surprised of the authority she had.

I heard lot of footsteps and the door closing shut. "You can open your eyes now my lady," she says. I didn't know how she found out, but I was still ready to pretend.

"I saw your hand twitch my lady, I know you are awake," she explained, forcing me to open my eyes sitting up.

"Gosh, I'm so happy that you are awake," she mumbled, rushing to hug me but she restricted herself.

I laughed, hugging her to show that she was allowed to. "So why are you pretending to be asleep my lady, the king have been worried about you," she question.

"Why would he be worried, he embarrassed me in front of everyone?" I said, my eyes lingering round the room.

"What are you saying my Lady, why are you speaking like this, what embarrassed you?" She questioned, her voice so cute that I have smile.

"I know that I was brought up by his men not him, everyone now knows that I have a mate that doesn't love me," I complained.

"Of course not my lady, he was the one who brought you here, he even threatened to kill Xylah for you,"

"It's what is being talked about in the palace, my lady," She explained.

"I don't understand, Roman was away, besides what have Xylah got to do with this," I asked, looking at her.

"Well, it's turns out that Roman never left the palace, it was all Xylah fault, she feed him lies and made him stay inside, she then uses her uncle to send Roman to the inner court so he won't be seen by anyone,"

"The king still cared about you, he sent her a coat to give to you while you were outside, he always made her give you food, but the things is, she never gave you those things, but she made the king believe she did," She explained.

Which all made sense to me, maybe the coat I was given was the one she wore to mock me.

"You said he plans on killing Xylah, are you sure," I asked. "I'm sure my lady, he confirmed her to her room and would kill her if you fail to wake up,"

"Her and the rest of the noble ladies," she replied, I could tell she was a bit disappointed, I too was. A part of me wanted Xylah gone, cause I felt with her, it would be obstacles on the way, however I couldn't do anything.

At least now Roman would be careful of her. I heard footsteps and voices coming to the room, and I lied down, covering myself like I was before.

"You don't want to tell him that you are awake?" She asked. "No, not yet, I don't want to face him, I don't want to talk to him yet, just pretend for me and I promised I will award you," I tell her.

"I was award by the king, but getting one from you is double blessings from the moon goddess," she says and although I didn't know what she meant, I had to pretend to be asleep till Roman left.

"Your majesty," I heard her greet once the door was open, it was followed by the sound of water, and something wet on my skin.

"Who were you talking to?" Roman asked. "Myself my Lord, I was trying to explain the situation to my lady in hope she hears and wake up fast," she replied and I marvel at her acting skills.

"No sign of her waking up," he says. "I don't know sir, once their is a sign, I will inform you right away sir," she replied.

"You see, this is what Xylah did to her and you expect me to spare her," he questioned someone.

"I understand your pain, Roman, but please, she is your cousin, you grew up together," Someone begged and I recognized that voice as Bryce, Roman uncle voice.

"I know, I thought of that, it was because she have my blood in her vein that I didn't send her to the dungeon but rather I left her stay in her room confined," Roman tells him.

"And I thank you for that, but you can't kill her because your mate died,," Bryce begged.

"Ok, let's leave her, think of me Roman, I raised you after your parents death and I made you take the throne, at least if not her, think about me and what I have done and used that to judge my only daughter," he pleaded.

I heard a loud sigh and everywhere went quiet. "You can think of other punishment but not death," Bryce bargained, breaking the silence.

"Other punishment like what," Roman asked. "Out of the palace, reduced her title to a commoner, anything, anything but death," he begged.

"It was because you raised me uncle, that's why I didn't implicated you in this matter.

"You connive with her, thought of sending me away and even sent me to the inner court, you also didn't tell me about what was happening even though you were aware." Roman said.

"I didn't know Roman, I was busy with you, i promise you that," Bryce said and I was shocked of his acting skills.

"Don't denial this uncle, my men saw you there, you were the one who informed them that I was out,"

"If your statements are true, then are you trying to say that over three thousand men are trying to frame you," Roman asked as Bryce went quiet.

"That's what I thought, now I'm not going again, if Sophia did not wake up then Xylah would be killed, if she wakes up then Sophia decides her fate,"

"And if she wants to kill Xylah, then I have no say in it." Roman said in all authority. It will teach the rest that my mate is not to be insulted, not even by my close ones," he said as I tried to resist the urge to blush.

"As punishment, I removed the right for you to say my name in private, henceforth, even if we are alone or with people, you shall address me with my title," He declared.

"Now, I have other things to do and you are interfering," Roman said. I heard retreating footsteps and the door closing.

I was about to open my eyes when I felt my handmaid hands on me, refraining me from doing so.

"Please take care of her, I will be in office," Roman requested before I heard the door closing again.

"You can open them now," she mumbled as I saw her going to make sure the door was locked at the top.

"Thank you dear," I told her as she smiled in appreciation. "So from where we stop, what do you mean by Roman giving you a reward," I asked..

I wasn't really into gossip, but when I am with her, I want to know things, cause I know it would be true.

"I got promoted to be the head maidservant in your department. My lady, the King, offered me this title," she happily revealed.

I see, that's why you could yell at those girls before," I tell her. "Oh, they gave me the perfect opportunity to test my power," she happily replied.

"Why did he give you such a title," I asked. "Caused I was the one who informed him about your state, he was inside the inner court and no one was allowed to enter, not even the queen talkless a mere servant like me and I forced my way,"

"Normally, I would have been beheaded but I was adamant to help you," she replied.

"And you saved me, I owe you a lot," I told her as she shook her head. "You are my mistress and I can do anything for you because you are so nice to me," she told me and I instantly had an idea for a reward for her.

"Why don't you call me Sophia, when me and you are alone," I said, watching her gasp. "Oh no, my lady, that is forbidden, you can only give that power to one related to you," she refused.

"And I'm asking you to be my relatives, how old are you?" I asked. "Sixteen," she replied.

"Well then, I'm older, so you can be my younger sis," I told her, watching her smile in excitement.

"You are so kind to me, lady Sophia," she called but I wanted only Sophia.

I heard a knock at the door and I laid back down. While I watched her open the door.

"Do you talk to yourself often?" Roman asked as I heard his footsteps walk in. "It was a habit that puzzles my lady," my handmaid replied.

"Why was the door locked?" He demanded. "It was because some servant tried removing the mask when I stepped into the bathroom for a change in water, so I decided to lock the door till I was through," she replied.

Her answer is so flawless and perfect and her tone is devoid of emotions. "Did you see their face," he asked.

"I did sir," she replied. "Then handle them, I gave you that right," he instructed. "You can leave now," he ordered as she nodded.

"I will, once I get rid of the water," she says and I follow a series of footsteps before the door finally closes.

Once she was done, I felt Roman hands grabbing my hands as he stroked it gently. "I'm so sorry my Luna, but if you could please wake up, at least for me," he pleaded, his voice so soft almost as if he was going to cry.

"I should not have avoided going home like I did, I was a jerk, I know I was," he admitted.

"And I should not have barged out on you, I could have stayed and let you finish," he continued.

"I heard couple becomes horny during a heated argument and sometimes I wonder if things would have ended up differently if I had stayed,"

"May I could gotten the chance to mark you, or maybe we could have shared a passionate kiss and you could have broken it,"

"Cause I would never break a kiss," he mumbled and I tried resisting the urge to laugh at his words.

He sounded like a pervert but yet cute too. "Oh maybe we could have cuddled and promised to each other and try building our relationship on trust," he added.

"Yet, I fuck up and walked out like a coward," he finishes as he let go of my hands gently dropping it.

I opened my eyes just a little to watch his movement. He was taking off his clothes, first he took off his royal robe, flinging it somewhere different.

He then proceeded to take off his dress as he unbuttoned it to reveal his chest. Gosh he was hot and I couldn't take my eyes off.

His muscles were firmly built, even his pack was pronounced and I wanted to so badly trace my hands on those scars and hear the stories of how he got them.

I want to trace the line of his back and I want him to carry me shirtless. I desperately begged, begged him not to wear another shirt, begged him to stay like this..

He soon returned to seating close to me but this time, his hands traced my lips. "Was he going to kiss me?" I asked as a part of me wanted the kiss.

But I didn't want to wake up just yet, I wanted the embarrassment I felt to go away, I didn't want to talk to him either.

I know it wasn't his fault but he was still blamed for believing Xylah. This kiss would eventually blow my cover and I didn't want that just yet.

I couldn't even tell if I would kiss him back, definitely I might kiss him back seeing how hot he was.

My heart instantly begged for a distraction on his path, begging for someone to at least knock the door.

I felt him leaning closer, till our nose touched, his lips brushed past my lips and then he went to my ear.

"How long do you plan on faking, my dear Sophia?" He asked, planting a kiss on my ear.

"It's either you wake up or I punish you for getting to see me naked," he stated