Chapter three 

The room was silent, a tension building in the air that stifled any attempt to speak or make a move, all that the helpless three men could do was watch as their king paced back and forth, muttering as he chewed on the nail of his right thumb. The king, who would be described as pleasantly appealing, looked distorted and panicked, his normally sun kissed tanned skin, coming across as pale and colourless in the light, his chestnut hair dishevelled from it’s usual well groomed form. 

The braver of the three men, the man servant to the king sat on a wooden armchair, his legs crossed, gazing at his majesty with a playful smirk on his face, trying and failing not to chuckle at his paranoid master. 

“You are worrying to much,” he almost sung, 

The king grunted, “easy for you to say, your soulmate did not literally run away from you, after moments of your first meeting.” 

“Ah, but I am incredibly charming unlike you, who has as much charm as a rock. And I have seen nice rocks.”

The king groaned, “you are not helping,” 

The man servant only continued to smirk, beginning to plop grapes that sat beside himself on a table into his mouth, lounging with an amount that was uncommon for a person of his rank. 

Just then the doors opened welcoming in a handsome man with stunning pale blonde hair, that glistened with light as if it were the sun's rays, his ocean blue eyes dazzling as was the smile he wore on his face, which was dashing as well as cocky. He was dressed in the most fashionable of clothes that was popular among his court, in colours of white and red. 

“Cyrus,” he greeted cheerfully, ignoring the state his friend was in, “I heard the brilliant news, the palace is buzzing about it.” 

“Already!” Cyrus exclaimed, pausing in his pacing. “It was but an hour ago i had met her,” 

“Yes and it takes half that long for word to travel around, one of my ministers had told me you know,”

Cyrus sighed deflating, his fingers combing through his hair, “and yet no one has brought her to me yet,” he spoke between his teeth angrily. 

“Come now,” the blonde spoke, slapping Cyrus’s back, “it will be no good meeting her again in the state you are in.” 

The brown haired king clenched his jaw, “I would not be so, if someone would bloody well bring her to me!” he shouted, stomping his feet which reminded his manservant of a spoilt children being denied cake before supper. 

“Relax,” the other king spoke, placing his hands on his shoulders guiding him towards the settees. The two men who stood guard by door watched wearily as their king was pushed down to sit. The blonde king sat opsite Cyrus, “now,” he started lounging comfortably back, stretching out his arms and legs, “tell me about this girl who ran away from his great majesty king Cyrus of Spendia.” 

✶✶✶

Clover chewed on her piece of bread, still soggy from where she had dipped it into her cup of vegetable broth, hardly listening as Katie, a fellow scullery maid gossiped about something she had heard in passing, spilling over all she had heard and rumors the older palace maids whispered about, while trying as she may to ignore the mouse that rummaged in Clovers apron pocket, who Clover feed often with her piece of bread.

“....wonder who it could be?” she questioned, “they must be utterly foolish for running away from a king. Oh I would give anything to know my soulmate is a king,” Katie sighed. 

“King?” Clover spurted out, almost spitting the bread that remained in her mouth, coming out from her fogged mind, the mouse Herbert squeaked at the action as well as Katie, it having been listening attentively for Clovers sake. It quickly scurried away, ready to tell all mice in the palace that their Clovers soulmate was a king. 

“Did you say king?” 

Katie who for a moment was distracted by the retreating mouse,  nodded slowly, she smiled back at Clover happy her friend was finally listening to her, “the king of Spendia, you know the one who is visiting,”

“A king,” Clover muttered quietly. She instantly began to blush, feeling all too hot. 

She had since come to terms that her first meeting was not perfect, yet his green eyes haunted her every second, begging for her to see them again.

“Are you alright Clover, you haven’t been yourself all day?” Katie looked at the girl with concern, “maybe you should head to bed early-”

Suddenly the whole kitchen came arlert as all stood up in attention as the housekeeper and the steward walked in. This was a rare occasion as they hardly ever lowered themselves to come to servants' kitchens during their evening meals, they had much better places to eat without having to worry about mice and rats scurrying across the floor. 

Katie and Clover grew upward off the stone step that led out to a small closed off courtyard, where many of the palace staff would meet their lovers in the darkness of night. 

The housekeeper and the palace steward's eyes inspected around the room, seeing the anxious staff that waited to hear why they had come down to see them during their long awaited break. Behind the large shoulders of the steward there were two guards whom no one in the room recognized to be the kings or the cities. 

Both Aster and Basil glanced at the men with spying eyes, were they the secret guard they heard oh so many rumours about? Has someone somehow found out about their gifts? Had they been ratted out? Were they here to drag the three of them away? 

A cold sweat dripped down Aster's face, her hands balled into fists, the heightened worry bubbled with the surrounding flowers and plants that were picked that morning, wilting with age as if the very plants sensed Aster's fear. Meanwhile Basil tried to grab Clover's attention from across the room, to not do anything that would single her out. She of course did not notice him, and only stared at the new arrivals. 

“All the servants should be here,” the housekeeper spoke back to the guards, who parted for a short man who looked only a few years older than Clover herself, he was dark skinned with light honey brown hair and a mischievous look in his chocolate coloured eyes. He strides into the room with his hands behind his back taking in all the faces that gazed at him, he smirked. 

“Thank you, my lady,” he smiled, “I had been meaning to come anyway, I hear you store quite a fine selection of wines here.” 

“Indeed,” the steward answered, his thick brows making it seem as if he were always frowning.

The man hummed, “is the girl here?” he asks, 

The housekeep takes a second as her eyes search through the room finally landing on Clover.

“There,” she gestures, stepping towards the two girls who looked utterly confused. 

The man's smile brightens, stepping towards them, “Clover was it?” he says as he takes her hand, making a slight bow. Clover stood blindsighted. The housekeeper's brow furrowed when she realised Clover was not going to say anything to the manservant. 

“It is,” the woman answers. 

“If you may, king Cyrus has invited you to join him for some evening tea, if that is agreeable for you?” 

Clovers eyes widened, “i-i-” 

“She would love to!” Katie blurted out excitedly, as the man slowly pulled Clover beside himself, still having a hold of her hand a top of his, walking out the kitchens, Clover turned back to Katie who grinned ear to ear, her thumbs up in encouragement as nervous butterflies grew in Clovers stomach. 

✶✶✶