The tea was ready.
A maid had informed Charlotte a few moments ago and now she was set to go.
She didn't prepare much... She was still in the dress she wore to Luther's chamber. The only difference in her appearance was the heavy makeup on her face which she had lessened already.
She sniffed the air around her and beamed elatedly. She could smell the blissful flowery fragrance she had applied to her body.
She wanted to appear sheen and erupt radiance to say the least. This was going to be the first time in two years she and Luther would be having tea and chatting to each other.
She wanted to make everything go perfect according to what she had in mind.
"Is he there yet?" She asked the maid Tina who had again helped her in lessening her makeup.
"No, my lady." Tina replied.
She pursed her lips, disappointed.
She had sent a maid earlier to inform Luther to come to the dining hall for the tea.
It was courtesy for the male to come before the female but of course she knew Luther was a different human entirely.
He doesn't abide by any rule whatsoever.
She knew this but deep down, she had somewhat hoped he comes first.
She shrugged off her displeasure and left her chamber.
She had to go now, she knew Luther would come eventually but the problem was she having to wait.
She detested anything that concerns waiting.
But of course if it concerns Luther, she would gladly wait for as long as it takes.
She arrived at the dinning hall and was pleased to see the decorations on the walls and the teas on embellished and ornamented mugs and jugs which she could perceive their aroma from afar.
The flower arrangement and the prettified seats at the dining hall was marveling to say the least.
When she was here two years ago, it wasn't like this.
Here used to be so dark and gloomy but now, Luther seemed to have brought it back to life.
"I see you like the hall."
A voice so husky startled her.
She turned back, only to see Luther expressionlessly walking towards her.
"Well yes. It's obviously captivating."
"I know."
Even though his tone held no or less emotion, she could feel a jot of proudness in it.
"I hope I didn't take too long?" He rose a brow and that stunned her for a moment at how hot he looked with that small action.
"Err----no. I just came in anyways."
He held out a seat for her and only the heavens knew how hard her cheeks puffed out with a long lasting blush at his gentlemanliness.
He sat on the head seat a little bit distanced from her but she was glad he was not near, so he couldn't see her blushes.
"How is your father?" He asked, pouring tea from a jug into a mug.
The maids could have done that but none of them were in the room.
She wanted a private rendezvous with Luther, so she dismissed the guards and maids.
Thankfully, Luther consented to her wishes with no slight hesitation.
"He is doing well. He sent his regards."
She was joyous to see Luther lighting up the conversation. At first she thought she would spend time here with little talks but Luther was doing quite well in proving her wrong.
"I knew you would come." He briefly said, taking a long sip of the tea.
She watched him amazed, wondering if the tea wouldn't hurt him. It was warm but with a long sip like that, it'd feel hot.
"I came as soon as I could. I'd want to come all these past years but Father had placed me in a house arrest. I tried to escape multiple times but it all proved abortive."
She could remember how she had tied a rope to her window, planning to climb down to the ground.
She could had died if the guards hadn't been quick to see the rope and hurry to her room to stop her.
How did she even come about with such stupid idea?
This distance of the ground and her window was so high that a little fall could kill and shatter her bones.
But then she didn't care, all she thought of was Luther. She was even willing to risk her life just to go to him.
"You promised me you won't try to leave. You told me your father was right." He gave her a stare.
"Yes, I said that because I thought we won't be separated from long but days turned into weeks and months into years. You even broke your promise. You promised to send letters but for the whole two years, you didn't. You ghosted me, Luther and seemed to forget I exist."
She said with all sincerity, every word spoken with heavy emotions.
"I sent letters but Father would find them before it gets to you and burn them. I wrote thousands of words in each letter, hoping you would see them and reply. I thought you'd see them but later on, I found out it didn't get to you. It got to Father instead. I was frustrated and had no choice but to seek help from my mother. It took a while before she agreed. I wrote another letter and gave it to her to send it through the mailman to you. She told me you received it already. I waited for your reply for weeks, months, at some point I thought you had sent your reply but Father had hidden it. I confronted Father but he swore he had seen nor received any letter from your kingdom. I was deeply depressed with the information."
She didn't want to tell him all this but she wanted to know his reasons for not sending atleast a letter to her.
She knew he was so busy with the preparations for the war on Perston but somehow she knew he must had had the time to atleast ink something down.
"The war was my main priority, Charlotte." He deadpanned.
Her breath seized at his words. He said it so swiftly and impassively that it knocked the air out of her lungs.
She was appalled and..... hurt.
She didn't expect him to say this, he even said it in such a way that denounced he cared less about her feelings.
Her heartbeat pulsation increased and she fought hard to hold the tears blinding her eyes, so it won't spill.
She knew better than to embarrass herself.
There she was, dying over this man but he didn't even think once about her.
All those times she risked her life just to get to him, he was there, caring less about her.
What had she done wrong by loving him?
She loved him with all of her being, why couldn't he see it and reciprocate that same feeling?
She understood his whole life was dedicated to killing Rupert and taking over Perston but atleast inking something down to her won't hurt a fly. Why was he so tough?
"Of course. I apologize for being such a distraction." She pursed her lips.
The reason her father forced her back home was because she was clinging to Luther during his trainings, sometimes causing him to be distracted.
Luther needed all the focus and concentration he could get, so that was why her father made her depart from him and then placed her on an house arrest, so she won't go back to him.
And all those times she cried on going back to him... Luther was there, busy with his ambition, and totally forgetting about her.
What painful realization!
She wanted to cry, she felt the heavy tears burning her eyes.
She quickly took a long sip of her tea, using that as a means of hiding the tears from Luther's watchful eyes.
"I'm glad. I'm happy you won the war. I know how many years you prepared for it and I have no right to come in between it. The war was your main priority, it's totally understandable. You need not to explain."
She gulped the tea.
It was now cold and didn't hurt her tongue.
That urged her to drink more of it, atleast it'd help with the heat she felt on her stomach.
She glommed at Luther. He was silent. She wondered what he must be thinking.
He was as usual, seemingly apathetic, so it was quite hard to figure out his feelings.
She kept silent also, concentrating on the sweet scented tea.
She wanted to say something to ease the discomforting silence engulfing them but she had no word in mind, only a question that had been lurking in her head for days.
"You haven't punished the slave yet, why?" She asked with a slightly fretful expression.
She didn't want to mention such condemned person in this meeting but she just had to cause she was much curious.
Luther stared at her, visibly bemused.
"What slave?" He asked.
Of course, there were many slaves in not just his palace but the kingdom.
"Rupert's daughter...." She cleared, watching his face for any expression of surprise but he gave none.
His face had gone blank, unsurprisingly not giving even an iota of emotion.
"When I arrived, I found out you haven't given her any punishment whatsoever. I was terribly shocked to the marrow. I had expected her to be bedridden, scorched or atleast crippled but she was walking absolutely fine and speaking normally."
"She would be punished in due time." He icily spoke.
Charlotte tried hard not to scowl. She couldn't understand how patient people could be.
If it was her in Luther's place, the girl did be dead the moment she lays eyes on her.
Why then was Luther hesitating? It's being closely a month since he succeeded with the invasion of Perston, but Almira was still alive and well, why?
She fumbled with her clothing, trying hard to hide how gutted she felt.
"I punished her. I couldn't stand the fact the daughter of the person who had hurt you a lot was still alright. I'm glad hearing that she hadn't been out in the open till now."
Luther paused for a moment, holding a breath.
"You did what, Charlotte?" He didn't sound so happy.
She kept quiet for a second, wondering if she did wrong or not.
"I punished her." She repeated, only to be slammed shut with one burning look from him.