Royal

Frank’s P.O.V.
It was the morning after we had brought Lily home from King Henry’s palace and she hadn’t left my mind all night. Even during my sleep, I was still thinking about her, about how beautiful she was and how fragile she seemed. I didn’t understand why she flinched when I raised my hand to tilt her chin and made a note to myself to notice if she does it again. I looked down at the bedsheets to notice my hands had balled them into fists at the thought of any harm happening to her. I was broken from my thought by a knock at the door which I instantly looked at. My other chamber maid had left us due to the fact she had gotten pregnant in her two days off, something none of us expected.
“Come in.” I shouted towards the door, not bothering to cover my uncovered top up expecting one of the other maids to walk in, instead it was Lily.
“Good morning master.” She smiled a little at me as I fumbled around with the sheets to cover myself up like she’d just caught me jacking off or something. It was once I’d managed to slightly cover myself that I noticed the hint of red of her cheeks and what she had called me. She was already setting my breakfast down on my bedside table.
“Lily what did you just call me?” I asked her watching as she delicately poured the coffee.
“M…master.” She stumbled over her word as she looked up at me, fear in her eyes.
“Please don’t ever call me or anyone in this household that again.” I told her, not intending to sound as harsh as I did. I noticed the feared look spread to the rest of her face, the veins in her neck becoming more visible as though she was tensing in anticipation of something unpleasant. “Sorry I didn’t mean to shout.” I told her honestly.
“No need to apologise sir.” She shook her head, her eyes going back to focusing on the tray she had set down.

I swung my legs off the side of the bed so that I could move slightly closer to her and that’s when I noticed, despite her best efforts, she was shaking. I sighed silently standing up at the side of her and taking the milk pot out of her hands, my hands covering hers slightly as she took a sharp intake of breath.
“Lily it’s ok. Please sit down.” I moved away from her, still holding the milk pot nodding to the bed. I noticed the unsure look as she sat on the very edge of the bed. “Why did you call me master? Yesterday you called me sir.” I asked her as I saw her eyes water slightly.
“Because we are in your chambers sir.” She told me as I noticed her hands ringing in her lap. I stared at her confused for a moment.
“Did King Henry make you call him master when you were in his bedroom?” I asked unsure if I was reading in-between the lines correctly. She nodded slowly, still not looking at me. “All the time?” She nodded again as I clenched my fists for the second time today. “Did you call him that anywhere else?”
“Except for when he had his parties.” She whispered.
“Parties?” I asked trying to keep my anger in check.
“Please sir I don’t wish to speak ill of King Henry.” She looked up at me, begging practically.
“He can’t do anything to you anymore Lily. I promise.” I reassured her.
“He used to throw parties for his noble staff. They had a night off and it was to show his appreciation for their hard work. We were to call him master because that’s what he was.” She hesitated before telling me looking back down again, jumping when the milk pot cracked in my hands spilling all over the floor.
“Sir your hands.” She looked up at me, terrified as she ran into my private bathroom and returning with a bowl and washcloth as well as some other items.

She gently rested her hands on my biceps as she moved me to sit down on the spot she had just vacated. She checked where she was about to kneel but noticed there was ceramic and shards in the way. I looked up at her slowly and then down at the bed to indicate she could sit down, which she did. She carefully took my hand in hers, resting it palm up on her knee and taking the tweezers she’d brought. She took my other hand in her spare hand and placed her index finger over my fingers as she pulled the few bits that were stuck in it out. I hissed as the pain was worse than it going in and my fingers clasped around her one unwittingly, but feeling just her finger relaxed me. She pulled out the bits she needed to before doing the same on the other hand then cleaning them up gently and band aiding them up. I’d noticed that there were red spots on her knees from where I had clenched too hard causing the blood to roll off my hand.
“You’re good at that.” I commented slowly as she finished off, cleaning down my arm where the blood had rolled.
“I tended a lot of cuts in my past sir.” She looked up at me slowly. I stared at her for a moment longer than I should have done when she coughed slightly. “I’ll get the milk cleaned up and bring you some more.” She offered a smile before standing up at walking back into the bathroom to discard of the bloodied water and washcloth.

It was midday when I decided what I was going to do next. Shortly after the milk incident I had excused myself and come down to the library where I knew Gerard would be. Just as I assumed Ivy was there also. “Gerard can I speak to you?” I asked as I noticed Ivy instantly get out of the chair he too was sat on as I shook my head at them.
“Would you like me to leave?” Ivy asked softly looking down at Gerard then at me, just as Gerard looked at me.
“For 10 minutes then you can have your prince back.” I smiled at her. It was no hidden fact that Gerard and Ivy had a thing going on. I mean sure it was hidden from our parents, and from the rest of the staff; but, it wasn’t from me.
“I hope that’s a promise.” She smiled at me as she walked out of the opposite door.
“What’s wrong?” Gerard asked after he’d finished smirking at her wiggle she was doing for his pleasure.
“It’s about the new girl. Lily.” I told him slowly, flopping down in the chair facing his. “Did Ivy ever flinch when your hand went near her?” I asked as he thought for a moment.
“Yeah she did when she first started.” He answered me, a hint of confusion in his voice. “I figured it’s because everything was new. I had just torn her away from the only family she had ever known.”
“What about parties? Did she ever mention about King Henry’s parties?” I asked as he shook his head.
“No why?” Gerard asked as he sat up in his chair sensing something was wrong. I hesitated whether to tell my best friend what I thought or not.
“I think he allowed them to get hurt.” I went for it just telling him. “Something isn’t right Gerard I can’t put my finger on it. But something isn’t. I asked Lily how long she had worked for him she said 12 years, yet 6 months ago when Ivy came with us Lily wasn’t in the line of girls. Why not? We were supposed to see all his serving staff.” I asked not being able to stop myself now. I noticed him frown as he too thought it was strange. I told him about what had happened in the bedroom as I noticed him biting his lip.
“Ivy has never mentioned this, but I’ve never give her a reason too. You need to talk more to Lily about it Frank. If those other girls are in danger then we have to do something.” He told me everything I’d already thought about.
“I’m going to take her out for the day. Mask it as an introduction to our town and get her some new clothes and stuff. She might open up a bit better if were not surrounded by such formal things.” I told Gerard my plan as he nodded.

Notes