-Karen-“You two are so adorable together!” Joanne crooned from the chaise. She was curled up next to Bart with a light blanket.“Are you feeling okay? I’m starting to worry about you, Jo.” I asked becoming concerned. She’s been unusually tired for the last couple weeks, but I figured it was just because she was helping Bart so much with all the rowdy soldiers.She looked right at Bart when she spoke. “Yeah… I’m just not used to being so tired like this. I wondered why it was harder to stay awake than normal lately. It also explains why I’ve been so moody and hungry all the time.” They exchanged smiles and then he kissed her sweetly. I must have had a confused look on my face. “Come here, Karen.” Joanne said reaching out to me. She stood up as I approached her. “Here... Feel.” She took my hands and pressed them into her belly. I shook my head from confusion. I don’t feel anything? Should I? “You really are so innocent!” She exclaimed hugging me tightly. “Karen, I’m having a baby!” She
-Karen-“Yeah, I had to a lot actually. Lewis thought it would be funny to raffle off my ration book periodically. I had to eat. And it was whatever was there when he and any other servants weren’t looking unless I could sneak into the cooler and get something. I lost a lot of weight after a while and I got shunned even more than before because I was always so thin and frail. I had a hard time pulling my weight on my duties so that just made the other servants angrier at me. Novo tried to take care of me as best he could, but Lewis caught him a couple times. Even though Novo was the Master Chef, Lewis was over him as Master of Staff so to show Novo what could happen to him; he flogged me in front of the entire staff until I passed out. It didn’t stop Novo from trying to take care of me though.” I recalled without any real emotion. I stabbed the filet and a carrot and popped it into my mouth. It was juicy and tasted just like I remembered it. Mm! So yummy!The others were silent as the
-Karen-“My day, Majesty.” I answered pulling my hair out from under the robes. Cold. Don’t feel. Don’t think about your feelings for him. He’s your superior. I walked over to the dresser and pulled out the bottom drawer and picked a pair of black flats and set them down on the floor. The only things you need to feel are the cold silence of solitude. I slipped on the shoes and then pushed the drawer back in with my right foot.“Majesty?” He asked quietly. “You know how I feel about that.” I started to walk past him, and he caught my wrist and stood up. “Where are you going, Karen?” Conor held on to my hand. I missed his warmth, but I was not going to let my loneliness accept his tokens of affection knowing full well I would never fit into his world. You’re not good enough for him and you know it. Stop thinking you could be with him. He needs a noblewoman not a servant.“Majesty, I am going out for my normal routine. I thank you for your kind generosity but even you should know that se
-Bart-Bart was livid at Karen. He grabbed her gloves and pulled them off tossing them over to the old shovel. “How can she be such an idiot? Maybe Conor really doesn’t deserve her. They were so happy and then bang! Right back to the beginning with her! Thanks Lewis. You’ve undone all our progress in just a few hours.” He grabbed the over robe from the hook and tossed it over the limp girl on his left shoulder. “She has a major inferiority complex and I have to figure out a way to snap her out of it. But I did not help that one bit.” As he walked quickly to the Conor’s apartment Bart thought about the cruel things he said to her. “Damn- I really lost my temper with her. And then I scared the hell out of her before the sedative took over. I’m a total jerk. How do I explain this to Conor?” He took a deep breath as he entered the room quietly. I have no idea how Conor is going to react to what I’ve done. Here we go.-Conor-Conor and Joanne were sitting quietly at the table when Bart cam
-Karen-I could hear familiar voices talking around me. I rubbed my face with my right hand and then moved it to site where I was viciously stabbed. Ugh… My neck hurts. I blinked a couple of times and realized that Conor was sitting next to me on the bed. He looked extremely concerned. Don’t feel! Don’t let your emotions in! I instantly pursed my lips and started to crawl away from him as fast as I could. I need to get the hell out of here!He grabbed my ankle. Let go! “Hold on!” I kicked him in the face and made my way to the other side of the bed. I heard Joanne gasp. “That really hurt, Kay!” Conor snapped angrily. Hmph. Good! Maybe you’ll figure it out finally. For a prince, you’re pretty dumb. “Don’t call me that. That’s not my name!” I snapped, glaring at him coldly. At least my bad choices don’t affect an entire empire. I walked around the bed and towards the door without even looking at the three of them. He ran to the door and stood in front of it with his arms outstretched
-Karen-“She exists! I know she does because she started out walled up just like this and I had to bust my ass to break those damn walls down. And in the blink of an eye, that wonderful woman that I fell so hard for vanished right before my eyes.” He countered, pulling me back and cupping my face. I miss that warmth. But I can’t! I don’t belong here. “I’m trying to find her from a dream I had a long while ago.” He whispered in my ear. “It was the hardest thing to watch her cry thinking she was in a dream when she could easily reach out and touch my hands or cling to me so I could wrap her up in my arms.” He kissed my cheek and nuzzled my neck. No! Stop this insanity! I pulled away from as best I could as soon as he nuzzled my neck. He pulled me back to him just as quickly. “I promised her that I would find her if it were a dream and I would die looking for her if I had too. Here I am searching for her. Please help me find her.” He whispered in my ear. Stop talking like that!“You can’
-Karen-“You had me doubting there for a moment! You’re the most amazing but stubborn woman I’ve ever met.” He said sweeping me off my feet. Eek! I clung tightly as he snickered. “I want to fight next to you someday. I promise to teach you how to use a sword. I bet you would be great with a rapier!” He mused walking over to the table that was next to the armoire. He gently set me down on the tabletop and cupped my face coming nose to nose with me. “I have something that I absolutely need to tell you now that I have your surrender in hand.” I watched him in silence wondering what he had to say now. I told you so?He looked me in the eyes and whispered, “Karen Anne Elizabeth I have feelings for you. Not feelings of lust- Genuine feelings.” I felt my face get hot. “You’ve freed me from the pain and solitude I have felt for the last several years because of what my family wants me to be. I have felt so alive in the last several months because of you. You don’t try to change me or make me
-Karen-“Karen, that room you were in this morning, was that your servant room?” Joanne asked curiously. Bart gave her a sharp look and she looked down. It doesn’t bother me Bart.“Yes. That was my room. I forgot how cold it could get in the winter.” I answered with a grin. “That was an upgraded room too.” Joanne’s eyes got wide as I nodded. “Some servants have to share a room with bunk beds. And the only space they would get was a basket that hangs off the end of the bunk. Those are either four or six people to a room. It’s usually for servants that are in a family. I was in one of those rooms with a mother and her two daughters when I was really small... Although it didn’t make a difference because she stuck us on the top bunk and made us share the thinnest blanket while she took the other three.” I recalled thinking about those poor girls. They had it just as rough as I did.“That’s horrible.” Bart replied shaking his head. “Some people shouldn’t be parents.”“It’s in the past.” I