Abby had snuck out softly while the servants slept. She could risk taking a later and being seen, so she prayed her good eyesight and the Moonlight would be strong enough to guide her back to the building she had arrived in. She had just left the building and was hurrying quickly across the gardens when she glanced behind her to make sure no one had seen her and managed to run head long into a tall soft object. She fell on her bottom and yelped in surprise. Glancing up she almost fainted when she saw who she had run into. It was the King.
He looked at her solemnly and then reached out a hand to help her up. This surprised Abby as she had expected him to order his retinue to assist her up and then take her to prison or something of the sort for trying to escape.
She reached up a shaking hand and took his. As she did so an almost electric shock of the most passionate desire seemed to rip through her. She noticed that the King looked a bit stunned as well and wondered if he had experienced the same feeling. She let go of his hand quickly after she regained her feet and bowed quickly. "I am so sorry Your Majesty. I should have been paying better attention to where I was going."
" Where were you going? Especially at this time of night and without anyone escorting you."
Crap thought Abby, busted!
She thought quickly and replied, "I am so sorry I just needed to get some air after such a long day and the servants were all asleep and I didn't want to wake them. "
The King gave her an appraising look. She was attired in the clothes that she had arrived in but they looked hastily put on as well as not tied correctly. Her hair was messed from sleeping on it earlier and she looked like a scared rabbit caught in a trap especially since her feet were completely bare. But then again there was that intense feeling when they touched. He had never felt that with his Queen or any of his wives. He wanted to understand it more and explore what drew him towards her. He cleared his throat, " I understand your need to get some air but in future you are never to do so without awaking your servants to accompany you. You are not even properly attired and your feet are bare. You will catch a cold if you are not careful."
Abby was utterly embarrassed but confused as well. She had been thwarted in her escape attempt and then embarrassed about her appearance. She lowered her head and apologized again.
Just then Lady Jo burst on the scene with the three harassed looking servants that consisted of Abby's retinue. " There you are Lady Gin. We have been looking for you everywhere!"
Abby again apologized profusely.
Lady Jo bowed to the King, "We will return her to her quarters. Unless there is anything else you need, Your Majesty?"
Hell yes there was plenty he wanted to speak to her about but she looked so tired and pitiful that he thought that maybe the conversation could wait. He was still insanely curious about the surge of passion he had felt, and was still feeling the aftershocks from it. It had been so intense it made him want to grab her and ravish her right there in front of everyone without caring. Thank goodness for his robes or his very obvious arousal would be embarrassing.. He felt his dragon ancestry as well, awakening to her, sensing her. His dragon soul seemed more awake around her and that puzzled him. Dragon souls were almost myth now and it had been centuries since a king could transform into his dragon half.
He reached out for her and then withdrew his hand quickly as he realized what he was doing and the breach in protocol he almost committed. Not that it mattered to him. He was King and could do as he pleased. But just because he could didn't mean that he would. He was also the Leader and Father to all people in this country and abiding by customs and unwritten rules of conduct was ingrained into his bones .
Abby had noticed the slight flick of his hand toward her and saw the confusion in his eyes. So he had felt something as well. She had always dreamed of falling in love one day but this wasn't love it was some magnetic, unearthly pull. It felt like two magnets being drawn to one another. She was still afraid but for some reason it made her feel almost safe with him. Lady Jo bowed again and took her arm and started leading Abby back to the palace area for Concubines. She looked back at the last moment before they left the beautiful garden. The King was still standing there, staring at her with an intense gaze she couldn't quite read.
The King watched her as she left. She moved so gracefully for such a tall woman. She had a regal bearing and stood out from all of her retinue not just because of her different looks but her demeanor. Although he knew she was still scared and worried, she just carried herself differently from all the other women in Joseon. She walked as if she owned the world. Even his Queen didn't walk like that. Ahe had her own quiet regal bearing but it was different from this girl.
At the last moment he noticed she glanced back at him before passing under the archway leading out of the gardens. Her gaze was questioning and no longer as terrified as when they first met. A bit mystified but no longer as scared and then she disappeared from his view.