The Unfinished Story by Char Marie Adles (best books to read in your 20s .TXT) 📕

Kail said pointing at me. The little man's eye got so wide it looked like they would pop out of his head. Then with great ceremony the little man bent lower than half in a bow.
“My Lord I did not know it was you who saved our Emperor. I am Master Hawkins,” he said with another bow.
“I'm not a lord...I'm a prince-” I cut off before I said princess.
And that apparently was the little man's limit. He blinked startle for a second and then fainted.
I sighed. Kail looked at me with the same look and then even he started to sway a bit. I caught him by the waist.
I looked up at him. “Are you going to faint too?” I asked in astonishment.
He shook his head, but even as he did he fell to the ground. I fell with him to give him a softer landing, but even as strong as I am; he's just too tall. I sighed and sat there in the dust with him in my lap.
I hummed the lullaby I could never seem to finish and stroked his hair. The little man lay in the dust a few feet away. Soon Kail’s eyes opened and stared up at me. Those beautiful silver eyes that I had first fallen in love with. I smiled down at him and lowered my face to his and kissed him softly.
“Good to see you back,” I said softly with a giggle.
His cheeks were red. “You're...you're a prince?”
“Well more like a princess, but yeah that's how it is. I thought you knew. Both Sen and Momoko knew. I thought they told you when they told you everything else.”
It would seem I need to have a talk with him later.
And I had also forgotten that the company, along with Sen and Momoko were still behind us. I turned to look over my shoulder to see that all of Kail’s servants' faces were red, the laughing face of Sen and of course the opened mouthed Momoko. As well as a good number of the palace people. I felt a blush run up my neck to my cheeks.
I helped Kail up. The little man was now only starting to wake up, and for that I was most grateful. I helped him up too.
“Thank you, your Highness,” he said with another bow. “Now if you'll be as kind as to follow me, I'll show you the way to your rooms,” he said turning to show us up the stairs.
“Hold on a moment. Lord Sen and Lady Momoko are here with us. As you know they have been married,” I said, with a wink thrown away. They were standing behind me now.
The little man bowed to Momo and said, “It is good to see you are well, My Lady.” then he made for us to follow him inside.
I started up the steps holding back a grin and laugh. It was funny to see the embarrassed and gloomy look that showed on Sen face at being forgotten so plainly.
Master Hawkins led Momoko and Sen to a big room in the eastern wing and then took Kail and me to the far west side. To where in Master Hawkins were the ‘royal guests’ rooms. He took me to the largest one that was as big as a normal sized house, and said this one was mine. He was going to take Kail to another room and Kail had told me this was the way it was, because it wasn't right that a man slept in another man's rooms unless...
I smiled at Master Hawkins. “Master Hawkins Kail won't need another room.” I caught Kail’s hand and pulled him back to me, where my chest could touch his.
Kail gave me a confused look.
So did Master Hawkins. “Why won't Lord Gin...” he looked closer at Kail and me. He noticed
I called him 'Kail' with no honorifics or titles.
Kail blinked for a second and caught on. He gave me one of his rare devilish smiles, that said you’re-all-mine, and then he looked to Master Hawkins.
The old man didn't seem too surprised at us. Most people would kill over.
He looked us and nodded as if he understood some grate secret.
He lifted my bushy eyebrows. “It would be my guess you will only need one futon.”
I nodded looking back to Kail. He pulled kisses and me even closer my lightly.
“I have something to teach you later,” he whispered in my ear in a way the sent delighted chills down my spine.
The old man turned away and started walking away muttering, “Just likes the Emperor. But young and randy. When will they learn...”
our stuff was brought into our room and the servants dropped off the futon. Then we were all alone.
The next hour we spent testing the solid surfaces of the room. The I went to have a look around because Kail had some work to do for the months he missed. I wondered in the endless hallways, big rooms that were filled with people and soon I found a hidden door in one of the rooms, behind a painting that was hung like a curtain. T leads in to a big library. I was sure I was in heaven. I picked a book from an eye level shelf and sat in the big chair before the warm fire and read it. An hour passed when I was done and I got up. I put the book back and a book on the top level caught my eye. I reached for it, but I was still a few inches to short.
“Darn,” I muttered in English.
I stretched, but was still too short. Suddenly a hand reached up and picked it off the shelf.
I turned to see who it was and it was a very tall and very handsome young man. He was well over six feet tall and maybe twenty-five and very hot. He looked at me with a small smile. I felt myself flush and ducked under his arm. I stood a few feet away making sure I had a clear path to the door.
He held the book out to me.
“Thank you,” I said taking the book and holding it to my chest. He just smiled and picked up another book, sat in my chair and began to read. So I found a good spot on the floor and close to the books and started to read.
The smell of the old leather binding, paper crisp with old age and the sweet smell of the light smoke made everything prefect. It was my hope the man would leave soon as I started reading, but once I started to read everything around me just went blink. My mind was focused on the story.
I came to a funny part in the book and giggled, and then I stopped remembering there was someone else in the room. I looked over the top of the book's pages at the chair. The man had stopped reading and was now looking at me with a surprise.
I got up and went over to him, and knelt in front of him and pointed at what I had read.
“There,” I said.
He read it and then grinned. “Now I see why you laughed.” he looked over to me.
“I'm sorry for earlier. I am Ashlynn De rose, a guest of the Emperor. I saved his life and had to come for a big dinner thing in a few weeks to meet him. I was having a look around and found this room. It’s amazing,” I said looking around, “I am sure this is heaven. I love to read.” I made a small bow for I was still on the ground.
“I'm Ryuu. Nice to meet you. So you're the one who saved Fath...the Emperor huh?” he said.
I nodded. “Yes I did. But now I'm thinking of running before I'm dragged to meet him.” I said shaking my head.
“Why?” he asked.
I sat back and started to tell my tale. When I was done I said. “Even if you believe it, it's all true and I really am a girl. You see I don't want to go near the Emperor, because I'm scared he may want me for one of his playthings and I have Kail.” I shut my mouth the moment I realized I had told my story to someone, but not just anyone.
Someone I knew nothing about! Idiot! Idiot!
“Well your story is an interesting one. Many people have no strange tales such as I. Feel free to use the library as much as you like,” he said.
I smiled at him. “May I borrow the book?”
He nodded.
And with that I continued to wonder around till nightfall when supper was served and Kail and I went to bed.


*~*~*~*~*


Next week came and went with me spending the days reading and the nights with Kail. But come the first day of the second week everyone became a flurry of activities. Taking out decorations and dusting everything off. Cleaning every corner, nook, and cranny possible.
The servants were running about to finish in time. I was walking down a hallway and saw a maid try to lift a heavy room by herself. I went to her.
“Get that to me.” I said taking the rug and putting it over my shoulder. Where does this go?” I asked.
She flushed. “Down the hall to the laundry rooms.”
I followed her and took it to the room. I was then ordered to clean the rug by another servant and was happy to help, verse all the boring time I spent doing nothing, one can only read so much before one's mind turned to go. I helped the others clan out the huge dining hall and polish the floors and tables. Then I was handed two crates of dusty clothes, rugs, and silks from a closet and told to go and beat them clean.
I walked down the hallway that led to an outside area. Someone was running after me, but I didn't notice till they yelled, “Hey watch out!” but it was too late. I tripped over the rug, the crates went flying creating a cloud of dust and then I landed right on top of someone.
“Damn,” I cursed.
I stood and dusted myself off. Then looked to the person I had hit. It was of all people, Yume!
I pulled her up and dusted her off. The person that was following me stopped when she saw Yume. She bowed and walked away.
I turned to Yume. “What are you doing?”
She grinned impishly at me. “Well I want to see you so