The King's Obsession
Needing space to breathe, I walked out to the botanical garden, my bare feet sinking into the grass as I sought out the sanctuary of the emerald hydrangeas he had cultivated for me.
Behind me, soft, hesitant footsteps crunched on the gravel path. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Nina. The quiet maid had been assigned to me since day one, always hovering like a shadow. Today, she followed me silently, her hands folded neatly over her apron.
I sat down on the intricate wrought-iron bench nestled beneath a canopy of white roses, staring out at the sea of vibrant petals. Nina stopped a few feet away, her posture rigid, waiting for a command.