Edith walked into the dining room with an elevated spirit. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt so happy, but she was looking forward to having her breakfast.
Maybe it was because he would be there and she could thank him for the conformable clothes. Although everyone had said it was Evans' instructions, she doubted he would take such measures to ensure her comfort.
He must be behind it, she thought. A subtle smile adorning her lips.
"We are here, my lady," Hildegard informed her before opening the door for her. They followed her inside but maintained a considerable distance from her.
"Your Majesty,"
"Your Majesty,"
They all greeted simultaneously, but Davion had his eyes on the woman approaching him. His eyes ran up and down her body as he took note of the dress that she had on her. The corner of his lips curled into the most enchanting smile that they had ever seen.
"You are breathtaking," he uttered, his gaze holding hers.
Edith paused at his comment. She would have brushed it off as a subconscious utterance, but with the way he looked at her, she knew he knew what he said. Knowing that, she became slightly flustered.
"Thank you, your Majesty," she said and awkwardly pulled a chair to sit when he raised a brow. She sighed, knowing he wanted her beside him again. "But I must say you are the only one who thinks that, your Majesty."
Davion raised a brow. "How so?" He asked, tilting his head slightly, looking curious.
"Everyone else see this as indecent. But I can not help it. The heavy gowns worn by human women are much too bothersome. I am much more used to this. And don't forget that they are much easier and suitable for combat. She looked at her maids behind her and smiled. "Theirs is lighter compared to what I was offered, but it's still restrictive." she looked back at Davion. "That is why I am grateful for this. Thank you."
"I am glad that you like it, but I must tell you that you have no battles to fight here within the palace, Greta…." He paused, shocked at what he had unknowingly called her. But seeing as she didn't seem to mind or perhaps she didn't notice, he sighed inwardmy in relief. "Those are just for your comfort."He added but received no reaction from her, and he smiled. "Do as you wish. No one will stop you."
He looked at her for a second, he agreed that what she had on was unlike what any other human woman would wear and he completely understood the reason for the strong reaction from her maids and other women within the palace but he found nothing wrong with them.
"If I may ask, what exactly is wrong with it? What makes it indecent?" He asked, and Edith paused. She thought a little about and realized she never actually asked about what was wrong with the dress.
"I am not sure. I never asked," she said with an innocent expression that left Davion chuckling heartily. Edith pursed her lips but refused to let him laugh like that at her expense. Turning to her maids, she asked, "You advised against wearing this. What exactly is wrong with it?"
Thr maids started sweating and exchanging glances with each other. Having the eyes of Edith and Davion on them made it even more uncomfortable comfortable. But knowing the king was also waiting for their answer, they turned to look at them while thinking of what to say that wouldn't sound offensive.
"Hildegard, if you don't mind, can you tell me what might be wrong with it?" Edith called. Hildegard was the most open-minded to all of it. She never criticized her choices or showed any potent dislike. So she thought Hildegard would be the one who would be less cautious.
Being called out like that and put in the spotlight, Hildegard had no other choice but to step forward. She gave a court bow before she started speaking.
"I am not in the position to dictate what should be worn and what shouldn't by my lady, but I would say it the slight exposure of my lady's skin. It is little… too much," She said while holding her breath, waiting for one of them to say or do something but rather, she saw the both of them tilting their heads at the same time with furrowed brows as if they didn't understand her.
Edith even looked at herself and then back at her, her eyes asking questions that she refused to voice.
Hildegard nearly facepalmed at their behavior. Did they really not know, or were they just messing with her? Taking a deep breath, she said again, "I believe it it because if the slits on either side of the dress and it goes all the way to the hips. There's also the fact that you have no corset on and your assets are…"
She couldn't bring herself to point it out any further than that because she thought Edith would come to feel a little too exposed if she continued.
Edith looked at herself. She found nothing wrong with it. But yes, compared to dresses worn here, she could agree that it was…
"I see. Now I get it," she said, and Hildegard let out a sigh of relief. "These weren't any problems back home. I didn't know…"
"I find nothing wrong with your choices, Pet. It's a unique preference, and you are much more comfortable in it, are you not?"
"I am," she agreed.
The conversation had the maids blinking. Their king wasn't a pervert but at this point, they couldn't help thinking that he could be one.
"That is good then. I do not wish for you to not go of your customs and way of life because you are away from home. Let this be your new… second home."
Edith frowned. "You have yet to ask me anything about myself. What if I am here to assassinate you? Or maybe find your weaknesses? Everything that happened before now could have all been to fool you into believing me and letting me stay close to you," She said. He should question her, not just to let her stay and do she liked in his home. It was the logical thing to do.
Davion went silent for a while, but his eyes never left her face, and she neither averted her gaze either.
".... You could be, but I'm confident in my strength and judgement," he said, and she raised a brow in askance. "Although I would admit I am quite intrigued by that. If you turn out to be an assassin, then it I look forward to the day you'll try it. I might just let you do away with me. I am quite doting, you know," he said, and for some unknown reasons, Edith could see the anticipation in his eyes.
"You are a masochist then," Edith said with a nod of her head as if she didn't need an answer to that, and she already knew it all.
"I don't know about being a masochist…" but I doubt that I'll resist anyone who attempts to kill me now, he said, completing the rest inwardly.
Edith frowned as if she was able to hear his inner thoughts.
"The food is getting cold, your Majesty. Let let's eat," she said, and he nodded.
They began eating their breakfast, but there was a sudden thickness in the air that was rather uncomfortable, but they both chose to ignore it.