A Saint and A Flower

Chapter Six

Axel's eyes were hard as he watched me from across the room. We had been silent for a while after I introduced myself, but I didn't mind. I could practically hear the gears in his mind turning. Looking around, I probably would have ran away from this place a long time ago, but I knew that Axel couldn't do that. He was extremely ashamed of his curse, and everyone here treated him as if he carried the plague. I knew that the maids and servants believed a rumor that the curse was contagious, and Axel, believed this as well, because no doctor had ever taken the time to explain to him exactly what he was suffering from.

"Why did the church send you? To kill me?" Axel spoke, his body tense and hostile. 

"The church didn't send me, God did, and I'm not here to kill you," I said calmly, watching him carefully. 

"God?" He scoffed, turning away sharply and looking out the window. 

"Do you know what the curse is?" I wondered, tilting my head at him slightly.

"It's a punishment from God," He replied dryly. 

"Do you know why?"

"Because I am an existence rejected by God."

I pressed my lips together, a feeling of anger rising out of me. How could the servants speak such cruel things to a child?

"You're wrong," I said confidently. His blue eyes spun back to me, but his face gave away nothing. 

"The curse is a punishment, not for you, but for the royal family. The first Saintess loved the Emperor three hundred years ago, and The Saintess was loved by God. She was made into the empress and gave birth to three heirs, but when that Emperor married a younger queen, and forgot about the Saintess, she fell into depression. During that time, she was poisoned and killed by the new queen. God was infuriated and punished the emperor for disregarding God's favorite daughter, and he placed a curse on his bloodline. You inherited that curse," I explained softly, my gaze boring down at the red roses out the window. 

Axel was quiet, and when I looked at him, I almost flinched in surprise. His blue orbs were filled with anger and his small body shook, and his pale fists were clenched with rage.

"Why...?" He muttered between clenched teeth.

"Why me? What did I do to deserve this?" He raged, looking at me with eyes that demanded a reason. I pressed my lips together. How could I answer him? Looking at this poor child, condemned for something he never did, and tossed aside while his brother basked in a love he could never possess. An unimaginable sadness welled up inside me as I saw that deep rage and sorrow in his eyes, and tears spilled from my eyes. 

"You don't deserve it, and I'm sorry. That's why I'm here. I promise, I will do anything to make sure you're happy," I swore, my sincerity pouring out of me. He looked surprised but said nothing, just looked away with his shaking fists, and his lips pressed together. 

I knew that my existence, being a Saintess in this world meant that I would be seen as a person favored by God, and to Axel, he felt he was a person hated by God. The curse was also placed on the Royal Family because of the original Saintess. I knew that by holding this title, it made it possible for me to help Axel, but I also knew that it made it highly possible that he would despise me. We were contradictory beings, after all. 

I wiped my tears, looking down at the aged wooden floors and let out a shaky breath.

"I'll come back again," I told him, curtsying and leaving the cramped, dusty room at the top of the tower. Walking back into the garden, suddenly the rows and rows of roses felt like a joke. How could these flowers bloom here so beautifully, when that prince was kept locked away in such a gloomy place?

I clenched my fist with determination. Next time, I'll clean that place up, and bring him something tasty.

"Saintess!" A voice  called with relief. I watched as a palace guard ran over to me, her brown hair tied into a ponytail at the base of her skull, and her uniform shining in bright pigments of red and white, a small golden sun pin named her as an imperial knight. 

"The palace has been looking all over for you, my lady! I'm glad we found you, you must be careful not to run off without your attendants," She warned me gently, approaching me with a relieved sigh. 

"Is everything okay?"

"Ah, The Emperor has invited you to dinner. I need to escort you back to your chambers, so that you can get ready," She informed me with a smile. We began walking, and I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. Her brown hair was a common color in the empire, but her eyes were the color of honey, and seemed to shine brightly. She gave off a very warm energy, which I'm sure made many feel at ease around her.

"Can I ask for your name, Lady Knight?" I spoke up.

"Oh, I apologize for my rudeness, Saintess. My name is Hildegard, but most just call me Hilly," She bowed her head to me, an easy smile taking up her face. We stepped back into the palace, and the walk back to my room ended unexpectedly quick. 

"It was a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for coming all that way to find me," I told her with a smile. She bowed, looking slightly flustered by my gratitude as I went back into my room.

"Saintess Esme, there you are," One of the maids exclaimed. The three of them instantly surrounded me, hurrying to get me ready. 

I was given a hot bath full of lavender oil, and scrubbed head to toe. A lavish gown was prepared, and I was dressed quickly, but thoroughly with jewels and accessories. It wasn't long until I was standing in front of the dining hall, an attendant announcing my arrival. The door swung open, and I caught sight of the royal family sitting amongst themselves at the long table. I curtsied deeply in greeting. 

"Greetings to the Empire's sun, moon and star," I spoke. 

"Saintess Esme, please take a seat," The Empress said, gesturing to the chair next to Prince Remly. I bowed my head, and did as she said. The butler pulled out my chair and I sat as elegantly as I could in my full ball gown. 

Dishes were quickly carried out, decadent and carefully made courses were presented before us. 

"How do you like your room?" The Emperor wondered, carefully sipping his red wine.

"It is lovely, of course, your majesty," I answered, unsure if I should even touch the food. 

"I'm glad you enjoy it. The lessons you requested will begin immediately tomorrow. If there are any problems, do not hesitate to let me know," He smiled. 

"What lessons are you planning on taking?" Prince Remly asked, his face bright and curious.

"Etiquette, math, history and literature to start of with. I hope to move on to more complex lessons once I feel I have a good understanding of those," I smiled softly. 

The prince flushed before looking away. I looked at him, confused. Did I say something wrong?

"The Saintess already has excellent etiquette, I doubt it can be perfected any farther," The Empress spoke words coated in honey, and I turned my attention to her.

In the novel, she was always the one who hates Axel the most out of anyone in the palace. He was a glaring mistake to her, someone who felt she must always be and perform perfectly, and she felt that she had created that mistake.

"You're too kind, your majesty," I spoke. 

"I wonder if these were things you learned in your world?" She asked, sipping her wine. 

The King seemed to tense slightly, while the prince turned to look at me with intrigue. Yes, the first Saintess was from a different world, this was common knowledge, but I was under the impression that bringing this up was taboo. Many felt that asking these questions was like questioning God, but it was true that I had learned the mannerisms of historical nobles from books in the library. I had always been someone who was easily intrigued by most things, and I was an avid reader. I looked at her, curiously. She would know that certain questions were basically f*******n, so why was she asking? Was she testing how much I would bend under her, or if I felt a greater alliance with the church than the imperial family? Or was it to simply see my reaction?

"Yes, your majesty," Was what I finally decided to say. I answered shortly, and gave no details, but still answered her question. What would she pick up from this kind of answer?