Chapter 33: Forgotten Towels
"Excuse me?!"
Both Aideen and Tillian exclaimed in frustration at the same time, as the housekeeper’s statement did not seem quite right, and they hoped that they simply heard him wrong. The old man was bewildered by their reaction just as much.
"These quarters are not provided with enough staff to maintain accommodations for two people at the same time. I was instructed to prepare only one bedroom for tonight, and this is it. You are to share one bathroom too. I apologize, but these are Her Majesty’s orders. I was told that since you are to be married in the future anyway, it should not be an issue."
"But this is preposterous!" The Duke took another step towards the housekeeper and continued in a somewhat angry tone, "Even the traditions and common courtesy aside, how can we both share this bed? It is only big enough for one person!"
The silver-haired man only shrugged his shoulders, offered Tillian a stack of clean towels, and concluded,
"I am sorry, Your Grace, but there is nothing I can do. The room you were previously staying in is now locked, and your things were moved here as well. I would advise you not to waste your time on needless arguments and proceed to take your bath as the water gets cold here very fast. Now, please excuse me, but my working hours are about to be over. Have a good night."
The housekeeper bowed lightly to both the Duke and the princess and left the room, unwilling to allow any more room for further discussion of their unexpected living situation.
Tillian turned around to face Aideen but could not utter a single word. His deep red eyes examined the lady’s confused face, but her silence left him at a loss as well.
Their predicament was not really a problem for him – if needed, he could sleep even with the horses, but he could not afford to do that. After all, this was not a place where Aideen could feel safe, and there was absolutely no way he would leave her here alone, especially at night.
"It is alright, Your Grace," the princess finally started, her voice surprisingly calm, "I understand that you might feel uncomfortable with someone else sleeping near you, but I can promise you I will not make even the slightest noise! And since I am a lot smaller than you, I can sleep in the armchair."
"This is not the issue here... No, I cannot allow you to sleep anywhere but in the bed; that is out of the question! I will sleep on the floor. I am used to sleeping in extreme conditions, so do not worry about me. Now, the housekeeper said the water will get cold soon; you should take a bath first."
He placed the towels next to Aideen and took a step back again. The princess wanted to retort once more, but Tillian’s response sounded a little intimidating to Aideen, so she decided that arguing any longer would only turn the night sour, and she did not want to upset the only person in the entire Capital who was on her side.