Firebrand

Firebrand
FaTaLfURy

Chapter 15, Part I - The Morning After

Emily was stifling another huge yawn as she carefully ascended the castle stairs one at a time. It was the ungodly hour of four in the morning, and she struggled with her still sleep-fogged mind to do her duty.

Rising early was one of Miss Kagome's unusual habits. As most English ladies were wont to lie in their beds and sleep until the noon is high, Miss Kagome preferred to wake up at first light. At first Emily thought her mistress peculiar and didn't know any better (seeing as she's from the Americas) but after being Miss Kagome's personal maid the whole time she's been in England and knowing how late she slept (due to the endless balls she's been attending) and still seeing her wake up at six in the morning constantly, Emily decided it must be a force of habit. But since Miss Kagome was so nice to her, she didn't grumble and protest as much as she would have were she serving an English lady.

And now Miss Kagome was the new Duchess of Windshire. Emily sighed dreamily at the thought. No one ever saw that coming, she was sure, as the duke was reportedly too much head over heels in love with the Lady Winters, but somehow her mistress managed to snag him for her own. And Miss Kagome--Emily reminded herself not to call her mistress that anymore--she meant, 'Her Grace', has done her another kindness by keeping her as Her Grace's maid. Her mother was sure to faint dead away as soon as she hears the news of Emily's new exalted position.

Emily clamped her hand to her mouth tightly to stop the giggle that threatened to escape her. She'd already decided to serve Her Grace implicitly and perfectly as thanks for all she has done for her, and she was starting today.

Knowing Her Grace's habits all too well now, she has already informed the housekeeper of it so that they too would be prepared once the duchess wakes up. Emily was now on her way to the duchess's suite to pull back the curtains and let the coming sunlight into the room. Her Grace ordered for her to do this everyday, saying she liked waking up to the sunlight caressing her face.

Emily stopped at the door, not bothering to knock in case the duchess was still sleeping. She would wake up soon enough, once Emily took care of the curtains blocking the sun. Emily crept quietly into the room, and in the darkness she didn't notice that there wasn't just one, but two naked bodies sleeping on the bed. She went to the curtains and drew them apart, letting the first rays of the sun shine in. She tied both curtains into place before turning around to greet the duchess a good morning.

The greeting died on her throat as she saw that the duchess was naked as the day she was born, and that the duke was in bed with her, equally nude. The only thing that prevented her from seeing what she wasn't supposed to see was the sheet that was wrapped around the duke's hips. That still left his naked chest bared to her gaze though. Emily fought the urge to swoon at the sight, her cheeks flushing red as she realized the duke was with the duchess the entire night. She blushed even more as she thought of why.

Emily did scream though when she noticed the duke's eyes snapped open. It came out a little more than a squawk though, her throat suddenly turning dry as the duke sat up in bed and pinned her with his intense gaze.

"What are you doing here this early, maid? Can't you see your mistress is still abed?"

Emily fought for the right words to explain to the duke as to why she was there, but no words came out of her mouth. Instead, she ran out of the room as though the hounds of hell were after her. She was going to bury her face in her pillow until the redness of her face disappeared, she vowed fervently to herself.

Inuyasha was still puzzling over his wife's maid's strange reaction to his question.

'Was she planning on stealing from my wife? Is that why she was so mortified when I caught her?'

All thoughts left his mind though as he saw the sheet that was covering his wife slide, baring her delicious breasts to his gaze. He was just about to kiss her awake, already hovering over her body, when a knock sounded by the door, followed by another maid bearing the breakfast tray. The maid promptly lost her hold on the tray in shock, sending it crashing to the floor the moment she saw the duke half-naked and almost on top of the duchess. It was a good thing he kept the sheet wrapped around his waist.

The sound woke Kagome with a start, her foggy mind still disoriented from her sleep. She took in the maid's shocked appearance and all traces of sleep was banished from her mind as she realized the reason why the maid was so scandalized. She blushed to the roots of her hair as her eyes collided with her husband's amber eyes full of mischief.

"Good morning, wife,"

Inuyasha said mischievously, leaning down to kiss her on the mouth, knowing full well the wide-eyed maid was still watching them.