#ailis 01;

@herskerinne

In true fashion of the king of Kalos, employees at the Parfum Palace would host garden parties in the evenings. Tonight was one of those nights. Dressed in his best suit, almost-choking top button secure, Gabe tried to ignore the ache in his feet by conversing with various attendees. He’d hoped that being sociable would distract him from the pain, but it didn’t. Working a long shift beforehand was the culprit of his discomfort and he regretted not calling in sick altogether. In Gabe’s defense, he was ill. A cold had hung over him for a few weeks now, making him lethargic and surly. Soon he tired of talking and excused himself, claiming to make the usual check indoors for stray guests. Some accidentally damaged items; the drunkards made a habit of that.

Part of the reason he wished to return inside was to escape the noise. Gabe had begun to find the insistent chatter irritating. The sun hadn’t yet gone down fully, bathing the hallways in a honeyed glow. The peaceful surroundings ebbed the tension and he exhaled, stopping to check a door. 

“I thought I’d closed it,” he frowned. The grand door to the king’s bedroom had been left ajar. Gently, he pushed it open, thankful that it didn’t creak.

He was met with the sight of a woman in an elegant gown. She lay on one side of the bed, eyes closed and propped up on the plush pillows. He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. From prior experience, he knew it wasn’t wise to give someone who’d fallen asleep there a sudden awakening.