Dear Gods above…

Jill attempts to keep her eyes off of her charge as the Empress slips into her bath, her skin like silk from bathing in milk and honey each night. It’s not like the guardswoman hasn’t seen Her Majesty bare before, but it does take a lot of restraint from her side each time she does.

Clearing her throat, Jill assumes her position at the door, her eyes locked ahead of her. “Is the bath to your liking, Your Majesty?” she asks in a voice slightly hoarser than usual.