Could you rub my shoulders?

As Stewart looks at the pretty, young maid, a sharp pain in his neck causes him to wince. The maid sees this, and an expression of concern flashes on her face.

“Are you alright, Your Majesty? You appear to be in distress!”

“It’s nothing,” says Stewart, dismissively. “Just a stiff neck.”

The maid rushes to his side. “Please, Sire... Allow me.”

She steps behind Stewart and places her hands on his shoulders. He is about to wave her away, but as she applies pressure, he feels an instant wave of gratification sweep over his aching muscles.

“That is —“ Stewart searches for the word. “That’s just incredible,” he says, leaning back against his chair and feeling his stress flow out of his shoulders through her hands.

“I’m pleased Your Majesty likes it,” she says. “Your father — may he rest in peace — used to get the same tension in his shoulders when he sat in this chair. He found this massage most relaxing in such times.”

Stewart’s eyebrows went up. Yet another perk that he knew nothing about. He wondered what his mother thought about this pretty young thing with her hands on father’s body. No doubt it was all quite harmless, however. After all, father and mother were happily married. Stewart, on the other hand....

No. He attempted to banish such thoughts. Although he wasn’t married, or engaged, or even in a relationship that was legally sanctioned, he felt a certain loyalty and obligation toward Chantelle, and it just wasn’t right to entertain thoughts about someone whose name he didn’t even know.

“My name is Lisa, by the way,” she said, in a low, soothing voice, as she continued to work her magic on Stewart’s muscles.

“Well, now that she’s no longer nameless,” he thought to himself, but again rebuked the thoughts. He felt his entire body relaxing. Well, not his entire body.... The area between his legs seemed to resist any efforts to induce relaxation.

Stewart wondered how Father managed in such situations. He was already married when he became king, so in all likelihood, he would have responded to such things by dismissing the maid and then retreating into the bedchambers with his wife. Stewart wished again that Chantelle was available.