"Oh, please do stand up. We're not in an audience chamber, you know."
Finch didn't know what to do… instinct told her to stay down, but when the King told you to do something, you were bound to do it. So she stood, her eyes on her feet.
I'm dead.
A gentle hand rested on Finch's shoulder, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She looked up, biting her lip, and met those hazel eyes again.
"I have it on rather good authority that you won't be flogged, or put in a cell, or executed, or whatever other horrible fate you've thought up," he said gently, and gave her a wink.
Finch felt her stomach lurch, and she swayed a little with relief.
"What I would like to know is that shooting my subjects out of trees without giving them time to comply with instructions from the guard is not going to happen again." His voice didn't sound quite so friendly there.
"Um, no, Your Majesty." Kenton said, nudging Merlon.
"Good." He looked at Finch for a moment, and spoke to the mabari. "Chance, accompany mistress….." He looked at her, and gave her a lopsided smile.
"F-finch, Your Majesty."
"…Mistress Finch to the kitchen. It seems her breakfast's been interrupted." He looked at the guards. "Once she's had her breakfast, you can escort her to the palace gates."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He nodded, and gave her an encouraging smile. "When you'd like to see the gardens, Mistress Finch, come 'round to the gates and ask. One of the gardeners will take you on the grand tour." He pulled his arm partly into his sleeve, and used his cuff to try to clean the worst of the dirt off her face. "I'm not sure if that's helping or making it worse."
"Ser!" Finch looked at him wide-eyed. "Your sleeve!"
"It's only dirt," he chuckled. "There… that's better. Off to breakfast with you, now – and remember… come back to see the garden, as often as you like. I'll leave word at the gate."
Finch felt her heart surge with happiness. Not only wasn't she going to die, she could explore the garden when she liked? That was beyond generous... she sneaked another look at him, amazed. He was a good person, as well as a good king.
He clapped his hands, and rubbed them together briskly. "Well, that's taken care of, "he said to himself, picking up the clippers again. "Now off to get those roses for the Queen."
