Chapter 75.
Floria woke the next morning to warm sun on her skin, her Maids whispered to eachother and she blinked at the empty space beside her. She sat up slowly, all the girls giving her a curtsy and she frowned at Loki not waking her. She slipped from under the covers, the door behind the Ladies opening and closing and she looking up to see Loki smiling at her. She blushed, shaking off the last of sleep and she stood to greet him.
"You were so tired last night, I let you sleep while I handled a few minor things." He said and kissed her forehead. "I hope you were not upset by my not being here when you woke."
"Only a little, I did not get to wish you a good day as you left." She said and he held her to him. "Were the matters awful?"
"No, rather minor in truth. Don't worry yourself over them, I have had a new dress made for you from the gifted Alfar silk." He said and one of her maids brought forward a shimmering blue dress, fine embroidery of small flowers up the over skirt and the sleeves carefully tapered to points over the backs of her hands. The jeweled, wide collar made her gasp in joy and she kissed Loki's cheek.
"It is so beautiful, thank you." She said and he smiled at her and kissed her forehead. She lifted the skirt to look at it, her eyes wide and not noticing the scowl of distaste for her on Sofia's face. She turned again, looking at Loki and he laughed as she ran back to him and hugged him again.
"Wear it today, we have visitors from the Alfar Court and I have another suprise." He said, holding his hand out and the Nurse brought in Alarea in. She gave a curtsy and was wearing a dress that matched her Mother's, the skirts a bit shorter and the Maids giggled at the sweet Princess.
"Mama! Lwook at my dwess, Papa gwave it to me!" She giggled and Floria went to her and lifted her off her feet. She kissed her daughter, making the girl giggle and she held her in her arms.
"I see that, and it is so very beautiful. I will wear mine, and we will impress the Alfar Ambassador with how beautiful we are." Floria said, and Alarea giggled. Loki took the child from her, giving the little girl a tickle on the waist and she squirmed.
"It seems that she wants to play with the son of one of the Ambassador as well, Elar is the boy's name." He said and Alarea kissed her Father's cheek. He laughed at her, tapping her nose and waved a finger at the girl. "We will be polite and proper however, as all Princesses are?"
"Yes Papa." She said and the Maids giggled at the little girl and her sweet demeanor.
"My Queen, I will let you bathe and dress. We will wait out here for you and escort you to the Hall to meet our guests." Loki said, bowing to Floria and she curtsied in return. He carried the child with him, the Maids closing the doors and Sari clapped her hands.
"Oh Lady, he is so sweet with your Daughter. And if the boy finds Alarea agreeable as a playmate, maybe they will fall in love one day." Sari said and Floria smiled at her friend, she hugged the girl and the other Maids went to work preparing her bath.
"I am so very happy Sari, but also worried." She said and leaned close to her oldest friend. "We have a problem that I cannot discuss here and now."
"I believe I know what you are talking about." She replied, looking at Sofia who went about changing the bedding. "A certain snake in your garden my friend."
"You are correct, I need to speak to my Father later about this. Can you arrange it?" She asked, walking with her friend to the Bathing Chamber. Sari nodded, helping her remove her shift and smiled at her.
"I shall, I pray he has a way of removing her from the King's sight without upsetting her father. He is high on the Council, and his lands and wealth make him powerful." Sari said, and Floria sank into the water to bathe. Sari may have been right, but Floria still worried about the girl's intentions. Her playful nature was worrisome, and she did not like the flirting. She would have to watch her closely, but not look like the jealous Wife.
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"Wait Children!" Floria called after the silver haired Alfar boy and the black haired girl as they ran together. They both giggled as they ran from her, Loki standing with the Ambassador and laughing as they watched Floria chase after them. Dorn smiled at his son, watching he and Princess Alarea dance about as Queen Floria took both their hands and they made a ring.
"The Queen has a great joy in making children laugh, it is a wonderful trait for a woman." Dorn said, his blue waistcoat shining with brass buttons and he chuckled as the children began chasing the woman around the garden fountain.
"That she does, her greatest joy was the day Alarea was born and placed in her arms. The second greatest being the day Falfar came." Loki replied and the Alfar Noble nodded with a smile. "But we are not here to discuss my Wife, it seems that your King needs an agreeable trade alliance."
"You are correct in that, and I do hope we can find an agreement that benefits both realms." He replied, smiling and bowing to Loki. "Your predecessor did hint that you were open to continuing the current one as it is so written."
"I am inclined to do so, seeing the warm reception you gave my Queen. She was grateful for the silks, and I believe she was eager to express her gratitude."
"I recieved her letter yesterday and forwarded it to my King, she was most gracious and sent three gifts of swords, a handsome stallion of gray, and some sweet cakes. All will be well recieved by my Master, the horse alone was a treasure to behold." He replied and they heard a cry, Floria kneeling down to hold the boy who had tripped in the grass and cut his knee.
"Papa! Ewar fall!" Alarea called out and the Ambassador ran to his son and took him from the Queen.
"He tripped Ambassador, it is a small cut on his knee. Shall I send for healers to tend to him?" She asked and he bowed to her, his smile at her concern warm.
"I can take him myself Gracious Lady, thank you for the concern and comfort you gave my son." He said and he bowed to Loki and Floria.
"Go and tend to him, being a father is more important my friend. I will review the current agreement and speak to you later on it." Loki said, dismissing the Ambassador and he picked up his daughter. The man left with another bow, carrying the injured child to be cared for. "Don't fret Floria, he will be well. You impressed him with what a kind and loving mother you were, and I had to agree with him at watching you play with the children."
"Thank you, I will go visit our son now. It has been too long since I kissed him, and held him to me." She replied, kissing Loki and he smiled at her and he watched her leave. He looked at his daughter, tickling her stomach and she giggled at him.
"Let us go and see if your new playmate is feeling better." He said and she nodded, letting her father carry her to the Castle. He turned a corner, seeing Lady Sofia standing in the hall and smiling as she read a book. She bit her thumb as she scanned the page, Loki stopping as she looked up and hid the volume behind her back.
"My King." She gasped, giving him a curtsy and he smiled at her.
"Lady Sofia, what are you reading so that you have to hide it behind your back?" He asked her and she giggled again, her face blushing. She gave him the book and he opened it with one hand, the passage inside it erotic in nature and she blushed a deeper crimson.
"I should beg your forgiveness My King, it is not proper for me to imagine such things. Especially, imagine having them done to me." She said, and he blinked at her in shock. He handed her back the book, calming himself and he shifted his daughter in his arms.
"I should agree, that sort of imagining will only lead you to trouble and it is not becoming of a woman of your station as Her Majesty's Maid." Hs scolded, his free hand waving her off in dismissal. "Read histories, and romances, not smut such as this."
"Yes My King." She said with a blush, walking toward him and giving him a low curtsy. She lowered her voice, slipping him the book and she looked up seductively. "If you must know, I would want you to be the man who has me in these ways."
"Lady Sofia, you may leave." He said, dismissing her but taking the book from her fingers. She let her index finger graze the back of his hand, and she smiled at him and stood to allow him to walk past her. She watched him walk with his child, smiling to herself and she squared her shoulders in knowledge that she had made him falter.
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Hogun entered the Chambers, finding Floria sitting on a couch and looking nervous. She folded her hands, fighting the urge to pace and she stood to greet her Father as he entered. He saw the worry on her, and she took his hand and pulled him to the couch.
"Floria. What is wrong, you look pale and shaken." He said and she nodded, looking at him and she nearly started to weep.
"I need to dismiss Lady Sofia, but I do not know how. She openly flirts with Loki, drawing his eye away from me and I fear he would have her over me." She said, trying to calm herself and he opened his arms to her. She accepted his embrace, shaking and fighting tears and she let him sooth her.
"It would be hard to dismiss her, you know who her father is. It would have to be done in a way to not offend anyone, has he bedded her?" He asked and she shook her head. Her eyes becoming red, and she gasped.
"I do not think so, he prefers my company to hers. He seems to look for me when she is present, but I do not think I can compete with her." She said and she shook her head. "She is so beautiful, graceful, and so educated compared to me."
"Don't think that way, you are the only star he sees. He spoke of you moments ago, after throwing some book into the fire in the Council Chambers." Hogun calmed her, wiping the tears from her eyes and she smiled at him. "Listen to me, he praised you as being the most loyal and gentle Queen in front of the Alfar Ambassador. The Ambassador himself was singing praises about how caring and sweet you were in Court, you are beloved by so many and have nothing to fear."
"Then I am just being silly and foolish again?" She asked and he laughed as he nodded. She calmed, standing and she saw Sari and Sofia enter the room with a curtsy before returning to their chores.
"You are. I have on good authority that he thinks about you often, he carries a locket with your portrait in his vest pocket. He looks at it as he thinks and I see him smile." He replied, and she kissed his cheek in joy. "You are his true heart."
"Thank you Father, I am so glad that we talked." She replied, Sofia watching as she folded a cloth. The sleeping baby stirred, whimpering as he rolled onto his stomach in the cradle. He stared to cry, and Floria ran to him and lifted him I to her arms.
"I will leave you to feed you Son, he needs you." Hogun said, touching the baby's cheek and smiling slightly. She turned and gave him a curtsy, Sari preparing her chair and she carried the baby to it. He left her with a bow, and she smiled at her father as she waited until to doors were closed to open her bodice to feed her child.