When Attaly woke up, she found her self in a richly decorated room, with
jeweled fineries, and beautifully upholstered furniture. She looked around
groggily, not understanding where she was. She sat a moment and stared in
awe at the beautiful things in the room. She felt a cool breeze and
realized that her clothes were gone. She had many bruises from being tossed
and hit against the bank in the river. There were salves on her dark blue
and black spots, but they didn't help to keep her from feeling sore. She
rubbed her shoulder, massaging the bruise there when she heard a noise and
looked up. The door to the room had opened, and in walked a man dressed in
rich clothing of satins and silks. Attaly's eyes opened wide as she saw the
delicate gold crown he wore.
This must be the king! She thought. She realized that he was looking at her, and she remembered abruptly that she was still unclothed. She pulled the blankets tightly around her naked torso. She drew back slightly, bringing her knees up below the blankets.
The man walked over toward the bed, bringing a chair with him so that he could sit next to her bed. Attaly drew away from him involuntarily. He sat, and looked at her for long moments before asking, "Are you all right, Lady?"
He spoke to her as if she were a noblewoman. She blushed slightly; she had always been embarrassed of her family's low social status.
"I am no lady, Highness," she muttered. "Just a villager, a peasant."
"Of course not," said the king. "You are far to beautiful to be a peasant." Attaly blushed a darker red. The king smiled. "Are you all right then?"
"Yes, Majesty, I am all right."
"Stop with the titles. Call me Raleigh. And your name would be...?"
"Attaly, Maje- Raleigh."
The king - Raleigh - smiled. "I will leave you to the healers then." As he walked out, two or three healers walked in, bearing many small jars filled with salves and herbs.
"Raleigh," Attaly called as he left. The king turned. "Thank you"
Raleigh only smiled charmingly at her. Then he was gone, and the healers attended her as she stared after him. They rubbed salves on her bruises, and sprinkled herbs on the small cuts she had. The cuts healed instantly, but the bruises would take a while. They told Attaly to stay in bed and sleep. And so she did, her last thought of the king, the wonderful, charming king.
This must be the king! She thought. She realized that he was looking at her, and she remembered abruptly that she was still unclothed. She pulled the blankets tightly around her naked torso. She drew back slightly, bringing her knees up below the blankets.
The man walked over toward the bed, bringing a chair with him so that he could sit next to her bed. Attaly drew away from him involuntarily. He sat, and looked at her for long moments before asking, "Are you all right, Lady?"
He spoke to her as if she were a noblewoman. She blushed slightly; she had always been embarrassed of her family's low social status.
"I am no lady, Highness," she muttered. "Just a villager, a peasant."
"Of course not," said the king. "You are far to beautiful to be a peasant." Attaly blushed a darker red. The king smiled. "Are you all right then?"
"Yes, Majesty, I am all right."
"Stop with the titles. Call me Raleigh. And your name would be...?"
"Attaly, Maje- Raleigh."
The king - Raleigh - smiled. "I will leave you to the healers then." As he walked out, two or three healers walked in, bearing many small jars filled with salves and herbs.
"Raleigh," Attaly called as he left. The king turned. "Thank you"
Raleigh only smiled charmingly at her. Then he was gone, and the healers attended her as she stared after him. They rubbed salves on her bruises, and sprinkled herbs on the small cuts she had. The cuts healed instantly, but the bruises would take a while. They told Attaly to stay in bed and sleep. And so she did, her last thought of the king, the wonderful, charming king.