Attaly woke a day later. The healers had used their magic to make her sleep
so that the stiff and soreness of her bruises would not bother her until
they were gone. When she woke again, she found a delicate and beautiful
silver silk dress folded over a chair, a breast-band beside it. Attaly
stood and walked over to the clothes, staring at them.
These couldn't possibly be for me to wear, she thought. These are noble's clothes... A knock on the door warned her to climb back into the bed and wrap it's sheets around her.
"Come in," she called. In walked the king, looking splendid in a tunic of blue silk and breeches of black satin. Attaly blushed deep crimson. Though the blankets were wrapped firmly around her, Attaly still did not like any man to see her unclothed. The king smiled at her blush; he had dealt with young women before, and knew the reason for it. Attaly gestured toward the clothes on the chair.
"Are those for me?" she asked.
"Yes, of course they are. Why else would they be here?"
Attaly blushed a dark red again. "But why would you give these to me?" she whispered.
The king chuckled. "Because there is a party for the Court tonight, and I wish you to attend. Is that reason enough?"
If it was possible, Attaly's blush deepened. "Of course," she mumbled. "It's just...I'm not used to such fineries."
"Well get used to them."
Attaly must have looked puzzled, because Raleigh went on. "I have invited your family to live here, at Court."
Attaly gaped at him. "Here? At Court? Me?" Attaly was overcome with emotion. She had always wanted to live at Court, but her family had not the money. Suddenly Attaly smiled.
"I will be honored to live here at the palace, Your Majesty."
"I told you, call me Raleigh." The king said kindly.
"Of course - Raleigh." The king bowed slightly to her, then turned and left. Attaly got up again, and walked over to her clothes. She put on the dress, fingering its lovely material in her hand. She also found a brush and a comb pin on the dresser. She pinned her hair up, then went to the mirror to look at herself. She gasped; never before had she looked so pretty. She knew that she could not match the other ladies of the Court who had spent their whole life dressing this way, but she knew that she herself had never looked more beautiful. She sat on the chair, gazing out the window. Her head resting against the back of the chair, Attaly nodded off into sleep.
These couldn't possibly be for me to wear, she thought. These are noble's clothes... A knock on the door warned her to climb back into the bed and wrap it's sheets around her.
"Come in," she called. In walked the king, looking splendid in a tunic of blue silk and breeches of black satin. Attaly blushed deep crimson. Though the blankets were wrapped firmly around her, Attaly still did not like any man to see her unclothed. The king smiled at her blush; he had dealt with young women before, and knew the reason for it. Attaly gestured toward the clothes on the chair.
"Are those for me?" she asked.
"Yes, of course they are. Why else would they be here?"
Attaly blushed a dark red again. "But why would you give these to me?" she whispered.
The king chuckled. "Because there is a party for the Court tonight, and I wish you to attend. Is that reason enough?"
If it was possible, Attaly's blush deepened. "Of course," she mumbled. "It's just...I'm not used to such fineries."
"Well get used to them."
Attaly must have looked puzzled, because Raleigh went on. "I have invited your family to live here, at Court."
Attaly gaped at him. "Here? At Court? Me?" Attaly was overcome with emotion. She had always wanted to live at Court, but her family had not the money. Suddenly Attaly smiled.
"I will be honored to live here at the palace, Your Majesty."
"I told you, call me Raleigh." The king said kindly.
"Of course - Raleigh." The king bowed slightly to her, then turned and left. Attaly got up again, and walked over to her clothes. She put on the dress, fingering its lovely material in her hand. She also found a brush and a comb pin on the dresser. She pinned her hair up, then went to the mirror to look at herself. She gasped; never before had she looked so pretty. She knew that she could not match the other ladies of the Court who had spent their whole life dressing this way, but she knew that she herself had never looked more beautiful. She sat on the chair, gazing out the window. Her head resting against the back of the chair, Attaly nodded off into sleep.