A soft knock on the door woke Attaly. She looked out the window; the sky
was just starting to get dark. Attaly stood, smoothing out wrinkles from
her dress before calling, "Come in." Raleigh walked in, looking handsome
and powerful in black satin breeches, a white silken shirt and a dark blue
tunic. Raleigh smiled and bowed to her, offering his arm.
"Ah, Lady Attaly. Will you accompany me to the ball?" Attaly blushed slightly, and took his arm.
"You flatter me, kind sir." And he did; Attaly had never been treated so. Her family had not lived in the capital of their city. They had always lived far away from other people - other men. Attaly did feel a little strange though. The king had to at least be twenty. With Attaly at only fourteen (though she would be fifteen with the coming of a week), she felt a bit strange at being escorted by an older man - but only a bit.
As Raleigh led her through the corridor, Attaly gazed at her surroundings. For the past day and a half, she had seen nothing but the room she had found herself in. Even the corridors were richly decorated. She looked in wonder at decorations, at things so beautiful it hurt to look at them for long. Raleigh laughed at the awed look on her face.
"Attaly, this is nothing! If you wish to be amazed, you should wait till you see the banquet hall!" Or my quarters, he thought callously.
Attaly of course was unaware of his thoughts. "You mean that there are places that are more beautifully decorated then here?"
"Of course! It's the royal palace after all, isn't it?"
"Yes, of course it is." Attaly mumbled. Again she was making a fool of herself. As they walked into the banquet hall, all eyes turned to them. Attaly blushed a deep red as Raleigh led her toward a seat near his own. She sat in her chair, Raleigh next to her. Attaly looked around, amazed at the delicacies on the tables, the beautiful decorations.
Raleigh smiled. The country girl would willingly do as he told her. He would make sure of it.
"Ah, Lady Attaly. Will you accompany me to the ball?" Attaly blushed slightly, and took his arm.
"You flatter me, kind sir." And he did; Attaly had never been treated so. Her family had not lived in the capital of their city. They had always lived far away from other people - other men. Attaly did feel a little strange though. The king had to at least be twenty. With Attaly at only fourteen (though she would be fifteen with the coming of a week), she felt a bit strange at being escorted by an older man - but only a bit.
As Raleigh led her through the corridor, Attaly gazed at her surroundings. For the past day and a half, she had seen nothing but the room she had found herself in. Even the corridors were richly decorated. She looked in wonder at decorations, at things so beautiful it hurt to look at them for long. Raleigh laughed at the awed look on her face.
"Attaly, this is nothing! If you wish to be amazed, you should wait till you see the banquet hall!" Or my quarters, he thought callously.
Attaly of course was unaware of his thoughts. "You mean that there are places that are more beautifully decorated then here?"
"Of course! It's the royal palace after all, isn't it?"
"Yes, of course it is." Attaly mumbled. Again she was making a fool of herself. As they walked into the banquet hall, all eyes turned to them. Attaly blushed a deep red as Raleigh led her toward a seat near his own. She sat in her chair, Raleigh next to her. Attaly looked around, amazed at the delicacies on the tables, the beautiful decorations.
Raleigh smiled. The country girl would willingly do as he told her. He would make sure of it.