As Attaly looked around the hall, she was very aware of the king's eyes on
her. At times during the meal, she turned and smiled at him. He smiled
back, but never once took his eyes off her. It irked her, yet was quite
flattering. The royal cooks were serving delicacies from places she had
never been to, places she had never heard of. There was elfin wine, a head
of ham from Mayhew, soups from D'Tar Mordin, and many other delicacies from
many other places. There were few foods that Attaly recognized, as she was
used to simple foods. After the meal, Raleigh stayed seated until all of
the guests had left. Attaly stayed along with him. When he rose to leave,
Attaly stood with him, a silent shadow. He smiled at her as they walked
through corridor after corridor. When they came to a suite of rooms,
Raleigh invited her into his rooms. Attaly hesitated, but walked in.
Raleigh told her to sit in one of the chairs while he ordered one of his
servants to bring up elfin wine and mead. After the servant brought the
wine and glasses, Raleigh sent him out. He poured wine for Attaly and
himself. He took a long drink before setting his glass down to face Attaly.
Attaly fidgeted in her seat, wondering what he wanted. "So, Attaly. How old
are you?"
Attaly was startled.
"I'm fifteen next week."
"And have you ever been of the mind to...become a hero? Or any other job here?"
"Well, I never thought about it much. My father wants my brothers and I to become heroes. My eldest brother, Griffith, intends to become a warrior. And Cal wants to be a great sorcerer." Raleigh frowned at this, but quickly regained his composure.
"But what about you? What do you wish to become?"
"I don't know. I thought about becoming a paladin, or perhaps a priestess, but not much. I never wanted to become a solari either. I might become a healer, but I find that they lead a somewhat boring life. I wanted nothing but to take care of my father as he gets older, but he would hear nothing of it. He said we needed the money."
"But if you will be living at Court, then you may be whatever you want to be. And you only thought to become a priestess, paladin, solari, and a healer?"
"Well yes. Those are the only jobs a woman may do."
"You never thought to try to become something else? You never picked up a sword, or knife, or a bow? Never tried magic, or hand-to-hand combat? Never tried you hand at a staff? Nothing?"
"No. Never. Those are men's jobs."
"Wizards and warriors and rangers have been known to take on woman apprentices. True, they are not respected as much as the men until they prove themselves; which they often do. What did you want to be?"
Attaly felt nervous, strange, almost as if he were weaving a spell on her. Cal had done it once, and she had started sweating and fidgeting, feeling strange. She felt the same way now.
"I told you, I wanted to stay at home with my father, nothing else. I never wanted to be anything. But we need the money. And I must do something to earn it."
"But Attaly, you will be living here now. You don't need the money. Unless of course you wanted to buy a dress or something like that, but I'm sure that nothing is too high a price for me to pay for you."
Attaly was startled. "For me? Why would you buy anything for me?"
Raleigh laughed. "Is it not obvious, Little One?"
"Is what not obvious?" whispered Attaly, trembling.
Raleigh bent over her. He kissed her forehead, then found his way to her lips. Attaly trembled beneath his touch. He drew away after a moment. He looked into her eyes and saw fear there. He shook his head and sighed.
"Come, I will take you to your rooms."
Attaly nodded gratefully, still trembling.
As they reached her rooms, Raleigh made her face him again. He kissed her swiftly, then left, closing the door behind him.
Attaly stood there for a moment, trembling. She undressed quickly, then lay in her bed, thinking and trembling until she fell asleep.
***********************
As Raleigh walked back to his rooms, he smiled to himself. This will be more fun than I thought. he thought. She is so young. It will be easy to...make her do as I want...
Attaly was startled.
"I'm fifteen next week."
"And have you ever been of the mind to...become a hero? Or any other job here?"
"Well, I never thought about it much. My father wants my brothers and I to become heroes. My eldest brother, Griffith, intends to become a warrior. And Cal wants to be a great sorcerer." Raleigh frowned at this, but quickly regained his composure.
"But what about you? What do you wish to become?"
"I don't know. I thought about becoming a paladin, or perhaps a priestess, but not much. I never wanted to become a solari either. I might become a healer, but I find that they lead a somewhat boring life. I wanted nothing but to take care of my father as he gets older, but he would hear nothing of it. He said we needed the money."
"But if you will be living at Court, then you may be whatever you want to be. And you only thought to become a priestess, paladin, solari, and a healer?"
"Well yes. Those are the only jobs a woman may do."
"You never thought to try to become something else? You never picked up a sword, or knife, or a bow? Never tried magic, or hand-to-hand combat? Never tried you hand at a staff? Nothing?"
"No. Never. Those are men's jobs."
"Wizards and warriors and rangers have been known to take on woman apprentices. True, they are not respected as much as the men until they prove themselves; which they often do. What did you want to be?"
Attaly felt nervous, strange, almost as if he were weaving a spell on her. Cal had done it once, and she had started sweating and fidgeting, feeling strange. She felt the same way now.
"I told you, I wanted to stay at home with my father, nothing else. I never wanted to be anything. But we need the money. And I must do something to earn it."
"But Attaly, you will be living here now. You don't need the money. Unless of course you wanted to buy a dress or something like that, but I'm sure that nothing is too high a price for me to pay for you."
Attaly was startled. "For me? Why would you buy anything for me?"
Raleigh laughed. "Is it not obvious, Little One?"
"Is what not obvious?" whispered Attaly, trembling.
Raleigh bent over her. He kissed her forehead, then found his way to her lips. Attaly trembled beneath his touch. He drew away after a moment. He looked into her eyes and saw fear there. He shook his head and sighed.
"Come, I will take you to your rooms."
Attaly nodded gratefully, still trembling.
As they reached her rooms, Raleigh made her face him again. He kissed her swiftly, then left, closing the door behind him.
Attaly stood there for a moment, trembling. She undressed quickly, then lay in her bed, thinking and trembling until she fell asleep.
***********************
As Raleigh walked back to his rooms, he smiled to himself. This will be more fun than I thought. he thought. She is so young. It will be easy to...make her do as I want...