"And my I ask what that look is for?" He laughed, and pointed down at
my chest. The rain-soaked dress was revealing my breasts. I smiled and
wrapped my blanket around more tightly.
He held out his hand, and I took it, as he lead me to the kitchen were Athera was making a nice deer stew. We eat in silence, and after seconds for me and thirds for Shand, we went our separate ways.
After I had bathed and was in proper attire, for I knew that Shand was coming, I brushed my hair. Ten minutes later I heard a knock at the door. I dismissed my servants, for there were two doors, one in the back of the room for the servants and the other in the front of the room for the rest of the people.
Shand bowed slightly when I opened the door for him. I giggle and stepped aside for him to enter. He sat down on my bed and we talked for a while. No one bothered with us, even though woman and men were not to be alone together before they were married, but my father knew from the start that we would be married, so he let us do what ever we wanted. It was frown on but my father didn't see why we couldn't do whatever, if we were to be married when I turned sixteen. One more year and I will be a married woman. I begged my father to make it fifteen, but he refused. Thinking of this made me cry. I missed my father so much; it was breaking my heart that I would never talk to him again. Shand held me while I cried, tears staining his silk shirt. I was so tired that I fell asleep, a fretful sleep, with much tossing and turning. When I woke up the next day, the sunlight was coming though the curtains. I got out of bed and pulled them open. It was a beautiful day, birds singing and the children outside laughing. I washed my face in the basin, and dressed in a dark brown dress. I was still in mourning for my father, and for respect for him, I would wear dark for a week. At the dinning table, Valen, Duke of Ford, and Shannon his wife were sitting, talking with Shand. They looked up when I walked in, and Valen and Shand stood up. Valen walked over to me and took my hand. "Milady Angelina, I wish to pay respect for you. I have brought over five of my finest horses, and thirty yards of my best fabric for you. I know that it will do nothing to ease your pain, but my wife said that new dresses will make any woman happy." I kissed him on his cheek, rough and leathery by the wind. He was an old man, about fifty years of age, and his wife about thirty. He led me over to Shand, who kissed me on the hand, and pushed out a chair for me. Servants came though the door with trays and trays of food. We were having a nice conversation when Aurora walked though the doors. I jumped to my feet and rushed over to her. "Aurora what are you doing here? I was supposed to come to your castle, not you to mine." Yes it was Shand's castle, but it was on my land so it would be considered mine.
She was breathing hard, and grabbed my hand. I led her over to the table and gave her a glass of water. She drank greedily and then put the glass down. "Angelina, you have to come to your cousin's kingdom right now. King Stefan is deathly sick and he may not survive a fortnight." Stefan was king of Shawnston, brother of Bryam. I looked up at Shand and he nodded. He ran out of the room and up the stairs. I let Aurora catch her breath and sat her down. I called for Athera to get hot coffee, and stew for Aurora. I gathered the ends of my dress and ran to my bedroom. When I walked in my servants were busily packing my clothing, and when I looked out the window I saw Shand saddling Astara. I told the servants that I would only need three dresses and four petticoats. I grabbed my bag and hurried down the steps to the courtyard. Shand bundled my bag to the back of the saddle and kissed me goodbye. My guards were waiting for me at the gate and I kicked Astara in the ribs to get her to gallop. I wasted no time, just stopped by a river here and there so that the horses could cool down and get something to drink or eat. Then it was back on and racing away to my cousin's kingdom. Thank God that we were neighboring the castle.
He held out his hand, and I took it, as he lead me to the kitchen were Athera was making a nice deer stew. We eat in silence, and after seconds for me and thirds for Shand, we went our separate ways.
After I had bathed and was in proper attire, for I knew that Shand was coming, I brushed my hair. Ten minutes later I heard a knock at the door. I dismissed my servants, for there were two doors, one in the back of the room for the servants and the other in the front of the room for the rest of the people.
Shand bowed slightly when I opened the door for him. I giggle and stepped aside for him to enter. He sat down on my bed and we talked for a while. No one bothered with us, even though woman and men were not to be alone together before they were married, but my father knew from the start that we would be married, so he let us do what ever we wanted. It was frown on but my father didn't see why we couldn't do whatever, if we were to be married when I turned sixteen. One more year and I will be a married woman. I begged my father to make it fifteen, but he refused. Thinking of this made me cry. I missed my father so much; it was breaking my heart that I would never talk to him again. Shand held me while I cried, tears staining his silk shirt. I was so tired that I fell asleep, a fretful sleep, with much tossing and turning. When I woke up the next day, the sunlight was coming though the curtains. I got out of bed and pulled them open. It was a beautiful day, birds singing and the children outside laughing. I washed my face in the basin, and dressed in a dark brown dress. I was still in mourning for my father, and for respect for him, I would wear dark for a week. At the dinning table, Valen, Duke of Ford, and Shannon his wife were sitting, talking with Shand. They looked up when I walked in, and Valen and Shand stood up. Valen walked over to me and took my hand. "Milady Angelina, I wish to pay respect for you. I have brought over five of my finest horses, and thirty yards of my best fabric for you. I know that it will do nothing to ease your pain, but my wife said that new dresses will make any woman happy." I kissed him on his cheek, rough and leathery by the wind. He was an old man, about fifty years of age, and his wife about thirty. He led me over to Shand, who kissed me on the hand, and pushed out a chair for me. Servants came though the door with trays and trays of food. We were having a nice conversation when Aurora walked though the doors. I jumped to my feet and rushed over to her. "Aurora what are you doing here? I was supposed to come to your castle, not you to mine." Yes it was Shand's castle, but it was on my land so it would be considered mine.
She was breathing hard, and grabbed my hand. I led her over to the table and gave her a glass of water. She drank greedily and then put the glass down. "Angelina, you have to come to your cousin's kingdom right now. King Stefan is deathly sick and he may not survive a fortnight." Stefan was king of Shawnston, brother of Bryam. I looked up at Shand and he nodded. He ran out of the room and up the stairs. I let Aurora catch her breath and sat her down. I called for Athera to get hot coffee, and stew for Aurora. I gathered the ends of my dress and ran to my bedroom. When I walked in my servants were busily packing my clothing, and when I looked out the window I saw Shand saddling Astara. I told the servants that I would only need three dresses and four petticoats. I grabbed my bag and hurried down the steps to the courtyard. Shand bundled my bag to the back of the saddle and kissed me goodbye. My guards were waiting for me at the gate and I kicked Astara in the ribs to get her to gallop. I wasted no time, just stopped by a river here and there so that the horses could cool down and get something to drink or eat. Then it was back on and racing away to my cousin's kingdom. Thank God that we were neighboring the castle.