"Oops!! Are you all right? I am sorry; I should have watched where I was going."

It turns out I knocked one of the boy servants to the floor. It wasn't James after all. I helped him to his feet, and after glaring at me and rubbing his shoulder, he left. With an empty feeling of disappointment, I retreated back to my bedroom and fell upon my worn mattress. I stared up at the ceiling and tried to picture James, but nothing would come. Trying hard to focus, I closed my eyes for a better depiction. He would be tall; his hair a shade darker than before, I supposed his smile would be the same. Thinking of him made me happy, and thinking of the times I had beat him in our swordplay made my sides sore with laughter. My day-dream was broken up by the sound of a sharp knock at the door. Tatlina was calling me for a chore in the kitchen, so putting my thoughts on hold, I quickly obliged.

A few weeks went by and my face healed back to normal. All this time Lady Grangerlous wouldn't let me leave the house so I was fixed sewing her new gowns on the new loom. Sewing gave me the freedom that otherwise would be denied to me. I was free to embellish the fabric anyway I pleased. With the cross-stitching, I often cut corners so that I could have time to walk in the gardens and Lady Grangerlous wouldn't be the wiser. Sometimes with a section of the dress, I would make the hem a little larger in proportion just to get back at her for making me sew through the nights. However, I had finished her new gowns promptly and gave them to Lady Grangerlous. As she tried them on, her palms stroked the soft fabric lovingly. The only thing she loved more than expensive gowns was money, both of which she had ample. Sometimes, I got the feeling she only married Master Grangerlous so she could afford the gowns and an expensive standard of living. As she tried on the scarlet gown with gold trim, she said adoringly,

"Ah, Maria, this is the finest dress you have sewn for me yet. Just look at how the fabric brings out my perfect stature. I think I will wear this tomorrow for the landlord's meeting at the castle in the city. What do you think? We will be needing a servant to wait on and announce us. Maria, how would you like to come? The king and queen will surely be there."

"Oh, I would be delighted to come. Nothing would give me a greater pleasure than serving my Lords." I tried not to let my sarcasm bleed through, though I believed my over enthusiasm made Lady Grangerlous turn my direction with an off sort of stare.

I had never seen the king or queen, but it wouldn't matter anyway. Why would they waste time in meeting the common slave? They might glance in my direction, nothing more. After Lady Grangerlous excused me for the night, I went up to my quarters and fell asleep. Tomorrow would in fact be a busy day.

The sun rose bright and hopeful the next morning. I awoke refreshed and alive, something I hadn't felt in a long time. As I walked down stairs, the aroma of fresh baked bread hung in the air. Tatlina was baking angel bread. I ate the bread gratefully while chatting with her, but our conversation was cut short by the calling of my name for departure.

It took us about 2 hours to travel to city, given that we had to stop because Lady Grangerlous thought she saw a mouse in the carriage. It was a dust ball. After that incident, the whole ride went downhill from there. She complained about everything from temperature to the way her jeweled necklace hung around her fat neck. It was enough to make a person reach over to strangle her with it. I could see by the look on Master Grangerlous's face that he was fighting the temptation. The only thing that could have made it worse was knowing the fact I was to ride home with her. When we arrived in the early afternoon, the city was already packed full of people going about their daily lives. And given the situation, Lady Grangerlous complained about that too. Making our way through the crowded streets towards the castle made it hard for our carriage, so we arrived a little late to the meeting. I announced their arrival with a hint of embarrassment, for all the Lords were sitting and watching my every move. The Lady Grangerlous had allowed me to wear one of her older, less fashionable dresses, so I wasn't as embarrassed as I could have been. As my masters entered the room, I was shooed away to the wall where I had to stand with the other servants. I didn't mind. At least I didn't have to hear any more complaining. King Celvin and Queen Hester were announced after us, the last to arrive, as it was a custom in our land. As I watched the queen enter, her eyes immediately went towards Lady Grangerlous's dress with wide and glowing eyes. The queen was a short but upright lady, and very slim. She had aged beautifully with the coming of her fiftieth birthday. As for the king, he was very tall and broad shouldered, with the look of a handsome man gone with years and the war. With his age, unlike the queen, it began to show years before it should. His hair was speckled like pepper and his eyes drooped just above his beard line. With the roaring of his voice he greeted the group.

"Welcome Lords. Today we have our yearly meeting of the land plot distribution. I want to apologize for my son, William, who is not with us today. He is in Berkanlie negotiating a treaty for the war. With this understood and the meting underway, Ladies, you may excuse yourself to the tea room off the Main Hall for refreshments."

Berkanlie? Is that where the war was now? I knew there had been a war for seven years, but it must have slipped my mind. No one ever talked of the war back in our village. Was William really the name of the prince? Why was he negotiating rather than his father? Couldn't he have led this land meeting? I wanted to say and listen, but taking the King's queue, I left for the main hall in the castle. Upon entering it I was left speechless. The ceiling rose more than thirty-five feet and vast rose marble columns supported it on each of the walls. Twenty foot windows lined the hall so that the brilliant light of day shone through like the heavens. Gold was inlayed to the floor with jade trimming around the edges, and at the far end were two double doors leading to the gardens. I was hurried along by the pace of the Ladies and brought to a smaller room which I understood as the tea room. It wasn't nearly as glorious as the Main Hall, but it still held its own. There were long windows overlooking the courtyards hung complete with violet drapes and silver tassels. And in the middle of the room was a large round wooden table set with nineteen tea cups, which meant, being the twentieth or so person in the room, was doomed to serve and stand in the corner again. After I served tea to Lady Grangerlous, I went and stood with perfect posture by the wall since I was in the presence of the queen. I didn't really pay attention to their mindless conversation, which was full of gossip and fashion, but towards the end, one conversation did catch my ears. As I listened, I heard the queen admiring my Lady's dress! She fingered the dense fabric and asked,

"Lady Grangerlous, such a beautiful dress I have not seen even in my courts! I must ask which of the city's fine tailors made this and I will pay for him whatever price he asks."

With a cunning grin Lady Grangerlous replied,

"My queen, such a tailor you will not find, for my Maria has made this herself." Lady Grangerlous pointed at me, motioning me to come.

"My Maria is the best seamstress the land has seen and her skill is first rate!"

"Is this so?" questioned the queen. "Lady Grangerlous, name the price for Maria and you shall get it, I promise you this.

Lady Grangerlous shoved me away so they could talk business, and a few moments later I was the property of Queen Hester.