Recap:
"Ally, are you alright?" Chloe pulled her head from her friends shoulder. Seeing the shocked look in her friends eyes, Chloe queried her further. "Allegra. What is it?" She looked around the room. Seeing nothing of consequence, she turned back to her friend.
Allegra was steeling herself to answer her friend, "I-"
Knock, knock.
Allegra was thankfully saved from answering her friend. She knew that it would do her no good to know the identity of her handsome swain, yet it was beneficial that they had met him. At the sound of the knock Chloe had jumped and commanded Allegra to answer the door. She had forgotten her dinner date with his majesty and she stepped behind the ornate dressing screen to change her attire as Allegra opened the door.
As she creaked the heavy oak door open, she met the guard Bromof's eyes with her own. "Hello my lord Bromof. I am terribly sorry but my liege and I quite forgot the time, she is quite drowsy from our walk. We shall be ready in a minute, just let me assist her to attire herself suitably for dinner with his majesty." Waiting until Bromof nodded to depart, leaving the door open, she ducked back behind the dressing screen.
Bromof replied, gruffly as ever, "Be quick, my ladies. His majesty is not in a wonderful mood."
Scared that they would undo all the good work they had done over the last three weeks, Chloe scrambled to beautify herself and Mitch was forced out of her mind entirely. Stepping out from behind the screen in a gown of the palest yellow silk, she hurriedly ran a brush through her glowing curls as Allegra fastened a chain of pearls around her neck.
She surveyed herself and pinched her cheeks to redden them, she looked a little pale from her afternoon's surprises.
Rushing out the door, with Allegra close behind, she practically ran along the empty halls, it was incredibly frustrating that Bromof's long legs meant he did not show the least signs of exertion, he had barely increased his pace size at all yet he kept up with her perfectly.
Finally seeing the door to the parlor where his majesty and Chloe usually ate, Chloe rushed to the door and knocked politely, catching her breath while she could. In the middle of her knock, Allegra came rushing up beside her and hurriedly smoothed both their skirts and "Come in" was uttered tiredly from behind the heavy door. Bromof came up beside Chloe and turned the cold metal handle, pushing the heavy door open to allow them entry.
Chloe rushed in her most ladylike way and began her apologies. "Your majesty," she curtsied low "I am most truly sorry to have kept you. I awfully-" she cut herself off knowing that if he thought going outside tired her out he would forbid it. That was the last thing she wanted. "I mean, I had not realized the time, I woke up this morning not feeling in the best of sorts, and although I feel MUCH better after going out earlier, I still do not feel as bright as usual." She smiled radiantly and curtsied once more, crossing her toes to hope he believed her but at the same time biting her tongue to scold herself for almost admitting her outdoor venture had something to do with her exhaustion.
He smiled bitterly at her. "My dear, it does seem this day has been unpleasant for everyone. By jove, I have had the most incredible shock! This horrid man-" realizing that she was still standing, he motioned to Bromof to pull out her chair. "Chloe dearest, I do apologize. Please take a seat." Chloe sat silently, smiling gratefully to thank Bromof for pulling out her chair, and taking her place at the ornate table. Marcius continued. "As I was saying, this horrid man, what was his name Bromof? Oh yes, Redevance." Chloe stiffened, shocked. Allegra let out a small gasp, luckily not audible to Marcius. They both knew this Redevance well.
Marcius continued ignorantly, "Any way, he came here demanding to see my son!" Allegra hurriedly looked over at Chloe at this sudden mention of the troublesome young man, but noting her pale from the mention of Revedance, but otherwise untroubled expression, she calmed. "Bonnuit of course came straight to me, he knows how the young man sometimes gets into scrapes! So I told Bon to go and find out what he wanted. So after a minute, completely out of breath, Bon comes back to me and says a DUEL!" Chloe let out a small gasp, the typical reaction of a lady of her status. "Yes my dear I know! To think a boy of mine would be involved in such a thing! I mean, of course Randolf had his issues before Eleanor came along, but never dueling. Come to think of it, Benjamin was very troublesome when he was younger, and so was Samuel. But I have never had to hear mention of dueling of all things in these walls before. Preposterous!" Seeming to have worked off some steam, the room quieted momentarily. Chloe had paled considerably at the mention of Revedance, but Marcius was too out of breath to have noticed yet. Presently an aging man burst into the room, not anyone Chloe had seen before. Marcius seemed to recognize him though.
"Ah, Bon! I believe you have not yet met Lady Chloe. Chloe, this is Bonnuit, my footman. I am sure you will be seeing more off him soon, as he has recently been on a vacation to Hampshire and has only just returned to us." Bonnuit bowed low and announced dinner in a grainy voice with a most refined accent. "If it pleases you, your majesty, dinner is served." At a nod from Marcius, Bonnuit waved the waiters in. "Veal fillet with rosemary and olive paste accompanied by roasted vegetables in a white pepper sauce." The two dishes were set in front of the two royals and bowed low. "Dinner is served." Two waiters lifted the lids off each silver platter and both bowed low and with a wave from Bonnuit, exited the parlour. "I trust everything is to your satisfaction?" Marcius nodded and Bonnuit bowed and followed his waiters.
Marcius began to eat as if he had not set eyes on food in a millennium. However, Chloe had learned to ignore it, she ate with him enough that by now she was used to it, although she had been completely and utterly disgusted at first. How could a king so regal and majestic as this man eat so putridly? Subconsciously, Chloe shook her head slightly and looked to her food. Veal fillet with rosemary and olive paste accompanied by roasted vegetables in a white pepper sauce. Ugh! Back at home, Chloe had only eaten food as rich as this at banquets, her meals with her parents had been informal and light so her mother, who was prone to stomach problems when confronted with rich food, could keep herself well. She picked at her meal and sampled the delicious flavours; the food in her captor's palace was wonderful, just to rich for her tastes. She had learnt quickly not to eat a lot of any one thing and to sample everything. There would be more soon enough. Soon Marcius had emptied his plate and rang the small golden bell in the centre for the second course. Bonnuit hurried into the room and announced the next course. "Chicken in a lime and soy sauce with honeyed wild rice." He bowed low as the lids were lifted off the two platters and exited after the two waiters. Marcius once again flew straight into his meal and was quickly finished, his royal robes tarnished with pieces of veal, chicken, rice and vegetables. He finally looked up from his plate and for almost the first time acknowledged her presence.
"My dear, how pale you look. I do hope your illness passes quickly. As I was saying, this demon Revedance wanted to duel with my son! I could not believe my ears when he announced that, I must admit. Really!"
Chloe was once again paling at the mention of this Revedance. Marcius looked at her and this time noticed. "Chloe my dear, are you feeling quite alright?"
Chloe shook her head and replied slowly, "No your majesty, I fear I feel quite washed out, it must be my sickness from earlier returning. May I ask your leave to return to my room?"
"Of course you may. Thank you for a very pleasant evening, your highness."
She smiled weakly at him and curtsied. "You are welcome your majesty. Goodnight." She picked up her skirts and quickly excited the room, not quite daring to believe what she had been hearing. Revedance is here! Does he know about the kidnapping? Might I see my own room again soon? I can barely wait to talk to Allegra in private!
Hurrying down the hall with Allegra at her side and Bromof close behind them, Chloe was feeling better by the minute, the adrenaline returning the colour to her cheeks.
Finally the oak door to the girls' room came into sight. Chloe and Allegra hurriedly stepped inside and Allegra dismissed Bromof, "Sir, thankyou for accompanying us back to my lady's chambers. Now, begging your pardon but I will get her to sleep early, I'm sure this will pass. Thank you, good night." Curtsying low, she shut the door and pressed her ear to it to make sure she heard the fleeting sound of Bromof's retreating footsteps.
Spinning around to finally get a chance to talk to Chloe about Revedance.
"Oh my goodness…"
A/N: Sorry my last chap was short but this 1 is longer to make up 4 it!
To my gorjuz revvers:
MD0926: lol I already have! Sorry I couldn't be bothered to write your whole pen name:P
Ra-chan: thanks a lot, i love finding out people think that!
Yalz: lol yali I don't think dat would work too well!
Babydione: thanks for your suggestion, that was the original plan, yeh
Cinnamon: thanks it will!
PW: stef dey already new! Every1 was reviewing n telling me they knew! Lol I got bored:P
Beaver: coz she didn't! lol ellie
R&R every1, luv u all
hottyjessy