Chapter Four: Nightfall In Ireland
Serena woke before the sun completely left the night sky, feeling more refreshed than she ever had in her life. She noticed that the coverlet had been replaced by another and she felt wonderfully happy. She stepped out of the bed and began to look for a nice dress to keep her warm.
Her clothes had all been taken out of her travel chest and put up in the wardrobes provided. Her shoes were a lined neatly in a row at the bottom of each respective dress that they matched. Serena sighed happily as she pulled out her favorite forest green dress. She was about to step out of her bedclothes when her door was suddenly thrown open.
She quickly grabbed her nightgown and covered herself up. Serena looked up blushing red when she saw Mina's face. "Mina, what the hell is wrong with you? Your suppose to knock!!" Serena yelled.
"Hahah! Got ya! I am glad to see that you are feeling much better." Mina giggled again as she came in and closed the door. "I've come to let you know that a bath has been drawn for you." Serena stared at her blankly. "Well don't just stand there, your Father would have a fight if you weren't proper. He said that you must attend the dinner tonight. It is to a welcome dinner for all the guests. Hurry, hurry." Mina said as she shooed Serena to the sitting room linked to the bedroom.
Serena sat in the tub with a sigh. She was glad to finally wash away five days of grim and filth that had built up on the road and while she slept. She sat in the washtub for a little longer trying to enjoy the warmth that it brought to her. She knew that it would take a while for her hair to be washed and she couldn't just sit and relax. I'll just have to relax in a bath tomorrow. She thought to herself as she called Mina in to help with her long hair.
Her hair washed and her body free of odor Serena stepped out of the washtub and into the rob that Mina had waiting for her. She didn't know what she would wear considering, her father had this time scared her back, despite the efforts to restore her skin with her inner magic.
"Serena why don't you just wear this, it should cover most and you could always find a way to cover up the rest of your back. I know the neckline is low but I can fix that." Mina said as she held up the same dress that Serena was going to put on earlier, the forest green dress with long fitting sleeves. It had a semi-high back and a low neckline in the front.
"Your right, it is beautiful. I think for once that awful father of mine picked something a little less revealing. Besides I can take the black scarf I used for the red dress and use it for this. It should cover the back perfectly and the front won't be too bad. Come help me put it on. It still hurts to move in certain ways and I know father would be angry if I was late to meet him. By the way where am I to met him?" Serena asked as Mina helped her into her underclothes.
"He said that he would receive you just outside of the dinning hall. He didn't care to walk far to your room then turn around and walk back the way he had come. Or so he said. Honestly, I think he just wants to make a fool of you. To show how obedient you are." Mina sighed as she finished pulling the strings to make the dress stay in place. "It's a shame that you slept most of the past two days away. You would have liked the gardens."
"I know, but what he doesn't know is that I have made friends with the prince and that my friend is a good thing. For if he hurts me in any way in front of the prince you and I both know that he shall pay. Come now, hand me that scarf and let us finish dressing my hair and be on our way." While Serena spoke, Mina had begun to braid her hair around the front and to the back of her head. When the main braid was finished Mina gathered up the last of Serena's hair and made another small braid to intertwine with the last, she then used the emerald hair pins to keep it all in place.
Just a Mina finished a knock was heard at the door. "Come in." Both Mina and Serena said at the same time.
Marcus came walking in, he stopped when he saw Serena standing healthy and well. "It's nice to see you up and about again. How are you feeling?"
"I am better my friend, but I'd like to know why you have come to my chambers for the time being?" Serena answered as she hugged Marcus.
"Your father is most unpleased about your absence form the past two days of events. He says that your behavior is uncalled for." Marcus said with sarcasm as he hugged her back.
"And what say you about it, Marcus? Do you think that I had good enough reason for missing the welcoming ceremony? I swear if that man thinks for one second that I should have been ill while attending I will kill him not matter the cost. Marcus I ask you again what has brought you to my chambers, so that I may release my anger on something or some one else other than you and Mina." She said while trying not to grit her teeth.
"His lordship, says that you should be ready by now and that he is not going to wait for you any longer."
"I am ready, Mina do you think you can manage yourself without me. I would stay and help you dress however, I don't believe I want to anger my father anymore than I all ready have."
"I shall be fine, no need to worry. Go and be well. But if you should begin to feel ill at any time please excuse yourself and get into bed." Mina said as she fallowed Serena and Marcus to the door. "I will see you in a few minutes. Go now!"
Serena gingerly walked out the door with Marcus and began to walk down the hall with him. "I've missed your company Marcus. Please tell have you made any new friends here at the palace?"
"Yes, indeed I have, but I have greatly missed your company. Serena, I must tell you . . ." He stopped in the hall closest to the dinning hall. "I must tell you that I love you now and forever and I can't bear to see your father treat you in such away as he has."
Serena was taken aback for a few moments as she thought about how to respond to this revelation. "Marcus my dear friend, such words should not be spoken. I have feelings only of the utmost respect and admiration for you. You know that if my father were to hear you say such words that he would kill you. Please for my sake and the sake of your life do not speak of this again. It bears me to much pain as well." She turned the corner only to find her father standing at the dinning hall door impatient as ever.
"Hello father, I am sorry if my absence of the past few days has troubled you in anyway." She said gingerly as she curtsied to her father who stared at her with discontent.
"You should have known to watch your health, but what more could I expect from a woman. Your kind does not care if you are healthy or not. Now come we are already late as it is because of you let us not be any later." Lord Stephen said as he grabbed hold of Serena's previously injured, wrist and forced her to walk along side of him.
"You will do exactly as I say. You are to dance with men of your station no higher and no less. If the Prince or Queen requests to speak with you, you will oblige them. Do you understand?" Serena's father asked as he squeezed her wrist for emphisis, and they entered the room.
"Yes, Father." Serena said as she whipped away the tears of pain slowly coming to her eyes. She hated when her father tried to show off and make a fool of her. She knew that tonight was going to be a very long night.
The brilliant colors spun around the room and Serena soon felt as if she would be sick. The men she danced with were the most disgusting of men she had ever met in her life. Most were twenty years her senior, and she was not happy with any of them. Most tried to feel her breasts and grab her bottom.
Her father didn't seem to notice anything wrong. After they had both entered the dinning hall her father insisted the they both wait for the precision line diminish. Now the time had come for them to be announced to the Prince and the Queen.
"Listen to me now, you are to be polite but, I do not want you to play nice with the prince and try to catch his eye. If perhaps he or the queen would like to speak to you, you must oblige them. Do you understand me?" Lord Stephen asked as they continued their way to the dais.
"Yes father!" Serena spat out just as they walked up to the dais.
"Lord and Lady Stephen Holborne." The herald announced as Serena curtsied, and her father bowed.
"Majesty, you are looking well." Lord Stephen said as he came back up from his bow.
"Thank you, Lord Stephen. My how your daughter has grown. Come here child and let me take a look at you." The queen said.
Serena hesitated for a split second before the Queen motioned her again and her father pushed her forward. As soon as Serena stepped forward the Prince motioned with his hand for a servant to bring a chair.
"Lord Stephen I would like to have a word with your daughter if you don't mind? I would like to ask her how her journey was? Considering the fact that she was delayed." Prince Darien said knowing that his mother would back him up if need be.
"Your highness, I would gladly allow her to however, she has already promised at least three men that she would dance with them tonight. I am sorry but they still await. Come Serena." Lord Stephen said as he moved to talk hold of Serena's arm.
"Lord Stephen, I do not know who you think you are, but if my son asks to speak with the lady you must oblige. He is of higher rank and I am sure that you do not wish to displease your future King." The Queen said in a commanding tone.
Serena stood still till her father finally spoke. "Very well, if that is what you wish your Majesty I will oblige. Till we met again." Lord Stephen said as he bowed and walked away. I would never allow a woman to rule a kingdom. Especially that woman.
Serena stood a bit confused before she took the seat that was offered.
"Don't be afraid child, come sit closer. So tell me how was your trip and what kept you so long?" The Queen asked in a pleasant voice. Serena didn't know how to answer the question because she had been at the castle the entire time. "Well, come now, speak up, no need to be shy and by the way you can call me Arlene. Darien, she does seem a bit shy doesn't she?" The Queen turned to her son when Serena did not answer.
"Well, Mother I wouldn't exactly blame her. Serena's father didn't exactly tell you the truth about her absence as of late." Darien said trying to encourage Serena.
"That man is impossible. Please then child tell me the reason why your loving father lied?" The Queen questioned.
"Majesty I would gladly tell you if I weren't so afraid of my father," Serena paused as she looked around to make sure no one had heard what she said. "Yes, I was ill for a period of time but I was here in the palace the whole time recovering."
"I would like you to come to my sitting room after dinner and explain in detail what has happened. Now from the look of things dinner is ready." The Queen began to rise and Serena fallowed, allowing however the Queen and her son to pass first.
Darien stopped however, and offered Serena his arm. "Lady Serena would you care to sit with my mother and I, or do you think it best to sit with your father for dinner?"
"I would prefer to sit at the same table as yourself and the Queen however, I think it might be wise to sit with my father." Serena said slowly as they reached the entrance to the dinning hall. Serena curtsied and left the Prince to go find the table where her father sat, waiting impatiently.
Darien's mother turned to him as they walked to their table, "Darien I like the girl."
"Which girl mother there are so many here tonight and might I say I don't particularly care for any of them." Darien stated as he helped his mother to sit in her chair.
"Lady Serena silly, listen I would like to have her become my new lady-in-waiting. She has fine manners and if my intuition is correct her father scares her more than she is letting on." The Queen said before she sipped her wine and called a page over to her. "Find the Lord Stephen and tell him that I wish to speak to him and his daughter after the feast is over."
"Yes, Majesty." The boy said before he disappeared into the crowed.
Dinner finished slower than Serena would have liked. After the page had left, her father began to ask question about what she had said to the Queen to make her want have an audience with the both of them. Serena's answer was the same over and over again, no matter the question. "I did as you said."
When the dinner had finished Lord Stephen stood and waited for Serena to fallow him. Soon they arrived at the doors of the Queen's sitting chamber. A servant opened the doors and introduced Lord Stephen and Serena. When the Queen looked up and saw them, she gestured for them to come in further and sit. Lord Stephen however, told Serena to stand and wait till she was spoken to.
"Lady Serena come have a seat." The Queen said noticing Serena's slight glance at her father.
"Majesty, I wish not to offend but I prefer to stand." Serena said with the bow of her head.
"All right then this will only take a moment. Lord Stephen I wish to make your daughter my newest lady-in-waiting. She has all the proper manners of a lady and she will be perfect for the position as my personal aid. What say you Lord?" Queen Arlene asked.
"Majesty I am most grateful for your offer however, I do not think it wise. My daughter is very stubborn and has a mind of her own. But if you wish it I will allow it." Lord Stephen said.
"It is my wish and my command. Now leave I must talk with Lady Serena, to discuss new dresses and what is expected of her." The queen waved her hand in dismissal. Lord Stephen turned and left the room muttering something to himself. "That man is insufferable!"