"Thank you lady Alvers," Her grace inclined to the young woman that she meet when she entered the camp. The sun was setting in the nearby sky, as it set it bleed reds and oranges into the sky. The young had been working on the simple leather dress for a few hours. She had insisted that she do it herself but her grace still helped all the same. Lord Alvers or rather Thief Lance, came into the room every now and then, just to scowl at her grace. It didn't take much for Aprill to see that the young man hated her, but why was not known.
At last, the dress that was made for deer hide, fit nicely on her. The skin was stained an odd, umber color and Catherine even had the time to add lace on the sleeves and him of the dress. "Most look your best for Lord Dukes miss," Catherine replied. "It was a pleasure."
"Tell me Lady Alvers," Her grace wondered. "What is he like, Lord Dukes, what does he want?"
"I think I can answer that," The two woman turned to the entrance to the small room. "Or maybe you should ask someone else."
Catherine bowed in respect. "Lord Dukes."
He smiled and nodded. "Lady Alvers," Then he turned his gaze on to her grace. Still smiling he walked up to her and then around her. When the lord thief stopped, he was standing right behind her grace. "Beautiful," He murmured. "The dress looks stunning on you, your majesty. "
She turned to face him and bowed. "Thank you, for the dress and compliant your lord sh…"
He raised a hand to silence her. "Please, you call me Fredrick."
Her grace raised an eyebrow. "Why, why give that to me when your people…"
"Because," Fredrick polity cut in. "You are not one of my people, but a well respected guest."
"That is our lord of you miss," Catherine interrupted. "Such a gentlemen." And with that, she bowed to the two of them and took her leave.
"Well," Her grace inquired when Catherine was gone. "She is a different young lady, isn't she."
Fredrick shrugged. "She's a good woman, and Lance is lucky to have her."
"Fredrick," Her grace asked, and as he sat down in a nearby chair, he grunted in saying that he was silencing. "Do you have a lady?"
"No," He answered evenly. "Tho many woman want, I do not have."
Her grace nodded. "I could imagine why, you're a powerful thief," She blushed slightly. "Any woman would want to be taken to your chamber."
"Any woman indeed," He murmured under his breath and rose from the chair. When he was standing, he looked in to the princess's eyes. "And what of you, your grace?" He reached up and touched her cheek. "Does that statement apply to you as well?"
"I…" She was open to say something, anything that might divert the conversation but someone cut her short.
"My lord and Lady," Aprill and Fredrick turned to see the timid thief Todd standing in the door way. "The walk way is clear for you to pace through."
Fredrick cleared his throat. "Yes, thank you Todd," He walked over to the door way and held a hand out to her grace. "Shale we Aprill?"
She was going to protest about him just using her name, but her heart was beating so fast that it wouldn't let her speak. Simply nodding, she took his massive hand walked with him out into the diming light. All the camps people were gathered around the Alves tent. Once the lord and princess were outside, they all got down on their knees and bowed before them. Her grace looked at Fredrick. "Why are they doing this?"
He smiled. "There not really doing it for me, they are doing it for you." She gaped at him as he continued. "For you are royalty, fare more important than me."
She shook her head. "No," Her grace took her hand from his and walked till she was standing in front of him. "You are just as important and deserve just as much praise." With a smile, she got down on her knees as well.
She is the one, the thief lord thought, the queen that this camp needs. "Raise your lady ship," Fredrick told her and leaden her a hand to help her stand. "And let us go for our walk."