The dismayed Maiden stays by the open window,
Waiting day after day after day, for the wind to carry to her the news of her missing Knight.
My fingers drummed themselves against the brass rim of the large tub. I shifted my gaze outside the window; I could hear distant cheering from afar. My fellow Knights were at their usual training grounds, getting ready for the big tournament that would be held in less than four days. The longing of being on the field was unbearable. I wanted to see everyone again, Eleanor, Thierry, Frederick, I missed them dearly. If my identity had not been revealed, I would probably be on Cyrus, my black stallion, racing away and engaging in a fight with Frederick.
I stepped out of the water but carelessly slipped on the already wet tiles and went head first against the wooden door. My loud crash must have alerted all the maids outside, especially Bertha because I could hear a dozen voices outside, inquiring about my safety.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just had a minor accident," I assured. They would have pushed in to see if I was alright if I hadn't been leaning against the door. After a moment of chattering and after I was sure the commotion had died down, I stood up and walked to the mirror, wrapping a towel around my bare torso.
My hair was damp from the steam and vapor, my fading curls was plastered against my creamy white skin. I did not have natural golden curls like my half sister, Corlissius and her mother Queen Morvena. In fact, Bertha and the maids had to steam my hair and then curl it with rollers in order to receive the effect. It was required or else I would look too different from the royal family. My born mother had straight and smooth red locks and I inherited that aspect of her. In addition to that, my hair was cut short from my Knight times. We were not allowed to have long hair; it interfered with our combat skills. But now, it was necessary for ladies of the royal court to have long flowing hair. I was required to grow to let it go but it was an odd custom that was just not used to so I often cheated by snipping away at the ends of my hair, just so it would remain the same height. Bertha knew but she never made a comment about it.
I placed on a simple gown and stepped out of the bathroom. Bertha was in my room, hovering over my bed when I came in. She glanced up and picked up the dress that I was suppose to wear for tonight's occasion.
I stared at it, not knowing what to say. It wasn't that I was too shock to say anything but I simply didn't know what to say.
"It is beautiful, isn't it my Lady?" inquired Bertha with glee. My eyes darted up to look at her reaction so I could mimic it. Knights never dealt with dresses or anything besides pants and knickers. So the idea of complimenting the design of a dress was bizarre and foreign.
The servants quickly dressed me up before I knew it and as I stared into the mirror, I gasped. This wasn't me, it couldn't be me. The ordinary Knight that often wedged her sword at her enemies?
The blue dress was quite long and grand, it had a layer over another layer but it wasn't anywhere near a flouncy dress. I felt the material; it was smooth and delicate, much like silk. Pure diamonds littered along the sides and off-the-shoulder sleeves. It was nothing extremely fancy; I had deliberately made it clear that it couldn't be yards and yards of material that would be trailing behind me (that was only Corlissius's taste). But the material clung to my hips and the brassiere was tight which was funny because the other Knights always poked fun of my petite size, in Frederick's words, I was strong for my small size.
Bertha rounded me and gently clasped on a necklace around my neck. It was a pendant made out of amethyst stone. It glowed brightly.
"This necklace belonged to your dear mother," she whispered studying my reflection with her smile. I touched the stone gingerly.
"I never knew her," I replied softly. I didn't remember much about my past, all I did recall was the fact that I was merely taken in by a Lord and Lady who soon sent me to train as a Knight.
"She had a beautiful and kind soul. She loved you so much," confessed Bertha wiping her newly formed tears with her apron. "You have her face and eyes, my Lady. You look beautiful."
"Thank you Bertha," I replied quietly my voice choking me.
"Now," she broke out, shifting her position and clasping her hands together. "We must do something with that dreadfully ordinary hair of yours." But she said it with all the love she bared for me.
My hand shot up protectively over my hair as I looked back at the mirror. "Can I just keep it this way Bertha? Just this once?"
"Oh no my Lady! Your Majesty would be so upset-
"Please Bertha, this is who I am...I at least want to bear that much of a resemblance to my mother," I pleaded, taking her hands into mine. "I'll take the blame from-Father."
She looked at me with tired eyes and sighed. Patting my hand lightly she agreed to let me off like this.
"But we mustn't dwindle! The ceremony has already started, your Majesty will be about to make his speech, off you go my dear!" Bertha waved her hands to shoo me away from the room and once I was out, I was on my own again.
I stumbled; my limbs were not quite adjusted to the highness of my heels. I could hear music and chattering from downstairs, the ball had already started. It was suppose to be a grand ceremony to announce my position to the "Princess's" throne. That was why kings and queens from all over Great Britain were summoned. But I knew rumors would be flying, everyone knew my previous identity- a Knight. Though my mother was the official Queen of Aquitaine, the fact that I did not grow up following a Princess's manners and rules, I knew others looked down on me.
As I descended the stairs I could feel many eyes shift to look at me. Murmurs of voices began to fly instantaneously. I forced a smile and nodded courteously to the unfamiliar strangers. My eyes scanned the room filled with beautiful people, I couldn't find anyone I knew but that was expected. Everyone here was from royalty; I wouldn't know anyone of that sort.
I spotted Corlissius standing by her condescending cohorts. She sneered at me and eyed my dress up and down. As I stumbled again, the group burst into laughter but quickly covered their tiny mouths with handkerchiefs, it was unladylike to laugh in such a manner.
"I knew she couldn't even act like a princess even if she tired," Corlissius declared haughtily. She took a step forward and whispered into my ear quietly. "Dear sister, why don't you just do us all a favor and go back to moping up horse manure."
I glared and shoved her, earning gasps from everyone around us. I immediately regretted it. Considering Corlissius's personality, she would love to do anything to humiliate me. She exaggerated her fall and ended up crashing into her friends.
My face flushed red when I hear a lady near me state "Tch, even if one dresses like royalty, their background can never be cached." I swallowed and tore my way through the newly formed crowd, muttering an "pardon me."
I managed to find my way into the garden, away from the excitement. Sighing, I took off my heels and comfortably stretched out my toes.
"No Thierry! That isn't the proper way, you do it like this." My ears perked up as I heard that familiar voice. Eleanor. A smile lit on my face as I trudged through the flowers and vines.
There the group was, Thierry, Frederick and Eleanor, standing by the gates in their suit of armor. Eleanor, my closest friend of all time, was having fun showing Thierry how to properly hold a lance. Her hands were clapped around an imaginary weapon and thrusting it at him.
Thierry was the one who spotted me when he looked up, his grin widened as he brushed away at the golden curl on his forehead. "If it isn't Lady Blythe!"
Eleanor looked up, gave a shriek and rushed towards me.
"Oh how I missed you all!" I exclaimed, laughing when she tackled me to the ground.
"Oh, Blythe! We missed you so much too!" she exclaimed, pulling me to my feet. Her eyes widened as she looked at my dress. Her small hands grabbed my shoulders and turned me around in a circle. "I can not believe this is you! You look magnificent!"
I brushed at the pieces of grass that clung onto the material. "I rather be wearing pants and armor than this ridiculous outfit."
"Blythe," Frederick greeted taking a step forward, his voice soothing my nervous insides. I smiled. He didn't change, he still had the same locks of brown hair curving around his forehead. Frederick was tall, taller than both me and Eleanor and even Thierry was a few feet shorter than him. Frederick of Penn was what we would call 'a white knight in shinning armor'. Frederick always looked after me and I regarded him as an older brother despite the fact that Eleanor always reminds me that he views me much more than just a 'little sister'.
"This is just like the old times," butted in Thierry flashing his lighthearted smile. "I, Blythe, Eleanor, Frederick, and Clo-
He stopped short in his sentence when he caught the glower sent by Frederick. My lip quivered slightly as I painfully recalled images of Clovis. The Knight who refused to offer explanations for his actions or harmful words, the same Knight that I loved so dearly, yet the same Knight that tarnished all the memories I had for him.
"I'm fine, you don't have to purposely avoid mentioning his name to please me," I replied with a casual smile to show that it didn't bother me. But it did. There had been times that I wished Clovis would return and explain to me what had happened- but I know that even if he wanted to explain, I would refuse to listen to it.
Both Frederick and Thierry looked away, suddenly nervous and embarrassed.
Eleanor bit her lip as she looked at me, "You have not hear apparently Blythe. Clovis will be attending tonight's ceremony."
I stared at her with disbelief as her words sunk in. The night wind ruffled through my short dried hair, tickling my eyes. Silence hung between all of us.
:Gummibears
Posted: June 22, 2008