Heaven Sent

15. Tainted Dress

Chapter Fifteen

    Anrielle dressed in one of the many dresses she had now. They all seemed to be delicate and graceful looking. This one was a panel celtic dress with a chain belt with silver and aquamarine jewels resting on the top of her hips. Her sleeves were two parted. One part being tight down her arm. The second part being a flowing panel that went down to the floor. There was embroidery of an antique silver in certain places on her dress.

    She sighed as she rested her side against the frame of the window as she looked out. She may not know what she’s doing or her real purpose, but she loved being here. Everyone was nice. The king was so kind and sweet.

    She turned and smiled when the door to the bathing room opened. His majesty came back into his bedroom and smiled. He couldn’t help it. The sight before him was just too beautiful. Her standing there like his own personal angel. The light of the climbing morning sun casting gloriously over her.

    He walked over to her and couldn’t help pulling her to him and kissing her. He felt the smile on her lips and he smiled too. How he was going to show her exactly how much he loves her. Even when she becomes his, he’ll still show her that he loves her. He’ll do it for the rest of their lives.

    She giggled as she pulled away. “I should let you get dress for the day. I wouldn’t want to be blamed for you trapping us in here any longer than they would allow.”

    His majesty sighed. “You’re right.”

    He graced her cheek before he let her slip from his embrace. She quietly closed the door leading to the adjacent waiting room. She walked over to the bookshelves and graced several of the many volumes. She shifted in her dress uncomfortable.

    She frowned as she raised a cuff of her dress. Her skin felt itchy. It was even hard to concentrate on browsing the different books as she scratched at the itchiness of her skin under her dress. The itching was steadily growing.

    She turned as his majesty came in. The room spun more than it should have and her legs gave out. Her body fell limply to the ground. “Anrielle!” She heard his majesty shout. She tried to respond, but her head throbbed after hitting the ground and she slipped away from consciousness.

    He rushed over to her. She groaned a little when he moved her. Guards came in as his majesty caught glimpses of her skin just under her dress. It was growing red. He turned to the guards. “Someone get the doctor NOW!!!”

    The guards went into action. One ran from the room as the others searched to find the something out of place. His majesty looked down at his lady. He lifted her up and placed her on the chaise chair near the fireplace.

    He took her hand and her cuff shifted. He gently unclasped it to find more of her skin red. The farther he pushed her sleeve up the more red he found. Like something was heating her skin. Burning her.

    Salic came rushing in. He took one look at her skin and ordered everyone out of the room. He also shouted for maids to help him undress the Lady Anrielle. His majesty left just as Salic started to pull the lacing out of the eyelets of the gown in a hurry.

    His majesty paced in the waiting room of his chambers. His anxiety of what caused her skin to turn so red. He feared the worst. That she has been poisoned somehow. He was thinking of everything she’s come into contact, but the only thing his mind thought of was the bath. But that’s impossible. He used the bath after her.

    He absently rubbed his palm on his pants. It itched. After his mind registered what he was doing, he glanced down at his palm. There were tiny spots that itched. He frowned because nothing else itched.

    He walked over to the wash basin and washed his hand. The itch soothed. He was drying his hand when the door to his room opened. Salic came out and pointed to his majesty as he spoke to two of the maids. “Make sure to change his highness out of his current clothes. They could be contaminated.”

    The king frowned as he let the two women start to unbutton his jacket and slid it off of him. “Why must I change? I just got dressed not a moment ago.”

    Salic was over to him as he started to inspect his majesty. “Lady Anrielle is resting as she knocked herself out when she fell. She has a rash all over her body from her gown. An oil was on the dress that caused a reaction and her body wasn’t used to it. We are making sure that oil hasn’t rubbed off on you. Thus you need new clothes for today.”

    His majesty sighed. “And she looked radiate in that dress.”

    Salic chuckled. “I know my lord. I will see that it is properly cleaned and returned to her.” He winced. “I’ll also have any torn eyelets mended. I fear in my haste to remove the garment that I inadvertently pulled too quickly and too hard on a few.”

    “At least she is changed out. Has the oil been taken care of?”

    Salic nodded as he soothed something into his highness’s  palm of the hand that itched before. “Thankfully you have but minor injury.”

    “I don’t care if I’m hurt. The one that I wish to be my queen is been hurt yet again. How can I help my people when I cannot prevent harm from befalling her?” The king said as he took his hand out from Salic’s in his frustration.

    Salic smiled tightly. “It may have been but a mistake with this one. I had treated a young lady that works in the laundry for the same thing. Apparently they received an oil that is supposed to make one smell divine. It is possible there is an element in the oil that is made from a poison ivy.”

    His majesty thought that over and shook his head. “But what if they are becoming more cunning in their attempts? Where did the oil come from? We need to know and have a more sharper eye on what comes into the palace.”

    Salic nodded. “Maybe you’re right my liege.”

    The women worked to redress his majesty as the two talked more. They too felt bad that Lady Anrielle had been harmed. They have heard what happened while the king and her were away. The crops growing and enriching the land around it. Even the flowers within the castle have grown and become more luminous. The garden flourishes and has needed a sparse amount of water to continue.

    Once dressed, his majesty made his way into his bedchambers. He found his beloved laid simply on his bed with the bedding covering her up. She was dressed in a night gown. Her hair wet from the bath that Salic and the maids had to give her again. This time it was more of a clothe bathe to remove the oil from her skin.

    His highness graced her cheek. “Rest well my angel. I wish this hadn’t of happened. Why must you take the danger? Maybe they wish to kill me through harming the one I love. Maybe they wish to control me if I knew they could harm you. I wish I would know what I’d do if they did.”

    He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I will come back as often as I can today. I will leave Salic with you. I’ve seen how you like his company if I cannot be around.”

    He lifted her hand before giving her his parting kiss. He longed to get the day done and return. But he knew there was more on his agenda than before. If it keeps her safe, he’ll do anything.