Black Pearl

Chapter 7

After the queen gave me a grand tour through their barns and I met another one of Poseidon's creations, I had explained that I was still so exhausted. I hadn't slept well because I had just been too excited to meet her son and was becoming weary. She slid her eyes over me disapprovingly, but nodded her head once, releasing me from the torture.

I fled back to my bedroom.

My maid was not there, so I was left to pace in that god awful, bulky dress with my hair twisted into knots as my mind raced away. Was I to be just like one of those broodmares? After I proved my worth I was tossed in a stall, waiting to be bred like an animal. Then what? What would happen to me after I had a child? Would I pace around in discomfort until they put me out of my misery or retired me? Did having a child with someone mean that I was even more bound to them than before, that they could bestow even harsher punishments?

The thought of being pregnant with a bulging belly, holding out my hands, waiting for the prince to punish me made me sick. I couldn't do this. I should have never come here, especially not without my dagger. At least then I would have had some negotiating power in heated, impulsive moments.

But, on our tour, I had seen knives. I had seen dozens of weapons in the guards' quarters. There was a whole case of blades, more than a single man could count. Surely, they wouldn't notice if one, tiny blade went missing. But they were protected by the guards who were constantly in and out of the little outbuilding. 

Had the queen said something about the guards changing just after sun down, that they were all so dutiful, doing their final rounds as the next team started to arrive for their shift. I could only assume that that meant the post would be unmanned for a couple minutes.

And just the chance of a chance was enough to convince me that I needed a knife and I needed one as soon as possible.

"My lady, you're back early," my maid gasped when she entered the room. She immediately dropped into a low curtsey. "I'm so sorry, I was not aware that you would be returning so soon. Can I get you anything?"

"I would like to get out of this dress," I answered numbly. Not only did I look ghastly in it, it was uncomfortable and drew every eye for a mile. If I wanted to sneakily steal a knife, this was not the dress to be doing it in.

"Of course, miss. Is there another dress you would to put on?" she asked, gesturing to the closet now gushing with them.

I flicked through my options, trying to find something light and airy, something that wouldn't stand out in the garden in the middle of the summer. Something that I could move in was necessary and something that I could be silent in was definitely desirable. None of the dresses even came close. The lightest dress I found had three layers and made an awful swishing noise when it was moved, not to mention the fact that the lace would draw attention to me, too fine to belong to a commoner.

"Are none of these to your liking, miss?" my maid pressed as I turned away, frustrated.

When I turned to my bed, I saw exactly what I needed. A fabric fine enough to not concern anyone who saw me in the royal gardens, light enough to sprint in, and soft in a way that made it silent.

"Would you be able to get me a sewing kit and some shears?" I wondered.

"Shears?" she repeated.

"Yes, please."

I was left in my room for a while and I took the opportunity to pull down the drapery around my bed. Finally, this gorgeous cream fabric would be put to good use. In fact, there was so much of it, I could probably make a dozen dresses and hand them out all over town to some of those people I had seen that looked dirty and exhausted.