Game of Courts. (#1 Nobles)

Suspicion and Control

"Slip? Nothing slips from you. It was by intention. Why?"

Chapter 5

When she returned to her room, she felt jarred and unsafe. The bland, ugly walls of the room and the lack of furniture had been rectified. Perhaps Francois? But she did not appreciate the ease with which someone had accessed her chambers without her knowing. Perhaps the king was trying to rectify his mistake.

She stepped in and immediately looked down as her shoes deliciously sank into the thick rug that hid the floor. The room had been marvelously transformed, from the tapestry and design. She ran her eyes around, admiring the room. It was large of course, real wide, like what would suit a King, at the smack middle of the room was a wide bed, dressed in clean white sheets with a red kilted duvet, fat, plump pillows sat ostentatiously at the headrest of the bed together with a thick leopard skin fur, and beside the bed, at a hidden edge, she could detect the glitter of a chamber pot. But it was the crackle of the fireplace that called to her. She moved close and she crouched beside the hearth that was crackling with orange wisps of fire and stared at it as her mind wandered.

Amanda closed her eyes in the sudden rush of emotion. She missed France. She wanted to go home. Her eyes were open with tears disallowed from falling, such petty sentiments were not going to get her out of this. Allowing the melancholic settle  for a few minutes, she stood abruptly and slapped her gown to the side, upsetting the fire and killing sentiment.

If she wanted to go home, if she ever wanted to go and be free she needed to have the king eating out of her hand. And how was she to do that? Well, men were like dogs, with the right combination of treats, one could have them eating exclusively out of their hands long enough to give them orders.

She just needed to know the King of England's combination and she had a feeling, it would start from his friends. What would one wear when meeting an Earl and an apparent friend to the king for the first time?

++

"You walk around the castle with too much ease for a Frenchman."

Her brother shrugged. "I am the brother to the woman that the king is to marry and from the powerful house of Harcourt. People avoid going toe-in-toe with me."

"You enjoy the benefits of these things, I suffer for it." she nodded. François shrugged. "So, have you found a way to have me meet the Lord of Oxford?" she shook her head.

"Why not seek him out?"

"It would be showing my hand. It has to be accidental and a complete coincidence. At least he has to think that. Meeting him directly would have him wary and the king on his guard. I'm already facing one hostile royal, I do not intend to add another to the list."

"Wow. Your mind is as mathematical as a military commander. Did you spend the entire night thinking that?" Amanda smiled, François whooshed a breath and she tilted her face in enquiry. "It's just, it's good to know that you haven't lost your smile. Since you arrived, I haven't seen you smile."

"There is nothing to smile about in this place, François." she sighed, suddenly gloomy.

"But I'm here." he whined. A smile threatened to break free but she reined it in, clasping her hands and walking faster. "And who says you're a cause to smile?" she called from a distance.

"HEY!" Amanda laughed and walked faster, her brother running to catch up.

++

"What did you think of her?"

"She is very beautiful."

"Richard."

"What would you have me say?"