To Court a Lady

Chapter Seventeen

Galloping through fields and forests is something I always knew I would do. What I didn't know is that I would do it with the Royal Family.

We race across fields and leap over fences and streams, me and Vesper often leaving the bred racers behind us as we laugh and whinny with euphoria. The more we rode, the more I felt the men relax, let go of their roles as Princes and King. Marlon started to speak informally and laugh and feel free and Daniel stopped his Crown Prince act, replacing it with someone who was hidden deep down. Bash on the other hand, just returned to the man I knew the day I met him in the forest, free and happy.

When the fields end and the forest darkens we return to the palace, conversing about the ride and how to not ride with tack. At the stables three stable hands take the royals horses and let me take care of Vesper, already knowing to stay away from the spirited stallion.

As the horses are cared for, the men stay around Vesper's stall, talking and learning about his and my life.

"Marlon! Sebastian! Daniel! Give the horse some space."
Paula exclaims as she walks into the stables. The three men oblige, moving away with heads hanging as a matter of respect. When Vesper's stable is open to everyone's eyes, Paula notices me brushing his coat,

"Willow! What a surprise, I thought that these men were fawning over the horse but clearly it seems to be the rider."

I smile, my cheeks warming with colour as the Queen's smile brightens. She turns to her family,

"Tea is to be served in a few moments, wash up and go to the conservatory."

They nod and walk away, the control that the Queen has over them causing me to smile,

"Paula, I apologize if I kept your family from eating with you. I never got a chance to notice the time."

She chuckles, shaking her head,
"It is not your place to apologize, they are late every time they go for a ride, just today they had a reason."

She eyes me and Vesper before walking to the door, resting her arms on it,
"What would you say to joining us for luncheon? Your sister is under the impression that you are spending the day with our head seamstress to learn to sew so you have no rush to return to your quarters."

I smile and leave Vesper's stall, closing the door behind me,
"And who gave that impression to my sister?"

Paula winks at me and smiles before taking my arm,
"Come along, I will help you change from your riding gear."

I laugh and follow the excited queen as she walks to the secret passages.

We walk beyond Bash's chambers and she leads me to a door with a golden plaque is engraved with the cursive words,

'Queen Quarters'

"Don't you have chambers?"

She nods before explaining,
"I do, but those are shared with Marlon, these are my private walls."

I nod and walk into the room after Paula. She then pulls me to a bathing suite and turns to the water,
"Undress and put on the robe behind you."

I slip behind the paravant and do as ordered as the Queen herself fills the bathtub with water. She then leaves and tells me to clean up. I clean myself, removing the knots from my hair and scrubbing off dirt that flew up from the kicking hooves.

When I finish, I walk out of the bathing room with the large robe around my body again, the hem of it drifting along the ground since I am clearly smaller than the person this was made for.

Paula comes from behind a corner and has dresses at hand along with needles and thread.

"Come along, I am going to combine some of these dresses to make one for you."

"Oh, Paula, you don't need to I-"

"-I don't want to hear the end of that sentence, consider it a gift, you clearly care for every person there is, let someone take care of you."

I frown,
"Have you been conversing with my father?"

She shakes her head, smiling, as she gives me an underdress that laces at the front. Behind the paravant I quickly tie it up and pull my wet hair in a chignon on the top of my head.

When I appear from behind the paravant Paula smiles at me and looks at the dresses,
"Your skin is a beautiful colour, it goes well with cool tones, like that underdress - or maybe a blue?"

She talks to herself, draping fabrics over my shoulders before finally deciding on a bodice and skirt that she will cut apart and then resew.

"Thank you, for this, Paula, I haven't been with a woman who is caring and mother-like in months."

She looks up at me, curious,
"Where is your mother?"

"She -uhm- passed away a few ears ago and couldn't walk or do anything for months until she departed... But on another topic, thank you for being so generous."

She smiles at me,
"No problem. And if you ever need to talk about your mother, you can always come to me, I can see it is a difficult topic for you."

A knock comes from the door and the Princes walk in, leaving me not enough time to run behind the paravant. They glance at me as I quickly retreat to behind the paravant before focusing on their mother.

"Mama, you told us to hurry to the conservatory and we have been waiting for long moments until you arrive. What have you been doing here?"

"Making a dress for Willow."
She holds up the fabric she was working with, finally complete and beautifully sewn together.

I take it from her and rush behind the paravant once again. I lace up the front when I have it on and smile at the image that appears in the mirror.

My hair, which I have let down and has now dried, shimmers warmly and my skin brightens with the corset-type cream bodice whilst the floor-length circular royal blue skirt makes my eyes glow like sapphires. Mama would be proud. I smile and walk to Paula and the Princes, who still have not left.

I smile, spinning in a circle which makes the skirt flare out.

"Paula, it looks beautiful, thank you."

"You are very welcome, Willow. Now let us go eat."
The Princes agree, Bash's eyes  meeting mine as he stretches out his arm. I loop mine through his and we walk down the east wing's staircases which are wider and made of marble and golden carpets, unlike the west wing.

Warm breath reaches my ear and I hear Bash whisper,
"You look beautiful, phenomenally beautiful."