The Lost Princess

Chapter Twenty-One

I laid in my soft bed with silk blankets staring at the ceiling.  I looked at the different designs that are carved into the ceiling.  The swirls and stars danced above the bed.  

I sat up looking around the room.  I was in the same room that I had been in since King Maddox took me.  The bars on the window still made me feel like a prisoner.  I'm sure soldiers were still stationed outside my door.  

I grabbed the book that talked about the history of the Castle of Kenora.  I flipped through the pages knowing that it didn't matter.  After yesterday, I didn't really want to escape anymore.  King Maddox had told the crowd of people that he wanted me to work with him to create a better Arabella and I believe him.

Knock.  Knock.  Knock.  

I turned towards the door.  "Come in," I said still sitting on my bed.

The door opened and four maids stepped into the room.  One was carrying a tray of food.  I watched her sit the tray on the vanity and leave the room.  The door quickly shut behind her.  I heard the click of the lock shortly after that. 

"Your majesty, we must get you ready to meet King Maddox," one of the maids said.

"Of course," I said standing up.  I set the book down on the end table and walked over to the maids.  

The maids quickly undressed me and walked me into the washroom.  One of the maids had filled up the tub while the other two had took off my nightgown.  I stepped into the tub and sat down.  The water felt warm against my skin.  The maids scrubbed my body and hair as I quietly sat there.  

These maids were different than the maids I had yesterday.  I was worried about them since they had told me they weren't allowed to talk to me, but talked to me anyways.  I didn't know their names or anything about them.  I just hoped that they were okay.

As the maids scrubbed my body, I thought about yesterday in the arena.  I thought about burning the arrows that were shooting towards me.  How did I do that?  How can I do something that I didn't I could do?  Questions raced through my head.

The maids rinsed my hair and body.  I stood up and they wrapped a towel around my body and my hair, drying me.  Then we walked back into my room.  I sat down at the vanity still wrapped in my towel.  One off the maids unwrapped my hair, while another maid lifted the cover off the tray on the vanity to reveal toast, eggs, bacon, and a glass of orange juice on the tray.  I slowly at the toast as one of the maids brushed through my hair.

I continued eating as the maids styled my hair.  I watched them pin my hair up adding beads and gems into my hair.  Then they slipped on a fancy sun dress.  It wasn't a ballgown like before, but it was not a simple dress either.  The dress was a dark blue dress with gold trim.  The dress fanned out at my hips, but no ruffles.  The maids tied a silk sash around my waist that had gold trim on it.

Then they slipped dark blue flats on my feet.  I was relieved to not have heels again.  King Maddox must have realized that I couldn't walk in them.  

Once I was done eating, the maids put makeup and jewelry on me.  The jewelry was simple white diamonds on a bracelet and necklace.  The makeup was also simple, natural colors.  Then they placed that rose gold crown on top of my head.

I looked at myself in the mirror on the vanity.  I looked royal but not extravagant.  I looked around the room again, realizing that I was all alone again.  The maids had slipped out of the room without me noticing.  

Knock.  Knock.  Knock.

"Come in," I sighed.

The door burst open revealing Keaton and four soldiers standing in the hallway.  They had doubled my guards.