10
1673 Words
When I wake up the next morning, Camille waits in a chair. From her posture and expression, you would never guess that she had stitches snaking across her stomach. She smiles at me as I sit up.
I say, "How are you feeling?"
She smiles, "I'm feeling well."
I tilt my head to the side, "Do your stitches hurt?"
"No."
"Not at all?"
She hesitates for a second. "No."
I sigh, "Maybe you should go back to the nurse."
She laughs. "That was a valiant effort, but no. I plan on staying by your side. It's just a few stitches. I'll be fine."
"But if the pain ever becomes too much or you sense anything is wrong, you'll go right back to the nurse, okay?"
She grudgingly nods. "Okay." I can only hope that she sticks to this promise.
She stands and helps me get dressed. Since I have no royal events for the day, she chooses a simple green gown with a loose skirt. No hoops or corset today. All the visitors are gone, so there is no point in dressing up.
As she brushes out my hair, I try not to notice how she avoids the edges of the dresser. It's better for her to believe that lie and be afraid of a piece of furniture than know the truth and live in fear of Alexanne.
She points to the blue cube sitting on the dresser, the same cube that Alexanne gave me last night. I didn't have the energy to hide it last night. I'll probably shove it at the bottom of some drawer or chest. The first cube that Alexanne gave me sits in the back of my armoire, hidden behind my winter dresses.
"Just a gift from an old noble lady. I think she thought it was worth more than it probably is."
She picks it up and looks at it closer, "It's beautiful. Although..." she runs a finger along the edge, "I think it's chipped."
I take it from her and look for myself. A shard off the edge is missing. When Alexanne smashed the vases the night I was forced from the castle, some of the cubes must have not broken. Maybe Alexanne saved them. But why? She didn't know that I would be coming back to the castle. Perhaps to remember her victory?
Camille asks, "What are you going to do with it?"
I shrug, "I don't know."
She sets it back down and finishes with my hair. I try to ignore that guilt of yet another lie settling into my stomach.
●◊●◊●
An hour before lunch, Martino, my new tutor, sends a servant for me. I bring along my poorly answered test and head to the Sitting Room. This time, I have both Antonin and Camille come with me. I don't want to leave Camille alone again, in case Alexanne decides that Camille's memory loss isn't enough.
Martino waits inside, a stack of paper and new books piled on a table. Unlike Augustine, he has them all organized very carefully.
As I take a seat beside the table, I realize that someone has cleaned the Sitting Room. Lit candles line the walls. The dust has been cleared. Two servants play violas in the corner. The sight of the viola only makes me miss Grace more.
Martino nods towards the test in my hand, "Did you have time to finish it?"
I say, "Yes, although I'm afraid that I didn't know many of the answers."
Martino interrupts, "Why not? I considered them to be easy questions."
"I believe that Augustine taught me more about events and ideas in the distant past, rather than things that are happening today. While we did discuss present day things, we didn't go into much detail."
Martino's face sours, "So did you finish the test?"
"Yes," I say again, "but I don't think my answers are right."
Martino shakes his head, "It's a shame that he didn't teach you about the present. The past is really a waste of time. There's not much to learn."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I disagree. There is a lot that we can learn from the people that have lived before us. If we do not look in the past, how are we supposed to move forward? Why shouldn't we take advantage of the things that they have learned or discovered? While some of their theories or ideals may be proven wrong, and we should adjust our understanding as we learn more, it would be foolish to forget of the past."
"The past is of the dark ages. There is nothing to learn from the people who lived like rats, scurrying from their houses to the fields to their houses."
"What about their weaponry? Surely there is something to learn from that. And what of the people before them?"
Martino shakes his head, "Your sister warned me you might be difficult."
I straighten in my chair, "Difficult, sir? I was merely discussing my opinions. How are you supposed to learn if you don't debate?"
"These are lessons, my lady. Not debates. Please try to understand that."
I frown. Debating was my favorite part of my lessons with Augustine. We would argue for hours. That's how I came to understand things.
"So I am not allowed to share my opinion?" I ask.
"Lessons aren't for forming opinions. Lessons are for teaching the facts. You will listen to what I have to say. You can take notes. And then I will test you on it."
I try to hide my disappointment. "Yes, sir."
He pages through my test, scanning my answers. His disgust grows with every page. He says, "I will form a lesson plan today, and we will have our first lesson tomorrow. We shall meet every other day. I will lecture you one day. You will have the next day to go over your notes and study them. The next day you will have a test and I will assign you a piece of literature to read over your next day off. It will go in a cycle."
I nod. With Augustine, every lesson was a surprise. I wasn't sure if I would be reading or writing or if he would lecture or debate.
I ask, "Will we be studying art?"
He scoffs, "What does art add to the world? It is useless. A job for the weak who can't do any hard work."
I frown, "Art adds a lot to our culture and our society. It can connect to people, make them feel emotions. Not everyone can create art nor can everyone understand it."
He slams his hand down on the table, causing me to flinch. "What did I tell you about sharing your opinion?"
I bow my head, "I'm sorry, sir."
"Did you act this way around Augustine? I can understand why you didn't learn anything if this is the way you behaved."
I don't say anything, but I did act this way. Augustine encouraged me to share my opinion and ask questions if I didn't understand. That's the way I learn best.
Martino glares at me before standing, "You are dismissed. Please be here tomorrow at three in the afternoon."
I nod and hurry from the room.
Once we are several paces away from the Sitting Room, Camille says, "He's your new tutor?"
I nod. I had hoped his young age would cause him to have a sympathetic, fresh view on the world. Instead, it's closed-minded and harsh. I can't believe I once thought Augustine to be a bad tutor.
I'm sure that Alexanne gave him permission to treat me however he liked. She has power over me. I couldn't fire him if I wanted to.
Camille shrugs. "He seemed...serious...about your education."
I sigh, "You never met my old tutor. He was so much better. He allowed me to ask questions and speak my opinion. I don't know how I'm supposed to learn if he only teaches me through lectures. My thoughts drift too easily to listen to him talk for hours."
"You're smart enough to handle it. All you have to do is focus."
She doesn't understand how, between Alexanne and all the problems she likes to cause, that will be more than difficult.
●◊●◊●
When we return to my quarters, a servant waits inside with an envelope clutched between her fingers. She curtsies and hands it to me without a word before disappearing.
I glance at the wax seal and see it is Henri's print.
I scan the room and make sure that it is only Antonin and Camille inside before I tear open the letter.
Princess Admira,
It is with great joy and pride that I accept your offer for me to come train you within the castle. I'm ever so glad I had the chance to dance with you at the ball and offer my help. I hope that with my training, you will feel safer within the castle. I will arrive at the beginning of the new week. Thank you once again for your great generosity.
Sincerely,
Henri
He will arrive at the start of next week, one full day from now. A smile grows on my face. After Alexanne attacked me last night, it has become more than clear that I need more training. It will be a relief to have another person besides Antonin within the castle who knows the truth. He's a connection between Florentine and me, perhaps he will be able to spread messages to her and bring news of Grace.
But Alexanne won't want him here, especially after her attempt at an attack this morning. She was certainly more than a little suspicious when I asked her permission to hire him. However, she couldn't turn me down in front of all the nobles.
Will she allow him to come, now that the nobles are no longer watching?
What if she discovers who he really is?
Have I only brought yet another person into danger?
- Writer
