Allerleirauh

Chapter 10

10

“You should not have challenged the König so, princess,” Myriah said as she combed my hair in front of the warmth of the fireplace.

I closed my eyes as I tried to erase the memory of the maid and my father in the hallway. I tried to erase the image of my father’s icy eyes staring into mine. Another shudder rolled down my spine.

“Perhaps not,” I whispered softly. Myriah tugged a little too hard on a strand of hair and I flinched.

“I’d say not.”

I bit my bottom lip as I turned back to sit straight again. My gaze fell back to my wrist where the hint of small finger-shaped bruises surfaced.

“Your father is a powerful man, child. He’s not the kindest or gentlest of Könige, but he is wise and he has ruled with a firm hand.”

“I do not understand how you can defend him. After everything he’s ever done to you—to the other girls in the castle…”

Myriah sucked in a breath and shook her head. I knew she did not like to recall the time of her youth when the king had merely been a prince, and had taken advantage of her.

“He is our master,” she said softly. “And that was a long time ago. I do not wish to speak of it ever again. I’ve told you how I felt about that.”

“I know, but…”

“No,” Myriah said more forcefully as she lifted her hand to silence me. “No, Aurelia.”

There was a knock on the door that startled the both of us. Myriah seemed to release a grateful breath as she rose from the floor and wandered over to greet our visitor.

Lord Haven entered the room, carrying a piece of parchment and a carefully wrapped bundle in his arms. He approached me on the floor, extending the gift and paper to me. The pieces of cloth were soft on my hands as I took the gift and lowered it to the floor beside me.

“From the König,” he announced and looked to Myriah with a nod.

“Thank you, Lord Haven,” I replied with a small, forced smile.

A sick twist took hold of my stomach as I watched him leave the room. I waited until he was gone to open the wax seal on the parchment.

“What does it say?” Myriah asked eagerly as she approached me.

I let out a breath as I read over the letter quietly:

“To my dearest, Aurelia.

I would like to bestow upon you a gift. A gown was drawn up from the Royal Wardrobe for you that I wish for you to wear to the ball for my pleasure. I will show mercy and forgiveness toward your unsuitable behavior displayed earlier. Allow this to be my warning to you.”

Myriah began to unwrap the cloth bundle, revealing a beautiful, glittering gown. I had never seen such intricate work before. As she lifted it higher, giving me a full view of the craftsmanship, I was astonished to find the gown looked like the forest in the autumn.

“Try it on, Princess,” Myriah said with a smile. “It’s too lovely to just simply put away.”

With a small nod, I agreed and began to unlace the back of my dress. Myriah helped me slip away the soft ivory gown I wore, to delicately pull the new gown over my head.

My hands moved over the full skirt as Myriah began to tie the back of the dress.

The skirt was a cream color, with delicate dark blue embroidery that looked like the branches of trees. The blue lines curled up to a nearly transparent bodice where only the blue branches danced around the front and sides of the top; the branches even curled around the arms and shoulders of the gown. The strange fabric, while keeping a bit of skin revealed in the back, arched into a high collar. Long sections of the material flowed down on either side of my shoulders, cascading into a slight train behind me.

“You look like a forest nymph,” Myriah said with a smile.

“Do you think this is the fashions of where he’s just returned from?” I asked curiously.

My hands traveled up the transparent bodice, noticing just how much of myself I could see, and how much of myself others would be able to see. There was very little left to the imagination between the blue, sparkling branches.

“It must be quite French,” Myriah said with a smile. “Worry not, Aurelia. You look beautiful.”

The mirror she pulled me toward revealed the same. I did look beautiful—regal.

She brushed a strand of my hair over my shoulder as we both studied my new attire.

“Come, let’s get you out of this and allow you some rest,” she said, her eyes glittering. I nodded silently and stood still as she began to untie the back of the bodice.

As I watched the dress peel away, I began to dread what consequences were to come with attending the ball in that garment, made from promises and warnings.