Allerleirauh

Chapter 3

3

A flood of relief filled me as I slipped into my room, finding Myriah, my nursemaid, waiting for me with a warm bath. She smiled as I closed the door and slumped against it.

“You look exhausted,” she murmured warmly and gestured towards the wooden basin. “As I expected. I had a bath drawn for you.”

A bath became almost a routine after every one of my father’s parties. I smiled at her and pushed myself from the door.

“Thank you, Myriah.”

Myriah knew well how to tend to me. She had been doing so since the day of my birth. She was so much more to me than just a mother or servant, but my friend. After challenging days of disastrous needlepoint and failed studies, Myriah was always there to wipe away my frustrated tears. She spent countless evenings telling me stories, pulling laughter from me when I was certain I couldn’t. She had the healing touch for when I was sick, staying up well into the night fighting back fevers and coughs. Truthfully, she was one of the only people I had ever learned to truly trust and love in the castle.

Myriah picked up the fire iron near the hearth and pushed around a few of the logs, making room for more firewood. She tucked a strand of her salt and pepper hair behind her ear and brushed her hands on the apron around her waist.

“You were later than most evenings at your father’s parties. Did you enjoy yourself?” She gazed warmly at me.

I began to peel away the layers of my dress and laid them out carefully on the canopied bed.

“I suppose. It was a little strange,” I admitted as I pulled a few pins from my hair, allowing more of my golden locks to cascade down around my shoulders.

She wrinkled her nose at my reply. “Strange? How so?”

“Father wanted to dance with me. He ignored the other women, and then later spoke of wishing to spend more time with me.”

I remained in my long chemise as I approached the hot water. Myriah came to my side and began to lift the chemise away while I held my hair off to the side. With a relieved sigh, I stepped into the warm water.

“What do you think of that, Myriah?” I asked, resting my arm on the brim of the tub as I looked to her. She seemed to hesitate, her lips silently moving as her gaze darted from mine.

“Myriah?” I asked again, wiping a bead of sweat from my temple. Myriah shifted in her step and let out a soft, exasperated sigh.

“I think this could be a good step in the right direction. But I beseech you . . . be careful.”

There suddenly came a knock on the door, startling the moment between Myriah and me. My gaze bounced to the entry and back to Myriah who wrinkled her nose, disgruntled.

She moved to the door, pulling it open slightly. There was an annoyance in her greeting to the person behind the door: “What do you want, boy?”

I could hear the faint voice of another servant replying, “His Majesty, the König, wishes for me to deliver this gift to the princess Aurelia in hopes to please her.”

I lifted my chin, trying to see if I could catch a glimpse of what he carried, but Myriah’s wide skirts eclipsed the doorway.

“Do you know what it is?” she asked.

“I do not, fräulein,” the messenger replied.

Myriah gave a nod and shut the door on him. She turned with the small box in her hands.

“What is it?” I asked, leaning on the side with my elbows.

She shrugged and pushed the box into my wet hands. I looked at her inquisitively and then down at the dark, velvet-covered box. The box was small and delicate and my heart raced with excitement over what could be inside.

“I do not know, princess,” she replied and knelt beside me. Her brow wrinkled with the same curiosity I felt. “Open it.”

I did, revealing a small delicate, golden chain with an opal stone, small diamonds encircling it. I had never received anything so beautiful from my father. A small note lay beside the chain with a quick dash of my father’s handwriting.

‘I ask that you come to the gardens tomorrow morning.’

I quickly closed the box, almost afraid the elements of the room could tarnish it. I couldn’t stop my grin from spreading wider as I opened the box again and gently removed the bracelet, fitting it over my wrist. The opal and surrounding diamonds shimmered in the candlelight. Perhaps this could be a new start for my father and me. Perhaps now things could be different for us—we could be closer. I smiled even more brightly as I gazed up at Myriah.

“It’s beautiful,” I said softly. “It’s so beautiful.”

“It is,” she replied with a nod. But there was a lack of excitement on her face.

“What’s the matter?” I glanced down at the bracelet and then back at her. “Do you think he should not have sent such a gift?”

I could see Myriah weighing her words again. I reached out to touch her shoulder and she patted my hand with a small smile and sighed.

“I’ve raised you since you were a babe. I’ve watched you grow in front of me. I’ve seen you ache for attention from the both of your parents. I’ve seen them turn their backs to you. This gift frightens me—frightens me in what it might imply to him, and what it might signify to you.” She took the box from my hands and placed it on the fireplace mantle.

“What do you mean by ‘what it might imply to him?’ He did ask if he could send me gifts as a way to mend the past—to make up for the way he’s neglected me.”

Myriah grabbed a folded and clean linen from my bed and held it up for me to take. I rose from the water and wrapped it around myself, stepping out carefully on a special rug she placed before the basin.

“I don’t mean anything by it, princess,” she explained softly, shaking her head. “I think if the König wishes to try to connect with you, then I can only be happy for you. I just want you to be careful. There has been plenty of rumors traversing round the castle, and I know something isn’t right. Something hasn’t been right with His Majesty for . . . quite some time.” I knew Myriah spoke the truth. I had known since seeing the maid in the hallway.

Just as she finished dressing me in a clean nightgown and began to comb out my hair, I touched her arm with a gentle smile.

“Thank you, Myriah, for caring—for tending to me. I . . . I’ll be careful. I promise.”

“You don’t have to thank me, princess,” Myriah said. “I know you’ll be careful. You’re a strong girl, Aurelia. Stronger than you know.”

I took the comb from her hand and smiled.

“It’s late, Myriah. You should get some sleep. I can do this myself.”

Myriah chuckled and patted my cheek with her gentle fingers, “My sweet girl.”

I smiled in response and pressed a small kiss to her cheek.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” I promised.

Myriah walked slowly to the door and turned back to look at me with a shine in her eyes.

“He doesn’t deserve your forgiveness, princess. He doesn’t deserve anyone’s forgiveness for the crimes he’s committed.” With a stubborn nod, she opened the door and slipped into the corridor.