I always walked behind Queen Alicia. A lady-in-waiting had set up the seats for the both of us. Queen Alicia sat with the women who were about to receive the gifts of the hunting event from their partners. As a concubine of the king, I was placed right beside Queen Alicia's seat.
One by one, the men arrived carrying the animal bodies covered in blood. One brought three swans with their necks tied, two men each brought a small doe with its limbs still stuck to the ground.
My body turned cold. I didn't want to see the hunting animals again. I started to feel dizzy from the rancid smell of blood that filled the palace grounds. I hoped I couldn't see again, so I didn't have to witness human vices like this.
