Three days had passed since the incident with James and nothing unexpected has happened again, which we are most grateful for, everyone had become more cautious. The house became quieter, less helps chatting when they did their work, more people volunteered to help so there were enough to switch on a daily basis, mother had begun to look less stressed, she even reported in the meetings we had with the towns people late last night, that we might just be able to run through this visit successfully without another hiccup, it was good news, hopeful news, we were all happy.
It seems today started to the tune of our joy last night, because the sky was beautiful, the sun shining brightly, but not burning and singing birds had become a given for a house so close to the forest, it was simply a beautiful day.
I wore a yellow dress today it was simply a beautiful dress as beautiful as the others, it had loose pale yellow lace materials layered on each other to give it volume, it had a single rope as its belt that I tied around my waist, the hand was simply more of the fabric tied as a bow by my shoulder, the footwear I wore covered my toes and had a little heel, it helped the long dress not to sweep the floor too much.
I came down the stairs expecting to see mother, father, the general and the prince in the sitting or dining area, but I saw no one, so I went the balcony and there they were watching a spar, the prince was sitting on the cushion at the balcony, my parents and the general however were sited closer to the action under a tent, I couldn't see the fighters, it had to be the generals men, what I could see was the two empty seats next to them. I assumed one was for me and the other was for prince Charles, but instead of joining the tent I went to sit next to the prince.
"Your highness" I said greeting him "Miss Eva, hope you had a good rest?"
I passed him, my gown still sweeping the floor a little, and sat on the chair right next to him, his eyes trailing me as I went to sit.
"Wonderfully well your highness, hope you slept well yourself your highness"
"I had a good night rest"
"That is great news your highness"
"Hmm, there is a seat by the tent for you, you know, wouldn't you prefer to join your parents by the tent"
"Yes I saw, I however have no interest in watching a spar, especially not this early in a beautiful morning"
He chuckled it was low and did not last very long.
"You sound like you hate sparing Miss Woodson"
"I in fact I do not your highness, it's an unnecessary show of violence where some people watch and clap, while someone other people are at risk of getting themselves hurt, and when it's the general watching, then you can only be certain that someone will get hurt"
I just misspoke, but he wasn't saying anything about it.
"Seems like you don't like violence miss Eva"
"Not when it unnecessarily puts a person's lives in danger"
"Hmm, how is your friend?"
I couldn't imagine why he was asking, but I still answered
"He's doing well, his injuries are healing nicely, and he has gotten back to work" The prince slightly frowned at that.
"He must be a loyal servant, to still be working here" he said it like a statement but in truth it was a question.
"He is not a servant, he just comes around to help"
"In that case it would have been best for him to leave, for his own good"
"Why do you say that your highness?"
There was silence, it was rather uncomfortable for me, anxiety filling me as I waited for his response which eventually came, but it was certainly not the explanation I was hoping to hear.
"We should go inside Miss Eva, it's about to rain"
"What that's ridiculous the sky is as clear"
In that moment I saw the first drop of rain glistening in the sunlight, I looked over at where my parents where sited, but they were not getting up, maybe they didn't notice, the sky was still clear after all, "Mother"
I called, she turned and smiled at me, the general told her something, and then she waved at me to join them.
That's not right mother would never tell me to enter the rain, when she knew it could wash out the color of my hair, she must be acting in accordance to the generals request.
I looked towards the doorway to find the prince still standing waiting for me to join him.
I contemplated whether to join the prince, or send him in without him and join my parents, but I still needed to get the answer to my question.
"I should better go respectfully decline his offer" I said to the prince before heading towards my parents,
I held my gown in my hand running across the lawn that had now started to get a little bit muddy so it wouldn't get stained, but what I saw made me drop the gown without a care,
James was the one sparing, he already had an injury on his back and had no sword fighting skill, what was mother thinking, what was the general thinking,
And suddenly what the prince had said about James leaving, made complete sense me, the rain had started to drizzle now, and I was still standing under the rain not giving any thought that my hair was getting wet.
"Eva, you will get sick standing under the rain, come sit with us" mother said from under the tent.
I knew what she was more worried about, and it was not James, Nether was it really my health, I also knew the consequences that will follow if her worry was to come to pass, so instead I turned and headed back inside, not bordering to give her a reply nor did I spare a word for the prince who was still standing at the doorway,
I headed straight to my room locked the door after me and cried myself to sleep.
…
I woke up to a knock on my door "Miss Woodson, are you awake" I sleepy responded rubbing my eye with my palm "Who's there?"
The person waited a second as if thinking about the answer before responding "It's me, Prince Charles"
That instantly got the sleep to leave eye, I got up in a heartbeat panicking in my own room.
It was dark but I could still see my bed stained with a dark shade of stain I quickly lit a lantern to brighten the room, and surely it was stained by my hair, I was busy trying to find a quick fix when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on my table, I went to my metal mirror, to get a better look hoping that I saw wrong but the stain was everywhere, the dress ruined my hair a mess of two shades one brown the other a dark shade of gold, at that moment there was another knock at the door
"Miss Eva?"
"I'M COMING!, Your highness, please wait one minute" I pulled off the gown and wore my night robe, took a colored shawl and tied my hair covering every single strand I tried cleaning my face with a piece of cloth but, it only succeeded in smudging the stain all over my face some more without really cleaning it.
Panicking I blew out the lantern and opened up the window, it was the peak of night, the moon high in the sky, I had slept the whole day, hopefully he doesn't see well at night and wouldn't notice the huge brown stain covering most of my face and a lot of the bed, I was still looking for another solution when the knock came a third time, I then went to the door unlocked and opened it.
"Your highness" I said standing at the door, he looked at my hair at the strange way I wrapped it.
"Can I come in"
"yes, of course" I stepped back into my room, away from the doorway allowing him to enter, he looked around at what was a typical girls room, light peach walls, peach bed dressing with embroidered flowery prints, wooden furniture's, including the bed raiser, table, chair, box, wardrobe.
I closed my door and offered him my chair while I sat on the bed,
"You have something on your face miss Eva" he said motioning to his face, then to mine
"Ah yes its nothing, just a mask for my skin"
"It seems to have stained the bed as well"
"I slept off with it on my face"
"Hmm, Miss Eva, I came here to ask you some important questions" His expression suddenly turned serious.
"Is there any problem your highness?" "No I just need you to answer some questions about the general"
"You want me to tell on the general?"
"Yes"
"What do I get for answering these questions your highness" he smiled at my question.
"How about your friend's safety?"