Poisoned

Poisoned - Ch. 15 [Time]

          Chapter 15: Time

          An entire month had passed since I’d conversed with Prince Dominic. It seemed that, ever since our secret courtyard encounter, he had been going out of his way to avoid me.

          Now and then I’d catch glimpses of him from afar off, sharing a laugh with adoring admirers of the Court. But I came to see that he had a serious side, as well. If I was to believe that his brother the Prince Francis led a frivolous lifestyle, then his younger brother was the complete opposite. Often I would be walking along a corridor either on some errand of Sir Daelin’s, or hurrying to find one of my teachers, only to see Prince Dominic coming the other way, in a deep conversation with some Lord or noble.

          I had a shrewd suspicion that Sir Daelin was sending me out on pointless errands on purpose – to acquaint me with the castle, and also to get everyone used to my presence. Ever since he had become convinced of my innocence, his demeanour to me had changed. We now respected each other, and it was an arrangement I was supremely happy with.

          On the other hand, I was seeing Viola more and more often. She confided in me one evening, as we sat on the rocks we’d once walked on, that I reminded her of a younger sister who had died. Besides, she was a gypsy: used to open plains and wild forests; caravans and bonfires in the night. The stifling regime of the Court was slowly making her lose her mind – or so she claimed – and I was the only one who understood. It seemed like her relationship with the ever-elusive fallen Prince was not a peaceful one. Understandably, Viola could be quite a handful, and she was as stubborn as a mule.

          Cordelia remained as wonderful as ever; at times when I found myself wallowing in despair – would I ever memorize all these poisons? Or, when would I finally be able to curtsy to Lord Clarence’s approval? – at those times Cordelia would show herself, laughing away all my troubles before pulling me out of the castle for some ‘fun’, as she called it.

          I had, by now, amassed for myself a loyal group that believed in my innocence. It was not a large group whatsoever, but that never bothered me. On the anniversary of my first month of freedom, I realized that this was it. Everyone who was willing to believe me already believed. It wouldn’t get better than this. So I accepted that.

          My little group consisted of Cordelia and her kind mother, Emmeline. Lord Deverell, whom I had met in the Baths on my first day, was also quite savagely on my side, though I secretly wondered if it was only because very few others were. He seemed to enjoy doing the unusual.

There were also Jude and Julian – I liked Jude very much, and I suspected that Cordelia liked him even more than I did. I couldn’t make my mind about Julian – he was a complete womanizer and had an annoying habit of disappearing for days on end before reappearing, grinning as roguishly as ever. Nobody ever knew where he went, and Julian certainly wasn’t telling.

          My maid, Faye, was also warming up to me. She chattered to me as she did my hair every morning, and had even offered to do it up in a nicer style than my usual twisted knot. Alan, the King’s royal Chef, never failed to greet me with a booming roar and a splitting grin, not at all bothered by the irritated glances that the rest of his kitchen staff sent my way.

          Sir Daelin was as firmly on my side as ever, and had resorted to all sorts of tricks to establish my image in everyone’s eyes. Though he preferred to call them tactics. When I’d scowlingly observed that this wasn’t a war, he had looked at me in surprise and said of course it was. I shook my head. Men.