The Traitor's Daughter

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

“My lady, don't you want to come see the snow fall?” Elizabeth's maid, Jane questioned.

Elizabeth was tucked away underneath the blankets the covered her bed, wrapped up in one of her warmest dresses and two of her warmest cloaks. A large fire roared in the fireplace that sat in front of her bed, and yet, the poor girl was still cold, her teeth chattering.

“No,” She called out. “I have seen snow before. It is not that magnificent.”

Elizabeth could only picture her maid's disapproving look on her face.

“I hate to force you out of bed, but the queen has requested that you help her to get dressed this morning. She'll be expecting you any moment now.”

Elizabeth groaned and popped her head out from underneath the covers and met Jane's gaze.

“Can you not tell her that I'm sick and can't be bothered?”

Jane pretended to ignore that comment and moved to the bed, then immediately threw back the covers and pulled a protesting Elizabeth from the warmth and comfort of the blankets.

“Come now. Let's get your hair fixed and get your new necklace on. I'll even allow you to leave your hair down to give your neck some extra warmth.”

Elizabeth said nothing as she was pushed into a chair, where Jane fawned over her and made sure her hair was in a perfect position. She separated her hair in two halves, a top half and a bottom half, and braided a green ribbon through the top half, leaving the bottom half down around her shoulders. Jane moved the hair to the side and quickly, but gently, clasped the pearl necklace from the king around her lady's neck. Elizabeth was right; the diamond rested exactly in the hollow of her neck.

Jane commanded Elizabeth to stand, then removed the two cloaks from her body and replaced it with a black fur mantle. She made sure that Elizabeth's green gown was situated correctly and had no wrinkles in the thick fabric, helped her put on shoes, then nodded, telling her she was done.

“Now go. The queen is waiting.”

Elizabeth groaned inwardly, but did as she was told and exited her rooms through the door that led to the queen's bedchamber. There, she found the queen sitting in front of her fireplace, staring at the fire as it danced in the grate. At the sound of the door opening, she looked up and smiled, although it didn't reach her eyes. Elizabeth noticed that there were tears staining her cheeks. She immediately bobbed a curtsy, and smiled in return, curious as to why the queen was crying.

“Lady Ashbury, it is marvelous to see you. Have you seen that it is snowing?” She questioned as she stood up from the chair she had been sitting on.

Why is everyone so damn fascinated by a little snow?

“I have,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “I hope that spring comes soon.”

The queen grimaced. “As do I. I am but a young woman, and the cold is bothersome to my joints. One would think I was fifty instead of twenty.”

Elizabeth said nothing as she turned to a pair of gowns that laid on the queen's bed, one of them the one that she would wear. Both were purple – the color of royalty, and also the queen's favorite – and were cut in the same style, so Elizabeth chose the one on the left without thinking much about it. She helped the queen into it, while listening to her sniffle, trying to stop herself from crying.

“Your Majesty,” Elizabeth began. “Forgive me if I am prying, but might I ask what is the matter?”

The queen was silent for a few seconds, until she sighed, while Elizabeth continued to lace up the queen's gown.