The Second Son

Chapter 21

2 weeks later

I had finally arrived in the Capital. The journey here took much longer than expected. We got delayed halfway because of foul weather. Torrential downpours and ferocious winds made the roads impassable for several days. I was fortunate enough to be traveling in my uncle's carriage but all that extra weight made it impossible to drive through mud. And mud there was! I had wanted to just ride ahead on my horse but the attendant that my uncle sent with me said it was inappropriate for a female to travel alone. It was pointless to argue.

We managed to find lodging in a small village close by. There was a small inn with a few rooms above a less than savory pub. But the woman that ran the place was very kind and my room was small but clean. That's all that mattered to me. In the short amount of time that I spent there, I learned that the villagers were suffering from the same unknown disease that the king had almost died from. It was a full on epidemic at this point. I saw a few patients while we were marooned as I had no other way to occupy my time.

We arrived at the King's castle midday and there was so much activity. This place was at least three times bigger than my uncle's manor. And there were people everywhere. The castle was surrounded by a city that made everywhere else seem provincial. It was noisy and smelly and hot and it made me instantly homesick. Maybe I made a mistake coming here. Not that I had a choice. You don't say no to the King.

I was in desperate need of a bath and a nap and maybe even a hot meal. A man came out to greet us as we were bringing our horses to the royal stables. He was older and seemed very serious. He informed me that I was to be shown to my room where I had time to clean up and get settled before I was to be brought directly to the King. I got the impression that there was no time to waste. How bad were things here in the Capital? I had a feeling that people living on top of each other in this city was facilitating the spread of the mysterious illness.

I was led through a side entrance that opened up into a stone hallway. There was a servant girl waiting there. She looked to be about 17 or 18 so around my age. She was taller than me but thinner. Her brown hair was tucked under a servant's bonnet and her brown eyes lit up when she saw me enter the hall.

"Miss Emily, welcome! We have been expecting you! My name is Betsy. I'll be your lady's maid. Let me show you to your room." She grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the staircase in front of us. It was made of stone and it felt like it circled around forever. Finally, we reached an archway that led to a long hallway lit up by the sconces along the wall and the window at the far end. About halfway down the hallway, Betsy stopped in front of a solid wood door. She pushed it opened and gestured for me to go in first.

I entered my new room and was instantly speechless. It was at least twice the size of my room at my Uncle's manor. And I could tell the furnishings were of the highest quality. There was a large four poster bed that took up most of the far wall. There were 2 wardrobes which was amusing since I didn't even have enough clothes to fill one. There was a beautiful vanity with a mirror. Various toiletries were arranged perfectly along with a beautiful bouquet of roses. The King pulled out all the stops for me and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. I wasn't a miracle worker. I couldn't even take credit for saving his life. That belonged to the Arbors, specifically Alva who gave me the plant that saved his life. I was terrified I was not going to be able to live up to his expectations.

Betsy began undressing me which made me uncomfortable but who was I to prevent her from doing her job. I had never had a lady's maid since I was not a lady so it would take some getting used to. She led me over to a large copper tub by the window that was filled with water. My aunt had a tub like this but I was not allowed to use it. I stepped in and the water was lukewarm which was fine because it was a very warm and humid day. It still felt like summer here in the Capital even though it was the middle of the fall. Another thing to get used to.

After scrubbing off all the dirt and grime from the long journey here, I stepped out of the tub into a velvet robe held up by Betsy. She led me over to the vanity and sat me down on the stool in front of the mirror. She started brushing my hair and I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning. There was just something about having someone else play with your hair. I decided to take this opportunity to find out more about what I would be walking into.

"Betsy, when I go to see the King, will it just be him and I or will there be other people there?" I wasn't sure if I could trust Betsy yet so I didn't want to bring up my contentious relationship with the Queen.

"You are being presented to His Grace in the throne room. Most of his court will be there. But don't worry! They have all heard the story of how you saved his life so they are all anxious to meet you." She continued experimenting with my hair without realizing what her words did to me. An acute sense of panic hit me and I had to take deep breaths to slow my heart down. I had to be brave. I was personally requested by the King to be here. I had to remember that. I may be a bastard and I may be an orphan and I may not have a title, but I belong here!

I got the panic attack in check before it could manifest itself. After Betsy decided to just go with a simple side braid, she grabbed my hand and pulled me up off the stool and brought me over to the bed. Laid out in front of me was the most beautiful gown I had ever seen. It was the most beautiful shade of blue that reminded me of the sky back home and was made of the finest silk. It had long sleeves but a deeper cut at the neckline that I was not accustomed to. The fashion here must be a little more daring than it is at home.

After getting my corset tied on, Betsy lowered the gown over my head and I slipped my arms through. She tied up the laces in the back and smoothed out the skirt over my petticoat. I turned around to see myself in the mirror on my vanity table and barely recognized the girl staring back at me. I had never worn a dress as beautiful and delicate as this. Most of my clothing was utilitarian since I either was tending to the sick or foraging in the woods. But I actually looked like a lady.

Betsy stood behind me with a smile on her face obviously proud of her work. You would never known that I just arrived after being on the road for two weeks.

"The King ordered you several dresses made by the queen's dressmaker. They are in that wardrobe over there." She pointed to one of the wardrobes by the window. "But I felt this one was perfect for your debut to the court. It makes your eyes sparkle. I have a feeling that more than one courtier will be requesting a dance with you tonight."

"Tonight? What's tonight?" I asked dreading her response.

"After your presentation to the court, there is a feast to celebrate your arrival and to honor what you did for the Kingdom last year. You are a bit of a big deal around here Emily. Get used to it."

I don't think I ever will.

A/N I know this chapter is kind of boring but I need to set the stage for the next part of the story. Don't worry it will get more interesting. Thanks to everyone who is reading! I appreciate it so much! Leave a comment so I know what you are all thinking! 💙🌻