Blood Born: Assassin Book 2

Blood Born - chapter 9

"Princess Evelyn?" a distant voice called.

"Hmm."

"Princess Evelyn? Prince James asked me to fetch you for dinner."

"Dinner?" I asked groggily.

"Yes. Everyone is awaiting you in the dining hall."

"Oh." I sat up and stared at the young maid before me. "I must change quickly."

Standing, I untied the stays of my gown and let it slip to the floor without a care that the young woman remained in front of me.

"Oh!" she gasped, turning quickly.

I opened the great bureau that stood against a wall and scanned for something appropriate for my first night in Scotland. My eyes landed on a black damask gown. The chemise was a gorgeous dark green satin, the trumpet sleeves turned out to reveal the same satin. Lovely olive green leaves were stitched onto the satin in such exquisite thread. A black hood trimmed in lace finished off the gown. I glanced in a vanity mirror at the mess of curls that hung about my face. I tied them up with a blue ribbon and entwined a pearl diadem amongst the hair. I slipped into a pair of black slippers and ran to the dining hall.

"Evelyn!" James stood and his jaw slightly agape as he stared at me.

"Forgive me for being late. I did not intend on sleeping quite so late."

"You-you're fine," he stammered.

"Are you quite alright, my lord?" I asked as he pulled a chair beside him out.

"Fine. Fine."

He motioned for one of his servants to bring a goblet of wine for me as the kitchen maids and cooks brought out platters of food. His dinners were much less of an affair than my parents were. While he had some lords and ladies present, it was far more of a private affair than I was used to. A platter of chickens was placed in front of me, along with fish covered in lemons, bowls of cherries, apples, and what smelled like veal. A beautifully prepared pheasant was placed before James, he nodded his approval and the bird was then paraded before the lords and ladies who ooh'd and awed over it. The man who prepared it smiled from ear to ear at the satisfaction of the court. Something odd smelling invaded my senses; I glanced at a bowl of green, leafy things that rested near Charlene.

"What is that?" I asked James.

"It's cabbage and onions."

"Oh."

"Never had it?" he asked.

I shook my head as he spooned some on my plate.

"Is it good?"

"Put a bit of salt on it and it tastes good."

His minstrels appeared shortly after we began feasting, lovely melodies I wasn't familiar with drifted throughout the hall.

"How is your trip, Princess Evelyn?" a tall, broad man asked.

"It is going very well so far, thank you for asking."

He bowed his head to me and moved toward James. As the Scottish courtiers moved toward the center of the room to dance a man burst through a side door. His clothes were dirty, his hair disheveled, and he smelled of a barn. He ran up to the prince and whispered in his ear.

James's eyes grew wide as saucers before he whipped his head toward me and then back to the man. "Are you sure?"

He nodded his head.

"Come with me." James pushed his chair back and grabbed my hand, yanking me up.

Nervous about what was happening, I glanced at Charlene and Elizabeth as James dragged me toward the side door. The massive barn stood right outside the dining hall.