Amethyst (A new Kingdom)

Part 18

I agreed to having Cora as one of my ladies in waiting as the Queen suggested it would make the prince happy even though it made me misserable to be near her and her complaining so often. I am more of a creature of comfort content to spend my days purusing the Princes work and making blankets for my future child. Pricilla is an expert in embroderi while I am a bit of a novic so we take turns teaching eachother skills. Helena teaches us stretches to aliviate pain in any part of our body without magic, she learned it from her mother who was a healer. faith is a fantastic reader and fills our days with stories. Cora found all of this quiet dull and was not afraid to speak her complaints loudly and often. 

Helena was about to lead us through stretches for back pain. as Pricilla and I were pregnant we were only moving the light furnature around hoping for faith and Helena to move the rest out of the way but Cora was making this hard since she draped herself on one of the seats that we needed to move. 

"could you be anymore dull we did stretches yesterday" Cora refused to move as Helena tried to get the chair out of the way. 

"we do stretches everyday to eliminate pain, increase mobility and keep health" I explained again "each day we do a different part of the body yesterday was our shoulders now it is our back and I desperatly need it. I think my child is using my back to learn how to climb" Helena, Pricilla and Faith laughed but Cora groaned 

"must you always bring up that thing in your belly" Helena kicked her off the chair by lifting it up and dumping her on the floor. she was not a fan of how she spoke about my baby. "

"show some respect that baby could be your future king" Pricilla had a snere on her face as she strolled to a area that had space to move around and set to removing her corset. Helena and faith set to do the same. I had to wait for help since I couldn't reach anymore. 

"couldn't we ever do something fun like going to the pub for a drink of listening to music. or gambling I love a good game of cards for money" she begged 

"we play cards with the queen on tuseday and we always go to the balls where there is plently of music and dancing. if you want more music the new lady in wating that is taking Pricilla's place is an excelent player of instruments and singer her name is Lira" I leaned forward as Pricilla removed my corset. 

"I am not going to just sit around here and stretch" Cora stated 

"well then go somewhere we have no desire to keep you we didn't want you with us in the first place" Pricilla practically spat at her "prehaps while you are gone you can find us a snack to eat when we are through perfearably something salty I am needing something like that." 

"I am no servant" Cora huffed 

"no but you are my lady in waiting and if you do not want to do what we are doing you can be of use in other ways so go find us some snacks for when we are done" I demanded. she rose from her chair and shot me a venomous look before slamming the door. "you would think we set her off to do something horrid" 

"alright lets get started get on your hands and knees while you are down curve your back up than let your belly dip down then repeat" Helena demonstrated before we tried. 

"some people are just horrid company wo matter what they are doing and that girl is one of them" Pricilla said as she was stretching "is Lira really the girl who is come to replace me?" 

"yes my father picked her. he is going for beautiful, inteligent women who are comfortable in thier own company so they would not be lonely in a loveless marrige" I explained "Lira is happy as long as she can make music and that is such a simple request I'm sure that any husband of means will be able to provide that for her" 

"I was just hoping for a bit of rebelion to join the group to keep you laidies sharp" Pricilla explained 

"I got a letter from a visiting Marquess he wanted to know of any prospects" Helena giggled as she told us about this "I told him that it would be proper to ask my father but that as far as I know there has been no agreements for courting" 

"that was sudden when did you meet the Marquess?" I asked 

"he was at the most recent ball I danced with him when you were resting your feet" she explained with a blush. there was a sudden knock on the door that julted us all out of our conversations. 

"I'll get the door" Faith said rising to her feet as Helena taught us another stretch. the scream that escaped had even me rising from the floor. on the door there was a knife embeded attaching a letter to the door that was wet with blood. Faith was looking at her hands screaming continously. that is when I realized she had blood on her hands becuase it was not just on the letter but all over the door. I tried to comfort her but she was frantic to get it off. "I don't know whose blood that is" she kept repeating. she assumed that there maybe a cures on the blood as blood is one of the most common ingrediants in curses. the commotion brought guards to my door in a hurry. 

they looked at the seane in fron of them and froze. not the most inspiring reaction. 

"get the prince and Lord ridgmount Imediatly" I screamed "and where was the guard that was supposed to be at my door!" 

Faith was crying on my shoulder when Helena came to her other side "it is okay we can fix this, everything will be okay"