The Sword Of A Princess

CHAPTER EIGHTTEEN

My crusty eyes had never felt so heavy before. Clare opened the rest of the heavy drapes, letting the soft morning light flood into my chambers. The sky beyond was clear blue, it looked just as icy as I felt.

"Good morning your Highness. It is rather cold today, perhaps a second petticoat to keep warm during the day." Clare said as she wondered around the room picking up missed laundry from last night, placing it in a pile to take away later on.
"Would you like a bath this morning?" Clare asked as I laid still in the soft cotton bedsheets, changed for the winter to keep warm overnight. My head rested on one of the softer pillows finding it the most comfortable to sleep on.

"Your Highness?" The young maid asked, moving into my view after I didn't respond.

"Are you unwell?" She rushed over placing the back of her hand against my temple.

"I am fine. Please." I waved her hand away, rolling over so my back was to her. I faced the fireplace in my room, the coal still permitting heat from the ashes.

"Very well." Clare said behind me. I heard her move around the room then towards the door holding the pile of dirty laundry. She turned giving me a small curtsy then left. I rolled onto my back staring up at the moulded, decorated ceiling, the pillars of my bed stopping short of the roof, the white sheer drapes hanging around them. I let out a deep breath, last night events fresh in my mind, replaying clear as day.

I sat up knowing I couldn't remain in bed all day, pulling the sheets from my legs I frowned at the stains between my legs. Blood. My cycle had arrived overnight, another curse to add to the icy day. The blood had seeped through my chemise and onto my bedsheets. I slid out of the bed, pulling the sheets from the corners bundling it all together. I ripped my chemise from my body, stuffing it inside the sheets, keeping the blood out of sight.

I ran my own bath, adding whatever scents I found on the shelf, when the water started overfilling with bubbles I realised I added too much. I sunk to my knees in front of the bath, beaten already and it wasn't even breakfast. With my hands resting on the edge, I felt my eyes well up again with tears, the same crushing feeling returning to my chest as I thought about last night. Leaving his room after he said we should stop.

"Oh your Highness." I turned tearing Clare's voice behind me. "Let me help." I felt her place a towel over my shoulders and drained the bath, washing away the mountain of bubbles I'd accidently created.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled standing out of the way, feeling bad that she was cleaning up my mess.

"You're on your bloods? I saw the sheets. I'll fetch some cotton for your undergarments and sew it on." Clare smiled turning her head to me as she washed away the last of the bubbles.

"Thank you." I nodded. Clare refilled the bath for me, adding only one rose scent from the shelf. While I bathed away the mess and feelings that resided in my chest.

My maid did as she said, so I would not make a mess in my gown. It was right after I turned twelve I got my first blood, I had never felt such pain in my life. The cramps deep within the lower stomach were unbearable. As a child I didn't understand at first why it happened, it wasn't until I was fifteen mother told me I needed my cycle to be able to bare children, in the time between by blood is when I'd be able to conceive. Though it never really explained the pain I endured.

Clare helped me change into a long-sleeved blue gown, two petticoats underneath for extra warmth. I had told Clare to leave my hair down, feeling too heavy to be up today. She opted to twist some strands from the front, pining them behind, leaving the rest to fall naturally over my shoulders. I thanked her before I left to the dining room, meeting Lionel in the corridor along the way. My personal guard working today.