Bow to the King

Chapter Fourteen

"Thank you, Mistress," Rose said humbly.

"You are welcome, dear. Do not be fearful or anxious. God works all things for the good of those who love him."

"But what if what He views as good is not what I view as good, or is not what I wanted?"

"Sometimes in a situation we only see the bad - and it is true that there are very many bad situations we go through. But even then, God works things to bring good out of it. You will see in time, one day you will look back and see how God worked it all so that you would be happy. Even if the answer you get is not the one you wanted, it does not mean it is not good. What if He says 'no' to something you wanted because He has something better for you?"

"I suppose you are right," Rose mumbled, though her heart felt heavy.

"He loves you, Rose. Do not ever forget that. Think of it this way; a man might own a dog whom he loves. What if all the dog wants to do is eat and eat? The man cannot let his pet eat too much for he knows the dog will gain weight and grow sick. He wants the dog to be healthy, he loves the dog, but perhaps all the dog sees is a cruel master who takes away his food. God is like the man - He sees the bigger picture that we do not and cannot know," Mistress Eudora explained.

Rose smiled, suddenly more peaceful. "Thank you, Mistress Eudora. I truly feel much better."

"It is my pleasure. The world is a dark place and people are quick to blame God. But if the Bible is true and God is a good God, then He cannot be bad. I think He does not cause suffering or pain or death, that is just not who He is. He may let it happen, but He does not cause it. There is a good God and a bad enemy; so I do not blame God for the hardships I have suffered, I simply rest in Him and know that He will work everything out to bring good for me," Mistress Eudora said with a wink. She stood up and brushed her hands on her apron. "Right, then. I should be returning to the kitchen before the servants are too idle. You know where to find me if you need me, child." Mistress Eudora bent and kissed Rose gently on the top of her head. Rose beamed as he chest filled with warmth. Rose may have grown up without her parents, but Mistress Eudora made Rose feel like she had never gone a day without a mother.

Rose watched as Mistress Eudora trotted away. She smiled. When she was brought to the palace she had not expected to have a mother-like figure enter in her life. Rose turned her gaze to look out at the scenery. The sun was bright, the sky was blue, and the clouds formed the most amazing images. It was a beautiful day. To her left she could just see the tip of the village in the distance. Further beyond that was the immeasurable expanse of the woods, which curved alongside the village all the way to the castle. In front of her was nothing but endless, rolling green hills where she could see the dots of sheep grazing. To her right she could see the palace gardens spanning out as far as her eye could see. Rose's gaze paused on the flowering gardens. She immediately thought of the hidden garden and the time she had spent with Tristan.

Tristan.

Rose groaned and went back to banging her head on the table.

"I hope you were not planning on torturing your head all day," a voice said. Rose looked up quickly, hopefully.

"Tristan!" She cried out when she saw him a few paces away, grinning at her. Rose immediately stood up and ran to him. Without thinking she reached up on her tip-toes and hugged him tightly. His response was instant as he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her back. Rose breathed in deeply and wondered why she had felt so stressed; all the tension within her faded when he embraced her. She refused to think about her status as a servant. How could it be wrong to be with him when it felt so perfect?

"Rose," Tristan murmured, his breath tickling her ear. His arms seemed to tighten around her.

"I... I missed you," Rose stammered, suddenly shy. She let go of him and took a step back; Tristan let her go. "I am sorry, I should not have hugged you in such a public place," Rose apologised, though she looked around and realised there did not seem to be any people in view.