Chapter Thirty-Six
I lost sight of anyone as we rounded a corner in the gardens. Large hedges blocked my view of most of the palace. A crazed look came over Jonathan's face. A determination I had not seen in him before. His hand felt clammy and his erratic behavior frightened me.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"A bit further."
"Why do we have to go so far from the castle? I don't understand what's going on."
"I don't want prying eyes."
I tried to yank my arm free of his iron grip; he simply tightened his grasp on my arm. I could feel his fingers digging deeper into my flesh. The muscle beneath his hand ached; I knew there would be bruises later.
"Jonathan, stop! You're hurting me."
Once we were beneath a weeping willow whose branches dipped into a babbling brook. Jonathan spun me around and pinned me against the tree trunk. His face was inches from mine. I could hear his raspy breathing and smell the spicy whiskey on his breath.
"You've been drinking."
"You're lying about the king," he spat at me. His sticky spit hitting me in the face.
"What are you talking about?" My heart slammed against my chest.
Someone give me a way out of this before he kills me!
"I know there is something going on between the two of you. Confess! You're making this more difficult on yourself."
"You're drunk, Jonathan." I tried to maneuver around him, but he grabbed hold of my wrists and held them down, pushing me back into the tree with his body.
"I don't want to have to hurt you, Joselyn. Don't make me."
"You don't have too."
"If you are having an illicit relationship with King Cassius I will. I love you too much to have to do anything to destroy that beautiful face of yours. Or worse. I don't know how kind the Guild will be to another offender."
"You're a bunch of monsters. Doing such horrible things to someone simply because they fall in love? How can you bear to live with yourself?"
He pursed his lips and let his head drop. "You are involved with him."
"Whether I am or not is none of anyone's concerns but my own."
"You took a fucking oath, Joselyn!"
"A person cannot help who their heart falls in love with. Not to mention, I was six. How can you expect a six-year-old to know how they want their life to go?"
"I thought you loved me!" Tears welled in his beautiful eyes. "I loved you. You were everything to me!"
"You were having relations with Anastasia! You didn't and you don't love me." I shook my head, turning away from his desperate gaze. "I'm not allowing you to hurt me."
A flash of blue caught my attention.
Angeline!
"Joselyn! There you are, love. Come on we have to head back to the castle now."
"Leave us, Angeline!" Jonathan barked at her.
"I'm sorry; sir, but I really need the Lady. There is a masque at the palace tonight and I must be sure she is dressed appropriately for a lady of her station."
He snapped his head toward her and let out a holler. I flinched as he slammed his fist into the tree again and stormed off, dripping blood behind him.
"What was that about?" Angeline asked, wrapping an arm around my waist and guiding me back to the palace.
"You couldn't have arrived at a better time." A tear slid down my cheek as I looked about for the intoxicated man. "He knows about Cassius and me."
"What? How?" she asked.
"I don't know. He's drunk and very upset."
"He is the worst trainer the Guild has."
"He's brutal," I said.
"Does the Guild know?"
I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. Angeline, he's the one who kills the assassins for their transgressions."
"I figured as much when he left so suddenly. They would only call away your watcher if it had something to do with Guild business."
"What do I do?"
"Convince Jonathan there is nothing going on between you and Cassius," she whispered.
"How on earth do I do that? I have to be with him constantly."
"We'll figure something out. Let's get you to the seamstress so you can have something appropriate for tonight."
"You were serious about the masque?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Oh. Well then. What shall I wear?"
"We'll leave that up to the experts. She'll make sure you look amazing though."
"All right."
I followed Angeline through the castle to a third floor overlooking the gardens.
That's how she knew where I was.
A plump, older woman emerged from a side room with swatches of cloth.
"Stand on ze pedestal, please." Her French accent was thick and beautiful.
I nodded and obeyed, climbing on the circular platform in the center of the room. She had gold, purple, red, black, and blue fabric strewn about. Wrapping each one around my body she cocked her head this way and that, walking large circles around me. She'd shake her head at one and toss it to the side. She'd pick up another and repeat the process until she came upon a brilliant sky-blue fabric that shimmered in the light. She smiled and nodded while draping the fabric over my body. She grabbed various shades of the blue and began snipping them.
"Disrobe," she ordered.
I didn't even know how to not listen to the woman. I nodded and began removing the dress I'd worn all day. I stood in the chilly room in nothing but my undergarments being stuck with pins as she put the fabric around my body. Despite the sharp pains, I enjoyed watching something amazing being created out of something so plain. She draped what would be sleeves off my shoulders and added more and more layers. I watched as she dug through a chest near the window, holding up something shimmering in the sunlight. She'd shake her head, put them back, and continue until a smile spread across her face.
"Zis iz ze one!"
She returned to me pinning like a madwoman around my bosom. Beautiful ruby, diamond, and pearl flowers adorned the ruched neckline of the dress. I stood there for hours as the woman continued to pin, cut, and sew a magnificent gown. Angeline sat back on a settee watching in sheer delight as I was transformed into a princess.
"Okay! Ze dress iz done!" The woman took a few steps back admiring her work.
As I stepped down her smile faded into a grotesque frown.
"No, no, no!" she shouted at me.
"What?" I asked looking about.
"Those shoes! They are hideous! Remove them at once."
Fearing for my safety, I quickly kicked the offending slippers to Angeline. Who picked them up with a laugh. The seamstress returned with a pair of white slippers adorned with more diamonds and jewels. A small heel on the back was covered as well. She slid them on my feet and nodded her head in satisfaction.
"Now you are done!"
I stood in front of the mirror and twirled.
I'm a princess!
"Not quite," a deep, soothing voice said behind us.
I turned to see King Francis and Queen Claude standing there.
"What could she be missing?" the woman demanded.
"Easy does it, Camille. There is nothing wrong with your work. She's just missing a few things."
Queen Claude approached me with her hands behind her back. "Close your eyes."
I did as told and felt a weighted object sit atop my head. I reached up and felt the tiered top of a tiara.
"Your majesties?"
"Now you look like a princess. And to complete the look for a masque you need a mask."
King Francis extended his hands, holding a white mask with slight gold tinting to it. A mighty gold feather sprouted from the side as black diamonds created intricate patterns.
"I don't know what to say!" I gushed taking the beautiful object from him.
"Just have fun tonight." Claude embraced me.
"I'll try." I turned to look at Angeline who was still in her traveling dress. "Angeline! You're not ready!"
"I suppose not." She winked at me as the seamstress went to a beautiful lilac gown hanging from the wall.
"That's yours?" I asked, staring at the beautiful gown in amazement.
"It is. I had mine prepared long before we arrived. When I heard we would be visiting during the masque I sent my measurements ahead."
"Smart."
"I have my moments."
We curtsied to the monarchs as the left the room to adorn their own gowns. Angeline stripped of her traveling dress and quickly stepped into the costumed gown.
"Shall we go together?" I asked as we left the room.
"I would love to but there is a mysterious, masked gentleman waiting for you." She motioned toward the landing of the stairs.
I gasped at the sight of the man before me. Never before had I seen a more princely and handsome man. My heart skipped a beat and my stomach flipped as I gazed at him.
"Lady Joselyn?"
I nodded and took his extended hand. His face was covered with a black mask adorned in white silk. His dark hair fell in his beautiful eyes while his kissable lips twisted into a smile. He wore black breeches, knee-high black boots, and a doublet of the most magnificent crimson and black fabrics hugged tightly to his muscled body. His broad shoulders stretched the jacket and the crest of the English monarch adorned the back.
"Cassius?"
"Yes, my beautiful lady."
A smile escaped my lips as I happily grabbed his arm.