16th Century Style Court story - Untitled

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

            At the end of the night when the music had long since ceased and everyone but the servants had retired, I was still awake and perched on the end of my own bed. I faced my pillows where Adrian was sitting. There had been many times when he would sit with me and talk. He would never overstay though if I had my way, we would never part and talk about all we could. It was late and the moon was shining in my window surrounded by a few twinkling stars. Adrian had just finished telling me of his small experience and as I had in the hall, I was laughing.

            'Does it amuse you so much when I am in uncomfortable circumstances?'

            I coughed and settled myself. 'Ahem. Not always. I am sorry, Adrian.' I placed both my hands in the gap that my crossed legs formed.

            He turned his body and laid down with his head next to my thighs. 'You should not apologise to anyone, my Lady.'

            'In public, no. Here, with only you to hear, I can. I hate to say this but you should go soon.' Leaning over slightly, I absentmindedly played with his hair.

            'Hmm, yes. Can I stay a little longer?' he asked and ran his hand up my arm.

            'Yes but not too long,' I warned him, stopping his hand from reaching my shoulder.

            I was about to let his hand go when he took mine properly in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. 'He is right though.'

            'Who was? And about what?' My eyes watched his hand.

            'Rainer.' He sat up and looked me straight in the eyes. 'That you're beautiful.' Adrian had told me this many times in the past, only this time it felt different.

            I shut my eyes and turned my head away. 'Don't say it like that, Beau.'

            'Like what?' He chuckled and I felt him shuffle closer.

            I pulled my hand free. 'Like it means so much to you.'

            'But it does. Would you rather me lie to you?'

            As I sighed, I gave him a quick glance. 'No. Of all the people who class themselves as my friends, I trust you the most.'

            He leant closer only to kiss my cheek. 'Now I should go.'

            'Yes.' I was so reluctant to let him leave; all of me wanted to pull him back and make him stay all night. 'Goodnight.' And off he went, leaving me to lounge out freely on my bed wishing he was still beside me.

            I had to think of ways to keep Rainer occupied while he was here; other than when he had to talk to my brother. We went hunting, riding and even rowed along the river. The problem with Ambassadors was that they could be in court for weeks, months or years and no one could ever be sure when they would be ordered back to their own country. Eventually I ran out of ideas and I left him to his business and had my own fun. Being in court nearly every day had its bad times and good times. After three days in a row, I would usually spend two on my own or with my friends outside or in my quarters. My chambers consisted of my bedroom, a small meeting room and dining room and another room with nothing in it at all. It was empty unless I held a ball or banquet.

            Fortunately, I did not have too much to attend to for a long while. I did what I wanted, when I wanted and there were only two people that could order me to do anything else. As my luck was going, I was ordered a lot to sit around in Robert's council meetings in his place whilst he was hunting boars or bedding women. Every time my imagination ran wild with images, I shook my head and re-read the last piece of parchment set in front of me. There were only a handful of men (mostly dukes) that sat in these royal councils and only two of them were friends to me. It was my duty so I made the best decisions I could with such heavy burdens on my shoulders. Eventually, after signing off a small trade agreement in fish with Fiklan, had I had enough of doing my brother's job for him.