Once Upon A [Hidden] Time - [Stolen] Series IV

CHAPTER 53

MYRA
1 JULY 1415

When I entered the hall to teach the children, I was greeted by Lord Norfolk.

"My lady." He bowed. "Allow me to show you something."

"Can we talk after the lesson?"

"This is for the children, too, my lady," he announced, motioning us to follow him into a room.

Excited, the children followed him. Upon entering, all the children ooh-ed and aah-ed at the grandiose of the chamber.

"Your classroom, my lady, as you requested," Lord Norfolk announced. The grandeur was more distracting than the hall, but the good part was the ceiling, which was painted like a sky full of stars.

"Thank you, Lord Norfolk," I said, gawking around the room. "Your help is greatly appreciated."

"My pleasure," he said. "I would appreciate if you let the King know of my work."

"Definitely," I answered. "I will let the King know how helpful and agile you were."

"Should you need anything, my lady, I would be pleased to serve you." He bowed again. Upon that, he left the room.

The children were busy gawking at the opulence of the chamber.

"Good morning," I announced.

"Good morning, Lady Farrow," screamed all the children cheerfully.

With Lord Norfolk's help, the room was an actual classroom, with individual desks and chairs that could accommodate more than a hundred children. The desks also had writing materials. I would now need a journal to mark their attendance. Never in my dreams had I imagined running a school in a castle in the medieval era.

Ha! Imagine that!

"Everyone," I announced, "take your seat, the little ones at the front." My voice echoed across the room. "The taller ones will go at the back, but don't worry—you will all have equal attention."

The room fell into a hushed silence as I helped the children settle down. James entered the room, watching with delight as he whistled. He was holding a tray and was looking incredibly cute in his mustard-coloured doublet, chains dangling around from one button to another, and wearing a smile that radiated the entire room.

James waved at the children with awkwardness, but the children returned him a poker face. His shoulders sagged on their attitude.

Placing a tray of lemon tarts in front of me, he ordered. "Eat."

"Thank you," I smiled at him. "You're too kind." He could have asked his pageboy to bring food, but it was very thoughtful of him to tend to me personally.

I took a bite of the sweet lemon tart, and realised that I desperately needed a sweet thing to eat. Perhaps my sugar level was low. I finished one tart and stood from the chair.

"Eat all of them," James instructed.

"Ha! You want me to become diabetic?"

"Huh?"

"I can't eat so many, but I will take another one," I said.

James leaned against the wall and I started my lesson. Going through the Roman numerals from one to ten, I helped the children write them. Since there were so many children, it took almost all morning for them to write ten numbers properly. I ate in between my lecture, but by the time I was done, I was utterly exhausted.

I sagged on the chair, taking a deep breath. This was much harder than I expected. The number of children kept increasing every day. Many of the nobles had fired their children's private tutors and brought the children to this class. I always wondered why they decided to allow their children to sit, learn, eat, and mingle with the peasants.

"You need to rest," James insisted, as he noticed my tired face.

After Edward's confession last night, I hadn't been able to sleep properly. The thought of him sending me back hurt me like a splinter. What made him say something like that to me? He had never talked about Steve in this way, and now all of a sudden, he was even considering a possibility that I could leave and go back to him?

"I am fine, James," I argued. "Just tired of everything..." I hadn't felt this exhausted before.

Once the children finished their lesson, I asked Emma to take everyone to the kitchen for their meals. When the room was vacated, James leaned against the desk in front of me.

"Has he hurt you?"

The room was utterly quiet. I looked at him with tired eyes, not sure of what to say. I fell in love with the woman I met in my dreams. I felt like I was blindfolded—lost to everything, even though my eyes were unhindered. Was I so blinded by his love that I failed to acknowledge his feelings—that it was not me but Jasmine who had captured his heart? And despite showing him his true reflection, I knew that he'd never betray his dreams. He had lived on with the hope that one day, he'd meet the woman who had invaded his mind—and I was not that woman.

"I want to get some fresh air," I announced. "Will you accompany me?"

"My pleasure," he beamed at my request.

As we passed through the Great Hall, we were surrounded by courtiers. We found our way to where Elizabeth was standing.

"His Highness," announced the bellman, "Prince Regent."

Edward entered the court, and we all bowed and curtsied in respect. Ah! I so wanted to go out and get that fresh air.

"His eyes search for only you," mumbled James. Elizabeth elbowed him to shush him.

"Quiet, brother," she warned. "The walls have ears, too." She had no stress whatsoever that she was forced to marry Edward. Perhaps she truly believed Edward when he said that he would arrange her elopement with her lover.

"We should encourage His Highness in his courting endeavour, sister," argued James. "Or else you will have to marry him."

I pursed my lips to not laugh at the sibling's argument. They were adorably cute and kept all my worries at bay. I had always wished to have siblings, but I never had one. Now, I could consider both of them as my own.

"What should we do, then?" I asked.

"You are so naïve, my lady," James answered me. "The entire court knows how he looks at you, and yet he knows not how to court you." Smirking, he continued, "You still need to learn how to make a man jealous and lose his wits." That's what I had already done in the chapel last night by bringing James into our argument.

"Brother," Elizabeth mumbled.

"Yes, sister," he acknowledged.

"Shut up!" she ordered. "I do not wish to see your head on a spike."

I looked down to stifle my laugh.

"My lady." Edward approached Elizabeth, raising her hand to kiss it.

"Your Highness." She dipped into a curtsy.

"There are some men at court here to visit you," he said, his face serious. He was ignoring me.

"Is there anyone of my liking?" she asked.

"Why do you not come and see?"he suggested. "And you, as well, Lady Farrow," he addressed me, not bothering tomeet my eyes.