All The King's Men

All The King's Men-Chapter Sixteen

She woke to the moonlight shining through the open doors to the balcony, and the sound of Megan rustling around in the wardrobe. 

"Good Eve, your highness." Megan curtsied, "I feared you would sleep all night." 

Amelia sat up, and rubbed her eyes. "Perhaps, I shall." She flopped back on the pillows and pulled the blankets over her head. 

"Oh, nay, your highness..." Megan pulled at the blankets, "The King is expecting you, you cannot go back to sleep." 

"I do not care." 

"I am supposed to inform the King as soon as you have awakened." 

"I am not awake." Came the muffled response.

"But...your highness, Maxwell de Vence has fled the palace. The King has stripped him of his title, and his lands." 

"That is the best news I have ever heard." Amelia pushed back the covers. 

"The King has appointed a Duke to Chalone. He will overlook the southern half of the Kingdom." Megan crossed the room to the bathing chamber and pushed back the curtain, "I have drawn you a bath."  

Amelia pushed off the bed, and entered the bathing chamber. Steam drifted up from the large tub by the fire. She stood still while her maid undressed her, then stepped into the tub. "Who did he give the Dukedom to?" 

Megan grinned, "Sir Lucas." 

Amelia sunk up to her neck in the hot water. "I should have known." 

"From what I have been told, he is planning on leaving the palace to go to Castle Chalone right after tonight's banquet." 

Amelia paused, her hand midway to reaching for the soap. Lucas is leaving. Suddenly she felt as though someone were pressing on her chest, it was difficult to breath. She closed her eyes, and concentrated on breathing slowly. 

"Are you well, your highness?" 

"Aye," Amelia picked up the soap, and began washing. "I am well." 

Megan picked up a bucket of water and poured it over Amelia's head, then began washing her hair. "The King has appointed Micah, and John as the Kingdom's new Lord Marshal's. They have already left to search for de Vence." 

I am alone, Amelia thought. Martin knew that Micah and John were loyal to me, so he sent them away. She bowed her head while Megan rinsed the soap out of her hair. Her bath finished, she stood and stepped out of the tub. Megan patted her dry, and she stepped into clean under garments. 

"This gown has just arrived from the seamstress." Megan reached into the wardrobe, and pulled out a royal purple soft velvet gown. 

"It is beautiful." Amelia reached out to touch the soft sleeve. 

"You have a crown with amethyst stones." Megan pulled a wooden box from the bottom of the wardrobe. 

Amelia stared at the velvet gown, her mind working over the information she had just learned. "He will never return." 

Megan paused, and looked up at her. She did not pretend to know who Amelia was talking about. "De Vence created a lot of damage to that half of the Kingdom, your highness, he is needed there. He will not likely return to the palace for many years." 

"He is at the banquet?" 

"Aye, it is being held at the tournament grounds." 

Amelia quickly pulled on the gown, and turned her back to Megan. She looked at herself in the mirror as the maid tied the ties in the back. The gown had a scoop neck, and sleeves that trumpeted at the elbows. She slipped on a pair of matching shoes, and sat at the mirrored table.