Where The Heart Lies

Chapter 2

                Today, I am too tired for Iris’ liking, so she pokes me in the arm making me drop the tray of food that I am to be serving to the king and his officials.

                “Amethyst, your eyes are all red, your pale, and you were gone all last night. Something happened last night and I want to know what.” Iris says as she helps me pick up the fallen food. We begin to walk back to the kitchens to pick up a different tray of clean food, and on the way I respond to her earlier request by saying, “I don’t believe that it is of your concern whether I am upset or not.”

                “This IS my concern, Amethyst, or am I not really your best friend?”

                “Of course you are my best friend I jus-“

                “If I am your best friend, you can tell me why you are upset.”

                “Iris I-“

                “Does it have anything to do with a certain boy you fancy?”

                “I-I don’t know what-“

                “Don’t do that, you know what I am talking about.”

                “Come on, we must serve the food before the king becomes angry.”

                I walk out of the kitchens and into the grand hall. I put the king’s food down in front of him and bow slightly before turning away. To my regret, I hear Cane’s voice carrying over to me as he tells the giggling Princess about the hardships of training this week. I walk to the kitchens quicker than I walked out of them, and as I enter, I notice Iris staring outside of the door. I look behind me and see that Tomas is getting ready to sing for the whole court. He was very focused on his music, but he glanced over at Amethyst every few seconds. My mother always told me that Iris would marry well, and she said I would too, but I believe that she wasn’t correct in her prediction for me.

                I turn and walk into the kitchens to see the cook cooking fervently at the stove. He turns around quickly, and when he sees me, he simply says, “Leave. Go find something useful to do you worthless brat.” before turning back to the food.

                I immediately turn and run to the sewing room where I know Narsissa will be, sewing is one of her main jobs. I always feel very calm when I am sewing with her, but I can’t figure out exactly why. Perhaps it is the general quietness in the air, maybe it is the concentrating that just takes my mind off of the problems of my world, or maybe it is just the numerous dresses made of soft silk that I get to run my hands over as I piece them back together. I get to the room and open it quietly, sure enough, Narsissa is sitting right there sewing her fingers off on one of the king’s night garments.

                I sit down and pick up one of the Princess’ house coats and begin to sew. Narsissa and I sew in peace and quiet for a couple of minutes, but then she glances over at me and says, “Amethyst, you didn’t even say hi to me, are you ok? Did something happen?”