Aurora

Chapter 16

Aurora

Hours later Aurora was curled to her cell-like room when she heard a knock on the door and before she had the chance to answer the door swung open and Quora and two maids walked in with a dinner tray in their hands.

"My lady, we brought you food." Quaro said, and the maids placed the dinner tray on the table..

"I don't want it, take it away." She spat, but they seemed persistent.

"My lord insists you have some food before you meet." She said, as the other maids went around the room, "Please, have a taste." Quora walked towards her and helped her to the table. Aurora didn't fight it, despite her dismay she was famished,

"What's in it?"

"Porridge stew and brewet." Quora answered unveiling the trays and causing Aurora's stomach to grumble at the sight. She picked the spoon and Quora urged her to eat, before hovering over to the dressing room to select a dress.

"Any news from Jack." Aurora mumbled, causing Quora to stop and return with a dress,

"No words, but my lord have men searching for him." She lined the dress on the bed, "I pray to the lords his safe and well." She muttered quietly to herself, returning to her chores, "Your bath is ready, my lady and your dress laid on the bed. Is there anything you need, My lady?"

"For you to stop addressing me with, My lady." Aurora hissed, getting up, "Just call me Sarah, no Lady, no mistress, Just Sarah." As much as she dreaded going by a name other than her own, she would rather hear it, than the mind mumbling formalities.

"Miss Sarah but you must bath now, My lord is waiting." Quora said and led her towards the already steaming tub, and joining hands they stripped her off her clothes and helped her sink in the depths of the water, the steaming warm water felt relaxing against her skin, cleansing all the grams of dirt from her travels with Jack and as they scrubbed and soaped her skin,

She thought of Jack, while flinching and dreading her last words to him, but at the same time she prayed he might be safe.

Aurora was dried and rubbed with a lavender-scented oil before she was lead in front of the mirror where they combed her hair and embedded her body with jewels.

As Aurora gazed at Sarah with envy, the women placed a dress embossed with gold over her before stepping back to look at her, "You look like a queen, My lady." Quora awed and Aurora looked at her swiftly in the mirror, but says nothing, "We would escort you to my lord now?"

They helped her up and escorted her down the empty hall of the castle, before stopping in front of two large doors.

Aurora stood aside and waited for them to open the door, before walking in, "I would be here if you need anything." Quora stepped back and allowed her to proceed to the table where Jonathan was savoring to a bottle of whiskey.

"You sent for me." She spoke in one breath.

"Sit." He ordered and Aurora quietly pulled out a chair and settled beside him, "Would you like some wine?" He asked her and she shook her head in response.

"And, Jack?" She said, holding to her temper, "Have you found him?"

"You." Jonathan called suddenly, pointing at one of his guards, "Ask the footman to summon the minister and his scribes to this table." He said, and the guard dashed out of the room.