October 20, 1345.
St. Martin's Fort,
The high town of Leithill,
Border Town between Myknos and Imras.
Princess Alyn Midika Tutton
As Alyn watched Duenna Eleftheria sip the chamomile tea delicately from a fine white china set, she struggled to keep a guilty expression off her face.
In a few hours, she would have gotten rid of the huge stumbling block to her mission but at what cost?
Ever since she had arrived at Leithill, Lord d'Estaing had made it his mission to avoid her at all costs and she had made it her mission to annoy him to the point where he was forced to place the older lady on extra watch duty.
At first it had been bearable, but over the past few days, it had grown suffocating. She couldn't step one foot outside her door before the Duenna appeared ready to provide whatever she may need inside her room.
It suddenly seemed like she was in prison. A rather comfortable one at that. To think she had thought Duenna Nefeli overbearing.
The older woman's presence wasn't entirely burdensome as she didn't speak too much or fuss over her unnecessarily but where the Duenna went, so did the devilish twins.
Yes she shouldn't think such rude thoughts about people but the twins were indeed monstrous. They never had anything good to say about people and they always had the dirtiest tales to tell.
Such nasty little creatures indeed!
Her days were spent with the Duenna and her charges, each burdensome in their own ways. Were it only to be the Duenna, Alyn was sure she wouldn't have minded so much but it was those girls she couldn't stand. But what could she do really?
The woman was their chaperone after all. What with Nerea's reputation for being seeing in compromising positions with the gentlemen in her father's court and Nurea's tendency to waltz into trouble, God only knows the woman had to keep a tight leash on the two.
And so she awaited dinner, with bated breath and a guilty expression, wringing her hands all the while.
'How did anyone stay calm in situations like this?' She wondered.
She definitely couldn't. This wasn't her first solo mission and she surely hadn't suceeded at all the others but this was her first solo mission in which someone could get hurt.
Oh blast that witch Khasi for putting her in this position.
Why couldn't people ever be satisfied with what they've been given? She was to be a queen for Christ's sake.
At last, the dying moments came and she watched as the Duenna's face turned live as a foul odor filled the air. She said nothing and acted like she hadn't noticed but the twins weren't so kind.
"Duenna! How dare you?" Nurea screeched placing a hand over her button like nose.
"I'm sorry your highnesses. I don't know what's come over me tonight." She said, moaning as a loud gurgle sounded from her stomach.
Pity and guilt filled her as she watched the woman place a hand on her rumbling stomach.
"Oh Duenna. Are you alright? You look pale." Sge asked, unable to keep the guilt and pity from seeping into her voice, "Should I send for Mother Superior?"
Every castle, fort and manor, depending on the wealth of the family, had a resident priest, a Mother Superior who oversees the chapel and sanatorium and sisters who assist the Mother.
Her heart aches when she thought of the Mother she had left behind in Myknos. Everything Alyn knew about herbs, she had learnt from her. The woman had been like a second Mother to her.
YOU ARE READING
A Kings Surrender
Historical Fiction"Oh really. I'd say you really enjoyed my visit." He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He walked closer to her until she had to use her hand to stop him from crushing her against the wall. He bent his head and nipped a small line from her n...
