NOVEMBERLAND: the little shieldmaiden

3

"What are you doing?!" King Gryffin said in a grumpy when I just realized who I walked into. His fragile body was on top of me. "Your highness!" A servant shouted as he heard our bodies hitting the floor. 

"I'm sorry I was just-"

"Oh, it's you," he said as he was helped up on his feet and realized it was me. His face totally changed when he saw it was me, it went from confusion to annoyance. 

"I did not mean to bump into you, I did not know-"

"You were probably spying weren't you," he said and brushed off his gold-embroidered jacket. "Stupid norseman, doesn't know any manners, nor rules," he said under his breath. When his servant had checked over him he walked away. I felt rage bursting up in my veins, but I decided not to act, as it would not be smart, and I had to return to my chambers before Eleanor came back. 

"Excuse me, I'm lost, and I don't know where I can find my chambers. Could you help me please?" I asked another servant.

"Yes, of course, your highness," the servant said and followed me back to my room.

As I arrived in my chambers again it had begun to darken outside, and all I could think about was King Gryffin. I had no idea why he acted like that towards me, and it made me angry and sad. I had gone on this trip to explore, not to stay in a castle that was more like a maze, and the only people I could interact with was a grumpy kid and Eleanor, even though she was nice. This was more like a nightmare rather than an adventure, but I hoped that the dinner might go better, meeting other people. What I was the least excited for was wearing a dress, even though I had worn the same thing for multiple days s straight, it was better than wearing a corset and a tight dress, which was very inconvenient. 

Later Eleanor came back and she created a bath so that I could wash off the days of travel and look more human, or, that was what she said. The tub was rather big and she filled it with different oils and herbs that smelled lovely, the sent was like no other, but I swore I had smelled it before. When I was finished I smelled extremely good, and I could not have been happier. Eleanor was easy to talk to, and she told me all about caliban traditions and culture. We also talked about Tyr and his family. She was his aunt's child, and they usually visited them a couple of times each year. She seemed happy that I knew someone she knew, and she also loved talking even though I thought she was a quiet person. 

When I had dried up I put underwear, which looked like a white silk dress. After that, she took on the corset and started tightening it, and I could feel my guts squishing together, it was a feeling that I had hoped I never needed to feel again. Usually, I did not wear corsets, as it was not that common in Lynrike, but here it was a regular thing for women to wear. Eleanor made sure that I could breathe, but just enough as I needed to be as sinched in as possible. Then we took on the gown and it fell over my tall body, and Eleanor started to adjust it. "How old is this dress?" she asked and looked at me whilst she was fixing the bottom.

"I don't know, a couple of years," I said, as I realized that I had not worn any of my dresses for three years.

"Well, you'd have to get some new ones soon. If every dress is like this one you'd have to go and walk around with a dress that looks like it was bought of a child. But, I've picked the best ones, and I'll put the order in for tomorrow, and we can get a designer to come and have a look at you. I will also get a dress for tomorrow," she said and stood up and started closing up the back.

"Could I also get some other clothes like the ones I took with me? Some that I can train in?"

"I'll try, if he won't make any I'll look in the village," she said sounding a little annoyed, but I think she understood. "Do you have any belts?" she suddenly asked as she looked on my waist as some fabric was loose.