An hour before the trial was to start, a servant arrived, bearing a basin full of clear water and a bundle of clothes, just as the guard had said.
“Here you go, miss,” she said, sliding the basin beneath the door and pushing the clothes between two bars.
“Thank you,” replied Claudia, gratefully taking the clothes.
The servant turned and left, having done what was needed of her.
Claudia unbundled the clothes. They were quite nice, but nothing too fancy; a black tunic with a red belt, and a pair of short, white tights to cover her legs. She put them on after scrubbing the grime and muck off of her skin and out of her hair using the water, and grinned. The clothes were made of fleece, which reminded her of home… Her smile faded quickly at that thought, so she quickly changed the subject of her thoughts to the trial ahead.
Forty five minutes to go, she thought excitedly. Then I get to tell all that has happened…
She laid herself down on the hard mattress once more, and this time felt a bump… She sat up and felt around on the mattress. It wasn’t in the sheet… It must be under the mattress itself. She lifted it up off of the floor, and saw a small box. Claudia picked it up gingerly, and put the mattress back down.
She then sat on it and examined the box carefully. It seemed to be made of ebony, or some other dark wood, and there was an intricate design etched into the wood with gold. She tried to open the box, but found it locked. She turned it over in her hands, but when it showed no sign of any hidden secrets, she stowed the small box in one of her tunic pockets.
And she waited.
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YOU ARE READING
Spellbound
FantasyClaudia, a young girl from the town of Aramore, has her world turned upside-down when the army of the fearsome King Konungr invades the surrounding villages, targeting Aramore next. She manages to run away during the attack on her town, but not befo...
