Æðel chewed nervously on her lower lip as she fingered the fine parchment within her hand. She had been awoken abruptly that morning by a sharp brisk knock at the door and after ascertaining that it had not indeed been merely a manifestation of her dream she rose quickly. Hurrying into a robe she had opened the door and it had been a surprise to find one of the kings retainers, as she looked at him in his livery she had wondered for a moment if they ever slept or if they simply did so fully clothed, which of course was absurd as not a rumple or a crease was evident to say that that was true. It wasn’t until the young man coughed politely that she realised that she was standing in the doorway in only her night things staring. Suddenly self conscious and hoping her cheeks didn’t colour with the embarrassment she felt, she pulled her robe tighter. The young man at least had the decency, as was his place to look ahead at nothing as he lifted up the small silver tray in his hand, upon which sat the letter she now nervously fingered. If not for the fine script that clearly addressed the letter to
Miss Æðel,
Residence of the Healers
she might have thought the young man mistaken in his delivery. However before she had the chance to enquire as to whom the missive was from the young man was gone. She looked up the hallway in time to see him turn the corner away from the healers residences. …Residences of the Healers it made it sound grander than it really was. The truth of it was that the residences were no more than the two small rooms next to the healers hall that she and Hrethel occupied.
Closing the door and crossing to what under numerous scrolls, parchments and a stone pestle and mortar was a small writing desk, she slowly turned the folded parchment. Her legs almost giving out under her as she recognised the seal of the king. She dropped down hard on the wooden chair that was partner to the desk, her hand shaking as she fumbled to break the seal.
why on earth was the king writing to her….what could she have possibly done to give the king of all people notice! her hands shook further as she slowly unfolded the page.
A summons…it was a summons! Her stomach knotted and her throat dried as she read on quickly, but it said nothing more, no explanation only that she was to present herself at the hour before noon bell, in the Kings study. Feeling herself begin to panic she forced herself to take a deep breath.
It might be nothing, she thought forcing calm as she put down the letter and crossed to the dark wood closet that held her belongings.
Perhaps Hrethel wanted her properly presented before releasing her back to Lord Eodwine’s service? She chose out the best of her cytel, a rich brown that matched her eyes with a clean white shift, but before she even had them laid out on the bed another thought came to her.
Only a month ago she had disobeyed Hrethel and rode beyond the city in the hopes of doing a service for her benefactor, Lord Eodwine. But as with most things, not all had gone as she planned, infact none of it. She had barely left the city behind when she came upon two exhausted and terrified farm girls on a tall roan. It seemed that their farm on the boarder lands of the traitor Sorn had been attacked and their father had sent them to get help. After settling the youngest girl on her mare she had sent the older girl on to get the help her father had sent her for.
By the time she and the younger girl had reached the farm the excitement was all but over, the bandits or whoever had set about the farm had been killed or run off and now the farm hands with some of the local freeholders where helping to put out the fires. Several young men had been wounded including the girls father, she was kept busy attended their wounds and listening to anger and unrest as they awaited the arrival of the help the king would surely send. It seemed that since the removal of Lord Sorn many of the border farms on his land had suffered losses, mostly livestock and grain. This had been the first real attack and all eyes look beyond the border and to the hills ,
“they’re growing bold!” one man had muttered angrily.
Hama had come with fifteen men, they questioned everyone including her thoroughly, checking and burning the attackers bodies before sending her back to Hrethel who reprimanded her soundly, by setting her to scrubbing pots in the kitchen and forbidding her from going to Eodwine’s hall till she could prove herself trustworthy. An odd thing seeing as how every day since she had been allowed back to the farm to check on her patients and every evening over supper Hrethel would listen as she voiced her concern over the growing unrest. She pitied the Lord that was chosen to take over those lands, for he would have a job gaining the trust of those people, who to her were rightly feeling abandoned and unprotected.
Had Hrethel gone to the king with her concerns? What had she been thinking speaking so openly! But Hrethel was a friend and loyal to the king, he knew nothing of why she wished to remain unassuming and unnoticed… or did he , there had been questions… How long had she served in the healers halls in Minas Tirith?… And at what age?….. And why so young?….. And many others aside and although most she answered honestly there were others she had most definitely skirted around. But none of this was getting her anywhere, only knotting her stomach tighter and causing a dull ache at her temples. Perhaps Hrethel could tell her more? Quickly she brushed her teeth with salt and soda, washed and pulled on both shift and cytle, before quickly braiding her dark hair and heading to the study were she had hoped Hrethel would be.
The old mans study had been empty when she reached it, though the morning meal had be brought. So she ate alone, pondering were the old man could be. In fact she didn’t see him all that morning, which was strange as he always seemed eager and excited to start new lessons with her. As she went about the usual morning tasks she began to wonder if he was purposely avoiding her, but it soon became clear that no-one had seen him that morning not even Verin Hrethel’s maid, but by the time she had discovered this there was no time to worry about it as the appointed hour was almost upon her. And how she now stood a short distance from the kings study biting her lip nervously fingering the fine parchment hoping to find some last clue as to why she had been summoned.
“Miss Aeol!”
She started at the address and looking up quickly stuffing the parchment into her pocket. The voice was that of Tayn Farn one of the kings guard he was a tall fellow at least ten years older than her but still seen as young amongst many of the other guards, his golden straw hair showed under the helm that he wore and he always had the rugged look of one who forgot to shave that morning but it suited him and she had seen many a maid eyeing him when they thought no-one was watching. He was handsome she gave them that but he was also stern and very dedicated to his work. Any woman that thought to be his wife would have to realise that she would always be second to his duty.
A shame she thought as she nodded acknowledgement to his address.
The love of a good woman might actually make him a little less stiff.
“The King is Expecting you.” he said stiffly as she reached him.
Taking a deep breath she steadied herself “I'm ready.”
Tayn nodded a quick understanding before knocking on the large chestnut door and pulling it open for her.