Don't Forget to Dream (13 page)

“
Do they know him as a man? Do they love him?
”
Rhyla asked not really wanting to know if they did.

“
I greatly doubt it. They love his title I expect but as young ladies in court often
are;
they are looking for the best possible match. Their interests lie in deferent places than Callum
’
s.
”

“
Surely he deserves someone who loves him, who knows and understands him, a woman who can embrace his compassion and desire for justice, a partner with the same ambitions. He is not a man to be used just as a title.
”
Rhyla paused
,
realising to whom her little speech was directed. She blushed and looked down apologetically.

“
I did not realise you knew my son so well Rhyla,
”
the Queen said looking anew at the young lady before her.

“
I barely know him at all your majesty. But I do know that he deserves to be happy, to have a woman who loves him, not his title,
”
Rhyla offered timidly.

“
That he does my dear.
”

Queen Aletta walked away leaving Rhyla feeling confused and anxious. No matter how hard she tried she could not stop thinking about how wonderful it felt to be in his strong arms as they danced to only a simple beat, to see him smiling so brightly at her, and only for her.

She finished the final detail to the golden mane of the stallion that would sit on his right
shirt sleeve.
The royal crest stood proudly down both arms of the blue fabric. For the remainder of the day and into the following morning she added a complicated twining of a blue thread darker than the fabric, along with black and gold thread that flowed around the cuffs, along the collar and down the front of the shirt. Rhyla was proud of her work and longed to see him wear it knowing that she had made it. But she was conflicted about how she felt about
Prince Callum wearing it
while he dined and danced across the hall from her. She was apprehensive and excited about delivering it and once they had finished their noon meal she had no excuse not to deliver it.

Although she had not been to his rooms before
, delivering
the shirt gave her the perfect opportunity for Lady Emelia to give her directions. Pausing outside the large double doors to his rooms she drew herself up straight, smoothed a wayward hair back into place and knocked gently as she held her breath.

Soft booted feet crossed the room towards her but they sounded different to what she was expecting. As the door opened she realised why.

“
Good day Rhyla,
”
Fer
ran greeted her. T
hey had been introduced in the
servant
’
s
hall shortly after her arrival.
“
Is ther
e something I can help you with, o
r does Lady E
melia wish to see Prince Callum?
”

Rhyla quickly noted the distinction in the two offers, being told very clearly what he thought of her. Feeling slightly offended but realising the truth behind his implication she approached him with a very neutral tone.

“
Good day to you Ferran. I have been asked by Queen Aletta to deliver...
”
she was cut off by a call from deeper within the rooms and the sound of booted feet
that
she did recognise.

“
Rhyla is that you?
”
Callum called out.

“
Yes my Prince,
”
she said curtsying as he approached. As she stood she realised that her heart ra
ced and her cheeks were flushed.
Surprisingly
Callum seemed equally flushed and at a loss for words.

“
I did not expect to see you till tonight,
”
he said haltingly.

“
I just came to deliver this,
”
Rhyla said as she held out the small bundle that was his wrapped shirt.

Before Ferran could take it from her Callum had his hands out. His finge
rtips brushed hers as he took the
parcel.

“
Thank you.
”

“
It is a new shirt, for tonight,
”
she added hastily.

“
A shirt?
”
he looked at her not fully understanding.

“
Lady Emelia and Queen Aletta insisted I get it to you as soon as it was finished.
”
She pointedly glanced at Ferran befor
e looking back at Callum. He
carefully
unwrapped
it before holding it up to admire.

“
Did you do this?
”
he asked taking a small step towards her as he turned to look at her again. He caught her cheeks turn a slightly darker shade before she was able to answer.

“
Your grandmother asked me to make it but she didn
’
t tell me who it was for. Your mother told me yesterday,
”
she said softly.
“
So I added a few touches of my own. I hope you don
’
t mind.
”

“
Mind?
”
he said warmly, full of unexpressed emotion.
“
How could I possibly mind? It is truly beautiful Rhyla. More than I deserve.
”

“
No, you deserve much more than I could ever give," she said softly, "I am just happy that you like the shirt and will be content to see you wearing it later tonight.
”

Her words rebuilt the barrier between then, just as she had intended they would. She knew she now held a position higher than she had ever thought imaginable for an orphaned farm girl, and she vowed to constantly remind herself that th
e man before her was her Prince;
a man to whom she owed her life.

“
I shall wear it gladly,
”
he said simply.

“
Then I shall be about my work. My Prince,
”
she said as she curtsied to him once again. She thought she saw him flinch slightly as she turned her back on him and s
trode away at a respectable pace. S
he had no wish for him to see her flee as she deeply wished to do.

By the time she had returned to the
women
’
s
’
hall to see to Lady Emelia
’
s needs she was certain that her eyes were dry, her breathing steady and controlled. How was she to endure his presence if this was how she was to react every time she saw him? She had no ready answers and nowhere to search for them either.

As the afternoon drew on
,
the women in the hall made their excuses and retired to their private chambers to make ready for the evening festivities.
Rhyla escorted Lady Emelia to her chambers only to find that Elsie had everything ready just as their mistress required.

“
Oh Elsie,
”
Lady Emelia sighed seeing laid out on her bed in the next room the gown and jewels she was yet to put on.
“
I don
’
t know how I could do this without you. It is just too tiring for a woman of my age.
”

“
But you will look wonderful my lady,
”
Elsie replied, always a little timid with her mistress, fearful
of displeasure yet never giving  any
cause for concern
as far as Rhyla had ever seen.

“
No matter how I look, thanks to your efforts, I shall be outshone by the young lasses of the court. I am not vain enough to deny the truth of my age. Now come
, my girl.
Where
is that other gown you have prepared?
”
Lady Emelia crossed her anti-room to follow Elsie into her bedroom. In moments Lady Emelia reappeared with a rich green gown embroidered with black swans and gold filigree around the cuffs and bodice. Elsie brought out a matching pair of slippers and a necklace with a single green gem.
“
These are mine but I wish you t
o wear them tonight, Rhyla.
You will truly do them justice.
”

She crossed the room to the stunned young woman. Rhyla stood silently with her mouth slightly ajar. Slowly she closed her mouth and allowed a broad smile to fill her face. Tentatively, not trusting the dress to disappear before her eyes, Rhyla reached out and with a single finger stroked the soft fabric.

“
Is this a dream?
”
she asked glancing up to her mistress in disbelief.

“
No my dear, this is for you,
”
the Lady said laughing softly and offering the dress up to her.

“
I.... I don
’
t know what to say. I have never seen an
ything so beautiful. The colour is glorious.
I couldn
’
t possibly
wear it.
”

“
But I insist. I haven
’
t worn it in years and I would dearly love to see you wear it tonight.
”

“
If you are sure,
”
Rhyla said as the gown was laid across her arms. She didn't know if she should be overjoyed at the prospect of wearing such a fine gown, or terrified at the thought.

“
Come, you can change here in my chambers,
”
Lady Emelia said placing an arm around her shoulder and guiding her into the bedroom.
“
I think you should leave your hair down tonight.
”

Rhyla was seated between Ivan, Master Smyth
’
s senior assistant in the library, and Gina, mistress of Chambermaids, second to Mistress O
’
Mara. Their respective superiors were seated either end of the table. Rhyla had not met Ivan before but he soon warmed up to conversation when he realised she was the one reading to Lady Emelia and she demonstrated a keen interest in books. As a man of slight frame and pale blonde hair his cheeks soon became flushed, be it f
rom the wine or the conversation. Rhyla could not say. The poor man
’
s face
remained that way for the entire evening. Gina was tall and lithe with an abundance of wavy dark brown hair. Rhyla had chatted to her often since her arrival and knew her to be a dreadful gossip, but she assumed th
at came with the position, as the chambermaids loved to
tal
k when they were not busy.

Between her table companions Rhyla was able to keep up a steady conversation throughout the meal. For this
,
she was thankful as is distracted her enough not to constantly look at the Royal table. Seated across the far side of the room from her
,
Callum sat between the two most favoured candidates for his hand in marriage. Lady Madeline h
ad wavy red hair and green eyes. S
he was only as tall as the Princes
’
shoulder when they were
standing but h
er ample bosom secured firmly in
the burgundy dress she wore, made up for lack of stature in attracting one
’
s eye. Lady Sarah on the other side was actually Lord Tobias Blake
’
s younger sister, whom she closely resembled. She was of
a similar height to Rhyla,
a few inches shorter than Callum, and she had the same long pale blonde hair of Lord Tobias and their eldest brother Lord Janson. Against her competitor in this courtly game Lady Sarah was lean in her pale blue gown in comparison to Lady Madeline
’
s voluptuous physique.

R
hyla had felt her chest tighten.
A
band of steel
had
wrap
ped around her heart as she
watch
ed the entrance of the nobility. Her heart heaved as she watched Callum lead
Lady Sarah to
her seat. Lord Tobias escorted
Lady Madeline, but the lady clearly made every effort to pursue conversation with the Prince, obviously the richer prize. Rhyla knew he had to marry a woman such as one of these even if he did not
choose
e
ither of these titled offerings.
He
would have to marry someone of noble title. Knowing it and having to watch it unfold before
her could have spoilt Rhyla
’
s evening, but she knew it
was not of her
concern so she refused to look. She would concentrate only on the conversations around her.