Master of the Region

Chapter 5

        Niko kisses the top of my head in front of Penelope, perpetrating our farce further, then pulls me away, taking me down the stairs into the lower level where there are stone rooms with windows lining the tops of the rooms. There are rows and rows of empty rooms. “This was once the dungeon, but I had the metal doors and wall hooks removed when I took over. No one ever comes down here. I know because I hid down here when I was overwhelmed during my first month here and not once did anyone come down. I thought, perhaps, that this would be a good place to hold school where no one will interrupt or stumble upon you.” I smile and look at him. “I think this would be very nice,” I agree. He continues to walk down the corridor and takes me to the door at the end. “There is a door here,” he opens it and it leads to the outside, “faces the field where the servant quarters are located. That building over there,” he points across the field, “is the servant’s quarters. The children can come to this door and come into school without being seen by anyone in the palace. This place is also very warm if you place a burner right in the center of the hall. I can have one brought up and you can put the older children in charge of keeping it lit and keeping the younger kids from touching it. I don’t want anyone getting burned.” I smile and nod, he is so caring of others.

               I nod. “I think this will be perfect. And this entrance will help to prevent suspicion. I do wonder how we will provide chairs and materials.” He smiles and nods. “I thought about that. I recently visited a school that the director said was in ‘disarray,’ but it was perfectly fine. I did see it as an opportunity though and agreed to have all new provisions made and told the staff that was moving it that I wanted all the seats and supplies brought here for emergency storage. By the end of the week these rooms will be filled with everything you need. I make the director happy as he thinks I will do whatever he asks even when unnecessary, and am secretly stocking the school he refused to have. It is a win for all.” I lift my eyebrow and nod. “Very cleaver High King.” He shakes his head. “I really don’t enjoy hearing you call me that. I wish I could just be Niko to everyone always.” I give him an understanding smile and boldly place my hand on his arm. He looks into my eyes and again, I am struck breathless by his expression.

               He locks the door and leads me up the stairs and back to the main stairs. “I apologize, but I have business to attend to in the region. There are many people still unhappy that I have taken over as Master. I must go and deal with some of the unrest. Feel free to do as you like. Explore. My home is your home.” He bows and I curtsy, then he leaves and I am alone. I stroll up the stairs to my wing and enter, exploring my personal space he has gifted me. I stand before a mirror and am horrified to see how I look. I am embarrassed that everyone has seen me in such a state, even though the Niko told me he thought I looked lovely. I blush at remembering his words on my ear. I begin to open my trunks and look for a fresh dress to put on as well as my hairbrush. I am just finding everything as a young woman walks in startling me. I yelp in my shock.

               “I apologize Lady Barclay-Gillingham. I am Bernedette. I was asked by High King to come sort your things. May I assist you?”

               I smile and nod. “Of course. And I prefer Lady Abigail. Much less formal.”

               She smiles and nods. “As you with Lady Abigail. Where would you like me to start?”

               “If I am being honest. I have been traveling for several days and would enjoy a wash.”

               “Of course Lady Abigail. I will draw you a bath at once.”

               “Thank you so much Bernedette.” She smiles and curtsies, she is clearly uncomfortable with me thanking her. I don’t think Master Yanicoff and his wife treated the staff very kind. She draws the bath and the smell of the perfumed water is intoxicating. Bernedette helps me to undress and I step into the bath, the warm water surrounding me and helping to release the tension that has been building since I sent him a response to his letter the night of the ball. I lay back and think of my parents, rotting away in Lukomorye while I sit in a palace in a bath that is heavily perfumed. I think of my aunt, risking her life to help my mother and me… I have been blessed and I need to ensure that I do not mess this up. Lastly, I think of Agnes and how heartbroken I am to not have had a chance to bid her farewell before leaving. I sit in the water until it begins to turn cold. I want nothing more than to continue to sit but know, in this cold weather, it is an unwise choice. I rise and Bernedette quickly comes to wrap me in dry cloth. I dry and begin to brush my hair. I see Bernedette looking at me and I can’t help but think that she is very young.

               “Bernedette, how long have you worked at the palace?”

               “I have been working here two years Lady Abigail.”

               “So you must be about fourteen years?”

               She nods. “Do you know how to read?”

               She looks down and shakes her head.

               “Would you mind if I taught you to read?”

               She looks up at me confused. “Pardon Lady Abigail, but why would you want to teach me to read?”

               “Well, should I request to have you continue to be in my service and live in the main server’s room, I would want you to be able to read my correspondences with me and to pen my letters. Would that be okay with you?”

               She smiles and nods. “Wonderful. Now, will you please help me to dress?” She nods again and fetches my clothing. She returns quickly and I can not help but notice the change in her expression. She seems happier… hopeful…

               I tie my hair up as my aunt has trained me to do in order to keep my wild curls tamed, and Bernedette helps me to dress. She is small and obviously not used to dressing someone. She does her best, but my corset is not quite tight enough. Thankfully another woman, Carolina, comes in with a gift from High King Nikolai. She sees Bernedette struggling and comes to her assistant, lacing my corset tightly and explaining to Bernedette the best way to tie it. I like both women very much. I thank them both and tell them they may go as I wish to read. They leave and I stroll over to the bed where Carolina set down the box with the gift. I open it and find a beautiful covering in a very similar style to the one the staff wears but is more intricate and made of the finest cloth. I put it on and it is very warm and soft. It is perfect. I sit and read until the exhaustion of the trip creeps in and I drift to sleep in my chair.

               My dream is haunted by visions of the sallow man pointing at me and sending waves of people to come for me. I turn and run but am tripped by piles of books strewn across the floor. I crash to the floor and it parts, allowing me to fall into an abyss. I land on the hard stone floor where the school rooms are, but the bars have been replaced and there are children chained to the wall. I scream but it makes no sound. I run from door to door, trying to open them to help the kids, but they are locked. The door at the end of the hall flies opens and my parents are standing there, calling for me. I begin running towards them, but the more I run the further they get from me. I reach for them and trip and fall, causing the door to slam closed. The sallow man stomps towards me and grabs me by the hair, lifting me to face him as he opens his mouth, releasing a green cloud of smoke that swirls around me.

               A hand touches my arm and I jump up, startled awake. Bernedette is standing there, sorrow written on her face. “My apologize Lady Abigail. High King Nikolai has returned and wondered if you would like to attend dinner.” I smile at her. “I’m sorry Bernedette. I did not mean to startle you. Yes, I would love to attend dinner. Let me just refresh myself and I shall be down.” She nods and curtsies before leaving the room. I look in the mirror and check my hair and dress before making my way down to the main stairwell. As I begin to climb down the stairs, I spot Niko standing there waiting for me. He smiles when he sees me. “Do you like the gift?” he asks as I reach him. “Yes, it is perfect. I am so warm now, thank you so much for your kindness.” He nods. “Thank you for believing in my vision.” I smile and nod. “While I would love to have a quiet dinner alone to talk more, word of your arrival has gotten out and a number of nobilities have request to meet you. They will put a good face, but trust that they too miss being able to mistreat the commoners.” I nod, understanding his meaning.

               He offers his hand and I instantly take it; this has become our second nature. He leads me into a great hall where there are numerous people seated at a table. He walks past everyone and seats me next to the head of the table where he stands and addresses his guests. “Good evening, thank you to all who have come to meet my special visitor. This is Lady Abigail Barclay-Gillingham of the Opona Region. Her father, Duke Barclay-Gillingham, was a friend of my fathers and we are honored to have her visit Biarmaland. To Lady Barclay-Gillingham.” He lifts his glass and everyone else at the table does the same before taking a sip. He then sits down and leans over to me. “You will, unfortunately, have to meet all these people after the meal. They are the nobility of the region that I am most concerned with. Once we win them over, we can have a dinner with the nobility that I actually like.” He lifts his eyebrows at me up and down being playful. I giggle and nod. “That is fine, I am honored to be a guest here and am ready to fulfil my duties as a Lady of Opona.” He smiles and returns my nods.

               The meal is delicious and once we are done eating everyone moves into the ballroom where music plays and we share a drink. High King escorts me around the room introducing me to everyone, his hand on my side in a very intimate fashion. The nobility here is much like the nobility back in Opona. Some seem like nice people; others are boorish elitists who treat staff like filth. Yet, I am cautious of all of them knowing that the High King distrusts them. By the end of the night I am missing home and exhausted. The guests leave and I can not help but be happy for the silence. Niko takes my hand and escorts me up the stairs. “You did a wonderful job this evening. I know that it was very sudden having just arrived this day, but you were magnificent. I think they all believe you are here as my prospective bride.” I nod. He gives my hand a squeeze and bids me goodnight before heading to the opposite wing. Bernedette helps me to undress and I spot another box on the bed. Once I am undressed, I release Bernedette for the night and then eagerly go to open the box. I lift the lid and find a beautiful and elegant night robe. I put it on and it is soft and warm with a crimson outer layer of silk with a delicate trim. I tie the front string closed and sit, reading my book.

               Time ticks on and I begin to feel hungry once more. I open my door to the hallway and see no one, the house seems quiet. I quietly creep down the stairs and into the kitchen where we went earlier. I come in and look at the table where we sat in the corner and can’t help but smile. I begin looking around for food and find some cheese in a cheese cloth and some fruit. I take out a plate and put some on it before taking a seat at the corner table. I hear someone enter and hold my breathe nervously but relax when I realize it is Niko. “Hungry too I see.” He says, looking at my plate. I nod, embarrassment burning in my cheeks. He is in a night robe, but his night dress is open and I can see his bare chest. I advert my eyes, trying to not look at his naked smooth chest, but the small glimpse is enough to set a fire within me. He comes and sits next to me with the same food I had made myself and begins to eat. I finish my small serving in the same amount of time that he inhales his full plate. I walk to the wash bucket and place my dish in and begin to clean it. I can sense him come up behind me. His is so massive that he is able to wrap his arms around me and put his plate in the bucket and clean it while I clean mine.

               My heart thumps knowing that I am in his arms for the second time, even though he is not even touching me. He shakes the water off his plate and sets it on the high wood table and beings to leave just as I being to place my plate on his. “I like your hair curly and wild like that.” He says before he leaves the kitchen. I am frozen in my spot, overwhelmed with this feeling that I have never known before him. I feel a burning in my core and my heart beats loudly in my ears. I put the back of my hand to my cheek to feel the burn radiating from them. I nervously shake off this feeling as much as I can and practically run to my room. I climb into the bed without having run into anyone else and I am thankful to be back in the sanctity of my own private space. I have never been alone with a man before, and now I have been alone several times with High King Nikolai. I am terrified what my aunt would say should she discover what I have been doing since arriving here, and I am terrified what this burning for him means.