Chapter 1 part 3

The room echoed the dull empty ache in her chest where the fear would have been if her heart was still whole. Though it was late, the sun still stretched its fingers into the room with a cold twilight glow. She wished for fire. Slipping on her shoes she contented herself by lighting the candles strewn about the room.

She was peacefully working the needle when Heliotrope awoke with a squall of chirping complaints. The feeding went no differently except the nurse used a spare blanket to sop up the milk before it created a mess. Through the night both baby and nurse slept little.  As the morning light spilled through the windows in warm soft tendrils the nurse said, "I know Lillie Lee you want the cook."

There was a gentle knocking at the nursery door. The nurse crossed the room quickly and lifted the latch but the door did not burst open. The nurse stood for a moment feeling a slight pang that she did not recognize. Slowly she opened the door to find a small castle page standing in the hall with a tray of fine silver. "Breakfast Ms." He smiled up at her from beneath his large floppy red hat.

"Thank you." She stepped aside and gestured toward the table. He walked across the room jingling with every step. His livery was an ornate jumble of red and gold. He was young probably no more than nine. He was very deliberate about his work carefully placing a tray on the table and arranging the dishes in perfect order. Only when he was finished and made a perfect customary bow to the nurse did he let his curiosity about the new Princess show on his face. Even then it was just a glimmer and a slight hesitation leaving. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Oh no Ms.! I couldn't risk dropping such a treasure." He took one last peek at the Princess and quickly scurried out of the room and down the hall leaving the door opened behind him.

The nurse closed the door and sat down for breakfast with Heliotrope in her lap. The baby fussed and squirmed as was her habit. This made it difficult for the nurse to enjoy her meal. When the pageboy returned with the midday meal, most of her breakfast was still on her tray. He was as efficient as before.

She passed the next three days alone in the room with the baby. The only break in the long summer days was the regular appearance of the pageboy. On the fourth day sometime in the warm early morning she woke to the sounds of shouting men's voices, clattering of horses’ hooves, and the rattling of armor drifting up to her tower window from the grounds below. She looked down to see thirty men on horseback riding out of the castle gate led by the King.

When the pageboy appeared that morning he started chattering the minute she opened the door, “Did you see them?  That was all the castle nights.  Well except for old man Bert and his five castle guards.  They are really just the ones too old for campaigning you know.” 

He put the tray down and ran to the window looking wistfully off as though he could still see them.  “That will be me one day. One day when I am finally big I will ride out with the king.  They will call me Sir instead of boy.  That will be me someday!”

“You will make a fine knight. Sir?”  She said taking her seat.

“Sir Peter the Brave,” he announced standing tall with his young chest puffed out.

 She smiled, “Well thank you Sir Peter for your faithful service to the princess and her nurse.”  He bowed and beamed as he left the room and disappeared down the hall at a jingling run.

The afternoon was just beginning when there was a knock at the door. It was too early to be the pageboy. The nurse put down her needlework and quickly crossed to the door before the knocking woke Heliotrope. When she opened the door, one of the ladies in waiting was standing in the passage. She was a tall beautiful woman. Decorated in layers of the finest silks and brocades a shimmering vision of light greens and blues. Her hair was dark and plated in intricate patterns that must have taken the lady’s maid most of the morning to complete. She was adorned with pearls and gold. "Good morrow,” the lady barely moved as she spoke standing perfectly still her eyes bright but somehow vacant.

"Good morrow." The nurse stepped aside for the lady to enter but she remained standing in the hallway.

"The Queen inquires about the health and welfare of her daughter."

“She is well and growing." The nurse could not say that the little princess was happy but nor was she distressed.  ”Shall I dress her for the Queen?”

“I have not been told to instruct you so.”  The lady said.  She made a tiny curtsy and vanished in the direction of the great hall with a fluttering of fine cloth.  Her tiny feet making no sound as she went.

Peter appeared at his customary times but had returned to his more resolute quiet self. As night fell the nurse paced the nursery floor with a wailing Heliotrope. Heliotrope’s crying became louder and her thrashing more persistent. "You know how to find me." The nurse remembered what Dee had told her.