Status: hiatus
Love, and Other Torture Devices
Sleeping In
The gaze of every occupant in the dining hall rests on the servant in charge of eating a bite of every piece of the food prepared. With a sigh, Almira rests her elbow on the arm of her chair and tucks her fingers under her chin.
"The food is safe, your Highnesses." Another servant’s voice echoes through the enormous dining hall.
Almira slowly lifts her head, looking down the fifty-foot table.
"Would you like me to tie your hair back, Lady Almira?"
Looking away from a distracted Edmund, Almira looks at the same servant whom she yelled at earlier in the day. "Sure," she nods.
The woman's hands are gentle as they brush Almira's hair back, gently tying the hair up in a bun with a ribbon.
"Thank you," Almira says quietly.
"Thank you, Lady Almira." She curtsies before going back to the edge of the dining hall.
Almira smooths the napkin in her lap, before she picks her spoon up and begins stirring her soup. After a moment, she gently spoons some of the contents from the bowl and puts it in her mouth.
"The Prince would like to know what you think of your meal, Lady Almira," a male servant seems to suddenly appear next to Almira.
She nods, "tell him that it's… good."
The servant nods, "yes, Lady Almira."
Relaxing, Almira slowly puts another spoonful of soup in her mouth.
"Lady Almira," a familiar voice whispers from the other side of the bed curtain. "Are you alright?"
Sniffling loudly, Almira wipes her face with her hands. She nods, "I'm okay."
"You sound as if you're crying."
"I'm not," Almira insists.
The servant hesitates, "if you wish to talk about it--"
Pulling the curtain back, Almira looks at the woman. "What did I just say?"
"You said that you're fine, Lady Almira."
The girl's voice is weak, not matching her words, "that means I am in need of no assistance, nor an ear to speak to. Now, please leave me to rest."
"Yes, Lady Almira."
Pulling the curtain shut, Almira collapses back onto the bed and closes her eyes.
"What?"
The woman blinks vigorously. "Lady Almira is still asleep, Your Royal Highness."
"Why? It's almost time for breakfast. She hasn't fallen ill, has she?"
The servant backs up a little as the Prince steps toward her, shaking her head.
"Then what's the matter with her?"
"Lady Almira didn't sleep very well last night, Sir."
"And why not?" The young man looks from his fiancée’s servant, to one of his own. "Do I need to go check on her myself?" He gives them no time to answer, already walking toward the door of his study.
The servants bow and curtsy as the Prince leaves the room.
The woman shakes her head once he is gone, "I don't know if the Prince is supposed to see her so underdressed, or even be in her sleeping quarters."
"He's the Prince. He can do whatever he pleases,” the male servant responds.
"The food is safe, your Highnesses." Another servant’s voice echoes through the enormous dining hall.
Almira slowly lifts her head, looking down the fifty-foot table.
"Would you like me to tie your hair back, Lady Almira?"
Looking away from a distracted Edmund, Almira looks at the same servant whom she yelled at earlier in the day. "Sure," she nods.
The woman's hands are gentle as they brush Almira's hair back, gently tying the hair up in a bun with a ribbon.
"Thank you," Almira says quietly.
"Thank you, Lady Almira." She curtsies before going back to the edge of the dining hall.
Almira smooths the napkin in her lap, before she picks her spoon up and begins stirring her soup. After a moment, she gently spoons some of the contents from the bowl and puts it in her mouth.
"The Prince would like to know what you think of your meal, Lady Almira," a male servant seems to suddenly appear next to Almira.
She nods, "tell him that it's… good."
The servant nods, "yes, Lady Almira."
Relaxing, Almira slowly puts another spoonful of soup in her mouth.
"Lady Almira," a familiar voice whispers from the other side of the bed curtain. "Are you alright?"
Sniffling loudly, Almira wipes her face with her hands. She nods, "I'm okay."
"You sound as if you're crying."
"I'm not," Almira insists.
The servant hesitates, "if you wish to talk about it--"
Pulling the curtain back, Almira looks at the woman. "What did I just say?"
"You said that you're fine, Lady Almira."
The girl's voice is weak, not matching her words, "that means I am in need of no assistance, nor an ear to speak to. Now, please leave me to rest."
"Yes, Lady Almira."
Pulling the curtain shut, Almira collapses back onto the bed and closes her eyes.
"What?"
The woman blinks vigorously. "Lady Almira is still asleep, Your Royal Highness."
"Why? It's almost time for breakfast. She hasn't fallen ill, has she?"
The servant backs up a little as the Prince steps toward her, shaking her head.
"Then what's the matter with her?"
"Lady Almira didn't sleep very well last night, Sir."
"And why not?" The young man looks from his fiancée’s servant, to one of his own. "Do I need to go check on her myself?" He gives them no time to answer, already walking toward the door of his study.
The servants bow and curtsy as the Prince leaves the room.
The woman shakes her head once he is gone, "I don't know if the Prince is supposed to see her so underdressed, or even be in her sleeping quarters."
"He's the Prince. He can do whatever he pleases,” the male servant responds.