indisposed.”
The king nodded. “I see. Well you may be new and
lacking experience with my kingdom, but I wonder if you
might explain to me the reason you snuck into the city alone through some
unknown entrance, like a viper in a bird’s nest?”
“ I’ve never been one for making a fuss , Your Majesty,” Matthias rebuffed.
“ Mmmm .” The king mumbled, raising an eyebrow. He opened
his mouth as if to say something further, but before he could,
there was a knock at the door. A liveried man strode into the room
and, head raised high, spoke loudly and formally.
“ Your Majesty. The Princess of Aralia wishes to enter, with
your permission?”
The
king stood abruptly, and looked to Matthias. His brow furrowed and
Matthias resisted the urge to shrink back at the burning gaze he
gave him.
“ Tell her that I am busy entertaining ,” the king said
tersely.
“ I did, Your Grace, but she is most insistent. She wishes to meet your
guest."
The
king took a deep breath and nodded. “Very well,” he said and turned
to Matthias. “Ambassador, it seems you will be meeting my only
daughter!”
Matthias’s breath caught, but he managed to speak.
“It will be an honour , Your Majesty,” he nodded. He took a sip of
wine.
The
servant disappeared a moment, re-entered and then, after a pause
for breath, and straightening himself so much that his back looked
as if it were made of a plank of wood, announced: “Her Royal
Highness the Princess of Aralia, Josephine Arwell.”
Thadius rose and beckoned to Matthias who, after taking the
hint, wiped his lips free of soup and wine and stood, turning to
face the door.
Despite trying to compose himself for her arrival, he was
completely unprepared for the sight that greeted him. He had seen
paintings and heard tales of the woman known as the ‘Jewel of the
West,’ but the intense beauty of the young woman who walked into
the room was enough to take the breath from anyone’s lungs. Her
golden hair hung in ringlets, spiralling down below her shoulders,
which were left bare by her delicate blue dress. A line of pearls
ran the length of the neckline, framing squarely across her
breasts. A delicate silver locket hung from her neck, the clear
jewel encrusted in its centre winking as it caught the light. Other
jewels were sewn into the front of her kirtle and her hemline
sparkled as the sun shone in through the window. As she curtsied to
her father and regarded Matthias, her bright, sapphire eyes caught
Matthias’s own. They dazzled, framed by her delicate, porcelain
skin. Her lips were thin and she had subtle dimples in her
cheeks.
The wizard suddenly became aware that his mouth
was open, so he shut it quickly, hopefully before anyone noticed.
His cheeks flushed crimson despite himself. So much for all those
years of training he had performed to suppress his emotions in such
situations. He had never been very good at that.
“ My daughter!” the king said warmly, embracing her.
“I had not expected to see you today. Especially here , in the company of my guest .” He motioned with a hand to
Matthias.
“ My apologies, Your Grace. I heard you had a
visitor from Mahalia and I was compelled to introduce myself.” She
nodded to Thadius. “My good man,” she said warmly, baring her teeth
in a warm smile. “How are you?”
Thadius nodded. “Very well , thank you princess.”
“ This is Matthias Greenwald,” the king advised. His confident
demeanour seemed to have become unsteadied now the princess was in
the room.
The
princess’s gaze turned to Matthias, and her smile dimmed.
“Ambassador Greenwald,” she addressed him, nodding her head. “I
trust you are well?”
Matthias nodded back. “I am all the better for seeing you,
Your Royal Highness,” he replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet
you.”
“ You are a man of charm, ambassador. But you should
work on your tone if you wish to convey yourself with sincerity .” She smiled.
Matthias’s cheeks grew crimson
The king nodded. “I see. Well you may be new and
lacking experience with my kingdom, but I wonder if you
might explain to me the reason you snuck into the city alone through some
unknown entrance, like a viper in a bird’s nest?”
“ I’ve never been one for making a fuss , Your Majesty,” Matthias rebuffed.
“ Mmmm .” The king mumbled, raising an eyebrow. He opened
his mouth as if to say something further, but before he could,
there was a knock at the door. A liveried man strode into the room
and, head raised high, spoke loudly and formally.
“ Your Majesty. The Princess of Aralia wishes to enter, with
your permission?”
The
king stood abruptly, and looked to Matthias. His brow furrowed and
Matthias resisted the urge to shrink back at the burning gaze he
gave him.
“ Tell her that I am busy entertaining ,” the king said
tersely.
“ I did, Your Grace, but she is most insistent. She wishes to meet your
guest."
The
king took a deep breath and nodded. “Very well,” he said and turned
to Matthias. “Ambassador, it seems you will be meeting my only
daughter!”
Matthias’s breath caught, but he managed to speak.
“It will be an honour , Your Majesty,” he nodded. He took a sip of
wine.
The
servant disappeared a moment, re-entered and then, after a pause
for breath, and straightening himself so much that his back looked
as if it were made of a plank of wood, announced: “Her Royal
Highness the Princess of Aralia, Josephine Arwell.”
Thadius rose and beckoned to Matthias who, after taking the
hint, wiped his lips free of soup and wine and stood, turning to
face the door.
Despite trying to compose himself for her arrival, he was
completely unprepared for the sight that greeted him. He had seen
paintings and heard tales of the woman known as the ‘Jewel of the
West,’ but the intense beauty of the young woman who walked into
the room was enough to take the breath from anyone’s lungs. Her
golden hair hung in ringlets, spiralling down below her shoulders,
which were left bare by her delicate blue dress. A line of pearls
ran the length of the neckline, framing squarely across her
breasts. A delicate silver locket hung from her neck, the clear
jewel encrusted in its centre winking as it caught the light. Other
jewels were sewn into the front of her kirtle and her hemline
sparkled as the sun shone in through the window. As she curtsied to
her father and regarded Matthias, her bright, sapphire eyes caught
Matthias’s own. They dazzled, framed by her delicate, porcelain
skin. Her lips were thin and she had subtle dimples in her
cheeks.
The wizard suddenly became aware that his mouth
was open, so he shut it quickly, hopefully before anyone noticed.
His cheeks flushed crimson despite himself. So much for all those
years of training he had performed to suppress his emotions in such
situations. He had never been very good at that.
“ My daughter!” the king said warmly, embracing her.
“I had not expected to see you today. Especially here , in the company of my guest .” He motioned with a hand to
Matthias.
“ My apologies, Your Grace. I heard you had a
visitor from Mahalia and I was compelled to introduce myself.” She
nodded to Thadius. “My good man,” she said warmly, baring her teeth
in a warm smile. “How are you?”
Thadius nodded. “Very well , thank you princess.”
“ This is Matthias Greenwald,” the king advised. His confident
demeanour seemed to have become unsteadied now the princess was in
the room.
The
princess’s gaze turned to Matthias, and her smile dimmed.
“Ambassador Greenwald,” she addressed him, nodding her head. “I
trust you are well?”
Matthias nodded back. “I am all the better for seeing you,
Your Royal Highness,” he replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet
you.”
“ You are a man of charm, ambassador. But you should
work on your tone if you wish to convey yourself with sincerity .” She smiled.
Matthias’s cheeks grew crimson
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