Read Online To Stand Beside Her by B. Kristin McMichael - Free Book Online
Authors: B. Kristin McMichael
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into an object,” Leila whispered to Nalick.
“Sorry . This is all part of tradition ,” he replied.
The silent mass waited as the elder priest continued. “The wedding will take place three months from the day after tomorrow.” The crowd erupted into applause and cheers while the nobles sat silently .
“You can ’t please everyone,” Nalick whispered in her ear waving to the peoples and then turning her back into the room . “I need to stay here for a little bit . ” He stopped in the doorway , “Theo and Macarius wi ll escort you back to your room. Just don’t get lost on the way, ” he winked.
Leila waited in the doorway to her room until she heard both Macarius and Theo leave. Quietly she walked and back down the stair case. The guards at the entrance to the floor were startled to see her. She smiled and let herself by them. Retracing her steps from the first day Leila was escorted through the palace, she looked for the garden. After several wrong turns, she found the garden door. No one was guarding the door as she quietly slipped in. She sat down on a small patch of grass. It had been two weeks since she came to Lexia with Kay. Though the city was familiar and felt like a second home to her, in her mind nothing could compare to the forests that lined the mountains of the North Country . Leila was getting sick of all the sand, but yet here in the garden she could faintly be reminded of home. She leaned against the tree and closed her eyes. The breeze was still warm, not cool like she had hoped, but the grass between her fingers would have to be the best comfort she would get out of this place. Leila heard the click of a door and immediately hid herself behind the largest tree in the garden .
“But M omma,” a girl complained to an older woman , “ i f he has chosen a bride, why can’t I get married to someone else ? ”
“ King Nalick i s king and can take as many wives as he wants . Trust me dear , father will get him to take you on as his head wife , ” t he older woman commented as she continued to lead the younger girl through the garden.
“But doesn’t the head wife belong to the first wife?” the girl stopped thinking of question s and began to twirl her hair.
“Emma, don’t dawdle. This girl he has chosen is not of noble birth. ” The older lady grabbed her daughter ' s hand away from her hair and pulled her the rest of the way through the garden.
The nobles were not as welcoming as the people had been and now she knew why. They still had hopes to get their daughters on the throne.
Chapter 6
Leila woke the next morning to complete silence. After the chaos of the day before, she was happy to not have anyone around. Though early in the morning, from the balcony Leila could see that the city was full of activity. Seeing the people run from place to place made Leila want to be free of the palace’s cold, confining walls.
He did say I was free to come and go as I please , she thought to herself. Maybe I should test what he said .
“Awake already , dear ? ” Mauve yawned rubb ing her eyes. Leila had quietly entered her room to find her dressed but sleeping in a chair. “Can I get you anything?” Mauve asked.
“Is there anything else that I can wear? The clothes here are all beautiful,” Leila assured Mauve, “ I would like to go down into the city but don’t want to give away who I am. I just want to go as a normal person.”
“But , dear , why would you want to do that?” Mauve asked setting down the garment that she had fallen asleep sewing
“I just want to be able to be me again. This,” Leila indicated to everything around her, “is not me. I am mu ch less complicated than all of this.” Mauve rummaged through a tru n k and handed her a dress without another comment.
“Thank you,” Leila responded leaving the room with a simple dress . Quickly she dressed and disguised herself adding gloves and a scarf to cover the lines on her arm and her bright red
“Sorry . This is all part of tradition ,” he replied.
The silent mass waited as the elder priest continued. “The wedding will take place three months from the day after tomorrow.” The crowd erupted into applause and cheers while the nobles sat silently .
“You can ’t please everyone,” Nalick whispered in her ear waving to the peoples and then turning her back into the room . “I need to stay here for a little bit . ” He stopped in the doorway , “Theo and Macarius wi ll escort you back to your room. Just don’t get lost on the way, ” he winked.
Leila waited in the doorway to her room until she heard both Macarius and Theo leave. Quietly she walked and back down the stair case. The guards at the entrance to the floor were startled to see her. She smiled and let herself by them. Retracing her steps from the first day Leila was escorted through the palace, she looked for the garden. After several wrong turns, she found the garden door. No one was guarding the door as she quietly slipped in. She sat down on a small patch of grass. It had been two weeks since she came to Lexia with Kay. Though the city was familiar and felt like a second home to her, in her mind nothing could compare to the forests that lined the mountains of the North Country . Leila was getting sick of all the sand, but yet here in the garden she could faintly be reminded of home. She leaned against the tree and closed her eyes. The breeze was still warm, not cool like she had hoped, but the grass between her fingers would have to be the best comfort she would get out of this place. Leila heard the click of a door and immediately hid herself behind the largest tree in the garden .
“But M omma,” a girl complained to an older woman , “ i f he has chosen a bride, why can’t I get married to someone else ? ”
“ King Nalick i s king and can take as many wives as he wants . Trust me dear , father will get him to take you on as his head wife , ” t he older woman commented as she continued to lead the younger girl through the garden.
“But doesn’t the head wife belong to the first wife?” the girl stopped thinking of question s and began to twirl her hair.
“Emma, don’t dawdle. This girl he has chosen is not of noble birth. ” The older lady grabbed her daughter ' s hand away from her hair and pulled her the rest of the way through the garden.
The nobles were not as welcoming as the people had been and now she knew why. They still had hopes to get their daughters on the throne.
Chapter 6
Leila woke the next morning to complete silence. After the chaos of the day before, she was happy to not have anyone around. Though early in the morning, from the balcony Leila could see that the city was full of activity. Seeing the people run from place to place made Leila want to be free of the palace’s cold, confining walls.
He did say I was free to come and go as I please , she thought to herself. Maybe I should test what he said .
“Awake already , dear ? ” Mauve yawned rubb ing her eyes. Leila had quietly entered her room to find her dressed but sleeping in a chair. “Can I get you anything?” Mauve asked.
“Is there anything else that I can wear? The clothes here are all beautiful,” Leila assured Mauve, “ I would like to go down into the city but don’t want to give away who I am. I just want to go as a normal person.”
“But , dear , why would you want to do that?” Mauve asked setting down the garment that she had fallen asleep sewing
“I just want to be able to be me again. This,” Leila indicated to everything around her, “is not me. I am mu ch less complicated than all of this.” Mauve rummaged through a tru n k and handed her a dress without another comment.
“Thank you,” Leila responded leaving the room with a simple dress . Quickly she dressed and disguised herself adding gloves and a scarf to cover the lines on her arm and her bright red
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