Page 28 of Knight of Chaos
Lady Rovena came over and began braiding some of Ingrid’s hair but left the majority of her red locks to flow in heavy natural curls down her back. Once she was finished, she took Ingrid’s hands andtsk tsked over them, muttering how the calluses that took years to form made Ingrid’s hands rough. A soothing balm was rubbed into her palms by Lady Petula whilst Lady Eden made her way to the bed.
Oh no!Ingrid thought when each of the lady’s took up various pieces of what could only be termed torture devices that would make her completely miserable. “Honestly, my ladies, I cannot wear such clothing. ’Twill be stifling and not allow me to breathe properly. Also, it may impede the healing of my recent injury,” Ingrid insisted when Lady Eden came forward in an attempt for Ingrid to drop the blanket.
Lady Petula halted her progress across the room whilst Lady Rovena’s eyes widened in concern.
“You have been injured in battle? No one mentioned this to us.” Rovena scowled coming before Ingrid and making an attempt to lift a portion of the blanket she held close to her chest. “Let me assess the damage so we might call a surgeon to look upon the wound if necessary.”
Ingrid pulled the material closer to her body and swatted the woman’s hands away. “I have had a surgeon see to the wound. Theobald and his friends saw that the injury was well looked after.”
Rovena placed her hands on her hips. “Bah! What do men know? They probably stitched your wound with no care to avoid leaving you with a nasty scar afterwards.”
Petula placed one of the undergarments back upon the bed. “Mayhap we can leave off one of the layers,” she suggested.
Ingrid still winced at the thought of wearing a gown. “I would rather don the garments I arrived in.”
“You have little choice, Ingrid, and you may as well get used to your new life for ’tis about to drastically change… for the better, I hope,” Lady Eden stated. “Now drop the blanket so we may get started. We will do our best to ensure we do no further damage to your wound, but we must work swiftly. The Empress does not like to be kept waiting.”
“But, my lady…” Ingrid began to protest only to be cut off by Lady Petula.
“And you must call us by our first names… none of thismy ladybusiness. We shall be spending a fair amount of time in each other’s company so there is no need to be so formal unless in the presence of Her Majesty.” Petula’s look was one that she would not take no for an answer and before Ingrid could voice another objection, the three ladies took matters into their own hands.
She shivered when the blanket keeping her warm left her body. Yet she had little time to contemplate this new hell she had been thrust into. Rovenatsk tskedwhen she carefully examined the wound and then told the other ladies they could proceed. A thin white chemise was quickly placed over her head and fell over her body reaching to the floor. Next came a light blue undertunic. Ingrid pushed her arms through the sleeves that came to points over the back of her hands. Already she was dreading the weight of the full-length dark blue gown. Her apprehension proved to be well placed when the weight of the garment nearly consumed her. She took deep gulps of air to try and calm the rising panic inside her chest. Would this torture never cease?
Rovena placed two pairs of soft leather slippers on the floor for Ingrid to step into. Looking at her choices, she instantly knew one set would be too small, so she placed her right foot into one of the others. A perfect fit. She lifted her left foot into the other. Next, a golden chain with a sparkling blue gem at the end was fastened at her waist. A matching necklace was efficiently clasped around her neck with the bauble landing perfectly in the center of her cleavage. Rovena secured earrings to the lobes of her ears, completing their efforts to make her appear ladylike. Ingrid felt certain in her heart that they failed until Eden clapped her hands, apparently satisfied.
“Beautiful!” she replied before motioning with her finger for Ingrid to turn so they could observe the full effect.
Petula grinned. “You were right, Rovena. Your gown fit her perfectly!”
“I told you it would,” Rovena answered as she, too, smiled, “and your jewels were the perfect addition to her ensemble for the night.”
Ingrid smoothed the soft fabric of the gown and then reached for the end of the chain at her waist to inspect gem attached at its end. “These are yours?” she asked watching them both nod. “You are too kind and generous.”
“’Twas nothing,” they replied in unison before bursting out in a chorus of giggles.
Ingrid was humbled at their efforts to make her appear, at least on the surface, presentable. “I do not know how I shall be able to repay you.”
Eden stepped forward to clasp her hands in Ingrid’s. “There is nothing you must repay. We take care of one another along with the Empress. You are one of us now.”
Rovena clapped her hands together “You will turn all the men’s heads tonight at the evening meal.”
“Oh, aye! She will indeed,” Petula chimed in.
Ingrid’s eyes widened again. “But I do not wish to turn anyone’s head. I would rather stay out of sight.”
Eden linked her arm through Ingrid’s, and they began to make their way toward the door. “No more hiding, Ingrid. You are now one of the Empress’s ladies in waiting. You are meant to be seen, elsewise the Empress would not have chosen you. Now come, we must attend Her Majesty and see that she, too, is adorned in her very best.”
A short walk down the torch-lit passageway and soon they came to another bedchamber with two guards standing at its door. One of the knights gave a brief nod before he opened the wooden portal. If Ingrid thought her bedchamber had been grand, ’twas nothing compared to the room she now entered. Wealth was in abundance in every corner of the room as though the Empress traveled with her entire treasury. Gold objects glimmered in the candlelight and Ingrid gawked until she heard the Empress’s voice.
“You four took long enough. The water grows cold, so attend me,” she ordered, and the three other women quickly snapped into place as if this was a well-practiced dance. It was clear they had performed their duties hundreds of times in the past. Ingrid felt out of place and unsure what she was required to do so she stood out of their way whilst they assisted the Empress from her bath.
Eden caught her attention whilst she nodded to a pitcher holding what Ingrid assumed was wine. She hurried over to the table, picked up a silver encrusted goblet and began to fill the cup. She went to hand the wine to the Empress who took the chalice and peered at Ingrid over its rim before taking a sip. She handed the goblet back and Ingrid placed the cup back on the table.
“You clean up very well, Mistress Ingrid,” Empress Matilda stated. “Turn around so I may see the full effect.” Ingrid did as she was told and once she faced the Empress again, she lowered her eyes. “Aye… very well indeed.”
“You are too gracious, Your Majesty.” Ingrid’s voice was so low she wondered if the Empress had even heard her reply. But there was no further time to ponder such matters. Not when the ladies began to dress their monarch for the evening meal. Whereas Ingrid felt as though she herself was highly overdressed for any occasion, the Empress’s attire was nothing short of magnificent as the lady should appear before her subjects, right down to the diamond band that surrounded her headpiece. Once she was completely gowned, she took a seat near the hearth and motioned for Ingrid to take the vacant chair opposite her. Ingrid’s eyes widened as she realized that she was expected to sit next to the Empress.
“Sit down, girl, for heaven’s sake,” Empress Matilda ordered. “I do not wish to strain my neck while we have a private word together.”
