At once
Sunday arrived and as usual, Evie headed for the town. This time accompanied by the prince and one if his close guards. They had brought food as well, lots of it, and she knew that the children at the orphanage would be ecstatic when they saw the bags filled with fresh food, ingredients and even some sweets.
They arrived at the big house that, despite its size, wasn’t much to behold. It looked as if it was about to fall apart at any second and Evie knew for a fact that it was neither resistant to cold nor rain nor winds. It provided little in terms of shelter for the poor children and the women who spent their days and nights caring for them. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t stop many of the children from dying of either starvation or sickness brought on by the cold. And the rats, that had taken a liking to the house.
“Here we are.” She told the prince and got down from her horse. The sun was shining, and the wind was completely idle. Even so, there was an eeriness in the air that Evie couldn’t quite put her finger on. Like the calm before a storm.
“Lady Romano!” A woman opened the door but before she had time to take a single step out the door, a little girl pushed through the entryway and hurried across the dry grass.
“Evie!” The girl chirped and Evie laughed, catching the girl in her arms when she launched at her.
“Little Hollie!” She greeted. “I have missed you so.”
“I have missed you!” Little Hollie said and when Evie put her back down on the ground, the girl turned and ran towards the house again, waving her arms in the air. “Everyone! Evie is here! Evie is here!”
“Lady Romano.” The woman stood by the door, letting Hollie pass through the door again in her venture to tell all of her friends that Evie had arrived. “As always, we appreciate your visit. The children speak of you nonstop.”
“Miss Mary.” Evie walked up to her and gave her a smile. “I brought a friend today. I hope that is alright?”
She did not speak of who said friend was, figuring that the prince would have to decide for himself if he wanted the people here to know who he was or not.
They arrived at the big house that, despite its size, wasn’t much to behold. It looked as if it was about to fall apart at any second and Evie knew for a fact that it was neither resistant to cold nor rain nor winds. It provided little in terms of shelter for the poor children and the women who spent their days and nights caring for them. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t stop many of the children from dying of either starvation or sickness brought on by the cold. And the rats, that had taken a liking to the house.
“Here we are.” She told the prince and got down from her horse. The sun was shining, and the wind was completely idle. Even so, there was an eeriness in the air that Evie couldn’t quite put her finger on. Like the calm before a storm.
“Lady Romano!” A woman opened the door but before she had time to take a single step out the door, a little girl pushed through the entryway and hurried across the dry grass.
“Evie!” The girl chirped and Evie laughed, catching the girl in her arms when she launched at her.
“Little Hollie!” She greeted. “I have missed you so.”
“I have missed you!” Little Hollie said and when Evie put her back down on the ground, the girl turned and ran towards the house again, waving her arms in the air. “Everyone! Evie is here! Evie is here!”
“Lady Romano.” The woman stood by the door, letting Hollie pass through the door again in her venture to tell all of her friends that Evie had arrived. “As always, we appreciate your visit. The children speak of you nonstop.”
“Miss Mary.” Evie walked up to her and gave her a smile. “I brought a friend today. I hope that is alright?”
She did not speak of who said friend was, figuring that the prince would have to decide for himself if he wanted the people here to know who he was or not.
The king was busy with meetings all day and had been for the last couple of days. He had no time for pleasures, as he kept on complaining. This meant that Lady Andrea had not been invited to keep him company since the hunt, a fact which had Jasper both relieved and disappointed. He had no idea what the lady saw in the old king, but if he had to take a guess, he would assume that it had something to do with the crown on his head rather than his looks or his personality.
It was a beautiful day, and the king once more complained about his lack of time to do the things he wished. Or rather, the women he wished. Between meetings with lords and ministers from other kingdoms, he called Jasper to his office.
“Bring this to Lady Andrea and make haste.” He said, handing him a letter with his own seal. “I wouldn’t want her to think that I have forgotten about her.”
Jasper failed to see how any man could forget about such a lady, but he nodded and placed the letter in the inner pocket of his jacket.
“At once, My King. Would that be all?”
“Yes.”
And so, the servant left the king’s quarters and made his way through the castle corridor, in search of Lady Andrea. He did not know where she spent her days but as a lady in waiting to the queen, finding the queen could be a quick way to find her lady but he did wonder if giving a letter with the king's sigil in front of his wife would be a good idea. However, the king had specifically told him to make haste and Jasper was not one to break orders.
“Bring this to Lady Andrea and make haste.” He said, handing him a letter with his own seal. “I wouldn’t want her to think that I have forgotten about her.”
Jasper failed to see how any man could forget about such a lady, but he nodded and placed the letter in the inner pocket of his jacket.
“At once, My King. Would that be all?”
“Yes.”
And so, the servant left the king’s quarters and made his way through the castle corridor, in search of Lady Andrea. He did not know where she spent her days but as a lady in waiting to the queen, finding the queen could be a quick way to find her lady but he did wonder if giving a letter with the king's sigil in front of his wife would be a good idea. However, the king had specifically told him to make haste and Jasper was not one to break orders.
