Published: 30 May 2019

Mistress Elnora rapped sharply twice on the door and opened it without waiting for a response. I followed her inside as directed.

“Miss Samira Corby to see you M’lady.”

“Samira Corby? What happened to Miss Della?”

“A miscommunication I’m afraid M’lady. I deeply apologize. Miss Della made the appointment but failed to inform me she was doing so in behalf of Miss Corby.”

“I see. It is what it is, I suppose.”

“Yes M’lady.”

“Come, come. Sit down Miss Corby. Let me hear what’s so urgent.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I sat down, nervously fidgeting with my hands and looking down at the front of the oak desk. There was an odd incongruity to this office from the rest of the house. It was well furnished and decorated but compared to the rest of the house, it felt almost plain and empty. Even Mistress Elnora’s desk was far more lavish. “I see you have noticed how ordinary my office is.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“I prefer to do my business and work in a place that does not distract from the issues I must deal with on a daily basis. It tends to keep things on topic and more honest.”

“Very sensible Ma’am.”

“Yes. Now, tell me your story.”

I began laying out what I was doing and why. As we talked, she asked questions and made observations. It took nearly a half hour to fully explain.

“So, you say that Master Hayden has this princess, yes?”

“That’s what I have been told. I have no way of confirming it though. That’s why I need you. Please Ma’am, she really is important.”

“Well of course she is. Phy-Tong-Ki went way too far this time. If I am to believe you, he lives no longer, which is a very good thing.”

Lady Tessara swiveled towards one wall and pressed a button on her desk. A section of the wall came to life. I found myself looking at a large vidscreen that hadn’t been there a moment before. She called up the news station and we watched for almost twenty minutes as all the reports and vids of Phy-Tong-Ki’s destroyed bar and hide out were reported. She then tapped a few other buttons and several seconds later the face of a man came on the screen.

“Good afternoon Lady Tessara. How can I help you today?”

“Ah, Granville, I need to speak with him on a matter of some urgency. Can you put me through, please?”

“One moment M’lady.”

The screen went blank for several seconds then another man appeared on it. “Hello Lady! How’s tricks these days?”

“Now Leon, let’s not be crass. I need to speak with you on a matter of state.”

“A matter of state? Since when did you get involved in politics?”

“Oh please! You know better than that. I’m looking for a young girl…”

“Oh ho, I didn’t know you were that type Tess.”

“Leodegar! That will be quite enough of that!”

“Yes M’lady, as you wish. What is it I can do for you?”

“You acquired a young girl from Phy-Tong-Ki some two or three weeks ago. Correct?”

“Yeah. Yeah I did. You interested in her?”

“In a way. Let me tell you a story…”

Lady Tessara laid out what I had told her. They talked it over for nearly twenty minutes before settling on an agreement.

“She’ll be brought to you just in time for dinner hour. Is that okay?”

“Yes, that will do just fine. Oh, and if anyone else should come looking for her, you know nothing. Is that satisfactory?”

“Certainly. Under the circumstances, I completely agree.”

“Thank you Leon. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Glad to help Tess. I’ll see you next week at the meeting.” The screen went blank and Lady Tessara shut it off.

“Now then young lady, let us talk about you.”

“What do you mean? I’m nobody. I just needed help. I’ll find a way to pay you if that’s what you mean.”

“Oh my, no. That is not what I meant at all. Now that we’ve solved your dilemma, I wish to ask you a few questions is all.”

“Oh. Well… okay, I guess. I don’t know what I can tell someone like you though.”

“We shall see. Tell me, what are your parents names and professions?”

“I… uh… don’t understand. Why?”

“I am interested for personal reasons. Humor me, please.”

“Well… okay. My father’s name was Dalton and my mother’s name was Samantha. They were salvagers.”

“You say ‘was’ and ‘were’. What happened to them?”

“We were attacked by space pirates and they were both killed.”

“How long ago was this?”

“Almost six years ago now.”

“And you? What happened with you?”

“I was… uhm… taken.”

“You were sold in other words.”

“Yes.”

“Slavers?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“How long were you… ah… kept?”

“A little more than four years.” I mumbled.

“Pardon? Hold your head up dear and never be afraid to speak clearly.”

“Yes ma’am. It’s not that I’m afraid, it’s that I don’t… don’t really… uh… enjoy talking about… that.”

I began to tremble as tears sprang to my eyes. Before I could stop her, Lady Tessara had risen and walked around her desk. She took me up in her arms and held me. I don’t know why but all the emotions of the past few days, along with old memories, both bad and good, of my parents and my time as a slave, chose just this moment to come bursting out as if through a broken dam. There was nothing I could do but let it come. I buried my face in Lady Tessara’s skirts and sobbed. It took me a few minutes to regain my composure.

“You’ve had a very hard life the last few years, I am certain.” She said, once I had settled again. “I cannot even imagine what you have had to suffer. I wish to do what I can to help you. You have only to ask.”

“Why would you do this for me? I’m nobody. I’m just a girl who showed up on your doorstep. What am I to you that I deserve any more than you’ve already done?”

“Well, let me tell you a story.” she said, returning to her chair. “You don’t remember this and I had forgotten it as well but we have actually met before.”

“What? But… when… where… how?”

“It was many years ago. You were a precocious three year old at the time. That is why you would not remember. I had actually known your parents for about five years by then. They were good people and skilled at their profession. Of course, I was not certain of any of this when I first heard your name.”

“Then, how did you know?”

“A simple check of my trade records. I have a well trained and highly efficient staff. My secretary did a complete background on you as soon as your walked through my door. She sent the results to my pad here for me to see.”

“What were my parents like? I don’t have too many memories of them.”

“You were what, about ten when they died?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Do you not have memories from before?”

“Well yeah, a bit. But they’re fuzzy and confused. I’m afraid that my life since then has rather overridden the rest.”

“Yes, of course. How thoughtless of me. Traumatic experience as you suffered would cloud even the best memory. I apologize.”

“That’s okay. I’ve learned to live with it. Most of the time anyway.”

“I may have some old vids and photos I can give you if you would like.”

“I’d appreciate that a lot. Most of what I had was lost in a fire recently.”

“I’ll have my secretary dig up whatever I have. Now then, to the task at hand. The princess will be here for lunch. She knows you, yes?”

“Yes. We’ve spent some time together.”

“Good. We need to get you ready. Make you presentable.”

“Huh? What-do-you mean? I’m fine like this. Aren’t I?”

“One can not be handmaid to a princess dressed as a lowly serving girl! And your hair needs work as well.”

“But… I’m fine. She already knows me. I’ve been dressed worse around her before. I appreciate the offer but I’ll be fine…”

“I will hear no more argument! You will do as I say and that is the end of it young lady!”

I had no choice but to do as she asked. She summoned an entire troupe of servants and within minutes I was whisked away to a suite.

Against my protests, I was bathed, perfumed, shaved, had my hair scrubbed, brushed, curled, tied and scented until I thought they had pulled it all out and had my face painted with enough makeup it felt heavy and slick.

They had scrubbed my skin until it felt raw. The final indignity I had to suffer was being stuffed into a dress that made me look ridiculous. It had enough material to make three dresses. It was pale pink with white lace and lavender ribbons. The sleeves were puffy balls that wrapped my upper arms. The bodice was cinched tight around my chest and stomach until I thought I’d pass out from being unable to breath.

The skirt was pleated around the waist so many times I couldn’t count them. It spread out nearly five feet in diameter at the bottom. It was held like that by at least six layers of bustle. They dragged stockings up my legs that reached to my knees and were held in place by garters. Then they stuffed my feet into a pair of high heeled shoes. They were made of white leather and studded with so many tiny purple stones that you could no longer see the leather. My hands were crammed into white cotton gloves that went all the way to my elbows. As I stood there feeling embarrassed and angry, they brought out the one thing that made it all worthwhile.Around my neck they draped a silver necklace that must have weighed five pounds. It was totally covered in diamonds and pearls, accented here and there with more of the tiny purple stones that covered my shoes. It was the only part of this get-up that I actually liked.

The whole process took nearly three hours and it was getting close to dinner time by then.“Oh my yes. Yes, you do clean up quite nicely don’t you.” Lady Tessara said when I was presented to her in the main entry hall to await the princess’s arrival.

“I feel stupid!” I grumbled.

“Now, now. None of that. You look lovely. Leo’s chauffeur rang a few minutes age. They’ll be here any minute.”

She was correct. It wasn’t more than ten minutes later when they pulled up out front. Lady Tessara and I moved up closer to the front of the entry hall. In just moments, the servants opened the double doors and the princess walked in.

She was dressed in a pastel blue gown of silk that was strapless and sleeveless. It sparkled in the lights of the hall as if covered in tiny diamonds. Her hair had been brushed out straight and shown with a deep reddish brown glow. She had a pair of matching blue gloves on that came to her elbows. She was wearing a pair of shoes that one would swear had been carved out of single blocks of sapphire then polished until clear and shining. On her head was a silver and diamond tiara. At her throat was a clasp pin with a single emerald set in silver. The stone must have been at least two inches in diameter and was faceted and highly polished. The pin held a cape of deep royal blue satin, embellished with gold embroidery and a white fur collar in place around her shoulders. I had never seen her like this before. She looked every bit a princess. However, no matter how royal she appeared on the outside, when our eyes met I could see the terror, fear, worry, depression and pain concealed inside.

As soon as she realized who I was all pretense of princess vanished in an instant. The twelve year old girl that had been through an extremely traumatic couple of months took over. She grabbed up her skirt in her hands and ran straight to me. Throwing her arms around me and almost knocking me over, she buried her face in my chest and began to sob. Lady Tessara quickly ushered us into a small sitting room off the entry hall.

For nearly an hour, we were left alone to talk. She told me all about her experiences and I found myself telling her of my past. Once we started talking it all just tumbled out, like gumballs from a broken machine.

After a while, servants came to tell us it was time to eat. They helped us fix our hair and makeup then escorted us to the large dining room.

After a three hour dinner, the princess and I went to a suite of rooms and, with some help, got out of our overindulgent finery and into some basic nightgowns. Once alone, we continued to talk late into the night. We both finally fell asleep around three in the morning and the night passed by in peace and quiet.

The next morning I was awakened by one of Master Hayden’s servants. I was cordially invited to take breakfast with him on the patio. Once dressed and combed, I was escorted to said patio and found him already into his first cup of coffee. “Good morning!” he called, cheerfully.

“Good morning sir.”

“Oh, drop the sir nonsense will you.” Master Hayden chided. “Call me Leon.”

“Alright but only if you call me Jared.” I answered jovially.

“Good! Jared it is. I made contact with Tess this morning. The princess arrived there last night for dinner and is doing fine. By the way, I’m told there’s a special friend of yours there as well.”

“Huh? Who?”

“A certain young lady named Samira Corby. I believe you two are acquainted?”

“Sam! Sam’s there too? What a relief. I thought I’d lost her.”

“Yes, she’s there. I understand she arrived there night before last. Oh but that’s her story to tell. I don’t believe I could do it justice.” he shrugged and smiled.

“When can we leave? How long will it take us to get there?” I queried excitedly. “Does she know I’m here?”

“Whoa there big guy!” Leon said, holding both hands up in front of himself, palms towards me. “Just take a breath. We’ll leave as soon as we’re done eating. No need to go running off on an empty stomach now is there? Your young lady’s in good hands. We’ll be there before lunch time.”

I tried to calm down and eat but only picked at my food. I was too excited and relieved to truly relax.

“It’s obvious you’re not going to let me eat in peace are you?” Leon said finally, after almost twenty minutes. Picking up his data pad, he activated the comlink. “Granville, will you have Brûnnaith bring the car around please? We’ll be departing directly.” As we sped down the expressway, all I could think of was Sam and getting us all back together and on our way home.

Are you enjoying this story? You might want to let Jared know by emailing him at: Jared at CastleRoland dot Net