|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 8:48 pm
Kenneth winced, shins hurt, but he realized it could of hurt more if she had shoes on and that he was testing her patience. "I didn't see anything exce- Gah!" He curled up on the chair, her punch hurt more than her kicks. "S-Sorry princess...n-no...." He stayed curled up after she hit him, looking tot he guard as she waved him away. "I don't intentionally make you miserable, I wish to see you smile and laugh." He said, setting his feet back down and rubbing at where she hit, taking much needed breaths through his mouth as his nose was clogged. "Next time I'll ask before touching your dress, is your foot alright?" He looked to her toes, most being red from the hit. "Most city girls shoes their ankles, keep their dress from the dirt." He told her, hoping she found it comforting instead of insulting for once. "If your going to eat that, would you like it tested again for drugs?" He looked to the plate, the smell becoming intoxicating and if she opened it, he didn't know if he could stop another stomach growl.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:27 pm
 She scoffed at his ridiculous statement. "Pray tell, how would sexually harassing your master make her laugh? Apparently you didn't learn your lesson last time, you're a fool and a liar." She said with a scowl and stepped away from him. His other comment about her preferred fashion further irritated her. "Do you even pay attention to anything I say? I am no mere girl, I am a princess and the future Queen of Criaswen." She walked towards the fire. There was some hot ash at the bottom. If his answer didn't please her, she'd see to it that some of that ash would be sprinkled over his food. Should she have this dress burned? What was the point in wearing something that had been repaired if it had been touched by a depraved lunatic. It was getting to be quite late, but she had yet to satisfy her curiosity. She wouldn't let his little interruption get in her way. "That is for you. Tell me who you were before you became my slave. Then you may eat. If I find out that you've lied to me, about anything, I'll have you sent to the coliseum."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:52 pm
Kenneth sighed, there was no use making amends at some point. He thought, she believed princess and queens were different from woman? Did she have an education? "Your right princess, I should read you more poems or learn to dance to make you laugh and smile." He looked to the food as she said it was for him, he attempted to stand and winced, his ankle telling him to sit back down and she knew that he couldn't get up. "Who I was? I was the son of a merchant, we had enough money to be considered nobles, I had four brothers and one little sister, currently only me and her are the only living children from my parents. We lived in the middle district, close enough to the market place." He answered, hoping she would be satisfied, but why ask now? Was she curious on why he was so educated as a slave? "I punched a rather high pig-headed noble man who killed my brother and stole his wife...he killed him in front of me and I just didn't hold back from breaking his nose." He crossed his arms, looking away as it was a tender subject to speak about his siblings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:44 pm
She listened intently to what he told her, though she kept her back turned to him. His family must have been wealthy to live in that area and have so many children. Why had his other brothers died? She didn't recall hearing about such a family either. Perhaps his attack on the noble had earned him a death sentence and instead, her mother had given him to her as a gift? It would sort of explain how he had managed to survive all of the physical torture and discipline she'd put him through. That and how stubborn he was about taking punishment so that others wouldn't suffer. Why had he not simply challenged the man to a duel? Had his family chosen not to have him educated in the ways of nobility? Or he had issued a challenge and the noble refused to fight him. Depending on the noble, either outcome would have landed her slave in the same situation. His crime also explained why he wasn't put to better use as a servant where he could utilize any skills he'd been taught prior to being forced into slavery.
Even without asking she knew that he wasn't allowed to contact his family. The servants would sometimes chatter about their friends and family. They were free to write and sometimes visit. Sure, a broken vase or damaged painting was enough to earn them a date with the executioner, but they had more freedom than the slaves. She wondered briefly if he missed them and recalled how he'd told her before that she reminded him of his sister. She couldn't think of it, a person of lesser birth resembling her in any way. But she was curious enough now. Astrid was a bit old to still be unmarried, the ideal age being closer to seventeen or eighteen. She was considering still considering different suitors, having rejected all others she'd met. She didn't know how old he was either but he looked like he'd been close enough to a marriageable age. Had his family been arranging something for him? Or, like the commoners were known to do, was he set on marrying for love? Was there someone out there missing him or more importantly, plotting revenge? Or had he been set on carrying on their little family business?
Perhaps she'd get lucky and the pain medication would muddy his mind and make him forget that she'd even asked him these sorts of questions. She turned to look at him and noticed that he was still in the chair. His ankle undoubtedly hurt him still. Another loud grumble escaped his stomach. He was an incredible glutton so she couldn't quite tell if he'd been allowed any sort of sustenance all day or not. It was a marvel that he hadn't been the size of a whale when first they'd met each other. She strode over to the desk and lifted the tray. Her arm throbbed painfully where her brother had grabbed her earlier, causing her eyes to water a bit. But she wouldn't let it get in her way. She should have just called for someone else to bring the food over to him, but she was feeling impatient. She also wanted to ask him things and didn't want to risk being overheard. "Hold this." She placed the tray down on his lap and then moved the side table closer so the tray could rest upon that instead. Then she sat down on the cushioned bench which was located at the foot of her bed. Close, but far enough that she wasn't within reach just in case he got any ideas. "If you had any idea of what would happen to you, why didn't you just kill him?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:04 pm
Kenneth continued to look the other way, missing his mother and father hurt, but to know his little sister had no one to look up to protect her anymore, it hurt more. He wasn't allowed to contact them, he once had a maid do it for him, but the letter was returned. He didn't know where his family was anymore, did they move? Did they forget about him? Did they blame him for getting his brother killed? He looked to Astrid, her arm must hurt and he took the tray from her to set in his lap before setting it on the side table. "I should have challenged him, but my skill with a sword is...terrible at best. It wasn't just the fact he killed my brother, but that he took my new step sister, his wife away and claimed she was unfaithful, a whore and I couldn't let him ruin her image like that. He thought himself so high and mighty, that I just had to knock him down a peg or two. I should of killed him, he wouldn't of told the guards I punched him then. I could still be home, learning to use oils and paint a canvas or learn a new language. I could of been anything, but now I'm nothing." He looked to the plate, why was he telling her this? She didn't care about how he felt, he silently began to eat, hoping to end the conversation.
He continued to eat, making it seem as if he couldn't answer any more questions and the medicine from earlier was hitting him hard now that he had a full stomach. He sat there, dozing off every few seconds, not remembering how he was moved from the chair to where she use to sit, but he curled up within his blanket, only his head poking out. It would be a while before his thunderous snores became noticable, for now it was a soft whistle through his nose.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:58 pm
Her interest dulled as he explained that he'd also been protecting his murdered brother's wife. Were those lesser women so incapable of defending their own honor? Wasn't it his brother's fault for leaving himself open to attack? Why bother to protect some useless person if there would be no benefit in the end? Her opinion of him went down considerably as he revealed that he was terrible with a sword. She wanted him to prove that. Astrid was not skilled with more feminine works. The patterns for her needlepoint and embroidery were always kept simple, even for the bigger projects. She couldn't sew well or at all, and always had a servant do it. She couldn't sketch very well either. She blamed part of this on the fact that women weren't allowed to view nude models, so her sketches couldn't be accurate. Even if she were allowed to, she would chose not to for she didn't want to witness what a man looked like naked until after she was married.
However she was a skilled duelist with a rapier and dagger, bow and arrow and rider on horseback. The only feminine sort of skill she had was playing the harp. She also played the lute well but some would argue that it was a man's instrument and she shouldn't play it, so she rarely did anymore. Briefly she wondered what it would have looked like had she been in his place. She wouldn't do such a thing to protect any of her siblings or family members, but perhaps to defend her family name. "Nothing?" She repeated, the scowl returning to her face as she regarded him coldly. She didn't like that statement. She was quite something, a princess of a large and wealthy kingdom. One of the most powerful people in the world right now. The castle was a marvel compared to anything in the cities. Living and working in it should at least be pleasant, even if one was a lowly slave. Anyone would think that to be in her chambers and allowed to handle her belongings would make one proud of themselves. She didn't let anyone get close to her, after all. Before he'd been given to her, she'd been the only one to tend to her precious plants.
"So rather than be my slave, you wish that you'd been put to death instead? If you want to be freed so badly, then why not ask for it?" But he wouldn't answer her questions anymore. All of the medicine he'd been given, orally and what was undoubtedly all over his wounds, must have finally kicked in. She called in her two personal maids and had them move him to the cushioned bench and cover him with the blanket. Then she had them draw her a scented bath, comb and dry her hair and help her dress afterwards. It was very late, so the two were tired but a word from her made them hurry. She had them take away the tray, satisfied that it had all been consumed. She tried to sleep but only managed to fall asleep for about twenty minutes at a time. Almost every time she closed her eyes, she'd think of what happened that day. She'd recall her brother's anger, the sight of him about to crush her legs with that candelabra. That would have ultimately killed her and she knew it. She knew it well, and couldn't stop thinking about it. Her slave had ruined her plan but was she so incapable of protecting herself that there was nothing else she could have done in that situation?
If her bones had been broken in several places, it would have required an immediate amputation. Her body would've gone into shock. She'd be losing so much blood. She knew, because she'd broken several other slaves that way. It was partly why she held back whenever she punished Kenneth, for that would certainly kill anyone. It was a terribly painful and undignified way to die. She didn't want it. Everything she'd ever wanted in life would have been gone. She would've known that and been unable to change it for however long it would've taken her to die. She'd most certainly be going to hell after that and she couldn't stand even the thought of the pain she'd be forced to endure then. Though she managed to think of something else, she'd inevitably be drawn back to her failure and the booming voice of her brute of a brother as he was about to kill her. His obnoxiously loud snoring didn't help her to stay asleep either, but there was nothing she could do about it. All in all, by morning she'd gotten maybe three hours of rest in total. She was awake before the sun was in the sky. She didn't bother Kenneth. He was pretty much useless right now anyway due to his ankle.
She let him sleep and instead called on her maids to come and help her get dressed. She had them tie a blindfold over his eyes and she changed behind a folding screen for extra protection. Then, as usual she had them test her makeup and perfumes before allowing them to apply them to her. She instructed them to stay behind to take care of her injured slave, and sent word that the two wouldn't be able to perform their normal duties for the morning. Then left for the dining hall to attend breakfast with the rest of the family, sans the eldest surviving brother. Without the King and Queen present, there would be no need to attend dinner alone. Joseph was to be kept to his room, or he was supposed to be, and her Uncle and brother Arric were both leaving after lunch.
The two maids, Maud and Emily, stood next to Kenneth patiently. They pretty much had the morning off so if he just slept until then, they would be pretty thrilled about it. They whispered to one another, commenting on how he was sleeping, how purple his face was from yesterday's beating and how loudly he was snoring. They didn't know how he'd gotten so beaten up either so they were chatting away, gradually becoming louder, and coming up with stories on their own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 3:17 pm
He curled up with the blanket, sleeping like a log and moving about to become comfortable again. The medication helped him stay sound asleep for once, it would take a lot to get him up before breakfast and thankfully he didn't need to. He stretched out while she was getting dressed, the blindfold over his eyes and when taken off, he was still asleep. He curled back up once he began to feel sore and his wounds hurt still. The medication was wearing off faster than Astrid's makeup during the day. He opened his eyes slightly, hearing muffled voices that became louder as he drowsily awoke and sat up. The blanket slid off his shoulder to show he was only in pants and seemed to still be out of it. "Mmmm....M-Maud? Emily? W...Whatcha doing here...?" He rubbed at one eye, the other eye had gone down from being swelled up, his ankle felt better, but was still wrapped up tight as the doctor told him not to stand on it until tonight.
He swayed a bit as he sat up, no wonder the princess had the maids stay to watch over him, he was more out of it than last night. "Hmmm...?" He looked up to them, did they ask him a question or were they still gossiping? He yawned, tipping over as Maud caught him, laying him gently down as she was afraid he would fall off the seat. "I-I'm ok...! Just tired...." He dozed off again, a line of drool going down his mouth as he laid there sleeping, waking up in the same state of mind for a half hour. They checked his wounds, putting some clean bandages on them and getting some water for when he woke up again. He woke up finally a few minutes before breakfast would be over, sitting up and looking to the two maids confused. "Have you been here all morning?" He raised a eyebrow at their giggling before drinking the water and the bit of breakfast they got for him.
They asked about the drawn picture of the princess, sitting on the desk and he smiled. "I drew it, she was sleeping one night and I couldn't help but draw her as she had been earlier, sewing something." He commented as they took the tray away and unwrapped his ankle to check it. They rewrapped it with a cloth that had been on the balcony all night, keeping it cold until needed. He folded the blanket while sitting down, trying to do something to keep busy otherwise he would be bored beyond belief until the princess returned. Emily had been doing the princess's laundry, she decided to bring it up to the room and let Ken fold it while he kept off his ankle. He laughed and joked with them as they helped get the room in shape. He fluffed the pillows before handing them off to Maud, told them how the desk should be arranged and how to get the wrinkles out of the dresses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 5:36 pm
Her lesson after breakfast had been brief. She hadn't completed her homework, having no patience for it yesterday. Her Uncle hadn't been pleased by this, saying it wasn't a good reason to have skipped it. The more she learned about that other country the less she cared. Why couldn't she simply use a translator? Prince Victor wasn't that impressive a candidate. So, she still had to finish that as well as what he'd prepared for her today to deal with. That irritating business was how he wanted her to spend the rest of her day. As she walked back to her room, she noticed that the guards were smiling about something. There was a lot of noise, mainly laughter, coming from her room. She opened the door to look inside and frowned slightly when she saw the two maids and her slave getting along so well. The sketch pad was between them, the maids probably wanted him to draw them. They were so noisy, she didn't care for it. She considered settling down in her study for the privacy, but the idea of being alone immediately made her feel uncomfortable.
She stepped inside, looking away from the three dismissively as the two maids stopped what they were doing in order to curtsy to her. A servant, infamous for having no presence at all, had been following her carrying all of the books she was to read. She had him move her chair to be next to the balcony. Then set down the books on the side table next to her. After that they left. She picked one of them up, as well as a piece of paper her Uncle had written out for her which would help her to pronounce the words. She began to read the first, sounding it out under her breath before she noticed that the two maids were still in the room. "Leave." With that order, they hurried out and closed the door behind them. The room was quiet once more, and Astrid returned her attention to the ever-so-annoying books of poetry she was supposed to translate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 6:55 pm
Kenneth laughed with the maids, talking of things and they kept asking questions of how he could draw if he was a slave. "I taught myself, tutors didn't like me being left handed so I decided to stop learning from them and practice on my own." He stated, seeing the princess enter and telling the maids to leave. He kept quiet, folding the laundry and setting some aside on the bed or beside him as he listened to her trying to pronounce the new language. He peeked over, looking at the list of words and smiling. "L is silent. J can be silent if certain letters are by it like N, M, or T." He noted, looking to the book of poems beside her. "I could help, I don't need to read it to know what your missing. Without the accent, some letters are difficult to pronounce, others are similar to our language." He kept folding the laundry, scooting along the seat until he reached the end and kept peeking over to the princess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 9:25 pm
Astrid would change her pronunciation whenever he would suggest something different. It worked for a moment, but she'd forget how to pronounce certain words as she was very slowly reading aloud one of the poems. She got to the last line when she finally noticed that he was moving. She looked away from her book and was slightly surprised to see him practically on the edge of his seat and leaning over just to try to see what she was reading. "... Kenneth." She said sternly, saying his name though for nearly as long as he'd been hers she had avoided doing so. He was her lesser, she had no need to acknowledge him aloud by name. Normally, anyway. He was so eager to read the poems, which he wasn't allowed to, and strangely helpful. She wanted to be done with this quickly. His help had worked, even though her Uncle and tutor had tried the same thing. Perhaps because he showed all the curiosity and enthusiasm of a small, endearing child or young animal. He was about to fall off of the bench, in fact, just to see it. How amusing... The frown left her face, replaced by a more stoic drawn out line as she suppressed a smile. "You can read Bexlockian..?"
She closed the book suddenly, moving it as if she was going to try to catch his nose as she did so but purposefully missed it. After placing it down on the pile she picked up the books, stood up and sat down next to him. She placed the books on his lap and folded her hands neatly over her own. "Read with me." His energy so far was helpful, as this was something she detested doing. It seemed obvious that it was leftover from his interaction with her maids, which she didn't like. But she hated this language more than the idea of him laughing like an idiot with Maud and Emily. "If you fail to keep me amused... I'll think of a suitable punishment for you later." She looked to the books pointedly, then to him. He was definitely aware of it being illegal for a slave to read, write or do anything else which required holding a somewhat-sharp implement. "Hurry up, I want to be done with this quickly."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:04 pm
Kenneth kept trying his best to read from his position, nearly slipping and becoming embarrassed as he set the folded laundry in the basket. He became startled as she closed the book nearly in his face and said his name. Wait. She knew his name wasn't worm? "Yes, Bexlockian was common to hear when talking to travelers so my parents taught me how to read, write and speak it." He said, watching her pick up the books and set them in his lap before sitting beside me. "R-Read...? Well...sounds like your ordering me so I have to obey." He paused, looking to her with raised eyebrows before opening one of the books. He began with short poems, wondering which would help her. "I know you can pronounce them, but to remember them is different." He picked a short poem; one about her country. "To a Kingdom so dear, to a kingdom so feared, lest their troubles stay hidden, and their gems glisten." He spoke, wondering if she could translate it easy enough.
He read to her for what seemed like forever, helping her remember many letters and common phrases. He read a story to her about the northern kingdom, how they were kind yet prospered, how they had banned many things considered taboo like slavery. They educated everyone and their royal family didn't try to kill each other. "Is that enough for today, Princess? It's almost lunch time." He set the book aside, looking to his ankle and seeing more swelling had gone down, but having not taken any more medication, it throbbed softly for comfort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 10:44 pm
To hear him make such a claim as to being able to read, write and speak in another language caused her to become curious. She put that thought aside though in order to conquer the homework she'd been left faster. With him reading it and telling her the pronunciations, she made more progress. At times they moved through the material as quickly as she'd hoped, other times she was teetering on the edge of smacking him for being useless. The story of the northern kingdom caused what small amount of fun she was having to come crashing down. For several reasons, she didn't like the idea of such a place. They sounded weak, the sort of people ripe for the picking. It reminded her that her father was looking to expand their kingdom by force or through arranged marriage. By the time he'd asked if they were finished, most of her homework was over with. His voice sounded dry, perhaps he needed something to drink after all of that talking. "No." She answered simply and went over to the door leading into the hallway.
She called for her lunch to be brought to her room, and for tea for two to be brought to her room. Tea would be a statement, letting him know how much better she was than the commoners he spent so much of his free time with. What was prepared for the royal family was always better. He would know, from having to taste those teas before. She also called for a flute to be brought up, not quite caring how well it was known that she couldn't play the instrument. Her slave had told her that he could play the flute or piano, and she wanted to know how well. The King and Queen may hear of it later, she was well aware of that. She didn't want anyone to know. For once something other than her jewels or plants was causing her to become curious, even a bit excited. She had hardly expected the pitiful slave she'd kept under her heel for over a year to have been the son of a noble. She went back into her room and took a seat next to him. She fixed him with a cold stare and tilted her head softly as she spoke again. "I want to know, what other secrets are you hiding from me? Tell me, now."
She waited impatiently, eyes going over the bruising on his face. It wasn't as swollen today, though his lip still stuck out awkwardly. It was healing, which it should be. He was being fed well enough. It didn't occur to her that he may need more of his medication to deal with the pain. She assumed that her maids had attended to his requests, within reason. There was no need for her to leave the room now, and with his ankle he was trapped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:07 pm
Kenneth raised an eyebrow as she denied they were done and he sat back to relax. "Hmm? Your having lunch here?" He didn't wish for tea, becoming a bit nervous about it after having been drugged by Joseph. He readjusted and winced, hitting his ankle against a book and lifting it up quickly to avoid further pain. "Other secrets? I wouldn't call them secrets, you just never asked about who I am before." He commented, flinching as she pushed a nail into a bruise on his face. "What do you want to know? Why I draw with my left? Born with it. Why I can't dance? Never learned. Sword play wasn't important when all I wanted to do was go into the farm fields outside of the city to draw." He took the pad of paper and the rather dull pencil to fix the picture of her while they waited for the meal to arrive. "I had few friends..." He stated, looking up to stare at her face then back to the picture to draw out her features.
He began to erase some parts of the picture, to clean it up and give it a nicer look than before. A maid brought up the requested flute, setting it in the princess's hands before helping another servant set the tea and lunch down on the table before leaving. Kenneth looked to the flute than raised an eyebrow. "Do you play the flute?" He asked the obvious question, moving slightly to help poor the tea and taste it before pouring her a cup and setting it close to her. He didn't take another drink of the first cup, not thinking it was for him like always.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 11:51 pm
As he hadn't spoken quickly enough, she began to touch the bruising on his face and neck. She watched the color change with some interest and bit back her frustration at his answers. "You never learned to handle a sword." She commented, mostly to herself. It wasn't a skill he would need, since he was a slave and it was forbidden for them to handle any weapon. Still, she was disappointed. It seemed he wasn't particularly skilled when it came to manlier practices. It made sense to think that he'd few friends. She didn't even need to ask if his punch had hit its target, even if it did he was weak. She'd needed to subdue him a few times, so experience taught her that he was even weaker than she was. She wasn't sure why his lacking physical strength bothered her at all. It was better for a master to be stronger than their slave, after all. Still, she wondered if she could have that changed about him. It wasn't what he wanted, but why would his wants be more important than hers?
The few times he'd made eye contact with her hadn't escaped her notice. She was permitting it, as she wanted to know things from him and did not want him to lie. Appealing to him through kindness seemed the best way to get what she wanted. She didn't mind it, either. It made him seem manlier, even though he was a slave he should at least behave the slightest bit like a man instead of the lowly worm he was. She was curious about the sketch, but would wait for him to show her. As he asked her about the flute, she sighed. "I can not. That is for you." She waited until the maids were both gone and the door was shut before she continued. "You told me some time ago that you could play one." She held up a hand to stop him before he could complain. "I am aware that your lip is torn. Keep the flute with you until you're prepared. Show me what you can do, I expect something worthy of my time." She shifted on her seat to pick up one of the cups of tea and she took a dainty sip of it, as was appropriate for someone of her status. She considered her next question with some thought.
"Why did you want to become an artist? Did you have a name for yourself, before you became my slave?" Her afternoon meal was on the table in front of her. The meal was covered as always. Underneath the lid; slices of roast beef with various roasted vegetables. She wasn't too interested in eating at the moment, instead wanting to satisfy her curiosity first. "What other skills do you posses?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 4:11 pm
He looked to the flute, reaching over to pick it up and study it. It had been awhile since he played one and if he could practice once his lip was healed, maybe he would be able to entertain her. "Alright." He set it aside, continuing to draw out her features, the dress and outline of her hands. "My family encouraged me to do what I love, while my brothers joined the army and became men, only to die or return home and die, I stayed and helped my parents grieve. I decided to draw out their feelings, their passion." He turned the picture upside down, running the pencil along the paper as he drew her beautiful long hair laying across her shoulder and setting in her lap. "I slept in fields or with the homeless to study those feelings, I was just making a name of myself when I was arrested and that look on my parent's face...I finally understood what I was drawing." He sighed, the pencil became too dull to use anymore and he let the princess see the current work. "Other skills? I know a degree of math, two languages, economics and pottery; although at the time I was simply not allowed to learn pottery or how to dance, it was considered a man's job to already know how to dance and pottery was a hobby for young women not yet married." He handed the picture over to the princess and drank more of the other tea, the burning sensation easing his lip pain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
