A Curious Fascination

Chapter 6

A Personal Meeting

"Highness you can't just make her come here or someone will know!" Francis said for the third time.

"Yes Francis but I want to meet her. I want to ask her whether all the things we found out are true." Gerald argued.

"I'm sure you do Highness but you can't just let Antonia know you're looking up information about her slave."

"Then don't tell Antonia. Tell the girl to come after she's gone or sleeping."

"But Highness."

"No buts Francis, bring her to me." Gerald ordered sternly. Francis was about to argue but knew it was useless. Once his master had his mind made up about something it happened. So Francis agreed to do it rather than anyone else.

"Good, bring her tonight."

"I still think this is a mistake." Francis said as he left. He walked down the hallways and through towards the Countess's suite. Then he continued past until he found a servants' door. The tiny passageway led past all the suites from a secret back way, which Francis knew quite well from playing in them from boyhood.

He found the right door, it was unmarked but by knowing the color painted above the secret door one could easily identify it. He lifted a tiny hatch that looked into the room and looked around as best he could. The room seemed empty enough so he opened the door a crack and listened. Hearing nothing her opened the door a bit wider and looked in.

The room wasn't as empty as he had though for Helen was just coming in from her own tiny room when she saw a piece of the wall swing out and a man step out from behind it.

"Francis!" She whispered shocked. Antonia was only in the next room taking a bath so she had to be careful.

"Helen? Is someone there?" Antonia called from her bath thinking she had heard someone.

"No Mistress just me, I'll be right in with your soaps." Helen lied as she grabbed Francis by the sleeve and pulled him into her room.

"What are you doing here?" She said as quietly as she could.

"I was ordered to come, and yes he said right now. I told him it was stupid but he wants you to come to his room tonight. Nothing dishonorable, just talking I promise you." Francis explained.

"I can't! If Antonia finds out she will surely kill me. Tell him I would if I could but I just can't. If he wants me that bad he'll just have to ask Antonia."

"He can't ask her, it's supposed to be a secret. The prince believes that he has stumbled on some great mystery and he is determined to go through with this. Please try and come, just to make him happy and try and get this silly idea out of his head."

"Well perhaps when I'm sure Antonia's asleep, after all I don't want you to get into trouble either. But how do I find the prince?"

"All the colors except purple. That means his door has every color but purple in it. There are only a few doors with so many colors so it's quite easy really. Just follow the passageway I came through and go all the way to the end and up till you reach the top and go left. It's near the end."

"All right, but if something happens I can't promise I can make it. Antonia wakes up at the oddest hours and requires the oddest things." Helen said.

"Good I'll tell him. And thank you." Francis took her hand unceremoniously and kissed it.

"Hurry up and let's get you out of here." Helen took his hand and opened her door. She went out first and looked to make sure no one was there. Seeing nothing and hearing naught but the splashing of Antonia's bath water Helen pulled Francis out and pushed him towards the secret door he had come in through. She began noisily taking bottles off a shelf as she watched how Francis opened the door. Then when he was gone she went to finish helping Antonia with her bath.

"What took you so long Helen? Oh well nevermind I'm in too good a mood to be angry with you today. Just hurry up now so you have enough time to make me look my best for dinner."

"Yes Mistress. Lean back and I'll begin on your hair."

Antonia tilted her head back ever so slightly, not wanting to comply too much, and Helen began pour cups of warm water of her long wavy hair. Then she took out the hair oils and began massaging them into her hair and scalp making foamy bubbles and sending a light scent of roses through the room.

"Helen when you're done with my hair go and fetch my dress for tonight, I want the green blue one with the blue lace lining." Antonia told Helen as she rinsed the foam from her hair.

"Yes of course. I'll go do that now." Helen left her mistress to soak while she went to set out all the clothes for that evening.

After her long hot bath Antonia sat in her chair while Helen combed out all the tangles and rubbed yet more oil into her hair as it dried. Then began the tedious dressing process of layer after layer of cotton and silk and finally the beautiful dress over all of it.

"There Mistress you're dressed. Now let me put on your cosmetics and finish your hair and you're al ready." Helen said trying to keep the mood light and cheery.

"Put on the rouge only lightly so he can see my natural beauty as well. I don't want him to think me trying to hind something with my cosmetics."

"Of course, close your eyes now and let me start." Helen gently rubbed colored powders onto Antonia's eyes and cheeks then applied light rouge to her lips. Then she went around behind and plaited a ribbon into her hair.

"All finished, and just in time to leave too." Helen announced.

"Very good. Hurry and fetch my slippers, quickly now!" Antonia clapped her hands for emphasis as Helen rushed to the closet to fetch the slippers. She knelt down and gently eased them onto Antonia's feet and as soon as they were on she rushed to the door stepping on Helen's hand in the process.

Helen gripped her hand in pain and noticed it turn a bit red and her fingers become sore. She closed her eyes against the sting and stood up to begin getting everything ready for her Mistress's return.

Antonia knew what she had done but didn't care in the least as long as she was happy. She rushed to dinner with her mother and sister, who was just as unhappy as ever about having to go back and eat dinner with the royal family.

"Countess! So good you could join us again. When I hear that Gerald had invited you to dinner I was shocked to realize that I hadn't done so myself, do forgive me my friend it completely slipped my mind to invite you." The queen exclaimed when they entered the dining room. The king and prince both stood in the presence of ladies and bowed politely. The queen motioned for the three guests to sit as she took her own seat at the lowed end of the table.

"Good evening Miss Antonia." Gerald smiled as they both sat.

"Good evening highness, I trust you business went well this afternoon?"

"Very well actually, got plenty of work done. And yourself?"

"Oh not much really, my life isn't nearly as exciting as yours." Antonia giggled.

"I doubt that." Gerald commented. It's true meaning was lost on Antonia who took it as a great compliment.

"Tell me Highness, what work do you do?" the Countess interrupted.

"It's not really something to be discussed at dinner Countess. Perhaps another time though." Gerald excused.

"Please tell us Highness, I'm sure it's highly fascinating." Antonia begged sweetly.

"I study anatomy, that is why I was so interested in your slave girl when you arrived actually. I thought she was dead and wanted to study her anatomy, for science." He added to assure they didn't mistake his intentions.

"You're right it isn't a topic for dinner. Antonia next time you should trust our prince when he warns us about such things." The Countess said after thinking about it.

"Yes Mother, forgive me highness I was just so curious about what you do I did not think about your own reasons for not wishing to share with us."

"Quite all right Miss Antonia." Gerald assured her. Dinner was as usual fabulous and the conversation light for the rest of the evening.

Afterwards the Queen invited the Countess for a drink in her parlor while Gerald offered to take Antonia and Diane back to their rooms. Diane trailed behind her sister, who had her arms firmly around Gerald's. Francis stayed behind all three and observed carefully.

"What a magnificent dinner Highness. And you so splendid in your suit, you look every bit the prince whenever I see you." Antonia complimented incessantly. Diane rolled her eyes but nobody noticed.

"And you Antonia look quite magnificent yourself I must say. It's as if you were born with perfect everything. Tell me you will join me for tea tomorrow afternoon."

"Of course I will! I would be delighted to that is."

"Excellent, I will send someone to fetch you tomorrow then. And if your sister wishes she may join us, but I fear she would be terribly bored by our talk." Antonia was just agreeing when Francis heard Diane say something along the lines of 'I wouldn't go if you paid me'.

"Well here we are at last, have a pleasant sleep Miss Antonia, Miss Diane." Gerald released Antonia's arm and bowed as they entered their rooms.

"Good night highness. I'll see you tomorrow."

Gerald waited until the door had been shut before leaving to go to his own rooms.

"Hear anything interesting?" He asked Francis.

"Yes my Prince I did. It seems the sister doesn't like Antonia much either."

"It's just awful that I can't see for myself why they feel that way about her. Every time I'm around her she seems to be a perfect angel. And I doubt she'd act any differently towards you."

"Very good deduction Highness. Yes I must agree that if I were to see her she would act no differently knowing our relationship." He agreed.

"So what to do? Perhaps you could think of a way for us to spy on her."

"You could always use the slave, she is going to try and meet us tonight."

"You would trust a slave?" Gerald asked a bit disbelievingly.

"I trust this one, after all she was born into nobility."

"I suppose you're right, well let's hurry back so we won't miss her." Gerald said as he started walking faster. Francis shook his head at his naïve master for thinking Helen would be able to come any time soon. But nonetheless he followed him back and got some tea for the prince to drink while waiting.

Helen had too much work to do to even be thinking about the prince. After undressing Antonia she had to undo her hair and brush it again until it shone like silk and then wash off the cosmetics and put all her things away as she sat and pondered the meaning of life, which to her was marrying the prince and becoming queen.

Even after Antonia was in bed Helen had to get her things ready for the next morning and straighten so many things up that she was exhausted by the time she was finished. She was going to go straight to bed when she remembered her promise to Francis. She groaned into her pillow and had to force herself to get back up and go. But she did go, if ever so slowly.

She found the correct colors by the light of her candle and noticed the secret door was slightly ajar. She knocked first to be sure however.

"Helen! Thank goodness you made it." Francis exclaimed with joy. He had started to worry he might not come and Gerald was getting restless. "Come in, come in." He opened the door for her to come in tot he prince's bedroom.

Helen noticed the wondrous tapestries and furniture in the bedroom but made no great show of it.

"Francis, finally!" Gerald said relieved and bit angry to have been kept waiting so long.

"Yes highness. This is Helen, Antonia's slave girl."

"Pleased to meet you highness." Helen curtsied.

"Of course you are, here have a seat." He offered. Helen sat on a chair nearby and Francis gave her a cup of tea. Remembering her manners from many years ago she fumbled through her formalities.

"Is it true about the Countess being your step mother? What about her fighting for your becoming a slave and not to go to prison?" the Prince began question after question and Helen had not time to answer.

"Forgive my master he is tired and excited." Francis interrupted.

"Oh sorry! Please forgive me. Please talk." Gerald said.

"Some of it is true and others are not. Like her fighting for my slavery is true, but she didn't keep me from going to prison. Your father was going to drop the debts and I was to stay as the Countess's step daughter but she insisted I go into slavery to pay off my father's debts. And she won't let me see the papers so I have no idea how much I really owe her."

"How interesting, and tell me about Antonia. Is she as nice as she seems? And if I find out you're lying I will have you punished." Gerald threatened. Francis looked down at Helen and Shook his head ever so gently to assure her nothing would happen.

"Antonia is only wonderful to you highness. To me she is cruelty itself, and to her sister she is nasty. Only her mother seems to find redeeming qualities about her. And as for punishment I will be punished worse if they even know I spoke to you."

"I see. Well tell me more about Antonia, what does she do in her spare time? What books does she like to read?"

"Books? She doesn't own a single book. And what she does? Makes her self beautiful, and recently she's been imagining what you two's children will look like. That last one especially."

"Oh does she? Well I assume many women do, not that they'll ever succeed. Francis why not have a seat? It is after all only the three of us." Gerald suggested. Francis tentatively took a seat in a small chair nearby.

"I mean no offense by this Highness but do you truly believe that women want you because you are good looking and charismatic?" Helen asked carefully.

"Why, am I not these things?" Gerald laughed running his hands through this golden locks.

"You are, but not any more handsome than any other man could be. As for charisma I only see it when you're trying to be so."

"What are you babbling about?"

"Babbling? I was not babbling, merely trying to make a point. Francis already knows what my point is and you're accusing me of babbling."

"You do?" Gerald turned to his valet.

"I think so Sire." Francis nodded while he silently prayed he wouldn't be the one to have to tell the prince what the point was. And his payers were answered when the Prince instead asked Helen.

"Tell me then slave before I loose my patience."

"Patience? I didn't know you had any to loose."

"Hold your tongue or I will do so for you!" he shouted standing up and shouting at Helen who had suspected he would do as much.

Helen sat and said nothing but her face showed clearly that she was not intimidated.

"Francis take her back!" Gerald ordered. Grateful for an excuse to leave while his master was angry Francis leaped up and practically picked Helen up by the arm and began to pull her out of the room. But she pulled away from his grip just as they neared the door and made a low curtsey to the ever reddening prince.

"It is such a pleasure to finally meet the true prince." She said sweetly. Then she turned and followed Francis out.

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A/N: *sigh* that was a terrible chapter. I rewrote it twice and it still looks horrible. Please please please let me know how I can fix it!