Rel smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Mr. Sutton. Shall we?"
"Indeed, Miss Aurelia."
Soon they encountered a pair of ornately carved wooden doors. They were taller than the doors that were in her mother's bakery, but they were not as large and grandiose as most of the entryways they had passed. Mr. Sutton knocked gently on the door, "Your Majesty? Miss Amelia has arrived."
A muffled voice replied from within, "Yes, show her in!"
Mr. Sutton stepped to the side and bowed as the doors opened inward. Light from the late afternoon sun streamed in through the floor to ceiling windows on the opposite wall. One wall of the study entirely made of bookshelves, while the other appeared to be entirely made of filing cabinets. Across from the door stood an imposing desk. It was large, made of dark, expensive-looking wood with small tasteful gold accents. Sitting at the desk was a man wearing a well-tailored suit that was striking in it's simplicity. He looked up from his paperwork.
Rel squinted and took a few steps into the room, stopping a few feet from the huge desk to curtsy deeply. "Please, there's no need for that." She lifted her head. The man behind the desk had stood and began to round the desk to get a better look at her. "You're looking well, Aurelia. How was your journey?"
"Thank you, my lord. It was pleasant."
"Good to hear. Desmond, could you close the curtains for us?" One of the men who had opened the study doors walked to the window and closed the curtains. Now, with only the glow of the study lights, Rel could get a better look at the king.
Short, neatly kept brown hair, kind brown eyes, and only being a bit taller than herself, the king didn't cut an impressive or imposing figure. However, his eyes held that deep kind of calm that showed he was not all that he seemed. Only a fool would take him lightly. "I realize it is too soon to make any kind of judgement, but I hope you can be happy here. You can always ask Mr. Sutton or your ladies in waiting if you have need of anything."
Rel bowed slightly, "Thank you, your Majesty."
The King waved his hand gently, "I would much rather you called me... well anything but that." His eyes were saddened for a moment. "I will not ask for you to call me father, but perhaps we can forgo formal titles."
"If you wish... sir?"
The King chuckled, "That will do for now. I see that Mr. Sutton is checking his watch, I had better let you finish your tour."
"Thank you, Mr. Sutton. Shall we?"
"Indeed, Miss Aurelia."
Soon they encountered a pair of ornately carved wooden doors. They were taller than the doors that were in her mother's bakery, but they were not as large and grandiose as most of the entryways they had passed. Mr. Sutton knocked gently on the door, "Your Majesty? Miss Amelia has arrived."
A muffled voice replied from within, "Yes, show her in!"
Mr. Sutton stepped to the side and bowed as the doors opened inward. Light from the late afternoon sun streamed in through the floor to ceiling windows on the opposite wall. One wall of the study entirely made of bookshelves, while the other appeared to be entirely made of filing cabinets. Across from the door stood an imposing desk. It was large, made of dark, expensive-looking wood with small tasteful gold accents. Sitting at the desk was a man wearing a well-tailored suit that was striking in it's simplicity. He looked up from his paperwork.
Rel squinted and took a few steps into the room, stopping a few feet from the huge desk to curtsy deeply. "Please, there's no need for that." She lifted her head. The man behind the desk had stood and began to round the desk to get a better look at her. "You're looking well, Aurelia. How was your journey?"
"Thank you, my lord. It was pleasant."
"Good to hear. Desmond, could you close the curtains for us?" One of the men who had opened the study doors walked to the window and closed the curtains. Now, with only the glow of the study lights, Rel could get a better look at the king.
Short, neatly kept brown hair, kind brown eyes, and only being a bit taller than herself, the king didn't cut an impressive or imposing figure. However, his eyes held that deep kind of calm that showed he was not all that he seemed. Only a fool would take him lightly. "I realize it is too soon to make any kind of judgement, but I hope you can be happy here. You can always ask Mr. Sutton or your ladies in waiting if you have need of anything."
Rel bowed slightly, "Thank you, your Majesty."
The King waved his hand gently, "I would much rather you called me... well anything but that." His eyes were saddened for a moment. "I will not ask for you to call me father, but perhaps we can forgo formal titles."
"If you wish... sir?"
The King chuckled, "That will do for now. I see that Mr. Sutton is checking his watch, I had better let you finish your tour."
