The Serf and the Soldier

by Holly Law

  “I think they find it amusing that he has become so smitten with you. I was only married a couple of weeks before he went off on that raid where he took you, but what I noticed was that his head was very hard to turn. Now let's get you all prettied up. You don't want to be embarrassed in front of the princess.”

  Elara got out of bed with another stretch. “I think I will be no matter what you do. I'm going to look like a serf in a nice dress.”

  Justi laughed. “Trust me, looking at you no one will know you are a serf. I was a lady's maid before I was married to a Corscan soldier. No one will know the difference. All the princess will see is a pretty dress and some pretty trinkets. She will also see a woman she is highly jealous of. It's well known she's had her eyes on Lord Daliscas for awhile.”

  Getting dressed was more of a hassle than Elara anticipated. It was not only a dress, but layers of undergarments that were designed to aid her figure under the dress. They weren't too uncomfortable, but Elara felt awkward in the pristine white clothes. The cloth was far finer than any she had worn before. Never would a serf own clothes so white.

  “And here is the dress your would-be husband provided for you. I understand the seamstress worked all night on it. It's really a beautiful dress and in the latest Corscan fashions. And everyone tries to emulate the fashion of the Corscans.” Justi started unwrapping the dress from inside a bundle of what looked to be silk.

  “They do?”

  “Yes, the ladies of Corsca are the height of fashion. Don't you think this is absolutely lovely?”

  The dress that was produced was made of sunny yellow fabric that, while bright, was not overwhelming. The whole dress was not yellow, but the majority of it was. It was accented by a wonderful shade of purple. The cloth had delicate leaves of yellow thread adorning it. The fabric was heavy and fell wonderfully. A bit of lace adorned the neckline. To Elara it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

  “It's beautiful!” Elara breathed stunned by the dress Corden had provided her with. It would have surpassed any dress she had seen Lady Elisa in. “I have never seen cloth of this shade.” Elara gently touched some of the purple cloth.

  “That would be your friend in the other room showing off. Purple cloth is very pricey. I understand he tried to have a whole dress made in it, but the seamstress did not have much. It is a sign of status to have any at all. Now let's get you into it.”

  The dress fit surprisingly well and Elara could not help feeling beautiful in the dress. It was a fantasy to be sure. “A good fit, particularly given the seamstress only had Lord Daliscas's description to go on. If you had to wear this dress again I would have it taken in here and also here I think. But it is nearly perfect. Now let's get to work on your hair.”

  Justi sat her down before a mirror and brushed out her hair. Elara then saw her reflection for the first time and blushed. “Isn't this dress a bit uh…low?” Elara asked hesitantly.

  “No, it is fine. But you also need to remember you're supposed to be just married to Lord Daliscas. You would want to give him something to look at if that were the case. I wouldn't call it immodest though,” Justi assured her. “Hmm, it needs a trim before I do anything else to it.” Elara was quickly covered with a spare sheet and nearly a foot of her hair was cut off. Elara winced in the process and Justi laughed at her. “Trust me, it was needed.” Justi brushed her hair again quickly and soon started the complicated work of styling her hair. Elara found her hair gently curled and pulled back. When Justi pulled out a round golden hair clip to keep it back Elara could only stare. Never had she worn gold before. The style was intricate and Elara could not have duplicated it.

  Next came the shoes and Elara found herself wearing the finest pair of shoes she had ever seen. They went very well with her dress and Elara suspected the fabric on the top was silk. Elara was completely unprepared for what came next. “Now, let's see what these 'trinkets' are,” Justi said, pulling out a wooden box. “I didn't get a chance to look at them at the store when I picked them up today. Oh my, trinkets indeed! They'll look beautiful on you, I'm sure.”

  Justi showed her the contents of the box and Elara gasped in surprised. Glittering up at her were more jewels than she had ever seen Lady Elisa where. Soon she found a matching set of gold bracelets on her wrist and a sparkling ring of gold and diamond on one of her fingers. A heavy necklace of yellow jewels hung around her neck and a barrette shaped like a golden leaf was clipped into her hair. When Elara looked at her reflection in the mirror again, she did not recognize herself. She looked like a lady. She doubted her brother would recognize her.

  “Shall we see if he approves?” Justi asked her smiling.

  “I don't see how this could get any better if he doesn't,” Elara said, still finding her reflection very different.

  Justi opened the door to the other room. Corden was straightening himself up before a second mirror. He too was dressed differently. She had not seen him before in something other than his military clothes. At that moment, he looked every inch a high ranking lord. He wore a pristine white shirt cut in a foreign style. Over that, he wore a long coat of blue that looked very warm and soft. His pants were black and the soft, leather boots he wore were also black.

  “Sir, do you find her prepared well enough to meet Princess Viora?” Justi asked politely.

  Corden turned to look at her then. The look on his face when he saw her was one of complete surprise. His eyes went over her seeming to try to take in every inch of her. Elara blushed in embarrassment. No one had ever admired her before. “I find her very well prepared, my lady. Thank you for sacrificing your morning to aid her,” Corden said, not taking his eyes off Elara.

  “It was no sacrifice at all,” Justi said with a polite curtsy. “It was a pleasure.”

  “I'm glad you found it so. Could you please excuse us? I would like to speak with Elara more before the princess arrives.”

  Justi curtsied again and left. Corden walked up to Elara then. “Do you like your dress, Elara?” Corden asked her politely.

  “It's beautiful,” Elara told him earnestly.

  Corden walked around her slowly. One of his hands trailed around her waist as he did so. “It seems to fit well enough to get through the day. Nothing is too tight?”

  “No, it feels fine,” Elara told him.

  Corden stepped back in front of her. His hand stayed on her waist. “I admit you look far more beautiful dressed up like this than I could have imagined. Princess Viora is going to be jealous of you on two accounts, I think. One, that she will think you've married me, and the second, that you seem to have surpassed her in beauty with minimal effort.”

  “I wouldn't call this minimal effort, Corden,” Elara told him.

  “As far as the ladies of Corsca go this is fairly minimal. I suspect if you were to wear this dress back in your village all the men would be following you around.”

  Elara laughed. “It's not a very practical dress for a serf.”

  “It's not,” Corden agreed. “But it will remain yours none the less.”

  “I can't…” Elara began.

  “It is a gift. You may not refuse it. Besides, who else would I have wear it? It was made for you.”

  “Thank you,” Elara said simply.

  “You are most welcome.” Corden reached back and pulled on one of her curls. “That fits you. I just wish I had a better place to show you off at the moment. Here I am lucky enough to have you on my arm this morning when you look so lovely and the only person who will get to see you is a princess I don't even like. Which brings me to a topic Rushal brought up to me last night, which I must be fair and bring up to you.”

  “I heard you two talking,” Elara cut him off. “You're going to tell me that this is treason for me.”

  “Yes,” Corden said, looking much more serious. “Are you still willing, Elara? I don't think you are in any danger. If I thought so, I would not have suggested this. But yes, this is an act of treason. You are aiding me at a time of w
ar and in an act that is aimed at hindering your country. You don't have to do this. If you don't feel you can do this knowing it is treason, you don't have to. You can keep the dress even. I would not think less of you for it.”

  “You're certain I am in no danger?”

  “Elara, I would not expose you to harm. You have my word of that. And if I thought she would try to harm you in any way for this, I would try my hardest to prevent it. But I do not think you are in danger.”

  “Then I will still do this.”

  “Even knowing it is treason?” Corden asked her seriously.

  Elara hesitated a moment. “Even knowing it's treason,” she told him just as seriously.

  Corden kissed her then. It was gentle and completely unexpected. Elara felt like she could barely breathe as his lips touched hers. The kiss broke off a moment later when there came a polite knock on the door. “Princess Viora has arrived,” Rushal's voice came from the other side of the door.

  “Are you ready?” Corden asked her softly.

  “No, but I suppose that makes no difference.”

  Corden straightened and looked at the door. “Send her in,” Corden called and his arm wrapped around Elara's waist. The gesture was as reassuring as it was intimate. Elara found she could not object. The door opened a moment later and Elara found herself face to face with the famed princess.

  Princess Viora was every bit as beautiful as she had heard. Her hair was a golden blond and styled perfectly. Her complexion was the popular pale. Everything about her face was perfect. Even her blue eyes looked like jewels. She came in wearing a purple cloak over a beautiful green dress that was trimmed with gold. Finery seemed to drip off her. The only thing Elara didn't like about her appearance was the cut of the dress. Elara had thought her dress was low cut, but Princess Viora's definitely would have crossed the line into scandalous.

  “Princess Viora, the years have been kind to you,” Corden told her with a faint inclination of his head. “I did not expect to see you for a few months yet.”

  “I thought it best to preempt that meeting, your majesty,” Princess Viora said in a soft, pleasant sounding voice. “Do you mind that I have come?”

  “Not all,” Corden lied pleasantly. “Have you met my wife before, princess?”

  “Your…” Viora began and looked a bit startled for a second. Her eyes fell on Elara. Viora raised her head and something a bit defiant showed there. “I hadn't heard you were married, your majesty. I had heard your bride escaped from you.”

  “She did at that,” Corden replied, giving Elara a grin. “But she decided to change her mind and came back to me just yesterday. We were married last night. Elara, may I present Princess Viora Asweld to you? Princess Viora this is my wife, Elara Daliscas.”

  The princess began to curtsey. “Your…” the princess broke off and looked at Elara curiously “Not Queen Elara Daliscas?”

  “That title may only be given within traditional Corscan lands and she has yet to be crowned,” Corden informed her.

  “Then what is the proper mode of address for her?”

  “It is not my duty to instruct you in etiquette,” Corden told her coolly. Elara found the change in Corden a bit odd. He was cold and aloof. He wasn't at all the laid back person he was when they were alone. Princess Viora looked a bit taken back and took a moment to regain her composure.

  “I am sorry to disturb you the morning after your wedding,” Viora said and Elara sensed she was not sorry at all.

  “Please sit, princess, breakfast should be up shortly,” Corden gestured to a table that had been set up. Princess Viora was permitted to sit first and Corden pulled out a chair for Elara. As Elara sat down, he kissed her neck gently. It was an affectionate gesture which made her blush as he sat beside her. The door opened a moment later and three trays of food were brought in. Elara wondered how Corden had timed that.

  The food was placed before them and Elara suddenly hoped all of Corden's lessons the day before stuck. She didn't want to make a mistake. Corden permitted Princess Viora to take the first bite and Elara and Corden followed suit. Elara found herself being very careful. The thought of dropping egg on the beautiful dress was terrifying.

  “What made you return to the man you ran from, Lady Daliscas,” Viora asked, clearly trying to find some suitable means to address Elara.

  Elara did not expect to be addressed or that particular question. “Corden seemed a better choice than the men in my village,” Elara replied carefully.

  “I would say he's a better choice than most men in the world,” Viora agreed lightly. “Did you decide to return because you learned who he was or was there another reason?”

  “I didn't know who he was until last night, your highness,” Elara replied politely.

  “Rumor says you were a serf, is that correct?”

  “Yes, your highness.” Elara wished the princess would turn her attention elsewhere. Elara felt increasingly nervous.

  “And you had been travelling with Lady Elisame when you met your husband?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are rumors also correct that your father died in that raid?”

  “Yes,” Elara said and wished she was elsewhere. Corden's hand took her free hand under the table in a clear effort to reassure her.

  “I find it interesting that you are so willing to run back to the man responsible for your father's death,” Princess Viora observed, her eyes glimmered in pleasure. She clearly realized she was making Elara uncomfortable. “Does it not bother you to share the bed of a man who is the reason your father is no longer alive?”

  Corden looked furious and looked about ready to speak. “Corden did not kill my father,” Elara said firmly. The topic hurt and Elara could not believe the princess would bring it up. She didn't understand why the princess was being so cruel to someone she had never met before.

  “You are certain of that?”

  “Corden was mounted. The man who killed my father was not,” Elara said angrily.

  “But the King of Corsca did order the attack and led it too I hear. It was an unneeded attack. If he hadn't felt inclined to it, your father would still be alive. Does it not feel like you betray your father by going to him?”

  “No, it does not,” Elara said coldly. “I don't see what me or my father has to do with you being here. And I would appreciate it if you would change the subject.” Corden gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and Elara felt less assured by it. Viora was right to a certain extent. Elara was enjoying her friendship with the man who had ordered the attack and felt a bang of guilt at that realization. Yet Elara knew her father would not have begrudged her Corden's company.

  “Why did you come, princess?” Corden asked Viora in an icy tone. “Clearly, it was not just to be unkind towards my wife, since you didn't know of her existence when you entered the room.

  Viora raised her head and looked at Corden arrogantly. “My father wishes you to leave Brogden. He sent me to negotiate peace,” Viora said arrogantly. “You always claimed to be a man of peace, your majesty. I had hoped you would be willing to prove it.”

  “Some times peace must come at the expense of war—an unfortunate and unpleasant reality. Corsca will only be at peace when Brogden is fully under my rule.”

  “Corsca is powerful enough without Brogden and the cultures clash badly. We have nothing you could want.”

  “I want your father's head. That is enough. All of Corsca demands justice for what your father arranged.”

  “My father had nothing to do with the death of yours.”

  “I know otherwise. You will not dissuade me, princess. There is nothing Brogden could offer me that I could not simply take for myself.”

  “A pity you were in such a hurry to marry. There could have been something you wanted that you could not have taken.”

  Corden let out a short, humorless laugh. “If I had wanted you for a bride, princess, I would have had you. The only part of you I am interested in having at this moment is your head, for
both the insult you have paid my wife and your continued devotion to your murderer of a father. Your presence is no longer needed here. Return to your capital and tell your father my answer.”

  The dismissal was clear and unarguable. Princess Viora looked a bit surprised, but she rose with regal demeanor and curtsied to him. “You've changed, your majesty, and I don't think for the better. I wish you all happiness in your marriage, serf. You will find his manners and demeanor very familiar I'm sure.” Princess Viora left the room looking even more arrogant than she had when she arrived.

  Good-Bye

  “Well, politics will definitely be interesting with you around,” Corden commented and let out of a short laugh. “No effort to be subtle at all. Just simply 'you're going to change topics now'. I don't think anyone had ever spoken to her like that before in her life. Brilliant!” Corden kissed her cheek.

  Elara flushed in embarrassment. “You told me to disagree with her just like I would any girl in my village,” Elara objected.

  “I did and it was refreshing to see. You're going to completely upset all the politics and scheming in Silcor. I can't wait to see that! No dancing around a topic. Simply blunt straightforward truth.” Corden leaned over and kissed her, clearly not satisfied with the quick peck on the cheek.

  “I did something wrong?” Elara asked quickly, pulling away from him.

  “Yes and no,” Corden told her with a grin. “You did what I told you to, but you did it to a greater degree than I expected. I enjoyed it. It's good to see her put in her place. That was well worth the price of that dress. You handled this far better than I could have. We didn't have to dance around the topic for an hour.”

  “This wasn't how you thought it would go?”

  “Oh no, I thought this would be far more civil. I hadn't expected the news of us being married would affect the princess to this degree. She normally is all charm and smiles. When she realized who you were she became all fangs and claws. She was completely out of line. I had half a mind to have her arrested here and now for how she spoke to you.”