The Queen's Pawn by Christy English Page B

tone of his voice, if not his words, as he welcomed me.
    The queen called us together to announce that Richard was taking on the duchy of the Aquitaine in his own right. No sooner had she made this announcement than I was dismissed, and her seven ladies with me. I saw from her eyes that she wished to take counsel with her son. I turned back at the door to look at him once more, and caught Eleanor watching him, and me.
    I reminded myself of my duty and followed Marie Helene back to my rooms. I looked down at the rose garden below, wishing I might walk in it, but I stayed in my room, and waited on the queen. I knew that, before long, she would call me to her.
    Later that afternoon, when I came into the queen’s rooms with Marie Helene at my side, all her ladies were in place once more. I saw that they were celebrating Richard’s rise to the duchy, but Richard himself was nowhere to be seen.
    As soon as I came in, Eleanor rose from her chair and smiled, crossing the room to meet me. Her ladies saw this sign of favor, and stopped their conversations, turning instead to look at me.
    I curtsied and Eleanor helped me rise, her hands on mine. I caught the sight of Angeline’s resentment, her jealousy clouding the blue of her eyes. I remembered her name from the time I had met her briefly in my own rooms. I had no doubt in that moment that she had been the favored lady before I first came to Eleanor’s court.
    “Alais, you are welcome to this place.”
    The queen kissed me. The silence deepened, so that birdsong could be heard beyond the windows.
    “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
    “Have you eaten? There is fruit here, and bread.”
    “Fruit would be welcome. I thank you.”
    Eleanor drew me with her across the room. At a gesture from her, Mathilde, Angeline’s sister, rose and offered me her chair. She was better at hiding her jealousy, and managed to smile at me. I sat at once, and the queen sat beside me, while fruit was brought to the table between us, and fresh wine.
    Eleanor offered me a goblet from her own hand. I sipped the wine, and found it fresh and sweet, with a hint of the flavor of pears. The cup I held was cast in gold, and glinted in the afternoon sunlight. This room was her solar, and there were windows to the west as well as to the east, so that the sun always fell within those walls, and warmed them.
    I looked around at the queen’s ladies, all of whom had taken up their embroidery once more, and were talking among themselves, though I saw that they still cast their eyes on me. They noticed the high favor the queen showed me, and wondered at it. I knew that Eleanor liked to keep her women, and all those around her, guessing. Though this public welcome was gratifying, it was calculated. Our real time together would come later, when we were alone.
    “I would have my troubadour sing for you, Princess, if you are willing to hear him.”
    “It would be my honor, Your Majesty.”
    “No, indeed, little princess, it will be his.”
    Amaria, the chief of Eleanor’s ladies, called for Bertrand, and when he stepped into the room, there was a flurry among the women. Angeline and Mathilde, both blond and fair, turned bright pink at the sight of him. The girls rose at once, straightening their gowns and simpering. The voices of all the women rose in pitch, as did their laughter. The man was young and as tall as Richard was, but not as beautiful. He bowed first to the queen, and then to me, before casting his eyes upon the ladies.
    As I watched, they fawned on him. If I had not known the queen’s ladies to be virtuous, I would have thought a lascivious glance passed between Bertrand and more than one of the queen’s waiting women. I raised an eyebrow, only to find Eleanor watching me, a sardonic smile on her face.
    She was offering her women up in all their foolishness, for me to laugh at. I swallowed my mirth, but my eyes still sparkled. My suppressed mirth was enough to soothe Eleanor’s need for mischief, for she