Lady-In-Waiting

I floated on wavelike currents, dipping in and out of reality,
feeling gentle hands laying cool compresses against my burning
forehead. Shadowy figures crept towards me, their voices fading though
I tried my best to hear them.
" Marcus, is that you? "

" No, Mistress Desiree'. " The same priest from yesterday posed in all
his self-righteous and sanctimonious glory. " I'm giving you one last
chance to save your sinful soul, and if you're convincing enough, quite
possibly your pitiful life as well. "

" You're sadly mistaken if you believe my sinful, pitiful nature is so
bad I should be thrown in jail with thieves and murderers! " I was
sorely peeved.
" How long have I been in this cell? "

His smile was cruely taunting. " Going on three weeks now, Mistress
Desiree'. Have you lost your memory as well as your belief in God?
"

Without Marcus I had no life, and it made no difference whether my soul
went to heaven or hell. " I only want my husband. "

" My good woman..if your husband really loved you as much as you say he
does, he would have paid your debts by now and you'd be happy and safe
at home with him. " The red-robed priest gazed deep into my eyes. "
Your husband's lost all faith in you, believing that you're a witch,
just as many others do! " How could a man of the cloth be so cold and
callous? " Fall prostrate on your face and swear before God Almighty
that you've always been and still are a witch..and then repent from
your evil deeds! "

A wicked gleam lit his haughty eyes, as if he wanted me to keep denying
all his accusations. " I'm not in the habit of lying, and it would be
an untruth for me to say I've ever been or still am a witch! " My voice
was a raspy whisper.

" Speak up Mistress Witch! Or has your familiar cat got your tongue? "
He laughed with malicious glee.

I'd heard fairytales told out of school and read dime novel stories
about witches and their black cat familiars. What I took to heart was
the black cat being cast as a forboding omen, indicating treachery and
deceit amongst the people you trusted most. The men in my life fit that
bill of lading..black in heart and deed. First my father and then
Phillipe. Marcus was no exception, being a man of the same ilk who'd
left me to rot in this hell hole of a prison.

" Well, Mistress Desiree'? Time's wasting and I'm getting weary of
asking and waiting for your answer! " His rage permeated the very air I
breathed.

My words were quietly hissed. " I swear that I'll get my revenge on
you, even if I have to go to hell and make a bargain with the devil
himself. "

He back handed me, drawing blood from my nose and mouth. His eyes grew
large as saucers and he hit me again, getting his point across for
emphasis. His hand was covered in red as he lifted it to his mouth,
licking off every last drop. " Mistress Desiree', you've sealed your
fate! " He left me with my nose and mouth dripping, but returned a
short while later with another man who was dressed in robes of the
Royal Court.
" Do you see how freely she bleeds? She's a perfect specimen, is she
not? "

They stared intently, then entered my cell. " Are you sure no one knows
of her whereabouts, or cares enough to ask questions that might cause
trouble for us? " The black-robed man wiped his hand across my mouth,
then proceeded to lick off every speck of blood.
" Such a delightful taste..you have one week to prepare her! "
That thought did nothing to ease my spirit, but only lasted for one
minute. I was ravenous, not having had much to eat or drink, or much
that would stay on my stomach after the Soapwart had been forced down
my throat. I'd slept fitfully the last three weeks, not knowing or
caring who came or went.

They left and a stranger's face caught my eye. " My name is Henri,
Mistress Desiree'. My wife's an excellent cook and I've brought
vegetable soup and soft pudding from our very own table. I guarantee
you'll have no problem keeping them down. " He set the food before me
and watched while I ate mouthful after mouthful. He offered me a mug of
sweet fresh milk that soothed my stomach, then smiled as I finished it
all. " I asked for more, but he said, " It's best to limit yourself to
small amounts as you don't wish to be sick. " He patted my hand. "
Close your eyes and try to rest. "

Sleep evaded me as my mind returned to Phillipe and Goddess Of The Sea.
He'd come to see me later that same night, after his duties were done.
I was wide awake, studying the maps in the book that Uncle Joshua had
given me to read, when I heard a soft rapping and Phillipe's voice. I
opened my cabin door, and he slipped inside. " I have some important
news to tell you, Desiree'. Your Uncle's invited me to join both of you
on your trip to Paris. " He was very excited.

" Phillipe, that's wonderful. "

He sat beside me, then kissed the back of my hand. " Now I'll tell you
about the regions we'll travel through on our way to Paris. After we
berth in Dunkirk, we'll spend the night onboard ship, then rise early
and make our way overland by stagecoach to Amiens, and be in Paris the
next day. "

" Tell me more, Phillipe. "

" Dunkirk grew around a church built in the seventh century by Saint
Eloi, in the middle of the sand dunes. The name of the town is Flemish
for ' Church on the Dunes.' " He lost himself in the history lesson. "
Dunkirk came under the rule of Burgundian, Austrian, and Spanish flags.
The English captured it in 1658 and it was sold to France in 1662 by
Charles II of England. " His eyes twinkled. " This region contains many
contrasting landscapes..wooded forests, meadows and marshlands, rolling
hills, and a varied coastline that stretches for miles and miles.
"

" How do you know so much, Phillipe? "

" I always bought books and maps when we were given shore leave, and
I've used much of my free time to read and study. " He smiled. " Now on
to Amiens: France was born here when Clovis made Soissons the first
capital of the Franks, in 486. Hugues Capet was elected king of France
at Senlis, and was crowned at Noyon in 987. This region has many lakes,
rivers, cliffs and beach areas. Also numerous sand dunes, coastal
marshes and forests. "

" And Paris? " I wanted to know about the city I'd be calling
home.

" Napolean, Charlemagne, Joan of Arc, Loius the XIV and all the kings
of France traveled through the area surrounding Paris, leaving their
marks with magnificent cathedrals and medieval abbeys, as well as
gardens and parks within Paris proper. " He glanced at his pocketwatch.
" The hour grows late, Desiree'. I must take my leave of you. " He
bowed at my doorway.
" Good night my Little Mermaid..may Poseidon keep you safe within his
salty bosom. " Phillipe threw me a kiss and was gone in an
instant.

I was no more safe than I'd been for any frame of time in my life. I'd
always been the scapegoat, blamed for any misfortune which arose within
my family, including the fact my father held me responsible for my
mother's death.
" Mistress Desiree', I see you're still awake. " The same kind jailer
pointed to a mattress he'd brought into my cell.

Tears came to my eyes. " Henri, thank you so much..you're the first
person to show me anything resembling decency in quite some time. " I
rolled over and fell fast asleep.

Keys clanked and I awoke to wonderful scents of eggs, porridge and
milk.
" Satisfy the hunger inside of you, Mistress Desiree'. " I ate every
morsel and drank every drop as Henri watched.

Unsettling thoughts came to roost. " Henri, what's going to happen to
me at the end of this week..what am I being prepared for? "

" All I know is that I'm paid to feed you and help you regain your
strength..
other than that.. " He frowned, then shrugged his shoulders.

I had plenty of time to consider my fate, but my mind couldn't think
coherently. I yawned, then stretched out on my soft mattress to sleep
some more. The next four days I ate and slept, slowly regaining my
energy and resolve. On the fifth day a beautiful dark-haired lady
accompanied Henri to my cell. He introduced her to me as his wife,
Cecelia and left me in her capable hands. Her demeanor was no nonsense
and matter of fact, yet her tone conveyed deference to me. " Mistress
Desiree', your breakfast is served. " There were eggs, ham, and a tangy
cheese omlette, fresh milk, and sweet apples. " Today your fate has
been decided..at the King's behest, I'm to turn you into a
Lady-In-Waiting for his Royal Court. You'll be given a bath, have you
hair washed and styled and your fingernails buffed and polished. The
King himself has ordered his personal clothier to fit you. Henri and I
will be allowed to accompany you to his castle, and I'll make sure
you're settled in your new living quarters. " Once the regular jailer
made his rounds, Cecelia was more animated. " Mistress Desiree', I know
you'll be the most beautiful creature in the castle..the gods have
truly smiled upon you this day. " She waited to see if I'd agree.

I smiled, but knew deep within my heart about deceitful intentions
passing as truth. The priest and the man who'd worn the court robes
meant no good to come of my situation. " It's doubtful the gods even
know of my existence. "

" You're wrong about that, Mistress Desiree'. " She extended her hand
and helped me stand up. " Are you strong enough to walk the short
distance from here to the Royal Court? "

" Cecelia, I'd walk to hell if need be in order to remove myself from
this vile and wicked place! " My dress hung in rags and tatters, and I
smelled like a drowned sewer rat, yet she put her own cape over my
shoulders. She treated me with love and respect, never uttering a mean
or degrading word.

" Henri, tell the jailer we're ready to leave. " She leaned over and
whispered,
" Henri will walk us to the King's castle, because the streets are
never safe for women without a male companion. "

I laughed and wheezed..did those men think I could escape? Even if I
had winged feet, where would I run? I had no friends in Paris and my
relatives probably assumed I was dead. Keys clanged, and my cell door
opened.

Henri walked on one side of me and Cecelia the other.
The jailer set a quick pace past small cells occupied by wildmen,
screaming and hissing at us. When the main door was unlocked, sunlight
blinded me for a few minutes, then as my eyes adapted, buildings
gleamed dazzling white, while my shadow grew dark red. I turned my head
and looked back, seeing my footprints trail blood on the cobblestones.
Cecelia noticed my problem. " Mistress Desiree', it's not much
further..will you be all right? "

Even as I noticed ominous shapes darting here and there, I said, " Yes
Cecelia, I'll be fine. "

We stopped in front of a concealed door and Henri pulled twice on the
hanging rope..a bell gonged, announcing our arrival. It opened just a
crack, and a loud gutteral voice asked, " Who goes there? "

" Henri and Cecelia..we've brought Mistress Desiree' as ordered. " We
slipped inside and followed the guard down a dimly lit hallway to an
enclosed bathing area.

" I'll see you tomorrow at this time, Henri. " Cecelia hugged him and
gave him a kiss, then he left with the guard. " Let me help you out of
these clothes so you may bathe. " She removed her cape from my
shoulders and undid the few remaining buttons on the back of my
tattered dress, then gently touched my skin where the bruises and
scratches were fading. " I know that a woman of your station and
bearing must have found it difficult to adjust to prison life, but
we'll make you beautiful again, Mistress Desiree'. "

" Cecelia, without my husband to see me, why should I care? " Any hopes
that Marcus would ever come to my rescue had been for naught.

" Mistress Desiree', even though you cannot see your husband right now,
you must believe that the purpose of your sadness will be turned
into
happiness one day. " She hugged me tightly.

" Cecelia, Marcus was that one special man who loved and understood me
better than anyone else. With him by my side, I was happy living in
this world, but things changed when he left me to fend for myself..now
I feel as if I never existed and that hurts more than I can say.
"

" That's a sad story..without my Henri and his love, I'd feel as you
do. " While we talked, servants brought hot water for me to bathe in.
Cecelia took one of the women aside and spoke to her. " Mistress
Desiree', I've asked for some special items to help your skin soften
and heal. A Lady-In-Waiting must look and feel her best..on the inside
as well as the outside of
her body. "

" Thank you, Cecelia. Whatever happens or becomes of me, I'm glad that
you and Henri have come into my life. " She helped me settle into the
fragrant liquid. " This is much better than the freezing pond
water! " I laughed just a bit.

" Yes, Mistress Desiree', I've heard of your adventure. Men and
governments can be very cruel. " She barely smiled, then nodded at the
servant who handed her a small container. " Ahhhhh..thank you. I'm
adding sweet almond and aloe to the water. " Her voice calmed my
nerves. " I'll tell you the story of how the almond came to be. " She
started washing my back. " In Greek mythology, a beautiful nymph named
Phyllis, was deserted by her lover, Demophoon. Instead of letting her
die, the gods took pity upon her and transformed her into a flowering
almond tree. The moral of the story is that all of life's tragedies can
be overcome by faith..your life will come full circle, bringing love
and desire once again to you. "

" It's already come full circle for me. " I sighed in resignation. "
Cecelia, I was an outcast for many years, receiving scant love from
either my father or sister. The best thing that happened in my life was
when my Father forced me to leave home. " Memories, both good and bad
flooded my mind. " I set sail on his clipper ship, Goddess Of The Sea,
with my Uncle Joshua. He, my Aunt Madeliane and my Cousin Annelle loved
me unconditionally and gave me the care and attention I'd missed while
growing up. " I frowned.
" Through my Uncle Joshua, I met two men who impacted my life..first of
all Phillipe, the man who had me thrown into jail to repay his debts,
and later on, my husband, Marcus. "

" But Mistress Desiree', the circles in our lives are never
ending..they all intertwine, going off on differing tangents.
Everything comes back to the universal circle.. " She showed me her
plain gold wedding band. " The Circle of Love. "

Tears sprang to my eyes. " Cecelia, I remember the ring Marcus graced
my finger with the day we married..October 17th, 1875, my 18th
birthday. "

" How romantic..a Birthday Wedding. Tell me about your ring, Mistress
Desiree'. "

She rubbed my roughened hand, my finger devoid of the symboled Love
which Marcus had said belonged to his Mother. " Cecelia, imagine an
oval shaped lavender moonstone surrounded by an inner circle of seven
emeralds and an outer circle of seven opals. Marcus said it would
remind him of the love he had for both his Mother and me. " I shook my
head. " I've no idea where that ring is now. "

" Each type of stone has its own meaning, Mistress Desiree'. The ring
you describe tells of how much Marcus thought of the two women he loved
most in his life. " A faraway gaze came into her eyes. " The moonstone
itself is a gem of wishes and intuition, the great balancer of
emotions. It brings about new beginnings, rebirth, motherly love,
support and encouragement. "

" And the other stones? " I asked.

" The emerald brings security in love, allowing access to healing,
while activating our highest heart's desire. It's a powerful stone of
prophecy and abundance, inspiring calm clear assurance. " She
transferred her attention to me. " Everything I told you about the
moonstone and emeralds came to pass in your life when you married
Marcus. Am I right? "

" Yes, Cecelia..our love was a rare gift from heaven. I considered
myself to be the most blessed of women on the day we said our vows.
"

Her eyes took on a reddish hue. " The opal is the stone of visionaries
and speaks of your future. It intensifies and encourages living in the
present moment, not in the past. Inspiration and clairvoyance are
attracted to its wearer. Opals surround the user with an aura of
mystery, intensity, and charisma. Being a shape-shifter is your
destiny. " She looked satisfied, but I didn't know what to make of her.
" You'll become one who can appear and disappear at will..a person who
can modify or adapt their physical presence to suit their needs. " I
thought her words were a fanciful fairytale meant to help me relax. "
Tell me the circumstances leading up to your being thrown in prison as
this part of your life will influence your future and the future of
people you haven't even met. "

" The story of my fall into disgrace?! It's quite entertaining, no
doubt about that. " Cecelia had roused my curiosity, and I explained my
life right up until we made port in Dunkirk, France, aboard Goddess Of
The Sea. During this time I'd finished bathing and my hair had been
washed with a mixture of ground wild oats and olive oil, lightly
scented with the remainder of the sweet almond oil. She helped me out
of the water and dried me off with a royal towel. When that task was
completed, a woman dressed in court finery came to take my measurements
for the clothing I was to wear as a Lady-In-Waiting. When she finished,
she wrote her numbers down, then handed me a dressing gown and robe
made of purest silk, imported from China. The gown was snow white
around the bottom and then depicted the many varied colors of the
sunrise, layer upon layer, until it was blood red around the top. The
robe I wore matched it perfectly.

As Cecelia led the way to my quarters, three servant girls followed us
at a discreet distance. Glowing candles in raised sconces lit a long
dark hallway that twisted and turned, and I felt like a rat in a maze
as shadows danced in grotesque patterns, sending shivers down my spine.
Cecelia finally stopped in front of an open door that revealed a room
of stately proportions, much like I was used to. Set against the back
wall was a massive bed with thick wooden legs and long posts. Carved
into the posts were various women in Egyptian style attire, while the
legs were carved into Sphinxes with lion paws.

There was a marble topped table on an intricately carved base of
Egyptian camels..displayed were differing sizes of blue and red glazed
bottles and bowls filled to the brim with ointments, perfumes, nail
polishes, and facial cosmetics. To the side of this table was a small
matching settee facing a gilded ornate mirror. Cecelia motioned me to
sit down and the three servant girls started turning me into a
Lady-In-Waiting.

One of the servant girls spoke in a quiet whisper to Cecelia.
" Mistress Desiree', per the King's orders, all Ladies-In-Waiting must
have their hair colored with henna, which is his personal preference. "
Cecelia and the servant girl had another short conference and she
picked up one of the bowls. " This powder is mixed with olive oil to
add a radiant lustre to your lovely tresses. Tomorrow afternoon, your
hair will be styled according to the King's wishes. " As I gazed into
the mirror, one servant girl worked the reddish tint into my ebony
locks with a golden comb. The second girl buffed and polished my
fingernails, while the third servant girl did the same with my
toenails. The same mixture that had been used to color my hair was
gently rubbed on my fingernails and toenails, turning them blood
red.

A sharp rap came at the door. Two menservants were allowed to come in,
carrying food and beverages on huge silver trays. Delicious smells
drifted to my nostrils, and I realized how hungry I was.
" What do you suggest, Cecelia? " I was overwhelmed at so many
choices.

She looked at the offerings.. " The goose liver pate' for an appetizer,
then the bouillabaisse with fresh shrimp, oysters, and mussles in it
for your main meal. The crusty bread and a green salad will go well
with that and for dessert, a strawberry tart. And plenty of fresh milk
for you to drink. " She put the items on a plate and placed it in front
of me. " Eat it all, Mistress Desiree'. Your health and strength are
most important to you now. "

I needed no encouragement as I was famished. " Please join me, Cecelia.
It's delicious. "

" Mistress Desiree', that would go against all conventionality. I'd be
thrown in prison if I were to associate with you, except for acting in
the capacity of being your servant. " She bowed her head.

" I'm sorry, Cecelia. " I sighed. " I hope that no matter what, we can
remain friends. "

She leaned over. " Of course we'll always be friends, but there must be
no more talk of this nature, as it's very dangerous for not only me,
but you as well. " Cecelia squeezed my hand.

I decided it would be in my best interest to heed her warning. "
Cecelia, " I yawned, " I'm tired and need to rest. " I climbed wearily
into the soft down bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the
pillow.