Read The Chosen for Free Online Page B

voice greeted her formally. “Welcome, Miss Kathryn.”
    After Jasmine smoothed her dress she turned and held out a hand to help Kathryn down. The little girl’s eyes were wide and she took in the huge windows, towers, and gardens. As Jasmine approached the main entrance her arrival was announced by the chief manservant.  As they entered, Kathryn was awed by the size and majesty of the atrium, easily ten times the grandeur of Blackwood Manor. Knowing that the girl had to be exhausted despite the fact that she looked wide awake, Jasmine quickly led her to an apartment next to her own.
    “This is where you will stay,” she told Kathryn as she opened the door. Dutifully Kathryn entered the room, but stopped short upon seeing the interior.
    The apartment before her bordered on regal and was more elegant than Lady Blackwood’s. In contrast to the dark stone that entombed Lady Blackwood’s apartments, the walls before her were hewn from a light and airy crème marble with gold vines and leaves etched into the walls and ceiling. Forest green furniture with gold filigree sat in a sunken sitting room before her. Gauze curtains that matched the furniture adorned the generous windows set back into the walls. Gold and crème colored tiles covered the floor in an alternating pattern.
    “What do you think?” Jasmine asked. The little girl looked up at her, eyes wide with astonishment. Smiling, Jasmine continued, “Come and see the rest of it.”
    Kathryn couldn’t believe there was more to this wonderful room, but she obediently followed the princess.
    The bathing room was done in the same color scheme as the sitting room, sporting a huge sunken soaking pool for bathing and glittering mirrors for dressing. Hesitantly, Kathryn leaned over and peered down into the marble pool. Not even Lady Blackwood had this luxury, relying instead on large copper tubs that servants filled with steaming jars of water for her baths. Inside the bedchamber was the largest bed Kathryn had ever laid eyes on. It was topped with so many blankets, quilts, and pillows she wondered if anyone could even fit on it. Slowly, when the princess wasn’t looking, she ran her hand over the bedspread, feeling the silk and satin fabrics slide like water beneath her fingers. The walls were done the same way as the sitting room and bathing room, the gold etching smoothly transitioning into the new room. Large windows were present on three of the walls, each sporting a very comfortable looking furnished window seat. Everything in this room was done in gold or crème.
    A middle-aged serving woman stood next to the foot of the bed and at the princess’ signal she came forward. Kathryn tried to study her discreetly. She was tall, taller than the princess, and had black hair almost as dark as Kathryn’s, but unlike Kathryn’s or Princess Jasmine’s, hers was streaked with silver. Her simple dress and unassuming manners told Kathryn that she was a servant of the palace.
    “Kathryn, this is Arianna.” Jasmine knelt down and nodded towards the woman as she introduced her. Arianna stepped forward as the princess said her name, bringing her within an arm’s reach of Kathryn. The instinctive step back was barely visible, but both women had sharp eyes. Turning her eyes slightly, Jasmine studied Arianna’s reaction. The servant was already backing up a few paces to ease the child’s discomfort. Turning back to Kathryn she continued gently, “Arianna will assist you while you are here with us. Arianna, this is Kathryn.”
    Arianna followed Jasmine’s example and knelt down to reach eye level with the little girl.
    “Hello Miss Kathryn.” Her voice was soft and gentle like the princess’, but Kathryn still refused to look her in the eye. She paused, taking in her new charge’s condition, and asked, “Would you like a bath?”
    Wondering if she’d misheard the question, Kathryn glanced up. There was nothing but open honesty in Arianna’s warm green eyes and the smile