The Most Beautiful Eyes Ch. 07

"You ... you have the most beautiful legs I've ever seen."

That's what Prince Vidar said to her on this cold afternoon.

If Muriel's eyes weren't covered by a blindfold, she would have fluttered her eyelashes.

"Oh Sir, you're far too gentle with this commoner."

His hand was on hers, with only her gloves keeping his flesh away from her. "Don't be so nasty to yourself, Muriel."

Then a kiss, another delightful kiss that had her flexing the muscles in her legs and thighs.

After he pulled away, Muriel whispered, "I love that ... I know I shouldn't ... but I do."

"Oh ... Muriel, you've heartened me so earnestly." A kiss on her cheek. "I don't know what to do!" A kiss on her jaw. "Please, tell me what to do, make a request." On her cheek again. "Anything I can give you, anything, you'll have it."

Muriel didn't like this way of thinking. She thought of her kind father, who had a habit of coddling women he loved. Then she thought of her ungrateful mother. "Your Highness, please don't say such dangerous things. And besides, you've already given me so much. What could I possibly ask for?"

She felt his short fingernails lightly graze down her throat. It made her shiver, but it was lovely. "Hmmm," the prince hummed, "a necklace? A pretty gold chain with a blue enameled locket?"

Muriel's lower lip pouted out. Her voice was almost childish. "No. I don't need that. I'm fine."

Three of his fingertips touched her throat. Muriel was afraid to gulp down any saliva. It might be awkward if he felt it go down. "Pearls, then?" he said. "Three strands of pearls, true ones."

"No, Sir. I have necklaces. I don't need any more."

"Then what do you need?"

She smiled. "Another kiss."

And she was given that.

Right on her mouth, where she wanted it.

His hand slid across and then down, heating her throat, and then farther, to her collarbone. By the standards of current fashion, Muriel's neckline was a bit high. There wasn't any cleavage. There was also a white kerchief pinned over her shoulders and into that neckline. It was for extra warmth and modesty. Some days ago, Muriel had sewn cream colored ribbons near the borders while Princess Arya had been painting.

He took his sweet, gentle mouth away from her, and he said, "I can't remember when I last had this sort of kiss. I feel as though I've starved for years and you've given me steak and eggs."

"You've starved, but I've never known this treat before you gave it to me." Oh, how Muriel longed to reach up, find his shoulders, and cling to him! "I've been taught the most fascinating lesson!"

But there was a long pause. Prince Vidar's breath was tense and hurtful. He was mentally battling himself. Muriel could tell, somehow. "Your Highness? What's the matter?"

"I ... no ... I'm sorry," he said. Cloth was shuffled in the air above her. "Don't mind my foolishness."

***

The cold stung her ears and put an ache around them. That was one of her most hated things about winter, the pain. Muriel rubbed her palms on her ears and cringed at the protest her nerves' gave her. Then she got dressed and went to find her mistress in the dining room.

Princess Arya was drinking hot chocolate as she waited on breakfast to be served. She offered Muriel a cup with a bitter thinness in her red lips. "This weather is absolutely disgusting and it hasn't even snowed yet."

Muriel let the hot liquid fill her up and nearly giggled at the happiness that ensued.

"I think you should be allowed to monitor your own diet from now on," the princess said after taking her own hot sip. "You've been so calm recently. You should be able to make wiser decisions."

Breakfast turned out to be delicious. Pan fried slices of sweetened bread, drizzled with syrup and a bit of sugar. Omelets with chicken and vegetables that had been cooked in a waffle iron, giving them an unexpected shape. Two links of spicy and filling sausage. Muriel was so warm and happy by the end of it that she thought she might die.

"Goodness," the princess said at one point, "the weather is so horrible. Imagine the conditions when snow comes!"

"It won't be pleasant," Muriel said.

"We might need to prepare for the Capital Season early, before the snow comes. This year's snow might be much worse than the last." Princess Arya poked at her waffle omelet with a fork. She looked like she was angry at the food. "We'll need to find new wardrobes before it's too late."

"Hm?" Frowning, Muriel blinked down at her food. "Your Highness, I understand your desire for new clothes. You have a reputation to maintain. As for myself, I have all that I need."

"Don't be ridiculous, Muriel." The princess cut a bit of her omelet away from the main piece. "You can't be seen wearing the same thing more than once. Now, I've already paid for your collection from last year. You've been paid well. Certainly, you can afford to purchase your collection this time."

No, not really. Muriel tried to calm her rising temper with a few shorts breaths. "Your Highness has been generous to me, but I must refuse. I'll gladly help you choose your own purchases, but I believe it's wasteful to go off and buy what you don't need, or rather, it would be wasteful for someone of my status."

"Hmmmmm?" An unexpected playfulness came over the princess' voice. "I'm wondering, Muriel, did you say that because you've been giving your money away?"

Muriel almost choked on her fried bread. She coughed into a handkerchief.

Princess Arya didn't look angry anymore. She looked like she was about to laugh. "Did you assume your room would be overflowing with excess clothing? No, Muriel. We'd have removed and stored the finest materials, for example, lace or golden threads. Then the garments would be donated to the poor. As for you, I can't have my companion boring people to death with a repeating wardrobe. I'll purchase your clothing again this year, but I won't do so next year."

"I'll live well with your decision," Muriel said after taking a gulp of water. "But I hope you will too. I won't be spending any money on surplus clothing. Next year, I won't donate as much clothing as you will."

"Is that so?" Princess Arya sighed. "Something will have to be done about that."

Muriel didn't say anything else about that issue, and neither did the princess. They went on in peace.

***

Even though it was cold when Muriel was in the Empty Room, sitting on a thoughtfully placed stool near the roaring fireplace, she got a wild idea.

She had temporarily avoided the covered tray of snacks on the table behind her. She was too focused on cuddling up to the fire. Still, the cold didn't stop her from thinking she could do something that could leave her partially exposed.

Muriel opened up her new pink cloak, but only enough to show off her clothed chest and belly. She wasn't talking to herself as she normally would. She was thinking too much.

Prince Vidar was peeking at her, as usual. She knew. She didn't see him, didn't know where his peephole was, but he was somewhere around. What was he thinking now?

She had on a bodice closed in the center by pins, no stomacher, and there wasn't a robe. There was no overskirt. It would be quite simple to give the prince a new thing to look at.

Her fingers rose to the kerchief kept around her neckline, and she tugged the pins away. She put those pins in her cloak's fabric for safekeeping. Then she slid her kerchief away and folded it into a little square. She put that square in her lap.

Muriel's flesh was becoming rosier and rosier, and not only because of the chilly air.

She went for the pins in her bodice.

One. Two. Three. Four.

There! She put those pins in her cloak and opened the bodice up.

There wasn't anything under her clothes that would shock her, but she imagined that the prince was thrilled to see a woman's corset and chemise. Her supported and lifted bosom might also catch his interest.

It was cold ... but there was a fire, and Muriel was flaring up. Her breath rushed in and out as she wondered if the prince felt the same. Was he fevered? Was his chest heaving?

Was he hoping for more?

If Muriel wanted to, she could dip her fingertips under her chemise and pull her nipples into view.

But that would be too much.

Trembling a little, she reached into her cloak's hood and pulled out a thick lock of her hair. She combed this bit of hair with her fingers was she hummed a soft song.

Her heart was so light. She was the center of attention and it didn't feel dangerous at all.

Muriel suddenly remembered there were snacks. She smiled and picked up her kerchief. She tied it around her wrist. The folding had been a waste, too bad, but she wasn't upset. She rose and turned to get the tray. This day's snacks was a small pyramid of gingerbread squares.

Facing the fire again, Muriel took a bite of gingerbread and thought of happy memories, what few she had. Before her father had financial difficulties, gingerbread had been a regular yearly treat.

In time, Muriel was full. She closed and pinned her bodice. Then she put her kerchief back over her neckline and pinned that too. She curtsied and gave her thanks.

***

The women were preparing for their early trip to the city. They were going to do some shopping to prepare for the Capital Season. Muriel was in the princess' room, helping her with some last minute changes to her shopping budget, when there was a knock on the door.

Since both women were fully dressed and nearly ready to leave, Princess Arya told the visitor to enter. It was the butler. His gloved fingers were curved in the handles of a small leather suitcase. "Pardon me, but His Highness has prepared a gift for Miss Devin, and he left instructions demanding that she receive it before you leave."

Muriel hoped it was another doll, or a piece of embroidery, and not an expensive gemstone. The poor, dear man had already spent so much money on her. It wasn't fair.

Her lips pouted and her fingers went to her bosom as she gave the princess an apologetic expression.

But the princess was unfazed. She waved the butler closer. "Let her have it, then. If you upset my son, then you'll have done the same to me."

Muriel still felt guilty when she took the suitcase. She laid it on a small table and opened it up.

"Papers?" she said with a hitch between the syllables.

"Papers?" Princess Arya moved in next to her and looked inside the suitcase. There were stacks and stacks of odd looking documents, or at least they seemed odd to Muriel. The princess took one of the documents and silently read it while Muriel scanned the rest. Some words were handwritten, but many repeated paragraphs had been printed via woodblocks. Each paper had the red seal of the prince, and there were signatures too. She didn't read any of the papers, but she did notice that all the papers had large numbers written out at certain points.

30,000

10,000

200,000

100,000

50,000

And so on and so on ...?

Her brain wasn't linking anything together.

"Oh," the princess said after a moment or so, "these are promissory notes."

Befuddled, Muriel repeated the phrase. "Promissory notes?"

"Think of each one as a banknote, Muriel, with my son being the bank. If the clerks are willing to do a little paperwork, and they most certainly will with this sort of money being promised, then you'll be able to use one promissory note for one store. That's why there are so many and with different numbers. Conditions have been written in so they can't be used by anyone except you. These are much safer than cash."

Muriel's throat dried out. She went into a coughing fit. Princess Arya told the butler to hurry and fetch a pitcher of fresh water with a cup.

Some minutes later, after Muriel had taken large gulps out of a cup, she managed to say to the princess, "This is insanity."

Princess Arya shook her head. "I don't now what you mean. My son has all his wits."

Muriel didn't know what that princess was thinking, but she almost felt insulted. She snatched up the suitcase, and she rushed to a large fireplace.

"What are you doing?!" the princess asked with a high pitched voice.

Muriel emptied the suitcase out, pouring all the promissory notes into the fire. She let the suitcase clatter onto the floor.

The butler was so frightened to see that gesture that he left the room.

Princess Arya went to Muriel and gripped her shoulder. Her face was acidic and suddenly much older looking. "Why did you do that?! How could you?!"

Muriel stepped out of the woman's grasp. "Madam, the total amount of money your son offered me was at least four times as much as your shopping budget! What am I meant to do? Accept such an impractical gift? Encourage such unnecessarily acquiescent behavior? What will he give me then? The entire castle?! No, Madam! I will not drain him!"

Princess Arya's lower eyelids twitched. Her lips pursed. She tangled her fingers together and bitterly looked down at the burning paper.

And she sighed. "Fine. This is fine." She looked back up to Muriel, and she had a much more triumphant expression than before. "In reality, this is very good." She smiled as if she had discovered a new way to win a strategy game, and she was about to use it. "You likely won't have any new clothes this year, Muriel. I won't pay for them."

Muriel shrugged. "I'm not wallowing in despair over that."

"You'll still need to accompany me into the city. I can't happily shop alone."

Muriel curtsied with a sigh. "Yes, Your Highness."

In the end, the princess certainly did have her shopping spree. Muriel bought some things too, but only what she thought she needed. A jar of cream for her hands. Some threads for sewing. A few bolts of linen and wool for making undergarments. A single order for a new corset. Ordinary things like that.

***

Muriel was almost frightened when she walked to the Empty Room on the next day. What if Prince Vidar was offended why her refusal? What if he decided to just leave her there, tied up and blindfolded, never showing up? What if he yelled at her? What if he wept?

Still, Muriel kept up a brave facade as the doctor prepared her. When it was time for the prince to come, dragging the bookcase away, going to knock on the door, listening to the doctor, and locking the door, Muriel was still trying to be brave.

He was between her body and the fire. She could feel him, smell him, even hear him. His breath was smooth.

Then it wasn't smooth. It was choppier than a stormy sea.

And he was laughing.

Muriel wanted to ask him what was so funny. Instead, she waited for him to calm down and speak. It took a few minutes.

And finally, Prince Vidar said, "Muriel, Sweet Muriel, were you honestly concerned over my welfare? Did you think I couldn't be in charge of my own finances?"

"Oh, Your Highness ... I ... I never meant to imply that you weren't capable. I thought that you might have been too extreme, but only because of your kindness."

"Do you believe I'm extremely kind?"

Muriel had no idea what his smile looked like, but she was imagining it. In her mind, she thought of a wide grin with clean teeth. "You seem to be that way," she said. She wondered if her nervousness was slipping out.

"You poor, dear woman!" He laughed again. "You didn't have much to worry over! As unpleasant as I am, I'm still able to count. Nobody would have suffered if you used my credit. I would have given you coins and true banknotes if I wasn't concerned over the case being stolen."

Muriel shook her head and pointed her face to her left. "It matters not how much wealth is stored in your coffers. I'm entitled to much less than your mother, certainly. She is your flesh and blood, and I am almost nothing to you. To see her treated with less benevolence, well, how can I not be insulted? An occasional gift now and then, that's fine, but you were so blatant yesterday. It was undignified."

"Very well, then, Muriel," the prince happily breathed out. She heard him shift around to reach her face. Then she felt his lips on her forehead. He didn't exactly kiss her there. He moved his lips up and down, then left and right. She had always thought his lips felt thin but soft.

"You don't sound very accepting of my position," she said.

Muriel felt his fingertips close right on her jaw. He turned her head to its more natural forward position. "I'll let you have victory for now," Prince Vidar said.

***

When the snow came, it stayed for a long time, and it really was unforgiving. Some tapestries had been hung up in the Empty Room to make Muriel's little shows for the prince much warmer. During one afternoon, as Muriel chatted and sewed in the Empty Room, she got to eat an extra slice of cake that had been put aside only for her. The batter was heavy with currants, sliced almonds, and candied citrus rinds. She certainly didn't mind being given food, especially since it couldn't compare to the princess' provisions. That woman could demand an order form the kitchen whenever she wanted.

And how could Muriel refuse such delicious food anyway?!

Despite the cold, there were still things to do. Dances had to be practiced. Clothing had to be repaired. Kerchiefs were decorated. Music was played. Horses were petted (the stable boys normally cared for them, however). Books were read. Canvases were painted. And the weather was angrily watched.

By the time the snow had finally disappeared, it was very close to spring, and that meant the Capital Season was coming. Muriel had to prepare for event after event. She'd "work" like a bee with all the colors of a favored butterfly.

Prince Vidar whispered to her ear one day, as her eyes were wrapped away and her limbs were bound, "I'll yearn for you. I'll flounder in my woe as I beg the stars to guide you back to me. And yet, my sweet Muriel, I'll be highly displeased if you don't enjoy yourself in Padulan." He kissed her cheek then. "Please dance, please flirt. Drive the men mad with your beauty, and tell me about it. Those poor souls will despair at their inability to gain your consideration."

Muriel giggled at him.

***