3. Chapter 3 - Kaitlyn

CHAPTER 3 - KAITLYN

THE KING AND QUEEN’S CHAMBER - STIRLING CASTLE - JUNE 16, 1291

I woke up and patted beside me, the bed was empty. I raised my head to see one of my lady’s maids, uncomfortably near, waiting for me to rise so she could wash and dress me. How long had she been in the room?

This whole process would be complicated without Magnus here to translate when necessary.

I shoved the heavy bedding aside, and climbed from the bed.

The maid bobbed her head and set about pulling my chemise off and washing me with a rag from a basin of water. She kept her eyes averted and submissive and was too shy to try to communicate with me.

Another two maids entered and helped the first to dress me in a clean chemise in a pale linen color that went down to my ankles. Then they covered it with a tunic-style dress in a deep royal blue. The dress had long sleeves with an interior fur lining. It was warm and toasty in the drafty castle.

My hair was brushed back and twisted in a piece of ribbon. Then a pale white cloth was placed over it, held down with a gold crown with a red garnet stone in the center.

A rust red cloak, with a fine embroidered edge was placed on my shoulders, and fastened at my neck with a golden brooch. The garnets in the crown and my brooch both matched the one in my wedding band.

It was all heavy. The look was beautiful. I felt dignified, and incredibly royal.

It was a lot to wake up to. My days of going down to breakfast in my yoga pants were apparently over.

Jack woke up fussing in the other room. He had perfect timing, I was basically dressed.

I rushed in, trying to soothe. “Hey little guy.” I picked him up and grimaced. Ugh, he was ripe. We had brought diapers, but not many and there would need to be more, and yes, potty training needed to happen — stat.

I looked around, finding the box of my stuff in the corner. I ripped open the top and was interrupted by a lady’s maid who wanted to do it for me, but of course had never seen a diaper before. She watched me change him on his bed. I showed her how.

Then, holding him in my arms, I sat in an armchair and the lady’s maid pulled on my socks and leather ankle boots. These boots didn’t match the time period, but they were unobtrusive enough. She tied the laces.

I stood up and said to Jack, “There, we look perfect.”

Jack, who had fussed through most of it, grinned.

I said, “I am glad, Mr Jackie-poo, that you have a happy personality, because when we run out of diapers, things are going to get dire around here. You will need to be extra charming.”

Jack said, “Baba.”

I said, “Exactly. Now where are your sister and brother?”

We left the room and I looked up and down the hall. Where was Zach and Emma’s room? Guards fell in behind me. I actually wasn’t entirely sure where I was going, I had been given a tour yesterday, but had been tired and overwhelmed by the gloomy surroundings and hadn’t paid much attention. Dumb. I had been trapped in castles before, it seemed like I would have learned to look for escape routes and weapon-rooms first thing.

And I should definitely know where my kids were staying — just down the passage a door burst open: Isla, Zoe, Ben, and Archie rushed out. “Hey babes! Where you going?”

Archie yelled, “We’re going to the Great Hall for breakfast!”

Isla’s eyes went really wide. “Mammy, you look like a beautiful princess.”

“Thank you, sweetie, you made my morning. It took a long time to get dressed.”

Jack reached out with his pudgy hands. Isla gave him a kiss. “Bye! Going to?—”

She made to rush off, but I pulled her back and made her focus, to take a moment to calm and center before she ran wildly through the halls.“Hey, Love, Good morning.” I kissed her forehead.

She said, “Good morning, Mammy.”

I said, “You know your way around the castle already?”

Ben said, “We’ve already been everywhere !”

Archie said, “Just like Balloch, I bet we’ve been places you’ve never been, Mammy.”

I laughed. “That does seem likely. Well, Master Ben and Prince Archibald, don’t leave Isla and Zoe anywhere , they might not know the layout quite as well as you do.”

Emma came from the same room. “They have been up for so long. Wow, look at you, you look like a medieval painting, how long did it take to get dressed?”

“So long, I feel like it’s been hours. The style is much simpler than the eighteenth century clothes, but I have to wear it at royal-level.”

“Now I feel lucky, mine’s comfy and I don’t have to wear a crown.” Her dress was much like mine, but the colors were muted. Her cloak was pinned with a plain brooch. And of course, she didn’t have a gold band on her head.

“Why don’t we get to wear long flowing dresses like this in Florida?” She waved an arm. “It’s got the kind of sleeves that will knock over the drinks on the table if you want to cause drama.”

I laughed.

She asked, “Want me to take Jack down?”

Jack put out his arms.

I said, “I’ll meet you down there, I’m headed to go see Magnus on the walls.”