chapter 3

He awoke to the door to his room shutting softly and Maria smiling down at him. The breakfast tray was gone and Travis wondered if he'd dreamt it all. He couldn't have eaten that much, could he? The sun outside was still high in the sky, reassuring him that he hadn't been asleep for more than an hour or two. He hadn't had time to sleep off such a feast and, yet, he didn't feel bloated at all. Sure, he wasn't hungry in the slightest but there wasn't a hint of fullness, either.

“My brother would like to speak with you,” Maria said gently. “I told him that you needed rest but he is an impatient man, as you know.”

Travis' heart began to race. Sure, he was close with Maria but he was still a servant. He'd rarely laid eyes on Prince Bartholomew. He'd never even uttered a word in his presence.

“When?” Travis asked.

“Tonight,” Maria said. “After dinner.”

“Did he seem... pleased?” Travis asked hopefully.

“Oh yes!” Maria said. “Overjoyed, in fact. My seamstress will be coming to see you in an hour. There's a bath awaiting you in the adjoining chamber, so I'm afraid it's time for you to get out of bed.”

“If I must,” Travis joked.

“Meet me in the garden when you're done,” Maria said.

Travis waited for her to leave before stepping out of bed. He looked over at the clothes he'd left on the floor the night before. Of course he'd need to see the seamstress. His clothes would look like rags to the prince. Travis wondered if they looked like rags to Maria, too.

The adjoining chamber was smaller than the bedroom but just as ornately decorated. The bathtub had carvings of beasts along the side and Travis wondered how many houses it could buy. He slowly stepped into the tub and gasped at the feeling of the warm water on his skin. It felt foreign; bathing had always involved a bucket, a river or a particularly large puddle on a bad day.

The water seemed to caress his body as he lowered himself down into it. Was this what it was to be born fortunate?

Travis took his time and scrubbed every inch of himself. He left the tub cleaner than he ever had in his life. He dried himself quickly and clothed himself in a soft robe.

Before too long, there was a knock at the door. Travis opened it and saw an elderly woman that seemed a little too well dressed for a servant. He'd never seen her before, which surprised him, until he realised that she would be considered a higher class of servant than him. Seamstresses were skilled; outside of the castle, seamstresses were well paid and hard to find, so it only made sense that one that worked for royalty would not mix with the rest of the workers.

Travis stepped aside to let her enter and the seamstress shot him a withering glare as the door closed.

“Take that off,” she said.

Travis fumbled with the sash of the robe and hesitated. There was something about being naked in front of a stranger that just didn't feel right to him.

“Stop dallying, I need to work,” the seamstress said.

Travis dropped the robe to the floor and looked away as the seamstress started to measure him.

Her bony fingers were cold and painful as they jabbed into his hips and ribs. Travis took measured breaths and willed himself not to make a sound. She mumbled under her breath but the words and sentences that he could make out made him realise that she definitely knew who he was.

“Not too bony for a pauper,” she muttered.

Travis ignored her prodding and before too long, it was done.

“I will return in a little while,” she said. “Your evening clothes will be ready tonight. For now I will bring you something to wear that will not bring shame upon the castle.”

Travis watched her leave and then flopped down onto the bed in relief as soon as he was alone.

Not too much later, the seamstress wordlessly delivered him a set of freshly tailored clothing. Travis was happy to see that it wasn't anything too fancy. The dark brown trousers and light coloured tunic were similar to his work clothes, if a little more embellished. The jacket was a little much for the weather, but everything fit perfectly. When Travis looked at his reflection in the looking glass, he was suddenly grateful for the jacket. The fabric matched the trousers and covered enough of his torso to slightly hide the subtle curve of his belly. He was sure that Maria wouldn't judge him for it but he couldn't help wanting to hide it. His normal clothes were looser but the shirt the seamstress had tailored for him fit so well that it showed everything.

Travis made his way out of the room, down the hallway and out into the courtyard. If he'd been hard at work, he was sure he would have missed the gentle breeze and melodic bird song. It was nice. Peaceful.

Travis walked along the hedge row until he came to the ornate archway that led to the gardens. He followed the narrow brick pathway through the grass and flowers until he saw Maria in the distance. She was sitting at a table surrounded by some of the most beautiful flowers he'd ever seen. She waved when she saw him and beckoned him over excitedly.

“My, don't you look handsome?” she said with a giant grin.

Travis blushed and shook the compliment off. Maria was as beautiful as ever in an azure gown that matched her eyes exactly.

“Come on, sit down!” she said.

Travis did so, trying hard to shrug off the awkwardness. It was one thing spending time with the princess in the dead of night but he felt so exposed and out of place.

“Don't worry, you can relax out here,” Maria said, almost like she'd read his mind. “I've made sure that we wont be interrupted out here. Nobody comes out here but me any more, anyway.”

They talked for a while until Maria brought up something that made him a little nervous.

“How do you feel about lunch?” she asked. “I was thinking we could eat out here today, the weather's beautiful.”

Travis couldn't say no, that would be suspicious but he was more than a little concerned about his eating habits over the last two days. He'd always been overly fond of food but his self control seemed to have slipped since his altercation with the witch. He'd been trying to convince himself it was due to exhaustion but he couldn't lose it like that in front of Maria. He was going to have to try to control himself.

“Lunch sounds great,” he said.

When the food came out on a trolley, Travis kept his eyes down. Sarah had been working in the kitchens as long as he had and he couldn't bare to look at her as she served him. Three large serving trays covered with silver domes were placed in the center of the table. Maria smiled at Sarah and thanked her quietly. She waited until Sarah had left the garden before she moved to reveal the food.

As soon as the first dome came off, Travis was grateful that Maria had waited. The moment he laid eyes on the food, his stomach growled so loudly that he knew Maria must have heard it. She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow before revealing the other two plates.

Travis couldn't tear his eyes away from the food laid out before him. A steaming glazed ham took up one platter. The next was filled with an array of cheeses, apples, grapes and breads. The last tray held sweets and cakes, the likes of which he'd never seen before.

Travis fought to keep his hands to himself. He really did. He needed to let Maria move first, to eat conservatively and not show himself up in front of the princess. The ham looked so good, though. Maybe he could have just a little. He could control himself.

Travis could feel Maria's eyes on him as he picked up the knife and sliced a thick chunk of ham off for himself. Without hesitation, he crammed it into his mouth. The ham was cooked to perfection. It deserved to be savoured but Travis was not in the mindset to honour that. He reached for some grapes and popped them into his mouth one after the other.

Travis made it through another five slices of ham and six slices of bread with generous helpings of soft cheese before he remembered the princess was sitting across from him. His stomach panged with equal parts shame and fullness but it didn't stop him.

The ham was gone before he knew it and Travis didn't know what to do. He couldn't stop. The bread, cheese and fruit went down too easily and Travis wished the ground would just open up an swallow him. Maria was watching him with interest and he had the uncanny feeling that he was being studied.

The trousers that he'd just been given, previously so perfectly fitting, were feeling tighter than he would like. He was sure his new shirt was showing off just how swollen his belly was.

Travis burped loudly as he reached forward for the first taste of those cakes. Before he could reach one, Maria slammed the silver dome down over them. Travis sat back in his chair in shock. As soon as the cakes were out of sight, whatever it was that compelled him to shove every last one down his throat seemed to dissolve instantly. Travis could only focus on the pain in his belly and the shame in his heart. He avoided Maria's gaze. He couldn't look at her. He was a mess.