Brown Skin - Timaira Smith (books to read in your 30s txt) 📗

It was a stormy day at the Stawery manor. But the weather outside was not paid attention for inside, in the ballroom hall, it was full of laughter of all the lords and ladies of the court. The occasion was special; king Troy Stawery II was born twenty-eight years ago on this very day. The hall was bustling with all of his childhood friends, family and servants, dancing and drinking with no end in sight. A great guffaw burst from the very front, where King Troy was sitting upon his throne of royal velvet and fur, laughing from an answer to a riddle told by his cousin.

“Great turn about for such a surprise date” one of the lords of the court who was holding two goblets of strong wine. whispered to another. “I tell you, I have been in the royal’s favor ever since I was a child.  I have seen kings pass and go but never have I met one like his majesty”

“You have never been wrong William, but what a day to be hunting indoors. Say, this is my first time seeing most of these ladies, besides the dried up husks some men in court have used for so long, like Lady Bessie Beauford, to think the king would boot her out of his court for being such a whore.” In the corner of the eye the two men looked at a woman who must have been in her thirties and unmarried forever. She had long blond hair that was growing thin with wide hips and sunken breasts. She was conversing with a fellow lord, about something humorous no doubt, her charm was still intact in her flirtatious laughter.

“What in the name of God could be so funny, I swear her very presence makes my skin quiver”

“Skin on what body part? She may be lewd and dry but she has good strong legs, good for spreading like butter on sweet bread” He slurred. They laughed to themselves, almost instantaneously with Lady Bessie. She turned around instantly at the sound of the mischievous laughter, on instinct, as all women do around groups of men. She dismissed the man she was talking to with a flick of her hand.

“William, I would say you were a dog but she is just teasing us with her looks”

“Or I would say this one is, what is a moor doing in court?” Lord Carey averted his attention in the direction Lord William was cueing. And what a mystery she was. “ Dark wavy hair that rests partly on her shoulder, light brown oval eyes, plump deep red lips and high, stout cheekbones. She has to be a like a kitchenmaid, I can tell by her collar around her neck but my God, a blacke servant has not been seen in ages, what a fortune it is to even have one. We are probably collecting an invisible toll just to look at her.” William chugged down the first cup, looking for a servant to bring another.

“Ay ay, like I said you have never been wrong, but that still does not answer the question of what she is doing here, she sticks out like a crow surrounded by doves. I guess her skin fits that analogy compared to us, right William?” Lord Carey turned to face his friend, just to find him staring almost with his mouth wide open. “By God man, to think she were a piece of meat and you a leper staring so hard!”

“What a dark mystery she is, I have never seen such a young moor. I am almost too ashamed to call this creature beautiful but my lady also is a dried up patty, this one is fresh meat.... it almost makes my member ache just looking at her” He chugged down the second cup and followed a servant carrying a tray of more drinks. The dark skinned girl was standing at the door searching with her eyes the crowd. She fixed the cloth collar around her neck and brushed her simple pale blue dress off, almost nervously. Lords William and Carey weren’t the only ones who noticed her. The half of court that she was standing in has noticed her. The ladies were fanning themselves jealously, verbally picking at her appearance with their gossip. Disapproving looks all around were received as the men who saw her lusted almost obviously. One gentleman threw his hands at his lap and crossed his legs while he visually undressed her with his eyes. The curiosity quickly spread to the front of the grand hall as people took their attention off the king and the music to stand still and search towards the back.

"Your majesty, what has captured the attention of your people so abruptly? To think they saw a ghost.” Baron George Stevens, the king’s advisor whispered in the king’s ear. King Troy stood up and used his tall height to look at the back of the room, where he nothing but the young maiden’s head of waves and her almost blushing at the attention.

“My lady where are you! God please show her to me, she calls me and yet she is not here.  It took miraculous strength to even show up here, knowing I am probably not allowed nor welcome. Christ, the people stare at me... I am so ashamed.” She lowered her head to hold back tears, wiping them away she lifted her head once again to have one last glance at the crowd staring right back at her. One particularly irritated middle aged woman boldly walked toward her and faced her, almost nose to nose.

“What are you doing in court? Do you not know you are not welcome here? You are basically screaming for your head to rot on a spike for trespassing. Leave our presence, you are offending us be even being here in your measly clothing and god ugly skin.” The woman mugged her as she searched the maiden’s face for any hint of hostility, for that is was she desired; to win the bet between her friends to bring out the savage of the negroe. Her and her friends heard nothing but cruel rumors of the blacke race they have heard from other women who heard and the stories runs backwards on.

The maiden lowered her head and curtsied. “I apologize my lady, I was looking for my mistress, I was called by a fellow lady in waiting that she…”

“Lady in waiting? Surely you lie. There is no such prestige for a moor! You must be at most an indentured servant, a cook is royalty to you! Things like you are like jewels that were left out of product, useless and worth too much money for such little value.” The woman’s friends giggled at the comment, as she looked back at them for confirmation.

The maiden curtsied again, keeping her head fixed at the ground “Yes ma’am, I am useless and worthless, I can not even find my mistress when she calls for me, I understand that I am not welcome, I apologize again if I offended you so, I will leave now.” She let a tear fall down her face as she started to cower away back out the door. King Troy was watching this happen, but unable to hear the conversation between the two women, he was shocked to see the girl start to walk out. He felt a pull at his heart, that and another feeling that he never experienced before.

“Stop!”

The hall suddenly went quiet, heads flicked towards the back. Now all eyes stared at the maiden frozen in her tracts. The only sounds were the echoes of the roaring beckon and a couple of men whispering about the maiden’s backside. All saw the quivering shoulders of the girl, and all felt the suddenly cold aura of the king. But noone saw the mercy warming in King Troy’s eyes, glancing at now the full body of blacke woman. He gained his kingly composure and demanded a response from the girl. “Who are you?”

The maiden was terrified, hands trembling and fear creating extra sleeves on her dress. She quickly awoken out of her frightened phase and keeping her direction towards the door to avoid the avert rage of the king, rustled up an quaky answer. “I am a new lady in waiting to the duchess Mary Howard, I was called by another that my mistress wanted me or something-”

“Mary Howard? My older sister?”

“If you say it so, your majesty”

“I guess this fellow lady in waiting failed to tell you that she is not here, she’s visiting Richmond to surprise a friend for their birthday.”

The maiden was stunned. Laughs broke the silence at the disclosed information. The hall cracked with teases and taunts towards her. She swore she felt her heart stop.

“Very well my lord. As it is obvious that I am not welcome here, as the fool that I am I will leave your presence. I am truly sorry to ruin such a grand party.” She suddenly said, causing silence again, then she used all her strength to push open the door and excuse herself. The door seemed that it did not want to budge and the laughter came again. Suddenly realizing she pushed the door to come in, she grabbed the handle and pulled it open with all of her might, falling backward at her own strength. Her foot caught the closing door, leaving it open on a brand new bruise that it left her. The laughs grew louder as she turned around looking for one face that was not so cold, seeing only the king not laughing, almost looking displeased. She let her tears fall, got up and limped out. Picking her skirts up she managed to run down many halls, not even giving a slight thought of where she was going, she just wanted to get away. Keeping her head low to the ground she slammed into one of the men in the hallway. The man was Lord William, who secretly followed her, fueled by his lust.

“Where are you going so fast girl? And not looking up? You are lucky I am not a high window! You would have been made into the dirt on the ground, you surely would match!” He laughed grabbing her by the arms.

“Thank you for catching me but I must go to my quarters now” she said with her head down to the ground. She prepared to run again but Lord William tightened his grip on her arm.

“Wait! wait! I was supposed to catch you because the King never summoned you out. How rude of you, how foolish and rude yet…surprisingly fair...fair yet not fair skinned. By God I am attracted to a dark mystery I am ha ha!” Lord William hiccupped, giving the maiden a clear clue to her captivity.

“Sire, you are drunk, you must go and lay down, I can call someone to assist you to your chambers, but you must let go of me”

“And why would I do that my beautiful crow? If I lay down it is going to be on top of you, let me undo your dark puzzle, expose yourself, I am curious.” Lord William let go of the maiden’s arms to slide them towards her breasts.

“I pray you, do not hurt me and I will not tell anyone you confronted me in such a way! Please! Do not touch me! How dare you!” She started to fight his hands