By the river Dee

A young lady was in the river cooling off from a hot day. Her top clothes like her dress and shoes where laying on the shore on some rocks. She love the feel of being in the water. The sun beating down her wet body as it was shining. She heard some voices from a far. She wasn't sure who it was.

James came sauntering down the pathway that ran by the river with his a few of his privy chamber, trusted kin who were more friends than servants. The men laughed heartily once free from prying eyes of the court who had travelled with them.

Quite abruptly one of the men tapped James on the shoulder and pointed ahead. James noticed the pile of clothes by the river and chuckled, but he was tapped again and then he noticed the woman wading about like a prancing fairy in the water. All the men laughed at James' reaction and he retorted jokingly, "Does she think she's in Spain? She'll catch her bloody death."

This of course, inspired the men to laugh even heartier.

Elizabeth soon headed to the shore to her clothes but stopped when she saw the king."Your Majesty."She said softly to him.

Then men laughed, one among the party whistled. James smirked for a moment but hit the whistler against the arm, who fell into obedient silence. The men turned from the river, keeping their backs to her while she was in a state of undress.

"Mistress it is unwise to leave yourself so vulnerable and...exposed, " James said and clasped his hands in front of him, looking at his boots.

She got out and got dressed."You may turn around."She said curtsey low.

James glanced behind his shoulder and saw she was dressed. He turned around, as did his men, "You were bathing in my river, " he said slightly playfully.

"Do you not have a home where you may bathe?"

"I am traveling thru your majesty. Please forgive me your Majesty."She said softly.

"Forgiven, "he said simply, the men around him began to move on and James began to walk with them.

"If you have no place of shelter then you may find rest at the estate. Someone will find you a bed with the servants, " he said kindly.

"Only for a night or so your Majesty."She said looking at him finding him attractive. But he was a king he would have thought the same way about her.

James nodded thoughtfully glancing about. One of his men protested in hushed tones, she is a peasant, he hissed to James but his words were ignored.

"You shall have bed and board, but if you are bid to work by my household you are to obey...that shall be sufficient payment for your stay."

"I am no peasant as I said I was traveling and kinda got lost it has been awhile since I have been in scotland.She said walking up to the king.

"Lost naked in a river?" James retorted playfully, his men sniggered, "The estate is a mile south. You shall find rest there. Good day mistress."

He then sighed and walked on, descending into conversation with his friends.

She looked around think he going to leave her alone here to find her way what if something was to happen and she never made it there.

One of the men nudged him and indicated that the woman still stood sheepishly by the shore. He rolled his eyes and pushed one of his men from the group. His friend theatrically protested but approach the woman all the same, "This is Thomas," James said, "He shall guide you there."

"Yes your Majesty."She said with a low curtesy to the king.

James smiled, casting her eyes over her appraisingly, "Good day, mistress."

"Your majesty may I ask something of you before you leave?She asked hoping he will let her ask.

James sighed and turned around, inclining his head to the side. Thomas beside her smirked, clearly amused by her brass. He nodded and slipped his hands into his pockets, "You may ask..."

"My father was on his way to met you your Majesty I was wondering if he met you his name is Sir James Phoenix?"She asked looking at him.

James shook his head. He had never heard the name, and it was such a peculiar one that he was certain it would stick in his memory. She was a strange girl, he thought. Clearly of respectable birth but her behaviour was not conducive with her position.

"Must have been urgent business if he has come to meet me away from court...especially given the occasion. But to answer you I have not so much as heard his name - until now."

"You might have heard of my grandfather's clan of the Symmers?"She said softly to the king. She was still a bit wet from the water.

James shook his head, "No clan from my home," he said, "Of course, I know the name but then if I didn't know every clan, I wouldn't be a very good King now would I? The family is not at my court anyway..."

"Your Majesty that is why my father was coming my grandfather is head of the clan and they wish to join your court."She said as she pulled out a letter in her grandfather's writing explain it in case her father never made it to the king. Which worried Elizabeth about her father.

Thomas took the letter from her hand and passed a brief look over it. For all they knew the letter could contain poison, everything had to go through someone before it reached James.

James smirked, "Well I won't be granting access to them on the basis of our meeting. Your grandfather shall have to present himself to me first, " he replied, taking the letter from Thomas.

"It takes more than ink on parchment to secure a place at the court...You'll be gratified to know when I meet him, I shall neglect to tell him of your exploits in the river."