Following Orders: Chapter Six

Chapter Six

My shoulder rammed against the rough wood that comprised the side of the coach. A second later, it was shoved in harder by the princess being thrown against my other side. Once the coach was straightened out and we were upright again, I made another plea to our captor.

“Couldn’t you at least tell us where we’re going? Or take these sacks off so that we can see?” I rubbed my shoulder ruefully.

A short laugh followed my request. “No. That is final. I don’t care how many times you ask.” The accents still fascinated my curious ear despite my dislike of the people who used it.

Suddenly, a hand touched my knee. I reached out to push it away before realizing that it was not the hand of a soldier. Instead, I groped about and enfolded it in my own, squeezing it tight. We hit a huge rock in the road which threw those of us who were blind from our seats. My teeth made contact with a leather boot and the taste of mud filled my mouth. I spat on the floor of the cart, attempting to expel the vile taste from my mouth.

I waved my hand around in the air, reaching for the princess’ arm to help her back onto the seat.

“She’s already up,” the foreign man growled. “You’re the only one still looking like a fool.”

I scrambled into my seat, jumping when my hand was grabbed once again. “At least let the princess take off her blindfold. It’s only decent!” I didn’t add that maybe she could help me keep my seat as well.

“I’ve had my orders. Now keep quiet.” His tone forbade negotiation.

An hour or so later (it was difficult to keep track of time), the road apparently flattened out a bit. There was a small bump and then the coach was driving much more smoothly. The muted light that had been tinting my obscured vision eventually began to fade and give way to a creamy darkness. A head that my mind remembered was blonde rested on my shoulder, moving gently as it breathed heavily. An unbidden smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, unseen by the rest of this dark and unfair world.

Outside of the still moving vehicle, a wolf howled. I imagined the glowing orb that would take center stage in the theater of the night sky receiving the dog’s praise regally. The other actors would be twinkling gently as they danced to an unheard melody.

“You can be free if you only let your head live in the stars, Will.” My father and I had been gazing up at the heavens late one night a few months before the fateful battle. He pointed out constellations, and even though I couldn’t see them, I pretended I could to extend the moment. Right after those words, my mother had called from the doorway that it was time for me to go to bed. My father lifted himself up on his elbows and gazed at her silhouette in the candle smoldering behind her.  He smiled blissfully before turning to tousle my hair which was messy as usual.

“Now I want you to remember this. When you grow up and get a beautiful wife for yourself, you always treat her like a princess. Always.”

I made a face. “I don’t want to get married. Girls are gross.” My eight year old mind was quite made up.

My father laughed and pulled me to my feet. “Well we’ll just have to wait and see if you feel the same way when you’re old enough to call one your wife. Now come on – my princess said it’s time for the prince to go to bed.”

A kick in the leg woke from the dream that I had not noticed pulling me into sleep. The blindfold was torn off and I squinted in the suddenly bright morning. A shove started me stumbling from the coach, fighting to see where I was placing my feet in the long awaited glory of daylight. As my feeble eyes adjusted, I scanned the scene quickly. Castle, granite. Stable, pristine. Soldiers, numerous.

A large horse trotted directly into my gaze. “Welcome to my humble home!” The large knight swept his arm out in a gesture of pride. He stopped when he noticed the lack of appreciation from his “guests.” “What? You have seen better?”

“I live at Castle Camelot. You expect me to be impressed by this measly display?” The princess scoffed and I winced, worried that her offensive words would begin to cause harm.

But the man only laughed. “But of course. I must show you your quarters, then surely you will be impressed. Guards!”

A few men trotted up beside us, ready and eager to hear the words of their leader.

“Show them to their rooms.” He looked at the two of us from atop his huge mount. “I do hope you enjoy your stay.”

The soldiers led us away toward the castle. We entered by the front doors and then made a series of turns deeper into the structure, finally stopping before a sturdy looking wooden door. One of the guards pulled out a key ring and began flipping through, searching for the right one. When he had at last found it, the door was pushed open to reveal a thick darkness which was accompanied by a foul smell.

The princess turned to one of the men. “I don’t think this will be sufficient. Please tell me that these are his rooms and not mine?” She gestured to me and I sighed, wondering how she could not have caught on yet.

One of the guards snorted. Another elbowed him into silence while a third spoke. “Is there anything in that pretty little head of yours? You’re not guests – you’re prisoners. Understand? Pris –on-ers.”

She was shocked into silence but only for a moment. “But that man said that we were guests…”

“You really don’t know anything, do you? Come on.” We picked our way down the dark staircase to a filthy dungeon.

I was thrown into one cell which was promptly locked and Princess Elaine was thrown into the one adjacent to my own.

“You can’t do this! I am a princess! The daughter of a king! You can’t treat me like this! I demand to speak to your master!”

Silence greeted her cries as the men retreated up the stairs and I sank to the ground. She turned on me. “How can you just accept this? Do something! I shouldn’t be here!”

“In all fairness, my lady, I shouldn’t either. But unless you see another way out, I’m afraid this is the best I can do at the moment. I hope you’re comfortable.”

“I’m not. And your sarcasm is not appreciated.” She turned her back on me and began pulling at the bars. I let her attempt this for only a moment before interfering.

“Please, my lady. You won’t be able to break those bars and you only look ridiculous trying. Just rest. If we have a chance to escape later, you’ll need your energy.”

She huffed and backed away, still glaring at the metal. “What am I supposed to do then? Wait till I rot?” She shot me a furious glare. “And why didn’t you tell me we were going to a dungeon rather than guest rooms?”

I gazed at her in wonder. “I had assumed that you knew where we were going. And as for what to do, I wouldn’t imagine you’ll have to wait too long. You’re still royalty. He’ll want to speak to you soon. Before something happens.”

“Like what?” Her anger was losing ground to curiosity.

“Like either Camelot or Morestia catching wind of your capture. They won’t be especially pleased with that I shouldn’t think.”

She pursed her lips. “I see.” The princess glanced around at the floor of her cell. “Do they really expect me to sit in this filth? It would ruin my dress!” Disgust filled her countenance.

I sighed. “I’m sorry my lady. There is nothing that I can do about it.” As I thought about it, that pretty much summed up the whole situation. There was nothing that I could do about it.

It didn’t take long for hunger to make itself known, shooting in like an arrow and reminding me of my last meal. It took even less time for the princess to notice it and in turn give voice to her complaints.

“I’m absolutely starving. Don’t you have anything to eat?”

I scowled at this question for the twentieth time. “Oh, yes. Right here in my pocket. You know I completely forgot about it, but I suppose we should eat these tarts before they go bad.”

“Really?” She perked up.

“No! Not really! I’m just as hungry as you are.”

“You know it’s not polite to tease like that. Especially the princess.”

“Would you drop the whole ‘princess’ thing already?! We are in the exact same situation right now and there is nothing I can do about whether you’re the princess or not so just leave me alone!”

Her jaw dropped and my words echoed in my ears. Oh. I hadn’t really thought about them.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I did not think about what I was saying. I am so sorry!”

She only turned silently and leaned up against the bars separating us. Some of her loose hair was spilling through them and I had an urge the run my fingers through it, but this one I resisted.

“Why did you hate your master so much?” Her quiet reminder of Sir Manchmal’s death stabbed me. Though the question sounded like those asked while we were traveling, it was somehow different.

I swallowed and licked my lips before answering. “When my father died, he said that he would train me and so I was his squire. But he had just come back from that same battle and it had changed him. He started drinking more and teaching less. The alcohol soured his mood and because I was there all the time, I received the majority of the displeasure. Eventually I think he blamed me for his inability to fight. I don’t know why. But it’s hard not to hate someone who hates you.” I had shared more than I intended.

“Oh.”

We were sitting in quiet contemplation when the door at the top of the stairs opened, admitting a guard. He thumped down the steps and carelessly unlocked the princess’ cell.

I clambered to my feet. “Where are you taking her?”

A stony glare answered me as Elaine was pulled from her cell. I was helpless to do anything as she was led away, not looking as eager as before to escape the surrounding bars.

She was gone for more than an hour. When the door opened once again, I was attempting to drift off to sleep despite my empty stomach. She was silent and obedient as she stepped into her cell and the same guard as before locked the rusty door.

In the slight glimmer of light ricocheting around the room, I could see a few wet streaks lining her face. Tears.

“Elaine?” I asked. “Are you alright?”

She nodded tightly and then shook her head. “No. I’m never going to go home again. He said that I would live here forever. Unless…” She looked up at me. “Unless you accept his offer.”

I looked hard at her. “What’s the offer?”

She made a small gesture of despair with her hands. “I don’t know! He wouldn’t say.”

It was one short stride to reach the bars separating the cells and when I got there, I gripped them hard. “Are you sure he didn’t say anything? Nothing at all?”

“Well he said lots of things about my never seeing Camelot or Morestia again and how now he would win the war.” She looked up at me and cocked her head. “What war was he talking about? Camelot hasn’t been at war for eight years.”

I took a step back and stared at her. Every move she made or question she asked screamed, “Sheltered!”

“You don’t know about the war?” She shook her blonde head. “Aronway is set to take over Camelot. Morestia was going to help Aronway but then they remembered that they had been allied with Camelot. Or rather, King Baldwin remembered. So they – he – wrote to your father saying that he would crush Aronway’s attack if he could have a bride.”

“Me.”

“Yeah.”

“But why couldn’t he have had someone else? There are plenty of other ladies at court who would be glad to leave. They say my father is too strict or frugal or something. But why not one of them?”

She hadn’t even been told why she was going to Morestia. Now all of her complaining and chattering didn’t seem so annoying. It was her kind of bravery. She had to go, and she was scared. So she distracted herself.

Seeing as we were locked in a dungeon for reasons until now unknown to the princess, I decided to forego the king’s caution and tell her about the letter.

“He asked for you specifically. Something about having met you on a previous visit? Besides, you’re royalty.”

“A previous visit? I was fourteen the last time he came to Camelot!”

The fact startled me for a moment. “Doesn’t Morestia have ambassadors in Camelot? They could have been reporting…”

It was a feeble attempt but she seemed to accept it. After a moment of silent standing, we both sank back into our former seats to think and to wait.