Chapter 13

A commotion outside the house pulled Sera from her thoughts. Hastily pushing the blanket back onto the bed she scrambled to her feet and ran outside. Tripping over the doorstep, Sera stumbled toward the source of the hubbub.

She stared a moment and then blinked. The sight in front of her was insanity, pure and simple. Green was there, struggling against guards frantically, his clothes dusty. The villagers were clustered around the struggle, whispering nervously and not getting too close to Green. Sera closed her eyes and shook her head, and then looked again. Green was still being held back by the palace guards. She couldn’t even figure out why he was in Tolerable, let alone work out why the guards were so mad.

Walking through the stunned crowd, Sera saw the tubby messenger he had apparently been trying to hit. Had managed to hit, judging by the blood dripping out of the man’s nose. Sera snickered. The snobby messenger was a regular source of laughter around the village and he definitely deserved his treatment.

“I am a messenger of the king! You, simple peasant, shall not treat me with such disrespect.” The man sounded as pompous as he looked. “However, in light of the coming festivities I shall let this pass.”

Realizing what had happened, Sera looked behind the messenger for the notice he must have just put up. It sat in all its paper glory on the front of the tavern, black and gold letters proclaiming the upcoming marriage of his son Prince Kennard to Princess Ruby of Lanmura. Tomorrow. It was at least a little impressive that the king could arrange a state wedding in less than two days.

A murmur from the crowd and Sera was back in the present. It was horrible to see her uncle like that. Every inch of Green spelled devastation and anger, from his haggard eyes to his hunched shoulders. Sera’s stomach twisted. The pudgy messenger was pushed back onto his horse and he rode off quickly. The guards, seeing the messenger a safe distance away, released Green with stern looks and mounted their own horses.

Tolerable was the quietest that Sera had ever heard it. Even the chickens stopped clucking. No one in the history of Tolerable had ever done something so disrespectful to a servant of the king, and for a moment Sera felt that every house and shop might collapse from the silence.

Looking up at the sky to ensure that it was staying the proper distance from the earth, Sera calmly stepped forward and took Green’s hand. She led him carefully through the silent circle of people, giving a small smile to whoever would catch her gaze. Green followed her silently and in no time at all they were home, away from that unnatural silence. In that wonderful place where pigs snuffled and horses munched their hay softly, Green walked into the barn and began to work.

The rest of the day was passed in silence, with Green being miserable and Sera trying to plan her way out of the whole mess. Phina was still nowhere to be found, and Sera had no idea where to start looking as she realized just how little she knew about Phina. The woman was in Tolerable on her way to visit family but Sera had no idea who that family was.

The next morning Sera was the first person awake. It was a horrible experience, considering that Green was always up and about long before Sera. Reluctantly she went to her uncle’s room, where he was curled up in his bed. Sera blinked and gaped for a full minute. It looked like he wasn’t going to leave the house until after the wedding was over. From someone normally reasonable and even-tempered this behavior was quite alarming, and Sera wasn’t really sure what she was supposed to do.

All she could do was make breakfast, which she did. Most people didn’t eat cheese sandwiches for breakfast but it was the safest thing Sera could think to make. As she sat eating her meal, a flustered chicken squawk alerted her to someone’s presence in the yard. Almost dropping her sandwich, she ran outside.

Prince Kennard stood there, covered in leaves and mud, with a few thistles stuck to his shirt. Sera tried not to giggle but did anyway. She curtsied and said, “My lord, what are you doing here?”

The instant she spoke, the prince raced over to her and grabbed her shoulders. “You’re the servant of the Lady Alexia. Where is she?” His eyes were wide and he was gasping for air, like he had run all the way from the palace.

Although her mind was confused, her mouth was not and Sera blurted out, “She 's been staying in Mayor Stemley’s house. I mean, well, she was, but I don’t know where she is now. I don't know where to look for her at all.”

His face fell. “You don't?” Kennard sounded so upset that Sera had to say something.

“Maybe she's gone back to her room in the village. Or maybe there's a clue as to where she went,” she said anxiously. His expression showed just how badly he wanted even a little hope. He nodded slowly, so Sera began trotting down the road toward Tolerable. After a moment the prince followed.

“So, what’s your name?” he asked.

“Serendipity, but everyone calls me Sera.” There was silence for a while. Sera resisted the urge to babble to fill the awkwardness.

“How did you get out of the palace?” she finally asked.

Kennard smiled proudly. “With a lot of effort. I’ve been digging a tunnel out of the east gardens for years, and I had a pickpocket in the dungeon teach me how to pick locks. And the court physician is an excellent source for sleeping draughts. So I escaped my room, drugged the guards, and made it to the tunnel. Simple, really.”

There was silence again. Sera was entirely unsure how to talk to this strange young man. “Why are you looking for Phina?”

“Because I love her and I want the chance to tell her that before I’m married off to the redhead.”

Sera laughed. For a prince, Kennard was as blunt as her uncle. “We’re here,” she said as they reached the edge of the village. Looking Kennard over, she added, “You should probably wait here. Don’t want to cause a fuss.”

The Stemleys were eating breakfast and simply ignored Sera as she ran in, probably because chattering about the wedding they were going to attend was much more exciting. They had gotten used to her popping up at odd times to see Phina. Sera’s heart lifted for a few seconds of hope before she entered Phina’s room but then it fell again. There still wasn't anyone there.

Having a sudden thought, she ran outside frantically to see the silver carriage. If Phina had left her things behind, she couldn't have gone too far. Racing back to the prince, she said, “Phina’s still gone and I don’t know where to look. All I can think of is to stall the wedding and hope that something wonderful happens.”

“Stall?” In his disappointment, that was all Kennard could manage.

“Yes. Can you get me into the palace?” When Kennard nodded, she said, “Then let’s go. Maybe we can stop the wedding long enough for Phina to come back on her own.” The prince wasn’t convinced. “At least you can spend your final unmarried moments protesting the wedding.” That did it.