ch 6

ch6

When I woke up the next morning I had my maids dress me in a rich eggplant color dress with gold accents on the sleeves that covered my arms.  The cloak was thick and a snow white color with the same gold detail.  On my way out I ran into my piano instructor.  As I passed him he shouted how we had a lesson and I waved him away, there were other things on my mind right now.  Piano could wait, this couldn’t.  I made my way down staircases until I reached a set of side doors that led to the back patio and connected to the lush gardens.  Navigating my way through the hedges and trees what were all dead due to the winter, I made my way to the dirt rode I had visited the other day.  Pulling my cloak tighter around me, the soldiers came into view.  All sweaty and muddy while training.  Next to the swordsmen was Tahvo, leaning against a post observing the two knights and their deadly dance.  

The princes eyes met mine and his face fell into a scowl.  Fine be a prick then.  He was obviously still upset by me running my mouth the other day.  Pity.  

Tahvo gave a dismissal to the crowd and the knights then prowled toward me.  I opened my mouth but he cut me off before I could begin. 

“What are you doing here?”  

I blinked innocently “Well I had fun the other day and just wanted to visit again.  Am I not allowed to?”  

“No.”  He snapped. 

I flinched as If I had been slapped.  

“Fine then.”  I said. “I just thought after the last time I visited and how you-“

“You were not allowed then, and you are not allowed now.”  And with that he pivoted and stalked back where he had been.  Tahvo made a gesture and two guards started walking my direction.  

I could take a hint.  

Before they reached me I was already in the maze of the gardens, making sure they wouldn't be able to follow.   My cloak fluttered behind me in the wind as I made my way toward the castle.  The sky above was a crystal clear blue, the sun beating down, even in the midst of winter.  The snow from the other day was long gone, now only puddles and mud remained.  The knights standing guard opened the side doors wide for me.  I was beginning to feel spoiled.  I climbed the stairs and entered my room, throwing aside my cape as I went through the rooms.  The boots were next, now covered in mud that embedded its way into the plush carpet as I walked deeper into my rooms.  Finally I made it to the music room, but I didn’t go to the piano. No, I went to the overly stuffed couch and plopped down, my skirts fanning out around me.  Ringing a bell that sat atop the small table in front of me, a maid appeared by my side.  

“Light the fire.”  I commanded.  

Quickly, the maid scurried around to complete the task.  My harsh tone had gotten the message across.  I did not want to wait for a burning fire.  

The chill from out side was gone as soon as the flames rose in their twisting dance.  A blood orange, then a flicker of blue, and even a crisp white shown as the room heated.  

“Would you care for anything else my Lady?”  Asked the maid.  

“No.”  I snapped, then seeing the frightened look on her face I added, “Thank you.”  

I sat there, letting the warmth of the fire dry the hem of my gown, it was filthy, but as a street rat, I had been filthier.  Soon, my eyes grew heavy, and all I gave myself to sleep.  

“It is the middle of the day and you are sleeping!”  Shouted a voice. I turned over, my arms heavy and tingly from laying on them.

“Get up you lazy girl!”  Said the voice again, but this time a whack from a pillow followed.  

“Ow!”  I yelped.  

“Please tell me that didn’t really hurt you.”   

“No, it didn’t.”  I said as I pushed my self up from the pillows to face the princess.  

She scrunched her face, eyeing my gown, “Wasn’t that uncomfortable to sleep in?”  

I went to stand and a sharp pain shot through my side.  I gasped.  

“Yes.”  I croaked and collapsed back on the couch.  

Adamaris rushed to my side.  

“Are you alright?”  She asked urgently. 

I shook my head, my corset too tight to reply, let alone breathe.  I was suddenly aware of each muscle that moved when I took a breath in, and then out.  It was agony.  

Adamaris grabbed the little gold bell and rang it with all her might while yelling for a maid.  Three maids rushed in, shock and confusion etched into their face.  

“Help her out of this gown! Her corset it too tight!”  Yelled the princess. 

The maids ran to me.  Gripping my arms they pull me up.  The corset dug deeper into my ribcage.  I clenched my jaw and squeezed my eyes shut.  I would not cry in front of these people, no matter how much pain I had to endure.  

“Its digging . . . into my . . . ribs.”  I gasped.  I could feel them undoing the ribbon that bound it so tight.  The corset must have moved while I had been sleeping.  Slowly, oh so painfully slowly, the corset loosened and fell to the ground. As soon as the retched thing was gone, my lungs thirsted for air and I gulped it down.  I winced as some bruising formed.  

“Are you okay?”  Asked Adamaris again.  

“Yes,”  I replied.  Then I realized I was standing infant of the princess topless.  I crossed my arms over my flat chest. 

Adamaris understanding ordered the maids to dress me in something light, and preferably with out a corset.  It was odd having the princess order my maids about opposed to me.  Odd as it may be, they did as she ordered.  I was dressed in a mint green gown that went to my ankles but made of a light material.  The best part?  No corset.     

“Well, now your ready!”  Exclaimed Adamaris.  She grabbed hold of my hand and dragged me toward my chamber doors.  

“Where are we going?”  I asked as I laughed at her ridiculousness. 

Adamaris looked back at me, “Riding.”  She replied.

My face fell. “I don’t know.  Last time we ran into your angry brother.”  

“Well he won’t rain on our parade this time.”  she said.  “I reserved the riding grounds.”  

I raised a brow. “You can do that?!”  

Adamaris did not look amused. “Odessa, I’m the princess.  Yes I can do that.” 

We arrived to the stables only a couple minuets later and no prince had been seen.  It was fine he was angry with me.  He would be gone soon enough.  Kachina was waiting for me in her stall.  She was a beauty.  Her grey hair glistened and it was nice to see a horse that wasn't brown or black.  Kachina was already saddled and bridled.  

“Do you want me to get her for you?”  A male voice behind me asked.  I jumped and turned.  It was the same stable boy from the other day.  

“Yes, that would be nice.”  I said.  

He nodded and moved around me.  Opening the stall door he walked in with ease as if he had done it a thousand times over.  He probably had, I thought to myself.  After all, he was the stable boy.  He guided the mare out of her stable and onto the grass field where I hoisted myself up onto her saddle.  

“Where to?”  I asked the princess.  

“Just Around the grounds.  It gets to be so pretty!”  And with that we were off.  Well, we were walking.  There was no way I would have been able to survive on a horse if she was running.  Trees engulfed us, their long limbs intertwining above us with sunlight streaming in through.  The ground had hardened enough that Kachina hooves didn’t slosh  in mud the whole time.  

Passing through the forest I realized that the castle had more land than I thought. We traveled by many little fields that were probably beautiful in the spring and fall.  Right now the grass was yellow and dead.  There was one little valley that housed a small water well made of crumbling stones.  Even the small roof was falling apart.  

“Is that where the castle gets our water?”  I joked.

Adamaris looked back at me and then to the well.  “Oh, no.  That has been here for as long as I can remember, but we get our water elsewhere.”  

I nodded.  It looked old as time.  “Do you know why it is here then?”  I asked.  

She shrugged.  “It was probably were maids went to fetch water for baths or do laundry in the olden days before we created aqueducts.” 

I gritted my teeth.  Aqueducts that the people had no access to.  They didn't even know it existed.  People still had to go down to the river and collect water by the bucket full, heat it over a fire and then bathe.  Buckets that were heaved up hills, through towns to make it to a home.  Getting water was no easy feat.  Only the royals got easy access to it.  But soon that would all change.  Soon everyone would have running water.  

“Here it is! Come look at the view!”  

I pulled up next to her and my breath was taken from me.  There was the Castle looming in all of its glory surrounded by a thick stone wall, but also a thick forest.  The trees stripped bear due to winter, but the sight no less amazing.  

“Wow.”  I breathed.  “This really is beautiful.”  

“I know. Sometimes I forget I live in such pretty place.  The castle can be boring at times, but when you look at it like this . . . I remember who I am.  If that makes sense.”  She said.  

Having nothing to offer, I nodded my head in agreement.  

“It will soon be gone from me though.”  

I blinked.  Did she know of my plans? If so how?  “What do you mean?”  

“Well my brother will probably marry soon.”  She said glancing at me.  “And for all of our sakes I hope he marries you opposed to Isobel.”  

I rolled my eyes.  I for one would never marry a prince.  My blood would never let me, besides if I were to marry a prince it would not be a stuck up boy as Tahvo is.  

“What does his marriage have to do with you leaving?”  I asked. 

“Once he takes the throne, all of the other children are either expected to be put into arranged marriages to dukes or lords of our bordering countries, or move away to live a humble life in the country side.”  

“What of your parents?”  

 “My parents?  They will be off to our country estate.”  

“Country estate!”  I exclaimed. “You have two homes?”  

The princess chuckled. “Yes we have two homes!  When we travel we like to be at home and not some uncleaned inn.”  

Oh this spoiled princess.  How hard her life must be.  If only she knew what filthy hole I had crawled from to get here.  

“We best get back.  Mother and father will be expecting me for supper.” 

With that I followed her back to the looming castle.    

***

The door to my chambers burst open followed by the sound of feet stomping toward me.  Spinning around I grabbed the nearest book off the shelf and jumped onto the couch while opening the novel to a random page.  I tried to keep my breathing controlled as the prince stormed in.  I glanced up from the book to see him lingering in the door way with his hands fisted by his sides.  

“And what have I done to merit this audience with you?”  

“You can start by telling me why you came to the training grounds today.”  He growled.  I rolled my eyes.  

“My answer has already been given.  Mayhap you should think back to this morning.”  

He shook his head.  “What you gave me was a lie.”  

I blinked.  A lie?  He knew I had been lying?  What else did he know and wasn’t telling?  Setting the book down I said, “Why are you so concerned about a small white lie?”  

“Because you're not the kind of girl to lie.”  

I almost burst into laughter.  Only if he knew!  I guess he wasn’t the best a seeing through lies as he proclaimed.  

I hung my head in mock defeat.  “Would you like to know why I was really there?”  

“Since thats why I am here, yes.”  

I held back my smile and said with a serious voice,  “I wanted to know if you would teach me how to defend myself.”   

There was a pause before the princes laughter filled the room.  “Defend yourself!  You must be joking with me!  A girl learning how to fight! Unheard of.”  

His laughter went on for so long that I actually began to feel self conscience.  I actually had wanted to know, but based off of how Tahvo was reacting I doubted I ever would, which would be a slight problem with my plans . . . 

“Enough!”  I snapped.  “It is not this funny!”  

“Oh but it is!”  Said Tahvo once he had regained his composure.  

“What is so wrong with me wanting to learn?”  

“You are a female.  You have knights to protect you.”  

I ground my teeth.  “And if a knight is not present when I need him?”  

“That would be extremely rare my lady.”  He said. “And if that were to happen the knight would be punished accordingly.  You shan't have to worry about that though, you are well protected here.”  

Oh I was seething now. “And what if you are traveling with a dozen knights who all get brutally murdered by a group of thieves who then proceed to rape you on the side of the road?”  I screamed at him.  

His face fell once those words hit him.  An understanding formed in his eyes and he looked at his feet.  

“It may be extremely rare your highness,”  I said softly, “But when all else fails, I need to be able to protect myself.”  

He gave a blunt nod, but didn't look up.

“I-I’m sorry.”  He said finally.  

I nodded.  “I had no desire to tell you, but . . . I need to learn even if I am a lady.”  

“I agree.”  He said surprising me.  “I will train you.  We will start tomorrow at dawn.”

“At dawn!”  I exclaimed.  Good god that was early.  “Why that hour?”  

He smiled softly.  “I am a solider and soon to be leader of a country.  These things need to be done early in the day.  It will teach you discipline.”  

I rolled my eyes, but a smile formed on my face.  “Then I guess the crack of dawn is acceptable.”  

“I will see you then.”  Tahvo said and then turned on his heel and walked out of my chambers.  I laughed.  My lie had worked.  Tomorrow he would train his very own assassin.      

***              

The streets were abandoned, save for a few drunken b******s stumbling home. The hour was ungodly late, but I didn't mind.  It made my goal much easier to accomplish with out being spotted.  The darkness surrounded me as I made my way past shop after shop.  I had heard of a little shack in the shadows, where people of all ages and looks headed to if they needed something . . . well vial in every sense of the word.  As a child I had heard rumors of the place, people speaking of things that didn’t add up.  Tales of unexplained happenings.  All gibberish and ghost stories to intimidate a person.  Kids would often dare others to go into the shop.  The children who had enough guts to take the stupid dare would return with wide eyes full of fear. 

I smiled as the shack came into eye sight. Lets see if the rumors were true.  The shop was hidden in the shadows.  An oak door that was weathered and worn creaked as I pulled it open.  Inside I could make out various tables around the room with objects of various sizes and shapes scattered through out.  As I made my way around I was both fascinated and disgusted with what I saw.  Skulls, both human and animal were placed on bookshelves as if they were a display, colored bottles littered about here and there, but no order seemed to be present.  Books gathered dust in tall piles on the wooden floor.  Miscellaneous bones hung from the low ceilings, all connected by a thin piece of twine.  As I past them they would sway slightly, making clanking sounds and reminding me of a wind chime.  A morbid wind chime.  The whole room was lit by candles of different lengths and widths around the room, casting erie shadows across the walls.  

“I was wondering when you would come.”  Said a voice.    

Bringing my face up from observing the toes of reptiles, I saw a short old man with a grey beard down to the middle of his chest.  The clothes he wore were ordinary at best.  He gave me a smile full of his rotten teeth that were anything but straight.  I cringed.  

“You knew I would be here?”  I asked as I stepped around a table toward him.  

He cackled a laugh.  A ghastly sound that made my hair stand on end and gave me the urge to look behind me. “Of course I did.  For I know all those who enter before they even think the name of the shop.”  

My brows clustered together.  How, was my question, but a voice inside told me not dare ask.  “I am here for-“

“For a poison.”  He finished for me.  

My eyes widened.  His cackle sounded through the room and the fire place along the wall adjacent from me burst to life.  I jumped as the long flickering flames crackled among the logs.  My breathing became quicker and I told myself not to be afraid.

“Now, which to give you.”  Said the old man as he meandered through the junk.  Oh how short he was! Just a couple inches above my own height.  I stared in wonder at him.  This shop was everything rumors had said it was.  Although I was scared, I was also fascinated beyond my mind. 

“Ah, this one should do it.”  The man said as he plucked a deep violet vial from the mess of bottles.  He scuttled over to me and held it out.  Timidly I took the vial, a liquid lay within.

“How much do I owe?”  I asked tucking it into a pocket.  

“Be careful with that!” He yelled.  

“What did I do?” I exclaimed as I took the vial back out where he then snatched it from my hands.  

“What this vial contains is a poison.”

I gave him a blank stare. “I gathered that.”  

“You do not just thrust a vial like this into your pocket!  It must be handled with care.”  

I raised a brow. “Then how do you handle it?”  

“The contents must not be disturbed too much, for if it is shook, the poison will be lost and you will be left with a useless liquid.”  

“Will it be alright on a walk back?” 

He nodded.  “It should, but keep it enclosed in your fist.”  He said as he placed it in my open palm.  “And let no one know of your whereabouts on this night.  Consequences will follow if you should.”

I nodded and wrapped my fingers around the vial.  “How much do I owe?” 

The old man cackled again.  “Nothing. For I am much too excited for the show that has yet to arrive.”  

I gave the man a puzzled look, and then turned and headed toward the door.  Just as my hand met the old rusty handle the old man spoke again. 

“One drop and they will be in a deep slumber.  Two drops and their heart will be stopped.  But three drops . . . just to make sure that the job is done.”  

With that I shoved the heavy door open and walked as quickly as I could away from the shack.  The mans laughter still ringing in my ears.  

Author's Note

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