Chapter 2, part 2 - the prince.

I ate my evening meal, alone in my room. Edric had told Maude that I wasn’t to join them in the hall tonight This evening was only for him, Mallon and the other men that went hunting with them today, he wanted to celebrate their lucky catch of two deer and a fox, but I knew it was only to give him chance to mould Prince Mallon into the future King of Northlaye, the kind of king, Edric wanted him to be.

The next morning, I awoke, stretched out as I thought about the day ahead. Before I went to sleep last night, Maude told me she overheard the king planning the day with Mallon, all the things he wanted to do and discuss with the young prince.

I made my way down to the kitchen and chuckled in my head at how ridiculous my father was. He was so eager for Mallon to agree to wed me and yet he won’t give us any time to spend together! He must think himself such a favourable man, that only he alone can persuade Mallon to marry me, of course in his dim brain the thought of me and Mallon getting to know one another and forming our own feelings wasn’t important, that’s not the way it needs to happen!

I approached Maude and started to slice the fresh bread as she scattered around the kitchen, helping the cooks to ready the food for our midday meal. She sighed as she slumped bits of fruit onto a wooden board.

“What is it, Maude?” I asked curiously

“Oh, we have hardly any good fruits left for the evening meal, it’s barely enough for two people, so now I’m going to have to gather more, on top of everything else I have to do today!”

“Maude!” I chuckled as I lay a hand on her shoulder “No need to worry, You stay here, and I’ll gather more fruits”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course!”

“Oh, thank you, my dear” She breathed out in relief as her shoulders relaxed.

I grabbed a basket and headed down the halls and to the main doors.

“Princess, may I ask where you’re going?” Nathaniel spoke out as he stood guard at the door.

I sighed “I’m gathering some fruit… that is all”

“Princess, you know the king’s rules, I can’t let you go unsupervised, I’ll escort you”

I rolled my eyes and let him follow close behind, it didn’t take long until we reached the woods and I found bushes and trees with plenty of healthy grown blackberries, raspberries and apples.

I snagged a few more berries and ate them one by one as I strolled to find what else I could take home. I spotted some mint leaves and as I bent forwards to pick some, several apples rolled out from my basket and bounced on the floor. Just as I started to pick them up a hand came into my view as it grabbed an apple. I stood up to see who was suddenly close to me. I was surprised to see it was Nathaniel and he gathered the rest of them and placed them back in my basket.

“Thank you” I said appreciatively and somewhat stunned

“It’s no problem at all, princess”

I smiled and turned back to the minted leaves, just as I picked some, I glanced at Nathaniel, now he was closer I had just realised he looked relatively young.

“How old are you, Nathaniel?”

“I’m twenty, your highness”

“Hmm, you do look young… I didn’t notice until now!”

“Thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment”

“Good” I grinned “I meant it as one”

He smiled and stepped a few paces here and there as he kept watch around us.

“Is this what you imagined, when you trained to be a guard?”

“Is what, your highness?”

“Having to follow me around, like I’m a child and you’re my nursemaid!” I scoffed

“Well, you are the king’s daughter, you’re a princess to the people, I’d happily guard your life and keep you safe, as long as the king wishes for me to”.

His answer took me by surprise, and I held out a small bramble of berries for him to take “here you may as well eat too while you’re waiting!”

“Thank you, princess” He bowed lightly and begun to eat one.

After a few moments of silence as I gathered more mint, he spoke up again “You come out here a lot… don’t you?”

“Yes, I love it here, don’t you think it’s nice to escape out here from the castle sometimes?”

He shook his head immediately “I enjoy being at the castle, it’s a reminder of my sworn duty”

“Ok” I chuckled “No one else it out here, or can hear you, you don’t have to be so serious!”

He chuckled and for the first time I actually liked one of the guards we had. His smile was warm, and his teeth were pearly white, unlike the rest of them who’s teeth were stained brown and dark yellow from all the wine and ale they drank.

I was just about to speak again when a rumble echoed from the sky, we both looked up to see dark clouds were looming over us.

“Princess, I’m afraid it’s time to…”

“Head back!” I interrupted him with a smile “It’s ok, I better get these to Maude anyway”

“Well, at least this time you seem a bit happier to return” he commented as we started to walk back through the woods

“Well, last time I didn’t know you could talk!” I joked playfully and he grinned

“You know, I’ve never seen you at one of the king’s feasts with the rest of his guards”

“Well, I’m still too lowly to be invited, the rest of his guards he… well he…”

“Favours?” I finished his sentence, his face remained motionless, but I knew he agreed by the look in his eyes. “So, tell me, would you want to be one of the king’s close guards, to have that position of working next to him every day?”

“Well, if he gave me that position, I could hardly turn it down, he would think it disrespectful”

“Hmm, that’s not what I asked… you might feel you have to, but is that what you eventually want?”

He stayed silent, while he mulled over his answer, and I could sense his hesitation and I laughed “Nathaniel, don’t worry, your answer is safe with me… I’m not exactly one that runs to the king and tell him everything people feel and say when he’s not present”

He nodded in understanding “Ok…then no, I wouldn’t want to, I never have. I do enjoy being part of protecting the castle and everyone in it, but I wouldn’t want the role that his closest guards have”

“Wow, I think you’re the first one to say that… and perhaps even think it. Can I ask why? Most men here would jump at the chance!”

“I know, but I’ve seen how drunk they all get most nights, I see them stumbling through the hallways or on their way home to their own families, they can barely stand, they’re like that more often than not”.

I smiled in agreement, I had learned years ago to make sure I was hidden away in my room whilst they all dosed themselves with any drink the king had offered on the table. It would make me feel sick to see them in such a way. They weren’t as scary as the king was when he was intoxicated, but I still knew to stay safely out of the way. When I was younger, Maude would always tell me, men couldn’t be trusted when they were in that state. She would spend so many nights sleeping in my room with me, in fear that one of them would enter and not think twice about having their way with me and even though it was against our law, she was doubtful that the king would show any kind of punishment to any of his favourite guards, so she took it upon herself to keep me safe.

I took the basket to the kitchen then headed to my room to change, me and Nathaniel got caught in some of the rain and now the hem of my dress was wet and dirty, if the king saw me trapsing around like that with the prince here, he’d be furious!

I sat ready at the table when the king, his guards and Mallon entered the hall. Mallon smiled as soon as his eyes fell on me and quickened his pace as he approached. He was just about to take a seat opposite me, but just before he could sit, the king put his arm around Mallon’s shoulder and lead him to the head of the table “You’ll sit next to me, young prince, I doubt Aurelia has much to say of any importance” he chuckled deeply as he poured wine for himself and for Mallon.

Mallon looked to me, and I saw a glint of annoyance and flashed me a deprecatory smile.

I smiled back in reassurance, even though I felt so small and insignificant sitting at one end of the long table all on my own.

“Princess, why don’t you move up closer and sit with the rest of us?” Matthias suggested with a sympathetic smile, but Edric loudly cleared his throat displeased at Matthias. He took one look at the king and knew he’d made a mistake “Maybe next time” he quickly checked himself as the king motioned for him to sit, with a glare, daring Matthias not to speak another word to me. I ate little food, then decided tonight, it was best to stay out of my father’s way and I already felt humiliated in front of the prince.

I bid them all a goodnight and retreated back to my room feeling aggravated by my father’s constant belittling.

xxxxx

“Wake up, my dear” Maude whispered sweetly as I fluttered open my eyes to see the sky was grey today, there was no sun, no pretty glow r its warmth to greet me.

I slowly sat up, feeling dejected and fed up as, Maude placed my breakfast of cheeses, raisins and nuts in front of me. I picked at the food as she brushed off a fresh dress for today.

“I can do that Maude” I told her as she kept brushing vigorously

“It’s ok, my dear, you eat up, the king demanded I be here first thing, apparently the prince was adamant to spend some time with you today… the king seemed rather displeased”

“Well, of course he was! He wants Mallon with him every day, so he’ll become his little puppet”

“Oh you!” Maude chuckled as she begun picking out some pins for my hair.

I got dressed and let Maude comb and pin my hair, then opening my drawer in my little dresser she took out one of my mother’s hair decorations and clasped it at the back of my hair.

“Now off you go, my child, and remember, be on your best behaviour” Maude urged me once I was ready to go.

“Thank you, Maude,” I left the room and wandered through the castle, looking for Mallon. He wasn’t in the dining hall, the throne room or entrance hall, and I daren’t go to the west wing of the castle, where my father’s rooms and study was.

I was just about to give up when I saw him walking down the long stone corridor that led from my father’s study.

“Prince Mallon, good morning”

“Prince Mallon? I think I preferred it when you just called me Mallon… I’ve been waiting for you”

“You have? Well, I was just having a little walk about, I’m surprised you didn’t spot me” I remarked, I felt a little curious as to why first thing in the morning Mallon was already with my father in his study.

“Well, I’m glad I’ve found you now, why don’t you show me around your home a little more?”

“I thought the king already did that when you first arrived?”

“Uhh, no, all he’s shown mw so far is a few rooms that are of importance to him, but I feel there’s still so much to see. Where do you tend to go when your home?”

We headed down a corridor as we passed empty rooms and ones with dusty unused furniture.

“Why does it look like no one comes down here?” he asked in puzzlement

“Because no one comes down here anymore, at least no one apart from me”

We reached a wide open corridor that led us to a large room with old brass candelabras that were covered in cobwebs, old wooden carved chairs, a rug that covered most of the stone floor, now too old and dusty to see the pretty print it once held but the large glass decorated windows let in an abundance of light as it bounced along the walls.

“With a little clean up, I can imagine this room would be stunning” he stated thoughtfully as he looked around the room

I pondered around the room in deep thought “Hmm, it was once!”

“Once?”

“Yes, I used to play in here all the time with my mother... look” I pointed to a large portrait that hung on the wall, it was the only item in here that was free from dust, I came in here often to make sure her face was still visible so I could remember her.

“Wow, is that your mother?”

“Yes, she was a beauty”

“Now I know, where you get your beauty from, you look just like her”

“That’s what everyone always used to say… we would sit in here together and play dress up, she would let me wear her jewels and she would do my hair for me and then she would sing, and we would dance, and she would always tell me that one day I’d be a perfect queen, and I always hoped that I would be, just like her”

“She sounds wonderful Aurelia, you both were really close?”

I nodded sadly “Yes, she was everything to me, my father barely ever spoke to me when I was a child, so I think she felt she had to compensate for that, but she was truly wonderful… she had the kindest heart”

“Were they in love… your mother and father?”

I shrugged defeatedly “I really don’t know… he never showed her any affection when I was present, but she always smiled nonetheless”

“Aurelia?” he looked from my mother’s portrait to me with sorrow in his eyes

“Yes?”

“Your father… does he… has he ever hurt you?”

I hesitated, Edric hasn’t ever harmed me too much apart from the odd moment here and there, it was just his words that stung more… his evident disappointment for me. I didn’t know where the prince stood when it came to Edric, and I feared I might not be able to trust him with too much of what was locked away in my heart.

“No… not at all” I lied

He nodded but his face shown that he wasn’t too convinced “Good, because you need to know, you don’t deserve any treatment of that kind! Its just… sometimes the way he speaks to you and whenever I’m with him he speaks nothing of you or your mother”

“That’s just his way I guess, but one day I hope to restore this room to its former glory” I looked to him, to see him already focused on me with a faint sad smile.

“Well, this is one place I tend to visit but how about I show you the rest of the castle… I can introduce you to everyone, I tend to spend some of my time with our servants”

“Really? Yes, lead the way, princess” he grinned playfully

I walked past him with a sweet smile “Right this way, prince!”

I took him down to the kitchens and the servant’s quarters and introduced him to everyone we passed. I have to admit I was rather surprised to see him converse with them so easily and respectfully. He didn’t look down at them like they were beneath him or seem indifferent to them, he was friendly and warm with them all and they were ecstatic to be spoken to by a prince.

We made our way back through the main corridors as we talked more about the castle and memories, I had of growing up when Maude appeared from around the corner and hurriedly approached us “Oh your majesties, there you are”

“Everything ok Maude?”

“The king has decided to hold a celebration tonight, there will be a feast, wine and music, he’s requested that you both join him the moment your dressed in the appropriate attire, you can then make your way to the main hall”

“What are we celebrating?” I asked unsurprisingly

“Oh, it’s just a belated celebration in honour of the prince’s arrival, there will be nobleman, of course the kings head guards and some of their wives”

“Your majesty” Maude turned her gaze to Mallon “Would you like me to escort you back to your bedchambers?”

“No need, but thank you, I remember the way, I don’t want to hold you up” he smiled, he turned to me, took my hand and placed a gentle kiss “I’ll see you soon, beautiful Aurelia”

I bowed my head lightly in thanks then he left down the corridor. Maude quickly rushed me into my room and began undoing my dress “Quick, my lady we can’t make the king wait” I could see the worry on her face, so I shimmied out of my dress and quickly picked a tidier more formal gown. It was silver with a white lace trim that led down the bodice and cascaded down to the floor.

I brushed through my hair and added a small, jewelled tiara, one that my mother gifted me when I was too young to wear it.

“Perfect” Maude marvelled as she took me in “You look absolutely perfect” she squealed