Chapter Five

Chapter Five

I heard quick footsteps approaching the door. A moment later, it was opened. A man stood in the partially opened door. He was dressed in simple peasant clothes and he was tall, over six feet. His hair was jet black, and he looked in his fifties. His face was almost free of wrinkles, but what struck me were his eyes. Deep pools of dark blue, staring at me. After a moment of this, I looked down, unable to keep watching his eyes. A women’s gentle voice inside the house called out anxiously,

“Who is it, Roul?” The man opened the door wider.

“I do not know, Elena, though they don’t look dangerous.” His eyes had a faraway look in them. A woman, small and slim, with graying hair, came to the doorway.

“Oh, Roul let them in!” she said reproachfully.

“They are but two girls!” She ushered us into the small cabin and made us sit down on two wooden stools near a blazing fire.

“Now stay there while I heat up some stew.” She said in a kindly, as she bustled off to some cupboards. As she warmed the stew over the fire I looked around me. It was a small cabin, though slightly larger than it had seemed at first. The women gave us both wooden bowls full of savory soup. I hadn’t realized until she handed me the bowl, how hungry the meager supper had left me. I ate happily. Glancing over at Maryanne, I could see she felt the same way, though every now and then she would look up, her gaze reminding me a bit of a trapped rabbit. As my clothes started to steam and my fingers and toes grew less numb I began to wonder who these people were. Why were they living way out here, in the middle of these woods? The middle of nowhere?  They were sitting apart from us, holding a whispered conversation. My muscles tensed instinctively. I strained to hear what they were saying, but the pouring rain blocked out all sound. They saw me watching at them and the man got up. The women nodded at him as he looked at her. The man walked over to the fire and pulled up a chair. Maryanne edged her chair a little nearer mine.

“My name is Roul,” He said. His voice was grave, thoughtful. I nervously waited for more.

“You look like someone I knew, long ago,” he said,

“though it is most likely just a flaw in this old memory.” Rubbing his greying hair, his eyes deep in thought, he stared into the leaping flames of the fire. He looked up again, taking in my face, and nodded. 

“Yes, very like.” He said. I worked up enough courage to ask in a dry voice,

“Who?” He looked at me for a moment, and then spoke in a low tone a name I knew well.

“Queen Jeanette”. I gasped, my eyes growing round. My breath caught in my throat. After a moment I whispered

“I am her daughter!” He whirled around from his position facing the fire, and gazed into my eyes, amazement all over his face. Finally, as if satisfied, he turned back. 

“Did you know her?” I probed, anxious to find out more of my mother. He gazed at the flames. He seemed as if he were trying to pick out a memory, buried years ago, deep in his mind. Finally, after a few minutes, he started talking, his eyes still on the fire.

“I shall tell you my story. I have held it long, telling no one, for if my enemies knew of it, I would be in grave danger. I must have you promise that you will tell no one this tale.” I nodded in assent, eager to hear all I could of mother. He glanced at Maryanne. Her eyes were wide in uncomprehending fear.

“You won’t tell anyone either, will you Maryanne?” I prompted her. She looked timidly at me and shook her head. Satisfied, he continued.

“Many years ago, when your father had become king, he took your mother to the palace as his wife. She brought with her a crowd of guards, servants and maids. I was one of these guards.” I looked up startled, but he continued

“I loved the palace, the king, and the queen, and all my life I had longed to be a guard there. I was content. However, a few days before the queen was to give birth, I overheard a maid named Fanny plotting with servant to kidnap the queen! I immediately reported this to the guard in command. He surprised me by waving this off as nothing, and told me to mind my own business. I was naturally dubious of this order, and grew suspicious of the commanding guard. That afternoon, I sneaked into the laundry room were Fanny worked normally. Sure enough, there she was. I hid nearby, and listened to all the conversation. I was unprepared for what happened next. The commanding guard came down. He didn’t notice me hiding in a corner, and swept everyone out of the room except Fanny. He started to speak to her, but not in Yutan. After several minutes, I realized with horror that they were conversing in Melorian. They were Melorian. They were planning treason against the kingdom! I tried to sneak out of the room and alert the army, but I wasn’t quick enough. The guard whirled around and glared at me. 

 “You should have left us well alone. Perhaps you would have been saved this.” He sneered, and was on me like a flash. He knocked me unconscious, and the next thing I knew, I was on a cart, being shipped to the Mines of Melor.” I shuddered at the name, which filled all Yutans with dread.

“After many years, I escaped, though I still bear the marks of the bonds to this day.” He pushed his sleeve up a bit, and I saw, with repulsion, a thick scar running around his wrist, where doubtless the shackles had rubbed year after endless year. Maryanne shrank further back in her chair.

“And thus we live here. In the middle of an isolated wood. My enemies do not know where I went when I escaped the mines, and I am safe here, for the time being.” That explained the cottage in the middle of nowhere.

“So that is all you knew?” I asked, slightly disappointed. He nodded wearily.

“If I had been wiser, I may have not been caught. I may have been able to stop the kidnapping of the queen.” He drew a hand across his face. His wife walked over to put a hand on his shoulder.

“You were young, Roul. Very young. You did not yet know of such treachery. You must stop blaming yourself, for you tried your hardest to protect the queen.” She turned to us.

“Now, how come you to be in these forests, unguarded, at night?” She questioned. I hesitated but a second before I poured out the story of the quest to this kind woman. I told all, for I knew they must be friends, Master Roul having gone to the Mines of Melor after an attempt to save my mother. I told of the suspicions I had of my brother, and Sir Leyton. I told of my mother’s journal and her suspicions. They listened intently, urging me on when I paused. After I finished, we sat for a while, silently watching the fire crackle down to a glowing log. Finally Mistress Elena started up.

“What am I doing sitting here? You two must be exhausted after the long day,” she said, and led us up a rickety ladder to a loft above the room.

“I hope you’ll be cozy there,” she said with a gentle smile, and left us to change and go to bed. Maryanne grinned with delight as she noticed a pile of brightly colored wool blankets neatly stacked in a corner. She dashed over to them and pulled off the top one, which proved to be a forest scene, a turquoise blue sky, and a tiny cottage nestled in a grove of dark green trees, rather like the house we were in right now. I took one too, this one bearing a simple pattern of delicate Yefertines, the country flower of Yuta. I snuggled down into it, and stroked one of the golden blooms. The rain beat against the roof, but now, the sound was comforting. I was asleep almost immediately.

~

I awoke early to the cheerful chirping of sparrows in the eaves. The sunlight streamed in cracks in the walls. I stood up and stretched.  Groaning, I rubbed my stiff and sore back. It must have been from the unusually long horseback journey yesterday. I sniffed the fresh morning air. It held a coaxingly aromatic scent, hinting of bacon. Dressing quickly in my old green wool dress, I glanced over at Maryanne’s bed. To my great surprise, it was empty. The blanket was folded neatly back, and her dress, which had been hanging on the bed post, was gone.  She must have woken up early, I thought in surprise. I climbed quietly down the wooden ladder. As my feet met the smooth wood floor, I looked around. The cabin had several windows, which were flung open to allow the sunlight in. The fireplace had a small crackling fire burning in it, over which a large pan of bacon was sizzling. Mistress Elena was bent over a pot of gruel, and Maryanne was carefully setting out dishes at the table. Much to my surprise, they were chattering away like old friends. Maryanne smiled brightly at me.

“Good morning, milady!” Mistress Elena turned from her gruel to greet me as well.

“How come you to sleep so late?” she asked in a teasing tone.

“Maryanne was up with the birds!” I gazed out one of the windows, and asked

“Where is Master Roul?” She turned back to her pan of bacon and replied that he had gone early to fish.

“He will almost certainly have caught plenty of salmon for lunch. He often has told me he wishes we had company, for there are dozens of fish just waiting in their stream to be caught. As it is, with only two mouths to feed, he catches only one or two.” 

My smile faded slightly, as I heard what would be for lunch. Fish? I shuddered. I disliked fish. It was well known by the cooks at the palace, and they never served me fish. So fishy tasting! But now, shivering, I blocked out the thought of lunch, comforting myself that anything could happen before then. Perhaps the fish would have decided to migrate, and they all left the brook he was fishing at, or maybe the stream dried up… I rolled my eyes at the last scenario. That wouldn’t be the case today, I thought dryly. It poured rain last night for hours. Master Roul’s entrance broke through my thoughts, and, looking up, I realized I would just have to endure a fish lunch. He was holding four, seemingly humongous fish, of what type I could not tell. I swallowed hard and held onto the appetizing scent of the bacon, as I tried to ignore the strong fish smell. Breakfast was delicious. The bacon was fried crisply, the oatmeal drenched in rich, cool milk, and apples from the tree outside, crisp and sweet. After breakfast, Mistress Elena cleared the table and washed the dishes. Maryanne jumped up to help dry, and Master Roul and I were left at the table. I pretended to be absorbed in the process of twisting my napkin into strange forms, uncomfortable at being the only one not helping. I would have gladly tried to dry a dish, but Maryanne had got there first. Master Roul spoke.

“You have a long journey ahead of you.” I looked up.

“Yes, sir,” I agreed, shuddering at the thought of facing the forest again. His eyes looked deep in thought.

“You will need food, shelter, protection on this journey.” I could not be sure, but I thought his mouth twitched slightly at the corners.

“You have far to go, Princess.” I sadly nodded. I had realized that last night. I felt awful as I thought of dragging Maryanne into this impossible quest, quite forgetting she had insisted upon coming.

“Perhaps, I should just go back?” I ventured. He stared at me.

“That would be almost the worst thing you could do.” He said seriously, much to my horror. The idea seemed so appealing. How could it be so bad? 

“But how will I get to Mother first? He has courage and so many friends to help him! I have no one but Maryanne, and neither she nor I have much bravery. He has people to catch food for him, and create shelter.” Discouragement poured over me in a flood. I shook my head sadly.

“It was foolish to even attempt it.” He sat in silence for a few moments, then spoke.

“From all you have told me, Reynold sounds as if he has strong reasons for wanting the throne. It could be greed, or something else. If it were greed, he would make a poor king indeed, and if it were not greed...” his voice trailed off.

“We shall not think of that.” Think of what? I wondered nervously. Why else would he want the throne?

“Your brother is strong in some aspects. I have watched from a distance. But despite his confidence, you have something that he has lost. He is on this quest, not to find his mother, but to gain power. He will gain this power anyway he can, honest, or dishonest. He is dangerous. He has little love in him except for power, and, though I may regret saying this if later I am proved wrong, I do not see any love for his country, Yuta, either. I know not why, but he has hatred embedded in him to his core. Bitterness. Where it comes from I do not know, but I have watched him. I have gathered information from others. He will not make a good king. He is proud of his strengths, and belittles all strengths he has not. However, from what I have seen throughout my life, love has more power than confidence. He does not realize this. He does not understand love. I think that with love behind you, you have almost a better chance.” My mind reeled. He had known so much about Reynold! Of his dishonesty, that I thought Reynold had concealed so well. Did he know that much of me? Startled, I bluntly blurted out

“Did you watch me as well?” He smiled.

“I saw little of you, but I heard things of you from others.” My mind automatically raced to all my faults, and I felt my face growing hot. He answered my thoughts.

“Do not dwell on your faults, though it is good to know of them. You have strengths too. You must learn many things before you can reach your mother. You need to learn how to survive out here in the wild. You will need determination to get to your mother first. You must learn to keep going no matter what.” I twisted my napkin hard, sadly staring at the stitching.

“How will I ever learn that in time?” I asked, sensing failure creeping in the shadows. He glanced at me.

 
“I will teach you.”