by Talia Haze
“Sean, come on, lad! We’re finally free! This is exactly what you wanted!” Sean’s face relented. “And look at us! Here, resting in the palace?” Ryan leaned back on the sofa and put his feet up on the table. “Our first night of freedom and in the royal court! Put your feet up, Dragonboy, and relax!” I giggled and stretched out, resting my feet on the table. “C’mon, then, Sean!”
Sean put his feet up and we cheered. Sean smiled, but leaned towards my feet.
“Where did you manage to find new slippers, Gabriella?” he asked. I wiggled my feet, proudly.
“Aren’t they nice? Hannah gave them to me for my birthday!”
“They are nice,” Ryan agreed, pulling one off my foot. “And see this then, Dragonboy!” he tossed it to Sean. “She’s got near four layers of leather on the bottoms!”
“Perfect for chores,” I agreed.
“Perfect for traveling,” Sean corrected, handing me back my slipper. “Chores are no longer your duty. Your old ones were far too small. I’m glad Hannah remembered you this much.”
We went silent, each in our own thoughts. Hannah gave me such a thoughtful gift, but she didn’t know how thoughtful. I didn’t know. How much traveling would we have to do? How far would our parents be? Would we even be able to reach them? Certainly, they couldn’t be anywhere close if they couldn’t even visit us.
“Are either of you hungry?” Ryan asked, suddenly.
“What do you mean?” Sean asked cautiously.
“I mean I am going to that ball and getting something to eat.”
“I am not going out there!” I cried out.
“Neither am I!”
“You’re both yellow.” Ryan stood. “But don’t fret. I’ll get you something too. I’m feeling rather generous today.”
“How long do you think it shall be before he gets caught and in trouble?” I asked as the door closed. Sean just laughed. “I won’t be getting him out of it this time.”
Ryan didn’t keep us waiting. Only ten minutes passed before he returned with a large, silver tray covered with white lace.
“Agepé! ” He was proud to share his bit of elvish with us as he quickly pulled off the lace, revealing a humble feast.
“How did you get this?” I asked as I pulled a strip of meat from the small foul.
“I have my ways, Bittersweet,” Ryan bragged, holding up a roll triumphantly. “They are called the Ways of the Ryan.”
“Tell us about them.” I could barely understand Sean as his mouth was so full.
“First, I washed my face and hands, then went down there and told them I was to get food for guests that were lounging upstairs on the balcony.”
“Decent, Ryan!”
We were so ravenous. The small feast was more food than we had had in the previous five days combined. When we finished, we placed the empty dishes in a neat stack on the table.
“What do you think my parents are like?” I asked, leaning my hands on my knees. I scanned my memory for any small fragment of a recollection. “I can’t remember them at all.”
“They’ll be happy to see us, certainly.” Ryan stretched out on the sofa, covering his face with his hands. “Always with their kisses and hugs. I say they’ll be furious with Uncle Harrison when they find out…”
The door suddenly opened, and a man walked in. He wore a black doublet that laced up perfectly to his chin and lined with a silver fabric. His sleeves were loose, and his bracers were black. He wore a black leather belt and a black cavalier hat with white plumes.
In an instant, we stood in a stiff, military line, even before the man could even fully enter. He just laughed and removed his hat as he closed the door behind him.
“Ah! Do not be so anxious! I am the Chancellor, Caldron. You wish to speak with me about a will?”
Sean flashed Ryan a relieved look. The Chancellor was in a good humor. “We do,” Sean answered, waiting for the Chancellor to sit before he did. Ryan and I followed. “We have some questions about an estate.”
“And the maidservant? What of these bandits?”
“There weren’t any bandits, Sir, and there wasn’t a maidservant. It was Gabby,” Sean answered, glaring at Ryan and me. We grinned, restraining our laughs. “She just said and acted like that to get in.”
The Chancellor laughed too, rubbing his gray beard. “Indeed. I thought bandits would not trouble themselves over two stable boys and a servant girl. What sort of will, I thought, do they have? Perhaps a will to the throne, I supposed. What about the estate bothers you? Is your uncle not to watch over you?”
We told him the whole story. We told him about my uncle’s abuse and the rule he had over the home. I explained the marks on my face. We showed him that Uncle Harrison was not my true uncle, and my last one would be over 200 years old. We told the Chancellor of the cellar, the crypt and the finding of the papers. We told him of the stone face, the riddle, everything.
“Then I am pleased you did seek my counsel. I will help you. However, it may be best to go get your father. We shall look more into this together, but in the morning.” The Chancellor stood, and we scrambled to our feet. “Tonight, I will find you rooms here, and tomorrow, we will continue our discussion. Until then.”
With a bow, the Chancellor replaced his hat and walked from the room. A guard soon opened the door, leading us to the guest rooms.
I sighed deeply as I collapsed into the soft, luxurious bed of Castle Farlington. My room had a large window that I left open and the wind gently swayed the sheer curtains and flickered the lamp that a maid left burning. I took my first hot bath that I had in months and dressed in a fine nightgown, edged with lace. I breathed in again, taking everything in. Was it not a few hours ago that I sat trapped and bruised in a dark, cold cellar? Now, I lay in warm, soft luxury? It was a good day. After everything, it turned out to be a good day.
I turned on my side to look out of the window at the peaceful town far below. In the distance, I pretended I could see the outline of my home. So strange. So many nights I had sat by my window looking towards the palace; how strange to be staring out of the palace window and looking towards home! How wonderful it felt to be treated so nicely…by an acquaintance even! What a wonderful birthday surprise!
The beautiful maiden Gabriella stretched upon the plush blankets as wide as she could. Oh, how envious her cousin Hannah would be! Yes, Hannah attended the ball, but Gabriella would sleep above it. The fairy godmother Chancellor had come. And with a wave of his arms, Uncle Harrison would leave, and everything would be made right.
Chapter Six
Princess Connie of Tempton
“I shall give you whatever you need for your journey,” Chancellor Caldron said over breakfast the next morning. My heart sunk. “To start, do you ride horses?”
Ryan gave Sean a quick glance. Horses could sense a dragon, even in human form, but we couldn’t reveal Sean’s secret. “We’ll walk,” Sean and Ryan replied at once.
“As you wish,” nodded Chancellor Caldron, scribbling furiously on a scroll. “I will give you dried goods, water skins…”
“Sir,” I whispered. There had to be another way. The chancellor didn’t hear me and continued.
“I shall also give you bandages, ointments, and herbs in case.”
“Can you not just tell him to leave?” I asked. The boys turned to me, chastising me with their eyes. The chancellor leaned back into his chair.
“What do you wish me to do?” he asked. I didn’t answer right away. I had thought about it all morning. I thought about my home, about Hannah and Aunt Beth. I thought about how upset Jessica was when I told her. I wanted to tell Hannah about sleeping in the castle, I wanted to finally receive approval from Aunt Beth. But I didn’t want to go.
“Gabby,” Sean repeated for the third time, gently nudging me.
“Instead of us leaving, can’t you just make him leave?” I finally asked. Ryan’s eyes quickly scanned the chancellor’s face. “Please, I’m not ungrateful, I’m not. But…if
you could just tell Uncle Harrison to leave, then that would be fine, wouldn’t it? If the estate is mine, and I don’t want him there, could you just tell him to leave?”
The chancellor leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh. My heart raced as I waited his answer.
“It is not that simple, Gabriella,” he replied. “I am not convinced that your father is indeed dead as Harrison claims. Besides, what merciful associate continuously provides income for a family not his own for so long? Even if it were the case, you are a twin. Your father’s will expresses specifically that the estate is returned to both you and your sister.”
“I don’t know where she is,” I whispered. I didn’t even know if she were alive, but I could not bring myself to utter such words. The chancellor nodded.
“I realize that.”
“So, could I not just claim it until she returns? I have no intention of stealing from my sister. Wouldn’t that be fine?”
“You are not of age yet, Gabriella. You just turned fourteen. Unless you plan to marry sometime soon, I cannot enforce this will. Harrison is to be your guardian until you no longer need one. Surely, you cannot tell me that you are able to run the estate on your own, currently?
Perhaps not. I certainly didn’t plan to marry anytime soon…I cringed at the mere suggestion. But I also didn’t know the first thing about running a household. It sure sounded fun with just Sean, Ryan and me. But what do we even do to maintain it? What would we do if something we were go wrong? I hadn’t the slightest. I wasn’t ready for that sort of responsibility.
“You’re right,” I whispered. The chancellor nodded gently.
“Gabriella, this is the best means. You have a clear direction to find your father and I advise you to go that course. Even if I were to tell Harrison to vacate, that is still no assurance that he would not come back…angry as ever.”
The chancellor was truly merciful and very generous. He gave us all he that he said he would and more. Simple things like packs, a lantern, matches, and light blankets. He fitted the boys with the boots of couriers, and me with a new shawl. He also gave us each a gold piece, in case we needed something else along the way.
Still, even with the blessings and gifts of our new ‘fairy godmother,’ I felt overwhelmed with disappointment and defeat. I hoped it would be easier, I hoped that it would be just as simple as a wave from the chancellor’s hand.
Perhaps it wasn’t worth all of the trouble. Perhaps I could go home and just get the punishment over with. If my parents were still alive, they had been gone for fourteen years. How far away could they be? How long would we be gone on a search for them? I grew weary just thinking about it.
After collecting our new belongings, we walked in silence down the corridor. I almost hoped we would run into Uncle Harrison. As if he anticipated where we would go and went to meet us. I just wanted life to return to normal. What had I done? I ruined everything.
“Can you believe just he gave us all of this?” Sean’s voice broke into my thoughts as he loudly shook his bag. “He’s just so friendly. I thought he would be sore at us for making him leave the ball...” Sean stopped suddenly, looking around in a panic. “What is that? Who is crying?”
I stopped and strained my ears. I didn’t hear anything. We forgot our manners and wandered the halls of the grand castle. Soon, I could hear the faint sound of heavy sobbing. It must not have been too serious; not so much as a single guard ran to assist.
Sean nosily opened a door. A girl sat on a low sofa surrounded by cushions. She wore a pink and silver gown with puffy sleeves that became taut at her elbows down to her wrists. Her white-blonde hair cascaded around her shoulders and she looked up as we entered with sky blue eyes, clouded with tears.
“Who are you?” she asked with a trembling voice. “Who are you to enter my chamber without consent?” Ryan’s eyes narrowed as she spoke, and he stood next to Sean, glaring.
“Ugh, it’s you,” he shuddered with disgust as he slammed the door shut.
“Ryan!” Sean scolded. “That was rude!”
“I don’t want to hear it, Dragonboy. Let’s just leave before Harrison realizes where we’ve gone off to…”
“Stop! I order you to stop!” The door flung open and the girl stepped next to us. “I am going with you!”
“No way, Goldilocks!” Ryan argued, jerking his shoulder away from her grasp. “You don’t know where were going…you don’t even know who we are! We could kill your royal self and I for one wouldn’t hesitate!”
“You’re the princess?” I curtsied deeply, but she wasn’t flattered.
“Are you not familiar with your sovereign? Do I not have a crown on my head?”
Ryan was furious, though not because of what she said to me. “Listen, Your Splendidness, why don’t you go back in that nice room of yours, where you can count your money or something!”
“Ryan…!”
“What reason do you have to be so disrespectful to me?” The princess pushed past Sean to stomp to Ryan.
“You would be ‘disrespectful’ to someone too if they tried to have you lynched!” Ryan took a threatening step towards her, slightly bunching his hands.
“Oh! I knew I have laid eyes on you before! So many years ago! You are that filthy boy who dared to steal from my carriage!”
“You stole from a royal carriage?” Sean turned to Ryan in surprise. Ryan’s gaze did not move from the princess.
“And got away with it, too! I needed to buy my sick brother a doctor’s aid!”
“You could have asked for the money, if in such a situation!” screamed the princess, her voice trembling from crying. Ryan just sneered in her face.
“Like you would have given it to me.”
“It does not matter anymore.” Sean finally separated the two. “The point is, we need to get out of here before we are found, and you need to go back in your room where you are safe.” The girl clutched her handkerchief and stared up at him as he gently escorted her back to her room. When Sean closed the door behind him, we continued down the hall, Ryan muttering angry remarks under his breath.
“It is in your eyes!” We spun around as the angry princess clutched Sean’s collar and stood tiptoe against him. Tears poured down her face and she talked between sobs. “All I have to do…is snap my fingers…and I shall have every dragon slayer in the kingdom looking for you! Now, I demand you cease this nonsense and take me with you!”
Ryan pounded the wall and groaned. “Dumplings, I hate you!” he screamed, pushing her hands off of Sean. “Let him go, Your Witchfullness! You may come with us, but if you trip or tear your gown, I do not wish to hear one complaint from you!”
“Why you…”
“Not one!” bellowed Ryan, angrily shaking a finger in her face. We walked down the grand halls in silence, the princess sometimes tugging Sean’s sleeve to point the right way. Ryan’s rage certainly kept her silent for a while.
“How do you expect to get out of here?” he snarled as we reached the top of the stairs above the huge main door. Two guards stood respectfully on each side and a doorman sat in a small room nearby. The princess told the other guards we passed that she had tasks for us to do. “You cannot just stroll out of here like you’re one of your common gardener’s children…”
Sean pulled a hooded, woolen cloak from his bag. “Here, Princess, put this on.”
“That is filthy…”
“Then go back to your room!” Ryan barked. The princess glared but snatched the cloak from Sean hands. We walked past the guards and doorman with ease, and continued down the path, leaving castle gates. The town was some relief. Everything bustled as lively as before. I searched for the guard with the red neckerchief, but he was nowhere to be found. So, I breathed every scent, touched every familiar cart and treasured every sight. I would miss it.
We left the fort gates with ease and after a few minutes’ walk, we gathered atop a hill just out of sight of the walls. I couldn’t quite see the manor from where we were, altho
ugh I did strain to look. The princess huffed as she struggled to take off the cloak.
“That was a disgusting garment!” she exclaimed, finally tossing it on the ground. Sean just shrugged as he picked it up, brushing it off.
“Kept me warm many a night,” he muttered.
“You’re the one who wrote this all down, Dragonboy,” Ryan said. “Where do we begin, then?”
“Come, sit.” Sean beckoned to a log. I plopped next to him and Ryan sat on the rock across from us. The princess remained as she was.
“I am not sitting in dirt,” she said as she crossed her arms and spun away. Ryan rolled his eyes.
“Well, the poem says to go between the great two oaks that state their name,” Sean read. He paused and looked around. “There are no oak trees around here. Where do we start?”
“Outside the Dofleece estate,” Ryan answered after a brief pause. “There are a lot of great oaks out there.”
“How do you suppose we are to get inside?” I asked, quietly picking blades of grass. I had been to the Dofleece estate once before with Hannah for a soiree. The family was eccentric. They hated people on their land; even their own invited guests were closely scrutinized. Madam Dofleece followed me so closely that I more than once accidently stepped back on her toes. She wanted to be sure I wasn’t up to any “mischief.”
“I have my ways, remember? The Ways of the Ryan. We can just pick the locks anyway, Bittersweet.”
“Why must you torment us with such cruel names?” the princess objected. “Have you no respect for ladies…?”
“I call Gabby names and I call Sean names. Why? It shows I care! It’s you I hate…”
“Enough of this, you two!” Sean finally demanded, annoyed. “Please! Ryan, just stop! Let’s just go to the Dofleece Estate.”
“Remain as you are!” The princess held her hand out to keep Sean from standing.
“What now, Goldilocks?”
“Just that! You shall not address me as Goldilocks! I am Princess Connie of Tempton, and I will have respect! You will address me as Your Highness, or My Princess. Have not you been trained how to speak to your sovereign…?”