Beauty's Quest

by C. S. Johnson

  “My mother was thought to be the villain, and she has been charged with treason and imprisoned in the castle dungeons. Isra and my brother, Ronan, are heading to a safe location. Other than that, I don’t know exactly what has happened.”

  “They’ve imprisoned Leea?” Roderick asked. “For treason?”

  Rose cocked an eyebrow. “You mean Her Majesty the Queen?”

  “Of course.” Roderick blushed. He added in a sheepish voice, “We are friends, and we do not use formal titles.”

  “I see.” Rose relented in her preferred line of questioning for the moment, deciding not to barrage him just then. “But to answer your question, yes. She’s in the dungeon. My father thinks she tried to poison him.”

  “But why would the Queen attempt to kill the King?” Ethan asked.

  “I don’t know.” Rose sighed. “I don’t even know if she did try to poison him. It doesn’t sound like my mother.”

  “Maybe she was mad at him for emotionally blackmailing you,” Sophia said, “since he was threatening you with abdication if you didn’t marry.”

  “I still doubt it.” Rose crossed her arms over her chest as she began to pace. “But I have no clear answers.”

  “We need to get back to Rhone, and soon,” Mary asserted.

  “I agree. But we still need to stay our course,” Rose insisted. “These new developments won’t alter the fact I still need to stop Magdalina, and for that, we need dragon’s blood.”

  “And for that, we need to get off this island,” Philip stated. “That means we need money and supplies, which we might be able to get by participating in the tournament rounds next week.”

  “We’ve gotten a good start on that,” Sophia said. “Ethan and I made our way down to the merchant area. There were plenty of smithing sheds for me to exam. I’ve even been commissioned by one of the blacksmiths down there for the tournament.”

  “Really?” Rose asked. “That’s wonderful.”

  Sophia’s eyes, one brown and one a mixture of blue and green, both twinkled. “I’m so excited. I’m finally old enough where people are starting to take me seriously.”

  “I’m happy you’ve found a good place to work for now. The sooner we can leave, the better.”

  “I’ll earn enough for all of us to book our own rooms on the Romani trader ships!” Sophia vowed.

  “I don’t know if that’s possible,” Theo spoke up. “According to the priests I talked with, some of the passages are quite expensive, and we will still need to pay for supplies once we get to the Romani territory.” He glanced up at Rose. “I hate to admit it, but Rose is right. We will need more money, and the tournament is the best option to get it.”

  Rose felt the rush of silent triumph.

  “We have enough for three people to enter,” Philip spoke up. “Rose and I got the coins exchanged at the banks this morning.”

  “I’m going to enter,” Rose announced. “I hate traveling by boat, and if I have another month yet where I am forced to travel by boat, I might as well put my fighting skills to good use while I’m on land.” She looked over at Sophia. “I thought you might like to enter, to try out your knighting skills. But with your job ... I guess Theo and Philip will be able to enter?”

  She turned to find Philip’s dimple winking in agreement, while Theo shook his head.

  “I can’t,” Theo said. “I’ve been asked by the church to help out with some of their duties. For each tournament, several of them get together to put up a medical ward near the city square for people injured or indisposed.”

  “And you said yes?” Rose asked. “That hardly seems exciting.”

  Theo smirked at her. “Well, taking care of people has always been my stronger suit than yours,” he teased. “But there are two other reasons I agreed. There are extensive libraries and scholars around the chapel and its adjoining university, and many people cavort there throughout the day. It is a good place to gather information. I also thought Mary might like to come along. I know we’ve talked about making sure she is out of sight, but I can easily carry her in a pouch on my belt.”

  Mary smiled. “I might be able to help,” she agreed.

  “All right. That leaves us with one ticket for the tournament. Any takers?” Rose asked.

  “I’ll do it.”

  Rose wasn’t as surprised as she thought she would be as Roderick stood up. “If I’m to get us back to Rhone quickly, I might as well do something more useful than babysitting you, Princess.”

  Rose nodded. “I can’t argue with that logic.”

  Sophia giggled, causing Rose to shoot her an inquiring look. Sophia pointed to Ethan. “He was worried he was going to have to fight in the tournament, too.”

  “Ethan’s welcome to help any way he wants,” Rose assured them. She knew all too well how much Ethan tended to avoid the battlefield. His father had tried too hard and too soon to make his son into a warrior, Rose thought. She grimaced as she recalled the day she’d first met Sophia and Ethan. “He does not need to fight.”

  Ethan looked up at her, meeting her gaze and reading her thoughts; he blushed further, this time more out of anger than embarrassment. “I was more worried I wouldn’t get a chance to attend some of the festivities,” he contended.

  “Especially the musical ones, right?” Sophia asked with a teasing smile.

  “Keep your mouth shut,” Ethan muttered.

  Rose nearly laughed, recalling the days and the fights she’d had with Ronan and Isra over similar matters. Fearing Ethan might think she was laughing at him, she nodded toward the bundle in his lap. “What’s that?”

  Ethan hesitated. “I made this today, with the help of a girl.” He unwrapped the package, revealing an Aeolian harp. The wood was unpainted and plain, but the strings were straight and secure, and Rose could tell Ethan had put a lot of hard work into making it just right. He’d always been good with building things, she thought, recalling his skill in making traps, snares, and nets for hunting and fishing.

  “Looks lovely,” she praised, causing Ethan to break into his first genuine smile all night.

  “Penelope has been training on the harp for many years,” he said. “I met her at one of the street shops. She showed me how to make it, and let me keep it once I was finished. She said she’d never seen such fine workmanship before, let alone on a first effort.”

  “Do you play?” Theo asked. “I remember learning a little bit with Rose and the twins,” he said, “when we had our lessons in the palace.”

  “Isra was always better than me,” Rose replied. “And Ronan was more interested in using the harp for a weapon rather than music.”

  “It was quite a weapon in his hand,” Theo agreed. “Even when he tried to play.”

  Rose laughed. “Remember the time he—” She stopped, recalling they were supposed to be concerned about Ethan. “Uh, never mind. Do you play the harp, Ethan?”

  He shook his head. “Penelope told me she would teach me if I came back and visited her this week. I was thinking of giving it a shot.”

  “Well, we would be saving a lot of future money on minstrels and troubadours if you could do your own compositions,” Rose said in a calculated tone. “I suppose it’s a worthwhile venue for you to pursue. But you’ll have to practice when you come back to the inn, so we don’t waste our time or resources. If you can agree to that, I have no trouble with you learning to play the harp.”

  “I can do that,” Ethan said with a brightened look. He stuck his tongue out at Sophia as she rolled her eyes. “It would be much more fun than fighting.”

  “You’re never going to get any good if you don’t step up and learn,” Sophia argued.

  “Rose just said this is a way I can help. I don’t have to fight.”

  “You mean you don’t have to be brave.”

  “Shut your mouth,” Ethan snapped.

  As the two began to bicker between themselves again, Theo reached out and placed a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “I think Ethan will make a go
od musician,” Theo said, raising his voice just enough to be heard over the argument.

  “Of course he will,” Rose said. “He has the soul of an artist. I would have to be the most dim-witted fool in the world not to put his talents to good use.” She turned toward Philip. “Don’t you think so, Philip? You would be the one to know, especially since you won my sister over with your singing and poetry before.”

  Rose watched as he faltered; there was a strange look on his face as he glanced around the room. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he shrugged and grinned. “Of course, Rose.”

  Rose nodded. She turned her attention back to her plans, still wondering what was bothering Philip.

  *6*

  ҉

  PHILIP FOUND HIMSELF pacing in front of the fire in the common room of the inn.

  He was used to being lonely, he thought. It wasn’t a surprise to find himself on the outer edge of Rose’s company. After all, from what he had learned, Ethan and Sophia had been with Rose for nearly two years, and Rose and Theo had known each other since childhood.

  But in seeing Rose’s exchange with Ethan and Sophia, and her shared glances with Theo and Mary, he felt strangely bothered.

  He added another log to the fire. “That’s a first,” he conceded to himself.

  When Derick, his older brother, had grown up and fallen in love with his Juliette, Philip’s devotion to him had changed from admiring him as a brother to having pride in not only his character, but his accomplishments. But seeing the steady, resolved longing and love in his now sister-in-law’s eyes made him distinctively jealous and also strangely liberated.

  He’d known in that instant Derick had a heart behind him full of a greater love than one he could give him. It was freeing, for it signaled that it was time to make his own life, and find his own love.

  His mother’s overwhelming enthusiasm at hearing he was headed off to Rhone to fight for the Princess’ hand in marriage had made him wonder if he would win her heart, too.

  Philip knew he hadn’t been expecting Rose when she had met him, saving his life in the process.

  He looked down at the letter in his hand from Isra. There were many things he hadn’t expected, he thought.

  Dear Philip, Prince of Einish, and Friend of my Heart,

  I’m sure my darling sister has told you, immediately as she does when she cannot control things, that disaster has struck the kingdom of Rhone.

  I regret to inform you I am a fugitive of my country for an unforeseen amount of time, and Rose is a wanderer in search of her heart, but only so she might smite it. What a pair of interesting friends my sister and I have proven to be to you, and in such a short amount of time.

  His lips curled, knowing Isra’s humor. She had a gift, he thought, for describing the truth in such illustrative terms.

  I hope you do not mind me telling you I am distraught over such a fate myself—not that I am destined to run away from my home, but that I am unable to make your acquaintance sooner. As I am in such need of pampering and care, I pray you will remember how this terrible news has affected me when you come back home, and forgive me for indulging my emotional upheaval. And of course, for compelling Ronan (you didn’t meet him while you were in Rhone, but you will get to someday) to go along with my plans in the matter.

  What was she talking about? He wondered. He was definitely prone to compassion; she would have known that. What exactly was she planning?

  He shook his head, unable to answer his own questions. Maybe Rose would know.

  Despite the lively escape in the middle of the night, and the aura of intrigue inside Havilah’s castle, I have been rather lonely without your company, and the company of my sister and our friends. Though in some ways I cringe at the thought—there is something to be said for having someone only read your words, and having them only see a shadow of your whole self, lost to all the trappings and trimmings our upbringings and teachings have scarred us with—I feel my heart jump in anticipation at seeing you again soon. You have my greatest envy, sir, that you are off on an adventure with some of my most favorite people ...

  Philip smiled. He only wished he felt he’d earned her jealousy. There were many things still keeping him outside of Rose’s circle.

  Juana, who you might recall is my own version of a nursemaid fairy, has placed a locator spell on Virtue, so he might find you and the others without fail. Please have Mary do one as well, and write to me once you get to the Romani territory. I look forward to your no doubt poetic response.

  Ever Yours,

  Isra

  “Isra always was very prolific,” a voice said, coming from behind him.

  Philip nearly jumped, but seeing it was only Theo who stood against the wall near the hearth, he forced himself to stay still. He gave a small grin, trying to conceal the forced effort behind it. “Since, according to Rose, she was on the road as she wrote these, I imagine she is.” He paused. “Did she write a lot of letters to you during your previous travels?”

  “Yes,” Theo admitted. “She was very lonely, I think.”

  “She admits she has been lonely since we left in my letter,” Philip agreed.

  “She was nearly inseparable from Rose when they were younger, even though it was not encouraged by their parents.”

  “Sounds a lot like me and my brother,” Philip remarked. “Were you her close friend as well?”

  “Of course.” Theo smiled. “I meet Rose and Isra after I came to the palace when I was ten. My parents and uncle were killed by a fairy, and my brother and I were sent to live with our grandfather, who is a leader in the church in Havilah.”

  “And this fairy? Was it Everon?”

  “Yes, it was.” Theo’s eyes sharpened with animosity.

  Philip knew Theo would not welcome a line of inquiry in that direction. “And so, when you came, you lived in the church?”

  “My grandfather’s followers remain in the village church where I grew up. They sent us to him before too long. Thad was quite the practical joker while we were there.”

  “I’m sure you appreciated it.”

  “Not at first,” Theo admitted. “When he continued it at the King’s chapel in Havilah, I grew to see it as a blessing.”

  “Sounds like a good older brother.”

  Theo came and sat down in a chair beside the hearth. “Seems like it would be something we have in common.”

  Philip’s mouth curved into a small smile. “Are you worried we have other things in common?” he asked. “Such as the adoration for the princess of a certain country?”

  The anger and surprise in Theo’s face was palpable.

  “I know the timing is poor, but I hope you won’t begrudge me your friendship despite the circumstances.”

  Theo eased back into his chair. “I suppose I can’t blame you for such a reaction to her. Everyone loves her.”

  “My brother grew up knowing he would marry Juliette, and he hated her for many years before he realized he’d only hated her for making it easy to fall in love with her.” Philip, taking his cues from Theo, relaxed. “Some people enjoy the chase as much as the prize.”

  “I’d hate to try to match your brother in a hunt, then.”

  Philip laughed. “I certainly never won against him. But then again, you might be able to give him a challenge. It’s been several years since you met Rose and her sister. With that amount of patience, you might actually beat Derick.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “It must be hard, since Rose trusts you so much.”

  “It’s not as hard as it looks, since she does.” Theo turned back to the fire.

  “Tell me about earlier,” Philip suggested. “I’ve been traveling with you and everyone else for weeks, and I’d like to know more about the rest of the group.”

  “What do you want to know?” Theo asked, trying not to grumble.

  “Tell me how Rose met Ethan and Sophia. I know they’re brother and sister.”

  “We met them
in Greece, when we first arrived. The Eastern Warlords were causing trouble for their town and some of the surrounding city-states. We offered our help to negotiate peace, and if we failed, to help fight.”

  “You ended up fighting, then?”

  Theo nodded. “Rose has quite a reputation for making peace between groups,” he said, “but in this case, we had to fight. She was not opposed to it.”

  “I’m a bit surprised.”

  “I’m not. She ordered when she was eight to be trained as a knight.” Theo laughed at the memory. “She was the smallest warrior Rhone had ever seen, and it took her longer to attain her knighthood, but she demanded to do it fairly.”

  “Are we sure Stefanos is not just prone to fits of hysteria?” Philip asked. “After raising such a child, we might be more lenient in our judgment.”

  Theo’s expression drained of all warmth and life at the mention of the King. “He has been good as a ruler, most of the time, to Rhone. But as a father ... I struggle not to strangle him sometimes.” He sighed. “It’s because of him Rose doesn’t want to marry.”

  “I didn’t know my father,” Philip admitted. “He died shortly after I was born. But I know something of Rose’s pain—never knowing the pride a parent has for you and your accomplishments.”

  “At least you’ll never know if you would have disappointed him,” Theo pointed out. “Rose knows full well her father doesn’t approve of her.”

  “She is very non-traditional,” Philip said. “But I would think that’s why people like her. She’s not what anyone would ever expect.”

  “Rose and I and our team of guards had been on the road for two years prior. Rose was actually helping me learn the ways of being a knight from her training,” Theo told Philip. “We’d had some other battles along the way, by the time we arrived in the Greeklands, I had shown enough skill she, in her own way, christened me a knight.” He shrugged. “I was hoping to get it made official when we were in Rhone. The opportunity didn’t present itself.”