Servant of the Crown

by Paul J Bennett

  “Am I supposed to get out first,” Anna considered, “or am I meant to get out last?”

  “Again, I have no idea. I suppose it doesn’t matter, after all; you’re a royal, you can do what you want!”

  She smiled back at him, before making her decision. “Good point. You get out first, then I’ll follow with Sophie just behind me.”

  With the order of egress decided, Gerald moved to exit the carriage. He felt very restricted within the close confines, so he held his sword tightly to stop it from catching on anything or anybody. The last thing he wanted to do was trip while exiting.

  He stepped purposefully out and lowered himself to the ground, surveying those that stood lined up. He was suddenly aware of the threadbare nature of his clothes and the worn state of his chainmail which he had chosen to wear. It was all an act, he knew, and he was sure they would see through his false facade. He nodded slightly to the well-dressed servant and turned, offering a hand to help Anna out of the carriage. She stepped down gracefully, elegantly extending her hand as she did so, making it all look so effortless. He marvelled at her calm demeanour, but then noticed the perspiration starting to form on her forehead; she was as nervous as he was.

  The elegant servant bowed deeply, his right leg extended, while he swept his hand forward in a well-practiced manner. “Welcome, Your Highness,” the servant said, keeping his eyes to the ground. If he did not recognize her, he gave no sign of it. “If it pleases Your Highness,” he continued, “I shall introduce the staff.”

  Anna followed him as he took her down the line of servants. Gerald and Sophie fell in line behind her. The head servant rattled off their names as each bowed or curtsied, and before they realized, they were walking through the great doors which led into the Palace itself.

  The building was massive; built of a type of white stone that Gerald did not recognize. The doorway led into a courtyard, surrounded on all four sides by the structure itself. The courtyard was set with smooth bricks that had the look of long use. It was three stories tall; three very tall stories, for as they entered the building proper, he could see the ceiling was a full twelve feet above him. He wondered at the sheer elegance of the work and speculated that there was perhaps an Elven or Dwarven influence.

  If he thought the outside of the building was impressive, he was overwhelmed by the interior. Rich tapestries, thick carpets, carefully lacquered wooden tables and solid, decorated chairs with thick cushions were all on display as they passed. They ultimately entered a large dining room in which a long table rested. The servants had used their time well; setting the table, and as they entered the room, food was laid down.

  Anna turned to face the elegant servant who had led them in. “Please see to the wellbeing of the drivers. My lady-in-waiting will dine with us.”

  She sat down at the end of the table, indicating with her hands that Gerald and Sophie should sit to either side. Tempus padded in behind them, causing concerned looks from the army of servants. She called him over, and he obediently sat down beside her, his massive head looming above the table. She inspected the spread thoroughly, daintily selecting a piece of cheese, and passing it to her faithful canine. He took it gently, and there was a collective sigh of relief from the servants, who rushed forward to fill the wine glasses.

  The trio was hungry from their trip, but ate sparingly, trying to appear sophisticated. To Gerald's mind, they were only partially successful in this, but the servants didn’t seem to mind. He wondered what the king’s eating habits were like, but then dismissed such thoughts from his head. Anna must make her own way here.

  The food was delicious and the wine tasty with a hint of something he couldn’t identify that gave it a slight tang. The servants all stood behind them in line, waiting to jump at a moment’s notice to refill a glass or take away an empty plate. Gerald felt as though he was being inspected, as if he must pass some test. Looking around, he came to the conclusion he was largely being ignored by the servants, whose main focus was the royal in the room.

  At last, Anna dropped her napkin over her plate, signalling the end of the meal. The servants moved in to clear away the table. She turned to the elegant servant “If I may…” she started.

  “Bailey, Your Highness,” he offered.

  “If I may, Bailey,” she continued, “I should like to see our rooms.”

  “Certainly, Your Highness,” he responded, “if you’ll follow me, your baggage has already been seen to.”

  “Thank you; you may lead us. I should also require an adjoining room for my lady-in-waiting, as well as a room on the same floor for my bodyguard.”

  “Of course, Your Highness,” Bailey responded and led the way. As they moved off, he made hand signals to the other servants. No doubt they would be scrambling to see to the extra accommodations.

  They escorted Anna to her room. She was up on the third floor with a balcony that overlooked the front of the Palace. Anna was thrilled to see a giant bed which Tempus lost no time in testing out. The great dog leaped onto the bed and sprawled on his back, leaving Anna with a big smile on her face. The servants appeared mortified but refrained from comment. Sophie's room was adjacent to Anna's with an entrance to her suite, while they billeted Gerald at the end of the hall. All of the rooms were immense in his opinion. He had a hard time realizing that his room was easily twice the size of his groundskeeper’s cottage back in Uxley.

  Once in his room, Gerald stripped off his armour and changed into more comfortable clothes. He used a water bowl to wash up and was in the final stages when a light tap on the door proved to be Sophie, coming to get him. They made their way back to Anna’s room, where they found her sitting on a comfortable couch with Tempus stretched out beside her, as much as his size would permit, his head on her lap.

  Gerald and Sophie sat down opposite her, on two padded chairs. Even the bedroom chairs here were opulent, and he was worried he might somehow damage them.

  “What do you think? Isn’t it amazing? I never, even in my wildest dreams, thought the Palace would be so nice, did you?”

  “I have to say,” admitted Gerald, “that I didn’t expect the Palace would be so richly decorated and so large!”

  He could see Anna was about to speak when the door suddenly burst open. He turned to tell a servant what he thought of the interruption, but was cut short by the sight that befell his eyes for there, in the doorway, stood a young woman, perhaps fifteen or sixteen, with dark brown hair that looked like a younger version of the queen.

  “Sister!” she exclaimed, and strode across the room, suddenly stopping when she caught sight of Tempus.

  Anna stood up quickly, leaving Tempus sitting up on the couch. “Margaret?” she asked.

  Now that she was standing, Princess Margaret continued forward, embracing her younger sister with a heartfelt hug. “I heard you had arrived, but I couldn’t believe it. You finally came to Wincaster!”

  Anna beamed then collected herself. She turned slightly to introduce her companions, “This is Sophie, my lady-in-waiting.”

  “You mean lady’s maid, don’t you?” Margaret corrected. Gerald could see the look of triumph on Margaret's face and saw Sophie's face fall slightly at the demotion.

  Anna ignored her and continued, “And this is Gerald, he’s my… bodyguard.”

  Margaret scrutinized Gerald. He could feel fresh sweat making its way to the surface again; strange how he could feel so intimidated by a fifteen-year-old girl. “Isn’t he a little old?” she teased. “He looks like he would fall apart in a fight. You need someone younger, I’ve a knight or two I could spare. Shall I send one over?”

  “No,” Anna quickly returned, trying to sound nonchalant, “Gerald has served me well for many years.” She looked at him, and he could see her eyes pleading. He nodded back and saw her relax a little.

  “How long are you here for?” Margaret asked. “We must find time to do some shopping. It will be such fun.”

  Anna seemed overwhelmed by the sudden need to
please her sister. “Of course, we shall go shopping tomorrow, but it’s been a rather long trip, and I’m fatigued.”

  Margaret took Anna’s hands in her own and looked at her with all her fifteen years of wisdom. “Of course, poor thing,” she said, sounding remarkably like the queen. “I should have realized. I shall make the arrangements for tomorrow and let you rest. I am looking forward to showing you Wincaster!”

  She turned and left the room with a spring in her step. Both Gerald and Sophie found themselves letting their breath out after the whirlwind exchange. Tomorrow would indeed be an interesting day. Anna had already been disappointed by her brother. He hoped her sister would not have a similar effect.

  Gerald had dropped onto his bed in an exhausted state, and fallen into a deep sleep. He woke to the realization that he had not bothered to undress, and so now he had to wash and change. He was surprised by the mirror which adorned his dresser, for it was large and of a clarity that he found fascinating. He usually used a small hand mirror to trim his beard, but now he could see himself in crystal clear detail. He noticed for the first time, how old he looked; for his beard had an excessive sprinkling of grey mixed in among his normally brown whiskers. His skin was weathered and worn, but his eyes were still alert and clear. He shrugged it off and used a sharp razor that had been provided to trim his beard, eliminating the stray strands of hair that perpetually nagged him. Feeling fit for the day’s activities, he made his way down to Anna’s suite.

  He knocked on the door and was greeted by Sophie. He could see Anna in the background. She was looking at herself in a full-length mirror, wearing an elegant dress that he didn’t recognize.

  “Margaret sent it,” said Sophie in response to his questioning gaze. “It was her dress when she was younger, and she thought it would fit Anna.”

  Anna looked over, saw them at the door, and came toward them. “Time to be off. We have to get some breakfast in before the trip into town.”

  They made their way down to the dining room with some assistance from a passing servant. Margaret was already eating a sparsely populated plate, while two young men in armour stood nearby. Their armour was immaculate. Gerald had never seen it polished so brightly, and he wondered if enemy soldiers might find them amusing.

  “Come on Anna, there’s food here for you,” Margaret insisted. “Oh, you won’t need your lady’s maid where we’re going, I have arranged a couple of bodyguards for us.” As she made this last statement, Gerald could see one of them smirk, a breach of discipline that he found unsettling.

  “I should like to bring my bodyguard,” Anna insisted. “I hope that won’t be too inconvenient.”

  “If you like,” Margaret said, trying to sound indifferent, “but Sir Edward and Sir Edgar here, are all we really need.”

  Gerald was taken aback; these bodyguards were knights? He examined them closer, forgetting about the food on the table. They were wearing chainmail, over which was fashioned, in the new style, the breastplates that were becoming more common. He compared this to Lord Fitzwilliam, whose breastplate was badly scratched and dented from years of use. Even Lady Beverly wasn’t so full of herself that she would shine her armour to such a brilliant form. The whole idea felt repugnant to him, but he supposed that life at court, far from the wildness of the frontier, was a much different place. Perhaps here, they valued manners and finesse more than fighting skill. He remembered the fury of his last battle in Bodden, where his leg was wounded. That same campaign had seen Lady Beverly knighted due to the desperate fight that ensued. To see here, an untested youth in shiny armour seemed to mock her achievements.

  “Excuse me, Your Highness,” Gerald found himself saying to Margaret, “but if I may be so bold, have you ever thought of a female bodyguard?”

  “No thank you,” Margaret replied. “I had one of those a few years back. All she did was give the other knights dirty looks. Besides,” she smiled coyly, “I like having these handsome gentlemen around. It reminds me of the finer things in life.” She giggled slightly, and it reminded him of Anna’s laugh.

  Gerald never did get his breakfast, for so involved was he in his examination of the knights that he didn’t realize how much time had passed. The next thing he knew, they were being whisked out of the Palace to the courtyard, where Margaret had arranged a carriage. Unlike the one they had used from Uxley Hall, this one was open topped. There was a small standing platform on the back for the knights. Gerald glanced around, then decided the best option was to sit by the driver, so he climbed up, gave the driver an apologetic look, and sat down beside him.

  The carriage made its way out of the Palace turning west and heading toward the richer merchant district. The streets here were wider than they saw yesterday and the feeling of being enclosed was gone. Anna seemed to enjoy having the breeze across her face, for the day was warm, with the sun rising high in a cloudless sky.

  They had only travelled for a few blocks when the carriage pulled off to the side of the road. Gerald could see other people walking the street and the occasional rider, all of which were either elegantly attired or in armour. Margaret was constantly talking, and Gerald tried to ignore her most of the time. She mentioned that the barracks were nearby, and he wondered if any of his old friends were still in Wincaster, then realized that anyone here would remember his disgrace. Best if he didn’t run into anyone he knew.

  They travelled on foot for most of the morning, in and out of shops, while the carriage kept pace. The knights would bring out the newly purchased goods and place them in the carriage, or arrangements would be made to have them delivered. Anna bought pots and pans for the cook, some new aprons for the servants at Uxley, all manner of mundane items. He saw how thoughtful she was and how thankful she was for all the servants back home. Margaret seemed somewhat put off by her purchases, and insisted they visit a jewellery maker and a lady's dress shop.

  They had wandered through fully half of the merchant district when Anna caught sight of a sign that instantly grabbed her attention. “Look, Gerald,” she noted, temporarily forgetting her sister, “Bloom’s Herbalists. We must go and see what they have!”

  Gerald opened the door for Anna, and a small bell rang. They stepped into a brightly lit room with clay jars and pots lining the walls, each sealed with names painted on them. A counter stood against the far wall where an older woman, perhaps in her late thirties or early forties, stood. She was marking in a ledger of some sort and looked up as the bell rang.

  “Can I help you?” she enquired.

  Anna was the first to respond, “Do you have any kingsleaf?”

  The lady behind the counter was surprised. “We do, my lady, but it’s expensive. Might I ask what you want it for?”

  “Oh, I don’t want to buy it, I was just curious how expensive it was.”

  The woman came out from behind the counter and led them over to one of the shelves. She reached up to the top shelf and took down a glass jar which had a wooden stopper in its top. “This is kingsleaf. It is a very rare herb and has some unusual properties. It sells for one and a half crowns per leaf.”

  Anna stared at the delicate looking leaf in the bottle as her eyes widened. “It must be hard to find to be so expensive. What would you pay if someone could supply it?”

  The woman looked at her in surprise. “I would pay fifteen shillings a leaf if the quality was good.”

  “That’s a very nice markup, almost double the investment,” Anna noted.

  “Yes, but it can sit on the shelf for some time because few can afford it. If I could get it in quantity, I could reduce the price and make more coins on volume.”

  Anna responded with a smile, “I think I can offer you that deal. I happen to know where I can acquire a quantity of kingsleaf that would suit your purposes.

  They returned to the Palace for lunch. Margaret made sure there was a full meal provided, consisting of the finest of ingredients. If they thought they were going to spend the afternoon resting, they were sorely disappointed, f
or Margaret had decided to take them on a carriage tour of the city. They left the Palace as soon as they were done eating and travelled east, through what turned out to be the richest section of town. The street here was wide, with carefully tended sidewalks and neatly trimmed trees and bushes lining the road. The grand houses showed off their wealth in a flurry of stone and marble. There were two-story mansions, complete with small towers on the corners, all the way to single story estates, spreading their floors across the ground in seemingly random patterns. There were houses with domed roofs, square entranceways and balconied entrances. They even saw a house that was like a fortress, complete with a portcullis in the entranceway.

  Margaret talked the whole time, mentioning how the Earl of Shrewesdale had imported marble for his mansion in the capital, while the Earl of Eastwood preferred the darker brick typical to Eastwood. She showed them some squat, single floored dwellings with ornately carved entranceways and she explained how they were built in the Dwarven style. Gerald had his doubts. Fitz had told him once that Dwarves, despite their short stature, preferred vaulted ceilings towering above them. The houses here had ceilings no higher than normal.

  Anna’s sister seemed to be able to talk endlessly, and the trip soon became a blur to him. He found himself beginning to drift off to sleep, despite the constant sound of hoof beats on cobblestones. He shook himself awake and looked back into the carriage. Margaret was still talking, pointing out points of interest to Anna who, much to Gerald’s amusement, appeared to be in the same state as himself.

  They circled about the luxurious houses, then made their way back to the Palace using the same street that began their journey. Gerald noticed an odd-looking house on the south side of the street which had avoided his attention on the way out. It appeared to be a two-story building with a single tower built into the front corner, but instead of having the typical battlements on the top, which was the custom, this tower had a peaked roof and a large window built into it. This type of window was more common to a house, rather than a keep.