The cleanup of the grounds took nearly a full two days to accomplish. Some townsfolk came up to help, and soon the Hall was back to its former splendour. Gerald remembered how unkempt and run down the Hall was when he arrived all those years ago. How things had changed! He was supervising the cleanup when a fancy carriage appeared at the end of the driveway. Four jet black thoroughbred horses pulled the heavily lacquered black and gold carriage. The two servants upon the driver’s seat matched the two at the rear. It wasn’t until it turned in the circle that Gerald could see the coat of arms that bedecked the side. He had no idea who the mysterious visitor was, but he knew they were most likely a noble. Leaving Charles to supervise the final bit of the cleanup, Gerald ran for the Hall, only to find that Anna had already been alerted. He fell into position behind her, following her out, Tempus trotting along behind, as he usually did.
The carriage halted, then a servant sprang from the rear seat to open the door, placing an elegant step upon the ground to allow the occupants egress. Gerald observed Anna trying to see who was visiting while she stood and waited as was proper. She was quick to notice the appearance of a rather large individual who stepped from the carriage, dressed in a richly appointed coat with his fingers dripping in rings. His face was puffy, his complexion red; as if the very act of moving was tiring to him. He bowed slightly as he cast his eyes upon Anna.
“Your Highness,” he addressed her. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Reginald Anglesley, Duke of Colbridge.”
As he spoke another, younger version of him stepped from the carriage. “And may I also introduce my son, Lord Markham Anglesley, whom I hope you will get better acquainted with.” Gerald immediately noticed that the duke’s son appeared to be only a little older than Anna, perhaps sixteen or seventeen, and wore the same bored expression as his father. Where the father was overweight and red-faced, the son appeared somewhat fitter, which was due mainly to his lack of age.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Grace, though I must admit to some surprise at your visit. Is it not common in Colbridge to tell your host ahead of time that you will be arriving?”
The duke waved off the criticism, “Pish posh, such things are trivial when the king visits.”
“The king?” she asked suspiciously.
“Why yes, we’re here to join the king’s hunt. He’s coming here to Uxley for the autumn hunt. Did they not inform you?”
Anna looked around at her servants, but none had an answer. “The king is coming here?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, he will be here in two days’ time, I should think. Now, have your servants take our things. We have important business to discuss, you and I.” The duke walked forward inviting the princess to take the lead, and they entered the Hall, Master Markham following behind. Gerald followed them, keeping Tempus with him so as not to excite the duke.
“Now,” the duke was saying, “I come from a long and distinguished family and our house has always been faithful servants to the Crown. I understand you have just turned thirteen?”
“Yes,” she answered, “just two days ago.”
“Excellent,” he continued, hardly waiting for her response, “then you must consider your future. You are of an age now, Your Highness, where you need to think about your prospects. Marriage into a wealthy family with your father’s interests at heart would be most beneficial to you.”
Anna sputtered, and it took all of Gerald's self-control not to laugh. Was this man serious? He could see her struggling to regain her composure. “My lord,” she spoke at last, “you flatter me, but this is, perhaps a little premature, is it not?”
“Nonsense,” the duke persisted. “I mean to ask your father for permission to announce the engagement this very week. After all,” he looked her up and down in a decidedly condescending manner, “you appear to be prime breeding material. Pity about the hair colour. Still, dark hair runs in the family, isn’t that right boy?” He directed this last comment at Markham, who nodded meekly, seeming lost.
“I shall take the queen’s room, I think. She won’t be showing up, and I know that the king has ample room in his chambers for the royal mistress.” The duke grinned as though he was one of the privileged few with the king’s confidence. “You can have the servants take the chests up directly. Markham and I will require some food and wine, of a decent vintage. I believe you have a trophy room if memory serves. We’ll take it in there.” He looked Anna up and down again, and Gerald could see it was making her uncomfortable. “We’ll give you some time to pretty yourself up, and then we can get down to business.” The duke wandered off, without another word, heading for the trophy room, his son following dutifully behind him.
Anna waited until he left the room before turning. Gerald could see her face instantly go from a polite smile to a scowl. “Who the blazes does he think he is?” she fumed. “Am I some chattel to be sold off to the highest bidder? And what about that son of his, he looks like he can barely put two words together.”
“I think,” Gerald interrupted, “that perhaps there is a more pressing business than your possible future fiance. He said the king is coming in two days.”
Gerald was slightly amused to see the change in expression once again, this time she went from a scowl to shock.
“You’re right. We must get people moving. We’re never going to be ready in time. How are we going to handle this?”
“Relax Anna,” he said soothingly, “you just planned a massive birthday party. It’s almost the same thing, just a bit grander.”
“How am I going to handle all this AND deal with the duke?” she asked in desperation.
“I should think we can get some help from the town. In the meantime, we need to get into planning mode. I’m afraid the duke will have to wait.”
Anna smiled, “Oh Gerald, you always know the right thing to say. Please give my condolences to His Grace and explain that I am far too busy planning for the king’s arrival to entertain any serious discussion at this time.”
“How did that just become my responsibility?” he asked incredulously.
She smiled at him and simply said, “Please?”
“As Your Highness requests,” he surrendered with an exaggerated bow.
The duke turned out to be a demanding house guest, seeking constant attention and expecting the servants to be at his beck and call. Captain Caster was forced to provide him with two guards for carrying out tasks, which mainly consisted of going into the village to acquire him more wine or pastries.
They sent word to the village, and the sudden influx of eager townsfolk swamped the Hall. Anna insisted on paying them for their service, creating an enjoyable atmosphere. It took a lot of work to get the Hall the way Anna thought the king would want it. Despite being an invalid, Hanson had many ideas. He had served the estate for countless years and remembered the king’s habits well, from when the family used to vacation here in the summers.
There was much to do and not much time to do it. The linens must be freshly washed and dried; cups and plates that befitted the king’s station must be brought out of storage and polished and cleaned; food brought from town to enhance the pantry and the cook, Mrs Brown, had to create a menu worthy of a king.
They had no idea how many people would be coming with His Majesty, and that only made things worse. It was difficult to guess how many would descend on the Hall, so they had to improvise. Anna examined all the books she could find to discover what etiquette would be required. She poured over the Hall’s ledgers from years ago for clues as to numbers the king had brought previously. Luckily, she found that the king had held a hunt here three years before her birth, so she estimated the numbers from that information.
The grounds were in good shape due to the supervision of Gerald, who although no longer the groundskeeper, oversaw the staff in their maintenance. Anna and Gerald walked through every room inside and the grounds outside the Hall looking for any possible improvements. Tempus was trotting along nearby, sm
elling the grass and perhaps a scent or two of a hare. Servants were pulling out the parts of a large tent from storage to assemble, for it was said that the king liked sitting outside, particularly before a hunt. They had even marked off two large fire pits that would be ready to roast whatever beasts were hunted down.
As they were overseeing all this, Tempus was wandering around the perimeter on the lookout for killer squirrels that might interrupt the festivities. After examining the tent, Gerald gave up on how to assemble it; the entire structure was a mess. He turned back to Anna and was about to speak when he noticed someone riding on the roadway. “Who’s this?” he said, more to himself than to her.
Anna turned around. A lone horseman was coming through the gates. The man was wearing robes, perhaps he was a member of a Holy Order
Tempus, disturbed from his hunt, looked up, and, noticing the horse approaching, began trotting toward the visitor to see more. Gerald and Anna watched, waiting until the traveller was closer so that they might recognize him. As Tempus closed the distance, the stranger stopped his horse and dismounted. Suddenly, he began moving his hands in the air in a strange pattern, and Tempus unexpectedly dropped to the ground, as if his very life had been taken from him.
Anna screamed and ran forward. “Tempus!” she howled in desperation.
Gerald ran behind, drawing his sword, for he feared this would not end well. “Guards!” he yelled, getting the attention of two that were nearby. Anna ran over to her loyal dog, sure that the interloper had murdered him. Gerald came up behind her, keeping his sword out and facing the intruder.
The now dismounted rider was unconcerned by all the activity. He was young, in his early twenties, and sported a shaved head. His robe was mostly undecorated but seemed to be of a nice quality. Upon further scrutiny, this man held no holy title.
Gerald briefly looked down, trying to keep the individual in his peripheral vision. Tempus lay on the ground, drooling. He suddenly realized the dog was sleeping, for the great beast could be heard gently snoring.
“What have you done to my dog?” Anna demanded, through her sobs.
“Relax,” the man replied nonchalantly, “there’s no need to worry. He’s just taking a nap.”
She looked at Tempus' side to see that he was, in fact, still breathing. She stood, angrily demanding, “And who are you to decide whether he should nap or not?”
“I’m Revi Bloom,” he presented himself calmly, a slight twinkle in his eye. “I’m the Royal Mage.”
Anna was speechless for a moment. “That’s not possible,” she finally said, “Andronicus is the Royal Mage.”
“He’s dead, I’m afraid,” explained Bloom. “I was his apprentice before he died.”
“How is it,” she persisted, “that I never heard of you? Andronicus and I corresponded a lot over the years.”
“I’m afraid I’m at a loss to explain that, but I must tell you that Master Andronicus was… not himself in his last year. I’m afraid his mental state deteriorated quickly. He finally passed, peacefully, in his sleep, a little over two weeks ago.”
She was devastated by the news, and Revi Bloom looked on with sympathy in his eyes. “I’ve been told to come here to report to the king as the new Royal Healer. Might I ask who you are?”
It was Gerald who spoke up first, “This is Her Royal Highness, Princess Anna of Merceria.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Highness. I am so sorry I put your hound to sleep. I honestly didn’t think it would work.”
“What do you mean ‘you didn’t think it would work’?” She was baffled by his confession.
“It’s a relatively new conjuration for me, and I didn’t think I could generate enough power. I thought I would just make the dog tired. I had no idea I could put him to sleep.”
“You had no idea?” she asked incredulously. “What kind of a wizard has no idea what his magic does?”
“I’m afraid I must confess,” he said, his face turning red, “you see, um, Andronicus never got the chance to complete my training. By all rights, I should have been his apprentice for maybe two more years. Instead, I’m only partially trained. I’ve been going over his books and scrolls, but it’s just not the same thing.” The mage looked to Gerald. “And you are?”
“Sergeant Gerald Matheson, the princess’-”
“Trusted advisor,” Anna interrupted. “Did you say your name was Bloom?”
“Revi Bloom, yes.”
“Are you any relation to Bloom’s Herbalists?” she asked.
The mage smiled as he answered, “As a matter of fact, they are my parents. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, nothing important. I did some business with them recently. Do you share the family interest?”
“You mean do I know about herbs and such? Yes, I do, though I find myself rather busy to keep up with it.”
Gerald interrupted, “So apart from sleeping large dogs, what else can you do? Magically speaking, I mean.”
“Well,” the young man said, “primarily I can heal wounds. I’m learning how to regenerate, but it's taking its time. Unfortunately, I have to interpret the spells, and the notes from Andronicus are notoriously difficult to decipher.”
“What happened to Andronicus. We hadn’t heard anything from him for months?” asked Gerald, knowing that the princess would want to know what happened to her friend.
The mage’s face turned serious at the change of topic. Apparently, he was taking some time to formulate an answer. “I’m not entirely sure,” he said at last. “I know he had been working on a new spell for some time, but he was having trouble with it. I think he might have been experimenting and encountered some permanent effects. For the last few months, he was mostly rambling. I jotted down everything I could, but up to now, I haven’t been able to make sense of it. His last words to me that made any sense were for me to learn tongues.”
“Tongues?” asked Anna. “What’s that?”
“It’s a spell. It allows the subject of the spell to speak a particular language.”
Anna was suddenly very interested. “Any language?”
“Well, there has to be someone nearby who speaks or understands the language, but yes, pretty much any language, though only at a rudimentary level.”
“You are saying that if you ran across a man or a creature that spoke an unknown language, you would be able to understand them?” she pressed.
“Yes, but once again, only at a most rudimentary level. You would be able to get across basic ideas, but you wouldn’t be able to communicate complex topics.”
Gerald looked at Anna and could almost see the gears turning in her head again. She was thinking the same thing as he was. With this spell, they could finally communicate with Lily.
Anna smiled, “We shall have to talk more about this later, Master Bloom. Will you require a room?”
“Any spare bed will do Your Highness, thank you.”
Gerald called over a nearby servant and instructed them to find the mage a bed somewhere. He turned to Anna. “This day,” he said, “is getting more interesting by the moment.”
Later that day, Gerald was overseeing the erecting of the tent, as he had finally figured out how to assemble it. It stood covering a long table, a suitable outdoor venue for the type of meal the king would expect. He looked upon his handiwork with some pride, and then turned to Anna, rather pleased with himself, only to realize that she had disappeared somewhere. He made his way around the grounds, asking about her, only to discover that she had retired indoors. It took some searching of the Hall to find her, for she was in the clerk’s office.
He opened the door to see her sitting at the table, her head in her arms. He was about to say something to her about sleeping on the job when she looked up, and he realized that she had been crying. He entered the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Anna,” he gently enquired, “what’s wrong? Are you all right?”
“No,” she said through held back tears, “I’m not a
ll right. I’m to be married to some buffoon, and paraded around like a prize racehorse.”
“The duke can’t make you marry his son,” Gerald said indignantly.
“No,” she agreed, “but don’t you see, I’m a daughter of the Royal House. The king decides who I will marry. If not this duke’s son, then it will be someone else. I wish I had never been born a royal.”
He walked over to her, kneeling to put his head at her level. “There, there Anna, you’ll be fine.”
“No, I won’t,” she insisted, “don’t you see? They’ll take me away from here, from you, and I’ll never see you again.”
He felt a lump form in his throat, and he couldn’t speak. He couldn’t imagine her not being around. It was if his whole life had changed and he hadn’t even realized it. He had never thought about what would happen when she grew up, and now he underwent an immense sense of loss. He felt the emotion washing over him, threatening to engulf him.
“I love you, Gerald,” Anna declared. “You’re a father to me in every way, but name, more of a father than the king ever was or will ever be. I don’t want to leave you!”
Tears were coming to his eyes, and he leaned forward to hug her. “I love you too, Anna,” he said in a wavering voice, “and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
He held her until he felt her relax at last. He released his grip and sat back to look at her. “We’ll deal with this one thing at a time, alright?”
She nodded through her tear-stained face.
“Now, first things first. We need to either discredit the duke in the eyes of your father or convince him it’s an undesirable match. The king will never consent to a marriage if he thinks the man is a buffoon, not that he’ll need much convincing.” He made a face as he talked and she broke into a grin. “What else can we do?” he asked.
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