The King's Treasure

by Carol M. Vaughn

  15-Fight or Flight

  Arianwyn returned to her suite at the end of the ball, head still spinning. :I can’t…he can’t…this is ridiculous!:

  :Calm down,: Dragon replied.

  :Me? Queen? He’s mad!: She entered the suite and closed the door, storming into her bedroom next. Immediately, she headed towards her dresser and started packing. :I don’t know how, but I’m getting out of here.: She was considering how to sneak out, hiding her clothes under one of these ridiculous dresses. She could meet Dragon in the courtyard…

  “Lady Arianwyn?” Arianwyn stopped packing, a nightdress balled in her fist, and turned to see Alyssa sitting up in bed. “Am I in trouble?”

  Arianwyn dropped the nightdress and rushed over to the side of the bed, hugging Alyssa to her. “No, no, you’re not.”

  “What about Father? Is he still angry with me?”

  “You don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

  Alyssa tilted her head back, peering through the narrow slit of her swollen eyes. “What are you doing? Are you going somewhere? Did the king choose a queen?”

  Arianwyn bit her lip, glancing at the clothes. “The king picked me,” she whispered. Saying the words made it even more terrifying.

  Alyssa’s eyes widened and then she smiled. “That’s great! You’ll be a good queen.” She patted Arianwyn’s arm happily.

  “No! I won’t be a good queen. That’s why I have to leave. I can’t let the king make this mistake.” Arianwyn closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing. She was getting light headed.

  “You’re leaving?” Arianwyn nodded. “What…what about me?” Alyssa asked in a small voice.

  Arianwyn looked helplessly at Alyssa. :She’s right. You can’t just abandon her now that you’ve taken responsibility for her,: Dragon said.

  Arianwyn took a deep breath and hugged Alyssa again, closing her eyes. “Oh, Alyssa. It will be all right. I won’t leave you alone,” she whispered. Alyssa hugged her back. “Go to sleep, now. I’ll probably need your expert advice in the morning.”

  Alyssa lay back in bed and Arianwyn tucked the blankets up under her chin, stepping into the sitting room and closing the bedroom door quietly behind her. She wandered aimlessly in the sitting room, pacing in front of the fire. :I could take Alyssa with me,: she thought at Dragon.

  Dragon snorted. :The girl wouldn’t stand a chance without her title to protect her. And how would you keep her safe?:

  Arianwyn chewed on her lip. That was true. There were plenty of people willing to prey on a young girl if they could get their hands on her. And if a slaver caught her… The price for a noble born girl would attract every one of them, even though slavery was illegal. She doubted Alyssa had ever had to take care of herself, either. :Maybe I could leave a note and instructions that she’s to be watched?:

  :Ah yes. Put your trust in the nobility…because they’ve shown you time and again that honor matters.: Arianwyn winced at Dragon’s caustic words. That was true. She couldn’t trust anyone to take care of Alyssa if she left. :Besides, the black dragon tells me that your human was going to choose the other female.: A brief image of Ethelinda flashed into Arianwyn’s mind. She frowned, disturbed.

  “Well, we can’t let that happen,” she muttered. Dragon silently assented and stopped talking, mentally settling down to sleep. Arianwyn sighed into the silence again. She finally flopped tiredly onto one of the chairs, too exhausted to go to bed. She dropped her pounding head into her hand, trying to find a loophole in the situation that would keep everyone safe.

  A quiet knock on the door woke her up. She sat up, blinking, her eyes feeling grainy. “Come in,” she said hoarsely. The fire had died down and she was cold. She rubbed the back of her neck, aching from sleeping in such an awkward position.

  Marie came into the room with her breakfast tray and stopped in her tracks. “Lady Arianwyn! Did you sleep in that dress all night? Why didn’t you send for me if you needed help undressing?”

  Arianwyn flinched. “It wasn’t that, Marie. I just…fell asleep. I was a little anxious last night and didn’t think I would sleep.”

  “You’re telling me you slept in the chair?”

  Arianwyn shrugged. “Just set the tray down so I can eat, please. Do you know what’s on the agenda? I’m not getting married until spring, is that correct?” Her head was still pounding. The only constant in her life anymore, it seemed.

  Marie set the tray down. “That’s right, m’lady. Before you eat, we need to get you out of that gown.” She walked into the bedroom opposite from where Alyssa was sleeping. Arianwyn had never used that room before, she realized. She had always used the room Alyssa was in. She stood up and undid the fastening at the back of her neck, stepping out of the dress as Marie came back with a dressing robe and slippers. She walked over to a basin of water set in the corner and washed the make-up off her face before sitting down to eat. “We’ll have the rest of your clothes transferred today. I haven’t heard what you have going on, yet. Has His Majesty assigned you a steward?”

  Arianwyn shrugged again. “I don’t know.” She sat down and ate. Marie stepped over and pulled the pins from her hair, letting Arianwyn’s hair down. “I think Lady Alyssa will need an attendant or personal maid, though. Do you think Tess would mind if Willow took the job?”

  Marie beamed happily. “I think Willow will be thrilled to hear you asked, even if Tess says no.” Arianwyn looked at her curiously. “Willow is my younger sister.”

  “You don’t look like sisters!” Arianwyn exclaimed.

  Marie chuckled and set to lighting a fire again. “No. Our mother was…indiscriminate. We have different fathers. When I discovered Willow, I knew I had to take care of her. From there, Tess found us. I think you may have noticed that she has a habit of rescuing strays.” Arianwyn shared a smile with Marie, thinking of her own rescue at Tess’s hands.

  “As far as I know, I’m going to be here the rest of the morning at least. Why don’t you check with Tess about Willow? I think I have some studying to do.” Marie curtsied, smiling again, and left the room. Arianwyn tucked her feet underneath her and worked on her studies again, occasionally taking a bite to eat.

  Time slipped slowly by, unnoticed by Arianwyn. She yawned, struggling to keep her focus after a poor night’s sleep. Another knock on the door brought her out of a semi-doze, causing her to jump. “Come in.”

  A man entered, carrying a bag and smelling of bitter herbs. His hands were meticulously clean and slender and his head was shaven. He was a short, compact-looking man, with barely tilted eyes. He gave a sinewy bow and an ingratiating smile. “Lady Arianwyn, I am Healer Hammurabi. I am here to check on Lady Alyssa.” He spoke with a slight accent.

  Arianwyn stood up, blushing and clutching her dressing robe closed at the neck. “I think she’s still asleep. Let me wake her, please.” She stepped into the room and walked over to Alyssa. Gently, she shook her shoulder. “Lady Alyssa, the healer is here to see how you’re doing.”

  Alyssa groaned softly. “Tell him I’m going to die and to leave me alone.”

  Arianwyn laughed. “I’ll send him in, then.” She picked up several of the room’s candles before exiting. “You can go in,” she smiled. She lit the candles and carried them carefully into the room. Hammurabi followed, gliding soundlessly across the floor. Before Arianwyn could leave, he handed her a small cup with instructions to drink. She backed quietly out of the room after checking that he had plenty of light and returned to her studies, carrying the cup. She sniffed the contents of the cup and wrinkled her nose. Plugging her nose with thumb and forefinger, she tossed the contents of the cup back, shuddering and gagging.

  Marie returned shortly after, Willow in tow behind her. “Tess said yes,” she whispered.

  Arianwyn smiled at Willow, who bobbed a curtsy to her, practically bouncing in excitement. “Willow, Lady Alyssa is going to need a friend very badly, I think. Please be patient with her and help her however you can. Healer Hammurabi is with her now.�
�� As she spoke, she noticed that the dull throbbing in her head was gone. She was not sure which she preferred—the headache or the aftertaste.

  “Yes, Lady Arianwyn.” Willow curtsied again and then bounced across the room. She stopped at the door, taking a few deep breaths and straightening her skirt, before slipping into the bedroom to assist in any way possible.

  “I think we better get dressed. Can I wear something practical today?”

  Marie smiled. “I have discovered that you will be taking riding lessons today. Practical is a good idea, although you’ll need to bathe and change for dinner tonight. It will be the last dinner before the thanes depart. And the king is sentencing Thane Julius this afternoon,” she said softly.

  Arianwyn winced as she walked into her new room. “Does Lady Alyssa have to go?”

  Marie nodded. “His Majesty needs to hear her testimony and yours.” She helped Arianwyn dress in a full, brown skirt and white shirt. Marie held out a short brown vest to cover the top of the white shirt. She then helped Arianwyn put on a pair of short heeled riding boots. Marie pulled her hair back into a tight French braid. “Master Eachann is waiting at the stables,” she said, handing her a pair of riding gloves.

  Arianwyn walked out and cut through the kitchens, heading for the stables, followed by Wymund and Sigurd. She snagged a bit of mint from where it was hung to dry. She walked into the sunshine for what seemed like the first time in weeks and took a deep breath of the fresh air. She chewed on the mint, wandering across the open space between the stables and kitchen and reveling in the feeling of being outside. Almost regretfully, she entered the dim stables, dust motes floating in the sunbeams.

  The smell of hay and horses filled her nostrils. “Master Eachann?” she called softly. She heard a few horses nicker in response. Some poked their heads over the stall doors, ears forward and watching her. A tall, slender man exited a room at the far end.

  “Lady Arianwyn,” he said in a quiet voice, bowing. “Please follow me.” He led her deeper into the stables, past several stalls of horses, before stopping in front of a dark chestnut brown horse. “This is Star. Get to know her.” He walked off, not saying anything else. Arianwyn blinked at the abruptness. She glanced at Eachan’s departing back uncertainly and approached the horse, eyeballing her warily.

  Star was a mare with a long black mane and tail to complement the chestnut color. She pranced slightly while Arianwyn inspected her. She had no other marks on her, leaving Arianwyn wondering at the name ‘Star.’ She seemed tall to Arianwyn.

  Hesitantly, she held out her hand. Star whuffed into her hand and tossed her head. Arianwyn jerked her hand back, nervous. Star whinnied loudly. “Look, I’m not sure what we’re doing together, but let’s agree that you won’t eat me.” Star perked her ears forward and whinnied again. One of her guards chuckled. Arianwyn thought it was Sigurd. She scowled at him over her shoulder. :Really? That tiny morsel of food frightens you?: Dragon chuckled.

  :I don’t quite have your size, thank you very much!:

  :Why do you need that nag when you’ve got me?: Arianwyn mentally shrugged, continuing to stare at the horse.

  Master Eachann appeared at her side again. “Here.” He handed her a white square of sugar. Arianwyn held the sugar cube out, holding her hand as open as possible. Star expertly plucked the sugar cube from her hand and whinnied again, searching for more.

  Master Eachann watched them, shaking his head. “Have you never been around horses before?”

  “No, sir.”

  Master Eachann sighed and handed her a jumble of ropes and leather. “If you’re going to ride, you need to know how to properly care for her. This is a bridle and lead rope.” He showed her how to slip the bridle onto Star’s head, and then removed it. He handed it to Arianwyn and watched her put it on the horse. He made her practice until she got it right. “Good. Now lead her out into the riding ring. We won’t put you on her back yet, just get you used to being around her.”

  Arianwyn gingerly held the rope, eyeing the horse uncertainly. “What if she decides to run away?”

  Master Eachann adjusted her grip on the rope, putting one hand closer to the bridle and making a loop out of the other end that he had her hold. “Don’t ever wrap the rope around your hands. Always hold by her head. She won’t run if you don’t make her run. She’s not much more dangerous than a puppy. Just lead her around and give her some love.” He opened the door so Star could leave her stall and led them both out of the stable into a large ring. “Walk her around. Get to know her.”

  Arianwyn took a deep, nervous breath and started walking in a large circle. Star’s head bobbed slightly next to her shoulder as they walked. “Don’t bite me,” she muttered to the horse.

  She had just reached the far end of the corral when she heard a hollow thumping sound coming closer. She stopped and turned to look. Lady Ethelinda was riding this morning. Arianwyn felt a surge of envy as she watched.

  Ethelinda sat tall and straight on the horse, moving easily. As usual, she looked beautiful on her golden mount. Her hair was in a tight bun and her riding outfit hugged her body, skirts flowing behind the horse. She made it look so easy.

  She slowed to a walk beside Arianwyn. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be preparing to become…queen?” she sneered.

  “Master Eachann told me to get to know Star,” Arianwyn replied, flushing under Ethelinda’s remark.

  Ethelinda smiled, eyes glittering maliciously. “Why don’t you ride her? A true queen never walks her horse.”

  “I don’t know how, yet.”

  “What a pity,” she murmured. She leaned down toward Arianwyn, eyes narrowing. “You know, you would have done better staying away from the king as I commanded.”

  “Lady Ethelinda, I did not seek out the king. As I recall, you were the only one attempting to influence his choice in less than savory ways,” she snapped back, glaring up at the woman.

  “How dare you! You will regret usurping my position,” Ethelinda hissed. “I doubt you will be queen long…and then His Majesty will turn to the only option there ever was. If I were you, I’d leave while you still had a chance.”

  “I am not running away, not again. And while I did not seek to be queen, I have accepted the responsibility. As you feel so free to share advice, here’s some for you. Learn how to bow…and learn how to like it!” Arianwyn spat.

  Ethelinda’s face turned red, her eyes flashing. “You…I…” she sputtered. She stopped speaking, nostrils flaring. “Hee-yah!” she said loudly and suddenly. Her horse lurched forward and Ethelinda used her riding crop to hit Star’s nose as she thundered past. Dust flew up, choking Arianwyn.

  Star jumped, flinching away from the crop and whinnying again. Arianwyn jerked reflexively on the rope. “Whoa!” Star jerked her head away from Arianwyn, front feet leaving the ground. Arianwyn’s feet came up off the ground with Star. “Whoa!” she said louder. Star pulled her head back, the rope hissed through Arianwyn’s hands. Star took off running after Ethelinda’s horse. Arianwyn clutched the rope, trying to stop her and was jerked off her feet. She was dragged a short way before she let go, groaning.

  She rolled on her back, staring at the sky and seething. When she sat up, she saw Sigurd and Wymond running toward her. She scrambled to her feet and waved at them. “I’m fine!” she called. They slowed down slightly, but still continued toward her. Arianwyn walked to them, brushing the dirt from her skirts. “I’m fine,” she repeated when they caught up to her.

  “What happened?”

  “Star spooked, that’s all.” They started back toward the stable. Lady Ethelinda was nowhere in sight. Star was standing over by the stables, quivering. Master Eachann had a hold of her rope and was attempting to calm the animal.

  “Lady Arianwyn, what happened?”

  “She spooked, sir. I didn’t know how to stop her.” He frowned at her, glancing once at her hands. Arianwyn clasped them together. Her gloves were still tucked into the band of her skirt. She had
been holding the rope bare-handed.

  “You should have Healer Hammurabi look at your hands.”

  “Thank you. They’ll be fine.”

  Eachann shook his head at her and glanced at Sigurd. “The healer should see them, just in case.” Sigurd nodded acknowledgment. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then, Lady Arianwyn.”

  Arianwyn could not quite hide her dismayed look. “Yes, sir.”

  She returned to her rooms to bathe and change, Sigurd and Wymond following. When she arrived back at her rooms, Alyssa was up and dressed. Willow was carefully brushing out her hair, chatting quietly.

  “Is Healer Hammurabi still here?” Wymond asked from behind her.

  She winced. “I’m really fine. We don’t need to bother him.”

  Hammurabi came from Alyssa’s room, medical bag in hand. “I was just packing the rest of my things. How can I help?”

  “We don’t need your help, thank you,” Arianwyn replied.

  “She was holding a horse rope with her bare hands. The horse bolted,” Wymond explained. Hammurabi came forward and Sigurd grabbed her wrist, holding her hand palm up.

  “It’s not that bad,” she protested, attempting to twist her hand away from Sigurd. Sigurd tightened his grip, forcing her hand up. She balled her hand in a fist and winced, her fingers opening reflexively.

  “Hmmm…” Hammurabi lightly touched the wound, watching carefully as she winced and tried pulling her hand away again. “The other one, too?” Wymond nodded. Hammurabi took her other wrist. Arianwyn tried pulling away again, but Hammurabi held her wrists firmly while he examined her palms. Arianwyn frowned at him. He had a strong grip in spite of his thin frame.

  He finally released her hands and opened his bag. He opened a jar and slathered a white paste on her palm, then deftly wrapped it in linen strips. Sigurd held her other hand still for him while he did the same with that hand. “Leave these on for the next day or two. When I come check Lady Alyssa, I will check your hands, also.”