by Morgan King
“Ladies, I would ask you to stay out of the kitchens, the king’s study, and all private rooms belonging to those who live here,” the queen said.
All the ladies nodded vigorously.
“Are you not joining us, Katrine?” Serena asked, her tone suggesting that she did not particularly wish her to. “Perhaps you are too tired or don’t know the rules. Have you never played Hide and Seek?”
Katrine ignored the thorns pointed her way. Rules might be different, but the basis of the game was in the title! Not that she wished to play with them. “Thank you for your kind offer, but perhaps I might just watch.”
Serena turned away from Katrine, dismissing her with a sharp swing of her head and flick of her hair. “Come, ladies, let us start from the main hall.”
Once they had left Katrine turned to the queen. “Is the prince still abed?”
“Good gracious no. He was up first thing to help clear the damage caused by the storm last night.”
Not an idle prince then, as Katrine should have known from the muscles she had admired the night before. “Do you think there might be anything I could do to help?”
The queen looked surprised by this question. Was it that only men did any work around here? That couldn’t be, for the queen seemed to be firmly in charge of running the castle from what Katrine had seen. It must just be all the young ladies that were presented as prospective brides for the prince.
“I’m really quite strong,” she said, in case that was their concern. “I’m used to lifting patients at the infirmary. Perhaps I could help with moving broken branches or something. Or surely those that are working will need a break and refreshment, and I could help prepare something?”
“Why yes, the kitchens will be busy cooking lunch, but we could prepare a snack to be taken out to those that are working. They are bound to be grateful to have more than water to sustain them.” The queen sounded delighted at the idea of a way to help that she had not yet thought of and beamed at Katrine. “Come, let us go to the kitchens together.”
Katrine wasn’t the greatest cook, but she knew how to prepare a good snack. With younger brothers and sisters, those were always called for. In the kitchens she was granted full access to the store cupboards where she found a variety of ingredients.
There were shelves lined with jars of all different sizes. Some were clear, and Katrine could see what looked like several different types of sugar, all with granules of different sizes. She lifted one jar down and prized the metal clasp open to smell inside. Definitely sugar, but laced with something else. Vanilla?
On the floor of room sat bags labelled with various types of grains from maize to flour. There were barrels, which when Katrine peered inside she could see held fruit and vegetables, notably potatoes, onions, and apples. She couldn’t reach the higher shelves, but there must be a huge variety of items held within this room of dried goods. It would definitely be possible to pull together something filling and delicious. Decisions, decisions...
Katrine reached for a large jar of honey, which she tucked under one arm, before reaching for a large sack of oats that she pulled over to a clear work table. “Flapjacks I think, and maybe apple and cheese kebabs if there are some skewers available.”
The queen was as good as her word about pitching in and was soon following Katrine’s suggestions, peeling apples and cubing an herb-flecked cheese.
“Do you often help out in the kitchens?” Katrine was curious about the inner workings of a castle. It was so very different to the fastidious keeping up of appearances she’d imagined daily life would be for a royal family.
“I think cook would have a fit if I did. But we don’t live constantly on ceremony, so I know my way around.”
They worked together amiably, Katrine asking more questions about the castle ‘til the flapjacks were cooked and flasks of tea prepared as a thoughtful addition to the food. Everything was packed into two baskets, neither one too heavy to be carried over one arm, and they set off to find the workers, the queen leading the way through a set of kitchen doors that led directly outside into the kitchen gardens.
Instantly a set of smells, so different from those in the kitchen which had hung redolent with smoke and flour, assailed Katrine. Outside the air was light, laced with delicate fragrances that, through the nose, teased the taste buds. Katrine plucked a sprig of mint as she passed the easily identifiable plant and popped it into her mouth to chew. Her saliva and the movement of her teeth released a wave of freshness that rolled through her mouth. It was so powerful that now, when she wasn’t expecting it, thoughts of home crashed into her. No matter the differences, there were familiar pleasures. Plants and life itself could be found growing everywhere. Luckily she had a task to attend to and couldn’t wallow in thoughts of home. If she started she feared she might not cease to do so, and while there was no way home she might as well get on with staying. Near the prince.
They had to tread carefully, the rain having made the ground soggy in places. It was lucky that Katrine wore study leather boots that laced up past her ankles, as she couldn’t imagine the other ladies in their dainty slippers faring well out here. Further ahead, signs of the damage inflicted by the storm could be seen. Netting and canes that had been providing support to growing vegetables and protection from greedy birds lay tangled and strewn across the pathways. Pots lay tipped on their sides, chipped pieces circled around them. Over in the corner of the walled enclosure a large branch from an overhanging apple tree had crashed into a small glass house, where it looked like they were growing more exotic fruit.
“Will anyone get the chance to repair the damage to the gardens today?” Katrine asked.
“Well the gardener might get the chance to do some of it, although with so many guests staying longer than expected I imagine his priority will be saving as much of the vegetable garden as possible. Everyone else will need to focus on clearing the roads and checking on the animals,” the queen said.
“Perhaps after we’ve taken the food out I could do some basic cleaning here. If there are young children or animals around that glass could be dangerous.”
“You’re right. It should be dealt with as soon as possible. I will try to find someone free later on. Although, any help you can give would be much appreciated. After lunch I will have to spend some time with our guests. And no doubt townspeople will start arriving soon, waiting for me to hear and solve their problems. I will have to coordinate what help we can give.”
“Perhaps some of the other ladies might assist me. There must be plenty of tasks for everyone.”
“You can certainly ask.” The queen’s tone suggested she didn’t believe Katrine would have much success convincing the others to help.
Once they had left the walled garden, they headed out though some small woods that bordered the castle. They were so small, in fact, that the end of the trees and open ground, could be seen from the very beginning. As the women skirted round to the front of the castle, Katrine could see the main road ahead, which she must have trudged up the night before. Not much had been visible at the time, but now she could see how lucky she had been not to come to any harm. Either that, or after her arrival the storm had had continued well into the night, building up a mountain of mess.
Like a small child, the storm had swept through, deciding to play with everything that caught its fancy, trees, stones, and even metal railings, dropping them to the ground when finished without a thought for where they belonged. Moving from the trees to walk along the road Katrine could see cracks marring the brickwork—hazards were less than a pace apart. Surely it had not been this bad when she walked it last night.
A cry went up from the first man who saw them approach, and a moment later Katrine was busy handing out food and pouring drinks. All the while she kept an eye out for the prince. It took her a few minutes to recognise several of the men she had previously seen inside the castle—they looked different out of their fine jackets and with dirt and sweat smearing their faces—n
one of them was the prince, though. Katrine was sure she would recognise him instantly.
“Have you seen my husband or son?” the queen asked one of the faces Katrine recognised, in an echo of her thought.
“They’re down by the river, m’Lady. There were a couple of bodies to drag, and they insisted.”
Katrine gave a sharp gasp.
“Sheep?” the queen asked.
The man nodded, and Katrine was able to catch her breath, her heart taking a few more seconds to slow. It sped up again with the queen’s next words. “We’ll head there next then.”
The prince, the king, and several other men were thigh deep in water. Even from a distance Katrine could spot which one was the prince. He stood taller than the others, his dark hair just long enough to be tied back at the nape of his neck. The older men had shorter hair, or in the king’s case not much hair on top at all. There were more whiskers in his beard than anywhere else.
They were all working together to haul a body through the water, the fast paced current and swollen river making it slow going. Katrine watched them stumble, and one man lost then regained his footing.
“Steady, lads,” the prince called out in a voice of deep authority, making it clear who was in charge. When they were close enough to the bank it was the prince who took the brunt of the weight, providing the force to lift the body out.
“What will they do with the bodies?” Katrine whispered to the queen, not wanting to disturb the men while they were climbing out.
“As long as there’s not been any contamination, they’ll be butchered, to help feed the castle guests and all the townspeople who will have suffered as a result of the storm,” the queen said also in a muted voice, before calling out. “We’ve brought food and drink.”
The men turned towards them in a synchronised movement so perfect it could have been choreographed. Katrine barely noticed. She hadn’t taken her eyes of the prince, who looked straight towards her, his gaze raking the length of her body and back up again. She felt the weight of his heated gaze settle on parts of her body that became tight and achy. He had not been so forward in his looks the night before, but now there was no mistaking his interest.
Like a young deer that has suddenly come to the attention of a hunter and left it too late to run, Katrine stood completely immobile, hesitant to see what the man in charge of her destiny might do. He flashed a wicked grin in her direction. He might as well have mouthed the word caught.
The king coughed, breaking the moment, and the prince swung his gaze away from her.
“Are you all right, my dear?” the queen asked as she climbed down the bank to lend the king a hand.
“Quite all right, and it is a pleasant surprise to see you.” The king took the queen’s hand and pulled her close to brush a kiss across her cheek.
“Is it I or the food that is a pleasant surprise?”
The king chuckled. “Why, you of course. The food is an added bonus.”
“Come then, your added bonus awaits.”
The queen and Katrine both handed the food out, the prince coming straight to Katrine, his long graceful fingers reaching out to take a flapjack. He should be a musician, Katrine mused, arrested by the slow, elegant movement of his hand. Fingers touching, neither of them withdrew their hand quickly. Even when the touch was gone a tingle lingered in Katrine’s fingertips. She gave them a quick wiggle. Yes, it was definitely a continuing sensation.
“Is the tea mint? I just caught a hint of mint,” the prince asked as he popped the morsel he had taken from her in his mouth and began to chew.
Katrine mentally cursed her pale skin, sure the flush in her cheeks would be strawberry bright. “The tea is lemon.”
“I must have been mistaken.” The prince said before giving his fingers a lick clean. “Mmm, delicious.”
Katrine watched his fingers enter and then retreat from his mouth. They came out moist. God, she was wet, too. She’d never been so affected by a man before. “I’m glad you like them.” She was even gladder he seemed to like her. The flattery of it thrilled her, even if it had no future.
To be wanted by a man such as this was its own reward.
“Did you make them?”
Katrine nodded.
“Not just a pretty face. I could eat these and never get tired of them.” He took another from the basket, never taking his eyes from her face while he ate. “Will you dance with me this evening? You must have been tired last night.”
Katrine’s lips lifted briefly at his assumption that she had been too tired to dance, and her heart warmed briefly at his persistence. He was right though. She had not declined because of him. It was a shame he had to know the truth, but she was who she was. “I can’t dance.” Her eyes and words were steady; her hands were not.
He took her hands in his, and the tremble increased ‘til he steadied them with warm pressure. “I think I shall be too tired from all this work today to dance. Perhaps you will keep me company in relaxing this evening, while others who have the energy for it dance. And if we find ourselves sufficiently recovered, because you have been working hard, too, then I will teach you a simple dance, if you would allow me?”
Pure happiness washed through Katrine on the tide of thought of being held in the prince’s arms. She would not taint the feeling by worrying about the possible embarrassment if she were to say yes to a dance and then fail miserable at it in a room full of people all watching her intently.
Taking her hands back and reaching into the front pocket of the pinafore she had been lent to wear she extracted a small sprig of mint she had tucked there. In offering she held it out to the prince. He bent towards her, close enough to whisper in her ear.
“I knew I smelt mint.” His words barely registered with Katrine as his warm, honey sweet breath kissed her skin and sank deep into the cavern of her ear. As he pulled his head slowly back, dragging his breath across her cheek he opened his mouth enough to show his strong white teeth and a flash of tongue. In a dream, Katrine placed the herb into his mouth, her fingers grazing his smooth bottom lip. A reciprocal fingertip was placed against her cheek, his rough to her smooth. “‘Til tonight.”
A promise if ever Katrine had heard one.
****
Back at the castle, Hide and Seek still appeared to be in full swing, as one of the ladies whose name Katrine did not yet know was resting her forehead on folded arms, themselves rested on the square corner post of the staircase. She was nearing one hundred, and no other ladies were in sight. When she passed one hundred and kept counting Katrine couldn’t help thinking that they were taking it a bit seriously. To the queen she said, “If you don’t mind I’m going to freshen up before lunch.”
“Of course, my dear. Thank you so much for your help this morning. Let me take that basket from you. I’ll return it with mine to the kitchen, and you can go straight up. I’ll probably do the same myself. We should have an hour before lunch.”
Katrine, glad for the opportunity to get a bit of time to herself, possibly even to think if her mind would cooperate, headed up the staircase.
That’s strange! The door she thought led to the room she was using was ajar. She opened it far enough to peer inside tentatively. Without any of her own belongings to clearly identify it was impossible to be one hundred percent certain she had the right room, but everything looked familiar. Surely no two of the rooms were entirely identical. Flopping down on the bed, luxuriating in the support it offered, she didn’t really mind if it was the wrong room. It had a bed, and out of the corner of her eye she could see water to wash with, and most importantly no one else’s belongings were in the room. She closed her eyes for just a moment.
A noise startled Katrine. Blinking, she wondered if she had dozed off, and if so what had disturbed her? She sat up quickly looking around.
“Found you!” a sing song voice called from the doorway. Had she been missing? She was missing from home, but the lady in front of her wasn’t from there! Oh, Hide and Seek. It was
the lady who had been counting downstairs. She couldn’t have lost track of much time then. “I wasn’t playing.”
“Oh, sorry, I forgot. I’m Helen by the way.”
Someone friendly then. “I’m Katrine.”
“I know. You’re the talk of the castle.”
“Oh?” It wasn’t surprising, but Katrine was uncomfortable with the idea.
Helen blushed. “Just that some of the ladies think you’ve come to steal the prince from them. And that it’s a bit strange, well a lot strange really. We don’t know anything about you, and haven’t even heard of where you’ve come from.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think that if the prince wanted to marry any of us he would have chosen long ago. He’s met most of the ladies still at the castle before now. I guess there may have been a chance that at the end of the celebrations he might have made a choice out of desperation, believing he’s never going to meet someone meant just for him, but I’m not fool enough to think he might have chosen me.”
“Why not?” Katrine asked, curious. Looking at Helen Katrine thought most men would be happy to marry her. She had a fine figure, generous breasts and hips, and her face was friendly. Maybe she was on the cute side of beautiful, but that was a matter of individual opinion and taste.
“I have nothing to offer him, no lands or handsome dowry.”
“Neither do I, as I think everyone here now knows. I haven’t tried to be anything I am not.”
“No, but if he were to marry merely for convenience, Prince Wilhelm would undoubtedly give thought to the best outcome for this kingdom. He looks at you as if you were more than a convenience. I think you’re the one he’s been waiting for.” There was a hint of wistful envy to Helen’s tone, but luckily Katrine was saved from replying, as Helen seemed to recollect herself and remember why she was in Katrine’s room in the first place. “I’d best get back to looking. I take it you haven’t seen anyone.”
Katrine shook her head.
“No, well I guess everyone will be trying to find new places to hide.”