With a sigh, he placed the letter aside. If he returned with the letter, King Donn would think it was forged. He would accuse Aston of stealing the real letter and forging a new one and he would be in worse shape than he was already.
Aston jumped as he felt small hands on his shoulders, his body tensing as he was pulled from his thoughts. Grabbing the dagger at his belt, he tilted his head back and looked up, finding Jade standing over him. He let out the breath he had been holding and released his dagger, relaxing. “Jade,” he said, acknowledging her presence.
She smiled at him but quickly dropped the expression. “What are you doing down here? You should be sleeping,” she stated, letting go of his shoulders and coming around to sit beside him on the hard sofa.
Aston laughed halfheartedly. “I found something that could clear my name,” he said, tossing the letter onto Jade’s lap.
Jade picked up the letter carefully. After reading it, she raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “You’re on first name basis with…King Aric?” She’d paused to read the signature.
Aston shrugged. “He’s always been kind to me when my travels take me to Adion,” he explained.
Jade nodded. “How could this save you?” she asked. Aston pointed to the letter and she gasped. “Aric knew you went after the Rogue?” she asked. “This is great!”
The knight shook his head. “King Donn would claim the letter was a forgery if I brought it to him. This doesn’t change anything. I might have King Aric on my side, but, if I show up in Adion, I don’t know what would happen to me. I’d probably be thrown in the dungeon and left until King Donn arrived.”
“Oh…I’m sorry,” Jade said, refolding the letter so that the address was on the outside. She returned the letter to Aston’s lap and stood. “If you aren’t going to sleep, we might as well go and see the town,” she offered, holding a hand out towards him.
Aston stared at her hand for a moment, contemplating. On the ride into town, no one had recognized him, but that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t. Was it really a good idea, going into the market in the middle of the afternoon? The look on Jade’s face, the blatant excitement, made him sigh. He accepted the hand she offered, allowing Jade to pull him to his feet.
Once standing, Jade smiled and pulled him out the door, leading him onto the streets of Northsbury. The air was thick with the smells of winter. Baking apple pies, the faint smell of pine, and cinnamon filled Aston’s nose, and he breathed deeply. Winter was almost there; another week and snow would start falling, blanketing the ground in its soft, white powder. When winter came, he would have to find a place to stay with Jade. He couldn’t allow her to live in the forest, sleeping on the frozen ground. Aston made a note to talk to Delgrab about finding a small cabin for him to use for the winter.
Jade’s eyes lit up as she walked through Summerslade. The streets were alive with jesters, musicians, and merchants. Stalls lined the streets selling jewelry, cloth, pottery, and ribbons. Store owners were outside with trays of their products to sell, competing with the travelling merchants who had stopped before the Winter Ball. Several people stopped Jade as they walked the street, offering her jewelry and samples of fresh fruit, but Aston made sure not to let her talk to too many people.
Aston was grateful the king’s soldiers seemed to be absent from the market. Undoubtedly, they were all at the palace, being briefed on what to do in case the Rogue showed up. Which he would. Right now, it was more important that the king’s life be protected than that his people were behaving during their winter festival. Jade, however, seemed to be enjoying herself. He bought her an apple covered in a sweet, sticky candy and laughed as she attempted to eat it without getting completely filthy. And she insisted they stop at every vendor to look and marvel at what they were selling.
As they traveled through the village, Aston couldn’t help but keep his eyes out for Talbot. The prince was the one person that could ruin this mission for him. If Talbot found him, he had no question that the prince would try to stop him. He couldn’t afford to be stopped now, not when he was so close. If he couldn’t catch the Rogue here, in Northsbury, he feared he wouldn’t get another chance.
“It’s especially difficult when siblings leave
the nest and grow into their own person, often
apart from other siblings and parents. The
ones we shared so much with growing up,
we suddenly have nothing in common with,
it seems.”
-Unknown Author -
Thirteen
Jacob frowned. It had been five days since he reached Adion and he still had not seen his bride. He sat in the king’s throne, tossing a gold coin in the air and catching it, one handed. He’d spent the last five days wallowing around the castle, giving the servants a hard time and harassing the cooks. King Aric had finally sent him to the throne room, promising Jade would be along any time.
He knew it was all rubbish. The princess hadn’t been in the palace since he’d arrived, he was sure. He’d snuck to her room several times and nothing ever changed. Her mirror was tilted just so, her wardrobe slightly open, her bed neatly made. No one had entered that room.
Standing, Jacob left the throne room in favor of something more interesting. As he passed the library, he paused, hearing King Aric and his wife talking on the other side of the door.
“We have to tell him something, dearest. We can’t just let him wonder about the palace until Jade decides to come home,” Queen Margaret was saying.
Jacob heard King Aric sigh. “I know, Margaret. What do we tell the boy? Jade knew she would have to marry you and ran away? Jade wanted love and not duty?”
The marquess reared back, scowling at the door. Who would run away from him? What kind of foolish princess had they raised in Adion?
“We have to be discreet, Aric. If we told Jacob the true reason our daughter left, their marriage would never be saved, and our contract with Summerslade would be broken. She’s a smart young woman, Aric. You’d do well to remember that.”
“I know, I know. But she’s never been rebellious before this. She’s always seemed generally interested in being Queen one day,” Aric said.
“Yes, dear, Queen. Not Duchess of Summerslade. She wants to be Queen of Adion. You must have realized that?” Margaret chastised.
Jacob had heard enough. His bride had run away from him? Was his family not good enough? He came from a noble line, but it wasn’t enough for his Jade. No, she had to run off and find adventure, romance! Jacob stormed down the hallway, knocking over a young girl carrying clean towels as he raced for his room.
The duke’s son grabbed his satchel and stuffed it with half the clothes he had brought with him. He made his way to the kitchen and grabbed two loaves of bread and a block of cheese before leaving the palace and heading toward the stables. His horse was in a stall at the back of the stable. Jacob wasted no time in saddling the animal, showing a halter into his pack as well.
If Jade wanted to find adventures, she could find them with him.
**
Aston pushed Jade behind him. Night had fallen and they were outside the palace, standing alone on the edge of the stone path leading to the castle doors. They were just outside the ring of light offered by the tall torches lining the path, and Jade had been about to stride forward into the light. Aston took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.
Jade had had the bright idea that they should enter the castle instead of waiting outside, as that hadn’t worked so well for Aston the last time. The knight, on the other hand, didn’t want to get anywhere near the inside of the castle, unless he had to.
“No one has recognized you, Aston! You’re safe here,” Jade placated, patting him on the back.
“Just because commoners don’t know who I am doesn’t mean the king won’t,” he replied. He looked up at the palace before him again. Dark grey stone covered in moss, and about two hundred people inside who would want to bring him right back to Fridel to claim the prize
on his head.
“Calm down and follow me. No one will notice you, I promise,” she encouraged, gliding forward from the shadows. Aston made a grab for her, missed, and gave up, following her with a gentle curse along the stone path leading to the front door. He tried his best to look inconspicuous, but more than once he caught himself staring at the ground or fiddling with his sword’s bronze hilt. He was uncomfortable, but Jade glided before him like a true lady.
She’d changed before they left the inn, pulling a dress from her bag and walking down the hall to the bath area. When she’d come back, Aston had stared at her until she walked out the door, expecting him to follow. Now, walking behind her, he caught himself staring again.
Jade’s dress was baby blue, long and flowing. White lace wrapped around each sleeve, which cut off at her elbows. The same elegant material wrapped around the collar, which dipped low on her neck, allowing just a peek of the pale flesh underneath. Every once in a while, with her flouncing steps, Aston caught a glimpse of the riding boots she still wore. He smiled. His Jade was a warrior, all business when needed.
His eyes widened at the thought. His Jade? When had she become his Jade?
As if hearing her name in his head, Jade turned and gave him a dazzling smile. She’d lined her eyes again and somehow managed to do her hair without any tools. She’d pulled some of it back and fastened it at the back of her head with a little silver clip, allowing the rest to wave over her shoulders and down her back. She looked more like a princess than ever before, and Aston found himself wondering who she really was.
As they neared the front door, the guards stepped in front of them.
“Halt, who goes there?” the taller of the two asked.
Aston froze, not sure what to answer.
Thankfully, Jade spoke. “I am Princess Jade du Halen. King Aric du Halen sent me with one of our knights to protect your king.”
Aston gaped at Jade. Jade du Halen? The Jade du Halen? The runaway princess King Aric wanted him to track had been with him the entire time? He closed his mouth with an audible click when the guards cast him a funny look, remembering that this wasn’t supposed to be news to him.
Jade grabbed a charm hanging from the thin silver chain at her neck and lifted it over her head, sliding the necklace off. She held it out for the guards to see. The man who had spoken nodded his approval, seeing King Aric’s crest engraved onto the large emerald charm. After exchanging one last glance, the guards moved aside and bowed, allowing them entrance.
As soon as the guards were out of sight and they were alone in the hall, Aston grabbed Jade by the elbow, spun her around, and pushed her into a wall. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” he growled, his voice low and angry.
Jade swallowed, paling a bit. “I didn’t want you to send me home,” she replied, her voice small.
Aston cursed and released her, turning away and running a hand through his dusty hair. “Do you have any idea what would happen to me if people saw us together? People who knew you were missing?” Aston started pacing as his mind whirled through the possibilities.
“I would tell them I ran away from Marquess Jacob,” Jade replied, standing tall.
“That’s what this is about? You ran away because you didn’t want to get married?” Aston asked, turning back to her and pressing her against the wall again. “Are you daft, woman?”
His voice rose when he insulted her, and Aston watched as Jade’s eyes flashed with her anger.
“I am not daft, Aston Smith. I am a young woman who doesn’t want to marry a stuck up little boy,” she answered.
“Jacob of Summerslade is older than you,” came his reply.
“In age maybe, but not in mind, soul, or spirit. He acts like a toddler, Aston! He throws tantrums to get what he wants! He missed his own father’s funeral to come to Adion to marry me! Who would want to marry a man like that?” Jade exclaimed, putting her hands on Aston’s shoulders and forcing him back a few steps. She released him as soon as she had room to step away from the wall and clenched her fists at her sides.
“Every woman who doesn’t have the privilege to marry into the royal family,” Aston responded sarcastically. He wasn’t sure if he was angrier about Jade being who she was or at the thought of her marrying Marquess Jacob.
“Well, they can have him. In case you haven’t noticed, I already am in the royal family. Therefore, I don’t need Jacob.” Her thoughts voiced, Jade walked away, leaving Aston to run after her. But Aston wasn’t finished with their conversation, so he fell into step beside her and spoke out of the corner of his mouth.
“Are there any other secrets you feel like sharing?” Aston whispered as they made their way down a well-lit corridor. Servants and guards were scattered through this one, some whispering, some talking in normal voices, all somber. Normally at this time, the servants were already decorating for the winter ball. This year, every eye was open, looking for someone suspicious. Their king was in danger; no one felt the need for celebration.
“Why don’t you go and talk to someone, see if anyone has noticed anything suspicious,” Jade ordered Aston. At his raised brow, she rolled her eyes and shoved him away. “Say you are on official business for King Aric du Halen and no one will question you,” she said.
The knight sighed and walked away, shaking his head as he realized Jade wouldn’t answer any more of his questions right now. He approached a group of servants standing not too far from them.
**
Jade waited until he seemed deep in conversation before she left, making her way toward the throne room. Ernst was probably already in the castle somewhere; she would answer Aston’s questions for later. Right now, finding The Rogue Royal before he killed King Roland was more important.
Several courtiers stopped her to exchange pleasantries on her way, but Jade made her exchanges and then quickly excused herself. When she reached the throne room, she was surprised to see no guards posted outside. When she entered, the king was alone.
“Sire?” she inquired.
The king looked up at her, his eyes swollen and red. “Oh, Lady Jade. What an unexpected pleasure,” he said, standing and bringing the young woman into a hug.
“What are you doing in here alone, Your Majesty?” Jade asked, allowing the king to resume his seat while she settled herself comfortably on the floor at his feet, her back to the door. She’d never been a fan of protocol, and in the king’s last hour she wanted him to be comfortable.
“It doesn’t matter how many guards one has. This Rogue Royal always sends notice about when and where he is going to kill, and he always succeeds. I don’t want to fight my fate. If he didn’t think I deserved to die, he wouldn’t be after me,” the king said, his eyes shining with tears. “I have done horrible things, Lady du Halen. Things I should not speak of with someone so innocent.”
“Sire,” Jade replied softly, feeling tears in her eyes as well. She wasn’t as close to King Roland as she was to many others, but he always invited her family for his winter ball. She’d spent every winter, as long as she could remember, coming to his palace dressed in her best dress, dancing the night away with her father and any young man who wanted her. This palace was as familiar to her as her own.
“It’s alright, Lady du Halen. I am not afraid of death,” he consoled, glancing up as the doors opened again. Jade knew without looking who it would be. The clock in the hall began to chime; midnight. Time for the Rogue to kill his target.
“Why are you here, Jade?”
She heard his deep voice right behind her. She hadn’t realized he’d gotten so close. “You’ve become quieter, Ernst,” she replied, not turning around to meet his gaze. She knew what she would see; cold, steely emerald eyes, so much like her own.
“You’ve become naïve, sister.”
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”
-M. Kathleen Casey -
Fourteen
What happened to you, Ernst?” Jade asked, her eyes fixed on the king. He
sat, unmoving, in his throne, his eyes studying the face of the man about to murder him.
“I grew up, Jay. I left the palace and learned things no man should know. Now, I am righting other’s wrongs with my own.”
“You don’t have to kill anyone else, Ernst. Go home. Go home to Mother, and Father. Tell them you love them, and you’re sorry you left. Your secret will be safe,” Jade pleaded. It was the same conversation she’d had with him in Adion. He’d killed Duke Aeron across the hall from her bedroom. She’d tried to stop him, but he was stronger than her.
“You know I can’t do that, baby sister. These men deserve what they get.” Ernst was standing beside her, now, and Jade looked up, surprised to see he was wearing a cobalt mask. She could still tell it was him, but she doubted anyone else would be able to.
She stood, putting herself between her brother and the king. “I can’t let you do this, Ernst,” she said, backing up until the backs of her knees were even with the king’s.
“You can’t stop me. Didn’t you learn that last time, before you squealed like a girl and called Prince Talbot to your side?”
Jade scrunched her nose at her brother. “I didn’t know Prince Talbot was there any more than you did, brother. Why King Donn would send his son, I don’t know, but I didn’t know the prince was in the palace. I thought you were going to kill me, Ernst. That’s the only reason I screamed. I would never do anything to make you unsafe! You should know that,” Jade said, begging her brother to understand. She knew that if he was set on killing the king, the king would die. She wished the monarch would stand, run, do something other than wait for death.
“I’m sure you didn’t, Jade. However, you almost got me caught. I won’t allow that again,” Ernst threatened, narrowing his emerald eyes. He took another step closer to Jade, and she leaned back, placing her hands on the arms of the throne behind her. She put a defiant look on her face, daring him to hurt her. He was her brother; he cared about her. Right?
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