by Kiki Leach
“Of mine?” She nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and moved toward her closet, resting her other hand against the tarnished door. She crinkled her eyes and shook her head a little. “I’m not certain a single one would fit.”
“We appear to be the same size and always have. I only wish to wear it once and will certainly return it unharmed.”
She knit her brows and laughed to herself. “I don’t believe you would harm anything of mine, Cinderella. Still, I don’t believe a gown of mine would be appropriate for you, a princess.”
“Nonsense,” I said. “Anything of yours would be fine, I’m certain of it.”
I smiled. She took a moment and then looked at her closet once more.
She nodded. “Very well.”
We decided on a royal blue gown with white ruffled sleeves that hit my fingertips and a gown so long, I was forced to carry it as I walked.
As she laced the strings at my back, tightening my bodice, she sighed.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Are you meeting him in the gardens alone?”
“Yes.”
A long silence ensued. I could feel her disappointment as she tied the final bow at my waist.
She dropped her hands. “I’m finished.”
“Thank you. I shall return it as soon as I can.”
“Keep it as long as you like, Princess.”
I nodded in acknowledgement and went over to the mirror to brush my hair. Brigita came up behind and rested her hands behind her. She tilted her head a little and glowered.
“After all this man has done to you, do you trust him, Cinder?”
“No.”
“Then why choose to meet with him alone? Despite it being daylight, from the way you spoke of this man, it simply doesn’t make much sense to me. It seems as if it may be a mistake to speak with him without the prince’s presence.”
“Perhaps, but it shall be my mistake to make.”
She paused. “Why do you wish to see him?”
“He requested. Or rather, commanded in a manner that would make even Norvack question his own actions toward me.”
“Yes, but why have you chosen to go? He is no longer one with power. He is now considered by the people of both England and Denmark an ordinary man who stands at the right side of a prince, when he once stood on the same grounds as a king. He can make no commands upon you or anyone else within this country.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Then why have you chosen to go?” she asked again.
I didn’t answer, which seemed to frustrate her a bit. She fiddled with her hands and pinched her lips to the side.
“Well, are you going to inform the prince at all?”
“No.” I paused and looked down. “I may. It’s not as if it shall remain a secret either way, Brigita. I’m only meeting him in the gardens, I don’t wish to run away with him.”
“What if he wishes to run away with you?” she muttered.
I made a face, but pretended not to hear a word.
She arched a brow and turned away from me. I stared at her curiously, wondering if she had thought less of me as she focused on the gardens. And then she bobbed her head.
“He’s there,” she told me in disgust. “He’s standing near the roses and…” She went over and stood near the balcony. She bit her lip and scrunched her brows. “He’s touching my gardenia’s.”
“Fall to your knees and pray to God Himself that it shall be the only thing he will ever touch of yours. I wish Esme had felt the same, for her own sake.” I pressed my hand against my bodice and let out a deep, yet annoyed breath. “I shall return soon.”
“If the prince awakes?”
“He awakes.”
“And if he asks for you?”
I thought for a moment.
“Tell him he shall find me in the gardens with his new comrade.”
As I made my way to John, I noticed him reaching for both the gardenia and rose petals. He gently ripped each from their respective flowers and placed both on the inside pocket of his coat, lightly pressing it against his chest.
“The queen shall have your hand for that.”
He looked up at me and grinned a little, then returned to admire more petals.
“She shall have my head as well. I have taken one from every flower I’ve seen in this garden.”
“Why?”
He stood straight and waved his arm across. “The beauty.”
“Is that why you chose Esme? She is as delicate as any rose petal and you plucked her from the garden as well, and were certain to discard her as quickly as you could.”
“I’ve discarded her?” he asked in a sincere tone.
“Am I to believe that you haven’t?”
As he began walking, I lifted my gown and paced beside him.
“You are to believe whatever you wish, Cinderella.”
“I believe that you are filling her mind and body with hopes and dreams and desires and feelings she may never understand. Feelings she is certain to never understand because you shall never treat her with the respect she deserves.”
He dropped his head. “That was a long time ago--”
“I’ve seen no difference in your behavior thus far, John.”
He sighed in an exasperated manner and looked about the rolling hills.
“The gardens here are magnificent,” he said, attempting to refocus. “If only England’s palace had been as pleasing to the eye.”
“I’ll inform Brigita you said so,” I replied with heavy sarcasm.
“Your handmaiden? This is her doing?”
“Yes. She planted many of the seeds last year on behalf of the queen and they have been blossoming ever since.”
He leered. “Mmm. Perhaps I shall inform her myself.”
“Perhaps you shall stay away from her, at the very least, entirely. Certainly if you know what is best for you.”
“You truly don’t believe I have changed for the better?”
“Even a snake without it’s fangs still attempts to bite and poison.”
“I am the snake, you are the poison.” He looked over at me and smiled wider than I had ever seen. “A snake without its fangs shall surely die.”
“And here you are, still managing to walk upright under the guise of a human being with no soul.”
“Indeed. Though I believe my soul is buried somewhere deep inside.”
“Inside of whom?” I asked. He bellowed. I reluctantly laughed a little and then cleared my throat. “Why did you wish to see me this morning?”
He arched a brow. “Why did you agree to it?”
I groaned and rolled my eyes, almost immediately recalling Brigita’s question not moments before.
“I’ll never say what you wish to hear from me.”
He stared at me for a long while and then turned his attention elsewhere.
“I wished for this time alone to talk. To inform you of my true intentions.”
“You have more?”
“Always more,” he answered. “Cinder, I wish for no more lies between us. No more trickery or sophistry or secrets.”
“Hmm.”
“I wish for things to be different for us this time. I wish to be your greatest friend and confidant.”
I chortled. “My friend? Confidant? My God.”
“Only a friend--”
“Stop,” I replied sternly. “Would a friend sneak into my bedroom uninvited, stare at me as you did, and speak to me as you did this morning? All but calling me Norvack’s whore?”
“I never said that.”
“It’s what you implied and we are both quite aware of it, John. The only difference being I had managed to get something out of it this time, when all I received from you was…” I stopped. “I shall never be your friend and you could never be one to any man or woman, especially the latter.”
“Would an adversary keep quiet of your misdeeds?”
“If there were something positive to gain fro
m doing so, yes.”
“I am not that kind of adversary, Cinder.”
“At least you admit to being one--”
He immediately stopped walking and laced his hand around my arm, pulling me back hard. I stumbled a little.
“I’m aware that you killed Willem Belarus,” he snapped.
My mouth went dry and I could barely speak, only managing to croak out a single word.
“What?”
“I’m aware that you killed the king’s son,” he said again, releasing my arm and dropping his hand aside. “And on the night of the prince’s welcome home celebration no less. Tsk, tsk, Cinderella.”
I flared my nostrils and tightened my jaw.
“You bastard. A friend would never speak to me as you have in regard to something like this. But an adversary would, turning this newfound knowledge into a sort of sick game!”
“It’s not a game for me.”
“Oh? Do I not seem like such a worthy opponent?”
“I am not against you --”
“Did you ply the prince with truth serum last night in order to retrieve this information from him?”
“The prince?”
I looked aside and soured. “Yes!” I hollered. “I mean, I…”
John lifted his brows in shock and leaned away from me, smirking. “The noble Prince of Denmark is aware of what you have done to his bastard brother?”
I inhaled and shut my eyes for a moment, and then breathed out. “Damn it.”
“Cinder--”
“If Norvack never informed you,” I asked, “then who? How could you have learned what I had done?”
“Your Sheriff.”
I jerked my head back and glared. “You’re joking.”
“Not at all. Though he failed to mention the prince protecting his wife.”
“If I am only his whore, how are you so certain that Norvack is protecting me?”
“Would you be here if he weren’t? As his wife, he shall protect you. And it’s certain that the prince has not informed his father or mother.”
I swallowed hard. “He hasn’t.”
“Very well, then. The man is protecting you from those who wish to see Willem’s murderer brought to justice.”
“Of which you are not one of,” I said.
“Of which I am not. The moment I heard the news of Willem’s passing, I must say I couldn’t manage to shed a single tear.”
“Hmm. Well, I am almost certain the only one who had was the king.” I began walking again and enfolded my arms, thinking. John followed beside me. “Why would the Sheriff of Denmark inform the man who stood aside the King of England of what I had done? He knew nothing of our history with one another, unless you informed him prior--”
“I didn’t,” he shot back quickly. “I’ve never said a word to anyone, out of respect for you.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“This man only informed me as a warning. He knew I was coming here and feared for my personal safety.”
“That is absolutely absurd!”
“Is it?”
“Yes!” I scoffed. “And why would the man give a damn regarding your safety as it is? You’re not exactly his comrade.”
“Nor am I his enemy.” He crinkled his eyes.
I moved my head about. “No. This man is the devil on earth if I ever knew one. He would only inform you if he had something to gain. And I am quite certain he wished for you to inform the king.”
He gradually lifted and lowered his shoulders. “He did seem quite eager in telling me this information. I suppose the Sheriff seeks your death.”
“Still seeks my death. Inform me of something I’m not already aware of, John. The man has wished me dead since I was a child. He sees me as a worthless vagabond and always will, no matter my current status. Knowing I murdered Willem was all he needed. He finally managed to have power over me and has yet to use it.”
“He informed me?”
“Yes. However, you’re choosing to remain quiet and he shall realize it soon enough…. And what will you plan to do then?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea.” He grinned mischievously.
I was skeptical. “Perhaps you should run the same as I did on the night I killed Willem; the same night the Sheriff and his merry men of idiots chased me from the forest and nearly found me back in Hadenville.” I sighed. “I have been having dreams of him for weeks now.”
“What kind of dreams?”
“Nightmares, really. That he’s made his way back to Denmark with plans to slaughter me on a platform before the entire country. Something of which he once promised. Where had you last seen him?”
“On the outskirts of England. I informed him of my duties and he informed me of his.”
I nodded. “His duties to finish what he began. The man could come back for me any day now.”
“Or perhaps he could get lost along the way.” He winked.
I grinned a little, unconsciously letting down my guard once more.
“You wouldn’t have dared attempt to slaughter him or scare him off from me. I know you wouldn’t.”
“Such a pity that you truly don’t believe I care.”
We went silent for a moment as we continued strolling.
“Why weren’t you on the field during the battle?” I finally asked him. “Norvack says he never saw you.”
“I was there.” He eyed the field. “I’m the reason he fell from his horse.”
I stopped in place. He tried to continue on without me, but I jerked his arm.
“You shot his horse?”
He nodded. “A slight sting to get him to buck Norvack to the ground.”
“Why?”
“Because your king wished for his death during that battle, as did mine.”
I dropped my hand and laughed in disbelief. “You’re informing me that you saved him.”
“I did. For you.”
“He was still stabbed by one of your men when he fell from that very horse and almost died regardless of your initial intentions!”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“I am so certain you didn’t, as with everything else you’ve ever done to anyone -- you never meant for it to happen!”
“I tried to save him from a battle against his own father, one I was certain he would lose!”
“Did his men know anything of this?”
“No. None of them were ever aware and are still being kept in the dark. They wouldn’t learn the truth until… unless --”
“Unless Norvack dies and you’re taking his place.” I took my face in my hands. “My God in heaven. The king would rather a member from another army, the army of his supposed enemy no less, reign supreme inside his kingdom above his own son. All in the name of Willem. My God. Why do you continue to inform me of all of this?”
“You’re quite aware of why.”
“As Norvack’s wife, so you say--”
“No.”
I turned away. “I don’t believe you did any of this for me.”
His face reddened and he tightened his jaw. “Even telling you this, you still don’t believe I care, Cinderella?”
“Even telling me this, no. Not for me.”
“Why? I am risking my life in informing you of this information.”
I stood back and widened my eyes in shock. “The same way in which I risked my life, and you didn’t seem to care then!”
“I was young --”
“You were not that young. Not as young as I was,” I said. He grimaced. “Oh my. Is the truth too painful to hear? You wish to ignore it all and forget, but unfortunately, I never will again with you back in my life. I seem to recall a very vivid time in which you clearly cared more for your soiled reputation in England and with the very king that you are now betraying, than me or the child I was carrying.”
“Are you aware that had that child lived, you wouldn’t be in the palace as we speak? As the wife of Prince Norvack Belarus I?”
“Perhaps. Per
haps not. Something we shall never know.”
I turned, but he yanked me back.
He glared at me for a long while in a curious manner and scrunched his face. “Did you wish to bear my child?”
“For God sake -- !” I snatched away from his hand. “Never. A perpetual demon seed from a man who --”
“Then why continue to mention it as you have?”
“Because that moment in time was a significant part of our lives. Losing a child is…” I paused and took a breath. “No matter if it was yours, it was painful and shall never be forgotten, no matter how often I try to do so.”
He reached out for my face. “Cinder--”
“Norvack,” I interjected, pulling away before his fingers could graze my skin. “Norvack is quite possibly awake now and waiting for me in our chambers.”
“Possibly.” He dropped his hand and glanced down at my stomach, then gradually back into my eyes. “Are you and the prince expecting a child?”
I backed away from him and scowled. “Have you spoken to the queen?” I asked.
“No --”
“Then what would make you ask such a question?”
“Because you seem much too protective of a child that never was --”
“But could have been.”
“But was not meant to be,” he said with deep emphasis. “Not with us. Perhaps this child is.”
“There is no child,” I told him. “There were times I …”
“Times?”
“A time.” I stopped and swallowed the lump in my throat. “I must go.”
“Cinderella!” he hollered after. “Wait!” He came up behind and lightly touched the back of my arm. I jumped. “If you inform the prince of our discussions, he may go to the king.”
“He wouldn’t. Not if he knows the truth, that you are on his side against Belarus and England as you claim. I informed him that you were against him. If I inform him now that you are in fact working against both the King of England and Belarus, just as he--”
“He shall fear I have had you again.”
I gasped. “He most certainly would not!”
“Wouldn’t he? One moment you inform him that I in fact wish him dead--”
“I never said that --”
“And the next inform him that I am on his side? This after spending private time with me in the gardens.”