“I promise that I will do my best not to ruin my dress or hair tonight,” the Princess said with a smile.
“See that you don’t,” Aud replied with a rueful shake of her head.
Together, the Queen and Princess turned and began to make their way to the ballroom for their grand entrance.
* * *
Sitnalta hung back and watched Aud enter the ballroom to a fanfare of trumpets and cries of love and happiness from the guests. She watched her former governess move with an easy grace and a regal posture, and marvelled at how easy she made it seem. Aud acted as if she had been born to this life of duty and royalty, and only the Princess and the King knew how hard the transition had been. But the people adored their new monarch. She and Gerald ruled over them with a sense of respect and fairness that they had been craving for far too long, and they were treated with the same respect by all they commanded.
Taking a deep breath, Sitnalta tried to hold herself tall. She wanted to inject the same grace that Aud had shown into her steps as she entered the room to the trumpets’ song. She bit the inside of her cheek, focusing on her posture, trying to hide her nerves. She saw King Gerald watch her with a look of pride that warmed her heart. She smiled at him, and noticed that she had Aud’s approval as well. All her nerves melted away. These grand parties were something she was still getting used to, and though she loved seeing the castle all decorated and the people in their finery, she usually found them to be a tad tedious. She was forever trying to keep dignitaries entertained in conversation about the most boring of topics, and it was all she could do to keep herself from running off and finding something more suited to her personality to do. However, tonight, her friend was here. Tonight, things would be different.
As Sitnalta made a circuit of the room, she found herself pulled aside by the Duke Ipsinki. He cut a dashing figure in a royal blue velvet doublet with gold hose. She smiled at him as he bowed to her and took her hand to give it a chaste kiss, a smile alight in his green eyes.
“My princess,” Ipsinki said. “You look lovely tonight.”
“As do you,” Sitnalta said, and blushed. “I...I mean to say that you look quite handsome.”
Ipsinki laughed. “Honestly, I feel so foolish dressed up in all this. If I may be so bold,” he dropped into a whisper. “I despise these events. I’d much rather be out riding tonight.”
Sitnalta grinned at him. “Me, too!”
“I thought as much. I will see you later, my lady.” Ipsinki left the princess’s side and went off in search of the king. He had many pressing matters to discuss with him, and though he knew that the ball was neither the time, nor the place, he also knew that they could not wait.
Sitnalta stood alone and scanned the room, searching for the one person who made all her efforts to look the part of a proper lady worth it. Much to her disappointment, he was not there. She satisfied herself with coming up with all the reasons he might be late to arrive. She fantasized stories in which he had been taken hostage by pirates on his journey to Colonodona. They had seen the potential in him and made him their captain, overthrowing the cutthroat brigand in a glorious mutiny. Or perhaps highwaymen had waylaid him, and he was fighting his way to freedom, even as she stood there waiting.
As she stood lost in her thoughts, the trumpets blared once more, announcing the royal party from the Island Kingdoms. Sitnalta was jolted back to reality as she saw Prince Navor enter the room. He was a sight in a crimson doublet and moss green tights. His messy brown curls fell across his forehead, their colour an almost exact match to his warm, smiling eyes. His gaze met the Princess’s and he smiled at her. She could see that it took an effort on his part to remember courtesy and not run to her at once. He rushed his way through greeting all the members of the nobility that surrounded him and his parents before breaking apart from them and approaching her.
“Sitnalta,” he said, as he took her hand and gave her a chaste kiss upon its back. “I missed you so much while I was at home.”
“I missed you too, Navor,” Sitnalta said as a warm blush crept across her pale cheeks. “Did you hear the news?”
“You're coming home with us,” Navor said excitedly. “I am so happy about this arrangement. I cannot tell you how I have longed for this. There is so much of my land that I want to show you!”
“And I cannot wait to see it all!”
Another trumpet blast called all the guests to dinner. The Prince and Princess were delighted to find that they were seated beside each other at Queen Aud’s right, as she was beside her husband at the head of the table. Course after course were brought out in grand succession, but Sitnalta barely ate a bite. She was far too busy talking animatedly to the Prince. Neither she nor Prince Navor saw King Gerald and King Parven smile knowingly to each other as they watched the two young royals get along so well. Yet, truth be told, if they had noticed, they would not have cared.
After dinner came the dancing; and Sitnalta laughed merrily as Prince Navor spun her around the dance floor. He didn’t care that she was nearly a half-foot taller than he. All he wanted was to see her smile and watch her eyes sparkle with happiness as they waltzed the night away. As he held her in his arms, he wished he could tell her everything that was in his heart. He saw her as far more than a friend, and he knew that their match was something his father desperately wanted. It was something he wanted himself. Yet he knew that she was fighting it. She had told him that she would never agree to an arranged marriage. That fact held him back. It gave him pause to think that she saw him as only her friend and nothing more. So he contented himself with enjoying their dance together. Nothing more.
When the evening finally ended, Princess Sitnalta went to bed humming a tune to herself. She felt warm, and pleasantly exhausted. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and spent the night dreaming about travelling far away to a magical kingdom by the seashore with Prince Navor at her side, showing her the wonders that lay on the sand.
Chapter Four
The Thief and the Voyage
Wilhelm didn’t know why he hadn’t used the coin for what he truly desired the second he had laid his hands on it. He supposed that, in some strange way, it almost felt too easy. However, here in his tiny hovel on the edge of the capitol, he sat at his small wooden table and examined it slowly, barely daring to breathe. They were all correct: in the wrong hands, this precious thing would be far too dangerous. Supmylo’s hands would have most certainly been the wrong hands. That fool would have wished to be a god, or the most powerful creature alive. He, however, would be far more clever than that. Too much power only breeds too many enemies. All he wanted was just enough power; just enough wealth. Just enough to make him feared, but not reviled.
He sat and stared at the coin, drinking in its luminescent beauty. He loved the way the stars twinkled across the face as if they had been plucked down from the sky to put on a show just for him. He had heard stories of what the wizard Kralc had done, and he cursed the old fool for hiding such a treasure away. You don’t make something so powerful and then not use it! He knew he had to be careful in his choices now. It would not do to bring the old wizard back out from wherever it was he’d hidden himself. Not now. Not when he was so close to getting what he wanted. A smile slowly spread across Wilhelm’s face. He now knew exactly what he was going to do.
* * *
Sitnalta had been waiting for this day for what felt like years. She bounced excitedly in her seat as the carriage rode through the town towards the dock. She was finally going to be on her way to see the world! She knew that she was only going to see Navor’s homeland, but to her, it was such an adventure. All she knew of the world was the castle and the surrounding forests. But now she was going to get to see the ocean. She would be able to see beaches and boats, a brand new castle, and the towns along the way. She could barely rein in her excited energy as she fidgeted in her seat. Everything she saw on her way to the dock was magical. The gulls flying through the sky
were so unlike the birds in the orchards at the castle. The people lining the streets waving at her while trying to hawk their wares were fascinating and new. She turned and smiled at Aud, who was watching her with a wistful look on her face. Her little Princess was going off to sea. It would be some time before she would be able to see her again.
The carriage stopped at the foot of the dock and Sitnalta barely waited for the footman to help her before she leapt to the ground. Her eyes opened wide as she took in the ship she would be boarding. The Amazon sat in the harbour, her masts tall and proud. On her prow was a powerful, warrior-like mermaid, her scales wet with seawater. It was a grand ship, one that was fit for nobility, yet certainly looked as if it could outrun any ship that tried to chase her. On deck, Sitnalta could see her crew, all sunburned and strong, as they worked to get The Amazon ready to set sail.
“May I go on board now?” Sitnalta asked Aud. “I want to see everything before we go.”
“Wait for the others,” Aud told the Princess, laughing.
Sitnalta knew that King Gerald was finishing some details about the trade agreement with King Parven before the islanders would be departing. She wished he would finish faster. As if he’d read her mind, the two kings emerged from a nearby building with Prince Navor in tow. The Prince made a beeline for Sitnalta and took her by the hand.
“Isn’t the ship wonderful?” he asked excitedly. “It’s the same one we used to get here. Father says it’s the fastest in his fleet!”
“Son, it’s not polite to brag,” King Parven said with a smile.
“I’m sorry,” Navor said. “I’m just so excited.”
“Me, too!” Sitnalta replied. “I’ve never been on a boat before.”
“You’ll love it,” Navor reassured her. “It’s so much fun. Maybe we’ll see some dolphins on the way home. We saw some as we came here.”
“Really?” Sitnalta said. She had heard of these creatures, but never seen them. She wondered what they would be like.
“There may be some mermaids as well,” Navor added with a smile.
Sitnalta turned to Aud. “They’re here,” she said. “May I go now?”
Aud sighed. “Don’t you want to say goodbye?” she asked.
Sitnalta’s face fell. In all the excitement, she’d almost forgotten that Queen Aud and King Gerald weren’t coming with her. She’d been so focused on her trip, she’d never really processed that she was leaving them behind. She flung herself at Aud and buried her face in her hair as she hugged her tight.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” Sitnalta said. “I will write to you each and every day. I love you and I will be home before you know it.”
“I love you, too,” Aud said. “I will miss you terribly.”
Sitnalta then turned to Gerald and hugged him as well.
“You take care of Aud,” Sitnalta said. “I will miss you.”
“I will miss you, too,” King Gerald said to her. “I would tell you to be a good girl, but...”
“I know,” Sitnalta replied. “I’m hopeless.”
King Gerald laughed. “I was going to say that you don’t need that advice. You are a wonderful girl.”
Sitnalta smiled. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
With that, Sitnalta was taken on board the ship; her trunks packed away in a cabin below. She stood on deck with Prince Navor and watched as the ship cast off. She stood waving as King Gerald and Queen Aud grew smaller and smaller the further from shore they sailed. Sitnalta was both excited and scared as she found herself surrounded by water on all sides. She knew that the boat was safe, but she didn’t realize just how far from land they would be. However, her fear was soon short lived as Prince Navor walked her around the boat explaining how everything worked. He showed her how they steered, how the sails worked, and how to tie knots. As the day went on, Sitnalta changed from her travelling gown into a pair of breeches she’d smuggled into her luggage. She was delighted to find that King Parven didn’t mind her unusual attire, and soon she and Prince Navor were climbing the masts like a pair of monkeys. He took her up into the crow’s nest to show her all the sights of the sea. She looked at the water around them and breathed in the salty air, feeling as if she could happily stay there forever.
As the day passed, Navor left her to go look over some things with his father. It was warm out, yet Sitnalta found herself shivering. She didn’t know why, but she felt that something was very wrong. She brushed off the fear, and told herself she was being silly. It was probably the newness of her surroundings, the unfamiliar situation.
Evening came all too soon for the Princess, and she joined the King and Prince in the royal cabin for supper.
“I have to tell you,” King Parven said. “I was worried we’d be caught.”
Sitnalta paused in her eating to give the King a perplexed look. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“I went to Colonodona for the trade agreement,” the King said. “That much is true. However, the true reason of our journey was to fetch you.”
“Fetch me?” Sitnalta asked. “I know that I was always to go on this trip with you, but what exactly do you mean?”
“Princess,” Navor said. “Don’t you remember? The Mad King was going to marry you by the end of the week. He’d announced it to the entire kingdom.”
Sitnalta was horrified. “King Gerald would never do that!” she shouted. “What are you talking about? Take me home this instant. I want to go home to Aud and Gerald.”
Prince Navor looked at her sadly. “Queen Aud and King Gerald haven’t been King and Queen in quite some time. Don’t you remember?”
With those words, it was as if Princess Sitnalta had two sets of memories in her mind: One where she was the adopted daughter of Gerald and Aud, laughing in the sunlight, riding her horses. The other one, where a cruel looking man with formidable power had taken them from her; he had claimed her as his own and taken the throne, proclaiming himself king. The strange thing was that she didn’t know which was true. She just knew that she had to save the people she loved. Somehow.
Chapter Five
Landing
Sitnalta spent the next several days wandering around the ship trying to make sense of what was happening. She was able to glean information from the sailors. They had indulged her questions and told her that Wilhelm had staged a coup. He had taken over the merged kingdom of Colonodona and Sarrin, and had control of the army and of her home. He had intended to marry her in order to solidify his claim. In her own memories, she remembered that he had conquered King Gerald nearly one year ago. He had taken her under his wing and had tried to be a tutor and mentor, and that, to her horror, he was grooming her to be his Queen. She remembered long, sleepless nights, dreading the day that he would force her to marry. What confused the Princess was the fact that while she remembered all of this, she also remembered spending the past year being tutored by King Gerald and Queen Aud. She remembered lessons in the castle gardens, and learning all manner of deportment and etiquette with Aud. She remembered quiet evenings in the library with Gerald as he taught her history and languages.
She sat on the deck of The Amazon with her head in her hands trying to sort out what was real and what wasn’t. The evidence in front of her told her that Wilhelm was indeed the King. Every sailor on the ship, as well as King Parven and Prince Navor told her that, and they had no reason to lie. But the other set of memories felt so real to her. She was at a complete loss. Sitnalta thought back to the day she boarded ship in Colonodona. She remembered hugging Aud and promising to write to her. Or was it that she snuck on board dressed as a cabin boy? She didn’t know. However, no one could stop her from writing to the Queen. Could they?
Inspiration struck and Sitnalta ran below deck to write a letter to her former governess and Queen of Colonodona. As she sat in her cabin writing about everything that was happening, a knock sounded at her door.
“Come in,” Sitnalta call
ed, and the door opened.
“I was looking for you,” Prince Navor said as he entered the room. “What are you doing?”
“I’m writing a letter to Aud,” Sitnalta replied. “Something isn’t right here. I don’t really know what’s going on.”
“What do you mean?” Navor asked.
Sitnalta explained to him what she was feeling, from the double memories, to the strong sense that everything was not as it seemed. She knew that she was missing something, some piece of the puzzle that would help her make sense of it all. She knew that Wilhelm was King, but she had no real recollection of how she had met him, or even what he looked like, and if she had truly spent a year with him, shouldn’t she at least know that?
Prince Navor sat for a long while after the Princess had finished speaking. He couldn’t tell why, but he agreed with her that the whole situation felt off.
“I believe you,” he said. “I’ve felt this way even longer.”
“You have?” Sitnalta said. She was surprised to hear this. “What about?”
“Don’t laugh,” Navor said, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Ever since I met you, I’ve been having these weird dreams about living in a forest. But it looks nothing like the forests on the island. I see you there, and you tell me all sorts of stories. But that’s impossible. Right?”
Sitnalta looked at Navor and a lump came to her throat. She had long suspected that there was something more to the Prince, and hearing this all but confirmed it.
“I — I don’t think anything is impossible anymore,” Sitnalta whispered.
“Sitnalta, I don’t think you should send that letter,” Navor said. “I know you’re worried, but sending a letter to Aud will just get it delivered to King Wilhelm. He can’t know where you are.”
The Kingdom Thief (Sitnalta Series Book 2) Page 2