To Keep a Promise

.13.

The queen was inconsolable for the next two days. She did not leave her room and I missed her presence in the library with me. I had suspicions as to why she was so unsettled by my father coming, but since I could not talk to her I could not know for sure.

With my fathers impeding arrival I felt the pressure of figuring out what, or who, had prompted the two attacks on the castle. I needed a way to get around the castle without people knowing who I was, but being able to listen in to the conversations between guards.

Having had trained with men, I knew they were more talkative than women gave them credit for. Sometimes the things they spoke of were insipid, but I had often gained useful information by dressing up as a man.

The day after the Kings announcement I woke up as early as I could. When I stuck my head out my door I saw that there were a few guards. One of the maids who had been cleaning in my room previously, Maria, was walking down the corridor with a basket of clothes.

'Maria!' My whisper shout made her do a double take when she saw my head floating in the doorway. I beckoned for her to come into my room and she hurried over. Once she was inside I saw that she was carrying a bunch of maid and butler uniforms. I resisted the urge to celebrate my luck.

'This is an odd request, but I need a butlers uniform'

I took advantage of her baffled state and gently took the basket from her grasp. 'But miss, why do you need it?'

'Well, there's no formal events right now and I am going crazy sitting here! I thought it would be funny to prank Aria'

Her look of understanding told me that was the right excuse. No doubt Aria had done something similar in the past and she believed I was just up to the same sort of mischief. I picked the garments out of the basket that looked to be about my size then handed the container back to her with a grin.

'Just put them with your things when you are done' she left my room giggling, so I didn't feel too bad about deceiving her.

Once she was gone I got changed quickly. The pants sat comfortably and the shirt was large enough that you could not see my curves. My hair went into a quick braid and I secured it to my head with some pins, making sure to tuck any escaping pieces under the cap.

Looking in the mirror I was surprised by how unrecognisable I was, I truly did look like any other scrawny butler. For good measure I went to the fireplace and rubbed dirt on my face. Now I looked like a dirty butler, one that hopefully no one would try to talk to. I grabbed my barely touched breakfast tray.

I stuck my head cautiously out the door again. This time there were no guards around, so I slipped down the corridor, holding the tray as my excuse for being there. Since I had not had a chance to find out where the dungeons were, I was not sure how to go about getting there but I need not have worried.

'Boy!' A voice shouted across the large hall. I made myself look timid and looked up at the man. Henry, the head of the guard strode over to where I was standing stuck in place. I kept my head down in case he recognised me. He gestured to my tray 'Is that the food for the prisoners?'

'Yes, sir' I adopted my best Corisan accent. He nodded in approval and turned, indicating for me to follow him. 'You will have to take better care when delivering food to the dungeons, you do not want to come across any of the royal family looking so dirty'

I bowed my head at his chastisement, doing my best not to grin at my luck. I walked behind him down the hall that I recognised as our escape route the night the marksman had attacked. We descended the staircase but veered off to the left at the bottom. Henry grabbed a torch and lead me down a steep hall. The further we went the colder the air got, letting me know that we were probably under ground now.