16th Century Style Court story - Untitled

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I didn't know what to do. How could I? I had been accused of killing my own brother yet that was the one thing that I could not comprehend. My brother was dead. Murdered. Stabbed in the side by an agent of some noble or other no doubt. I did not cry. I stood where I had been placed and stared at the floor in front of me. I was aware of the daylight beginning to seep into the sky. The barred hole in the wall was not helping to the already cold stone walled room.

The first time my attention was taken away from my thoughts was when the rain began. The water pattering through the small, glassless window woke me out of my haze. Turning my head, I looked upwards towards the cloud-filled sky. Then, seeing there was a short bench in the cell, I pulled it from its spot and pushed it against the wall under the window. Stepping onto it, careful in case it was unstable, I tiptoed up and pressed my fingertips onto the wet stone sill. Peering outside, there was little I could see of the palace; but I could see part of the garden over the high hedged wall. The guards were still patrolling the outside paths with their three foot spears held by their sides.

AHHH! The scream struck me to the bone and I fell backwards off the bench. Catching myself as I rolled sideways, I stared at the door. The scream had not been from nearby, I could tell that; it came from somewhere else among the many cells and rooms in Black Ash Tower. I had heard of what they did in the lower cells and the dungeon but I had never comprehended nor thought about it in any detail (great or small). It terrified me. They could not harm me, not the way they did with the common people. I was protected but only by my status yet that was enough. There was one thing I did know and that was that I would be given a trial; anything else was unknown to me.

The rain that made its way between the bars began to seep through my clothes and I began to shiver. Heaving myself up off the straw-laden floor, I perched myself on the larger, wider of the two benches that were the only furniture. Eventually, I shuffled backwards so my back was against the wall and pulled my legs to my chest. That was how I remained until the sound of voices and keys came from outside the solid walnut wood door. I turned my head as it was slowly pulled open and the torchlight filled my cell.

'Thank you, Constable.'

There seemed to be an exchange of coins but I could not be certain. It did not escape my notice as to who it was visiting me. 'Owen. What are you doing?'

'Come to see you,' he simply answered.

'No. I mean, why are you here?'

'The same answer, your Highness.'

I turned my face away. 'Not anymore.'

'What do you mean?'

My eyelids were now closed tight. 'I did not kill my brother but do you think I will be allowed to remain heir to the throne even if I am proved innocent?' With that, I looked at him with a hard look of fear.

Stepped over, he sat down next to me. 'Why wouldn't they? Whoever they are.'

My answer was short. 'Lavina.'

He placed his hand on my shoulder delicately. I could tell that he did not want to say more than was needed. 'But she is not Robert's heir.'

'No, but she is carrying it. Whether their child is a boy or a girl, they will be his heir and not me. And I will no longer be a princess when he or she is born. My title is revoked in the presence of an heir and since their will only ever be one now that Robert is gone, no one would dare let me anywhere near Redbrick whilst it remains a child.' After Lavina gives birth I will become a duchess; a high duchess of power but I will no longer be able to call myself Princess of Capra. That title will disappear from the lands for a time; Lavina too will become a duchess but of much higher standing than myself. There would only be one way that I would take up my brother's place and that would be for Lavina's child to die (however that may be).