The Sword Of A Princess

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Darius and Sika said goodbye again in the courtyard, both carrying a small bag around their shoulders, water satchels and their swords at their hips. Ariellah was far from happy when she found out what Eugene had done. She couldn't stop crying, worse so after the men left.

Darius had strapped Sika to his back and ran to the boarder, his great size creating small tremors on the ground in his wake. Arthur could only scowl at his father the whole time, Ariellah ignoring the King too. I asked Arthur if he wanted to go somewhere or do something to take his mind off things, but he refused, saying Eugene had given him work to do. So I went back to my original plan with Lionel to go train, Edmund ended up joining in and we practiced duel fighting, two on one. It was a lot tougher than fighting one on one, but a better skill to have especially with the prospect of leaving for the front lines.

After a warm bath, I'd asked Clare if she knew where Arthur was, I wasn't sure how long it would take him to do the work Eugene had given him. I waited for her to find out while I soaked in my lavender scented bath, watching the sun setting from the window.

I wondered how far Darius and Sika travelled in one afternoon if they had rested or carried on through the night to the broken gap in the front lines. I kept picturing Darius standing alone on the battlefield, completely surrounded by the dead, both South and Western knights slaughtered by each other. The ex-gladiator, the last one standing, the only one strong enough to survive the battle. What would that do to someone's mind? I could barely relax, feeling guilty that I was here having a warm bath while so many others slept in the cold, the smell of death all around them. I dried and changed myself into my chemise before Clare returned, the atmosphere in the castle had changed after the two knights left, the Queen refused to see anyone. Lance and Arthur had been with Eugene, and Edmund letting off steam with Lionel and I. Even the staff were quieter, the youngest Prince, Sika Ashmore had left to cross the Western desert with Captain Darius.

"Your Highness, Prince Arthur is in his chambers." Clare said after returning. I lowered the brush onto my beauty table, looking at the maid through the mirror in front of me. Arthur was only on the other side of that wall.

"Thank you Clare." I smiled at her, standing up from the cushioned seat. The young maid bowed her head then moved into the attached bathroom to clean up and collect the laundry.

Picking up my light blue silky nightgown I wrapped it around my shoulders as I made my way over to Arthurs room. I had never yet been inside his chambers before. His door sat a little way down from mine on the same side of the hallway, I knocked on the white door, the painted oak hard under my knuckles.

"Come in." His deepened weary voice called from the other side, I hesitated slightly feeling flutters erupt across my stomach. My hand rested on the golden handle and I pushed it down, pushing the door open.

"Oh it's you, you never need to knock my dear." Arthur smiled standing up from his table, loose parchments spread across a desk, an open ledgers book to his right. Behind the desk sat a wall of old books, I realised that was the wall separating our rooms from one another. On the other side of the room sat his bed, neatly made, throw pillows covering the headboard. He had no bed-drapes like the ones hanging from my pillars, only a large rug underneath covering most of the tiled floor. A seating area of two armchairs sat by the arched windows with a small table, some books sitting on the edge of the tea table and a lit fireplace tucked behind, warming the room.

"I was just checking up on you." I smiled, feeling suddenly nervous being alone in his chambers. Arthur wore a white billowing shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a vest overtop. His hair looked a little messed, like he'd been running his hand through it all evening.

"I am well. A little tired after staring down at these document and ledgers all afternoon, just a small handful of the castle's ledgers." Arthur said moving around the table to greet me, he grabbed my hand raising it to his lips. "How was your training?"