I Am Not Cinderella

Chapter 57

Johann  was in his personal bath.  Steam curled off the surface.  Sweat ran down Johann's neck as he relaxed back in the warm water.  His elbows rested on the edge of the tub as his fingertips hung within an inch of the water's surface.  The chamber's lighting was muted since the only candles that were lit were the ones around that rested in the niches that lined the walls.

Johann was almost asleep when the soft pitter patter of footsteps reached his ears.  A shadow was thrown across the wall.  Johann reached for the dagger that was never far from his side.  He relaxed when soft strains of music came from behind the screen that shielded musicians from view.  Johann relaxed back against the smooth side of the wooden tub that he sat in.  He listened to the soft notes of the harp that came from the musicians skilled fingers.

"Sing to me."

"What do you wish for me to sing your majesty."  The woman's voice was soft and slightly accented.  It struck a memory, but Johann couldn't think of where he'd heard that voice before.  There was something very familiar about the lilt of her voice.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

Soft laughter flowed from behind the screen.  "Perchance you've heard me sing before."

"I would have recognized your voice."

"It's been a long time since I've sang your majesty.  Maybe it is someone elses voice that you recognize."

"Hm...That could be."

"Would you wish for me to sing?"

"Yes."

A beautiful voice accompanied the soft harp.  The song was one that he hadn't heard before.  It was a tale of two lovers who pined for each other.  It was a sad song.  The woman's voice held all of the sorrow and heartbreak of the doomed lovers.  The woman's voice faded and was replaced with the soft plucking of the harp.

"What song was that?"

"It has no name my lord.  It is one that I heard when I was young."

"Sing another song."

The hidden woman obliged.  Johann listened to the woman sing of glory and battle.  Her next song told the story of the search for a magical sword.  Hours seemed to pass as she serenaded him.  Finally, Johann asked her name.

"What is your name?"

"You will hate me if I tell you my name."

"How could I hate someone with such a beautiful voice?  Tell me your name." 

The only sounds to be heard was the harp.  It's notes sang sweetly in the dark before they grew quiet.  Johann sat up and was ready to climb out of the tub when the woman spoke in a barely heard voice.

"You have known me for my entire life.  When I was younger, you treated me with kindness.  As I grew older, you grew colder towards me.  You hated me even though I had done nothing to you.  I used to love you."

A hard lump had formed in Johann's throat.  He had to swallow several times and clear his throat before he could speak.  "Do you still love me?"

A rustling signaled the movement of the woman.  Johann's gaze was drawn to the right side of the screen where a familiar figure appeared.  Candle light flickered and cast shadows across her face.  Her dress was a dark color and her black hair hung in a braid over her left shoulder.  Her eyes bore into him as she held the harp against her right hip.

"I will always love you Father."

Johann closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he heard those words.  He opened his eyes and pinned his daughter with a glare.  "Is there a reason why you are here?"

Barrie stared back at him with a stubborn tilt to her chin.  "I have a proposition for you Father."

"Wait for me in my chamber."

Barrie seemed to take a deep breath before she walked gracefully out of the chamber.  Johann sat a few minutes in thought before he stood up and wrapped a towel around his waist as he stepped out of the tub.  He walked out of the bath and into his chambers.  He ignored Barrie as he walked over to a chair by the fire where his robe was waiting.  Barrie averted her eyes as he dropped the towel and wrapped the robe about himself.  Johann bought himself some time by pouring himself a drink.  He handed Barrie a goblet and took a seat in one of the chairs that graced the fire.  He waved at the other chair and waited to speak until Barrie had sat down.

"What proposition do you speak of?"

He watched as Barrie cradled the heart in her lap.  Her fingers lightly stroked the taut strings.  Her gaze was unwavering and her voice steady as she started speaking.

"I am tired of fighting against you.  It breaks my heart every time I see my men lying dead.  I listen to the wails of their wives and see the heartache of their children.  This is not the life I want to put our people through.  They are being forced to chose sides.  I don't want to fight you, but you have given me no choice."

Johann frowned at his daughter.  "What do you mean that I've given you no choice."

Barrie gave him an aggravated look.  "You were trying to force me against my will to marry when I was already in love with someone else.  I was with Arthur, Father and we had a beautiful child together.  You were threatening to take all of that away from me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell you because I knew how you would react.  I would have been banished and Arthur would have been beheaded."

"When did you quit trusting me?"

Barrie's eyes were filled with compassion and hurt as she spoke to him.  "I quit trusting you the day you started listening to your wife.  She has changed you for the worse Father.  Everyone in the village has seen it.  You used to be filled with compassion for the villages."

Johann shifted in his seat as feelings of guilt swept through him.  He had no idea when Barrie had gotten to be so smart.  He felt uncomfortable and he felt a fool.

"What proposition do you have for me?"

Barrie straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath before she spoke.  "I want this war to end without more blood shed.  In order to do that I have thought of only one way we could do that.  I propose a one on one battle between you and me.  The loser is banished and the winner gets the kingdom."

Johann nodded.  "I accept you conditions."

Barrie nodded and stood up.  "Meet me at Death's Peak in a fortnight." 

Barrie walked over to a section of the wall and touched a certain part that was waist high.  The wall swung back to reveal a darkened passageway.  Barrie looked back at him before she stepped through.  Johann could barely hear her words, but they struck a cord within his heart.  "I love you father."

The door swung shut and Johann stared at it for a long time.  Johann finally moved.  He climbed to his feet and went to a locked chest that rested at the foot of his bed.  The locked was a little rusty, but it finally clicked open.  He dug through the layers of clothes and armor till he found a small wooden box.  He pulled the box out and slowly opened it.  He pulled out a small sewing sampler.  Neat little stitches marched row upon row in the shape of a phoenix.  Barrie had given it to him one day when she was barely 8 years old.  Johann wiped at his eyes before he laid it aside and reached into the box and pulled out another piece of Barrie's sewing.  He emptied the little box that was filled with items that Barrie had given him.  Tears made silent tracks down his face as he looked at all of the love that Barrie had put into her work.

Johann wiped his eyes and layered everything back into the box and closed the lid.  He shut and locked the chest before he stood up and tucked the little box underneath his arm.  He carried the box over to his desk and set it down.  Johann sat down and pulled a piece of parchment to him and wrote a short letter.  He sealed the letter with wax and pressed his signet into it and placed the letter in the little box.  He would send the box in the morning.  He had  a lot to do before morning and he wanted to do it before his Queen got back.