“Your Grace – the servant said bowing his head – Lord Straddling is here to see you.”
“Then send him in idiot!” The servant scurried back toward the door and bowed again as he opened it. “My Lord.”
“Your Grace.” Lord Straddling replied as he strolled through the King’s heavily decorated meeting room. “Please, my Lord. Be seated. You! – he pointed at the young nervous looking servant – Leave us.” The servant hurried from the room slamming the door shut behind him. Lord Straddling sat as he chuckled to himself. “Not the smartest of servants eh?”
“Absolutely not, he’d be more useful headless. I may arrange that actually.” The King nodded as he agreed with himself. “It’s far from common to see you leave one of your own feasts so early.”
“Indeed. Maybe I’m too old for the wine and whores.”
“Or too fat. – Lord Straddling said as his face turned serious – Either way, it seems as though you’ve avoided me. My Grace.” The King glared back at Edward Straddling, gritting his teeth. “What do you want?”
“Your daughter… Is she prepared?”
“During birth she took her Mother’s life from me. She will do as I command her to do!” The King replied, raising his voice.
“Not what I asked. My son needs an obedient wife, not an arty juvenile.” The King stood up as he slammed his fist down onto the solid table. “Have you forgotten that you are speaking to a King?!”
“And have you forgotten who put you there?! You fool!” Edward Straddling yelled back loud enough to rattle the room. They both stood, glaring icily at each other in a moment of silence. “Jonathan!” The King shouted out to the young knight stood waiting outside the door. Jonathan entered the room, confused by his father almost chest to chest with the King. “Go to Renae’s chambers. Tell her what you expect of her as a wife” The King demanded, not taking his eyes away from Edward.
“As you wish, your Grace.”
* * *
“We’re running out of time! Ryder! Can you do it?” Ryder had managed to slip his hand through a small gap in the hatch. “They’ve blocked it with a wooden beam. I can break through it but it’ll be loud.” If Ryder broke through and was seen fleeing from the tower with Renae, the ramifications would be extreme and he was wise to them. “It’s our only option. We need to go.”
“I know… listen out for guards. I’ll break through when we’re clear. You three should cut across the west corridor to the passage. I’ll continue down the west as the guards will come from the south. Are you ready?
“No… but I’m not ready to die between a lock and a very dark place either.”
“Good. Listen out.” The four of them sat and waited, judging whether the distant footsteps were coming or going. Ryder prepared himself to kick through the hatch. The footsteps got quieter and quieter. “3…2…1!” immediately on one, Ryder Kicked the hatch with everything he had, again and again until it smashed through. The four of them darted across the west corridor into the passage. “Ryder wait!”
“You need to go!” Renae ran back toward Ryder, at the opposite end of the passage. As she got close to him she gripped onto his shirt and pulled herself even closer, their eyes locked briefly before she kissed him on the lips. “Thank you.” Renae whispered into his ear. Ryder stood shocked as the princess continued down the passage. The freighting sound of guards approaching rapidly brought Ryder back to attention; he swung round the corner back onto the west corridor and ran as fast as he possibly could. Just as the guards got to the south west tower, he was gone.
* * *
“You! – Jonathan said as he pointed at the young girl – tell the Princess I’m here to see her.” Renae had left another lady in waiting outside of her chambers to send away any undesired guests. “She has retired to her bed Sir.” The young girl replied as she bowed before the knight. “Oh I’m sorry, I must have confused you. I didn’t ask you what she was doing. I told you, to go and tell her that I am here to see her.” The young girl looked petrified. “But Sir…”
“What! But what! Do you really not understand what I am telling you to do?” The young girl was intimidated by his large armour and his handsome but spiteful face. She looked to the floor in complete fear. Renae wasn’t in her chambers and the girl had lied to a glorified solider. Jonathan leant down toward the girl and clenched his large hand around her face. As he stood crushing her cheeks he pulled her towards him. “Pretty girl aren’t you? I bet you’d like to remain pretty too? But… you are very close to having that gorgeous little face of yours scrambled.” As he released his hand, Jonathan pushed the young girl against the wall. Trying to cover the tears rolling off of her chin she bowed to the knight once again. “Sir, the Princess has ordered us to leave her to rest.” Instantly after finishing her sentence, Jonathan back handed the young girl across her face. Her tears started to pour out as did the blood from her lip. “Move!” Jonathan threatened as he opened the door to Renae’s chambers. Slowly he entered the room, the young girl’s sobbing got louder. She knew what was coming. The girl started to shake as she heard Jonathan’s footsteps leaving the room, he stopped in the door way and glared at the girl as she buried her head in her hands. Jonathan clenched his fist around the girls arm and dragged her across the floor into Renae’s chambers. “I’ll ask this once and I’ll ask it clearly. If you fail to tell me…well, you probably get the idea.” Jonathan pushed the young girl so that she was flat on her back. He then softly placed his foot on her chest and slowly applied pressure. She started to find it hard to breathe, his heavy boots and armour was closing her chest. “Where is the princess?” Jonathan took some pressure off of her to allow her to talk. But even if she wanted to, she was too hysterical to speak. “Are you really that stupid!? Where is she!?”
“Here! Take your foot off of her!” Jonathan looked up to see Renae standing at the entrance of her chambers. “What have you done to her?” Renae ran over to the girl, curled up in a ball. “Where have you been?” Jonathan ordered to know.
“For a walk! Is that a crime!?” Renae shouted back whilst attempting to calm the girl down. “I should hang her for lying to me.” Jonathan said as he looked disgusted at the young girl incoherently begging. “You’ll need to hang me too! I told her to say that. I didn’t want anybody looking for me. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts.” Renae helped the girl to her feet; she was bleeding, crying and violently shaking. “Get her out. We need to speak.” Renae knew Jonathan was serious; she nodded at her other ladies to come and escort the girl out. Renae’s chambers were large, a huge balcony ran parallel with the room, decorated in candles it looked beautiful against the night sky. Now alone, Jonathan followed Renae out onto the balcony. “My Princess, I apologise for my actions. You mean everything to me and I thought you were missing… it scared me.” Renae couldn’t even look him in the eye.
“And if I was? Renae asked as she turned to Jonathan who starred blankly at her.
“Missing!” She added.
“Then I would find you …even if it killed me.”
“What about that girl? – Renae asked as she pointed at the door – if I had truly been missing you wouldn’t have had a chance to find me! You wasted the time you had beating a girl of only 14! What kind of animal are you!?” Renae turned to walk back inside as Jonathan grabbed her arm and pulled her back, tightly gripping her arm he tucked her hair behind her ear and whispered. “In one month from now you will be my wife. I don’t think you know what that entails but you have enough time to work it out, before it’s too late. If you mention the incident with that little whore again… I’ll let my men do as they please with her.” Jonathan released Renae’s arm but his hand print remained. Renae didn’t respond, she just looked to the ground. Jonathan sighed as he proceeded to leave. “Rest, you have a long month ahead of you.”
