Kingdoms - Book 6 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Twenty-Four

Jobyna ran through the sitting room and closed the hefty shutters on the front windows, bolting them.

Ellice watched her with great fear on her face.

Bathed and dried in the fastest time Jobyna could ever remember, she allowed Ellice to help her dress. The pink gown was sleeveless with narrow shoulder straps. Jobyna had never worn such a gown. It was low cut and the princess stared at herself in the small mirror with frustration. She reached for her own dress, a dusty heap, frayed and torn at each shoulder.

Ellice caught her expression and whipped the desired article away before Jobyna could retrieve it. Crushing the brown dress to her, with a defiant set on her face, Ellice was well aware of Jobyna's disturbed state; but the slave remembered Elliad's past displays of fury when he was displeased.

The rattle of a key sounded in the door. The handle turned and the door was pushed upon. The key sounded again and the door rattled with greater urgency. Once again the key clicked around.

Extra force sounded on the door and Elliad's voice came to their ears, "Jobyna, open the door or I'll break it down!"

He hammered on it with both fists.

Jobyna rushed to the shutters, unbolting them.

She hurried back, grabbed the Chezkovian crown, and grasped the slave-girl's hand, "Come with me, Ellice. Konrad is planning to rescue me and I am praying to God he will arrive soon. We'll hide in the garden."

Ellice's eyes filled with terror, but she moved with Jobyna, knowing she would be in tremendous trouble if Elliad found her on her own in the room.

Jobyna put the crown on her head, pushing it down, almost covering her eyes. They both swung over the window ledge, dropping silently the short distance to the shrubs. Together, they peered out to see if the coast was clear.

Threading the crown over her hand and up her arm, she took Ellice's hand with her other.

Jobyna ran down the steps, across the terrace and around into the gardens, as far and as fast as she could, running as if a mad dog was chasing her. Reaching a low stonewall, they squatted down behind a large bush.

Minutes passed by before Jobyna regained her breath and gathered the thoughts that were tumbling around her mind.

Realizing that it would just be a matter of time before they were found, the princess wondered what Elliad would do to Ellice.

"Dear Lord," she prayed, "I can't think properly. Help me to do the right thing now! —But how can anything be right in this situation?" She asked as she looked at the crown, the garden, the high walls, the small stonewall with the garden seat built into it... how to deceive a deceiver...

"Ellice, promise me you'll stay here until I call you or I send someone for you." Ellice's terrified eyes filled with tears. "Promise me you won't come out unless you hear me call, or someone else who says, 'King Konrad has won the castle.'

"Look at me, Ellice! 'King Konrad has won the castle.' Promise me you'll stay here until you hear those words!" Ellice nodded into Jobyna's anxious eyes. "This is the crown of Chezkovia, and it belongs to Czar Kievik. If the czar is dead, it belongs to the Czarevitch, Kenrik."

Jobyna stood, and with a carefully calculated movement, she threw the crown over the low wall, swinging it with both hands. "Hide behind this wall and look after the crown, Ellice. Remember, 'King Konrad has won the castle.'"

Jobyna left the hiding place.

Joining herself once more to the path, she circled around to the front of the castle. Smoothing the dress, and finger combing her hair in place, she climbed the steps slowly, moving towards the front entrance. Now, how to face the ferocious foe?