The Law of the Prince Charming

Chapter 14.2

Thomas descends into the dungeons. He has no doubt that King Arthur is too honorable to do anything to the Prince of Amberridge. Perhaps the King of Amberridge knows it, and that's why his letter had seemed so unconcerned. The Red Knight greets Thomas at the bottom of the stairs. "What's this?" he points to the bulge of blankets.

"Lady Morgana asked that I bring them to make the Prince of Amberridge more comfortable," Thomas says.

"Oh, Lady Morgana did?" The Red Knight smiles. "Go ahead in then." He waves Thomas down the hall.

The dungeons under Camelot are darker than the ones in Redstone and smell of old water and mildew. Thomas stops in front of the cell where the Prince of Amberridge is sitting on an old cot.

"A visitor. And not just any visitor but the honorable White Knight," the Prince of Amberridge says. "I am humbled."

"Lady Morgana wanted you to be more comfortable, so she sent a blanket for you." Thomas pushes it through the bars.

"Out of the kindness of her heart?"

"Of course. Lady Morgana is kind and generous."

"Then I suppose I must accept." The Prince of Amberridge pulls the blanket into the cell and lays it out on the cot. "There. Is there something else you wanted?"

"I was wondering if there is a reason your father didn't want you back."

The Prince of Amberridge chuckles humorlessly as he plops back on the cot. "I can give you ten. Five of them are older brothers."

"So you're not important as an heir."

"That's why I came here. I wanted to kill some mythics, make a name for myself. But I'm captured now. Even if I managed to get home, they would never let me live this down."

"So what will you do?"

"I'll probably take your king up on his offer. He is the trusting sort isn't he? I didn't really believe when I heard, but you knights really do follow that silly code, don't you?"

"It's not silly," Thomas says. "And if you're going to take up my king on his generous offer, then you can't think it's silly."

"You hold so tightly to it, no matter the circumstance, and it completely ignores the rights of peasants. It only applies to people of 'value'."

Thomas shakes his head. "So what will you do if my king decides you are not earnest enough?"

"Probably go stark raving mad. Not the way I would've liked to go, but I suppose there are worse places I could've ended up." He lays back on the cot. After a few moments he looks over. "Oh wait, did you want some kind of thank you?" The Prince of Amberridge stands and bows with an overly embellished flourish. "So thank you, sir knight, for braving the dankness of this dungeon so your lady didn't have to."

"That is rather rude."

"Yeah, well when you have five proper older brothers, you tend to get stuck with the leftovers, and that includes manners."

"Well I hope you enjoy the Lady Morgana's gift." Thomas goes back upstairs, coming across the Black Knight in the hallway.

"What were you doing down there?"

"Just visiting the Prince of Amberridge. Lady Morgana wanted him to be more comfortable. He is stuck in the dungeons."

"It's better that way. He's a wild card. Like the firebird in the Bluebeard tale."

Thomas frowns. "Um, sure. I will, see you tomorrow then."

The Black Knight nods and Thomas goes back to his room.