"Elizabeth wells sit like a lady" my mother shouts for the hundredth time since we entered the carriage. "did I not raised you well"
My mother's anger had been placed onto Elizabeth after our ordeal at the house. She had been hard on Elizabeth more the usual because she has lost all hope in marrying me off.
if my father wants to win this war and put it all to an end he will need help from Lord Marten.
He has his son that mother will be more than happy to married Elizabeth off to. His son lord Nathaniel Marten is quite a handsome young man but it's bad I can't say the same about his attitude or manners. I will not stand to let Elizabeth be married off to someone like him.
"Mother leave her be," I said harshly "we're all tired from this trip"
"Katherine what your tone with me young lady"
I still remember my childhood home very well though I was only fifteen years old when my father sent us away. Elizabeth was only eleven, every memory I had was innocent and good until my mother brought up the topic of the marriage of course but I always knew how to avoid it.
I had been so happy back then so was Elizabeth. I hope to feel that way again when we go there. Elizabeth had to grow up so fast and with the changes that were made about our living situation. We didn't have people waiting around for us whenever we needed help. It was a good realization, very eye-opening. I loved the way we had been living, come to think if I wasn't my father eldest I would leave just to live like that again.
"I don't remember Delaware very well even though I was just eleven when I left"
"And who fault is that" mother rolled her eyes and looked out the window. She still blames us for father sending us away for safety. She didn't have the life she was known to with someone around for her hand and foot. I couldn't say I remember a day when I loved my mother she was never around and being with her in a small house for six years did not help at all.
The carriage pulled to a stop, we couldn't have made it to the palace. Not for another half a day.
"Is there a problem sir" we heard someone asked before there were a grunting sound and the sound of someone hitting the ground. Elizabeth grabbed onto me and I hold her back. There was a lot of noise of shouting and screaming in horror. Along with swords clashing together, I was surprised that mother hasn't woken up from a nap as yet.
"Are we there yet?" she asked us after Elizabeth reaches over to wake her up.
"No, we're being attacked!" I screamed as the carriage shook violently. Mother's face paled and she took it in what I just said. Everything then went silent, At that moment the quiet had become like icy drips onto already cold skin. We all were still, ears straining to hear.
Elizabeth moved over to the door to look through the window when the door was pulled open a knight dressed in the Chester color appeared. He grabbed onto Elizabeth pulling her out mother and I grabbed onto her. I kicked the man out a close the door.
It's not going to keep them out I knew that as it opened again and more men were there as they pulled us all out. I saw the dead buddies of our men on the ground before they pulled a black bag over my head.
the sounds of Elizabeth's hysterical crying, the screaming sobs only interrupted by her need to draw breath did not make what was happening any easier. Was this god's punishment for leaving those people helpless in Hull?
It was a blur one moment I can hear my mother and sister and the next I couldn't, The taste. The smell. Everything was just gone. I trying to hold back the strange feelings rumbling inside me but I couldn't. A lone tear tracked down my cheek, and just like that, the floodgates opened.
What would my father think if we don't show by nightfall? What would he do? So many tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down my face. My chin trembled as if I was a small child. I breathed heavier than I ever had before. I was gasping for air and the bag over my head did not help.
We were walking for a while when I tripped and fell onto my side.
I felt my bones move in a way they shouldn't, as my head hit a rock. I know there is blood seeping from the skin that seconds ago was smooth. I don't move - anything to delay the part where I take in what I look like now. Torn and dirty skin, red, weeping. "Get up" the man beside me grunt lifting me by one arm then pushing me forward.
"Where my sister," I asked, I couldn't hear Elizabeth yelling for a while and I wondered if they have separated us.
"We quite her, now enough talk" I did what I was told and kept walking.
"Let go of me you fool" my mother shouts. "Let go of me do you know who I am, how dear you do this to me" I don't think scream will help us so I stayed silent. I think about who we are made this happened mother.
"What is this?" someone asked and I raised my head. Though I can see a little I can't make out the face but I have heard the voice before.
"We were gathering information at Delaware today. We ran into the royal carriage on the way back. So we took them" the man next to me spoke up.
"Your highness, the daughters and the queen are the apples of the king of Delaware's eyes. So, we can take them hostage and use them as a bargaining chip to put a swift end to the war"
"You people of Chester are ridiculous fools, you only know how to plot and scheme. My husband will have you all"
"Take the bags off their heads"
As they pulled the bag off my head I closed my eyes and when I opened my eyes my brain stutters for a moment and my eyes take in more light than I expected, every part of me goes on pause while my thoughts catch up. The person in front of me was not who I was expecting. It was William, he turned his back to me when I started at him.
"What happened to her?" He asked going through the scrolls that were on his desk. The guy next to me looked down at me before saying. "She fell on the way here, your highness"
I grabbed onto Elizabeth's hands, as a way to let him know she's going to be okay. My mother still going on and on next to Elizabeth.
"Let them go," he said finally facing us. " But your highness" the knight spoke up and with a look from William he does as he was told and untie us.
"Take those two to Anna get them something to eat." He points to my mother and sister" Everyone else clears the room."
There was a guy next to him in all black with a mask at the bottom half of his face. His hair was blonde and he had a cold look to him, he moved away from William and helped Elizabeth off the ground who has now gone into shock.
"I am not leaving my daughter!" My mother screamed as they lifted her and pulled her away. Elizabeth got up without a word with the man and walked out.
"Mathew please tell the doctor to come to her as soon as he has done," William told the guy that helped my sister as they were about to leave.
"Yes sir" he bows and continues on his way. William walks over to me and grabbed onto my arms raising me to my feet.
" sit over there" he leads me to his chair behind his desk and helps me down. With my head down still not looking at him, I knew he was staring at me.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine" I still wasn't sure if I can be mad or not that I did know he was the prince of Chester and I was attracted to him the first time I saw him. Because I am sure he's thinking the same thing as I because he had no idea who I was. I always thought of meeting him again but not like this.
Neither of us spoke for a while so I decided to say the obvious by saying.
"You're the prince of Chester"
"If you had known that earlier would that have changed your views about me," he asked putting down whatever he was reading "would you have even helped me?"
I looked up "My views on you would have been the same. A title's just that a title."
"You don't look so pleased"
"It would not have hurt to known earlier"
"You didn't tell me you're King Charles's daughter even after all the terrible things I said about him" he now had this look of curiosity on his face as he crossed his legs and put a hand to his chin.
"Because everything you said was true" I grabbed onto my head as a wave of headache hit me. "What's going to happen to us my family and me," I asked putting my hand down. He got up in the search of something.
"You will be on your way back home." He then continues "Of course after you have given me that apple pie recipe."
I smiled after I remember his letter back at Hull mentioning the pie. "Your people are very close to the city. That's a big risk."
"Yes it is one that we were willing to take to complete our task"
"Task?" I asked and he looked at me before looking away so I knew I was not going to get an answer. It was stupid of me to ask anyway.
"I thought you were caught in the storm" I changed the subject to something else. I was worried for a long time thinking about if he had made out the storm alright. When he found what he was looking for he pulled out a cloth and wet it with water.
"I made it back just in time" he moved my hair out off my face to get a better look at the cut on my head. He put it against the wound cleaning the blood off my face.
"Does it hurts?"
"Not really" I look up at him and he was already staring at me. It wasn't awkward at all, With neither of us wanting to break eye contact. He smiles before getting back to work on my face.
"Katherine I-" he started but was cut off by a man walking into the tent with loads in his hands.
" You called for me your highness" he bowed his head. William dropped his hand and moved away from me. I wanted to know what he was going to say but I will ask him later as he seems uncomfortable with the doctor being here.
"Yes, I did" he is took something off his desk "could see to it that she is taken care of" he walked out of the tent leaving the doctor and myself.
"Okay let's see what I can do for your face" he walked over to me and opened his wooded box and began to pull out his herbs and tools.
I sat with my sister and mother. Mother was going on and on about our situation. They had left us in here alone for a while. "What going to become of us," Elizabeth asked, her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
"Nothing is going to happen to us" I comforted her, my mother banged the table which my us jump.
"Please tell me Katherine how do you know that" she shouts, before they left the room they threatened to tie her back up for the way she was behaving. Right now I wish that they did. "They are warring with your father of course we are not safe here"
"Mother I don't think you're helping," I said nodding to Elizabeth who looks like she about to cry again.
"What did he say to you," she asked her attention on me now.
"What do you mean?"
"He cleared the room to speak with you what did he say" she pushed on, I didn't know what to say because I didn't want her to know that I knew Prince William.
"H-he just-" I was cut off by William and I was grateful for it. "Wanted you to deliver this letter to your husband" he handed her the letter and she took it.
She looked at him skeptical "You are letting us leave" she emphasized every word that she said.
"Yes"
"And why should I believe you"
"Based on my understanding of Charles, he has a big ego and if he knows his daughter and wife are being used for a bargaining chip he'll hate us more making it worse between us"
"Anyways taking you hostage is something only a pity man would do. I believe we can win the war without any of you."
"Got someone to take the princesses and the queen back to Delaware" he ordered his men.
"Yes, this way please"
I was walking out the door tent with my mother and sister but I was pulled back. It was William.
"Katherine there's a man by the name of Lewis Douglas in Northshore " he placed a piece of paper in my hand. I only looked up at him confused "if you ever need anything or to talk to me gave him the letter and I will get it"
"Thank you, William, I am very grateful"
"I was just returning a favor" he smiled.
As William draws closer I feel my heartbeat so hard I fear he'll hear it. A small lock of hair tumbled in front of my face, resting just in front of my cheek, but with one swift slide of his thumb, it was brushed out of the way. I felt feel his lips on my cheek. My breath caught in my throat. Where his lips were burned and tickled.
A small grin crept onto my face and my cheeks painted themselves rose red. He pulled away silently, but our eyes locked, having a private conversation of their own. Then I hear him speak, barely a whisper as he draws back and smiles, "write to me will you." he turns away before I can think to reply.
Were you expecting them to meet like this again?
Do you think that friendship was a lie from the start?
Let me know.