chapter 38

"Why" she pointed at a short stool. He drew it nearer for her. She rested her legs there. They were seated on the long couch near the fireplace.

The room was almost the same as when he was there. The wooden big bed was inviting. Covered in brown and pink coloured blanket. The lovely fragrance he had long missed. Jasmine. He closed his eyes to feed on his longings.

Then he always stuffed himself under the bed before his mother locked her room and in the middle of the night he would pounced on her. She would accept him to lie next to her as she accepted sleep itself. But now he just stare and smile. The boy was now a man.

"The king is death"

"Oh dear!" She stretched her hands and held him. The number of wrinkles on her skin, tells the age of the house.

"Such a good king like his father and his father before him. His grandfather, king Wilson defeated the dreaded viper that troubled our kingdom after the war".

Then he was a child. Memories was flowing. The general just watched as she spoke. The pendulum clock kept swinging like a rollercoaster cruised on the desk. It sound was as small as it's size. A prize he heard father got from the then king for wining a duel. He let his mind travel far but his mother frail voice pinched him back.

"His father brought peace... to the killing of people in the gold...mine" General Frederick kept nodding to his mother's sayings even though he couldn't understand why she had to start all over with history she always tell him like riddles back in the days. When she was finally done. He told her what brings them.

"The Duke took over the throne. The princess is no longer safe in the palace and she didn't wished to returned to her husband just yet that was why we left".

" oh poor thing". She said. "she is married".

" We shall stay here for days while we sort for a way out of this?" The general said.

She nodded. After moment of silence. He took her to bed and make her sleep before he left.

He met with Francis in the living room and Beatrice too. Watching the stars through the window.

"You should be asleep by now".

"When sleep is far from you, you make worry your companion". Francis said. He just came back from the princess room. He had been shuffling between her room and the living room to make sure she doesn't opened her eyes and no one was around her.

Beatrice sat on the second stairs leaving the staircase behind. General Frederick took his place by the wide window and saw what Francis saw on the sky. Shining stars of varying sizes. big, medium, small and others in-between.

"I have seen men worried but their problems kept rising on their plate. Then I stopped worrying and started acting". The general said

Ken clear his throat from behind. They turned around. All the four knights stood there like statues.

"Why is no one sleeping?" The general asked.

"Sleep comes easily to those with merry heart". Sea said. "But the princess heart is not merry and she has been sleeping since we got here" Beatrice wondered and rested her head on the railings.

" She has been grieving for too long. Her soul is trying to replenished her body". Kate said. she came out of no where and sat on the armchair near the piano.

"the king doesn't deserved any of this". Eric, one out of two of queen Margaret personal Knights spoke. "His reigned has not elapsed because his mourning is still on. Yet another sit on his throne.

They very person who was supposed to act as king until after the mourning period. Then they would proceed to crowning he that is worthy. I never knew that Duke Williams was a traitor".

"king Williams" Francis corrected. "that's what he calls himself now". He turned around. Folding his hands and crossing his legs, he leaned on the window

"General what do we do? How do we get the throne back? Staying here is not enough to protect our princess from the Duke and his entourage or from the powerful emperor of the Black Dust Empire. Where do we go from here?". Ken threw questions that made the beautiful gleaming stars disappeared.

"I have eyes in the palace, they shall keep us updated. In the meantime, staying here is our only option and for the princess safety. We could never have fought the Duke and his many knights under the same roof".

The general went and sat down on the long couch opposite the fire place.

" I do not worry about my grandfather that is after the princess's life. I worry about the Black Dust Empire. There is little or nothing my grandfather could do".

Francis thought of Eleanor's husband. Though he was not around at the time of the burial, he heard her husband did not come.

Now they are here in this small farm house. Far away from the palace just to protect the crown.

When he, the husband was supposed to be by her side and fight her battled. He didn't want to say. Not before the servants that he would table such matter.

" Do not underestimate the evil men could do for wealth and power". The general said. He looked at the two guards of queen Margaret, Sea and Eric.

"Queen Margaret is indeed different from the other queens. She refused to take part in their malevolent act.

As such her life is no longer safe in that palace. Is a good thing she decided to come with us. You both are responsible for protecting the princess as well as Ken and Luke is responsible for the queen's safety. It going to be a contributive effort. You are now ordered to protect both royalties. Four of you".

He paused and glanced at them. Ken and Luke were closer. The stood by the door as if the rest of them were in trouble.

Sea and Eric had their backs against the wall. Eric let his shoulders slacked and his eyes roll regularly as if he has been starving for days.

Francis flashed his eyes through the window again. He saw torches burned in the opened. He inspected it well and discovered it was the farmers going about their various businesses. He shut the window and sat beside general Frederick on the couch.

"I wished the other maidens were here" the general said.

"I shall called them" Kate offered. She walked into a corridor. Martha and Stella scuffed out after a moment. Kate just withdrew them from their dreams.

"There is a wolf behind". Eric roared like a wolf and jumped. Before Sea who was closer could drew his sword. Martha and Stella were behind Ken and Luke at the other end of the door. Ken was well position to killed the wolf. Francis sprang up and shaded the general with his sword stirred in the air. Kate froze but Beatrice sat indifferent.

Eric busted out. Everyone looked at him. It was the only time he came alive since they arrived.

He laughed out more loudly when he saw Stella and Martha peeking through Ken and Luke's back.

He tried to suppressed his laughter by the time he realized they were not finding it funny. He saw the disappointment written on their faces.

"It was nothing... I just... Just wanted them to stop being dreamy".

Martha and Stella were like twin. They looked alike. Their auburn hair glisters like the ember flickering from the fireplace. Their faces were round and thick.

Queen Margaret gave their cheeks a name. Puff puff. Their eyes was deep green, medium and caring. It complimented their fair skin. They were an inch taller than Beatrice. Plump and short.

They hissed. The general gulped at the silliness of a grown man. Martha found her way to the couch and dropped on. The dim light seems too dark for Stella, she stumbled on the desk that stood by the side of the room before finding her foot to the upholster.

Kate was just there. Still recovering from the shocked of the wolf. She sat on the arms of the couch Martha was.

"This is not the palace" The General began. After they were all settled and relax knowing that the wolf was just a prank.

"Here we might face a lot of challenges and difficulties. We shall not stay here for long. Out there we might run out of water and food. Out of cloak to prevent the chills. Rooms to sleep in, even the sleep itself. Just like now". He rode his eyes through their faces to see if he was understood. They gave a knowing smirk.

"We are not cruising but we are escaping, hiding, running away if there is a better word please do used for me". He turned to Francis.

" Evacuating" Francis said.

"we are evacuating from troubled for now. To buy time for our princess to heal before thinking of a way to fight back.

The princess is the target. We must protect her with our lives and for our late king who was good to you and I". He points at all of them. " For the good of our kingdom at large".

The moon was folding for the sun to take it place. The rooster made the announcement. They have talked all night.

Stella wished they could stop talking so she could concentrates on her sleep. She had gone to the kitchen twice to washed her face and returned to still pay attention. Yet the sleep wouldn't let her be. The kitchen was the only place that she knew there was water.

"I know most of you don't know why they are after our princess. But in time, with time, you shall all know why". He turned to all of them.

" I want to see your faces" he commanded.

All of them displayed before him like sales. He could have made a good bets auctioning them. They seems to be a good merchandise but there were no merchants.

Ken and Luke drew closer to Sea and Eric. They didn't know when Beatrice got in their front. Martha and Kate joined but Stella was asleep. Francis woke her and they all stood in line.

"It is dawn, soon Bernard and Steve our late king Ephraim's most trusted personal Knights shall be here. This 'evacuation' that we are on is a matter of life and death. If you are not comfortable with it. Stand out!".

He rose from his seat like the general commander that he is. With an authoritative voice.

"If you still remained in that line. It means you are willing to give your life for the course of the princess. If not stand out now that you may return with Bernard to the city. Your lives are not at stake without being around the crown".

Princess Eleanor and queen Margaret were awake. They came in. Queen Margaret had gone to the princess's room. She told the queen to help her walk down stairs.

A white cloth was wrapped around her to pressed the herbs to the spot on her back where she got stabbed by Duke Williams Houston.

None noticed their presence. The princess sat on one of the staircase while queen Margaret stood holding the railings.

Ms. Monica and some of her servants were awake too. They came out of their rooms.

"I'm the only son of my mother" . Eric shivered out of the line like a purging bird. "She shall...surely die... if I continue with my lady... Queen Margaret" Eric stammered.

"I am ready to serve my princess or die trying". Francis simply stated.

Ken crossed his hands on his chest. "The princess back is were I belong till I breathe my last".

Beatrice swore to go with her where ever she may go. Stella and Martha too pledged their vows. Sea was next to speak. He knelt with a knee.

" If my lady keeps accompanying the princess. Then my place is with her". He pledged his undivided loyalty to the queen.

"my princess is the hope I have. I shall continue to hoped in this hope till there is nothing left to hope for". Kate said as tears strolled down her cheeks.

Princess Eleanor who was watching and listening to them wept silently. Queen Margaret gave her a hand to cuddled.

"it shall be well Eleanor". She whispered to her hearing alone. Eleanor looked up to her and nodded.

General Frederick was proud at the servants who were willing to risked their lives for a course not theirs. They were willing to give everything for the unknown.

"Luke speak now" the general commanded.

"I have a son and my wife is with another child". Luke said ashamed to looked into the general's eye.

The princess shambles down with heavy gaits. Holding the railings as she descend. The queen was protective incase she tripped. What was left of Eleanor was her head.

Francis kept wondering what shall remained if she continues like this. Her hair lost it colour. Her eyes socket created a hole and her lips cracked. She was a shadow of herself.

"I once lost a mother" she spoke with hoarseness in her tone. "Recently I lost a father. I have lost my king. I am a no princess without my father".

She was leaning on one of the pillars of the house. Minding her wounds.

She knew they might be worried why her husband was not here or why she refused to go to him. She also knew that if she kept dodging this fact. They shall surely question her.

" The man my father married me to is still a stranger to me and I to him. I don't want to burden him with my problems".

Saying this she remembered when prince Raymond asked her father if he was giving a burden to him as wife. She didn't want that statement to come to pass. She vowed not to returned to him until she sort her problems by herself.

" I am no princess without a kingdom" she continues. "I am just an orphan. I have no means to feed and care for all of you no more. I cannot protect or defend you from any evil. I release you all to returned each to your homes and start a new life".

She managed to scuffed before them. "I shall fight my course alone". She went to the general.

" My general you are a man of trust. A man of great value. I can never thank you enough for the care and wise counsel you share with my father when he was alive and to me in his demise. Thank you sir". She clasped her hands and bowed her head.

"But I do not want to put your live at risk" Her voice seems to have an iota of strength. " Leave me to my fate. I begged of you".

The general stare at her speechless. Tears overflowed from the eye of Ms. Monica whom her servants got an arm chair for.

The queen came to her side. She patted Ms. Monica on her back.

As princess Eleanor turned, she saw all the servants kneeling except Luke and Eric. Francis too was on a knee. "We shall die or live with you till the end of times, my princess". Ken said. She teared up. They wept. She hugged each and everyone of them in turns.

She passed the hugged to Ms. Monica and thanked her for allowing her to stay in her house.

Ms. Monica kissed her hands. Afterwards the general mother ordered for breakfast to be served.