15 Chapter 15

"Please, don't ask me," Herbert said. "I can't say anything." His eyes pleaded with her. Somehow Alexandra couldn't come up with the strength to ask him again. Her heart troubled, she nodded to the prince and moved back to the seemingly endless round of dances and empty conversation.

* * * * *

She didn't see the stranger until he stepped out of the shadow and grabbed her. She felt the cold knife on her throat and knew she was going to die. Only she didn't. Somehow Prince Jordon was there and he grabbed the knife barehanded. Alexandra could see the blood on his hands yet he didn't pause. He pulled the attacker off balance and away from the princess. Spinning, the prince threw the other man against the wall and efficiently knocked him to the floor. Alexandra recovered enough to call for the guards. They came quickly and dragged the attacker off. They wanted to take Prince Jordon away to fix his hand too, but he wouldn't leave until he had seen for himself that the princess was all right. He bowed over her hand and left a bloody hand-print behind.

"I came to apologize for my behavior early this evening," the prince said. "Now I am pleased that I had reason to be here to aid you."

"I thank you for your timely help," Alexandra said.

Alexandra was escorted back to her room, and the maids fussed about cleaning her up. She never noticed. She still didn't like the handsome prince, but he had saved her life, and that brought up feelings too complicated for her to deal with right now. Still in a daze she let her maids put her to bed.

The next morning, she had to describe the attack again and again to her father and then to the head of the castle guard. The entire castle was in an uproar. First, because of the attack, and second, because the attacker had disappeared from the dungeons leaving the door to his cell still locked and guarded. The obvious inference was that Sopo was involved, yet it didn't feel right to Alexandra. She thought that Sopo would be at once more subtle and more deadly.

The games continued and the princess was more comfortable in her new gowns, but something had gone out of the tournament. Word of the assassination attempt spread through the competitors. One of them was always nearby, as if the two burly guards that were with her constantly were insufficient to protect her life. The princess paid less attention to the competition, though she always managed to be there for Jordon's and Herbert's matches. The intensity of the antipathy between the two princes grew in spite of Alexandra's struggle to calm them.

It came to a head in a match between the two. They were fighting with blunted swords in a classic duel. Herbert was doggedly defending against Jordon's swordsmanship. He wasn't brilliant, yet somehow Prince Jordon couldn't get a strike on him, and Alexandra could tell that the son of King Charmant was becoming more and more frustrated. After yet another astonishing move, and yet another desperate defense, Prince Jordon shouted in frustration.

"You shall not have her. She deserves more than you can give her."

"Stop! Just stop." Alexandra stepped into the ring. "Prince Jordon, explain yourself. Now." For the first time Alexandra saw the Charmant Prince discomfited.

"I may not, your Highness. I am bound by oath."

"To my parents."

"Yes," the prince hung his head. Alexandra looked at Herbert.

"You too?" He just nodded. "Did you really think that I would simply stand by and let myself be given away as a prize in a contest? Dare I ask what second prize is?" The crowd gathered taking in every word. There were murmurs both of sympathy and anger. Alexandra gave both the princes a withering glance; both the young men reddened and looked down. But neither spoke.

So Princess Alexandra left them dusty and sweaty from their struggle and went looking for her parents. As she walked through the crowds she realized that talking to her parents would be a waste of breath. They were determined that she would get married. Obviously, they didn't really care to whom. Prince Jordon was handsome, and accomplished, and very Charmant. And he had saved her life. Yet she did not want to marry him. She did not want to marry anyone, yet. So instead of finding her parents she went to her room and packed. She took only what she would have taken for campaigning at school. With regret, she left her new gowns in the wardrobe, and took her riding dress, and some old clothes she had scraped together for her riding lessons.

Suddenly she understood George's story about Jack. Alexandra realized that this Uncle Jack was the hero she and everyone else in the kingdom know as Jack the Giant Killer. George was telling her in his own way to trust herself. So she packed, then bundled herself in a cloak and made her way to the stables.

George was waiting for her.

"Darn fool idea this tournament was, but it isn't my place to tell royalty how to live their lives." He led her into the stables. "I heard the commotion and thought that you might drop by. You know where everything is. I think I will go and join my fellows for a beer. Farewell." The old man turned briskly and left the stable.

Alexandra wasted no time in saddling a mare and stuffing her gear into saddlebags. As she led her mount into the courtyard she saw Herbert standing waiting for her.