16 Chapter 16

"I'm sorry. I came here to try to save you." He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I didn't know what else to do." The prince held out his hands to help Alexandra mount, and suddenly she was high on her horse looking down at her friend.

"I am not sure what I want to say to you." She held her hand out to him.

"But for now it must be goodbye." Herbert held her hand a brief moment then stepped back. Alexandra spoke to her mare, Rust, and they cantered out of the yard and down the road. Herbert stood and watched her go. He felt like his heart was nailed to the dust. Forever after the smells of a stable would bring back an echo of that ache.

A rough hand on his shoulder brought Herbert out of his reverie. Prince Jordon shook him.

"Where did she go, boy?" Herbert pulled free and glared at the taller man.

"Your Highness." Herbert's voice was cold iron. "She is beyond both of us."

"Where is she? I must find her." Jordon's voice almost broke. "I am not there to protect her."

"Your Highness." The iron softened and Herbert put his hand on Prince Jordon's arm. "Why do you think she needs anyone's protection? She is the best of any of us."

Prince Jordon shook his head but let the younger man lead him from the stable.

The confusion of the morning was nothing to the King's reaction to his daughter's disappearance. Guards were dashing everywhere searching while the King and Queen questioned Herbert and Jordon again and again. The King several times called the guards to throw the Prince of Poond into the dungeons, only to have his councilors convince him that causing a diplomatic fuss with Poond was the last thing they wanted at a time like this. Squads of cavalry were searching for the princess throughout the kingdom.

The moon was high and shining through the windows of the Great Hall. Four people sat in a corner of the hall illumined by cold moonlight. The King and Queen, Prince Jordon and Prince Herbert glared wearily at each other.

"Sire," Prince Jordon said, "if you declare a quest to find the Princess Alexandra, you can give her hand in marriage to the one who rescues her."

"Alexandra does not need to be rescued," Herbert said. He stood and looked out the window. "She has not been abducted. She left because she was tired of being manipulated, because she did not want to be a glorified trophy. When she is ready she will come back. It is bad enough that you have half the kingdom searching for her, now you want to make her the object of a treasure hunt! I will have nothing more to do with any of this nonsense."

"And what makes you think you have any right to speak this way to us?" the Queen said. "Prince or no prince, you are perilously close to a flogging."

"I am Alexandra's friend. I have been her friend since she had no friends. Now, since the princess isn't here, I speak on her behalf, because no one else is."

"Do you really think you know my daughter better than I do?"

"Yes." The word hung in the air between the four, strangling any further talk.

Finally, the King sighed.

"You might just be right. Regardless, you will be beyond the bounds of my kingdom by tomorrow midnight or I will not be responsible for your safety."

Herbert, still looking out the window nodded, and sighed.

"You and I," growled Prince Jordon, "will meet to finish our match, with unblunted swords, for the honor of the Princess Alexandra."

"I suppose you think that killing her oldest friend will endear Alexandra to you?" Herbert spun to face Jordon. "You will need to do better than that. Princess Alexandra is not impressed by foolishness. I will never again willingly cross swords with you."

"Cowardice, Prince Herbert?"

"Wisdom, Prince Jordon." Herbert, Prince Heir of Poond turned and walked out. When Jordon made to follow, the King stopped him.

"I promised him one day of safe travel, young prince. I fear in your present mood you might be tempted to break that promise."

"I will honor your promise, Sire." Jordon stood wearily. "You may find me in my rooms." He followed Prince Herbert out of the Great Hall. The corridor was empty.

Herbert had shaken off his weariness as soon as he left the Great Hall and had headed straight for the stable where his horse, Toad, was stabled. Nothing he needed was in his rooms. If he left immediately he would be ahead of the inevitable followers. There would be people who would assume that he knew something worth knowing, and come looking. There would also be a certain person who would follow Herbert for his own sake. Herbert had no interest in meeting Prince Jordon again anytime soon: or maybe ever. Toad whinnied a welcome. It didn't take long to saddle the gelding, an extraordinarily ugly horse. Herbert rode into the waning night, just as it started to rain. The prince laughed. It was the fitting end to the day.

Still laughing he set out on the road west to return to Poond, and face a new battle at home. Herbert had known for years that the only person he wished to marry was Alexandra, and he had no idea how to tell her, or anyone else.