Princess of Silence, page 29
part #1 of When Kings Collide Series
Sending an advanced courier might’ve made more sense, but James pressed his own horse to continue at top speed as he flew along the murky, heavily forested roads of Clovington swampland on his way to confront Caleb himself. How this had happened was beyond him, but he wanted to look into Caleb’s eyes himself and tell him he’d just witnessed his sister being snatched away by Gradenian Cavalry, that the lone archer his men had been able to track down had refused to tell them anything, and that, when the courier he’d sent to Nadoria told Queen Eleanora what had transpired, Caleb would have another enemy to face. Furious at what had gone on, James pushed his horse to the breaking point, ignoring warnings from the others that he was bound to run into Arterian forces who may shoot arrows first and ask questions later. If he moved quickly enough, he’d be a difficult target.
He swiped at his forehead with the back of his hand, beads of sweat blurring his vision. Though there was a chill in the air, exertion and emotion had him boiling over. Deep inside, he knew he shouldn’t blame Caleb for this. It appeared as if the transport should’ve been sufficient to pass Katherine off safely. And if anyone knew what it was like to have a sibling taken against their will by enemy forces, it was the Arterian King. Still, anger boiled inside of James as he rode, full-force, toward Castle Caine, needing answers and someone to shout at for Katherine’s abduction. He’d worry about the one who actually took her later. When he did, Leopold would have hell to pay.
Briars, thorns, thickets, and rolling terrain made the pace slow going for Matthew, and rations were hard to come by. After leaving Rebecca’s cottage the morning before, he had stuck with his initial idea that he should head due south for almost the entire day. However, after discovering large forces of Gradenian Cavalry off in the distance, he’d had to change course once more. Almost everywhere he turned, he ran into enemy troops. Frustration began to build inside of him as he seemed to wander aimlessly, not understanding how Caleb’s men had failed to find him.
The water he’d taken from Rebecca’s well had run out late the day before. Now, despite the cooler temperatures, the sun bore down on him, and his thirst bordered on desperation. Much of the ground he had been covering was rocky and did not lend itself to the proposition of water. His tongue was thick in his mouth, and at this point, he’d take even a puddle of rainwater.
Late in the afternoon, he noticed some trees off in the distance and a patch of green unlike the other areas he’d been traveling through. Matthew caught his breath, hoping the greenery was a sign that he might find a brook or a stream nearby. With a hasty look around, he moved in that direction.
He’d have to traverse out into an open space for some distance before he reached the cover of the trees. With his cloak pulled up over his head, he took off as quickly as possible, hoping to reach the woods before another group of Gradenians spotted him.
After several minutes of trekking through the clearing, he was relieved to finally reach the shelter of the trees. He took a moment to lean on a broad trunk, sucking in air and trying to calm his racing heart. When he was ready, he carefully picked his way through the overgrowth, listening for the sound of running water and horses’ hooves.
Following along the path of green for what seemed like an hour, Matthew eventually heard the babbling of a brook in the distance. His energy renewed at the possibility of finally quenching his thirst, he hurried his pace until he spotted the source of the sound. A meandering little brook broke through the tree line and wound its way through the thin grove of trees, disappearing in the distance.
Matthew sighed with relief, happy to finally be able to quench his parched throat. Now wasn’t the time to throw caution to the wind, however. He’d seen enough enemy cavalry the last two days to know they were everywhere. Crouching down, he studied the bank on the other side, glancing up and down in both directions and then rechecking the area around him. The king listened intently for any sound that might give away the presence of troops. Hearing nothing, he took a few deliberate steps out into the exposed area along the bed. Still only the sound of the forest around him, Matthew kneeled down and cupped his hands, drinking deeply. The water was cool and sweet, lifting the burning from his throat with each swallow. Satisfied that he could drink no more, he splashed his face, thankful for an end to his suffering.
The sound of twigs breaking across the bank caught his attention. Matthew’s head darted up, and his heart fell when he realized what he was looking at. Three crossbows were trained on him; Gradenian Cavalrymen, their horses apparently anchored somewhere out of earshot.
Matthew contemplated his options. Leopold’s men weren’t likely to miss, especially at such close range and there being at least three of them. Part of him wanted to take his chances, to dart back to the safety of the trees and let the arrows fly. The idea that his brother had gone to such great lengths to free him, that Angel was likely waiting for him at Castle Caine, deterred him. He stayed still, hoping they’d make a mistake.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Bloody King of Zurconia,” one of the men shouted, his lips forming a snarl and a jagged scar visible on his face despite the distance. “We’ve been looking for you!” Even with his thick accent, the message was loud and clear.
More footsteps behind him dissolved any ideas that he might outrun them. He had escaped once, perhaps he could find a way to do so again. He tried to stay positive, thinking there was a chance Angel was with Philip, and he would get a chance to see her once more. At any rate, it didn’t matter. The footsteps behind him closed in, and even though these men had likely been ordered not to kill him, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t hurt him severely if he tried to run.
Without a word of warning, a mind numbing pain splintered through his head as what he imagined was the butt of a crossbow had his eyes crossing and then rolling back in his head. The last thing he saw before he passed out was a rapidly enlarging steal gauntlet headed directly for his face.
Chapter 28
The color returned to Margaret’s cheeks a bit more each day. Her voice was stronger, and she was able to sit up on her own now, without the use of pillows to prop her up. In just a few short days, Caleb had seen immense improvement, and while he loved visiting with his sister-in-law, it was never easy to answer her questions.
He sat on a chair next to her bed, her cold palm on his hand, her green eyes wider than they had been the last time he visited. Her first question had been the same one she always asked—had Matthew been found. He’d shook his head. Not yet. Margaret had nodded, knowing she would’ve been told immediately if that were the case. “ “He will be. He’ll return to me. I know he will.”
She’d said the same thing the last time he’d sat with her, and the time before that. But Caleb believed Matthew would be found, too. He had to believe it.
“Where are you searching now?” she asked, no accusations in her voice, only curiosity.
“We’ve widened the search to the north and south,” he explained. “It makes little sense that we haven’t located him, unless he became disoriented and walked the wrong direction. Hopefully, today will be the day.”
Margaret pursed her lips together and nodded. “I wish I could do more.”
“I am certain his resolve to get back to you gives him strength.”
Again, her head rocked slightly. “I am uncertain as to whether or not he knows I am alive,” she said, not for the first time. “I am sure he must’ve thought the worst. When he was taken away, I was in such a state....”
“I believe he can feel it in his heart, Margaret,” Caleb said, thinking of how he could sense Rose’s life force even though she wasn’t in the room.
Margaret raised an eyebrow at him. “Perhaps.” She studied Caleb’s face for a moment. “Is there something you’re not telling me, brother? It seems you have a bit of radiance about you today I have not seen before.”
Caleb looked away, surprised at the comment, but unable to hide his smile. “Possibly,” he admitted.
Margaret giggled, a sound he knew Matthew had always been so fond of. “Who is she?”
“Who said it’s a woman?” he asked, looking back at her.
“Come now,” Margaret replied, patting his hand. “Surely you don’t think I am without any intuition because I’ve been slumbering these past months. I can tell, dear brother. I can tell. Is it one of the noblewomen? Not the Princess of Nadoria?”
Caleb made a face. “No, we sent her home as quickly as we could.”
“Yes, I know, but nothing transpired between the two of you before she took her leave?”
He shook his head no. “It’s nothing like that, Margaret, and if I’m honest, I’m not exactly sure what to make of it myself.” Voicing what was in his heart, how he felt about Rose, along with his concerns about her station, seemed impossible. Margaret’s green eyes warmed, and he knew if anyone other than Caroline could help him make sense of it all, it was Matthew’s wife.
“Who is she? Someone I know?”
“In a sense....” Margaret’s eyebrows arched. “It’s the girl I told you about before, the one who helped Matthew escape. He had called her Angel, but her name is Rose.”
A small smile played at Margaret’s lips. “Isn’t she a servant girl? I believe she’s brought me my dinner at least once. Pretty thing. Beautiful red hair and such lovely eyes.”
“Yes, she is a servant.” He held back telling her what Katherine had stated because he no longer thought that was the case after the night he’d shared with Rose. “It seems ridiculous to have feelings for her, considering the situation... but they’re there nonetheless.”
“Nonsense,” Margaret said with a wave of her hand. “It isn’t as if you have anyone to tell you what you must do. Council members hardly advise you on any other matters. Why would they bother to tell you who you should love?”
She had a point. He was used to members of the council attempting to play a role in whom he should marry when he was younger, but once the wars began, and he’d demonstrated he had more important matters to attend to, they’d let off. Who it was he was worried about pleasing, he wasn’t sure, though the nagging lingered in the back of his mind just the same.
“Would you bring her to see me?” Margaret asked, leaning forward a bit. “I’d like to speak with her about Matthew, now that I am stronger.”
“She doesn’t speak,” Caleb reminded her, a bit worried that Margaret would ask Rose about him as well.
“Yes, that’s right,” she said as if she’d forgotten. “No matter. We shall find a way to communicate. Please, Caleb?”
Unable to refuse his sister-in-law, Caleb stood and headed out the door, leaving Margaret in the care of her ladies-in-waiting who’d made the journey from Zurconia with her and cared for her all these months.
He tried the kitchen first, but Caroline said she’d sent Rose out an hour or so earlier, thinking she’d need to rest her hand. The cook smiled at him knowingly, so Caleb continued his search.
The small room the kitchen girls shared was empty, as were his own chambers, including the room she’d stayed in while she recovered. Caleb was at a loss until he passed by the library and saw a familiar form in front of one of the bookcases.
The sun broke through the window behind her, casting a golden-red hue around her hair. She still wore her kitchen dress, but it didn’t matter. Standing with her nose in a book, her feet crossed and her teeth encircling her bottom lip, Rose was as beautiful as anyone he’d ever seen.
At the sound of his footsteps, she closed the book and looked up, alarm fading into a smile. He grinned back, glad to finally get a moment with her. His arms went around her instantaneously, as if that’s where they belonged. “I missed you.”
Rose nodded, smiling up with him, and he knew she was saying she’d missed him, too. She set the book back on the shelf and placed her hands on his chest.
Looking down at the bandage, a wave of guilt came over him. He pushed it aside, hoping she wasn’t still thinking about his terrible treatment of her. Gently, he placed one hand on top of hers. “How is your hand today? Any better?”
She shrugged, nodding slightly. He smiled at her, realizing he was beginning to know what she was saying even without words. “A little better then.” The nodding increased.
Caleb put his hand back on her hip, trying to stay focused on why he’d come to find her and not the soft flesh beneath the layers. “There’s someone I would like for you to meet.” Her eyebrows arched in alarm. “Don’t worry. You’ll love her. And she already loves you.” He felt confident in his words, knowing how Margaret appreciated her help in caring for Matthew. “Will you come?”
Rose inhaled deeply and then nodded. With an encouraging smile, he took her good hand and led her through the halls, not caring who may notice, to the staircase at the back of the castle. She paused at the foot of the stairs, and he realized she knew where they were going. Whether she was apprehensive or nervous, he couldn’t say, but he continued to encourage her as they made their way up the stairs.
At the door, her grip on his hand became tighter. With no way of knowing what she was thinking, he glanced at her reassuringly, and before he pushed the door open, Caleb raised her hand to his lips.
Margaret pulled herself up to a sitting position as they approached. With a warm smile, she said, “Good evening, Rose. It’s so nice to formally meet you.” Rose curtseyed, and Caleb couldn’t help but smile at her graciousness.
Margaret’s voice was raspy and quiet since she had been unconscious and near death for so long, but as she began to speak to Rose, the girl didn’t have any trouble understanding. “Tell me, Rose, what did you think of my husband?”
Caleb watched in silence as Rose pondered how to answer the question, not sure if it was the fact that the question wasn’t definitive that had her puzzled or if she just didn’t know how she’d felt about Matthew. He let go of her hand so she could use it and she began to signal. With her left hand, she made a “c” shape and with her right hand, she made a backward “c.” She pressed them together to form a heart.
Margaret smiled. “Me, too,” she said. “I love him, too.” Then she added, “You’re very clever.”
Caleb kissed the top of her head. He agreed. Rose was very clever. It didn’t bother him in the least that Rose loved his brother as he assumed she meant she held a fondness for him, which was understandable. Matthew was the sort of person one instantly liked. Though he’d had his moments when he was younger, leaping in love from one girl to the next, Caleb doubted there were any sort of romantic feelings between Matthew and Rose. He was married to Margaret now, after all, and he was confident in Rose’s feelings for him.
“Sit down, Rose,” Margaret said, gesturing to the chair Caleb had been sitting in earlier. “Let’s chat some more, shall we?”
Caleb was about to excuse himself anyway to give them some privacy when a knock on the door made his breath catch in his throat. Perhaps they’d found Matthew at last. “Excuse me,” he said and stepped over to find a uniformed guard.
“Pardon the interruption, Your Highness, but you’re needed downstairs at once.”
“What is it?” Caleb asked, praying it was Matthew.
The soldier shook his head. “I’m unsure, Sir, but I do know that it is not related to the Zurconian King.”
Trying not to show his disappointment, Caleb turned back to the women, noting Margaret had Rose’s hand in hers. “I’ll be back.”
He could tell Margaret understood it wasn’t news of Matthew, though she had to have been hoping the same. “We’ll just be visiting,” she called, and Caleb left, hoping Margaret behaved herself.
Katherine stared into the green eyes Matthew had described to her, not sure what to think of his wife. While she was kind and graceful, if she suspected that Katherine had once harbored feelings for Matthew, she might think differently of her. She’d been honest when she said she loved him. Love could come in several forms after all, and while she now realized that what she’d felt for him was more of an affection than anything romantic, the thoughts had been there just the same. Now that she had been with Caleb, her emotions had reached a deeper level she hadn’t imagined possible. There was no question in her mind that she loved the King of Arteria.
“My understanding is that you don’t speak. At all. Is that correct?”
Katherine nodded, glad to hear the question asked in kindness.
“When I first awoke from my illness, I couldn’t speak either. It took many days and a wealth of patience. Do you know, when I finally spoke, what my first words were?” Katherine shook her head, noting the grin on Margaret’s face. “Horse shite!” she said laughing.
Raising her eyebrows, Katherine let that sink in for a moment, and then she laughed as well. It was hard to imagine the delicate woman before her using such language.
“Do you know why? Because I was angry. Sometimes, that’s all it takes. One strong emotion. But then... I wanted to speak.” Her face softened again. “If you’d rather not, that’s just as well. You’re a clever girl, and you find a way to get your point across.” Katherine felt her cheeks redden at the compliment. “I see so much behind your eyes. Don’t sell yourself short, Rose. Regardless of your past, you have a fresh start here. You can be whoever you want to be.”
Katherine listened intently. Margaret had been so near death, and yet here she was alive and well. Her perspective was one worth listening to. She had no idea if Caleb had told her about her alleged past or if the queen was simply making a statement, but it was true just the same.
