Authors: Janette Rallison
235/431
He slid me an exasperated glance. “See, that is exactly what I mean. I never realized how sarcastic modern girls were until I came here. No one back home even tries to be ladylike or demure.”
“I might if I knew what
demure
meant.”
“No, you wouldn’t.”
How could I argue about it when I didn’t know what the word meant? This is why it totally sucks to argue with smart people. You’d think after all my years of living with Jane I would have picked up a huge vocabulary, but no. I took several steps, prickled by this fact, and planned to come up with a really good comeback just as soon as I got hold of a dictionary.
Tristan headed to the orchards, and the noise of the castle yard slowly faded behind us as we walked through the trees. Layers of fallen white blossoms covered the ground so that they almost looked like snow.
I could have changed the subject. The setting was so relaxing that I didn’t want to argue, but still, as we strolled among the trees I said, “Modern girls have their own benefits. We may be sarcastic but we’re clean.” A smile picked up the corner of his lips. “Modern girls don’t come with dowries.”
I put my hand out, brushing my fingers against low-hanging branches that we passed. “Maybe, but modern girls have access to supermarkets for cooking. Besides, 236/431
what are your chances of getting a girl with a decent dowry?”
Our conversation died because Princess Margaret and another young woman, probably a lady-in-waiting, came through the trees on the path heading toward us. The princess wore a different dress than I’d seen her in when I was Cinderella, but her elegant looks and her arrogance were still the same.
In the moment before she saw us, the princess’s face flashed with anger. She looked at the woman walking beside her, but her voice, low and piercing, carried down the lane to us. “He can send all the gifts he likes, it is not his place to make me wait. I shan’t wear it if he thinks so ill of me that he asks for a meeting and then doesn’t come.” She pulled a ring off her finger, gripped it in her palm, then looked up and saw us. Her eyes flew open in surprise and it took her several steps to compose her expression back into a hard mask of self-importance.
Tristan was right. I
was
too twenty-first century. I didn’t even think about bowing until I saw Tristan do it.
Then I gave a hurried curtsy and waited for her and her lady to pass by us.
But Princess Margaret didn’t. She sashayed up to Tristan, her skirts swishing about her ankles. A smile slid across her lips. “Ahh, it’s one of my would-be suitors.”
237/431
She still held the ring tightly in one fist, but she put her other hand out in front of her. Tristan took her hand in his own, brought it to his lips, and murmured, “Your highness.”
My mouth dropped open and I stared at them.
Would-be suitor? Exactly what did she mean by that?
Since when did a storytelling page court a princess? I didn’t ask, which probably didn’t matter since neither of them took any notice of me.
While the lady’s maid eyed me suspiciously, Princess Margaret leaned closer to Tristan. “I hear you challenged the Black Knight and lived to tell of it.” He let go of her hand with a nod. “It shall be my pleasure to share the adventure with all of your father’s household at dinner.” As though just remembering me, he turned his hand in my direction. “May I present Lady Savannah to you? She came from my land to bring me the funds to buy armor and weapons.” Princess Margaret’s gaze shifted to me like a cold breeze and she held out her hand to me. “How nice of you to come.”
I couldn’t kiss her. In fairy stories princes and princesses were the most frequent recipients of enchantments. If Princess Margaret was about to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and sleep for a hundred years, I did not want to volunteer to do it for her. But I couldn’t 238/431
explain my refusal without insult. I stared at her openmouthed, then shut my eyes, swooned, and hoped Tristan would catch me.
He didn’t.
My head hit the ground with a thud that sent sparks through my darkened eyes. I wanted to cry out. Instead I lay motionless at everyone’s feet.
The rustle of skirts came toward me. With more annoyance than concern in her voice, the lady-in-waiting said, “She’s fainted.”
I heard Tristan drop to his knees beside me.
“Savannah?”
I didn’t move.
He put his hand underneath my head and shook my shoulders in an attempt to wake me.
I let my eyelids flutter open.
Tristan’s clear blue eyes searched my face, worry etched into his expression. “Are you all right?” I nodded.
Princess Margaret took several steps so she could look directly down at me. “I’ve had peasants faint when meeting me, but never a noblewoman.” A calculating smile cut across her face. “Are you sure you’re not a peasant?”
A chill crept down my spine. Did she recognize me?
239/431
She let her gaze run over me, taking in my outfit, face, and hair. As though still talking to Tristan and with a large dose of disdain, she added, “Such a pretty maiden.”
I sat up, acted as though I was too weak to stand, and lay back against Tristan’s chest. “Perhaps I should lie down somewhere instead of trying to make it to dinner.” The worry left Tristan’s voice, replaced by skepticism.
“You want to miss dinner?”
If it meant kissing a bunch of people’s hands, yes. “I don’t think I’m up to it.”
Into my ear Tristan whispered, “Would you be willing to swear to that in front of the Black Knight?” I stiffened, but didn’t answer. It was aggravating how easily he could see through me. “Is there somewhere in the castle that I could lay down?” Princess Margaret turned to her lady-in-waiting.
“Theodora, take our guest to my room and see that she’s brought some broth and bread for dinner.” A measure of smugness crept into her voice as though she enjoyed de-priving me of real food. “I fear anything stronger would upset her stomach.”
Tristan stood up, then held out his hand to help me to my feet. I didn’t let go of his hand, even after I stood.
“Perhaps we’d better just head back home.” 240/431
“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” he said. “I’ll check on you after dinner.”
Lady Theodora had already curtsied a good-bye to Princess Margaret and was motioning me to follow her, but I hesitated. “You won’t stay long?” He let out a chuckle that told me I should know better. “The king’s dinners can go on for a while.” Which meant there was no hope of leaving tonight. I dropped his hand from mine with a frustrated sigh.
Princess Margaret absentmindedly slipped the ring she’d been clutching back onto her finger, her anger at its bestower apparently forgotten. She held out her arm to Tristan. “That leaves you to escort me to dinner. I trust it isn’t an imposition.” Without another look in my direction he took Princess Margaret’s arm. “It would be a delight.” I would have felt snubbed by all of this, but I was too surprised to allow for any lesser emotions. I’d gotten a glimpse of Princess Margaret’s ring as she held out her arm to Tristan. Three golden hibiscus flowers. It was the ring I’d given Simon.
Lady Theodora walked briskly through the castle hallways. I followed after her several steps behind. I didn’t care that she wasn’t speaking to me or even pretending to be hospitable. My mind was back on the ring and how it had gotten from Simon to Princess Margaret’s finger.
Was that who she had been planning to meet? And if so, why? On the other hand, the wizard and his apprentice both sold their wares. It was possible someone had purchased the ring from Simon and given it to Princess Margaret.
I also thought of Princess Margaret’s proclamation that Tristan was a would-be suitor and the way she’d taken hold of his arm with the self-satisfaction of a cat settling down on a favorite windowsill.
Lady Theodora reached the doorway of a tower. I could see the beginnings of a circular set of stairs. She turned to me with impatience and said, “This way, m’lady,” then disappeared through the doorway without waiting to see if I followed.
I went after her, holding up my skirt with one hand and keeping the other on the rough stone wall. The stairs twisted upward, one steep and rugged stone after 242/431
another. I didn’t dare climb them as fast as Theodora.
No banister curved along the wall and if I made one mis-step, I’d tumble down the whole thing.
I heard another set of footsteps echoing down the stairs and then an angry voice. “Is my sister with you?
I’ve been looking all over for her and that—”
“Your majesty,” Theodora cut him off. “I’m taking a guest to Princess Margaret’s room. The former page, Tristan, is escorting your sister to dinner.” Her voice had an edge of contempt when she said Tristan’s name.
“He’ll be telling of his adventure with the Black Knight tonight at dinner.”
“Will he?” the prince said dryly. His voice sounded familiar but I couldn’t tell whether it was the elder brother, Edmond, or his younger brother, Hugh.
The next moment I rounded the corner and caught up with the two. Prince Hugh looked down at me from several steps above. He seemed unchanged from the time I’d seen him eight months ago. The wavy brown hair, square jaw, confident stance. Your basic Prince Charming.
He gazed at me, one eyebrow slightly lifted as he took me in. “And you are?”
“Tired of climbing stairs.” I leaned against the wall, ready to slump into a faint again if he held out his hand for me to kiss. I threw in a curtsy as an afterthought.
243/431
Theodora pointed a reluctant hand in my direction.
“This is Lady Savannah. She came from Tristan’s land to bring him funds for his quest.” The prince momentarily twisted his lips and a flash of disapproval crossed his face. “Is that so?” I curtsied again even though I probably wasn’t supposed to. “Yes, sire.”
“You are his sister? His betrothed?”
“No, sire, just a friend.”
“Certainly you must be more than that to travel such a long distance to bring him funds.”
“No, sire.”
“Then you are a very good friend indeed.” I blushed. No one would consider me a good friend if they knew I was the one who got Tristan sent here in the first place. “I’m trying to be,” I said.
His gaze grew intense, his voice a little stiff. “And you are hoping that your friend will be able to defeat the Black Knight?”
The question stabbed me with remorse. I wasn’t sure anymore, but whether it was Tristan who defeated him or the castle guard who dragged him inside for Edmond to kill, I would be the cause of the Black Knight’s downfall. I swallowed hard, my gaze on the stairs.
“You don’t have an answer?” Prince Hugh asked, and I blushed again. It was his brother who was being 244/431
challenged, his family that was in danger. He wasn’t likely to understand my sympathies or feelings of regret.
My gaze flickered over to his eyes. “I just want Tristan to come home safe and sound.”
Prince Hugh let out a half-laugh and tilted his head.
“Then I suppose you wish for your friend’s defeat.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
Prince Hugh shrugged as if it was obvious. “If Tristan is able to do all that my father asks, he’ll win my sister’s hand in marriage and live here in the castle.” My heartbeat stopped altogether. Tristan was trying to wed Princess Margaret?
With a growing sickness in my stomach, I chided myself for not figuring it out beforehand. What had I expected? That after Tristan had destroyed the cyclops, killed the dragon, and beaten the Black Knight, King Roderick would just hand over part of his kingdom for Tristan to rule? Tristan was going to be made a prince by marrying a princess. That’s how all the fairy tales worked.
Prince Hugh’s gaze turned concerned and he took a step toward me. “Are you well?”
“She’s feeling ill,” Theodora said. “That’s why she’s going to Princess Margaret’s room to lie down.”
“See to it before she topples down the stairs.” The prince pressed himself against the wall in order to let us pass, but I didn’t move. I just stared at him. All of 245/431
this was so that Tristan could marry Princess Margaret?
I was helping Tristan to become Prince Edmond’s brother-in-law? Ironic, since if I’d married Prince Edmond, I would have been his sister-in-law.
Prince Hugh took hold of my arm and half-pulled, half-led me the rest of the way up the stairs to the princess’s room. He told me that he wished for my speedy recovery, but I hardly heard anything he said.
• • •
Her bed had an ornately carved frame, and linen hangings were tied back to the bedposts. Two less glamorous beds— pallets, they called them, lay in the room; I supposed for her attendants.
I laid down on one of the pallets while Lady Theodora busied herself with starting a fire. I didn’t want to talk to Theodora about Tristan. I already knew her opinion of him, but as the fire began to catch hold of the larger logs in the fireplace, I asked, “Are Tristan and Princess Margaret . . . fond of each other?” 246/431
Lady Theodora turned to me with indifferent eyes.
“It’s not my place to talk about the princess.” She stood up and brushed off her skirt. “I’ll ask one of the kitchen girls to bring up bread and broth for you presently.” She swept out of the room and I was left to sit on the cold pallet and watch the light from the windows grow dimmer and dimmer until all I could see out of them were the pinpricks of stars. Eventually a young servant girl brought me a small loaf of bread and a bowl of broth. Both cold. I thanked her anyway and ate it. I’d had worse in the Middle Ages.
I didn’t expect to fall asleep, but I did. I dreamed that, along with the entire high school, I was at Tristan’s and Princess Margaret’s wedding. They walked down the aisle and everyone clapped and threw rice while I stood there trying to catch his attention. I wanted to talk to him desperately, I wanted to tell him not to do it, but he never looked at me.