Across the Ages: Book One Ch. 04

All of this information bombarded Blake with questions of his own. Where was she hearing things? What had she heard? Was her father aware of this? ‘What if’s’ rampaged through his consciousness. When he had asked her what had been on her mind, never had he imagined this. Blake was snapped out of his inner turmoil by her voice, soft and pleading.

“Please,” she whispered as a tear ran down her cheek. “I only ask that you stay just long enough to know for sure. Please, Blake. You are the only one I trust.” Her voice broke as another teardrop rolled from her eye.

Blake pulled her into his arms, just as he had done many times before. But this time it felt different. This was the first time she had openly asked for his protection. She said she trusted him to protect her, that she wanted him to be there with her. There was no smile on his face now, only determination. He braced his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her.

“I will stay with you as long as you want me to, even if it shall be forever.” The princess attempted a feeble smile even as her tears sparkled in her eyes. With both of his hands, Blake wiped her face. “But before we lose our heads to foreign rumors, I think we had best be on our way. Don’t you agree?”

Rene nodded and sniffled to stop her tears. She was not one to cry often; but when she did, it didn’t last long. Pulling the robe tight around her, she stood and walked back into her quarters. Her side ached in protest but she did not heed to its pain.

The knight sat with his arm resting on the balcony edge for quite some time. If the rumors were true, would he be doing the princess any favors? Was it possible that he and Alex were performing a great disservice to both of the girls? Say for a moment the gossips were right, would his cousin and himself be able to get their charges out of the reach of both France and Spain? But then, if they did; would they have set the storm for war in motion? Blake sighed and ran his fingers through his tangled hair. He was frustrated and worried, confused and slightly aroused. It made for a combination that had him a bit on edge. But he knew in time, the truth would come to light.

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The horse stable was unusually quiet for a day in midmorning. Normally, the stable hands would be mucking the stalls, replacing the straw, and exercising the castle’s prized horses. But not this day. There was a different feel in the barn today. Solemn and suicidal, yet somehow serene.

The servants had prepared seven horses for what the king called “the wedding party,” though most of them had deemed “the funeral party” a bit more appropriate. When the princess had entered the stable, the crowd before her bowed low. With a nod of her head, the princess acknowledged them and walked purposefully to her blue roan mare. She had always loved that horse, born the spring after her mother died. Her multi-tone coat transitioned perfectly into black on her face, hooves, mane and tail. In Rene’s eyes, she was a perfect amalgamation of her mother, herself, and her future.

Amidst her mind’s wandering, a wrinkled hand reached out to help her up into the saddle. Acel had already been working in the stables for many years when the princess was born; and when it had come time for her to learn to ride, he was the one that taught her. He was a man of few words, something Rene had always liked him for. She took his hand and smiled. It would be the last time she smiled in her home. She mounted her mare with admirable agility and patted Acel’s hand. Tears filled his wrinkle wrapped blue eyes and his lip quivered like a tiny babe. After he withdrew his hand and his step, Rene’s smile faded. She looked at her companions atop their steeds. Blake, Brianne, Alexander; each with a pack-horse tethered to their saddles. Rene raised her chin and nudged her roan into a slow walk.

Blake was surprised to see the princess so calm. He had expected her to spurn her horse into a full gallop and leave her home behind in a cloud of rolling dust and thundering hooves. Once again, he found himself admiring her for her keen and subtle use of symbolism.

Rene led the caravan to the inner ward. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth and began to sing. It was a haunting folk melody her mother had taught her before she died. Commonly sung by soldiers as they went away to war, the notes were solemn and steady. Rene’s voice was rich and full of resonance; it echoed perfectly against the castle’s inner curtain walls. She deliberately paced her horse with the rhythm of the chilling notes as she paraded through the courtyard, her breathing guided by the rise and fall of the words on her lips. Every soul fell silent listening to her as she sang her bittersweet adieu:

O! Sweet birds of song,
Take my voice with thee.
Where I go I need it not,
Now my fate does burden me.
Will you find my love,
Sing to none but she?
I take her heart along
Over mountain, vale, and sea.

O! Sweet birds of song,
Where’er you may be,
Will you let my voice be heard,
Now I face my destiny?
May God’s will be done,
Nay, I will not flee.
I must leave thee now to die.
O! Sweet birds, sing songs of me.

At her conclusion, they had reached the castle’s gates and Rene urged her horse to pick up the pace. Not a single person stirred or spoke as they left. Blake moved his horse to take the lead as the group emerged from the confines of the castle’s walls. From behind, the enchanting tune was reborn upon the wind. The people in the ward, both noble and servant, were returning Rene’s farewell. It’s despairing tenor spilled out of the castle and trickled down through the waking village. All of the common folk stopped their chores to watch them pass; some even picked up on the song. But when they reached the edge, they were met again with deafening silence. This time it was truly goodbye.

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Hey everybody! Thank you SO much for putting up with the delay. I promise I will try to never ever EVER do that again because I know how agonizing it is. As always, I love reading your comments and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!

XOXO ~ Miss Lanae