Castles, Kings & Wondrous Things Ch. 04

"Serra Maegan is one of Father's pegasus knights and her mount was bred for speed," she mused aloud. He waited silently and finally she added, "A day, two at the most to the border. Two days to the permanent trading camp at Johan's Fjord. Probably another two days to whichever part of the steppes father is travelling through. Once the Serra finds him, it'll take about the same to return." He did a quick calculation in his mind before releasing her arm.

Releasing her, he told her calmly, "I'll tell Mother that we have seven days, ten at the most before he arrives." She nodded and he watched her flit down the path before turning once again to the shrubbery around the arbour. Pushing his way into the shrubbery, he followed the trail of broken and bent branches until he came to a gate in the wall. Forcing the portal open with some difficulty, he found hoof-marks and a pile of near fresh droppings, evidence that a horse had waited there recently. Scanning the surrounding area, he realised that they were on the south side of the palace, outside the walls and at the point where the forest was closest to the walls. He weighed his chances of following the trail further before it grew cold against the reaction his brother would have if he delayed reporting the princess' disappearance. In an attempt to gauge Zane's possible reaction, he imagined what he would say if it were Narelle that were missing and grimly concluded that the trail could wait. Squaring his shoulders, he went back through the gate and went in search of his brother.

***

Zane spent the rest of the day travelling along the network of service corridors honeycombing the palace. Ignoring the agitation of his staff, he stopped every man, woman, and child he came across and questioned them at length. As continued to receive negative responses to his queries, his anxiety rose and his temper sharpened. When the butler tracked him down late in the afternoon and spoke dismissively of the princess, the prince exploded into rage. "It's well past time that you, the staff, the guards, the courtiers, my father's advisors and every other citizen of this kingdom accepted the fact that I will wed Tamara and make her my -- and therefore your -- queen," he roared at the top of his voice. When the elderly servant cowered back, Zane felt a spurt of shame mingled with pleasure. He had been raised to be the king of the realm and he had been taught from a young age to maintain self-control at all times. His shame grew and became self-disgust and he turned away from the butler. As he walked away, he felt exhaustion creep up on him, fuelled by the emotional highs and lows he had endured through the day. He made his way through the palace to his mother's apartments by a circuitous route, continuing to question the few servants he came across along the way. When Zane finally arrived, the apartments were deserted and, checking the water clock on the mantle in her parlour, he realised that Grace would be attending the dinner feast in the great hall. Collapsing onto one of the lounges in the room, he settled himself to await her return.

***

Narelle ignored the looks of surprise she received as she ran through the halls of the palace. She finally arrived at the barracks and demanded the guard on duty at the door send Serra Maegan to her. He left the door as soon as she finished her demand and returned in seconds with the pegasus knight at his side. "How may I be of assistance, Your Highness?" asked the pegasus knight in her low voice.

Waving her hand imperiously, the princess replied, "Follow me to the stables, I'll explain on the way." Without demur, the woman obeyed. Her obedience helped Narelle keep her emotions under control despite the adrenalin that was rushing through her veins from her mad dash through the palace. As they moved quickly along the most direct route to the stables, she quietly passed on what she knew and explained what she wanted Serra Maegan to do. When they arrived at the stable door, she concluded, "Don't push Falcon too hard but don't waste time either. I don't know what's happened to my sister and I need my father's help." The pegasus knight nodded grimly and saluted before ducking into the stables. Narelle stood outside the door for a moment longer before deciding to find Seth and discuss what else they could do.

***

As he guided his horse up the narrow path he felt triumph roll through him. The bitch was in his power now and he would make her pay. He wouldn't really hurt her; he'd just banish her from all comforts like she had banished him. His only regret was that he wouldn't be able to witness her suffering. On the positive side, without the bitch there to keep Prince Zane under her power he would soon recover from the spell she had cast. He didn't care what she felt about the separation. After all, she had separated him from his beloved apparently without a care in the world. For that, and for the other pain she had caused him, he was definitely going to make her pay. But first she would have to sleep off the drug and that would give him enough time to prepare her properly for her banishment.