The Sleeping Princess Ch. 03

There was no way she could feed her betrothed and his men with what was in the castle, but if they brought a deer or boar she could certainly cook it in the kitchens now. Dousing the torch she put everything back and walked out to the great hall.

The floor was littered with dry bones and moldy straw. Most of the straw had actually turned to dust, but some of it still stuck to the floor. A few determined weeds had taken root in the thin, strange soil. Removing her detached sleeves and putting them into a pocket, Rosella went to the hearth and looked for a shovel. Finding one, she surveyed the area, trying to determine the best approach.

Digging the moist, dusty soil would be hard work. It was thin, but it was everywhere, and the straw laced through it. Before she started anything she needed to figure out where she would put it all. The small windows were set high and the glass was mortared into the stone. The large double door that led outside to the courtyard might work, but she wasn't sure she could get it open on her own. Every other exit led to a hallway that would lead to a different chamber. Finally she decided to go back to the kitchen and gather as many of the broken sacks as she could. She laid them out near the door and began to throw the dirt on top, piling high on each individual piece of cloth. Hopefully Sir Jamie's men could drag the debris outside for her when they showed up. It was the best she could do.

Halfway through one side of the keep she looked down at the cleaned hall with its rotting but still sturdy table with pride. The knights would have somewhere to dine and sleep. A single table could fit ten men on top and then six more on the benches if they were pressed together. This gave the great hall a comfortable sleeping arrangement for over thirty men. The kitchen table would likely hold five more. It was plenty of space for a small accompaniment, and if there were more, then at least the floor would be warmed by the fireplace.

The fireplace! She'd completely forgotten to clean it first. It was the most important part. If they slept on the dirt, so be it, but it was vital that they stay warm. Quickly she laid out a few sacs and scraped the stone with the shovel, clearing away the ash and wood debris that was well preserved in the large hearth. Her castle keep was blessed with a chimney. On one side of the chimney was the great hall and on the other was the kitchen and its large brick oven. The roasting pit was outside, covered by a wood tiled overhang. Rosella was suddenly very thankful that her parents had invested in wood roofs instead of the usual thatching. It would need much less repair after all these years.

The thought of her parents made her eyes well up with tears. She sniffed, determined not to cry, and threw herself back into scraping the dirt on the other side of the hall. When she had begun there was not much light filtering through the south facing windows. As the time progressed, she noticed the light steadily growing. When she came back from the kitchen after drawing water from the well faucet that was built right into the floor she noticed that the shadows were all gone. It must be nearing noon. Her stomach had been grumbling loudly all morning, but she had simply ignored it. There was nothing to eat in the castle but the pickled and canned foods, which were probably spoiled. She wouldn't try them, that's for certain.

She wondered if Sir Jamie's men would be arriving soon. She didn't know what he had planned for them, but she certainly had some ideas about what they could do once they were settled in and fed. She looked at the tall pile of dirt next to the doors and then at the loosely paved floor. Time to sweep. Once the floor was as clean as she could make it, she surveyed her work with pride. Her back ached and she had a few blisters forming on her hands, but it was worth it. They had no table cloths or rushes, but it was clean and her new subjects would have a comfortable place to dine and sleep.

Rosella was a princess. Cleaning and maintaining the household were not her normal duties. Her mother had taught her how to oversee the servants whose duties it was. The long, tedious, grueling work gave her a stronger appreciation for the people who had worked for her. She had to shake her head roughly to keep from crying again.

Unsure what to do now, and with her stomach growling in a very unladylike manner, Rosella decided to see what was left of the gardens outside the kitchen, then check the orchards in the posterior courtyard.

The garden was overrun with weeds, but she was delighted to see that the parsnips and radishes as well as a few turnips had survived. Most of the herbs were indistinguishable from the wild tangle of plants, but she hoped that a little gardening might clear it up.

The orchard had fared much better. The apple trees were in full blossom and the blackthorn trees sported tiny white flowers. The blackcurrant and raspberry bushes were dotted with sparse fruit. It looked as though birds or mice had been eating most of the crop, but they seemed to have survived being suffocated by weeds.

After eating her fill of the remaining raspberries, Rosella took off the smock she had worn to cover her fine dress and used it to pick as many berries as she could from both bushes. It certainly wasn't enough to feed an army, but it would take the edge off of their hunger, she hoped.

Just as she began to tie off the ends of the smock with the dish towel that had covered her hair, she heard the loud ruckus of men gathering in the anterior courtyard. Carrying her haul into the kitchen she put it on the table and swiftly donned her sleeves, smoothing over her plaited hair and dusting her skirts. She wanted to be presentable when she met Sir Jamie's men.

Sir Jamie had been walking the battlements, scouting the castle's defenses and taking stock of the armory. There were plenty of well made weapons and armor, just as he'd expected, so his men would be well armed. He'd also found a hidden door in one of the four towers that led to a secret room. Inside had been several chests filled with gold and silver. He was relieved. Looking around the castle he'd noticed several gold and silver plates and chalices displayed, but he had hoped it wouldn't be necessary to melt them down to pay for his new kingdom. The castle lacked decent tapestries and most of the furniture, including the throne, was far into rot. Everything, including parts of the roof, needed to be replaced.

Much of the labor he would be contracting would be paid for with land. Eager men with families who wanted a plot to farm would gladly put their backs into renovating and reinforcing the castle. He was sure they would bring geese and pigs as tribute as well. What he needed the money for was goods. A few merchants would surely travel to the new kingdom to offer gifts, but these would be small tokens, designed to earn his patronage and show off their wares. Castles were cold and drafty without tapestries to cover the walls and furniture to keep one off the floor.

Sir Jamie had already made an inventory of the few tapestries that were not crumbling from mildew, planning to fortify the great hall with them. His Ella had a nice, warm tower room, the tapestries there somewhat protected by the sorceress's spell. They were delicate when new and might crumble if he tried to move them anyhow. The thicker, sturdier ones were better suited to the main room anyhow.

When Jamie heard the loud clamor of men in the courtyard he knew Stephen had returned with the first group. Word was being spread to willing farmers and merchants to come visit the castle, but in the meantime Jamie needed knights to man the battlements. The strong men could also start with some of the work, though they wouldn't be happy about it. The moat needed to be dragged and the roof tiles needed to be replaced. Wood needed chopping and some of the stones had been dislodged by the thorns.

Jamie was still concerned that the forest of thorns was not completely receded. They resembled mere weeds at the moment, but he knew they could return with a vengeance. It seemed he would need to pay particular attention to his new bride and make sure she kept believing he was her true love. Walking around the keep to meet his men, he winced as he realized he'd ignored her most of the day in his eagerness to take stock of his new abode. Oh well. If the men were gaining easy access to the courtyard then surely she was still feeling the glow of this morning's love making.

Stephen had gathered together an accompaniment of about 17 armored and mounted knights and one lowly friar. Jamie was especially pleased to see that unlike most knights, the majority of these men carried a crossbow or longbow. Most knights considered bows to be a "commoner's" weapon, but anyone who regularly hunted for himself would know how to shoot. This meant that these were mostly low born knights who were joining him in hopes of gaining wealth and status. Perfect. It also meant they would be driven. When Stephen saw him striding towards them he raised his fist in the air, shouting.

"All hail King Jamie! Long live the king!"

The men instantly took up the cheer and went down on one knee. Jamie hid his euphoric smile and instead went to each man individually and greeted him. A few of them were young, and seemed awestruck. Most were much older than he was, and appeared to be withholding judgment. It didn't matter. He would show them all soon enough.

"Greetings, knights! Rise! There is much to be done for our new kingdom. I need men to hunt for our evening meal and men to begin repairs to fortify our defenses."

Jamie was asking for volunteers before he started issuing orders. He wanted to see how many men were eager to please their new king and how many were just here for land. He was surprised when several of the older men immediately stepped forward and offered to hunt, cutting off the young men with eager faces. Jamie figured they were trying to avoid the task of manual labor, and it would give them more control over what they ate that night. The remaining men, with varying degrees of enthusiasm all offered to start repairs on the castle and one eager young man even suggested he chop firewood. Overall, Jamie was pleased. Nothing, however, could have prepared him for when his Ella walked around the corner.

All the men stared. A few even had their mouths open, jaws dropped in surprise. Jamie knew she was stunning. The fact that her hair was uncovered and her shoulders and breasts were largely exposed by the revealing dress made her an even more enticing sight. The bright smile on her rosy lips was perfect as she walked gracefully to stand next to Jamie, taking his arm. Without a word, all the knights, to a man, dropped to their knees in homage. If Jamie had any doubts about their loyalty to him, he knew they would all fight for this gorgeous princess.

"Tonight will be our wedding feast! We will celebrate my marriage to the lovely lady Rosella, and the building of our new kingdom together."

The men cheered again. Rosella simply smiled. She wasn't sure what he'd said, since it was in the new Anglian, but when she heard her name she knew her king was talking about her. She noticed the friar and wondered if he were here to perform the wedding. The thought of becoming a married woman, of being queen, sent shivers up her spine. She was glad for it. She still had reservations about Sir Jamie, but she was terrified that something would happen and he would leave her alone and spoiled. He'd taken her virginity, and now the castle. She had nothing to offer anyone once those things were gone.

The men flung the doors to the great hall open. Jamie knew that it had been dirty and overrun with creeping weeds and dust, so when he walked into a freshly swept floor and saw the ready hearth and clear tables, he was very surprised indeed. He didn't know how it could have happened. He noticed the piles of debris loaded onto sacks in one corner and suddenly caught Rosella's eye. She was blushing.

"My princess, did you do?"

She nodded, glad that the other men were quick to light the fire with the old, rotting wood that was still stacked next to the hearth. It was brittle and only a little moist. Soon the room began to fill with the light and warmth.

"Aye, my king. I picked berries also. They are in the kitchen."

Sir Jamie marveled at his luck. Taking her hands in his, he placed soft kisses on the bruised and blistered skin.

"My lady not work. My men will now."

Rosella smiled and nodded. She had expected as much, but hadn't been able to bring herself to sit idle the whole day. The blisters and bruises on her delicate fingers would heal soon and no one would ever know that it was the princess who first made the castle presentable. Jamie pulled her tight to him and kissed her soundly. A few of his men whistled in appreciation, but most simply ignored them, allowing a modicum of privacy.

Rosella leaned into him, glad that her work was appreciated. When the friar coughed lightly next to them, Sir Jamie broke the kiss and made the introductions.

"Princess, this Friar Dale. He marry us tonight."

Friar Dale made a deep bow before he addressed Rosella in perfect Old Anglian.

"My lady, I am honored to sanctify your union."

"My thanks, Friar Dale."

Friar Dale tilted his head, listening to her speak. He nodded, mostly to himself, and then spoke to Sir Jamie in modern Anglian.

"Yes, I can hear her accent. I think her native tongue may be Galin. I do not speak it, but I will be able to teach her Anglian if her grasp of Old Anglian is broad enough."

"Excellent, Friar! I will give you full access to our chapel here and I hope you will be able to lead us in Mass in the mornings in addition to tutoring my wife."

"It would be my honor, your grace."

Rosella tried to make out what they were saying. She got a little excited when Friar Dale said "Galin," naming her native tongue. But when he shook his head as he spoke, she realized he had merely recognized her accent, and likely didn't speak it at all.

Sir Jamie led Rosella to the throne and bade her sit with him. He had the youngest of his knights search the kitchen for wooden trenchers and goblets. The berries the princess picked were split among the men and the cups filled with water. Jamie decided to wait until dinner to break out the wine.

Once everyone was refreshed, they got to work. It was very boring for the king and his bride, who simply sat and oversaw everything. Rosella thought it seemed wasteful, but there were so many questions the men had for Jamie that it would have been difficult if they had had to search him out while he bent his back with the knights. The men were efficient, though.

Soon there were several dear and a few ducks strung out to roast in the outside pit. When the kills had been brought to the royal pair for inspection, Rosella had made the intelligent suggestion of preserving the hide and feathers. They were short on everything right now, it wouldn't do to waste anything. Drying racks for the skins were set up in the anterior courtyard and the feathers were tied in a sac.

A light stew was being boiled in the kitchen's kettle using the meat scraped from the skins and the few turnips, parsnips and radishes left in the garden. It would be light fare, especially since there was no salt nor bread, but no one would go hungry during the wedding feast.

Jamie also had a special surprise in store. He and Friar Dale had talked about using the wedding as a prime opportunity to perform the coronation ceremony. In the treasure room, in one of the chests, he had found two gold crowns set with pearls and blood red rubies. The larger crown had a soft lining of mink to make it more comfortable to wear, and it fit him perfectly. If it hadn't he would have padded beneath the mink until it had.

The smaller crown was more like the silver tiara Rosella wore as the princess. It had more pearls and less rubies and had a lining of white swans down. There was a ribbon that would hold it to her head veil or braid into her hair. They were perfect, and he couldn't wait until the Friar married them and put the crowns on their heads, proclaiming them to all as the king and queen.

King and queen of where still was bothering him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to use the kingdom's old name of Ilstoria or name it after himself. His family surname was Roux, meaning red, for a long dead ancestor. It was his family color, and the one he meant to adopt for his kingdom. His bride, Rosella, was also named for a red rose, and it seemed appropriate. Rouxinia seemed just as good a name as Ilstoria. He couldn't decide, so he put it to his bride.

"Ella, we name our kingdom Ilstoria or Rouxinia, for my family?"

Rosella blushed as he called her by her pet name. Then she paused in serious thought. She didn't know which answer would please her king more, so she tried to think of what would please her instead. It seemed a shame to lose the history of Ilstoria, but her family line was all but gone. It would now be Sir Jamie Le Roux's line that continued. Perhaps it would make more sense. However, she just couldn't hide her true feelings in her answer.

"My king, your family is my family, it would bring us great honor to carry their name. But it is a shame to lose the status history has given Ilstoria in the past."

Jamie nodded as he considered her answer. Yes, it would elevate his family, whom he hated. They had nearly abandoned him after he reached manhood. He loathed the idea of associating with them, but Jamieland had seemed too obnoxious.

"Yes, love, Ilstoria it will stay. We will make history richer."

Rosella was thrilled. She felt as if he had taken her desires to heart in the most important decision of the day. It made her feel loved and special again, and her heart began to warm. Maybe being Sir Jamie's queen was her destiny. Maybe he is her true love. She needed to stop her doubts now, since the wedding would be happening in less than an hour.

Indeed, as the sun began to set, the men reported back to the hall. Friar Dale gathered everyone together, and the satchel that hid the two coronation crowns, and herded his flock to the small chapel. The iron alter was still in good condition and the stone frescos on the wall were faded, but still recognizable as scenes from the first chapter of the holy book. The wooden pews were rotting, and the knights sat very carefully. Only one bench broke, thankfully, and before the Friar began.

The vows were simple and fast. The Friar asked Rosella if she would obey, serve, love and honor Jamie. She responded with a meek "I will." Then he asked if Jamie would protect, comfort, love and honor her, to which he boldly stated that he would.

Then the ceremony got more interesting, as the Friar rolled in the coronation.

"Then, by the power vested in me by the Almighty, I do hereby sanctify the marriage of Princess Rosella a'Ilstora to Sir Jamie Le Roux. By their marriage, all of their worldly goods do become one. It is by this sacred vow that I now crown you both King and Queen of Ilstoria. All hail the King and Queen! Long live the King!"

As Friar Dale placed the crowns on the newlywed's heads, the men responded, for the second time today, but for the first time officially.

"All hail the King!"

Rosella walked back into the great hall in a daze. She sat on the throne next to her new husband and king as the younger knights brought her a trencher of stew and a slice of tender duck breast. The men all ate with their hunting knives, but Jamie handed her a sliver gilt eating knife while he dug in with a similar one.

She ate sparingly, spearing the chunks of root vegetables and nibbling at the duck. She was hungry, but her stomach was in knots. It was done. She shouldn't be worried now. As his queen, she certainly couldn't be discarded, deflowered and alone to the world. And he seemed genuinely to care about her thoughts and feelings, in spite of his neglectful attitude. Now that there were others to take care of the everyday tasks of the castle, they would have more time to get to know one another, to develop feelings, dare she dream, even true love.