The Pink Princess and the Blue Knight II
"Allison, I do think you have gone insane," Sydney declared. "Let us return to the castle and we shall have on of the royal physicians examine your head. Fear not; we shall uncover the problem from which you suffer."
Ally snorted at her friend's words. "I am not insane, begging your pardon, Sydney. But think about it. If you…for lack of a better word, flirt with Mirloc, just a little, tiny bit, he will fall into your lap. He shall be so besotted with you that he'd reveal everything."
"Actually, that is not a bad idea," Sky said fairly. "But I hate to think of you trying to butter Mirloc up, Sydney. And if you do not wish to be alone with that vile creature, we will think of another plan."
Jack, Bridge, Allison, and Elizabeth looked at the pink princess. "Well, Syd?" questioned Bridge. "Do you think you can get Mirloc's schemes from him?"
"I can not say I am overly pleased with the whole idea, but I suppose it is our only option. I will not have that dirty, despicable beast tricking my Sky so that he loses the battle. I will not marry Mirloc instead of my Sky. I will not."
"So it has been decided," Jack chimed in. "What say we make the most of what daylight we have left?"
And so the six friends ate their food, chattering about lighter topics so as to set the princess of Marin more at ease. Only when Ally suggested that the three women dip their feet in the water once more did Syd begin to think of other things apart from the deed she would have to do.
As the young companions set off towards the castle and home, Syd began distracted again. She did not want to have to butter Mirloc up, but if Mirloc did indeed have a trick up his sleeve, she wanted to be able to warn Sky.
"What troubles me," Sky murmured to his fiancée, "Is how you will have to be alone with him long enough to unravel his plan of action. Even Mirloc would not spill his secrets around anyone else, even if you were…leading him on."
"He would not attempt anything, Sky," Syd told him confidently. "Do you not remember how I had to slay the alpha male of that pack of wolves on the journey to Troobia two years ago? The same fate would be bestowed upon Mirloc if he so much as looks at me the wrong way."
"Still we must be careful, Sydney. We can not allow his suspicions to be aroused. At all costs, he must not know what you are up to. I know you are quite clever, darling, but unfortunately so is he. Mirloc may even be expecting something like this. I will not rest until I know that our plan has been completely successful."
"Shh," soothed the pink princess. "I have faith that the gods will work things out for us in the end."
And so the two fell into a silence, all the way back to the castle. The conversations of the others washed over their ears, but neither paid them any attention. Their minds were on other things, and though they would never speak of it, they wished there were fewer obstacles in the way of their lives together.
By the time the companions' home towered above them from its slight hill, a misty sort of rain had begun to fall. Elizabeth and Ally shrieked and urged their mounts to go faster. Bridge and Jack followed suit, galloping to the royal stables. Sydney does not follow her friends' examples, choosing instead to slow her mare down. She climbed down from the saddle and tossed her head back, laughing.
Sky lead both horses to the stable and came back outside to where Syd still stood, rain drops splattering her golden curls and plastering them to her forehead. "Sydney you will catch your death out here," he told her, approaching his fiancée and wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Let us go inside and fetch ourselves some hot cider. That will make you feel much better, darling. Come, it is freezing out here."
Indeed, the mist had become more powerful, and still the pink princess laughed and allowed herself to get rained on. "I do not care for cider at the moment, Sky," she replied. "I would rather be out here in the rain. Rain makes the lands clean again, it washes away the past. And for that, I dearly love the rain."
"And I dearly love you," responded the blue knight sweetly. He brushed some of her damp hair away from her lovely face and then leaned in to kiss her.
They kissed in the rain for some time, until a polite cough broke the two apart. Sydney turned to see who had intruded on what little alone time she and Sky had left, only to see that it was Lady Jennifer. She had not been outside long, but already her light pink dress was sticking to her and her chestnut brown hair was soaking.
"I am sorry to interrupt, my dears," said the lady, "but Sydney, I need you to come with me. Sky, my darling son, the battle is to be tomorrow morning instead. Mirloc has requested it, and King Carter agreed. You need to go into the castle and rest. No training out here in this weather, do you understand me? I want you to eat a big dinner and go right to bed."
Sky opened his mouth to protest but Jennifer gave her son such a stern look that he shut it promptly. "I understand, Mother," he said. "I shall see you in the morning, darling," Sky told Sydney, kissing her swiftly one last time. He clutched her to his chest briefly and began walking to the castle.
"Best of luck, my Sky," Sydney called after him. "My thoughts are of you being victorious, rest assured. Mirloc has no shot at winning this battle."
Jennifer waited until Sky was out of earshot before she turned back to the pink princess. "Sydney, darling, you and I must dine with Mirloc this evening. He made the request when he asked that the battle's date be changed, and unfortunately your father agreed with him. But it will give us the opportunity to see what he plans, and possibly to warn Sky."
Jennifer and Sydney waited until Sky was safe inside the castle before marching up the hill in the rain themselves. On the way, Jennifer told Sydney the truth about the past.
"Mirloc came here from Troobia by order of the emperor. I believe Gruumm's plan was to have Mirloc fight with Wesley over my hand in marriage so that Mirloc and I would overthrow your mother and father. It was only worse when Mirloc truly fell in love with me. But when Wesley won, custom dictated that Mirloc be sent away. And the rest is history, my darling princess. You and Sky were born, and then Emperor Gruumm met his defeat. Mirloc wants revenge against our house, Sydney, and Sky is the only way he can get it."
By this time Sydney and Jennifer had reached the door to Mirloc's chambers. "Come in, my dear ladies in pink," he said in what was supposed to be a purr. "It was rather nice of you to fill Sydney in on our twisted past my dearest Jen. Now that I have you here, let us eat."
Sydney and Jennifer marched into the room, heads held high. They sat at one end of a long table while Mirloc sat at the other.
"Wine, my dears?" They shook their heads no. "Well, aren't the two of you chipper this evening?"
Syd sniffed. "What we are is none of your business, Mirloc."
"Stubborn girl. You will be mine, Sydney, and once you are I shall see if I can not cure you of that."