Chapter Seven
*Edited!*
A/N: I'm so sorry - in previous posts I completely missed out this entire chapter! Here is the chapter that was missing. Sorry for the mess up.
Eric.
The village is celebrating. A change of season and the thawing of the fields. New life and new beginnings.
I walk through the town square, past the maypole and its rainbow of bright ribbons strung out like a colorful spider's web. Children will dance around that later, weaving in and out as the music plays and the villagers smile, clapping their hands. Such a scene hasn't played out here in years – the darkness of Ravenna's reign saw all the color drained from the kingdom, from its very people. That is what Snow has brought back here, color and life. Just as she did to me.
I step sideways to avoid some children running about, chasing each other with toy swords and bows. It makes me smile but the feeling is foreign on my face lately. Aside from the times when Snow steals away to visit me, the light is slowly being drained from my life, one stolen hour at a time.
I enter the castle, nodding to the guards on duty. My walk of the square and surrounding streets was to check for areas of vulnerability. The captain of the guard obliges my requests – reluctantly, as he claims great pride in the peace that has reigned since Ravenna was vanquished. He did not appreciate me pointing out to him in front of William that peace is no call for complacency - especially when the King agreed.
The castle is buzzing with plans for the week long festival and I stick to the sides of the busy corridors to avoid the bustling serving staff, hurrying to and fro.
My walk brings me to the new throne room to find William and discuss my requirements for the Queen's trip into the square. The large room is also busy with a long line of staff waiting to speak with the King and his captains. William sees my head above the throng and motions me forward.
He separates from the commotion to meet me at the arched windows overlooking the rocky coastline below. I dip in greeting as expected.
"How fare thee, Eric?"
"Well, m'lord. Our best archers will be stationed at over a dozen posts and we have multiple routes of escape from the square. You are still our best shot of course so I will have your bow at the ready."
William nods, satisfied. "Very good. Thank you, my friend."
I very nearly flinch at his words, clenching my jaw and staring out at the surf crashing on the shores below. I nod tightly, unable to reply.
"Ah… more friends." The King is motioning over my shoulder, beckoning. I turn to see Anna and her daughter approaching, their hair intricately braided as always, their best clothing on. I smile as she draws near, nodding a greeting as they curtsey for the King.
"Your majesty. Huntsman."
"Welcome, Anna. I trust you have found your lodgings and they are adequate?" William takes her hand and kisses it fondly.
"More than adequate, your majesty, thank you."
I listen to their pleasantries as the main door behind opens and the Queen enters accompanied by two maids and a discrete guard. Her eyes search the room and alight immediately on mine. I give a minimal nod and she returns with one of her own. I concentrate on breathing deeply to distract myself from my speeding heart and the heat flooding through me at seeing her.
She approaches, wearing a beautiful gown of blue and gold, her hair twisted around her crown in an elaborate and becoming fashion. She embraces Anna and her daughter warmly, a genuine smile on her face that I enjoy bearing witness to.
I indulge myself for a moment, watching her, knowing it is not out of place in this moment. I do not spend too long on any one curve of her though, knowing I must measure out my torture in bittersweet morsels, never allowing my gaze to linger lest it betray me. My fingers and palms itch to touch her and I ball them into tight fists, finally looking away again to survey the room, busying my mind with searching for the guards, checking they are doing their job. I have hand- picked the men that follow the Queen around on a daily basis and I see them now, discrete in their positions in the room but ever watchful.
Snow greets William with a kiss to his cheek and I look away.
"Eric." She keeps her eyes averted as she greets me.
"Your Majesty," I reply.
The King takes Snow by the elbow to draw her away and I turn to take my leave also. Anna stops me with a hand on my forearm. I look into her large brown eyes and they seem to bore straight through me. I hold her gaze with practiced calm.
"How long?" she says simply.
I frown, still trying for a fleeting moment to feign misunderstanding. Her wry expression shows she is not buying any of it though and I shake my head, looking out to the windows again. She steps forward and I follow, giving us a bit of distance from her daughter.
"You must stop this, Eric, now. For both of you."
I look at her, seeing the sympathy and truth in her direct gaze. I notice my hands are still balled in tight fists. I release them and nod once before taking my leave.
The rest of the day is eventful with dignitaries arriving from neighboring kingdoms, keeping the castle staff busy. I take my delegation of men and show them their stations for the celebrations tomorrow, going through various scenarios and escape routes if needed, for both the Queen and the King. It helps to busy my mind but at the end of the day, once all the work is done, I am brutally alone with my thoughts.
I think of heading back to my cottage but know I should stay on hand in the lodgings I am afforded at the castle. Besides, the cottage now has her written in every piece of furniture, the bed nearly unbearable to sleep in alone. I decide to call into a tavern that many of the soldiers frequent, certain a drink will calm my restlessness.
It does not. Nor does the bawdy humor of the men drinking there or the obvious advances of a softly-curved working lass.
I find myself wandering, aimless. I head back to the square and retrace the steps of each escape route, knowing it is already in hand. I end up arriving at my room late, once all the streets are deserted and the houses silent.
I feel her presence in the room without even lighting a torch.
I close the door and let my eyes adjust to the dark. Moonlight falls in through the windows and touches on the room, a chair, the four-post bed and the curved shape upon it.
I move to sit by her and she wakes, startled. She registers it is me and sits up flinging her arms around my neck.
"I was worried," she says against my cheek.
I shake my head, unable to stop myself from putting my hands on her, despite what I know I must say. I bury my hands in her hair and my face in her neck, breathing in deeply. Then I set her back from me.
"You should no' be here."
She raises a hand to my face, the despair on hers nearly breaking me.
"I could not stay away, knowing you are here."
I take her hand from my face, resist kissing it.
"You must go. This… we cannot continue like this. Snow...I don't wish to."
I am pleased with the strength I summon into my words but I have to look away from her crushed expression.
"You are trying to release me. I know what you're trying to do, Eric."
I stand and move to the window, my legs shaky. "I must move on, Snow. I must find a wife. I deserve a chance to be happy, also."
She comes up behind me, her small hands on my arms. "Please… don't," she whispers but I hear the resignation in it this time. My chest feels tight, my every breath an effort. I keep my hands on my belt, not trusting them to stay away from her.
She rests her cheek against my arm. I think of a million things to say. I think of throwing all my good intentions to the wind as I have done before and turning around, taking her on this bed – having her under William's roof, something I have sworn I would never do. Then I think of Anna's unflinching gaze today and I know what is right.
She seems to feel the resolve in my body. I feel her hands drop, her fingertips brushing my skin. And then she is gone.
I run a finger inside my collar, trying not to think again of how I wish I were out of these uncomfortable clothes and far away from here. The ballroom is quite the spectacle tonight; the long room lined with tall windows on both sides lit with hundreds of torches and candles, with flags bearing the kingdom's crest hanging from every column.
I stand to the side, watching the proceedings, keeping my eyes firmly away from the Queen. She is dancing, her step light, her smile soft and kind. I cannot be the only one having trouble looking away from her, she is glowing. She wears a headpiece that frames her face perfectly, the sleeve details of her emerald green gown scraping the floor as she moves. I rub a hand over my face, resolving to find a drink as soon as this is done.
"A toast."
I turn to see William hand me a mug with typical impeccable timing. I bow as is expected and go to decline the drink out of habit.
"Ah – you have done your job, Eric. An altogether excellent job this week. Allow yourself a little celebration."
I take the mug with a nod of thanks and indulge my King, taking a drink. It is excellent liquor and we exchange some comment on it. We both turn to watch the dancing again. I actually enjoy myself for just a moment, as if I am having a well-deserved drink with a close friend, almost forgetting for a second that I know better. I see Snow and her partner – a Duke from the neighboring realm of Heront - drawing closer to us.
"I have one more duty for you, if you will indulge me," William murmurs.
"M'lord?"
"Please cut in on my wife and that pompous fool." I watch him as he smiles at the Duke, talking through his teeth. He then grins at me, conspiratorial and full of jest. I freeze for just a moment before realizing I have no choice but to indulge his request. I have a wild urge to run from the room, find a horse and ride into the dark without looking back.
"I would do it myself but it would not bode well for kingdom politics." He still has a smile in his voice but I know he bids me to do as he asks. I drain my mug and give it to a passing server, wiping my lip with my sleeve.
"As you wish, m'lord." The words taste bitter in my mouth, despite William's responding chuckle.
The Duke of Heront is visibly disappointed and it makes me glad for a moment that William instructed me to do his bidding. But as I bow to Snow and she does the same back, I realize I should've tried harder to refuse his request. As her hand slips perfectly into mine and my other hand finds its place on her waist I realize I am a fool to get this close to her in such a visible place.
"I apologize for the intrusion. It was at the request of your husband."
Snow looks up at me, too close, too familiar. Too beautiful.
She glances across at William and shakes her head a slight smile curving her lips. "I thought as much."
I have not spoken with her in days and the sound of her voice is like music to me. I decide to take the opportunity to commit more of her to memory, the fullness of her lips, the dark length of her lashes. I do not know how many more times I will have the privilege of seeing them this close.
"Have you had a nice time at the festival?" I cringe inside at her polite question, knowing we will be reduced to a future of this. I nod gamely.
"Yes, I have. It was a marked success for the kingdom."
She nods politely, gaze on my chest.
"Did you find a suitable prospect to court?" Her voice only wavers slightly. My hand tightens its grip on hers and I want to dispel the thought, tell her that I can no longer look at another woman, not since the first moment I laid eyes on her. I glance over her shoulder to see Anna watching us move around the floor, her eyes wide and fearful. It strengthens my resolve.
"Yes, I think so," I lie.
She draws a sharp intake of breath and I have to right us so we don't stumble. She recovers though and we continue with the expected steps.
"Oh." The single syllable escapes her on a breath.
"It is for the best, Princess." I instantly berate myself for using that name, having vowed privately not to anymore. Her eyes turn up to mine, so wounded I nearly take it all back. Her face has gone sheet white and I stop our dancing, gripping her tighter, concerned. She wavers, as if she might fall and I steady her.
An ear-splitting crack explodes above our heads and I grasp her on instinct, pulling her to my chest. She clutches me back and we both turn to see the huge circular stained glass window at the end of the room shattering, raining colored shards down to the floor below. The guests scream and begin to scatter and I hold Snow tightly, sheltering her and looking for the source of the threat. Then the glass in the windows lining the walls bows and there is a silent pause before it explodes out in a deafening shower of glass. I wrap myself over her, burying my own face into the back of her neck as the splinters hail down.
When the glass stops its clattering on the flagstone I look to the Queen's guards, pleased to see them mobilizing, bows drawn and scanning the room that is now in chaos. I hold still, assessing first before I move and that's when I see the only other motionless person in the room.
William stands facing us where I left him only moments before. He still holds the mug, knuckles white as he grips it. I lock eyes with him and I see it; the stricken look of a man who finally sees what has been in front of him all along. I become aware of Snow's hand on my chest and the other fitted tightly around my waist, her body pressed into mine with a familiarity that is surely obvious to anyone who truly knows her.
William frowns, just once and then turns and stalks from the hall.
