King Charming
Chapter 10
Michelle had gone to bathe and Wendell had insisted one of his physicians look at her head wound. Amy on the other hand had skirted all of them after the arrival of their 'escort' to the frigid 8th Kingdom. She already felt bad enough about having made a scene that only landed her in looking like a fool. She stood in the middle of the room issued by the king with her hands pressed against her face while she pondered any solution to this mess. There were so many tangled pieces to his web of deceit she didn't even know where to start in the careful and delicate process of unweaving it.
The fact remained that she wanted to escape Wendell's 4th Kingdom, but not into the shadow of a dangerous and possible nasty queen's grasp. She had heard little of the actual 8th Kingdom people. She'd heard whispers of the Ice Queen's seclusion as well as her Machiavellian like form to government. Amy had to keep reminding herself that these were rumors uttered in her wake at public events under Wendell's court. The fact that she was a complete outsider to them, for the fact that the frosty queen did keep to herself further proving Amy's subtraction from any of the other kingdoms had she been a real princess, only made the gossip all that much more rampant and likely far fetched.
She dropped onto the foot of the bed and looked at her hands lying limply in her lap. She didn't even know the man who'd delivered the letter's name. She smoothed the folds of the gown left to her by the maid Alice before she'd been kidnapped. The kidnapping and her fear of leaving the room was an entirely different issued that had taken up residency on her already burden heavy shoulders. Without thinking she climbed to her feet and went directly to the door. It was her intention, at least as far as she could think ahead, to find Michelle.
The second she pulled the door open she bounced back through the precipice of the room as there was a person just beyond, standing just outside her door. Her hand went to her chest after she had a moment to recognize the man. "Your highness." She breathed clutching the door handle with a vice like grip in her other hand. She too had washed and tidied herself. She'd cleaned the Troll dust from her face and tugged a comb through her hair, Alice had insisted she fiddle with it. It was a project Amy found absolutely unnecessary but she allowed the maid to tie it up properly. It was odd to Amy, when she looked at herself in the mirror how stylistic this kingdom arranged their women – she looked, even to her eyes, like she'd dressed up as Snow White. Alice had tided a ribbon matching the gown in her hair to hold it back and left the rest of her dark hair to fall in curls around her shoulders. "You startled me." She admitted before turning a stony gaze on him.
"I've come to personally ensure your safety." He told her. "Marie was dismissed immediately. Alice found one of the gowns I'd issued to you in her chamber. Even with her absence I refuse to let such a tragedy to befall you again while in my care."
Amy swallowed hard and kept her cool gaze. "Nothing you can say will change my mind. Simply know that a union with her kingdom under marriage, sire, would be a poor choice indeed. I don't care if it's improper for me to say - the fact is that it remains true."
"At least you still speak to me, and with honesty." Wendell grabbed up her hand and pressed it against his chest. "Please princess, I beg of you – forgive me. I never thought she'd really go to such lengths that it made her villainous."
Amy tugged her hand from his grasp and folded it in front of her. She did not smile but closed the door behind her and looked at him pointedly. "Ignorance is no excuse." There was far too much on Amy's mind to consider being courteous to Wendell as she had previously. However, she also knew the gray cloud of guilt was weighing her down as well. She felt horribly regretful for him having been the first she'd come in contact with and he'd had to take most of her venom. She gave a slight flinch and licked her lips. There was also the ever present fact that Amy was a relatively patient being, that alone had her reluctant to remain completely furious at him.
"It isn't over of course. There will be words and possibly a conclave with the Naked Emperor," Wendell slipped back into the comfort of stiff and proper kingly manners. He was dishearten all the same, and knowing further that she'd been taken while under his care would likely cause trouble with his nearly non existent relationship with the Ice Queen; it would go from neutral, at best, to down right awful. It would also likely spawn a dispute between the 8th and 5th Kingdoms over the behavior of a spoiled princess who thought it fitting to do whatever necessary to get her way. The entire thing made Wendell cringe internally, it could be grounds for war – something the kingdoms hadn't seen in centuries. He also thought that much of that could be prevented if he could somehow mend some of the open wounds present before him. Should he be able to negotiate a truce with Princess Amelia he might be able to heal and stop future issues. There was also the underlying issue of his own personal draw to her. He had given up on trying to fight it or deny it, he chose instead to embrace it with the hope he could win her over. That had been before all of it started to spiral out of control within the last 24 hours, now he simply would settle for amiable terms.
"Did you know they had come for me?" She asked, choosing to ignore his statement and address her own misconduct – even if it had been in honesty.
Wendell gave a small, almost imperceivable, nod. "Yes, they arrived just before you returned." Her question opened a fresh wound to Wendell. His assessment of her behavior had been a bold and brazen attempt to push him away. Denying her status would do that. Though it wasn't a subject he was ready to broach.
"I understand." She agreed, understanding where the inexplicable look on Wendell's face had come from; he was confused by her denial when the men had come for her so soon before. "Then I look the fool, not you and your friends as I so wrongly marked you. Forgive me your majesty." She bit hard onto her tongue and begrudgingly apologized. "The scene I made was uncalled for. You must understand my existence was threatened. No one should take kindly to that – ever. Even still, I acted out of turn and I didn't mean to make a mockery of your court. Please, will you pass my apology onto your friend Tony and Lord Rupert as well as accept mine personally."
Wendell stiffened in his spot, trying once more to take her hand up. Again he used both hands to press hers to his chest. This time she did not withdraw his attempt at sincerity. "I will only accept your apology if you'll reconsider your declaration of never visiting my kingdom again. I can promise you, as long as I live, you won't be in danger again."
A reluctant grin crossed Amy's face briefly and she managed a weak snort. "Touché." She arched a single eyebrow. "Very well, I accept you condition. However you still owe me a gown."
"Keep them, all of them." He went on in his best noble way. Though it was honest coming from a king there was still present an air of intent – a way in which Wendell's words and actions in that moment seemed forced. It was as though he was trying to seem as noble as he possibly could.
Amy frowned slightly, but again chose not to address his behavior as he had opted not to discuss some of his previous statements. "You're displeased." He said nearly releasing her hand. He was a king, raised to behave as such – and still his best behavior wasn't good enough.
"Yes, if you must know." She admitted. "You aren't trying to impress me, are you your majesty?"
Wendell for a moment was struck dumb again. 'Trying to impress' was a key element in wooing and winning hearts. It had never failed him in the past. If the basic and blatant use of his White name or title within the kingdom, his hunting skill, his mannerisms and chivalrous ways had always had pretty young ladies swooning or leaping into his arms. Being a national hero and celebrity had won him at least that much. He had never, in all his years, been challenged for by a girl's affection. He didn't know exactly what to do next to earn her heart in return. The fact that it was a difficult task was both exuberating and annoying all at once.
"Can I escort your carriage to the boarder at least?" He questioned with less energy and more seriousness. "To make sure you're safe while still in my nation, under my care."
Amy slipped her hands from his and dipped her head to hide the smile that had come to her lips again. "I suppose." She chuckled. It was this that Marie had been jealous of, it was all very clear in that moment. "Wendell," Amy tested out his name on her lips – she purposefully dropped the title to gauge his response. When he didn't challenge her and merely drew his eyes over to meet hers she went on. "It isn't me you need to impress." She shook her head. "Only when you learn that will you earn what you're after. Oh, and call me Amy." She told him before heading off in search of her friend. Once he figured out she wasn't the one in need of impressing he could move on to those who would be interested in said wooing.
"If you poke my head one more time…" Michelle's voice chirped a threat across the large room that was filled with vials of herbs and healing salves. The man had stepped away from her as this time she held a stick used for splinting a broken bone over her head. "I told you its fine! I'm fine!" She pointed the makeshift weapon at him. "Just give me something for the headache and we'll be square – got it bub?" She began tugging on the white linen that had been tied around her head. The wound had dried up so she figured the superficial bandage was exactly that – superficial.
It was as the doctor was leaving that Amy was slipping in through the open door. "You handle her, I can't take it." The squirrelly man looked at Amy with two wiry darting eyes. She watched him scuttle off muttering himself before she turned to Michelle with a curious glance.
"What did you do to him?" She asked jamming a thumb over her shoulder as the door swung shut behind her.
"Nothing!" Michelle grumbled smoothing her disheveled hair. "He was a nuisance, but I didn't do anything to him."
"Right." Amy nodded, but drew out the word indicating her hesitance in believing Michelle's immediate defense. She hurried over to the window and glanced out, perhaps in the hope that 'her carriage' would have vanished. "Ugh," she hissed out lowly sinking against the wall in annoyance. The crystal blue carriage drawn by two brilliantly white horses was still situated near the main entrance to the castle. The man who'd delivered the letter was there with two nearly equally large guardsman.
"Concerned about our wardens – er – 'escorts' back home." Michelle taunted bitterly.
"Something like that." Amy ran a hand across her brow. "I'm confused as to why they'd play along. What exactly would possess this horrible woman to entertain the idea that we exist? I find it highly unlikely that she actually has a daughter named Amelia who has a friend named Michelle that happen to have escaped her." Amy rolled her eyes at the insanity that was ensuing around them. "There is no way this is chance, so what in the hell could she possibly want us for? Why not just shatter the façade immediately? Why keep the rouse?"
"Who cares?" Michelle interjected.
"Well…I do; and you should." Amy barked. "Because those men down there – they're waiting for us Michelle…us. The outcome can't be good. We're impersonating part of her royal court, not only is that mockery it could be considered treason! I'm pretty sure, I could be wrong – but I doubt it, they don't pat you on the back and give you a thumb up saying good job keep it up."
"Amy! Look – am I right in assuming that Wendell offered to take you to the 8th Kingdom?"
Amy's brow furrowed and she issued a scowl at Michelle. "Yeah, well just to the boards, but so what? How'd you know that anyhow?"
Michelle waved a hand dismissing the details of it. "Look its simple. First, the way I see it we never really lied about our origins. Everyone just assumed. Second, we inform those armed executioners – er – wardens – damnit – escorts," Michelle was smiling at her continued and intentional incorrect verbiage. The entire way that she was kidding about it was slightly unnerving to Amy. "Those guys down there that the king has insisted that he escort the Princess Amelia to the boards. A refusal of such an act would cause undue hurt feeling if not offense to the 4th Kingdom on the whole and rouse suspicion. So you order them on ahead and with the promise to meet them a few miles south of the border."
Amy's eyebrows were arched high on her head as she stared at her friend. "And then?"
"What do you mean and then?" Michelle asked in a baffled tone. "And then we escape the while being escorted by the king. I'm fairly certain we can shake Wendell easily enough, however I don't think slipping out unnoticed from the palace would be possible or I'd suggest that instead. And I figure there's little hope of escape once we are in the clutches of the men down there." She shrugged.
Amy cocked a half hearted smile. "Alright, well what are you waiting for?"
"What do you mean?" Michelle glanced sideways at Amy.
"Aren't you going to go tell them, the guards…what about the border?" Amy smirked folding her arms over her chest.
"What now?"
"Yes now, no I was thinking next Thursday would be good."
Michelle's lips contorted in a pouting frown. "Why don't you tell them?"
"Because it's your plan." Amy explained.
"But Amy, they know we're not royalty. So you telling them, or me telling them makes no difference."
"Ah," Amy held up a single finger, "that might be true, but that doesn't mean the rest of the court doesn't know that."
"Fine!" Michelle grumbled, wrinkling her nose at her friend. "I'll be right back."
Amy followed Michelle all the way to the main corridor. Neither girl spoke the entire way, however the tension surrounding them was lucid. It was rather clear that neither was ready for whatever lie ahead, what was in store – but both knew they had to take it, face it and hope for the best. When Amy's footfalls stopped Michelle kept going, without looking back – it was that which kept her going. Had she paused to look back at Amy there was a chance she might not have been able to go through with it.
As the door eased shut behind her Amy turned away bringing the tip of her thumb up between her teeth. She closed her eyes tightly and did her best to clear her mind. The entirety of her vacation was positively ruined, Michelle would never forgive her and when they did get home she'd never live down having to be a princess.
It was only a matter of minutes before she heard the door creak open. Amy sprang around to face the main doors. She smiled, hopefully, at seeing Michelle striding her way. However, she couldn't help but note the two large men standing in the door way behind Michelle. "How did it go?"
Michelle looked blankly up to Amy, and Amy could feel a chill exuding from her friend. "Michelle?" She hesitated before shooting her hands out and grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her a small but sharp shake. "How did it go? Did it work?"
"Yes," Michelle said airily, her eyes finally falling fully onto Amy. "Sort of."
"What sort of?" Amy asked in a low tone that harbored between sadness and fear.
"They were quicker on the draw then me. They said that you could ride with the king to the boarder, but they are keeping me as bait so that you'll come back."
"No way! You've got to be kidding if you think I'm gonna let you leave with them."
Michelle's nostril's flared and she ground her teeth slightly. "I don't think that at this point we have much of a choice, besides it's all in the name of adventure right?"
"This isn't the time for jokes Michelle. We can't be separated. Can not, under any circumstances."
"Um, when I said that I don't think we have much of a choice, what I meant was that we have absolutely no choice." Michelle looked over her shoulder out the doorway. Amy peeked over Michelle and couldn't help but note the two very large, extremely well armed men with their eyes glued on Michelle's back.
Amy rocked back on her heals and looking sternly at Michelle she said coldly, "Am I correct in assuming that you were not as…tactful as you might have been with our request?"
Michelle shrugged, "Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."
Amy studied her friend in silence for several moments. Michelle looked calm and as though she hadn't a care in the world, Amy knew that with Michelle this combination was always a bad sign.
"I'll go with you then." Amy stated bravely.
Michelle's brow wrinkled, "Like hell. They are doing this because they know more than they should. They know they can predict our actions. So, we are going to become unpredictable." Michelle smiled wryly. "I'm going to go with these two tanks and you're not going to worry about me because I've always been able to take care of myself. And you are going to go with the king, find us a way out of here, and do everything in your power to stay away from the Ice Palace and I will find you as soon as I'm able."
"What if I never see you again? You're leaving me with Wendell, this is unbelievable." She did her best to use the second part of her complaint to light the mood, but the concern etched on Amy's face couldn't be chased away with mild jokes. There was a deep seated fear in her at the prospect of their being separated; furthermore Michelle's insistence on them separating further than the very basics.
Michelle laughed a single time, with a cool edge, "You wish. You'll be cursed with me for years to come. Just stick to the plan and everything will work out."
"But-"
"Damn it Amy, no buts. This is our only shot. I'm just posing as the bitch who empties your chamber pot, even if I make it all the way to the Palace the Queen will have little use for me except as a tool to get her hands on you. As long as she wants you I stay alive, as long as you stay away you stay alive. It's all very simple."
Amy sighed and let her shoulders fall before her eyes darted to the large men. She considered marching straight up to them and stealing one of their weapons to run them through herself. However, her fanciful day dream turned sour when she rather quickly realized they'd have her slaughtered before her hand even touched the hilt of either of their swords. "Yes, too simple I'm afraid. When do they take you from me?" She asked in a shaky voice. She figured Michelle was at least partly right. The Ice Queen would want them both, not necessarily just her...she would want the pair of them so it would take both of them to sate her.
Michelle shrugged, "I was thinking that now was as good a time as any."
Amy smiled sadly, "Let me guess; by that you meant that any minute those two brutes are going to come over here pick you up and haul your ass away cause you've already taken too much time."
Michelle nodded with an equally sad expression. "You got it. They want you to stay through dinner, and leave in the morning. It will be the most inconspicuous way."
Tony just happened to be strolling by, on his way to the kitchens for a mid day snack. "Oh hey, who are the guys at the door?" He asked curiously, stopping and pointing behind the girls.
Amy glanced up to him and replied, "They are my mother's guard, just to ensure our safe return."
Tony's eyes lit and his mouth fell open in quiet inspiration, "Wow, that would be kind of fun to have personal body guards. Remind me at dinner to ask Wendell for a few of my own."
"Right." Amy let the all the air in her lungs expel out and she issued Michelle one finally glance before slipping her arm through Tony's. The last look of forlorn that passed between them before Michelle vanished with the guards and Amy peeked up at Tony was painful for both of them. "Wherever it is that you're going take me with you." She told him in a broken melancholy way. "I can't bare to be alone just now, besides – I think it's you that I owe an apology to as well."
Despite being slightly shocked by the princess's manner Tony straightened, doing his best to seem a least a little dashing. "Sure thing, of course. I was just headed to the kitchens. Is that alright with you?"
Amy nodded, unable to keep the sadness from herself, "Yes, it's prefect."
A/N: I appreciate you taking the time to read this little piece and I would appreciate any feedback you might have.