Chapter 11: The Castle

The streets of LePleut were much different to Soliel yet almost exactly the same. Many tarps and tents were around just like in Soleil, but for different reasons. In Soleil they were used to block the sun and provide shade, but in LePleut they were used to protect things from the rain. The streets were cold and yet here, where as in Soleil they were hot and dry. They're many tents with vendors selling one miraculous thing after another. Then in the center of the city stood the tall, proud and slightly intimidating.

Jane took Mary's hand so she wouldn't get lost as they moved forward. Bert looked around suspiciously. "Hide your things under cloaks and hold them close. Many thieves hang around these big markets." He told them and they did as he said.

They pushed they're way through the crowded streets when they heard someone call out. They turned around and saw a horse trample through the streets and a little girl holding on tightly for dear life. "Help! Somebody please, help my little girl!" a man cried out.

"Ahh!" the little girl cried as the horse pulled her through the streets.

Jane was in a fit. "Oh no, we have to help her! We Must!" she cried out.

The horse drew close and at the last minute Mary darted out in front of it.

"No!" Jane and Bert cried out, Jane looked up at Bert who had gone deathly white.

The horse quickly stopped in its path. Mary eyed it carefully. "Really! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Running around like a cheetah in the marketplace somebody could have gotten hurt! Including you!"

The horse whinnied and Mary nodded responsively. "I don't care if the destination scares you. That is no excuse to act like a wild animal!"

The horse hung its head as if it was ashamed. Mary patted its head. "There, there." She said. "Don't wallow in self pity. To be perfectly honest, that place scares me too!" she whispered to it.

The crowded cheered as Bert and Jane came over. Bert went to the little girl. "You A'right? That must have given you a right good scare huh?" The little girl nodded and Bert lifted her off the horse.

A couple ran over to the girl and picked her up and hugged her. The man walked over to them. "Thank you so much, you saved our daughter's life and managed to tame that beast! If you ever need anything just name it!"

Jane looked over at the fruit cart they had been driving. "Um, where are you taking that cart?" she asked curiously.

"Huh? Oh, to the castle for their monthly delivery. Boy is that a tiring day. We spend hours going to every part of the castle delivering crates." The girl's mother said.

Mary and Bert caught on to her plan. "If you wouldn't mind it. We'd love to go with you." Mary told them.

"Why would you? Most people stay far away from the castle." The father said.

"We have our reasons; all we can say is that if all goes well you'll be happy you took us." Mary told them.

The mother nodded. "Very well, but first we must stop somewhere. There was a scare in the woods last night where they found trespassers in the woods. We all know where was no way they could've escaped the woods unless they knew some "secret way" or something like that, but still since then the guards and officials have been paranoid of all travelers. So for safety we're going to disguise you so you look less … worldly."

The three of them all suppressed a smile as they climbed in the cart, thanking them for their generosity. In about one hour, they had fully changed and were at the palace gate. They were made to dunk their heads in water so they looked more like an authentic Lepleutian (who never seemed to fully dry due to constant rain fall.)Despite the suggestions to abandon their items for it may appear questionable, they instead hid them under their clothes in well hidden but easy accessible locations.

Michael's shield was hidden under Jane's cloak tied with a strap around her waist. The horn was hidden in a secret pocket in her skirts. Bert's sword was wrapped in a special cloth and strapped to his back as well. The Necklace however did not move from it's spot for it had already been dirtied from sleeping on the ground so it no longer at a casual glance looked spectacular but more like and old necklace. She hated to wear it so dirty but she had no choice.

The cart went through the gate and stopped at a form of loading dock. A Guard stood by. "Name and business." He demanded.

"Gergiore and family. Here to deliver the monthly fruit." The father told them.

"Who is in the family?"

"My wife Jezebel, our three daughters Janet, Delia and Maria, and Maria's husband David."

He said as he correspondingly pointed to his wife, Jane, his daughter, Mary and Bert. Neither of them looked happy to have been disguised as husband and wife.

The guard looked over a list. "Very well, go in, but adding more people to you're delivery does not increase your pay!"

The went to the loading area where Mary, Bert and Jane all took a basket of fruit. The three extra that were put in so they could go in the castle unnoticed. Once they successfully made it inside alright they headed towards the dungeons after overhearing some guards talk about the special prisoner there.

They walked down and down the twisting turning stairs leading to the dungeons after asking a maid where they were to deliver fruit to the guards there. They reached the fowl smelling dungeons and absentmindedly gave some fruit to the guards and went to "Leave the rest" somewhere. They wandered around looking in every cell. To find them empty!

Jane was scared. Bert casually walked up to one of them. "So is it true that you caught that Soliel prince and are holding him here?"

The guard looked at him suspiciously. "Yeh, why would YOU want to know?"

"Because that one there…" he said pointing to Mary who raised an eyebrow. "Thinks that there is no way you men could ever catch the young prince!"

The guards stood themselves up straight. "Of course we could! In fact the Prince is INDEED hidden in the castle at this very moment!"

Mary caught on to what he was doing. "Oh sure he is! Where pray tell is he then. I certainly don't see him in any of the cells!" she said disbelievingly.

"Well madam, it just so happens that he is with the king and princess right now!" he said hotly.

"Oh how I wish I could meet the king!" Jane said finally caught up.

The guards laughed. "The only was YOU'LL ever meet the king is if he summons you or your being brought to him for sentencing!"

The other one laughed too. "Even if you were arrested he's way too busy with the matters of Soleil's Rulers to worry about a little petty thief!"

Jane gave Mary and Bert a look. Everything needed was said in that look, and Mary and Bert understood it right away. Jane walked over to the fruit basket as Mary and Bert etched out of the room. Jane then suddenly threw the biggest fruit she could find at the guards. She tore off her cape and the symbols of Soleil's royal family shone in the torch light.

"Greetings from Soleil!" She cried as she and Mary and Bert ran for it. Peeling off their disguising cloaks and leaving them behind, so that they were recognizable. They knew full well that the guards would get them and then bring them to Broulliard, where Micheal was right now. Within 3 minutes they were surrounded and being dragged off to the throne room.

Broulliard was a beefy man. His mood changed from delightfully giddy to a terrifying tyrant within a matter of seconds. Only two things in the past year brought him joy. Victory and his Daughter, Senvole Papillion, Princess of Butterflies.

Senvole was as beautiful as she was sad. She had been named the Princess of Butterflies when she was born; her mother had not been royal by birth. She came from the south where the wide fields and plains were homage to the beautiful butterflies. It is said that her mother owned the most beautiful Butterfly fields in the world. When she married Broulliard the two kingdoms united and she became Queen of the Butterflies. She had brought all of her butterflies to LePleut and for years they roamed the kingdom with grace and beauty. Then the war started and the sun left. All the butterflies outside flew away to Soleil and the ones in the palace stay in their place, never moving. Always still. The castle is too cold for them to fly you see. So they can't move. Senvole never saw a butterfly fly, even though she is their Princess. The tale says that is why she is sad.

Micheal didn't know any of this when he first met Princess Senvole. The princess was kind to him and saved him from his imprisonment in the dungeons, the princess took care of him. That was all he knew. Micheal no longer remembered his life before LePleut, when he arrived in LePleut, Ferderu had cast some evil magic that removed his memory. He didn't know what Soliel was, or who Mary, Bert and most importantly, Jane were. Micheal had arrived and was taken in by the family. Senvole was his sister and Broulliard was his father. Broulliard kept the secret of Michael's past hidden from everyone but himself and Ferderu. Not even Senvole knew, if she had known she would have set him free. Since she did not though, she believed he had no family and kept him safe from the wet world outside. Micheal only had known them for a few days, he didn't know what a family was but he was certain it was something like this. But he often wondered why his sister was so sad all the time. She did seem happier then when they first met, but not by much. She never laughed or smiled. It upset him to see his sister like this.

Although only being there for a few days, Senvole and Broulliard had felt as if Micheal was always a member of the family. Broulliard sometimes forgot that Micheal was his enemy. Broulliard was not an evil man, he was just very… determined. He had to win no matter the cost, especially since the rain ruined the food. Sometimes he cheated.

They were in the throne room when the guards announced that they had the wanted people. Broulliard sat in a large and intimidating throne with Senvole and Micheal on either side. "Your Majesty! We found the three you've been looking for." Said the chief guard.

"Very good, bring them to me!"

Senvole turned to Micheal and craned her neck past him. "This should be interesting. Take notes for one day you'll be doing this."

Micheal nodded half excited and half anxious.

The door opened and three people came forward, a man, woman and girl who looked two years older than him. They didn't look threatening to him. They looked kind and trusting.

It was then the little girl looked up and smiled brightly. "My goodness, it's you! Oh Micheal, Micheal we found you!" she cried and she jerked away from the guards and ran up to him and hugged him.

Micheal was frightened by this abruptness. "let me go you silly girl!" he called out.

She put her hands on her hips. "I am not a silly girl, but I have missed you!"

"Missed me? How? We don't know each other!" he told her.