12

The sun was at its lowest setting in the sky by the time Kit and the rest of the guard reached an inn on the edge of the city called The Nightingale, named so because of the large amount of birds dwelling in the vicinity. It was a quaint little place and Kit was positively delighted when he was treated like one of the soldiers as the innkeeper's wife threatened that if there was any roughhousing they'd be kicked out into the street king's guard or not!

"You can keep your horses in the stalls around in back," she continued, waving her plump hand to the right, "Dinner's already on the table so be quick about it! Oh and if you want to wash up in the morning, the trough's also back there by the horses. Breakfast, eggs and bacon, will be ready at sun up. Your keys are inside on the counter. Joyce will show you to your rooms – and don't any of you think of placing a hand on her or I'll whack you so hard you'll see stars for a year!" With that the rotund lady disappeared back inside.

Victor, one of the soldiers Kit had conversed with the entire way to the inn, turned to him and cleared his throat nervously. "I apologize for the lady's brazen words, Your Majesty."

Several of the soldiers were also shooting Kit nervous glances. Kit, however, burst out laughing, surprising them all. "I like her!" he said happily. "She's got quite a bit of spirit. What was her name again?"

"Beatrice, Your Majesty," Percy answered.

"I shall have to remember her in the future," Kit chuckled, "and gentlemen, please, you mustn't address me so formally. Christopher will do."

"But… Sire, it is rather difficult for us to do such a thing," Victor confessed.

Kit leapt from his horse. "Anything can be done if you've got the determination and will to do it. Now, come on, she did want us to hurry to dinner and I intend not to get any further on the lady's bad side."

Nearly whistling, Kit walked his horse towards the stalls behind the inn. He couldn't ride Tiberius in fear the Grand Duke would recognize the animal so he'd settled for an older male christened Arthur. He had been a little different to ride but the two had been able to communicate rather well halfway to the inn. Kit guided Arthur into an empty stall, tied his bridal, and rubbed his head. "Thank you for bearing with me, my friend," he muttered.

The dark brown horse stared at him with a peaceful demeanor. Kit smiled. He'd always loved horses, ever since he was little, and seemed to have a very good handle on how to care for them. He could tell that Arthur was what one might call a softie if known how to be treated. Kit scratched his dark head once more before following the other soldiers back around the corner. To Kit's slight surprise, the search party they were here to replace stood outside the inn. They must have finished a little early today. Frowning, Kit made sure to conceal himself towards the back of his group.

"Sir Percy, you're early," Captain Alistair said.

"At the King's wishes, sir," Percy replied without a hint of nerves.

"His Majesty didn't have to get involved," the Grand Duke replied as he hopped down from his horse. "We were just about to send for you."

"Forgive me for saying, Your Grace, but our young monarch is rather restless in regards to the search," Percy said while Kit had to hide his smile. The man was playing his part well.

"Be that as it may, we are doing all we can to find the lady," the Grand Duke nearly snapped in frustration. "Do you know how many desperate women we've had to endure in this venture?"

"I am sure the number is quite high, Your Grace," Percy answered.

The Grand Duke shuddered. "I myself will be very glad when this search comes to an end. This is getting ridiculous." And without another word, the Grand Duke entered the inn wearing a rather remarkable scowl.

The man's contempt over this entire ordeal caused Kit a hint of sadness. Though he'd known that the fairy had been right, there was still a part of him that hoped the Grand Duke would not be so blatantly against him.

"The Duke is just tired," Captain Alistair assured the guards with a weary smile. "Sir Tristan," he called to a man still on horseback.

"Yes sir?"

"You and your men are free to return to the palace. The King thanks you for the time you have taken the past two days to be part of the search."

"It is an honor to look for His Majesty's future bride," Tristan replied. "I pray that tomorrow will bring you better fortune than we have had."

Captain Alistair nodded, looking troubled. Kit really wanted to talk to him but now wasn't the proper time. The current search party turned their horses back to the palace while Kit's company followed the Captain into the inn. The accommodations were small, much smaller than anything Kit had ever experienced. He was used to grand halls filled with light, objects dusted in gold, and drapes of the softest velvet. He wasn't familiar with the scene now before him where everything was made of wood and large shadows cast the hardly lit room in darkness. The cotton curtains covering up the windows were rather dirty from the daily dust blowing in from outside and the wooden floors, though clearly swept, had stains from what Kit hoped was just previous food and drink though there were several spots dark enough to be dried blood.

A few men sat around round tables with kegs of ale, laughing riotously while telling tales from their travels. A girl with slightly dirty cheeks and long unkempt hair walked around the room cleaning up the remains of leftover meals. Kit noticed that the lamps lining the walls were slightly dusty like the curtains around them and a couple of spider webs hung in the nook and crannies. A wooden staircase in the corner led to the upper rooms where guests stayed, the second floor's landing visible from the ground, a long plank of wood being the only thing preventing one from falling off the edge.

Kit joined the other soldiers as they took up seats around several wooden tables, noticing that while Captain Alistair sat with them, the Grand Duke had retired to his room. Kit made sure to sit at a different table than the Captain for now, determining that the best time to converse would be after everyone had retired. The young girl with slightly dirty cheeks Kit surmised was Joyce, the girl Beatrice had spoken of. She appeared to be around the age of fourteen. Her green dress had several patches near the bottom, her long black hair hung in her face, hiding her fair complexion, and she appeared terrified to speak to any of the soldiers as she set down their food and ran away without a word.

Kit watched her go with concern. "Is she being mistreated here?" he asked to Victor who had already begun to eat the stew placed before him.

"Who?" Victor asked, apparently oblivious.

"The waitress," Kit said, causing several of the soldiers around them to look at Joyce as she served another table.

"Young lasses at these kinds of places will sometimes fall victim to lesser men, Sire," Charles, the guard to his right, muttered quietly.

Kit looked outraged. "Is this something that happens in every inn?"

A few men looked at each other before nodding. Furious, Kit nearly blew his cover for he had stood with the intention of going to the innkeeper's wife and demanding to know if Joyce had been mistreated recently.

"Sire – I mean – Christopher, what are you doing?" Victor hissed.

Kit paused, remembering himself. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before lowering back into his chair. "I am displeased with this news," he muttered. "Is there anything that can be done to prevent this from occurring?"

"That's the way things have always been," Charles said with a sad expression.

Kit frowned. He suddenly didn't want to eat anymore. Pushing his food away, he leaned into one hand while drummed the fingers of the other against the table. The soldiers watched him nervously, afraid what he might do. "There must be something I can do as king to change all of this," he muttered to himself while glancing again at Joyce.

She was over by the group of men he'd noticed when they'd first come in. His eyes narrowed as he caught snippets of their conversation.

"What's your name?" one was asking her. "You're pretty scrawny but there must be something good about you. Why don't you come a little closer so I can find out?"

Joyce ignored him as she tried to clear their table. One of the men grabbed her wrist. "Hey, he asked you a question!"

"Please, let me go," Joyce squeaked.

Before he even knew what he was doing, Kit had leapt from his chair and was marching over to the men harassing the young lady. "Gentlemen, I think it would be in the best interest of everyone if you would kindly unhand the young miss," he said with a voice radiating authority.

"And just who do you think you are to tell me what to do?" the man holding Joyce asked.

Kit's eyes flashed dangerously but he tried to remain dignified in his reply. "My good sir, as a member of the King's Royal Guard, I speak on his behalf in saying that it would do you well to treat his subjects with respect. Seeing that you are handling a lady inappropriately, it is my duty to ask you to refrain from such behavior."

The man smirked. "I get it; you want her for yourself. You know what? Take her! She's got little if anything to offer anyway." He threw her away from him. The poor girl lost her grip on the dirty dishes she was holding and there was an almighty crash as the glass collided with the floor. Kit grabbed her to prevent her from falling to the ground too.

"What the devil is going on out here?!" Beatrice shouted as she emerged from the kitchen.

Ignoring her, Kit turned his eye on the man who had insulted the girl now fighting back sobs in his arms. Rage coursed through him. These men were clearly drunk but he couldn't help desiring to throw them into the dungeons and let them rot for a thousand years.

"Have courage and be kind…"

Kit started. His princess's words had fluttered into his brain like a soft butterfly kiss and he suddenly felt ashamed for his earlier thoughts. The cowardly thing would be to stoop to these men's level. The courageous and kind thing to do would be to walk away without blows and tend to the poor girl in his arms. Ignoring the men who were now laughing drunkenly, Kit gently guided Joyce away from them.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked her kindly.

Joyce refused to answer, her body trembling as soft sobs escaped her mouth unbidden. Beatrice and several members of the guard descended upon them.

"What have you done to her?" Beatrice accused.

"It wasn't him, madam," Victor said, defending Kit. "Those men were treating the lady callously."

"Thank you, Victor but I am capable of handling this myself," Kit replied kindly as he turned to face the innkeeper's wife. "I apologize for the broken dishes, my lady, but I felt it vital to protect your worker rather than save them. Those men were not giving her the proper respect a lady deserves and I took it upon myself to intervene. As a member of the King's Guard I promise that you will be compensated for the damaged items. I suggest this one have the night off and a strong cup of tea to calm the nerves."

Unsure of how to respond, Beatrice wordlessly took Joyce by the shoulders and gently guided the girl into the kitchen out of sight. The soldiers were all looking at Kit with admiration… well, all of them except a certain Captain.

The colored man cleared his throat in Kit's ear before whispering, "And just what would His Majesty be doing in an inn disguised as a member of the Royal Guard?"

"I should have known you would figure me out, Alistair," Kit said, turning to face him.

"After that display, Your Highness, how could I not?" the Captain asked in good humor as well as a little sharpness.

Seeing that now was as good a time as any to talk, Kit said, "Captain, a few private words, please. Men, stall the Grand Duke anyway you can should he come looking for him."

"Yes Your Highness," Percy replied with a bow.

"Sire, do you want us to do anything about those men?" Victor asked.

Kit glanced at the drunken men who had already gone back to their own business. "It would be a waste of your time to do so. Let them be. Come, Captain, I fancy a walk."

Once the two had traveled far enough away from The Nightingale Inn, Captain Alistair spoke, "Alright, Kit, what are you doing here? And don't tell me it's because you have a sudden desire to rescue mistreated girls working in the Nightingale Inn."

Kit smirked a little. "Though I would gladly rescue as many distressed women in a similar position, you are quite right in guessing that isn't the reason for my presence, Alistair." They reached a corner as he continued, "I can no longer entrust the search for my mystery princess in the hands of the Grand Duke."

"I thought this was one of the original reasons you asked me to accompany him. Do you not trust I am seeing that this search is going as you would have it?"

"No, that's not what I meant at all, Alistair," Kit said hastily. "The reason I am here is because I was told that I needed to see what the Grand Duke was doing with my own eyes not the eyes of birds."

Captain Alistair raised an eyebrow. "Who told you that?"

"A fairy godmother," Kit answered.

The Captain stopped in his tracks. "A fairy godmother…" he repeated skeptically.

"Yes! Look, I know it sounds ridiculous but this woman has appeared to me once before, back when my father was alive. She advised me to fight against him and voice how I wanted to marry for love. Now she has appeared to me again and told me to do as I have just said. She performed magic before me, Alistair! She repaired the shoe which was broken!"

Captain Alistair's eyebrows rose higher and higher on his forehead as Kit rambled. "Is this woman your fairy godmother?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, she said she was my future bride's," Kit muttered, waving his hand.

"What?"

"She also confessed that she was the one who gave the mystery princess her shoes."

"So your suspicions concerning magic are true."

"Only to a degree," Kit muttered. "So much remains unclear."

"Like whether or not your girl from the forest is from the magical community herself?"

"Yes," Kit sighed. "But… would a fairy have a fairy godmother? If she were a fairy, why didn't she make the glass shoes herself? Why get someone else to make them for her?"

"Perhaps the Godmother is better at making shoes," the Captain suggested with a slight chuckle.

Kit paused. "She did say she was…" he shook his head, his thoughts swirling around incoherently. "I don't know, Alistair. I'm even more confused now than I was before."

"Are you having doubts about wanting to find the girl?"

"What? Of course not! If anything I'm even more intrigued! I need to get to the bottom of this. The fairy told me that I had to be here so I am. I feel I can trust her. So far everything she has said or done has been in my best interest. I don't believe she will lead me astray now. I honestly feel she wants to help me…"

The Captain observed him for a long moment before clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Then we'll do as she says. I trust your judgment, Sire."

Kit nodded, suddenly grave. "I fear we will have to be even more wary of the Grand Duke than we have been, Alistair. The fairy hinted to me that he doesn't have my best interests at heart and has been putting up a façade this entire time to appease me. Have you noticed anything odd about him during the search?"

"Not so far, Your Majesty. He seems to be dedicated to the cause."

"Hmmm… well, for now we will keep him in confidence but I don't want him to know I am here."

"That much is obvious seeing you have disguised yourself to be a guardsman."

Kit smirked. "And I'd like it to remain that way until I choose to reveal myself. Until then, if you must address me, do so by calling me by my full name."

"Understood… Christopher."

"Let us go back," Kit muttered, turning around.

"You realize that the search in the kingdom is almost complete, don't you?" Captain Alistair commented as they neared their destination.

"Yes."

"Forgive me then for wondering why you didn't try this endeavor in the first place."

"I probably would have done so but I had state business to attend to that a certain Captain ordered me to deal with."

Captain Alistair chuckled. "Right, so it's my fault."

Kit laughed with him. "Hasn't it always been?"

The two continued to chuckle for a moment before Kit sobered. "No, I suppose I didn't come because a part of me truly believed the Grand Duke would keep his word. But after the warning I received I feel differently. I don't know what will come of tomorrow but I must confess I'm rather nervous. There's a stir in the air, Alistair. I don't know what it means but something is about to happen."

"Let us pray it is fate working on your side to find the one you yearn for."

"That is a hope I dare not utter aloud," Kit muttered. "But I pray you are right."

o0o0o

Kit hardly slept. It wasn't because the bed was uncomfortable nor the accommodations atrocious. He just couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned for hours on end, his thoughts and feelings swirling around like a small tornado within his mind and heart. The morrow would mark the last day of the search. If he didn't find her in the next twenty four hours, he had to face the fact that she was in another kingdom and that thought terrified him. The world was a much bigger place than the Kingdom of Aritess. This truly distressed his spirit. He shouldn't be thinking this way. He had to keep hold of the hope that fate would be in his favor.

Please, he silently pled, please bring me to her.

This was his last thought before falling asleep in the early morning. A couple hours later a hand was shaking him awake. Kit turned over to find Victor and Charles already dressed, standing over him. They looked sheepish.

"Forgive us, but you already missed breakfast and the Grand Duke said we are to be on the road in twenty minutes."

Kit sat up stretching. "Thank you for waking me then," he replied with a smile, trying to ease them. "Don't look so upset, gentlemen! I'm not angry."

"We're still sorry for not waking you," Victor mumbled. "We weren't sure if we should."

Kit laughed, throwing the covers aside to dress. "I give you all the permission you need to do so in the future. Remember, I told you to treat me as if I were one of you and if that means waking me with a bucket of ice water then so be it."

"We'd never dream of doing such a thing!" Charles gasped.

Kit waved him off, laughing. He'd had to store his royal garb under the bed so as not to alert the Grand Duke should he pop in during the night for any reason. The men in the room watched in slight apprehension. Kit raised an eyebrow. "My good sirs, I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself. Contrary to what may be said, Henry and Lance don't always dress me."

Several men relaxed. Chuckling inwardly, Kit pulled on his beige breeches, black boots, and white undershirt before walking over the mirror to tie his bright blue cravat. Once that was done, he pulled on his light vest and green jacket. Smirking to himself, he realized the outfit was the same he'd been wearing when he first met his mystery princess.

"We'll be heading out in a few minutes men!" Percy's voice called from the other side of the door. "That means you should be heading to the stables now!"

Kit walked over to his bed to throw the deep blue soldier's uniform over his shoulders. It went all the way down to his ankles, thoroughly covering his royal garb. The other soldiers, already dressed, refused to leave the room until he was thoroughly concealed. Smiling appreciatively to them, he donned the black helmet and signaled he was ready to leave.

They were on the road five minutes later, Kit hiding in plain sight. The Grand Duke and Captain Alistair were at the front of the party while he rode beside Victor in the formation. They rode two by two, seven rows each. People had lined the streets to watch and wave at them as they passed. They rode until they came to a cobbled road on the edge of the kingdom and the process began of allowing every woman on the street to try on the shoe.

Kit cringed as he watched firsthand the frenzy Captain Alistair had described in his letters. Women screamed and huffed, trying to force the shoe onto their feet. One burst into tears when her foot slipped inside but was too small for the shoe. Kit felt bad for these women; they really wanted to be his future wife even though all of them knew they hadn't danced with him.

"I've never seen such hysterics in all my life," he muttered to Victor as they left the house of a girl who had literally rolled around on the floor, shouting that the shoe had shrunk and was really hers.

"In case His Highness didn't realize, he truly is a man many women in the kingdom desire to marry," Victor replied.

Kit smirked. "Apparently so."

Before they knew it, the sun had already passed noon and the search was about to come to an end. They were traveling down a road surrounded by trees on both sides and all in the company were disheartened – well, all except the Grand Duke.

"What's wrong Captain?" Kit heard the Grand Duke ask in a merry voice.

"We haven't found the girl," Captain Alistair replied, sullenly. "I'm disappointed for our king."

"Oh come now! There is still one house left!" The Duke said cheerfully. "Don't lose heart."

The last house was charming in its own way. Surrounded by large stone walls covered slightly in vines, Kit could tell it was an old establishment. A large fountain stood before the house, the water containing leaves and a thin layer of silt at the bottom. The grounds looked as if there was an attempt to keep them clean but Kit couldn't deny that the job appeared poorly done, as if in haste.

The manor itself was made of stone. It was a large dwelling with a friendly kind of feel to it. Once the company had come to a rest, the large wooden doors were pulled open and a woman dressed in an elegant black and green dress greeted them, bowing deeply before ushering the Grand Duke and Captain Alistair inside.

Kit waited nervously, fidgeting back and forth. The doors remained open, allowing him to hear the shrieks and shouts of pain as someone within tried to try on the shoe. Kit sighed. "Another failed venture," he whispered.

"Don't lose heart just yet, Sire," Victor whispered back. "Your lady still might be inside."

But after a second round of anguished cries was heard, the Grand Duke and Captain Alistair appeared in the doorway, the first rather pleased, the second greatly discouraged. Kit's heart dropped like a stone. She wasn't here. Bowing his head in despair, he felt as if he could cry right then and there. And then he heard it…

"Lavenders blue, dilly, dilly, Lavenders green…"

It was a voice, a voice that seared down to his very soul causing it to resonate. His heart seemed to swell as it took courage. The tone of the sweet voice didn't belong to either woman he had heard earlier shrieking in attempts to try on the shoe. This voice was different, soft, melodious, enchanting…

"Do you hear that Your Grace?" Captain Alistair asked, pausing on the steps.

"Let us be off, Captain," the Grand Duke ordered a little worriedly.

"Just a moment," Captain Alistair interjected, smiling as a thought came to mind. "Madam," he called to the woman in the green dress who had been about to close the door. She paused, her expression seeming to Kit like a frightened deer as she looked at the Captain. "There is no other maiden in your house?" he prompted.

Eyes wide, she glanced at the Grand Duke. "None!" she hastily replied.

Kit narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

"Then has your cat learned to sing?" Captain Alistair sneered, also sensing that something deceitful was taking place.

"Oh!" The woman gave off an incredibly fake laugh before glancing again at the Grand Duke in panic.

"There's been enough play acting today, Captain." The Grand Duke said dismissively while turning to go. "Let us be off."

"But she's lying, Your Grace!" Captain Alistair protested.

"Nonsense, I trust the lady!" the Grand Duke snapped.

Kit had heard enough. The Grand Duke had revealed his true colors and Kit bet his kingdom that the woman singing somewhere inside was the one he had been looking for. The moment had arrived to reveal himself. Removing his hat and handing it to Victor on his right, he firmly cried, "Grand Duke!"

The Grand Duke twisted around, his eyes growing to the size of goose eggs as Charles pulled the guard's cloak from Kit's shoulders. Captain Alistair bowed with a pleased smirk, knowing the Grand Duke wouldn't be able to outrank the King. The lady in the doorway curtsied, positively stunned by the sudden appearance of the royal. "Your Majesty," she gasped, her eyes just as wide with surprise as the Grand Duke's.

"What sweet singing," Kit sighed, staring upward. "Makes me want to tarry just a little."

"Your Majesty," the Duke spluttered, "I-I-I d-d-"

"Captain," Kit interrupted, "would you be so kind as to investigate?"

"It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty," Captain Alistair grinned before following the lady inside.

Kit dismounted his steed and glanced at the Grand Duke with a mixed look of pure disappointment and slight fury on his face before walking straight into the house.