Chapter 25 - Delays
Recommended for mature audiences only. Some content is not suitable for young readers.
(Updated for errors & minor content – 14/Dec/2020)
Please note, this story has been completed. I have removed the remaining chapters as they are currently undergoing revisions. Chapters are being re-uploaded one-by-one upon completion. Reviews are still absolutely welcome!
Snow was standing in a small room she'd never seen before with Bane, William and Eric, while several guards stood watch outside. There were no windows or fireplace, only a table, a candle and two chairs. There was a door in the far corner of the room, but she didn't know what was behind it. "What is this place?" she asked.
"The castle is on lockdown, Yer Majesty" Bane said. "Until we know that Argus is no' in the castle, 'tis best for ye to stay here, ma'am. A safe room."
Eric was pacing back and forth. "He was in her chamber," he growled. "He had his bloody hands on her!"
"We're doing our best-" William started.
"What kind of men do ye have patrollin' this castle?" Eric pointed at him. "First yer guards let a dangerous criminal escape, and now ye have him crawlin' about the castle undetected. If he'd have hurt her-"
"Eric," Snow took hold of his arm, trying to calm him. "It's alright."
"Are you sure it was him?" William asked Snow. "Did you actually see him?"
Snow frowned. "Well, no. I mean I didn't see him, but it felt so real. It couldn't have been anyone else."
"How did he get out?" Eric growled at William again.
"One of the guards was found unconscious," Bane spoke. "The second has gone missin'. He must have helped Argus escape, along with the other three rebels that were in the cells."
Snow remembered the guards from earlier that night when she had visited Argus. One of them had seemed so familiar, but she couldn't figure out why. "Who is the guard? The one that helped them escape?"
"Mason," Bane said. "He was a prison guard from the Royal Palace. He came with us after the attack."
"I knew I'd seen him from somewhere," Snow said, suddenly remembering his face.
"Wait…" William exclaimed. "Did you go down to the dungeon?"
"Aye," Eric said sternly. "She did."
"I saw him once after your brawl in the courtyard," Snow pointed at Eric and William. "When I went to release Eric, he was the guard in the tower. He could have been the insider. The one you were looking for before the attack at my birthday."
William looked at Eric. "Snow's right. It could have been him who let the rebels in that night."
Eric's mouth formed a hard line. "So why escape tonight?" he asked, trying to keep his voice low. "Argus has been here for weeks, why did he wait until now to escape?"
Everyone was silent, but Snow remembered the look on Argus's face when she had gone to see him.
"He was waiting for me," she said as realisation crept up on her. "He didn't look surprised to see me. It was like he'd been waiting for me to visit him."
All four of them were quiet for a moment.
"He knows she's with child," Eric spoke, finally breaking the silence.
Bane glanced quickly at Eric. "I went and saw him a few times myself, and he's gotten worse; more unstable. If he knows the Queen is with child, I feel he's goin' to want to re-evaluate. Ye have more to lose now, and he knows it."
Eric was silent, and Snow couldn't bring herself to look at him. She had been a fool for going to the dungeon; for exposing her unborn child to a man that wanted to harm her.
"Do what you must to find him," she finally said to Bane and William. "When you find the missing guard, Mason, have him brought to me."
Bane nodded. "Aye, Yer' Majesty."
As the two men turned to leave, Eric stopped them.
"When ye find Argus," he said. "Kill him on sight. And Bane, take twenty of William's best men to serve as the new Queen's Guard. She's no' to go anywhere unattended from now on."
Snow stared at Eric as William and Bane nodded and left. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed in frustration. She thought about telling him there was no need for the guards, but she decided against it. Argus had been in her chamber; literally close enough to touch her. She frowned. He'd been close enough to touch me. "He had to perfect chance to hurt me and he didn't," she thought out loud. "Why didn't he hurt me?"
Eric rubbed his tired face and shrugged. "I dinnae know. We dinnae know what he's thinkin'. And I dinnae want to find out."
He pulled her into his arms and she yawned against his chest. It had been a long night, but she didn't think she'd be able to go back to sleep. She could hardly believe that the same man she'd seen sitting behind bars just hours ago was now missing. Her skin crawled as she thought about his hands on her body.
The Huntsman sat her on one of the chairs. "I'm goin' to help them search for Argus," he said. "Dinnae go anywhere until myself, Bane or William come and get ye."
"I could help. If he's looking for me-"
"Dinnae even think about it," Eric cut her off. "It's no' just about yerself anymore." He kissed her forehead and left.
Snow glanced around the empty room and suddenly felt very alone. She crept over to the door, pulling it open a fraction so she could peek through. The three guards that were stationed just outside the door turned to look at her.
"Is everything okay, Your Majesty?" one of them asked.
"Yes, thank you," Snow murmured and quickly shut the door.
She then tried the door at the back of the room and was delighted to find a small unmade cot piled high with blankets. She pulled one around her shoulders and waited.
As the time passed, Snow grew restless. Different scenarios ran through her mind. What if Argus hurt someone? What if whoever found him got attacked? Snow stood up and paced around the room. What if something happened to Eric? She should be helping them look, not hiding behind several guards in a small room.
No, she thought. Eric was right. If Argus found her again he could harm the child. She had to be more careful from now on.
Almost two hours passed before William came to get her.
"The entire castle has been searched, Your Majesty. Argus isn't here."
Snow sighed. "What happens now?"
"There are men already searching beyond the castle walls. Eric and Bane are with them."
Snow just nodded. She had expected Eric to search for Argus. She just hoped they found him soon, before anyone got hurt.
Days went by without any sign of Argus. Those days turned into weeks, and Eric himself was absent while he helped search. Alas, there was still no sign of the rebel leader.
Snow had filled in her time by talking with Elizabeth and the healer Catriona. The two women, she realised, had much to share with her about childbirth. They spent most of the days preparing her for what was to come, and slowly, day by day, Snow was feeling more confidant about becoming a mother. She even dared show a fraction of excitement.
As for her wedding, Snow left it all up to her council Ladies. The planning just didn't interest her without Eric there to help her. All she wanted was to become his wife, and finally start their family.
Just days before the wedding was to take place, Eric rode through the castle gates with Bane and twelve soldiers close behind. He dismounted and handed the reigns to the stable boy, who was already waiting for them. Eric thanked the boy and looked around the courtyard. He'd not been back in weeks, but he already knew it was to be a short stay.
"Well, my eyes must be playing tricks on me."
Eric turned around and saw Greta beaming at him.
"Lovely to see you again, Sir," she smiled.
"Greta," he nodded curtly while he ripped off his dirty leather vest. "I trust everythin' is well?"
"Oh," Greta sighed. "I suppose everything is well. Except Her Majesty, she's been pulling her hair out waiting for your return… With the wedding being so close and all."
Eric stiffened, and swallowed the lump rising in his throat. "Could ye wait a while before tellin' the Queen I'm back? Bane and I have some important matters to discuss first."
Greta frowned suspiciously. "If Her Majesty asks, I cannot be lying to her, Sir."
"I wouldnae ask ye to lie, Greta. If she asks then tell her I'm back, but in the meantime, please try yer best to keep her away. Just a few hours."
Greta nodded slowly, still unsure, and headed back inside.
Eric glanced at Bane, who was suppressing a grin. "What?"
Bane shrugged. "I just cannae wait to find out what the Queen thinks when ye tell her ye willnae be making it to yer own weddin'."
Eric swallowed hard. He definitely wasn't looking forward to that conversation.
Snow marched through the corridor and pushed open the doors to the kitchens. Bane and Eric's faces flew up from the large map spread out over the entire wooden bench.
Snow scowled and hurled the bread roll she was still holding from lunch. It hit Eric's shoulder and bounced onto the map in front of him.
Bane quickly stepped aside and cleared his throat. "I think William is lookin' for me," he lied and rushed out of the kitchen, much to Eric's disapproval.
Snow crossed her arms on top of her ever-growing belly and glared at Eric, who was very still. "Well?"
Eric risked a stiff smile, but Snow's glare quickly wiped it away. "Hello," he tried instead. "I've missed you."
Snow scoffed. "Would you care to explain to me why I only just found out you were back? Four hours after you'd arrived!"
"I didnae want to bother ye," Eric tried, cautiously.
"Bother me?" Snow frowned. "I haven't seen you in weeks! Why on earth would your return bother me?"
Eric shrugged. "Bane and I needed to go over a few things. I wanted to get it out of the way and clear my head before seeing ye."
Snow's shoulders sunk, deflated. "This search is getting ridiculous, Eric! How soon after the wedding are you leaving?"
Eric's stomach knotted. "Snow, about the weddin'…"
Snow looked at him with fire in her eyes. "No - don't even dare say it..."
"I'm leavin' in two days; we have to postpone the weddin'."
Snow was silent as she stared daggers at him.
"I'm sorry," Eric went on, trying to fill the silence. "It's important we find Argus, Snow. I cannae spend one more minute knowin' he's out there, plottin' to harm ye, or worse."
Snow stepped back. Her eyes were dark and her mouth formed a hard line.
"It's just a few weeks," he continued. "I'll be back before ye know it."
"What?" She shouted, and this time she picked up a silver mug from the table and threw it in his direction. Water splashed over him and the mug landed on the floor with a heavy clang. "A few weeks! I cannot believe you!" she yelled at him.
"Snow!" Eric exclaimed. He wiped his wet face with his shirt.
"Don't 'Snow' me! I don't want to hear your excuses. You've been gone for weeks. The least you could do is stay long enough to marry me!"
"It's no' that simple," he shot back.
"It is!" Another mug went flying in his direction and he stepped aside to dodge it. "It is that simple! It's one day Eric. The one day that you chose!" This time an unlit candle flew past his head and crumbled against the stone wall. "You can't stay long enough to even mutter the words 'I do'."
"Ye're being ridiculous Snow," Eric growled.
"Ridiculous?" Snow exclaimed and threw the next closest thing to her. A fork flew through the air and made contact with his torso. "Ridiculous is only seeing the man you're supposed to be marrying twice in a month. Ridiculous is having him cancel the whole thing three days before the wedding." Snow put her hands over her burning eyes to stop him from seeing her tears. "Ridiculous," she whispered through her hands, "is not even bothering to ask your future wife or unborn child how they are. You can't even come to tell me you're home, you leave it to someone else to tell me you're here."
"I have more important things on my mind, Snow. Argus is still-"
"Argus!" Snow growled. "I am so sick and tired of hearing that name. I don't want to hear it again, as long as I live!Why can't you let it go for now? If he comes back, we'll deal with it then."
"I cannae let it go," Eric said flatly. "You know I cannae."
Snow's shoulders drooped and shook her head in disbelief. "Alright then. I'll cancel the wedding. Go and find him. Do what you have to do."
"I dinnae want to cancel the weddin'," Eric pleaded, stepping towards her for the first time. He reached for her but she stepped out of his grasp. "I need to do this, Snow. I need to see it through, once an' for all."
Snow bit her lip, trying to remain strong. "We have soldiers to search for Argus. You don't have to be out there. You should be here, with the woman you're supposed to be marrying. The woman who's about to give birth to your child."
Eric growled, annoyed of the fighting. "I don't know what woman you're talking about. All I see is a stubborn little girl who isn't getting what she wants and doesn't have the faintest idea of the sacrifices people have to make in life." He didn't mean it. He didn't mean any of it.
Snow inhaled sharply. She didn't know what to do or say, so she just stood still, avoiding his gaze. Finally, she swallowed back her tears.
"Have it your way. I'm going back to the Palace. I don't want to have my baby here; I want to go home." She turned around to leave but stopped when she reached the door. "Hopefully you'll be there for that; unlike our wedding, you can't postpone the birth of a child."
Eric never stayed the full two days he intended. Instead, he left that evening, with Snow watching on from her window. The next day the Queen, her guards and several dozen subjects left for the Royal Castle.