My sincere thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed. Your feedback is extremely valuable to me and I'm very happy to know that there are people out there who enjoy my writing.  I started writing only to entertain myself and I can't tell you how amazing it is to me to think that other people are entertained by it as well. Chapter 7

            Several days passed before Rhain worked up the courage to approach Keelin again.  Her pointing out his behavior had been quite a revelation.  He now realized just how imperial of a lord he had been in the past.  Before that realization, he never would have feared asking to speak with a servant as he did with this one.  Still, each passing day had brought about some fundamental changes within him.

            He had always been concerned with things like foreign policy and the economy of the kingdom.  However, he had never once stopped to think about the lives and needs of the people who inhabited that kingdom.  He had always admired his father's devotion to his people and Rhain now realized that it was one of his father's most positive traits and that, so far, the son had failed to take after the father in this important respect.  In fact, Rhain grew more and more ashamed of himself each day and began to vow that, when he was king, he would see to it that he did all he could to improve the living conditions of his subjects.  For now, he would take whatever small steps he could towards making the life of the peasantry more bearable. 

            Rhain had grown much more patient with his servants and had begun to express his appreciation for their hard work.  Initially, they were clearly taken aback by this behavior, but Rhain began to notice a change in their general demeanor.  They seemed happier and were much more willing to do whatever it was he asked of them.  They began to look at him differently and he could see that their eyes, which had once been filled with a sort of mocking, were now beginning to be filled with admiration for him.

            Their admiration really only served to magnify his sense of guilt.  It was not of his own accord that he had changed for the better.  It was only after Keelin had stood up to him that he had begun to see the error of his ways.  He owed this change in his behavior to her bravery and her candid speech.  His current state of nervousness at the thought of meeting with her again had a lot to do with the fact that he now wanted to see approval in her eyes, rather than anger.  He wanted her to look at him and see that he was a kind man and that he was capable of feeling for his people.  The prince did not know exactly why it was so important to him that he see this in her, why her approval had become more important than any other person's.  He only knew that he desperately wanted it.

            Finally, he did not feel that he could wait any longer.  Each day seemed like a million grains of sand from the hourglass slipping through his fingers.  He needed to gain as much information about Mordrid as possible, so that he could develop strategies to deal with the man in the future.  The more time that lapsed, the more time the former earl had to call on friends and raise up enemies against England.  Rhain knew that he had to see to it that, no matter what, his country was protected from the wrath of Mordrid.

            And so, five days after their tense confrontation, Rhain decided that it was time for him to attempt to speak with Keelin one last time.  He found himself pacing the chamber as he waited for her to arrive.  As soon as he heard his servant at the door, Rhain stopped pacing and stood up straight, tugging somewhat anxiously at the embroidered velvet tunic that he was wearing.  He already felt uncomfortable and that feeling was only magnified when Keelin, in her simple servant's garb and cap, appeared before him, hands folded demurely in her skirts, eyes cast downward timidly.  He was afraid that he had ruined any chance he might have had at gaining her confidence, but knew that he must try speaking with her.

            "Mistress, thank you for coming.  Please do sit down.  I have a matter of great urgency that I need to address with you," he said, his voice respectful.  He indicated the chair that was placed across from his at his table.

            "Aye, Your Highness," Keelin said, her voice so soft that he had difficulty hearing it.  She sat quickly and as he slid into his seat, he tried to catch her eye, but she resolutely refused to look at him.  He took a deep breath, knowing that he was going to have to take the full plunge.

            "Mistress, I must apologize to you for my behavior when last we met.  I acted in a very arrogant manner and I am glad that you illuminated my behavior in its true light.  I have thought much about what you said and have decided. . ."

            "Your Highness, I spoke out of turn that day.  It is not for me to question your actions.  I am merely a servant and I know my place.  I know that you must punish me and I feel I deserve to be punished.  It was wrong of me to defy you," Keelin said, interrupting him.  She kept her head bowed as she spoke, so that he had difficulty seeing her face. 

            "I will not accept your apology, for the apology is mine to make," he replied.  She made a sound of protest, but he held up a hand to stop her.  She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes.  "I should never have treated you as I did and I certainly should not have interfered in your life.  I am most sincerely sorry for any hardships you may have had to endure as a result of my arrogant selfishness.  Instead of openly asking for your help, I am ashamed to admit that I did attempt to use you to my own advantage.  The speech you gave to me has made me think a great deal about how I have treated my people and now I can clearly see my sins.  I have not been nearly as good to my people as I should be and I feel that I am not even worthy of carrying the title of Prince of England.  My father is much more of a sovereign to his people than I could ever hope to be, but I pledge that I will spend much time attempting to make amends.  I have resolved to change my behavior for the better and I owe you much gratitude for showing me the way to becoming a better sovereign and a better person."

            Keelin now stared at the prince, mouth agape.  He could clearly see that she had never been spoken to in this manner by any person of high status and probably not by anyone of a lower status.  He was sure that she must not have a great deal of trust in the peerage, considering how she had been treated in the house of Essex.  The image of the peerage did not always fit with the reality of it and this girl had suffered that reality more than most.  He owed her his respect.  She had already won his admiration.

            She finally seemed to find her voice, asking him quietly, "How may I serve Your Highness?"  He could now tell that she was ready and willing to help him with whatever he needed.

            He looked her directly in the eye and spoke from his heart.  "Mistress, I ask that you tell me everything you know of your former master.  He is a powerful man and I think it wise to take precautions against him, for the protection of this entire kingdom.  I ask for your help in aiding me to form a more perfect picture of the man, so that I might be able to anticipate his future moves."

            He saw a fleeting look of fear in her eyes but it was quickly replaced with one of steely determination.  Keelin looked at him for a moment before speaking.  Her voice was hesitant but grew stronger as she proceeded.  "Indeed, I do believe Your Majesty's fear is justified.  My former master has many powerful friends, especially in France.  He is in favor with many members of the French nobility.  I saw them myself when he brought them home as his guests.  They are not only powerful; they are also very rich as well."

            It was exactly what Rhain did not want to hear, but he was grateful for the information.  It would certainly help him to better prepare a strategy for defending himself against Mordrid.  "Mistress, do you believe that Mordrid might attempt to use the power and wealth of his friends against the throne of England?" he asked.

            Keelin was silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on one of the wall tapestries.  She appeared to be deep in thought.  Rhain watched the expressions on her face change as she struggled with some sort of inner conflict.  Finally, after a very long moment of silence, she spoke once again.

            "He was a hard man, but there are many men who are hard.  However, there are two things that set my former master apart from other hard men.  One is his limitless capacity for cruelty.  I am not the only servant who has suffered at his hand.  Punishment in the house of Essex was swift and unusually cruel.  He is a man completely without mercy.  Secondly, he is a man who has a great deal of pride.  He is not one to overlook what he sees as a slight committed against him.  I am certain that he is not repentant for his crimes and that he feels the need to avenge himself in some way for his having been exiled from England.  I fear that he will seek me out first, but my greatest fear is that he will also seek out the throne."  Keelin spoke in a low, nearly mechanical tone, leading Rhain to believe that she was attempting to repress many memories that were far too painful for her to relive.  He could not stop himself from feeling a sense of dread settle over him.

            "Do you really believe him to be capable of such high treason?"

            Keelin looked him straight in the eye as she spoke.  "Your Highness, there is very little of which I do not believe my former master capable.  He always did think himself greater than he was.  His banishment may serve as the perfect motivation to prove that belief."

            "And do you sincerely believe that he will seek you out?"

            "I have not the slightest doubt.  Forsooth, I am certain that he will not rest until he has rained his vengeance down on me."  Once again, her voice had gone flat and her eyes had wandered back to the tapestry. 

            "He shall never again harm you, for you shall forevermore be under my protection," Rhain declared, quietly and seriously.

            Keelin smiled a quick, ironic smile.  "Then his quest shall only be more easily accomplished.  In threatening me, he also threatens the throne that protects me.  Nay, Your Highness, I would rather sacrifice myself than allow my former master the conquest of England."

            Rhain felt an even greater sense of gratitude for this strong woman than he had ever felt before.  She was the bravest woman he knew, and braver than many men he knew.  Aside from his admiration for her, Rhain felt the stirrings of something new, of something foreign.  He had the uncanny sense that his life was now to be inextricably entwined with that of this woman.

*****

            Keelin could scarcely believe it when the prince apologized to her for his actions.  She felt that she had sorely misjudged him and it weighed upon her conscience.  He had been selfish and imperious but she had wronged him by not believing him capable of compassion for others.  His apology had touched her and showed her the mark of what lay underneath the persona of the prince.  It was the mark of a true sovereign.

            She saw that mark even more when the prince began to ask her what he had wanted to ask her all along.  He treated her almost as if she were his equal; an experience that she found equal parts thrilling and frightening.  It was dangerous for her to have such feelings as she was beginning to develop.  The simple fact that the prince needed her for valuable information and that he treated her with respect as he asked her for it did not mean that she should ever again have the privilege of speaking with him in the same manner once the situation with Mordrid was under control.  Nay, it was only the natural order of the world that she should go back to being the lowly, unnoticed servant that she had always been once she had ceased to be a useful source of information to the prince.

            She knew this and yet, in spite of herself, she felt a strange jolt when the prince told her that Mordrid could never again harm her because she was under his protection.  He had never used such personal terms with her before.  He had told her that she would be safe, that she would be protected by the crown, but he had never told her that he would personally protect her.  Still, she told herself that she was just being foolish.  He was only using such terms to assure her that the crown took her safety seriously.  It was the royal family's way of showing their gratitude to her in exchange for the information she could give them about Mordrid.  It was most kind and magnanimous of them, really.  They truly did not owe her anything.  She would have given the information even without their promise of protection because she felt that it was her duty to serve her king and country.

            "There will be no sacrifice made to Mordrid," the prince said to her, interrupting her thoughts.  "You have done your kingdom a great service with your bravery and your aide.  I will never turn my back on you.  Mordrid will have to come straight through me in order to get to you."

            The sudden tension in the chamber was unmistakable.  The prince's color was high and Keelin had to turn her eyes from him in embarrassment.  She knew he was only speaking this way in the heat of the moment, but his words had created an awkwardness between them.  His concern for her marked a definite change in his attitude toward her five days ago.  It was gratifying to her to see that he had grown so compassionate, that he could now see the plight of his people.  She felt somewhat in awe of him and knew that this man was indeed ordained to be king, that his greatness would someday touch every corner of the kingdom, if not the world.  She was very nearly overwhelmed.

            There was a long silence between them, before Keelin finally ventured to speak again.  She spoke carefully, dancing around his extremely personal declaration by speaking of his family as a whole.  "I shall always be grateful for the vast kindness of Your Majesties.  My loyalty and my services belong to Your Majesties and I will do all I can to be of service.  You are all most merciful.  May God bless you."

            "Thank you, Mistress, for your aide and for your loyalty to your king and country.  May I send for you again if I have need of any further information?"  The prince had been staring at her steadily all the while that she was giving her little speech and he continued to do so as he addressed her.  She found that the intensity of his gaze unnerved her a little.

            "I shall always be at Your Highness's service," Keelin replied. 

            "Thank you.  I have no wish to detain you any further from your work," he said, his voice very gentle.

            Keelin did not reply.  Instead, she rose from her chair and then bowed low before the prince.  She swept the hem of his cape to her lips and kissed it reverently before she turned and left the chamber.  As she exited, she noticed that the giant knight was waiting to see the prince.  He nodded at her and she curtseyed back as he headed into the prince's study and she turned down the corridor that would take her back to the sewing chamber.

            Her heart was full as she walked.  Ever since the whole nightmare with Mordrid had begun, she had not allowed herself to think about the future.  Her only object had been to survive from one day to the next, and even her very will to survive had nearly been lost that night on the river.  Since then, she had devoted all of her time to thinking about how she could be a good servant to the king.  True, she had had the audacity to insult his son, even if she had suffered no ill consequence as a result.  However, she had let her determination to deserve the king's protection consume her body and soul.

            But now it was time for her to be truthful with herself.  While she had certainly wished to serve her king, she knew that she had also seized upon the situation as a way of distracting herself from her own horrible reality.  As long as she worried about what Mordrid's banishment meant for the kingdom, she did not have to worry about what it meant for her personally.  She had pushed her thoughts and fears with regards to Mordrid back into the furthest corner of her mind.  She had not allowed herself to think of what consequences might exist as a result of a chain of events in which she was a central figure.  What she had told the prince was no lie.  She knew with a grave certainty that Mordrid would be back, that he would do all he could to see to it that his former servant was punished; she had not the slightest doubt.  She knew how he would see things.  Mordrid, the man who had always succeeded in beating her down, had failed at his own game.  She knew that a good deal of his rage would be directed towards her, towards the woman who had managed to triumph over him.  Once he was finished with her, he would turn the rest of his rage on the throne of England, on the king who had stripped him of land and title and especially on the prince who had imprisoned him and prevented him from killing his servant. 

            Keelin began to feel very afraid of what would happen.  While she naturally feared for her own life, what truly terrified her was the thought of Mordrid defeating the king and taking over the throne of England.  It would be an unimaginable tragedy and she would do all she could to see to it that he did not succeed.  She would fight against him to the death, even if it meant that she had to take his life with her own hands.  There was nothing she would not do to stop the man, nothing at all.  She did not wish to elevate herself to the status of martyr and she wished for no fame, but she knew that she was willing to be the sacrificial lamb if that was what it would take to ensure England's safety against Mordrid.

            'And what about the prince?' asked the insidious voice in the back of her mind.  'Were you not flattered when he offered his personal protection to you?  Do you not hope that he will call on you again - - and soon - - for help?  Be truthful, Keelin.  You feel a most immoral urge to be as useful to him as possible.  You even have the audacity to fancy yourself his equal.'

            With all of her might, Keelin slammed the door on the voice.  She would not allow herself to be swayed.  Keelin knew her place in the world and it was certainly not at the side of the crown prince of England.  Her only duty was to do all she could to serve and she did it without any hope for reward.  She could not deny that she was beginning to have some strangely mixed emotions when it came to the prince, but she knew that her motivation in the fight against Mordrid was pure.  She was not in it to capture the prince; she was in it to defend England.  Only a fool would think that this could win the heart of the prince and Keelin was no fool.  She was not worthy of such an honor and would never be presumptuous enough to think that she was.  She would never do anything to try to upset the natural balance of the world.

*****

"Did you learn anything useful from the servant woman?" Edwyn asked his friend as soon as he entered the chamber.  He too had grown more and more anxious with the passing of each day.  He was ready to defend his country and back his friend in any way necessary.  Edwyn was a man that passionately loved his motherland and he would fight until his dying day to see to it that it was safe from Mordrid.

            "Aye, indeed, she was most obliging.  Unfortunately, what I learned was not at all pleasing.  She confirmed our worst fears.  She said that Mordrid has many powerful and rich friends in France, that she had seen many of them when they came to visit Mordrid.  She is most certain that he will come back and attempt to avenge himself and she has no doubt that he will seek her out in the process."

            Edwyn looked surprised.  "He is truly a man that obsessed?" he asked, incredulously.

            "While I suspected it, the servant girl reinforced my suspicions.  She has known Mordrid all her life, has known the intimate details of his household.  She is sure to know much more about him than anyone else.  She said that his two most distinguishing traits were his cruelty and his pride.  'Tis a dangerous combination."

            "'Tis indeed," Edwyn agreed, sighing heavily.  The two men were silent for a moment before the giant spoke again.  "'Tis not that I wish to push the subject of Mordrid aside, but how did you ever manage to gain the girl's confidence?"

            Rhain sighed heavily.  "My friend, I have a story to tell, but you must let me thoroughly explain it before you attempt to speak of it.  Please, sit down and allow me to describe to you the soul journey I have taken these five days past."

            The two men sat and Rhain explained the whole story to Edwyn, starting with his confrontation with Keelin and ending with the soul-searching he had done over the past five days.  He could see that his friend looked angry when he heard of how the servant girl had challenged his authority.  Rhain was certain that Edwyn must have been able to see some truth in what Keelin had said, but he was so fiercely loyal to his friend that he would not admit it.

            "She should not have spoken to you in that manner," Edwyn said flatly when Rhain was finished. 

            Rhain sat in thoughtful silence for a moment.  "Edwyn, you are one of the best and most loyal friends a man could ask for, but at times that loyalty blinds you."  He said these last words lightly, so as not to offend his friend.  "We have been told since the beginning of time that God chooses the king and that to question to king is to question God.  Still, the truth remains that a king is not perfect because, while he is a king, he is also a man.  I may be a prince by holy decree, but that does not make me a man without flaws.  For as much as I differ from my father, I have always admired his ability to empathize with his people.  'Tis an ability in which I was lacking.  'Twas only through my conversation with the servant girl that I was able to see the error in my ways.  I cannot help but be grateful for her words for they have given me a chance to mend my ways.  I would make a poor king indeed if I did not place the concerns of my people foremost in my mind."

            "Still, 'tis treason for a servant to speak such words," Edwyn said stubbornly.  "She must think herself a high miss indeed.  I believe you should have punished her in some way."

            Rhain smiled at his friend.  "Come now, Edwyn, you are not as hard a man as that.  Why should I punish a servant for the faults that are mine exclusively?  I do not believe she thinks herself above her station at all.  I simply believe that she had the courage to speak the truth at a difficult time."

            "You are a forgiving man, Rhain," Edwyn said.  "I hope you will have a care not to allow that quality to hinder you."

            "I promise you I will not.  I know when 'tis appropriate and when 'tis not.  For instance, I shall never forgive Mordrid for his many crimes against the throne," Rhain said, his face hardening.

            "Nor shall I," Edwyn agreed.  "What is to be done about the man?"

            "We must be wary.  As my trusted friend, I ask you to see to it that the knights are prepared.  I shall also participate in the training, but I must first speak with my father to bring him the intelligence I have gathered."

            "You know you may always count on me," Edwyn said.  "I will see to it that the men begin their training immediately.  I shall increase the guards in the tower and at the gate.  Mordrid will have to murder us all before he can ever set foot in these walls again."

            "Thank you, my friend.  I shall see you out on the training fields."

            "'Twill be just like old times," Edwyn said, grinning his giant grin.  It only took about two long strides for him to cross the chamber and let himself out the door.

            Once he was gone, Rhain began to plan his strategy.  He would speak with his father next.  He would certainly not tell him of his confrontation with the servant girl, but he would relay to his father the information that she had provided.  Rhain felt it just that her bravery should be rewarded and he was certain that his father would agree.  For as much as she might wish to hide her contribution, Rhain would see to it that the entire kingdom knew the great service that she had rendered it.  He would also speak with his father about Keelin's fears of being hunted by Mordrid, to ensure that his father would also think himself personally responsible for her safety.

            Rhain sent for one of his pages to take the message to his father that his son wished to see him.  In the meantime, Rhain sat down to write several letters to his informants in France.  He would see to it that they kept their ears to the ground and informed him the moment they had any news.  He had much work ahead of him.  Casting yet another prayer of thanks heavenward that the servant girl had been sent to him, he turned his attention to his work.