Chapter 8 the next morning
The first thing she saw was the shadows, Prudence bolted upright and frowned, where was she? This was not her chamber, not the nursery in the palace, even the color of the walls were wrong?
"Tis alright highness, thou art safe." A voice said and she frowned scanning the room once more only to find a figure seated beside the bed, her hands going for a puter pitcher.
"Where am I?" She didn't care if the girl thought her daft she needed to know what had happened.
"Hawthorn manner my lady." The servant replied softly.
With a rush the memory of the previous nights events rushed back and the princess fell back amid the pillows.
Now though she let the tears come. She'd not been able for there had been too much to do but now…
That was how Piper found her sister a time later. She lay there sobbing, the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Prudence? Are you alright?"
"Oh, Princess Piper love, aye, I was just indulging in a spot of water works." Prudence gave her a little smile wiping the tears away with the back of her hands. "Was there something amiss?"
"Aye, it's Princess Pheona, we can not coax her to speak, and she just sits and stares."
"What are you sure?"
"Aye, she will only move when bidden however the rest of the time…'
"Tis shock, come take me to Princess Pheona." Prudence she was still in a dressing gown and frowned. When had she dawned this? She barely even remembered the journey let alone changing her clothes. She then forgot as concern for her younger sister took over.
The child was seated in a big chair at the Lord 's Table. She was staring straight ahead, not paying any attention to anything around her.
"Come now child wilt thee not try a bit of this." A matronly looking servant was offering Princess Pheona a bit of bread soaked in honey. Princess Pheona just stared ahead of her ignoring the offering.
"She's been this way since last eventide." Lord Andrew told Prudence as she neared the table.
"Then there hath been no change."
"Nay, she just stares, it's as if she tis no longer alive, though hr heart still beats."
"Perhaps the shock was greater than we proposed?" Princess Piper asked.
"That tis a possibility but first lets see if perhaps she'll respond to me." Prudence said and moved to kneel before her sister.
"Hello love, are you feeling better?" There was no response. Not even a move of the eyes, no awareness as she just stared right ahead. "Li honey, can you tell me what tis amiss?"
This time Princess Pheona did look at her, there was a dull look to her eyes,. As if she just didn't care. Prudence knew she'd seen them kill their mother and nanny, she wondered if she'd retreated within herself for her own protection.
"Princess Piper, where is Princess Paige?"
"She is still abed, the power drain must have been more than her little body had been ready for."
"That is a possibility, I believe that the events of last night were too much for Princess Pheona as well."
"Perhaps mother had herbs that twould assist her back from her shock?" Princess Piper asked and Prudence thought about that a long moment, perhaps she was right, their mother had kept her past a secret however she like many had a herbery. Perhaps she would have something to remedy Princess Pheona's melancholia.
"Alright, Lord Andrew do you think you can take me to retrieve it?"
"Perhaps it will do better for I to go." Princess Piper said quietly.
"Nay, you hath seen enough…'
"I think it tis true, you shall go." Lord Andrew told Prudence who nodded and when he spoke again she blushed. "However mayhap you should change from your dressing gown first?"
"My lord!" The still sitting servant burst aghast.
"Tis alright Agnes as we are to be wed I shall see her in much the same state for the rest of our days."
"Tis that so?" Princess Piper asked looking to her elder sister for confirmation
"In truth this tis the first even I hath heard of the matter."
"That twould be my doing, with all that's been going on I have not had the chance to broach the question."
"Tis that so? Well, hath thee not thought that mayhap I shall not wish to wed with you my lord?" Prudence asked sweetly.
"Ah, and there is the Princess we all know and love." Prince Leo grinned joining the group.
"Highness you may go and take yourself to the lake." Prudence began sweetly. "And deposit yourself in the bottom."
"Such words from a princess?" He smiled faining hurt. In truth he was looking at Princess Piper, trying to see if she was alright.
"Aye, one with a razor sharp tongue." Princess Piper laughed at the banter. It was good to see Prudence felt a little more herself.
"Alright, mayhap we should be going back to the palace for those herbs." Prudence told Lord Andrew who nodded.
"Tis a sound idea. The young man said and they left Princess Piper and Prince Leo in charge of their younger sisters.
***
As they rode through the forest connecting Lord Andrew's land to that of the palace the serenity of the woods gave no sign of the previous night's violence. Prudence wasn't even sure what was to come next. True Lord Hawthorn had said they were to wed but how if he never asked? Now he had not to worry about either her father or Lord Samuel. It struck Prudence she'd also have to take care of her sisters. Oh Goddess, how could she do it? She herself was barely out of the schoolroom. Well, if she wed with Lord Andrew she'd have plenty of help. By looking over at him she thought he looked as if he'd make a stern but loving father.
Then there was the fact that he was not hard on the eyes, with his dark good looks and winsome smile. Nay, he'd not be such a bad catch at all.
"Your quiet this morning?"
"I am thinking." Prudence said distractedly.
"Oh, about Last eventide?" He asked hoping she'd say more. Sure she had good reason to be quiet, she'd lost her parents and many of those she'd grown up with and was now saddled with her three sisters but he knew her enough to know to handle the next few days she'd need her spine. She'd shown it a bit ago when they'd been bantering but now he hoped she'd not slip into hopelessness.
"Nay, I have been trying to decide what my sisters and I shall do now." Prudence replied glancing over at him.
"Highness," Lord Andrew began taking a deep breath, "Since we have a few moments, I truly was meaning to ask for your hand. Tis true you do not have to except for I shall still aid yee and your sisters. However I think we shall do well together."
"In truth I was thinking along the same lines." Prudence admitted solemnly and he looked at her a long minute before smiling slightly.
"Were yee now?"
"A smug one are you my lord?" She asked amused.
"Only when I have a good reason."
"Aye, I do think we are well suited." Prudence smiled even as the palace's outer walls came into sight.
Lord Andrew hoped the people sent to clean the carnage from the night before had done as they were bid and now it would be safe for them to enter the keep.
TBC
***
Well? I know it's not exactly a romantic proposel but just wait, they've only really known each other for about one night. As for action, just hang in there, it's coming. PLZ R&R.