A/N: Hey, guess what, I'm writing this chapter on my very first laptop
computer! Neat, huh? I just hope it uploads okay. I'm a little nervous
about writing this chapter because this is as far as I've gotten planning-
wise in the story. I'm not sure exactly how the rest is going to play out,
so I'm kinda standing on the cliff's edge, so to speak. Well, I hope you
guys like this one anyway. Thanks to my lovely reviewers, Dark Enchantress,
cheler (the adventure IS coming, I swear!), Fire Pixie (u would've known
about this one sooner if u read Typical Prototype, but u don't have to),
and my new friend Raal (sorry if u got miffed by the 'uh', it's supposed to
be of, don't you think it sounds like that if you say it fast? Also, you
should know right now that I do little to no research in my stories, so
sorry again if you got confused). K, I think that's it, here's chapter 3.
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It took little more cajoling on Linnet's and Xandro's part to convince Taren that the princess's haphazard plan to rescue Burke would work; he'd made up his mind a long time ago that Linnet needed looking after, and he was the best man for the job. Where she went he went, and so far that strategy had worked out fine. Taren could only hope their good luck continued in that fashion through any and all of their adventures that were sure to come.
"Well," Taren began, rubbing the back of his head in thought, "We need supplies, food, blankets, water, that's the most important thing."
Linnet nodded eagerly in agreement, "Yeah, and horses."
"Not to mention," Xandro chimed in, "an escape plan for you, Princess." Xandro, like his brother, had become quickly at ease in front of the royal and spoke to her with the same dry wit and lack of airs Taren did. Linnet quickly reassured him of her experience in springing herself from the castle's claustrophobic walls, and sent the brothers on their way home with orders to begin gathering the necessary supplies; she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Linnet herself dashed back to the castle to gather all the intelligence she could on the specifics of Burke's kidnapping.
It took the trio nearly an agonizing week, but Linnet felt they might finally be ready. Xandro had given the okay as far as supplies went, and Taren put aside three healthy horses the afternoon before their departure. That knowledge made Linnet particularly excited and triply unable to silently eavesdrop on her father and the advisor's meetings on the kidnapping. She too had confirmed that she needed no more time to become an expert on her topic. She knew this just when her butt fell asleep for the fourth time in her hiding place behind a tapestry in King Paris's disused war room.
"I can't take it anymore, I tell you!" she cried at Taren's gentle suggestion she wait a day or two longer, "All they do is talk, talk, talk! They never do ANYTHING! Well, I'm not going to be that way; I'm going to do something- NOW." She left the stable brusquely and made her way to her rooms to begin packing. She stopped walking not far from the stable and thought briefly on apologizing to Taren, but decided not to and continued walking. He knew she was on edge from waiting to leave, he shouldn't have said a fool thing like waiting even longer. But she still felt bad about blowing up at him. . . Ah, she'd make it up to him later; let him choose where they'd stay to rest once they were on the road or something.
"Linnet," called a voice from down the hall as she entered the castle.
The princess hid a groan behind a sweet smile, "Yes, Father?"
The king approached her in his usual, slightly out of sorts manner, "Um, where- where were you just now? I wanted to speak with you for a moment."
"Taking a walk, it's a lovely day. What did you want to speak with me about?" The king took his daughter's arm and led her back outside, walking slowly along the courtyard's paths.
"I wanted," he said hesitantly, "I wanted to talk to you about Prince Burke."
Oh no, Linnet internally whined, he wants to talk china patterns, "What about him, Father?" Linnet truly hated how she had to act around King Paris. It wasn't her, and it caused her great heartache that the king, her father, didn't know the real her. He had no idea who he was allowing to succeed to the throne, and that troubled her to no end. But he was still talking, "I've been thinking about what you said at the betrothal banquet and you are right, my daughter."
This caught Linnet off-guard. The banquet, it seemed so long ago to her, almost like a favorite story of her childhood, almost forgotten, "What do you mean, Father?" For once a true question, not one to cover up a cynical thought of some kind.
"You were mad at me for not telling you about your betrothal," he said, "I could tell." He waved a finger at her as if he'd figured out how she performed some magic trick, "But hear me out, alright, sweet child?" She nodded mechanically, "Now, Prince Burke is a fine man," she muffled a sardonic snort, "He's very well respected here and in his own homeland, I believe he'll take care of you." The king paused as they sat on a stone bench amidst some flower bushes, "I didn't want to trouble you with this, but-" he paused and swallowed, "the Kingdom isn't as strong as it used to be, and I-" he stopped, looking at his daughter with a hopeless expression.
He looked about twenty years older in that moment, and it was all Linnet could do to pat his shoulder comfortingly and say, "I know, Father, I know."
The king gathered himself briefly and continued, "I believe you'll make a fine queen. You may not think I pay as much attention to you as I should, but I know that you are strong, intelligent, and virtuous enough to handle whatever may come your way. I trust you to take control after I'm gone, Burke's really for show more than anything." He smiled then, a playful smile that told of his understanding more than his words. Father and daughter chuckled together in shared awareness at Burke's expense. Paris's laughter died slowly, but his eyes stayed warm, "Just like I was to your mother," he said quietly, Linnet could see that he'd figured that out long ago. The good mood departed altogether at the king's next words, "But then he had to go and get himself kidnapped, and I don't know what to do."
Linnet gave his shoulder another affectionate rub, "You know, Father?" she said, "I think this will all work out just fine, you wait and see. One way or another, Prince Burke will be back, I promise." She stood up with him then, and they left the courtyard.
She repeated in her head the memorized highlights of Burke's kidnapping as she packed. He was most likely in the north, since that's where it took place. But he could be almost anywhere due to the fact that nobody seemed to be sure exactly which pack of rebels had committed the crime. She grimaced at this fact; it meant even more snide comments from Taren on the gaping imperfections in her plan. She would have to be cagey about their destination because she didn't know it herself. All she could do was hope he wouldn't ask.
She adjusted the strap of her canvas sack and walked to the single window in her chambers. Scanning the quickly dimming horizon, she felt her heart begin to pound when she spotted the single glowing light from beyond the castle's walls.
"That'll be them, then," she whispered to herself in an attempt to calm herself, it didn't work very well. She wrote a quick note to her father, just so he wouldn't worry, and made for the wooden bureau.
She repeated her escape method that had preceded her trip to the village, this time taking the rope with her. She wore a giddy grin before Xandro and Taren when they met her below the castle walls, a lantern swinging from the younger Wesley's hand.
"Someone's eager," Taren said indifferently to his brother, though not quite able to keep a smile from his own face. He loved seeing Linnet this way, filled to the brim with fire and life, so much so that it beamed out her mouth and poured from her eyes, infecting everyone she came in contact with. She strode a few paces ahead of them on their way to the horses, her dark hair waving behind her.
"This is it," she said with a slightly quaking voice as she situated herself on her brown mare, "We're really doing it." She turned her electric gaze on Taren, "We're going to rescue Prince Burke and save the Kingdom." Her head was spinning with possible dangers and adventures she and her friends might face, but she was ready to take them all on without hesitation until she could go no farther, and on that she planned, "Ready, Taren?"
"Aye, Your Highness," he answered with a lopsided grin.
She turned to the tailor, "Ready, Xandro?"
"'S now or never, let's go!" he replied, looking nearly as eager as their leader.
"Okay then," she spurred her horse and the trio began their quest.
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A/N: I think that's all I'm gonna give you guys for now, enjoy! Oh, and you may be getting quicker updates. I was a fool to think I could do two stories at once and have decided to stick with this one for the time being, lucky you guys. I don't think I'll ever cheat on any future boyfriends; I just don't have the stamina for it.
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It took little more cajoling on Linnet's and Xandro's part to convince Taren that the princess's haphazard plan to rescue Burke would work; he'd made up his mind a long time ago that Linnet needed looking after, and he was the best man for the job. Where she went he went, and so far that strategy had worked out fine. Taren could only hope their good luck continued in that fashion through any and all of their adventures that were sure to come.
"Well," Taren began, rubbing the back of his head in thought, "We need supplies, food, blankets, water, that's the most important thing."
Linnet nodded eagerly in agreement, "Yeah, and horses."
"Not to mention," Xandro chimed in, "an escape plan for you, Princess." Xandro, like his brother, had become quickly at ease in front of the royal and spoke to her with the same dry wit and lack of airs Taren did. Linnet quickly reassured him of her experience in springing herself from the castle's claustrophobic walls, and sent the brothers on their way home with orders to begin gathering the necessary supplies; she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Linnet herself dashed back to the castle to gather all the intelligence she could on the specifics of Burke's kidnapping.
It took the trio nearly an agonizing week, but Linnet felt they might finally be ready. Xandro had given the okay as far as supplies went, and Taren put aside three healthy horses the afternoon before their departure. That knowledge made Linnet particularly excited and triply unable to silently eavesdrop on her father and the advisor's meetings on the kidnapping. She too had confirmed that she needed no more time to become an expert on her topic. She knew this just when her butt fell asleep for the fourth time in her hiding place behind a tapestry in King Paris's disused war room.
"I can't take it anymore, I tell you!" she cried at Taren's gentle suggestion she wait a day or two longer, "All they do is talk, talk, talk! They never do ANYTHING! Well, I'm not going to be that way; I'm going to do something- NOW." She left the stable brusquely and made her way to her rooms to begin packing. She stopped walking not far from the stable and thought briefly on apologizing to Taren, but decided not to and continued walking. He knew she was on edge from waiting to leave, he shouldn't have said a fool thing like waiting even longer. But she still felt bad about blowing up at him. . . Ah, she'd make it up to him later; let him choose where they'd stay to rest once they were on the road or something.
"Linnet," called a voice from down the hall as she entered the castle.
The princess hid a groan behind a sweet smile, "Yes, Father?"
The king approached her in his usual, slightly out of sorts manner, "Um, where- where were you just now? I wanted to speak with you for a moment."
"Taking a walk, it's a lovely day. What did you want to speak with me about?" The king took his daughter's arm and led her back outside, walking slowly along the courtyard's paths.
"I wanted," he said hesitantly, "I wanted to talk to you about Prince Burke."
Oh no, Linnet internally whined, he wants to talk china patterns, "What about him, Father?" Linnet truly hated how she had to act around King Paris. It wasn't her, and it caused her great heartache that the king, her father, didn't know the real her. He had no idea who he was allowing to succeed to the throne, and that troubled her to no end. But he was still talking, "I've been thinking about what you said at the betrothal banquet and you are right, my daughter."
This caught Linnet off-guard. The banquet, it seemed so long ago to her, almost like a favorite story of her childhood, almost forgotten, "What do you mean, Father?" For once a true question, not one to cover up a cynical thought of some kind.
"You were mad at me for not telling you about your betrothal," he said, "I could tell." He waved a finger at her as if he'd figured out how she performed some magic trick, "But hear me out, alright, sweet child?" She nodded mechanically, "Now, Prince Burke is a fine man," she muffled a sardonic snort, "He's very well respected here and in his own homeland, I believe he'll take care of you." The king paused as they sat on a stone bench amidst some flower bushes, "I didn't want to trouble you with this, but-" he paused and swallowed, "the Kingdom isn't as strong as it used to be, and I-" he stopped, looking at his daughter with a hopeless expression.
He looked about twenty years older in that moment, and it was all Linnet could do to pat his shoulder comfortingly and say, "I know, Father, I know."
The king gathered himself briefly and continued, "I believe you'll make a fine queen. You may not think I pay as much attention to you as I should, but I know that you are strong, intelligent, and virtuous enough to handle whatever may come your way. I trust you to take control after I'm gone, Burke's really for show more than anything." He smiled then, a playful smile that told of his understanding more than his words. Father and daughter chuckled together in shared awareness at Burke's expense. Paris's laughter died slowly, but his eyes stayed warm, "Just like I was to your mother," he said quietly, Linnet could see that he'd figured that out long ago. The good mood departed altogether at the king's next words, "But then he had to go and get himself kidnapped, and I don't know what to do."
Linnet gave his shoulder another affectionate rub, "You know, Father?" she said, "I think this will all work out just fine, you wait and see. One way or another, Prince Burke will be back, I promise." She stood up with him then, and they left the courtyard.
She repeated in her head the memorized highlights of Burke's kidnapping as she packed. He was most likely in the north, since that's where it took place. But he could be almost anywhere due to the fact that nobody seemed to be sure exactly which pack of rebels had committed the crime. She grimaced at this fact; it meant even more snide comments from Taren on the gaping imperfections in her plan. She would have to be cagey about their destination because she didn't know it herself. All she could do was hope he wouldn't ask.
She adjusted the strap of her canvas sack and walked to the single window in her chambers. Scanning the quickly dimming horizon, she felt her heart begin to pound when she spotted the single glowing light from beyond the castle's walls.
"That'll be them, then," she whispered to herself in an attempt to calm herself, it didn't work very well. She wrote a quick note to her father, just so he wouldn't worry, and made for the wooden bureau.
She repeated her escape method that had preceded her trip to the village, this time taking the rope with her. She wore a giddy grin before Xandro and Taren when they met her below the castle walls, a lantern swinging from the younger Wesley's hand.
"Someone's eager," Taren said indifferently to his brother, though not quite able to keep a smile from his own face. He loved seeing Linnet this way, filled to the brim with fire and life, so much so that it beamed out her mouth and poured from her eyes, infecting everyone she came in contact with. She strode a few paces ahead of them on their way to the horses, her dark hair waving behind her.
"This is it," she said with a slightly quaking voice as she situated herself on her brown mare, "We're really doing it." She turned her electric gaze on Taren, "We're going to rescue Prince Burke and save the Kingdom." Her head was spinning with possible dangers and adventures she and her friends might face, but she was ready to take them all on without hesitation until she could go no farther, and on that she planned, "Ready, Taren?"
"Aye, Your Highness," he answered with a lopsided grin.
She turned to the tailor, "Ready, Xandro?"
"'S now or never, let's go!" he replied, looking nearly as eager as their leader.
"Okay then," she spurred her horse and the trio began their quest.
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A/N: I think that's all I'm gonna give you guys for now, enjoy! Oh, and you may be getting quicker updates. I was a fool to think I could do two stories at once and have decided to stick with this one for the time being, lucky you guys. I don't think I'll ever cheat on any future boyfriends; I just don't have the stamina for it.