AN/ Hey everyone. I'm glad you are both reading and reviewing my story. And if you're not reviewing, at least review this part. I'm really proud of it, and it's the longest chapter yet. Also, I have yet to do a proper disclaimer, so here it is. I don't own much, but my imagination which everyone but Ella and Char, and Mandy came from. So there.
Chapter 5
I didn't wake up until Zell came in with a physician. I have a high fever I guess, and look really pale. The doctor thinks it might be heat exhaustion or dehydration. He's probably right, after all I had nothing to drink yesterday and having to fan someone else will make you hot. So I'm ordered to stay in bed. Natalie got a temporary handmaid until I get better.
I'm not sure though, if I like staying in bed. I think about yesterday, about Cambridge, about being beheaded, and I get scared. At least when working I get my mind focused on something else.
"Maleen?" A male voice said from the doorway. I peeked out from under my covers to see Cambridge standing there, carrying a tray with a bowl of soup on it. I quickly pulled the covers back over my head. I don't want him to see me looking like this. Theresa told me I looked like a corpse earlier.
"Maleen, how are you feeling?" He asked softly. "I overheard one of the maids telling Natalie that you were ill." I could hear the creaks of the floorboards as he stepped closer. "Are you awake?"
"Yes." I mumbled into the coarse fabric. He was right next to my bed.
"She speaks." I threw the covers off my head and looked up at him.
"She sees too." I've grown to love his smile. That smile made me feel so no weak. Although, my stomach started to turn itself into knots.
"Hello." Correction, my stomach just melted, with the rest of my body. "I had Mandy make you some soup. It has unicorn hairs in it, so it will help you feel better." He sat down on my bed, and handed the soup to me. "Drink it."
"Thank you." I drank the soup slowly. The hairs floated and were hard not to accidentally swallow. He watched me the whole time, as if he was expecting me to do a trick. He looked away though, quickly, as if ashamed of something. "Err... About yesterday..." I began to say.
"Maleen, you are a great person. Nothing will change. I just didn't know you were actually a slave. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."
"You didn't." I said quickly. "I just thought..."
"I'm not like them. I don't agree with how they treat you, or the fact that they have slaves. My father doesn't either. We are going to speak to the King and Queen after the ball." He moved his hand across my bed, and felt the purple fabric of the dress. I tried to hide it, but he pulled it out from under my pillow.
"So that's where you hid it?" He joked. "This dress really does look beautiful on you." I blushed and tried to hide my face under the covers again. He smiled at me and stood up. "I hope you feel better Maleen. Whenever you are healthy again, I want you to accompany me on a walk through the woods. Faire thee well, Maleen." I watched him walk out of the room, and then collapsed on my bed with a sigh. I was wishing to get better very fast.
I must have a fairy godmother, for I was completely healthy by the next morning. Zell was shocked when she woke up and saw I had color back in my face and was scrubbing the floor. I think I almost pushed her off her mortal coil when I started humming happily. I couldn't help it though. It wasn't that scrubbing the floor until I bled was fun, but the thoughts of Cambridge running through my head were making me so darn giddy.
"Theresa, I'll serve the breakfast meal to the Princes and Princesses," I offered, jumping up to grab the tray of tea from her. She smirked at me and handed over the tray.
"Just don't make it too obvious to Natalie that you're smitten with her prince," she said in a sing song voice. I winked at her and glided out to the dining room.
"Maleen, you keep getting later and later each day. I thought since you skipped all your chores yesterday you would be on time for once," Natalie spat as I entered the room. She turned back to Cambridge as I poured the tea and laid out the breakfast rolls. I guess she forgave him for his outburst, because she was flirting shamelessly. She kept laughing with that fake cackle of hers, and touching his arm. I glared at the back of her head. Thoughts of jealousy and envy ran through my head. She was allowed to touch the handsome prince, and I was stuck pouring him tea.
"Princess Natalie, may I use your servant here, for the day? My sister Cenire wishes to go pick wildflowers in the forest," Cambridge asked sweetly. I felt a little pained by being just referred to as the servant, not as though I had a name. I just softly put a plate in front of him, and moved on to Nathaniel.
"Of course, my beloved Prince. Maleen," she snapped her fingers, "you are to obey every command of the visiting family today. If you don't, there will be consequences." She made a quick movement with her index finger going across her throat. I paled and nodded quickly. I know she gets such joy from scaring me, but I wouldn't feel so threatened if I knew she couldn't kill me. I wish I didn't feel so threatened, but I think she would, and could slit my throat with a snap of her fingers. I ran back to the kitchen, to try and escape them.
"MALEEN!!!" Her shriek sounded from somewhere in the castle. I groaned, because I just got a plate of food for the first time since the soup yesterday. I pulled myself out of the chair and walked toward the shrieks.
"Yes, your highness Princess Natalie?" I asked when I found her, Cambridge, and the small girl I assumed was Cambridge's sister Cenire. I bowed, and looked at her blankly.
"The Prince and Princess are going to explore the forest, and they want you to go with them. So go, listen or you know what will happen." I nodded, and followed Cambridge and Cenire outside. At least it was much cooler than two days ago. Cenire laughed and started to run toward an older woman with an apron on, standing outside.
"Thank you, Mandy. Cenire, have fun at your lessons, we'll be sure to bring you back some flowers," Cambridge said to the others. I stood confused. Wasn't I supposed to help the little girl too? I figured they wanted me to fan her, or carry her if she got too tired. Cambridge grabbed my hand and pulled me away toward the small forest behind the castle.
"Come on, this is going to be fun," was all he said to me. I wished I knew what was going on.
There was a small path way that went from the castle to the groundskeepers hut. It was the only path I have ever been on. It was safe, and didn't venture too far into the forest. Cambridge obviously didn't feel as though it was good enough for him, for he just went straight into the forest, not following a path. It was hard for my feet to keep up with his. He seemed more graceful as he stepped over fallen logs and branches. I kept stepping on the hem of my skirt.
"Oof," I stumbled over as I got my foot stuck in the folds of my skirt. He finally stopped and helped me up, brushing off the leaves and dirt that clung to me.
"Sorry," he said, pulling a twig out of my hair. He tucked the hair that escaped my braid back behind my ear. "Are you alright?"
"Yes. Where are we going?"
"I saw a clearing from the tower yesterday. I thought you would enjoy seeing it."
"Why were you in the tower? Only guards are allowed up there."
"I was trying to get away from Natalie. She keeps following me, talking about the ball."
"That's tomorrow, isn't it?"
"Yes. Are you going?" I couldn't help but laugh. Me? A slave? Going to the ball?
"Only if someone spills something on Natalie, and I have to clean it up."
"Then I just might have to spill something on her, just to see you." What was he getting at? He didn't mean that, did he? Cambridge turned around quickly, holding his head, and then started walking again. "Let's go on, the clearing isn't much farther ahead." I nodded and wound my skirt up so it was above my ankles.
The clearing was beautiful. It was a field of hay with wildflowers scattered into it. Cambridge lay on his back looking up at the sky, pointing out clouds that looked like frogs, a flower, and once a cloud that looked like Natalie screaming. I sat with my feet tucked from under me, weaving a bunch of daisies into a crown.
"Maleen, tell me about yourself. I've come to realize that I don't know you very well, and I wish to." He said, rolling to his side to look at me. I placed the daisies on his head and folded my arms around me.
"What do you want to know?"
"When you aren't being bossed around by Natalie, what do you do?"
"Usually sleep, or sometimes the other maids and I sit around and tell stories. They make me sing for them."
"What's your dream?"
"To be free." We stared at each other in silence for a little, until he looked down at the ground.
"How did you become their slave? You don't have to answer if you don't want."
"It's alright... When I was six years old my mother died from the Grey Death. My father was a crook and a gambler, so he didn't have any money. When it came to having to pay some collector, he went up to the castle and sold me off as a slave to the royal family. I just turned seven."
"How old are you now?"
"Seventeen, almost eighteen."
"Did you have any other siblings?"
"No." It was back to the silence. He rolled on his back again.
"It's not right," he mumbled. "Slavery isn't right. My father abolished it years ago, and convinced all neighboring and friendly countries to do the same. We had no idea that Havern still had them."
"Havern has lots of things that aren't always correct. But even the criminals and pirates are nicer than Natalie is." He laughed a bit and suddenly stopped. He got a fearful look on his face and sat up, the daisy crown falling off his head.
"Run."
"What?" He jumped to his feet and grabbed my bad shoulder. I yelled in pain, but he ignored it.
"We need to run, right now." He pulled my arm and ran toward the woods. I looked back just for a second and saw what was happening. Off in the distance, near the brim of the forest that we just walked through stood a troop of ogres, looking at us. I gasped and ripped my arm from his grasp and pulled my skirts up so I could run faster.
"How did you..."
"No time, just run." He stumbled a bit and then kicked his shoes off. His feet were so much smaller than my own, but he ran faster without the overly large shoes.
"What's going on?!" I screamed, he just gave me a look and turned back to focus on the forest ahead, to escape the four monsters following us.
I broke through a spider's web when we finally got out of the field. I wasn't sure how safe we were in this forest, for if those ogres had more friends, they were probably waiting for us. Cambridge wove in and out of trees, jumping over rocks and other obstacles as though he was a deer. I couldn't keep up, now that he had his silly shoes off. I tried to avoid the fallen logs, by going around them, but he just kept a straight path.
"Maleen, we're almost there."
"Almost where? Cam! Tell me what is going on!"
"No, just listen to me, or Natalie won't have the chance to behead you." And I did. I trusted him before, I'll have to trust him now.
I could smell smoke. All I could picture was a family of ogres heating up a human over a flame. Through the break in the trees, I could see a small house ahead. It gave me hope, I ran faster, ignoring the pain of the branches slashing my face. Cambridge reached the house first, pounding on the door. An old woman with a crooked nose and straight black hair opened the door just as I reached the doorstep. We rushed in and closed the door behind us.
"Ogres." Cambridge said through small gasps. I collapsed on the floor, trying to catch my breath. The woman peeked out the window, but didn't say a word to us. I felt like I was going to vomit. As I lay weak on the floor, Cambridge stood against the door, staring into space.
It was hours later, when the woman was stoking the fire that Cambridge seemed to come back to reality. He looked down at me, mending my torn skirt and spoke.
"They aren't around the house anymore, but they are waiting for us deeper in the forest." He said sullenly. I stared at him, confused. He didn't move to look out a window or anything. What was going on? "I'll tell you one day, just not now."
"Cambridge, what is going on?"
"You already asked that."
"No, I didn't, I didn't even speak." He looked guilty down at his feet, suddenly aware of not having shoes on. He blushed and tried to hide them under the woman's carpet.
"Boy, tell her, or she won't trust you," the old woman said. "We all have secrets, even she does." I adverted my stare from the blushing Cambridge, to the old woman leaning over the fire.
"What is going on? Someone tell me something!" I screamed. I was so frustrated, not knowing what was happening around me. This woman knew more than I did, and we just met her!
"I didn't just meet her." Cambridge interrupted my thoughts; he sat down on the floor next to me, taking my hand. I was tempted to pull it away. I didn't speak. My lips didn't move. He answered the thoughts in my head. My eyes widened and I started to sweat. "Do you know now? Do you understand now?"
"You can read minds," I said slowly.
"Not read. When I was young, a fairy gave me the gift of knowing what others were thinking. It's more of a curse. She thought it would help me when I was king, so I could tell who was a traitor, and who wasn't. At times it gets overwhelming. That's why I hide so many times away from big groups. I've done so much to try and stop knowing others thoughts. I've tried to block out what you think, when I'm near you. When we first met, I heard your thoughts when I was on the street, and needed to see the girl with the beautiful and pure mind. Maleen, please, please don't let this change things."
"I... I won't. Your secret is safe with me." He sighed and smiled at me. "That's how you knew about the ogres, you could hear them?"
"Yes, I wish I didn't, for they have evil thoughts in their minds."
"You can understand them?"
"My mother taught me all sorts of languages. She used to be able to tame ogres, but I'm not that skilled yet. I didn't want you to get hurt."
"So... you've heard every one of my thoughts?" I asked bashfully. He smiled and blushed too.
"Yes. I really did try to block them out, but I couldn't."
"You young'ns are too sappy for me. Here, eat this. Then you can go back to being all lovey-dovey," the old woman said. She gave Cambridge two bowls of porridge.
"How did you two meet?" I asked Cambridge as he handed me a bowl.
"I lied when I said I saw the clearing from the tower. I was wandering around after the carriage ride through the country, and she popped up," he answered. "She warned me of the creatures in these woods, but I didn't listen."
"He didn't trust witches, he said. Look where he is now, sitting in a witch's den because of the mean nasty ogres," she mocked. Cambridge sighed and attempted to eat his porridge. His face turned in disgust at the taste. He forced a shallow and looked a bit green. The witch hit him with her wooden spoon. "Eat it, its ogre repelant. You'll never go home if you don't eat it."
"We'll go home, just might not make it," Cambridge joked. I didn't think it was funny, but the witch sure did. She howled and slapped her knee.
"You're a fun one, Princey. Now who is this lovely friend of yours? She looks scared half to death."
"Because I am. My name is Maleen."
"Ah, are you royalty too?"
"No, I'm the princess's slave."
"That's right... that's right. I knew the name sounded familiar. Eat that porridge up, or those ogres will eat you up right and tasty."
Cambridge and I gulped down the foul tasting porridge and went to leave.
"You, girl, wait one minute. Princey, go outside and make sure the coast is clear," the witch said, motioning for me to come closer. Cambridge nodded opened the door. "Don't you read our minds now." He rolled his eyes, and closed the door behind him. She went over to a trunk in the corner of her room, and pulled a package out. "Take this. Hide it, and don't open it until you are sure you are completely private. It will do much good for you, if you use it properly."
"What is it?" I asked, she handed it to me, and patted it lovingly.
"Don't ask, for I'll think of it." I understood and thanked her with a nod of my head. "Come back and see me sometime, but be careful of the ogres."
"Thank you, I will."
Cambridge looked at the new package I held many times on our walk back to the castle. The sun had set while we were waiting for the ogres to leave. It was almost a full moon. I started to wonder if the ogre repellant would work on werewolves too, but a laugh from Cambridge told me otherwise. I spotted Cambridge's shoes, abandoned in the cornfield and picked them up. A bit of straw fell out of the toe.
"I guess I should explain that too?" He asked, taking the shoe out of my hands. I nodded, but he probably already knew the answer. "My family has fairy blood in it. A sign of fairy blood is small feet. I've always been horribly embarrassed by my feet, so I stuff straw in my father's shoes so I can wear them."
"Is that why the fairy gave you that gift?"
"Probably not, she was a bit of a crackpot. She cursed my mother too when she was little. We all thought she learned her lesson, but an incident with a squrriel pushed her off the edge." We just stood in the field for a little bit just looking at each other. It was a bit awkward. But then Cambridge ran his hand across my shoulder where the bruise was. "I'm sorry for grabbing there earlier. I forgot you were hurt when I heard the ogres."
"It's alright, it didn't hurt all that much." He was so caring and sweet. He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the cheek. He pulled away and smiled. I blinked a few times, shocked by his actions, and a bit disappointed that it was so short. I yelled in my head for him to kiss me again, and again, and again. He laughed and played with a strand of hair that fell out of my braid.
"We're going to be missed. Cenire is surely back from her lessons." He kissed me again and started to head back toward the castle. I sighed and followed after him. This was a much better afternoon than I expected it to be.
AN:/ I hope you all liked it! Please review. The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to write, then the faster I write, and then you get the next chapter really fast.
Special thanks to: Abbeygirl and Goth for putting me on their Favorite Stories lists.
Gayle, stubble, Fairypixie, and Arien for the continous reviews
And everyone else that I didn't remember.
