Chapter 22

I looked up at the ceiling as some of the memories came flooding back I sat up and looked around the room. The sun was just coming up, to my left Lancelot was sitting in a chair his eyes were closed and was breathing slowly.

I smiled and got out of bed. Lancelot's eyes flickered open as he looked around the room.

"Jess, are you ok?" he asked standing up and rubbing his eyes.

"What happened?"

"I think it was something you ate." Lancelot shrugged.

I suddenly remembered the bishop's friend and stood up rushing over to the door.

"Where are you going?" Lancelot asked putting his hand on the door knob so I couldn't open it.

"What? Nowhere." I answered quickly making it sound more suspicious than I hoped it would. I had to find the bishop's friend, I wasn't positive it was him who had poisoned me and I wanted to be sure before I did anything risky.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked questioningly.

"Yes, I'm sure." I answered taking his hand, turning the door and swinging it open.

I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning and hurrying of to the courtyard. The first thing I noticed was how full it was. I squeezed past some people while scanning the courtyard for the bishop's friend. I felt someone take hold of my arm and pull me out of the crowd I looked up and was relieved to see Kaden and not one of the bishop's crazy friends standing there.

"The play" he said letting go of my arm.

"Oh, yeah the play." I said looking past him to the courtyard for one last look. "Ok let's go." I sighed after realizing I wouldn't be able to find him in such a mob of people.

We walked around the back of the pub to where the children were all dressed up and having fake sword fights with each other. I smiled as they all got into position when they saw us coming.

"Kaden's going to watch the play and give you guys some advice." I said after I noticed the kids were giving Kaden suspicious looks.

They got through the play without any big mistakes, it was the best I had seen them do it. James smiled at me as if to ask how it went. I gave him a wink before looking to Kaden to see what he thought.

"Mind if I make some suggestions?" he shrugged.

"Go ahead." I said leaning back in my chair. He stood up and walked over to James. I remembered Kaden telling me that he wasn't good with kids so I didn't really no what to expect.

1 hour later and we had gone through the whole play, with Kaden picking it to pieces, he was treating the kids like normal adults, I wasn't sure if this was good or bad.

"I'm changing your part in the play to better suit your acting abilities." Kaden said to Renee, who was a small 8 year old.

"Have I got a bigger part?" she asked getting a little excited.

"No, now you're in a deep sleep. So get into bed and don't move." He answered before turning to the next child.

I stood up and walked over to them before Kaden could say anything else.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked taking him by the arm.

"Sure, what's up?" he asked while we walked out of earshot of the children.

"Kaden what are you doing?"

"I thought I was helping." He answered coldly. He had been acting strange all day he would never look me in the eyes but whenever I turned around I could always sense him watching me.

"Yes, but it's just a play. With small children, who cry when they see you coming." I said, trying to cheer him up a bit. He didn't answer just stood there.

"Are you ok? You're acting different, anything you want to talk about?" I asked finally.

"Jess, I…" He was cut of when the children started to run past us.

"Hey, where are you going?" I shouted after them

"The gates are opening." One of them shouted back before hurrying of around the corner.

I looked over to see the large gates swinging slowly open, it wouldn't have been such a big deal except the bishop and the knights were there to welcome whoever it was.

I turned back to Kaden. He shrugged and starting following the kids. I sighed before reluctantly following.

"What's going on?" I asked Tristan who was standing with the other knights.

He shrugged "I think it's more of the bishop's friends."

I turned to walk away not really wanting to see any more royalty for one day. I saw Kaden whose eyes flicked away from me when he saw me looking.

Galahad whistled so I turned to look at him. I followed his gaze to a very pretty girl. She had long blonde hair that went to curls when it reached her stomach. It looked like it hurt to smile as much as she was.

After the crowd had broken up I listened in on their conversation I had gotten the general idea of who she was. Her name is Ani and she grew up in this village and new the knights she is also the bishop's goddaughter.

I walked over to where the knights were all standing in a circle talking to Ani. She was beaming at them and giving them playful looks. I stood next to Tristan and folded my arms trying not to look to jealous.

"Look at you Ani, you've really grown up." Lancelot said looking her up and down.

"You all have really grown up as well." She said giving her hair a flick.

"Yes, in fact we've all grown up." I said making the knights look over as if just noticing I was there.

"Yes, but her much more than you have." Tristan said as the knights went back to catching up with Ani.

I sighed and went over to the pub unable to ignore the sharp pain in my stomach which was either hunger or jealousy.

I slipped out the back to the kitchens to see if I could find any spare food.

There were live chickens and sheep walking around and some metal pots over small fires.

I found some flour and decided to make myself some bread I was about half way done when Ani walked in. I looked back to the bread hoping she wouldn't come over.

"Hello, I'm Ani." I heard her say over my shoulder.

I reluctantly turned. "I'm Jess." I said shaking her hand.

"Your Tristan's sister right?"

I nodded and looked back to the bread to see how it was doing.

"What are you making?" she asked looking over my shoulder.

"Bread." I answered. She didn't say anything just kept watching. "Have you ever made bread before?" I asked wanting to break the awkward silence.

"No. I was hoping to just get by on my looks." She answered flicking her hair.

I laughed but quickly stopped as I realized she wasn't joking.

After talking with Ani for about 10 more minutes I came to the conclusion that while she was very pretty, she wasn't very smart. I'm sure she could add numbers and spell words but when it came to common sense she was a bit slow.

The bread was finally done I broke it in half and offered it to Ani.

"What is it?" she asked taking the bread and looking it over.

I had quickly learned that Ani didn't joke and every question no matter how strange was serious.

"It's bread." I told her again.

"You have very pretty eyes." She said looking right at me.

"Ahh… thanks." I said confused at the sudden topic change.

"Did you make it?" she asked looking back to the bread still not taking a bite.

"Yes...I just made it then."

"Oh, come on. This isn't food, this is what food eats." She said after she took a bite and spat it out on the floor she also took the rest of her bread and threw it on the floor. I watched it roll along the ground gathering dirt as it went. My stomach gave a sharp pain of hunger.

I finally told Ani I had to go and left the kitchen eating my half of the bread which I thought

tasted fine.

"Jess." I heard Arthur call. I looked to where it had come from. Arthur, Galahad and Gawain were standing across the courtyard. I walked over to them and noticed they were acting a little strange like they new something I didn't.

"What's so funny?" I asked Gawain after I noticed he was trying not to laugh.

"Jess, you have to…" Galahad started but couldn't seem to finish.

"Don't worry I'll do it." Gawain said clapping Galahad on the shoulder.

"Whoever here is not going to be performing in the play raise your hand." Gawain said as he Galahad and Arthur all raised their hands.

"What?" I asked as I started to slowly raise my hand.

Galahad shook his head and pushed my hand down you could tell he was trying to hold back laughter.

"Mary said you have to be in it, just a tree or something so if one of the children forgets a line you're there to help." Arthur said. "Lancelot's doing it as well; he volunteered so you wouldn't have to do it alone and the play's been postponed until tomorrow."

I felt a wave of gratitude towards Lancelot and even looked around to see if I could find him.

"Have you met Ani?" Arthur asked snapping me out of my search.

I nodded, not wanting to say anything rude.

"What do you think of her?" he asked.

"She's…Pretty." I said after not being able to think of anything else.

"I almost forgot can you show Ani her room? It's next to the bishop's" Arthur said.

"Do you want me to put padding on all the sharp corners?" I asked only half joking.

"And try to be nice." He added, choosing to ignore my last comment.

Without anything to do since the play was on tomorrow I decided to go into the pub, there were a couple of people there already. I got a drink and sat down.

"Mary told me to tell you, you have to think of a name for the play." I heard Kaden say. Once again it was colder than he normally spoke. I wasn't in the mood to argue or find out what the matter was.

"Sure." I said not looking up.

"Would you like me to help?" Ani's voice said I finally looked up to see Kaden and Ani standing there.

"Ok." I forced myself to say. Ani sat down next to me with Kaden opposite.

"Well, the best names are things that mean a lot to people." Ani started. I looked up thinking I had gotten her wrong and she was really very smart.

"Like for example me, or my hair, or the sparkle I bring to your dull, grey lives." She finished. I looked back down. After about 20 more minutes of pointless suggestions by Ani, Kaden hadn't said a word and I was getting sick of everything.

"Oh, my head hurts." Ani said rubbing her forehead.

"That's your brain trying to comprehend its own stupidity." I said not even caring what she would do.

I heard Kaden laugh quietly and I looked up to him, to see if he had gone back to normal. He quickly stopped laughing and looked down. Ani luckily didn't get it.

I noticed Ani kept looking back from Kaden to me over an over again. Finally I had had enough I excused myself saying I would think of a name tonight. Not wanting to leave the pub I doubled back and sat at a different table close to Kaden and Ani's but behind a divider so they couldn't see me.

"Poor Kaden." I heard Ani say. I tried not to listen but found it almost impossible not to.

"What are you talking about?" Kaden answered.

"You are in love with Jess but she's with Lancelot." Ani said. I listened carefully to see what Kaden would say.

"So what?" he answered.

"So it's the saddest story in the world." Ani said

"You know what? I had a chance, and I didn't take it." Kaden said. I stopped listening at that point. It would explain why he was acting so strange.

Hi, PLEASE review + say what you think, I'm sorry if it's a bit late, school is getting hard...Ok so review and tell me any suggestions, thank you XOOXOXOXOOO