The cold wind ripped through the thick fur cloak that hung heavily about Elaine's shoulders. The dark hood was pulled low over her face, yet could not keep the biting chill from reddening her frozen features. She had long ago stopped responding to the banal flow of words that streamed steadily over the shoulder of the strange man who led her way.
Cassius.
Assassin. Guard Zero. Trusted advisor to the feared Duke of Wellington. Yet she did not fear him. Truthfully, she feared nothing at the moment. To fear would be to waste energy she might need in fighting off her sister.
Elaine could not think of her sister. It brought flaming anger to her cheeks and sent scorching blood through her veins. Catherine would regret meddling in her elder sister's life, there was no question about that.
"Princess? Princess?" Cassius's stream of words halted and he turned to face her. "I'd think the least you could do is listen when I am speaking to you."
"Not if what you say holds no interest for me," responded Elaine archly.
"If getting out of this blasted blizzard holds no interest for you, then feel free to stay out here in the wet and cold. I am seeking warmth and shelter in that barn." Cassius turned his horse from her and led it through the quickly rising snow toward a gray barn on the edge of the woods they traveled through.
Elaine lifted her eyes to the structure. She was certainly not opposed to getting out of this horrid weather. However, she was opposed to the confined company of her talkative traveling companion, and to the delay that stopping now, at the beginning of their journey, would create. But there was nothing she could do. It was not wise, she admitted hesitantly, to travel in weather such as this. Cassius had said that it was three days ride from The White Castle at Caraway to Castle Wellington in the neighboring kingdom. Three days was not a long time, she told herself, while at the same time her heart screamed that it was an eternity.
Elaine led Maya towards the seemingly sturdy gray barn, dismounted and led her inside, along with Cassius's mount, Wilson. At finding Wilson tethered outside the barn, Elaine stood motionless for a moment. The man was just going to leave the horse standing in the cold? How did he expect to ride for three days by mistreating his horse so? And it was Wilson at that! It was her husband's favorite horse, his best friend, the grandsire of her horse Maya! A magnificent beast, who in Elaine's opinion, was worthy of better treatment than even Cassius. She took hold of Wilson's reins and led both horses into the chilled air of the blessedly dry barn.
"Leave the bloody beasts outside will you!" the portly man exclaimed.
"I assume then that you would prefer to walk the rest of the way to the Duke's castle." Replied Elaine calmly. Cassius threw his dark cloak from his shoulders and tossed himself carelessly down on the nearest pile of hay. Elaine eyed it warily. It was mildewed and a rank smell rose with the dust that was disturbed by her traveling companion. She continued her argument. "Come Cassius, you are a soldier. Every soldier knows the value of a healthy horse."
Cassius grumbled something unintelligible, and Elaine assumed unintelligent, under his breath. He pulled his cloak tightly around his shoulders and closed his eyes. "Just go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow it won't be snowing so bloody hard."
"We can't sleep long. Just enough to regain strength. I will be setting out at first light, no matter if you still sleep."
Cassius opened one eye and watched the new princess settle herself gingerly in the opposite corner of the barn from him. She took folder her cloak tightly about herself and closed her eyes. "Don't sleep soundly Princess," he sneered. "I'm sure your long silky hair and nice warm cloak would fetch quite a price at Cliff Village. I could leave now and be there by morning." He kept his eyes open a few more seconds, waiting for her own eyes to fly open and stare at him indignantly. He was not given the satisfaction. Elaine, apparently, was already asleep.
Prince David had decided that he definitely did not like his new sister in law. At first he had thought it a good thing that she had requested him specifically for a body guard. She had explained to him that he might have better access to the tower and sleeping maiden if he was put in such a post.
She had been wrong. Prince Jon, the man everyone assumed to be Cassius, now spent his time hovering inches behind Princess Rene at all times. He was forced to watch as his new mistress threw her cunning in front of the Duke of Wellington's face with absolutely no positive results. She would not give up however.
"My lord," she had said as evening was drawing to a close. "Will you walk with me along the castle walls? I can show you various ways in which one uses energy from the dying sun to empower ones self." Her voice had been slow and seductive but the Duke obviously was immune to it.
"I do not vary from my nightly routine Princess," was his reply. "I visit my charge every evening."
"But surely the last golden rays of day on the countenance of a smiling, breathing lady are more enjoyable than those that cast their lot on the face of a sleeping girl." Rene's voice was arch now, challenging. She was growing impatient after only one day. She usually had more patience than this.
The Duke did not turn to face her to give her his answer, but walked away, throwing words over his shoulder. "It does not matter when one looks with his heart, rather than his eyes."
"You have no heart to look with my Lord," she said as he moved from the room. "You are too much like me."
The Prince took the opportunity of the Duke's absence to talk to Rene. "Perhaps he does have a heart. Perhaps you just cannot see it because of your own lack of one."
Reneturned on him. "Ha! Have you not heard of his deeds? Do you not know how many people he has killed in his quest for power? Do you not know how many of those are women and children? Believe me brother, he has no heart. He believes himself in love because of the enchantment." She paused, for just a moment, before turning gracefully toward him. Her face was blank, unreadable. "Follow him. Tell him you wish to reveal secret information about me to him. That you shall act as a spy."
"What should I tell him? What information."
"I don't care. Make it up. But make sure you get a glimpse of the maiden. I want to know her."
Prince Jon did not question her. Actually, he felt as if he'd much rather be in the company of the hardened killer of Duke at the moment. The mood that clung to the princess was too black and calm to be comfortable. Surely a man who was in love, even if it was just an enchantment, was a better companion than a furious enchantress.
Prince Jon exited the same door the Duke had only moments before and found himself on a low part of the castle wall. Looking left, then right, he eventually spotted the Duke climbing a set of stairs not fifteen feet from the doorway he was standing in. "My Lord!"Jon called out as he jogged toward the stairs. "I must speak with you."
The Duke turned sharply and spoke with an edge to his words. "What Cassius. I cannot be delayed."
"Then I will speak as we walk."
With Jon's words, the duke started once more to climb the stairs, the prince no more than three steps behind him. "I believe I have some information for you."
"Really? I do not see that you could have any information that I would ever be interested in Zero."
"Then all of the Princess Rene's most personal secrets do not matter to you at all? The source of her powers? Her political connections? How much power she actually holds over her parents and the kingdom of Darwin?" Jon told himself to be quiet; he should not over do it.
"And of course, as my man, I assume you will tell me all these things regardless of future promotion or financial gain." Wellington did not look behind him as he spoke, but kept his gaze focused on the quickly approaching tower door.
"Of course. Although, it must all be done in secrecy. I have noticed that the princess spends every waking moment near you. Indeed this is the only time all day she has not been by your side. Perhaps your little foray to the side of your sleeping lady every night would prove an importune time to relate my findings to you."
The Duke paused momentarily at the top step, and spun neatly and sharply to peer at Prince Jon. "I do not allow any other man to peer upon my lady. You shall turn your back to the window as you talk every night. Your information better be as interesting as you say."
"It will my Lord, it will."
"Good." Wellington spun back around and walked to the left of the tower door that stood at the top of the steps. A small, arched window revealed a small dark, circular room. The Duke peered intently inside while the fake guard zero faced the woods that surrounded Castle Wellington, watching the shadows that played there and inventing shadows of his own.
"I've been waiting," said Elaine huffily, plopping down in the soft green grass that grew under their dreaming tree.
"I've had a long day… but a productive one. It was some time before I was aloud to retire to bed. Not that it's really a bed, more like a pile of molding hay in the corner of a great hall, packed close to several other sweaty, hairy soldiers."
"My day was long as well, and will be even longer tomorrow. I am on my way to you now. Right now we are sleeping inside an abandoned barn. I didn't want to stop traveling, but the snowstorm made it necessary." Elaine looked upward at her husband as he stopped his pacing and glared fiercely at her.
"I told you not to come! I'll finish this business here, break the curse, and be back shortly. This is a dangerous place Elaine, I do not wish to bring you anywhere near it."
"Really Prince Jon! I have been in more dangerous situations than you have I'm sure. You are not the one who is in constant danger of being killed by your very own mother! You did not live half your life traveling from city to city in search of a safe haven, a place where you would never be found. You sir! Did not forsake all notions of safety simply to be with the one you loved now did you!" Elaine stood now, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed, loosened hair whipping in the wind. She did not think he would be able to answer her, and she was right. His eyes lost their determination.
"Just promise me you'll be careful. The man you are with is quite dangerous, and the men here are just as bad. And then the Duke of Wellington is as black as they come Elaine." He took a step toward her, willing her to calm down.
"I understand, and I will be careful. But you must be careful too." She closed the distance between them and put her arms around his neck as his arms slid around her waist. She changed the subject. "How was your day productive?"
"I saw the sleeping lady."
"You did…. Is she indeed beautiful?"
"Yes. Matter of fact, you might recognize her."
Elaine's eyebrows shot up, her eyes wide is confusion.
"I'm sure," said the prince, "that you remember the day we were pulled into the enchantress's forest, the day she tried to take me, but put you under that spell instead."
"Of course I remember that- wait! You don't mean that… you don't mean that the sleeping lady at Wellington castle is the enchantress you put me to sleep!"
"That is indeed who she is. I wasn't supposed to look at her. That was the Duke's only order: "Do not look at the sleeping lady." But I soon learned that he was so entranced with her, that he was completely unaware of my movements. I got a very long, very good view of her. It is the cold hearted princess; alive it would seem, but apparently under a spell similar to the one she forced you to endure."
"Not half as traumatic I suppose."
"She did appear more comfortable than you did. While you were lying on a cold stone slab, she was reclined upon a cushioned couch. While your chamber was wet, dreary, and infested with ghosts, hers was bright, cheery, and keeps her protected from all that are not noble."
"How nice for her." Elaine did not sound as if she were particularly glad for the lady.
"Elaine, is it not strange how she seems to be calling me back to her? First in the forest, and now this."
"But she didn't call you this time. I believe it was Rene who took care of all the present arrangements."
"You're right." PrinceJon changed the subject this time. "Elaine… do you think you will recognize me when you see me? Or, like everyone else, will you see a simple castle guard?"
"What an amazingly stupid question! I am actually quite offended!" She tried to move from his arms, but he would not have it. His eyes bore into hers, demanding an answer. "Yes, of course I will. Do you doubt me?"
"No, not at all." And he illustrated his trust with a kiss.