"She's quite the girl, you know." Adam Smith plopped down his tankard, the usual signal for Rina to pour more.
Rina shook her head and made her way over, using her already grey skirt to mop up an earlier spill from the counter. She was a slender woman, though forty years of life and a job in a tavern had toughened her up to a fearsome countenance. Many still called her lovely, though her dark curls were already showing grey. She grabbed the pitcher and dumped more of her best ale. "And which girl do you mean by that, Adam? Is it something I should speak to your wife about?"
Adam laughed and shook his head. Rina smiled. The man was as honest and decent as Old Robert was crazy, but that made it all the more fun to tease him.
"Rina, I have a beautiful wife and two handsome sons, even though the brats are on the small side. But if I had a younger brother, I'd plan a marriage between him and the miller's daughter."
"Lake?" Rina's smile grew. "Aye, she's a fine girl indeed. Beautiful and good, though I sense something of a spitfire behind it all."
"Rina, the entire town knows you are the greatest spitfire of them all."
She took the compliment well. "And that's why I admire Lake Miller so much. Such a helper. Spinning all morning for her father–"
"And a good assistant to my Linda." Adam raised his glass.
"Devil in disguise, though, mark my words!" The cracking screech filled the air as Bethany the healer woman wandered her way in, gnarled walking sticks smacking the ground in front of her.
Rina tossed her head back and laughed. "But that's the best part of her charm, Witch Woman!"
Bethany growled deep in her throat, the way of an animal, and smacked her stick once more. "I would not say Witch as a mockery!"
"But that's what you are, Bethany!" Timber had made his way in, carrying dishes to the best of his ability.
"And I have the ability to see into the future, young Timber!" She pointed a wrinkled finger at her left eye. Timber gasped and stepped back in ultimate reverence.
Rina could never be sure if the woman was in jest or not. But if she frightened that boy, well, that was good enough for Rina. "And I imagine you can see Lake's destruction of Wheat Hill?"
"No! I'm very fond of the girl, and I don't see her destroying anything."
Timber summoned his bravery. "But you just said–"
"Adam, I did see your father-in-law's best cow dying before the poor beast did! I saw that! I warned him."
The whole village knew the cow had been ill for months, but Adam nodded solemnly. "Poor Tevor has learned his lesson, I hope."
"He had better," Bethany warned with a wag of her finger.
"T'was vampires that killed that cow."
For the love of the Heaven and all that it shined upon... Rina rolled her eyes. An hour before she had settled Old Robert in the corner with a tankard of ale and a pinch of Bethany's best sleeping powder. Apparently that had warned off.
Timber's eyes grew. "Vampires?"
"Vampires. The creatures of the living dead. I used to see them in the mill all the time."
Now Rina would have to lock up Timber to keep him from wandering up to the mill.
"But Robert, I thought you killed the vampires," Adam said with the same solemnity he had given Bethany.
"I did. After they killed Tevor's cow."
"I want to be a vampire," Timber said, raising his hand. "I shall ask William Miller if there are any vampires left."
Another story spread by Robert's tongue. Rina shook her head. "I'll not be having a vampire for a son! If there were any left, William, being the brave man he is, has certainly destroyed them."
Timber looked disappointed. "Then I shall ask Lake to protect any vampires that come. I shall go now." He booked for the door.
"Don't waste your breath," Bethany said. "Neither Lake or William is here."
Timber stopped.
"That's right," Adam said, taking another swig. "Linda told me that Lake told her they had an invitation to King Cherdith's palace."
"The King!" Rina wanted to faint right then and there. But that would be bad for business.
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It wasn't the most impressive palace Lake had ever seen, but it certainly held its own respectability. Lake stood in the center of the throne room's long hall, pretending to stare in awe at the marble columns and the red velvet carpet, stretched out like a cat's tongue. Of course she was amazed. She was only a simple miller's daughter.
Speaking of the miller... William stood next to her, all huffing and puffing with feinted nerves. What was he, a simple miller, doing in the King's grand hall?
"How much money do you peg King Cherdith for?" Lake whispered.
"Fair amount. We'll make good. Jaybird is making the assessment right now, he'll report back tonight."
"You think we'll stay that long?" She quickly threaded a braid into her hair. Braids always worked for innocence.
William chuckled. "Of course we will."
Maybe this king would have a proper mirror. Maybe one hanging up. She looked up and down the hall. Empty, save for the usual guards. And a man, in the corner, watching them.
She ignored him.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, a trumpet blared with brash sound. She would certainly have to suggest a new trumpet player, once she was on the King's good side. Speaking of that, who would propose? The King? Or perhaps he had a son?
A guard stepped forward. He was tall, lithe, and looked all too excited to be there. His fellow guard was a bigger man, younger, and looked like he would rather just fall asleep right then and there. "Announcing his Royal Majesty, King Cherdith VI!"
Sixth of his line. Ooh. A lot of pomp for a tiny kingdom.
The king appeared, and Lake found herself praying that if a proposal were to be made, this ruler wouldn't be the object of the marriage. He was at least fifty, and bald besides. And his gray beard was crooked. He came in from the side, not glancing at Lake nor William, and seated himself in the throne. The sleepy guard yawned.
King Cherdith made himself comfortable, patted the armrests, and flashed a big, friendly smile. "So," he said with hardly any mannerisms that Lake could detect. "You are the new miller of Wheat Hill. My, but the palace has bought fine wheat from you."
William bowed, eyes to the ground. "Thank-you, Your Highness."
The King laughed. "Ah, humility. Now that's something I like to see. Sometimes. But not when I am busy. I shall cut right to the matter of why I have summoned you here, and it has little to do with you, William Miller."
William faked a cough and nodded with most of the irritating humility.
"I am speaking, of course, of your lovely daughter. Is this the dear girl right here?"
Lake gave the king a smile and curtsey. Maybe, today, she would be the innocent country girl of spunk and charm. Yes, that would be a good role to play. Of course she had spunk and charm. Though her innocence left something to be desired. "Yes, Your Majesty. My darling father and my dear mother, God rest her soul, christened me Lake." Normally it was due to wait for the king to ask one's name, but a sweet, charming girl of a poor village would have no idea of such propriety.
And it worked. The king smiled with true tenderness. "What a beautiful name, Lake. And I hear you have great skill. A talent."
"Talent?" she echoed.
"I have heard that you can spin straw into gold."
She blushed, the nicest blush she could show. "Well, good king, I do not find it fitting that I should brag..."
"You are telling me that you really can do such a thing?" King Cherdith leaned forward, greed now joining the kindness in his eyes.
"We give most of the gold to the poor, Your Highness," William put in. "As proper, but a king of your goodness and wisdom..."
King Cherdith laughed and winked. "Ah, William Miller, I must say that I like you. You are a good and intelligent man, and I feel that we may think alike. I want your daughter Lake to spend tonight spinning a room of straw for me."
That took William back. "I... she has never done so much before! I don't know–"
"That it would be a good test of her skill? A challenge? An adventure? Come, sir, we cannot grow if we never challenge ourselves!"
Lake made herself look somewhat frightened.
"Don't worry, I have upmost faith in you! You can do it!"
William and Lake exchanged nervous looks–and an unnoticed smile. Then Lake curtseyed. "As it pleases Your Majesty."
"And it does. You are a charming girl. I shall now have a servant take you and your father to some rooms prepared for you. Or maybe the guards?"
Lake would have expected more obedience, but even the happy guard looked at the king in bewilderment. King Cherdith shrugged and clapped his hands. A girl appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. Palaces. "Yes, Your Highness?"
"Susan... Anne... whatever your name is, take my guests to their rooms."
The girl, Susan, Anne, or something else, nodded and curtseyed. Then she smiled shyly at Lake and William. "Follow me."
"And Lake," the king called after them. "Someone shall fetch you at sunset."
Why in the world did it always have to be sunset?
Yes, the palace certainly wasn't the largest–though not the smallest. But it was so... dark. Lake rather liked that. It made things more exciting. Outside of the throne room, there was little light aside from the mounted torches of flickering shadows. The carpet was thick under her bare feet, but could easily be mistaken for a swamp. And the paintings... There was one of a storm-ridden lake. She paused to admire it.
"Lake, dearest?" William called back to her.
Eh, she could find her way. "I shall soon follow."
Apparently the servant didn't care.
The painting wasn't of the upmost talent–brush strokes much too large, but she did like the way the lightening cut across the sky. One could almost see the rain–
Then a hand clapped itself over her mouth!
"The artist who painted this was murdered!" a voice hissed.
Lake gave a muffled scream and tried to rip herself away, but the two arms held her fast. This had never happened! This was an angel, an angel come to punish her, not that she cared.
And then the laughing began.
She burst from captivity with another yell ripping at her throat and whirled around. It was a man about her age, laughing as if he had never seen anything funnier.
"Idiot!" she cried. "To frighten an innocent girl. A bastard you are to the highest–" The shouting stopped. This man was dressed much too fine for...
She felt sick.
But he only laughed again, smiling back at her with a broad smile and a sharp green gaze. "I must introduce myself as Prince Isaac."
The prince himself. This was awkward. Wasn't she supposed to curtsey or something? Yes, that was right. The sweet, charming, and innocent village girl caught unawares would curtsey. Oh, yes.
"Really, you must be careful in these halls." Prince Isaac nodded mysteriously. "It would be best for you."
Well, he was mad. Or playing games. Lake decided to throw off the pretense. "Maybe the murderer will find you."
He laughed again. "Now that would be great fun. For your own safety, I shall escort you to your room. Now you were following Kathryn, and I believe she was headed down that way.." He gestured down the hall William and the servant girl had gone. "Yes, that's right. If you'll just give me your arm..."
Sweet girl could return. She smiled sweetly and slipped her arm through his. It was always fun to be escorted by a prince. And he was one of the handsomer ones.
"So," Prince Isaac said as he led her down the darkening hall; some seriousness had returned. "What brings you to the palace?"
She shrugged. "I can spin gold, and your father wishes me to spin tonight."
Prince Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Gold, you say. Well, that is a talent. That is something I shall have to see!"
She shook her head. "No, sir. I... I prefer to work in private."
"Hmm. All right, then. I guess I shall just have to see in the morning." He really did not seem all that excited. They arrived at her room, and he kissed her hand. "Beware the murderers, fair lady..."
"Lake," she said. "Lake Miller."
"That's an odd name. Good night, if you can put up with all the spinning. I don't know what would be considered a good night, but good night all the same."
She shut the door and turned to her father. "I think we have a doubter."
Whatever. There was no real concern there.
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King Cherdith's wealth was respectable indeed. Though Jay could not break into the treasury rooms, the baubles and trimmings lining the palace were proof enough, not that a peek into the rooms weren't bad in themselves. He didn't know yet how much they should take, but whatever they took would be good indeed.
He slipped down a shortcut he had found within an hour into the servant's quarters. There was an empty room that would serve well enough until they were ready to leave. How long would it take for Lake to get into the treasury, anyway? Oh, well. He had grown up with a harder life. He pushed against the door and–
"What do you think you're doing?'
He froze.
The girls stood just up the hall, faces aglow with laughter. There were three of them. Maids, by the look of them. Or maybe they worked in the kitchen. Eh, Jay didn't know these things. They were servant girls.
"My, Caroline, but I think you scared him," said one smartly. She held a pail in her hands, a damp cloth over one shoulder. Her blonde hair was pulled back with twine.
The one called Caroline laughed hard. She was very pretty, pale brown hair that framed her round face. She was somewhat on the plumper side, but it only served to accent her curves, the ones Jay couldn't help but notice. "Well, Kathryn, you failed to take advantage of the other folk, so I might as well tease you. Shall I call the guards on you, sir? Andrea, fetch Hyrum and Peter, they'll do."
The third girl, a tall thing with dark eyes, snickered.
Caroline took a step forward, her hazel eyes all the while on Jay. "Goodness me, but he is a handsome one, isn't he? And a rogue, I'm sure of it."
Kathryn gave a false scream. "In our quarters! Oh, dear!"
"Scandal, indeed," Caroline said with a solemn nod. "Look, he's blushing!"
Jay cursed inwardly. Indeed he was. He wasn't used to being caught like this.
Caroline's smile increased. "I think we really should call Hyrum and Peter. He must be thrown out. No, he must have his head cut off!"
All three girls cheered.
Jay gulped. "I'll leave. Just don't tell!"
The laughter died from Caroline's face. "Oh, come on. Don't be a fool. We don't want you to leave, but if you're planning on stowing away in the palace, you had better do so away from the woman's area. You'll frighten poor Andrea."
"Then, where can I stay?"
The girls exchanged a vicious smile.
Jay found himself out in the barn that night, Caroline's laugh still echoing in his ears.