Chapter 6: Fairy Tales
Dot glanced two beds over at her brothers. Yakko was giving Wakko the medicine he had bought earlier and tucking him into bed. Dot sighed as she watched the middle sibling sag against his pillow, Wakko's eyelids falling fast. He would no doubt be asleep in seconds.
She flipped onto her stomach, resting her head in her arms and letting her eyes wander down to Yakko's bag sitting beside his bed. She could see the corner of her mother's journal poking out from under the top flap. It was incredibly tempting.
Dot bit her lip. She was torn and felt bad for being so. She didn't like seeing her brother sick and wanted him to rest and get better. But she really wanted to read more of the journal. Reading it would more than likely be postponed till Wakko felt well enough to read it with them. She knew how much he wanted to read it too.
It was starting to get really exciting. Dot smiled wistfully and closed her eyes. Their mother meeting their father, a young queen forced to be married to an evil duke while falling in love with a handsome knight. It was the stuff romantic fairy tales were made of. She sighed contently as she let her mind warp the story to her own liking.
Dot opened an eye and looked over at her oldest brother, petting back Wakko's ears and sitting with him as the middle child drifted off to sleep.
She thought about the bed time story Yakko had made up for her years ago when they were still in the orphanage. It had been a night she couldn't fall asleep due to her relentless cough. Of course after she heard it once she insisted on hearing it nearly every night after that.
For awhile when she was really young, Dot had believed the bed time story her exhausted brother had spontaneously concocted for her was real. But with age came wisdom and the realization that Yakko was just really good at storytelling and that there was simply no way the three of them ever belonged to a life of privilege.
Of course that didn't stop the small part of her from wishing it was true.
When they had discovered they were royalty, Dot was more than ecstatic, absolutely convinced that her brother had been right all along, even though Yakko claimed he just couldn't remember their past and made the story up to appease her. But now, reading the journal, it seemed the oldest wasn't so far off after all.
Her tail swished back and forth as she thought and stared at the journal. William was their father, no doubt. There would be no surprise ending about that. But still…
…for the three of them the real story lay in the details. And Dot craved that story.
She giggled at the memory of when they read about their mother being betrothed to Salazar. The three had paused to indulge themselves in a long, drawn out and disgusted 'ewwwwwwwww!'
The siblings had shuddered at the mere thought. Who knew the former greedy king whom they had promptly banished from the kingdom shortly after their induction, was actually supposed to marry their mother at one point. Talk about nightmare fodder.
Dot sighed and rolled over onto her back, tucking her arms behind her head. There would be no reading tonight though, no more answered questions that they had all so longed for.
She opened her eyes when Yakko came up beside her bed. "C'mon kiddo, time for sleep."
She felt like protesting. But after looking up at the oldest, noticing the bags under his eyes and attributing them to the stress of their sibling being ill, Dot stopped herself from making a fuss and simply nodded. She allowed Yakko to tuck her in before he himself retreated to his own sanctuary of blankets and pillows. She watched him blow out the candle beside his bed and snuggle under the covers.
Try as she may though, sleep did not come for Dot. She listened to the breathing of her brothers; Yakko's steady and rhythmic, Wakko's choppy and wheezy. Her eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness and she found her gaze once again returning to Yakko's bag.
She didn't remember making up her mind or even slipping out of bed. But there she was, tip toeing down the Inn stairs, hugging the journal to her chest as she stepped down into the main pub area.
The room was pretty empty and she recognized the few occupants at the bar and tables as their guards and drivers. They didn't give the small royal in the powder pink night gown more than a second glance. A few tipped their helmets to her in respect before returning to what they were doing.
Dot smiled. She loved being a princess. No one questioned her.
She moved across the room to the fireplace, settling herself down on the furred rug in front of it. Folding her legs into an Indian style sit, she cradled the journal between them. Dot flipped through the pages to the last entry her and her brothers read.
She stared down at the neat and tidy script, the glow of the crackling fire reflecting in her dark unblinking eyes. The light chatter around the bar, the clinking of mugs and silver ware, the heavy wind against the Inn walls; all of it was washed away as Dot lost herself in the journal.
I can, in all honesty, say that I do not know what love is. Nor am I sure I ever knew what it could be. Does it happen automatically? Does it happen over time? The only examples of the act I can really recall are the ones my mother read to me when I was very young. The princess and the prince falling madly in love with one another after just one glance. True love's kiss breaking a horrible spell put on an innocent maiden. Love conquering all and accounts such as that.
But other than the pages of fairy tales I have not witnessed this love they preach so much about. My mother and father certainly did not demonstrate the kind of devotion those books described, nor did any other couple I was exposed to during my childhood. I have never met my sister's husband and I often wonder if Bethany loves him. Her letters more so describe his wealth and ability to provide for her instead of the weak in the knees feeling the books talk about.
Of course I felt love from my family, but I'm sure it's not the same kind of love. Maximus had said he never loved anything more than in a platonic manner. For a long while I wondered if love could even exist outside the books on my shelf.
But recently I have started to question if perhaps I have unknowingly stumbled upon the feelings I once thought could only be written or read.
XXX
Adela sighed as she cinched the ribbon together at the seams of her journal, placing her hands on the surface when she was finished. Her mind had been many places in the last week, places she was unfamiliar with and confused about. She looked to Marcus on the opposite side of the carriage, slumped against the cushion and dozing quietly.
Adela looked out the window at the beautiful country side. The day was gorgeous. No reason to spend it inside the musty old coach.
She craned her neck slightly, William's speckled stallion coming into view.
No… no reason at all to waste such a beautiful day.
Adela leaned out the window slightly, catching the eye of the driver immediately. He smiled to her knowingly and slowed the carriage down as she pulled herself back inside.
The slow of the main carriage brought the rest of the caravan to stop. During the last week this kind of quick halt had become expected to everyone in the party. Especially to the Captain, who grinned and turned his mount around, trotting up to the young queen as she stepped down from the coach.
William exchanged a smile with Adela. "Feeling cramped again, your majesty?"
"It's easier to enjoy the scenery from out here," Adela smirked, holding her hand out to him. He wrapped his gloved hand around her small black one and easily hoisted her up into the saddle in front of him.
She hid her blush as he offered her the reins and rested his hands on her hips instead. She was getting better at suppressing them, but Adela could not deny the fact that the knight was picking up on her subtle emotions. She could almost swear he was even starting to encourage them.
"Well far be it from me to deny you a better view," William chuckled. "Besides, were you inside I wouldn't have the pleasure of your company."
Adela's heart raced. There he went again, playing with her mind. Did he mean that? He enjoyed her company? Or was he being polite? He was not the easiest person to read. She had tried during the last few days of talking with him, but she was always so distracted with the way his styled black whiskers accented the perfect shape of his white masked face and-
Adela was startled out of her thoughts as the caravan started moving once again. Adela tightened her grip on the reins, trying to situate herself sideways in the saddle. William's light hold on her hips stiffened a little more and he leaned over her shoulder.
"You're tense, m'lady. Did you sleep well last night?"
Adela melted at the sound of his thick accent drifting through her ears, but shook herself free of the feeling to answer his question. "Just a little apprehensive I suppose. About Tic Tockia."
It was the truth after all and he was so easy to talk to. He seemed genuinely interested and had proved to be a wonderful listener, always encouraging her to speak whatever was on her mind. She couldn't help but spill her thoughts to him.
Well, at least the thoughts not concerning him.
William nodded and sat up in the saddle. "Then we shall get your mind off such thoughts," he spoke as he gently took the reins from her and coaxed the horse into a fast trot. The change of pace had Adela slipping her arms around the leather armor plackart surrounding William's mid section, holding on as the horse sped up.
William nodded to another guard at the head of the caravan, before giving the reins a light flick, moving the horse into a gallop, bolting ahead of the party a little ways. Adela tightened her grip on him, watching the landscape fly by them and reaching up to push her long hair out of her eyes so she could see more of it.
William smiled down at her, before pushing the horse ahead faster until she was smiling and enjoying the ride as well. She was reminded of riding in the gardens around Glenadale with her siblings. They would race through the hedges and spend hours on horseback. It was an easy way to forget you were royalty.
William slowed the horse into a light trot and then a steady walk, looking to the queen for her reaction. Adela giggled and sat up on the saddle.
"That was wonderful," she commented, breathing a contented sigh.
"It is amazing what a little speed can do for one's disposition, is it not, your majesty?" William tugged back on the reins, bringing the horse to a halt.
"I miss riding that fast," Adela said as William dismounted the horse and helped her down as well. She stretched a bit and brushed down the front of her emerald green gown as she started walking down the path. She enjoyed the feeling of the smooth sandy dirt against her bare paw pads. It was as if he read her mind. Walking was exactly what she needed.
He followed beside her, holding the bridal of the horse as he watched the young queen enjoy stretching her muscles. Observing Adela's rapidly changing emotions throughout the last few days, he found that running ahead of the coach had become a sure fire way to put her in a better mood. It was as if the coach held all her worries. Remove it from the equation and she could breathe easier and open up.
And open up, she did. Adela found her mood shifting when it was just the two of them ahead on the path. It was exhilarating being away from so many eyes, not feeling as if they were all watching and judging her. She could hum out loud and no one would stare. In fact when she had first started doing so, William only encouraged her to do it louder and more often. She let a small melody bubble up from her throat and he watched her.
"A new tune today, m'lady?" he smiled.
Adela nodded mid hum, enjoying the vibration of her vocal cords and the slight tickle it sent up the back of her neck and to her nose. Music had been an important part of her young life. Her mother insisted that all of her children know how to use their voices properly. Singing and music in general calmed Adela down.
She hadn't realized how long it had been since she allowed herself the pleasure of song until the first time four days ago when William ran them ahead of the caravan. Away from the eyes, away from the stress, she found the music came so much easier.
She glanced at the tall knight out of the corner of her eye. How did he know how to relax her so? The fact that he did, only made her want to be near him more. It was difficult to know that no matter how far they ran ahead though, they would have to return to the carriage and it would cease to be just him and her.
Adela looked up at the dark clouds in the distance ahead of them and sighed, ears folding back. If it rained she would have to return to the carriage. Her eyes fixed on the grey cumulous, dark in the center, filled with moisture and mocking her from their spot up in the sky.
William looked back at her, his smiled fading at the sight of her now melancholy look. How fast the young woman's emotions could alter. "Is the good feeling already gone?"
Adela sighed and hung her head a bit. "I hear he's… difficult."
William bit his lip and turned his gaze back to the path ahead of them, leading inevitably to Tic Tockia. "Perhaps it is just gossip…"
"You would be surprised how much truth there is to gossip," Adela sighed, folding her arms. "Maximus himself feared what the Duke would do to Warnerstock. I wish my mind would stop trying to imagine the future. It has a nasty habit of predicting the worst."
William smirked, "Fire and brim stone, my queen?"
Adela scowled at him, tightening her fists. "It's not funny!"
William laughed at her immature pout. "If you ask me, he has much more to worry about than you do."
Adela started at the comment. She huffed indignantly. "What is that suppose to mean?"
"That her majesty can be quite intimidating with her temper tantrums."
William's smirked stayed firm and this only proved to fluster Adela more, her tail puffing slightly. "I am not having a temper tantrum!"
William rolled his eyes, still grinning, "Of course you're not, your grace."
Adela stomped her foot, "Stop making fun of me!"
"I'm not making fun of you…"
"Yes you are!"
"I am not."
"You are!" Adela shoved his arm. William chuckled and nudged her back with his shoulder.
"Don't push me," he laughed.
"I'll push you whenever I please!" Adela reached over to shove him in the chest. He barely moved, but grinned, making a motion to lightly shove her back. She jumped out of the way though, avoiding his shove. Suddenly smirking she stuck out her tongue at his failed attempt.
This only provoked him further and he let go of the horse's bridal to lunge after her. She squealed and ran off the road into the meadow, William giving chase.
The horse watched as the two dashed off before leaning down to sample the greens at the side of the road.
After running a good distance into the meadow, Adela slowed to a stop to catch her breath, the combination of laughing and running making the act difficult. With a contented sigh the queen allowed herself to collapse, the billowy long grass and wild flowers cushioning her landing.
She stared up at the sky, still a clear cerulean color with the gray storm just out of her sight. Her smile faded a bit and she closed her eyes, listening to the intensifying breeze whip through the meadow.
Her ears perked as William caught up and stood beside her, leaning over and breathing heavy.
"Didn't know you could run that fast, your highness," William laughed.
Adela opened her eyes, but kept them on the sky, watching the daisies float above her. From her point of view the breeze made them look as if they were growing out of the sky.
"Call me Adela…"
William looked down at her, caught off guard from her sudden vocalization. "Huh?"
Adela stared unblinking up at the moving clouds. "Call me Adela," she repeated.
William stared down at her for a minute before letting out a slight snort. "I can't call you Adela…"
This prompted her to sit up slightly on her elbows, looking over at him with a confused smirk. "Why not?"
"Because you're the queen!" William laughed at her, somewhat flustered that she'd even ask such questions.
"So?"
"So, it isn't proper to call you by your name!"
It was Adela's turn to laugh. "Oh, so why don't we just change my name to 'your highness'! Ugh, I hate that term. It sounds more insulting if you ask me, like I sat in something."
This made William snicker. Adela smiled casually and picked a daisy. "I don't care about what is proper or what is not. I don't want you to call me 'my queen' or 'your grace'. Call me Adela."
William smirked and stood up straight, folding his arms. "No."
Adela sat up all the way, folding her own arms. "What do you mean 'no'? I'm the queen, you have to do what I say!"
"Oh so I can't call you 'your highness', but you can use the 'I'm queen, you have to do it' line?"
This had Adela laughing at her own hypocrisy. "Why are you so difficult?"
"I'm not difficult!"
"Call me Adela!"
"No!"
The petty argument could barely be made out amongst their constant laughter.
"You're not my servant; you don't have to be so proper!" Adela's laughter finally calmed down and she held out her hand to him. "Help me up…"
William smirked and made no move to take her hand. "I thought I wasn't your servant? Get up yourself."
"William!" Adela giggled, flailing her hand at him as he intentionally avoided it.
William rolled his eyes and chuckled. "What, cause you're the queen I have to help you off the ground?"
"Yes!" Adela laughed loudly and reached over to bat at his tail.
The two ceased their laughter at the sound of the approaching coaches. Sensing it was time to return to the caravan and turn off herself and turn on the queen, Adela grew silent.
William's smile faded as he watched the light in her eye diminish. He gently reached down and helped her to her paws.
She brushed the grass and flower petals off her gown and started trekking back through the meadow to the road. The knight followed behind her. The carriages were stopping next to Williams' horse who looked up from its grazing.
Halfway back to the path, William nudged Adela's arm playfully. She smirked and nudged him back.
"Don't push me."
"I'm not pushing you."
"You pushed me!"
"Did not…"
"William!"
Back inside the main carriage Marcus casually leaned out the window and watched the queen and knight walk back through the meadow. He smiled at their laughter.
"Have a nice run Adela?" Marcus asked as she separated from William and approached the carriage. The driver opened the door for her and helped her up.
"I'm glad I got out before the rain started," she smiled at her advisor and sat down across from him, pointing out the darkening sky.
"Indeed," Marcus glanced back out, watching the Captain retrieve his horse, praising it for remaining in sight. He looked back at Adela as she dug around inside her pack for the crimson red journal.
Adela sigh inwardly as her quill moved across the parchment, a wide smile on her features as she finished the previous entry she had been working on.
I think about Maximus and his words. So many times he said love had made itself clear to him and he foolishly ignored it. I wonder if now love is revealing itself to me and I am questioning its existence.
I cannot deny that I spend my nights lying awake and thinking about him. My days are spent observing him and day dreaming about what it would be like if he and I were the characters in my childhood novels. When our eyes meet, when his words are directed towards me, when his hand brushes against my own. It is times such as those that I find breathing difficult.
And so I fear the inevitable has already happened.
XXX
Yakko looked down at his little sister, curled up on her side, nestled deep into the furred carpet she had fallen asleep on. The warm glow of the fire made a perfect blanket, the orange colors bouncing off of her black fur and bathing her body in the soft light. The red journal lay open before her, small gloved hand still resting on the pages.
Yakko smirked and shook his head, reaching down and closing the book, tucking it under his arm before scooping Dot up. She instinctively nuzzled against his shoulder in her sleep as he carried her back up the stairs and into their room.
Yakko nearly had a heart attack when he had awoken in the middle of the night to find his sibling missing from her bed. But upon running downstairs to alert the guards still mingling quietly around the bar of the emergency, they simply smiled at him and pointed out the sleeping princess in front of the fire. Yakko allowed his heart beat to return to normal and walked over to find her in her current state.
He should have known she'd sneak off with their mother's journal. He didn't blame her, but he was still a little miffed that she'd given him such a scare. Both she and Wakko had a habit of messing with his nerves, which were indeed not made out of steel.
Yakko tucked her into bed, pulling the comforter around her and watching as she clutched the ends of the pillow in her hand. He couldn't help but smirk at the sound of her quiet breathing and the little smile across her maw. He reached down to pet the tufts of fur on the side of her head, already forgetting why he was even displeased with her.
He never stayed mad at either of them for long.