15
This floor is crackling cold, she took my heart, I think she took my soul
With the moon I run, far from the carnage of the fiery sun
Skies they blink at me, I see a storm bubbling up from the sea
And it's coming closer.
The Duke heaved a sigh, and leaned upon the back of a chair with a world-weary expression. Meanwhile, the huntsman's sturdy hand left my shoulder, leaving me with William's softer touch.
He was restless. I could see it in the way he stepped back, and turned slightly away. He never moved unless he had to; he never fidgeted, because he was always full of purpose. The last time I'd seen him shifting like this, he'd been deciding whether to trust my word and my bribe and guide me to Hammond's castle.
"You don't think we should let them go." I stated, glancing up.
He started, and looked down at me in surprise. Did he think he was so hard to read?
"I am… uncomfortable."
His eyes had riveted to the Duke, and for good reason. Hammond was frowning deeply in disagreement.
"Know your place, huntsman." he warned in a level voice, "You are here by her Majesty's will only."
"What is your opinion?"
"We must be rid of them immediately. We cannot have the princess in such close proximity to these men."
"Do you trust them to stay away?"
"I trust you to do your duty, and to respect mine."
The huntsman leaned back slightly as though evading a fatal blow. But he remained silent after that.
"They have no reason to harm us now. Their tyrant is dead, they are free to go home, and we have helped them more than we should." Hammond turned his steady, knowing gaze back to me. "It is vital that they disappear and you are properly instated as soon as possible. A princess cannot run a kingdom. After the Coronation, we must begin to focus upon our future."
"I assume you mean agriculture."
"Agriculture, trade – and trade will mean work – revitalising the people, giving them purpose and hope."
"And our defences." one sidelong look at the huntsman was enough to let him know that unlike the Duke, I was listening. "We are weak. We must replace my father's army."
"Certainly, that is another priority." he paced awhile, "It would be wise to gather my remaining subjects to the heart of the kingdom. I will be needed here for a long while, and the women and children are vulnerable. They must come and mourn, or be reunited with their men. It will be much simpler to conduct all within these borders – Lord knows there is room enough for the few of us."
I nodded, gradually growing confident. "We will begin from scratch. Unified."
"Once we grow in strength and number, we will broaden our reach again." William chimed in, his face illuminated with assured enthusiasm. His hand had not left my back.
The huntsman crossed his arms subtly over his chest.
"William." Duke Hammond suddenly seemed to realise his son's presence as an idea occurred to him, "You will travel to the Duchy and the villages in my stead. You will instruct and lead the people here."
William blinked.
"You cannot be spared. Snow White needs you." he realised out loud.
"I trust you to bring them, safely. The Coronation must be soon. You will go now, gather every individual from every settlement – united within these walls, they will witness the ceremony. It will be a definite beginning. A platform to progress from."
William's expression flickered between reluctance and submission. "It will take some days."
"Ride with haste. Your kingdom and Queen depend upon you."
He shot a glance at me, and I could see ambivalence written all over his countenance.
I didn't want to know why.
But in my soul, I knew, and it made me tremble. It made my gut seize up and my heart thrill.
William was afraid to leave.
He was afraid that if he left, if he was absent for days on end…
"Am I to leave now?" he asked, his voice layered with serene obedience.
"There is no time to waste. Ravenna's men are departing within the hour, now is the best opportunity."
I stood to bid him farewell – within minutes he would be on a horse, tearing across the country. Racing as if for his life. I knew it as plainly and instinctively as if it was happening to me.
The air was thick and twisted – the huntsman stood like a knife's point, driving rebelliously into this atmosphere that belonged to William, this moment of goodbye that should have been ours but was instead uncomfortably public and exposed, and awkward. Too awkward.
William took my hand in his own, and raised it to be kissed so fleetingly he gave the impression of coldness, of triviality. But his eyes locked onto mine inescapably – and the instant of contact was so firm, so immense and earnest and pleasing, that it seemed to stretch time for us. We stood suspended in one another, for one delicious second, and I began to feel the blush rise in my cheeks and the blood heat in my heart.
"Travel safely." I managed.
"I look forward to the Coronation."
He turned gracefully, sinuously, and was gone.
I looked once from Hammond to the huntsman, and felt the very room begin to breathe again.