Chapter 6: Impromptu Proposal
Esther woke up before dawn and headed to the kitchens. A few of the servants were already up and she asked if they could borrow some ingredients and an oven. They assented, seeing who it was, and for the most part left her alone. The kitchen stewards had imported Al-Mamooni milk powder stocked in their shelves, which was fine for her purposes. Mixed in with the right amounts of vanilla, sugar and babana custard she could manufacture the flavor well enough. Esther thought she might leave a note on the platter as she arranged them in a semi circle on a small silver dish, like a crescent moon, but she decided against it. It was rude to leave without saying goodbye but she feared she would not be able to resist if he asked her to stay.
"Surely, that's what Swaine meant, isn't it?" she asked herself as she sprinkled the powered sugar over the platter. "Perhaps I'm being conceited? Maybe he's just being kind to me. It's not like he was going to propose to me or anything…" But was she mistaking the moment in the library when he came close enough to kiss her, or that moment before the waltz when he kissed her temple?
What a flirt! she thought to herself with all the indignation she could muster. How did such a pure boy turn into such a flirt? If that wasn't his intention, he was taking all sorts of liberties with me…. But her thoughts soon gave way to pondering the kind expression in his eyes, or the turn of his mouth when he smiled. She dared to think back on his touch during the dance.
But, perhaps he was serious…? Again, her line of reasoning started to fold over on itself again.
After her internal debate, she decided that leaving would be the best for all. What would the people of Hamelin think about him keeping company with a nobody? They were a proud people, with rules and all sorts of unfamiliar customs. What would a desert peasant like her be doing among Hamelin's high society? Shortcomings aside, she would not wish to bring Marcassin down with more burdens than he already had.
But as she stepped out the front gate of the palace, pack and traveling accessories slung over her shoulder, the image of that fragile boy sitting alone on the Emperor's high seat made her pause for a moment. What Swaine had said did unsettle her. They both agreed that Marcassin had risen up alone to lead his people all these years. There must have been, and would be still, times he faltered, or had misgivings or doubts. Despite Swaine's support from the shadows, someone should be there by his side. She wished that for him with all her heart.
But that someone...isn't me… she thought as she continued to walk into the waking town alone, towards the Cat's Cradle Inn.
-000-
"Your Majesty, your breakfast…shall I leave it here?" asked a servant with some uncertainty in his voice and as to where he should be looking. The disheveled Emperor had holed himself in his study for most of the evening prior even before the banquet was over, and now again in the morning. Some were concerned that he had not slept at all. He was pouring through his magic books and atop a side table, some questionable concoction was bubbling and oozing over a hand flame in a beaker. There was an open proposal from the Council lying precariously on the edge of the experiment table. He was still dressed in his white shirt from the night previous but his adornment, tunic and cape were strewn about the room, hanging about in mismatched places.
The servant placed the tray on a small table by an armchair and hesitated before speaking again.
"Your Majesty would do well to know that your guests, Master Swaine and Mistress Esther have departed the palace." With these words, Marcassin's busy hands, one mixing and the other flipping through the pages of a dusty spell book, slowed and then stopped.
"But the lady bid you thanks by preparing these as a parting gift prior to her departure," the servant added as an afterthought before he left the room.
Marcassin turned around and saw a row of cream puffs lined up in the curve of a crescent shaped bowl. He approached them and their sugary, buttery fragrance made him suddenly desire to eat. He realized he had not eaten for a day.
"Do not be so kind to me… if you will leave me in the end," he said without expression to the empty room.
After a pause he said resolutely, "No. I won't let it end here. I've waited too long for this."
-000-
Esther made it back to the inn but there was no sign of Derwin. Several inquiries with the innkeeper, the guests and passersby later, she came to the conclusion that the fool had wandered off without her. It was true that there was no telling if or when she would recover from the incident on the Tombstone Trail, but she was a little sore that he did not even bother leaving a note. After all, the Darkwing was still in her possession and she'd guessed that Derwin was extremely interested in studying this rare find.
At length, the innkeeper revealed she did overhear the researcher asking for directions to the nearest port and Esther decided that it was about as good a lead as any. After filling up on her provisions at the local Hootenanny with the Emperor's money, she stopped by briefly to get her equipment patched and polished at the Cawtermaster's Shop. In one corner of the shop, Esther found a little table and bench near the window where she pulled out her maps and travel journal. She and Derwin had covered most of Autumnia and catalogued the known species there. The Darkwing was a bonus and certainly a creature not discussed in depth in any of the species books she had ever read. Esther carefully mapped the distance between the stops it would take to get to the sea. Only a handful of barely populated villages stood between Hamelin and the sea, and therefore, that meant more camping out and getting dirty. Outside of the city of Hamelin, the countryside was bleak and stormy and there wasn't much to sustain farms or such. Her mind drifted to how the people could possibly better themselves under these circumstances.
Certainly, there was peace but there was no real resources except for mining. Autumnia was known for its rich oil and mineral resources in these regions, but to import their other goods seemed a little bit of a waste of expense. From experience, though, Esther had seen that nothing green except moor moss, wild grass and shrubs grew in the areas south of Perdida. But there was still a forest to the west of Hamiln, maintained by the tree people. She wondered if the Emperor had ever tried to convince the natives to grow more trees. But, if she recalled correctly, Hamelin was not in the best of terms with the tree people due to the fact that they had logged and cleared away most of the natural lumber to accommodate their mining and drilling, which left a sore spot with the natives. Without natural vegetation to keep the soil together, however, there were often reports of flash flooding in these parts, which made it more difficult to farm the earth.
Esther's mind wandered from her open journal listing the names and attributes of the local wild and magical creatures as she looked out the window. Without really thinking about it, she pulled out a notebook and started jotting down notes on infrastructure planning. The researcher inside her took over and spilled out a myriad of ideas. From the cost of seeds, the use of local wild and magical creatures for a framework of soil fertilization as opposed to ordinary livestock, irrigation and preliminary equipment for tilling and farming to a possible treaty with the tree people of the western wood, Esther wrote down her thoughts on how Hamelin could rely on other means of sustaining itself. All natural resources run dry eventually or become inaccessible with time. Hamelin has been relying on its ingenuity and natural resources for an age. If for some reason their resources started to dwindle, what would become of Hamelin and its emperor? With other products like potatoes and rice, both of which would grow in wet regions with artificial heat systems developed for the fortress applied to farming, the people in this region of Autumnia could rebuild the barren ruins of villages that littered the countryside outside of the city. Repair of the rail system with mass public transit would be a way to travel to and from the city, which would increase the pace of import and export goods. It would also prompt people to build homes and live outside of the city if it meant cheaper costs. All this could only happen if the countryside became safe.
At the defeat of the Dark Wizard and the White Witch, Autumnia had established a lone port at its southern tip only recently. The Port of Porcinia was not connected by any reliable roads to the city or elsewhere. The wild and magical creatures prevented any sort of safe travel and so it became the task of the Emperor to ensure his people in the city received their goods. An abundance of ideas flowed from Esther's pen until the shopkeeper announced from behind the counter that her equipment was ready. Esther looked down again and stared at the notes in front of her.
What am I doing? It's not as though the Emperor has commissioned me to do any city planning for him or anything…. she frowned. What do I care what happens to him and his people here in Autumnia? I don't even live here…
With that thought she felt a pang in her chest. It was nearly two days aboard a fast ship from the Summerlands to Autumnia. Even so, there would not be a need for her to come back this way for a long time. It could be another handful of years or more before they would see one another again.
By then, he might be…. Esther suddenly felt a twinge of loneliness and absently touched her chest with a hand and rubbed the surface of her skin as if to rub away a sore spot. She suddenly felt remorse for her decision to leave without saying goodbye. After picking up her equipment and packing her notes and journals back into her bags and strapping her harp to her side, she left the shop. From there she wound her way back to the first level of the city and its gates.
"There you are," said a familiar voice behind her. She turned to see her friend Swaine and his roguish smile as if he was always amused by something, but would not let others in on the joke.
"So my escort finally arrives," Esther scoffed.
"Hehe, so I woke up a little later than expected. I've been ordered to accompany you and so I must. Feel privileged since I'm also extremely busy," he said haughtily.
"Doing what exactly? Studying the inside of a wine bottle, or the underside of your eyelids in detail?" Swaine chuckled at the direct barb and her impression of him that he was a good for nothing.
"For your information I was studying a suspected smuggling ring with the black market traders for ore mined outside Hamelin. As you know, the mines belong to the royal family and thus any mining would have to be licensed by my brother. Illegal mining depletes the imperial resources without benefit to Hamelin. It's important work," he insisted.
"I'm glad Marcassin has one person he can always trust," she smiled quietly.
"I'm going to the Cawtermaster to get a refill in ammunition. I'll be back shortly," he smirked, "so don't go anywhere without me."
As she stood in line to wait for the gates to open at noon, she felt herself reluctant to move forward but she had no reason to go back. Her feet mechanically moved as the others in front of her stepped up but with each step her burdens became heavier. From outside the gate she could hear the wind was howling, as if a storm were coming, and she felt herself missing the fluffy pillows and warm fires in the palace. Esther found it strange that she would be missing something other than her homeland in Al-Mamoon or her village in the desert, though she had not been back there for an an even longer stretch of time. Her father had most likely sold his babana business to Prince Ali by now, and like a true nomad, was wandering the Summerlands to assist wherever he could. She would most likely not see him again until Queen Cowlipha's Jubilee in Al-Mamoon, several months hence.
Though she missed home, her mind did not wander to the kind face of her father, her friends or even the doting smile of the Queen who treated her like a daughter, but instead turned to the pale, handsome face of the one who had danced with her last night. He had been so close that she could anticipate his every breath. Esther wondered if she should have stayed for a few more dances. She wondered who else he would have danced with if she had not been there. But as to how she felt about leaving, it was all still a jumble of vaguely uncomfortable feelings.
In the end, all she could do at this point was conclude it was rather impolite to leave without saying goodbye.
She sighed rather pitifully and said aloud, "Forgive me, Your Majesty." She looked up and noticed the soldier standing nearest to her as well as the people immediately in front of her giving her an odd look. Esther did not intend to blurt that out. She turned scarlet and proceeded to stare at her shoes.
Her feet were then met with another pair of traveling boots, somewhat worn but still expensive looking, and she watched them walk right up to her and stand before her.
"What crime have you committed against me that requires my forgiveness?" the owner of those boots asked quietly. Esther knew she was not hallucinating and so she looked up in breathless astonishment at the eyes she remembered so vividly from the night before. They peered out at her from under a heavy traveling cloak. In one hand, he held what appeared to be the royal scepter, which he was using at the moment as a walking stick. The jeweled hilt was covered by a scrap of leather masquerading as a handle. He was dressed in a warm looking tunic and leggings, darker in color but definitely richly woven, with a sack slung over one shoulder.
"Y-Your Maj-" she reacted immediately when his hand placed a finger to her lips. The gesture made her pulse jump erratically.
"Not another word until I have decided what your crimes are and what your punishment shall be," he said sternly in a very regal tone. For a moment Esther could not tell if he was joking.
"P-Punish-" she stammered and floundered for the words that would not come. He stood in line next to her as the gates began to open.
"Your... duties…" she began.
"Are being handled by my competent general and his assistants for the time being," was his response.
"Your... meetings…" she added.
"Are being postponed for a few months of vacation."
"Vacation?" she asked lamely. "Where are you going?"
"Is it not obvious?" he asked mysteriously. She could not tell from under his hood but she was almost certain he had said it with a smile.
"Well, well," said Swaine from behind him. "I guess it can't be helped. In respect to Queen Cowlipha, I supposed nothing less than a royal entourage will do for Miss Esther of Al-Mamoon."
"Naturally," answered Marcassin with a smile.
With that, Esther had no more questions and was flabbergasted to the point where she simply followed them silently onto the road leading to Port Porcine, wondering what new experiences this pair would bring.