IV
o0o
Sleep did not come easily to Daisy that night. Nor the next, when an emergency called Tatanga to the Chai Kingdom. But she was still grateful for the reprieve this gave her since he did not insist that she accompany him. There was still much to do in the capital, and Daisy used her petitioners as a way to distract herself from the inevitable confrontation with Tatanga.
She turned as she heard the guard announce the arrival of the councilor who had requested a private audience with her.
The man who stood before her was a distantly familiar face. She knew she'd seen him several times in Court, but not since before Tatanga invaded for the first time. He was an old man now, with a flowing beard.
"It has been many years since I saw you, but then one such as you would have more important things to consider than one old man," he said, bowing his head.
"I worry about all of my people, I assure you, my good sir!" Daisy replied, trying to not feel defensive. He lifted his hands in a conciliatory gesture.
"We do the best we can in these circumstances. You are not the only one who has to walk a fine line," he said in a quieter voice.
Daisy eyed him with curiosity before she finally spoke. "It is nice to converse with someone who shares your struggles," she responded neutrally, wondering if perhaps this was a test by Tatanga. After all, if there was a chance for her to get up to some mischief, Tatanga's absence certainly provided it.
"Ah. Ever cautious, not that I blame you. I live in what some would consider the backwoods of Sarasaland, while you..." He let out a sympathetic sigh, "are forced to live under his nose."
"I make do under the circumstances," she shrugged. "And I can only be grateful that I still have some power to do good." She sipped her tea.
"Yes. One can do much more from outside a dungeon than confined behind its bars."
Daisy remained calm, ever the gracious hostess as she offered him some of the biscuits. "That is very true."
o0o
After the meeting, she sent him away, ostensibly so that he could rest from his journey here. She knew that some of her people regarded her with suspicion, and she knew she could not blame them. It also didn't surprise her that somewhere, there would be those who wished to be free of Tatanga and return Sarasaland to its former state.
The next morning, she went out for a walk with him, where there were considerably fewer ears that could implicate her guest. In the back of her mind, she could not help but again wonder if this was a ruse.
How had she gotten so cynical? She was almost a different person than the naive princess she had been in the idyllic days before Tatanga's first invasion. Did she miss these days? Sometimes, yes. So she listened to Sir Calico as he told her of how he'd commanded his vassals to study Tatanga's technology and strategies as the province was annexed and some parts of it rebuilt.
If enough lords, vassals, and serfs united together, there could be real resistance, he assured her. In due time, with enough technology and weapons stocked – presumably stolen from Tatanga – and enough people, Sarasaland could be restored to its former state. And doubtless, the great Mario Brothers could help! Or if not them, then surely other heroes would raise their sword for the cause.
With careful questions, Daisy fished out bit by bit of information as she wondered what to do with it all. She could feign ignorance and send Sir Calico back home with her blessing, and quiet complicity in this revolution.
But grumblings were not enough against superior strength. Mario's defeat of Tatanga had not truly stopped him, had it?
"It truly gladdens me to know that other people care as deeply about the future as I do. It has not been easy, trying to lead my people through this, to keep them safe..." She let out a sad sigh.
"You are well aware of your critics, Princess. But know that you have loyal supporters, too."
"And that is what keeps me going," Daisy firmly assured him. It was the truth.
o0o
She didn't doubt her patriotism. She loved her country and wanted to see its people safe and happy. The problem was that as she'd gotten older and wiser, some of her stances and opinions inevitably changed. Experience and the cold bite of reality bore their inexorable weight to her decisions.
Sir Calico had stayed only long enough to briefly meet Tatanga before going back home. He'd almost left before, but Daisy had advised that visiting the capitol without making any sort of obeisance to Tatanga might make him look suspicious – especially as he was already engaged in activities against the alien overlord.
Tatanga seemed almost amused by the bumbling small lord, and the meeting went off easily enough. It was not until they were alone that Tatanga's shoulders slumped and he let out a quiet sigh.
"What is the matter?" she asked solicitously.
"Sometimes it seems like my work will never be finished," he said as he turned towards one of the doors that led outside, and she followed him.
That's what you get for invading someone else's kingdom, Daisy thought smugly. Outwardly, she was the image of the concerned companion. "Has something happened in Chai?" she asked. The daily reports had mentioned conflict, but Tatanga was reticent of what he put in his messages, ever paranoid of them being intercepted.
Not that Tatanga didn't have reason to feel that way – Sir Calico was an excellent example of that.
"Other lands seek to exploit Sarasaland and feel that the recent… upheaval has provided them a fertile opportunity for such."
"And you took away that opportunity?" she ventured. He regarded her with a grim smile and nodded. The sky was mostly overcast, but occasionally a glimmer of sunlight would break through, and the clime was mild, with a cool breeze. Certainly a fine day for a walk and talk.
"I suppose it should not come as a surprise that others should also see my country as desirable."
Tatanga conceded with a small grunt.
They were silent for a few minutes, strolling along one of the pathways that led through the royal gardens and orchards. He offered his arm, and she took it, feeling the flex of muscles in his forearm. After a respectable time, she broached the subject, knowing she needed to gain a more complete picture. She was aware of her neighbors, especially those that shared borders with Sarasaland. Many of them were small kingdoms, similar to Sarasaland and it was fortunate for them that her ancestors had not been war-minded, or these little neighbors could have been usurped as Sarasaland had been. But there were several larger kingdoms which up until now had managed in one way or another to maintain peace. And Daisy knew she had not been the only one to learn things from the shifting of powers and politics over the last few years.
And not all rulers were as fair-minded as she was. There had to be a time where one of her neighbors would get ideas…
"I must thank you for so stalwartly defending Sarasaland," she said in her own concession after she'd gathered all the information she needed. Even though his reasons might not be altruistic, it was nice having a defender.
"I was also defending you," he replied gently. She smiled before taking on a more serious expression.
"I have something to tell you," she said, squeezing his arm.
o0o
"Thank you," she said to the servant as she was handed a tray that contained plain bread, an apple, and water. The meals she'd had over the last few days had been of similar simplicity, and eaten behind the locked and guarded door of her apartments, where she spent much of the days – and nights – in solitary confinement.
Doubtless most if not all of the kingdom knew of her confinement by now. The poor Princess Daisy, held in confinement after a plot against Tatanga had been revealed. Who could question her loyalty to the kingdom if Tatanga had become so displeased with her as to lock her away? As for Calico, well, her impassioned pleas before the Court gained the man some leniency. He was exiled to his estate in the country, never to leave it again, but he had his life and his family.
The truth was, his fate – and her confinement – had been decided well before Tatanga had made his proclamation. She and Tatanga had a rather long discussion during their walk, and that evening when they shared dinner. She could not be seen as the one who'd betrayed Calico – and yes, it had been a betrayal. It left a bitter taste in her mouth as the words spilled past her tongue, but she knew that having the country torn apart from within and without when she was in a position to prevent it, would weigh far more heavily upon her conscience.
So it'd been a simple matter to say that one of Tatanga's servants had overheard the two of them talking.
She sat at the table in her parlor, taking a sip of water as she stared out the window. The last couple of days had been nice so she'd been able to open the windows and enjoy some fresh air. She itched to go outside and play tennis or go for a walk or swim. It certainly would have provided a handy distraction to all the thoughts running around in her head. Not for the first time did she analyze her personal growth and how much her views on certain things had shifted.
The captive princess finished her meal and moved to the window, looking outside at the lush lawns that surrounded the castle. With a quiet sigh, she placed her arms on the windowsill and leaned her head down, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath, catching the faint scent of a freshly mowed lawn.
o0o
As she expected, Tatanga paid her a visit this evening, just after she'd finished her supper, which had been another simple meal that a Sarasaland peasant could expect.
"How was your day?" he asked conversationally as he sat in one of her chairs, his arms on its carved wooden armrests. He looked somewhat out of place among the more feminine designs of the room, but she'd ceased to notice.
"Boring. I thought being a prisoner would be a bit easier," she admitted lightly.
"You know it does not have to be that way. We could go outside right now for some tennis," he offered readily.
"Tempting offer," she murmured. And it really was. She leaned back in her chair, lacing her fingers together as she regarded him. "But I think at least a few more days will be more convincing."
"I could simply say that I'm ordering you to play tennis with me," Tatanga countered. She smirked a little at that.
"We will play again, but not today."
"Hm." The flash of disappointment made it abundantly clear that wasn't the answer he was looking for, but Tatanga quickly collected himself. "Then shall we sit here and talk?"
"Oh, by all means," Daisy replied, eager to listen about what had been happening in court, and what he had been up to. But there was a subject she was meaning to broach, and now, after several days of showing pleasantness and cooperation, she felt that it was the right time to ask.
"You remember a while ago, about trust, and getting to know one another, and how I knew very little about you?" she asked. He tensed and looked away for a moment before returning his attention to her.
"Yes." He rested his chin on his fist. She wondered what revelations his life story might offer. "This is not something I enjoy discussing."
She stopped breathing for a moment. If he refused, what was she to do?
"However, given the unpleasantness you have been through, and your cooperation, dare I hope that you might see me as more than your warden? If I share my story with you, will this help you to trust me?" he demanded quietly.
"Yes," she said, the word sliding easily past her lips.
o0o
Yeah I know it's been a long time since I updated, but real life took a firm hold of me. Eh, you know how it gets – work, family, whatever. I've also been working on the process of editing and publishing my next book as well as working on various writing projects. I've already written a good chunk of the next chapter of this tale, so hopefully the next chapter will come sooner. :) Hope y'all enjoyed this installment!