Chapter 20

Elaine opened the door to see a tall, stocky girl about her age, with pale skin and dark, curly hair. Her eyes were dark brown, and they were framed by thick lashes. 

The girl darted inside, and hissed, "Shut the door!" She glanced around wildly, as if to make sure no one else was in the room. She collapsed into a chair, and tried to catch her breath. 

Elaine noted that her clothes, although a bit ragged, were very high quality. The stitches were impeccable, and the fabric itself was costly in a good year.

Her clothes must have cost a fortune with the king draining the country's coffers, thought Elaine. 

Elaine went to the sink to fetch a glass of water. Pumping the handle, water poured out of the spout and into a cup that was nearly free of flour. 

The girl did not care, and she took it without a word. She drank the whole glass in nearly a single gulp. When she was finished, she handed the glass back to Elaine, daintily wiped her mouth and said "Thank you."

"I am sorry, I do not mean to be rude," said Elaine. "But who are you?"

The girl took a deep breath. When she exhaled, she looked up into Elaine's face. Lines of worry were etched around her mouth and brow, and for a moment, she seemed much older than Elaine. 

"My name is Alicia," she responded. "I am sorry to barge into your home like this. What is your name?"

"Elaine," she responded.

 "Thank you, Elaine, for opening the door. I need to hide."

Elaine backed away from the girl. "Hide? From what? What is going on?" she asked. Elaine's first instinct was to help the poor girl, but she did not want to be caught up in whatever problem dogged her. 

"I escaped from the king's castle," she said. "I was being held prisoner, along with my other sisters. One day, I had a chance to leave, so I took it. They're bound to notice I am gone, though." She held the glass out to Elaine. "May I have some more water, please?"

Taking the glass, Elaine went to refill it. 

Escaped from the king's castle, she thought. I wonder what she did. Could she be a criminal? Elaine eyed her clothes. She did not appear to be a criminal; if she were, she was the politest criminal Elaine had ever met. She handed back the glass, and this time Alicia drank slower. 

"How did you escape?" asked Elaine, avoiding the question, and what did you do?

Alicia looked pained as she set the glass down on the table. "A visiting soldier helped me," she said softly. "He took pity on me and helped me escape in the middle of the night. He stole the keys from the guards and unlocked the door. He knocked a few of them unconscious. I had enough time before the changing of the guards to grab a few essentials and flee."

"How did you know to come here?" asked Elaine. She took a chair and sat down, facing this mysterious girl, with her mysterious story. 

"I didn't," she replied. "I simply had a compass and ran and ran, as far as I could go. This is the farthest place from the capital. My f--, I mean, the king will have to search a lot of area before he finds me. I think I will be safe here." She looked down at her hands. "I know it is a lot to ask, but do you think I could stay with you and your family?"

Elaine was so absorbed by the young woman and her story that she did not notice her slip of the tongue. She had taken pity immediately on this girl. She was clearly not a murderer or a common thief. She did not need to steal when she had clothes like that. She could probably be no danger to her family. Plus, Elaine wanted to fight against the king, in any small way she could. 

"Yes," she replied. "Let us go meet my parents, and they will tell you their final answer. But they hate the king as much as anybody, so they will be sure to take you in, at least for a few days." Elaine extended her hand to Alicia. 

Grasping Elaine's hand and rising from the chair, she asked, "Does everyone hate the king that much?" 

Elaine stared at her as though she had two heads. "Are you joking? Of course," she said. "The king has raised taxes so much the past two years that my family almost couldn't stay here. He makes people who say anything against him disappear." Elaine paused. "He murdered a monk in the woods, for having the courage to stand up to him, when he wanted to steal the people's silver," she added softly.

Alicia was silent. "I knew he was cruel, but I did not know the depths of his cruelty," she said. She added quickly, "I can give you money for my lodging," she said. "I do not expect that you help me without proper compensation. I know that food is quite expensive." She drew a small pouch from her dress. Opening it, Elaine saw the glint of gold. She withdrew a few coins. "Is this enough to last a month?" Alicia asked. 

Elaine gasped softly. "It is enough to last for a year," she replied. "Come."

She took Alicia by the arm and led her into the front part of the house, where the living area was and took her to meet her parents. 

"Mother! Father!" Elaine cried. "Come quickly."

The girl eyed the surroundings, and Elaine wondered if she lived in a similar house to hers or something more grand. It was a simple living room: good, sturdy wooden chairs for sitting, a table for meals, and a clean floor. Elaine and Elizabeth helped tidy things and keep the room free of dust; it was not much, but it was theirs. 

When her parents entered the living room, they were instantly puzzled at the sight of Alicia. 

"Hello," said her mother. "You are not from this village," she added. There were perhaps forty families total in the entire village; everyone knew everyone else and were more than likely related. 

"No, madam, I am not. I am a prisoner on the run from the king. He has kept me hostage for sixteen long years, and I finally escaped. I beg you to give me lodging and help hide me. I am entirely at your mercy," said Alicia, curtseying deeply. 

"Of course," Elizabeth said. "Anyone who is an enemy of the king's is a friend of ours. You can stay for as long as you like."

Elaine's father, ever the merchant, said immediately, "But dear, what of food? I am sorry, girl, but I cannot feed an extra mouth. Not with the king draining all we have."

Alicia winced at the hard truth. 

Elaine jumped to answer her father's concern. "Do not worry, father, she has enough money to pay for her food and lodging," she said. Turning to Alicia, she said, "Go on, show him." 

Alicia opened her purse, and took out three gold coins. "I hope it is enough," she said quietly. 

Harold, a gruff old man, but with a soft heart, nodded once, quickly. He took the coins from her. "It is more than enough. Elaine, show her where she can put her things, if she has any," he said. 

"And change the sheets," said Elaine's mother. "That bed is clean, but the sheets may need some freshening."

Elaine's heart lifted at her parents' response. She did not know why, but she had instantly liked Alicia. Maybe it was her respectful and shy personality. Maybe it was because she had been locked in the king's castle, and had every reason to hate him like she did. Whatever it was, she was happy that she had a new friend. 

Little did she know that she and her new friend would soon fall into deep trouble, so much deeper than the well of Elaine's childhood. 

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