chapter 46

Fear took hold of the princess and Kate. Eleanor gulped and then took a deep breath, allowing the cold breeze to ease her tension. She had knights risking their lives for her after all.

Even in the face of danger, the weather was calm and cold. Then they heard screeching coming from a corner of the woods. They all turned to the direction of the sound but saw trees and space.

Breeze blew their gazes back. Eleanor felt something cold was crawling up on her leg. She looked down to see a caterpillar crawling up her left leg. She shake it free but it was still there. Kate had to pulled it off.

When the princess's mind was off the distraction, she turned around to see how the knight behind her were faring.

They were hastening to her side. They had unsheathed their sword as they paced up to shade her.

Eleanor's heart skipped. Even though she saw them differently now. As object she could derived pleasure from. Deep inside of her, she also see men who had given up on everything that concerns them for her course.

The princess wept internally. She wished they would not get killed again. They could overcome all things and live to tell the story.

The men whom they were up against outnumbered them but the knights tried their best to keep up without letting the fear of the multitude weighed them down.

Eleanor began to remove her feet again. One at a time. Ken was moving ahead too. They moved in synchrony.

The knights spread out, leaving their princess and Kate in the middle. Their gaits was slow but steady. Each step bruising the dry leaves. They kept observing the environment.

At least two out of every five trees had a tree house. Each of the tree trunk was painted white. The painting didn't go any further beyond the middle of the tree trunk.

The remaining trees without the houses was left to housed the birds.

"Some of the Mistletoe men are behind us". Bernard said in a whispered.

General Frederick gingered their Morales. He was calm and his tone, reassuring. "Prepare for anything. For the worst. You are great knights who can fall any obstacles. Do not see them as being many. See them as scaffold that you can fall and moved on the next"

"Aye". They responded simultaneously. While he was training them back in Golden Hill, he usually placed scaffolds in trategy location for them to fight with and with timing. So they quickly code what he was talking about.

Beside they had lost two men, Luke and Timber. May their souls rest in peace. They general didn't want to lose more. None was willing to be the next either. So they had to do as he said.

Gradually they near the spot where the first two men stood. The men still maintained their position until the knights near and halted before them.

"What brings you to the Mistletoe kingdom?". One of the men asked in a cold tone and kept a passive expression.

More men joined them from behind. They was no escape for the knights. When the turned around. Some who hid behind the trees, surface and others jumped down from the trees.

The men were wearing ash knight's clothing. The seems to be wearing the same hair style and colour. Their long brown blonde hairs were parted by the side. They kept cold faces. All of them.

The general stepped two feet forward. "We are from Golden Hill kingdom". He paused to looked at their faces. It was blank. They were sizing them up.

The men have heard that Golden Hill were threatened. So they mistook them for mere commoners who wished to take refuged in their kingdom.

"You commoners must be seeking for refuge in our kingdom". He didn't allowed the general to finish.

"Aye" The general continues and ignored him. "We are bringing home your prince's wife".

They looked at each other and at the two women amongst these strangers. They chuckled because either of these women were not deserved to be addressed as a prince's wife. Not just any prince their very own prince.

Eleanor's hair was ruffled. Some spots on her face and skin were dark because of dirt. The princess look unkempt in her tattered dress. She was still in the commoner's dress as well as others with her.

"My husband is prince Raymond. Take me to him". She said in a commanding tone that had all of them turning to spare her a look. She stood tall and unaffected.

Francis stiffen on hearing Eleanor spoke of prince Raymond as her husband so proudly. He clenched his fist and turned to looked at Eleanor again.

She was staring at the men before them. Her lips parted to speak again but she swallowed back the words.

The men were amused by her words. They doubted she was telling the truth because of the way she looked right now. "You should not blasphemed that name in your mouth or you might pay with your head. Beside I do not wish to angered my crown prince by presenting a mere commoner before him".

Another of the men who had a mole by the side of his nose spoke. Their faces lit up as they made jest of the people of Golden Hill.

They couldn't believe a group of grown men and women would wandered into their territory and looked them in the eye and lie about their status.

They understood their kingdom was under an attack but what they didn't understand was why they refused to acknowledged the fact that they were mere commoners who were on the run for their safety and comfort.

"A commoner can't be my prince's wife" the guard with the mole spoke.

Francis and Ken almost chopped off his head for addressing their princess as a mere commoner. They put their swords against his neck.

Other of the Mistletoe's men whose hands were on the hilt of their swords drew it out.

"Are the ready to play Rufus". One screamed from behind them. " Seems like". The man name Rufus responded. He was the one without the mole.

He gave a tsk. "Once they are ready, I shall informed you but you should spare the women. Such delicacies are hard to come by in this woods".

He spoke loud enough to the hearing of all present. Only the men of Mistletoe found it funny and the giggled like imbeciles.

"Stand down!" the general cautioned sir Ken and Francis and the rest of them. Though he had earlier instructed them to be ready. Yet he knew when to pick a fight and when not to. This was not the time.

Francis back off but Ken's sword was still against the man's throat and then he switched to Rufus.

The man with the mole whom the swords almost penetrated through his neck stretches that neck after the sword left for another.

He tilted his head up. With derision in his eyes. He let vain smiles curled up his lips. "I know my crown prince married a princess from Golden Hill". The guard with the mole continues.

" She is of royal blood". He emphasized the royal. That night after their wedding, Eleanor got to Mistletoe late in the night and for the period she was there, she had been indoor. Not many get to know her and she was not officially introduced in the Mistletoe kingdom as the crown's prince bride.

He pushed Ken's sword which was back on his neck off. He then closed the distance between him and Francis whom he observed was looking at the princess longingly.

"What I'm seeing here is a commoner who I would love to have in my bed". He then turned slightly to looked at his fellow guards who laughed along side with him.

General Frederick saw how his men were vibrating in anger by the words of these unserious guard.

He has the intension of asking for help from king Edward to battled against Duke Williams and emperor Cassius in order retrieved the throne and kingdom for the rightful heir.

Starting a fight here will only spell doom. It shall surely counter his plans. So he was willing to condone what ever tantrum these children called guards threw at them.

"She is our princess". He pointed at princess Eleanor who was trying to spread her hair on her shoulders to cover the parts of her skin where the tattered dress skipped and to give her warm as the breeze was becoming chill. Francis pulled his long jacket and cover her.

"Thank you" she whispered, licking her lips as she stared at him. "She is princess Eleanor". The general continue.

"We disguised as commoners because of the recent happenings and the long journey we had to embarked on down here".

He paused to looked at them. They seems to be giving him attention. He pulled off the insect that just landed on his arm.

"I'm sure this is not how to welcomed royal visitors". General Frederick continues. "Give us your horses and let some of your men take us to the castle where we shall meet with your king and prince.

Believe me, they shall recognized her by just a glance. If ever your king confirms that we are not who we say we are. We shall be at your mercy. Do to us as you please".

For a while silence spread across. The Mistletoe men threw another observing eyes on them.

Rufus turned to others where they put their heads together. They have heard how Golden Hill was taken over by their Duke and the evil emperor.

They also heard that, the princess, their prince's wife was on the run. Somehow, they believed the old man might be telling the truth.

They decided to give them the benefits of doubt after double-checking. Horses were given them. Two for each. Princess Eleanor rode with Kate.

Eleanor was the rider while Kate sat behind her. Wrapping her slim hands tightly around Eleanor's slender body.

This was the first time Kate was on a horse and to honoured it all she was been driven by the princess. Kate was indebted to Eleanor.

The wind was becoming strong and wild as Eleanor speed up. Leaving their hair to celebrate in the air for such freedom. Its constantly obstructs Eleanor's vision. This prompt Kate to weave her hair while the princess slowed down.

Everyone slowed down too. She apologized by bowing her head and speed up again.

They rode throw the village and into the town. After a long ride they finally arrived at the castle.

It was now dark. So dark that her company could barely see how the castle look like from the outer view.

Even Eleanor too. If not that the guards were leading the way she would never have known her way down here. The first time she came here, she had been sleeping all through the journey. Even though it seems like yesterday.

The gate keeper's opened the gate on the words of the two men who led the way and they were ordered to stopped and used their legs after the ride some distance into the premise.

They were led to the court room where they met with king Edward in his majestic. He was still talking to a couple of nobles before he dismissed them and was about retiring for the day when the guards draw his attention while kneeling before him.

Silver glass candles burns quietly by the corners of the court room and on walls. It sent a white reflection on their faces.

They were too tired to bother with the grand decor of the place. Instead they looked down.

Somehow Eleanor was grateful that she met with her father in-law first and not her wicked husband whom she was sure would have sent her to sleep in the dungeon if he found her like this.

The king was kind to her for the couple of days she came to knew him. She came to like him for that but what she didn't understand was who his son, her husband took after.

King Edward didn't place any of their faces and even Eleanor at first because of her looks. "Who are this people you brought before me".

The guard shivered in his kneeling position. He had sent the court attendance to whispered into the king's ear that they would be coming before him.

"If the king can't recognized them then they were lying" he thought and again, the thought of the punishment the king would give to him thrust his heart with regret.

When the king saw the guard stammered for too long out of fear and the people before him said nothing. He ordered for the torches to be brought nearer to their faces.

One after another. He didn't recognize any of the faces. And then the torched came to stand before Kate. "Wait". He commanded. The light from the torch made Kate blink and closed her eyes.

"This woman is really ugly". The king said in his heart but then her ugliness was familiar. Kate bowed with her whole body.

The king nodded. He didn't remember where he knew her from. He was sure that he has seen the ugliness before. "To the next lady". The torch bearer then came to stand beside Eleanor.

Her hair which Kate weaved on their way down here was in a deep mess again. It covered part of her face. This made the king not to see her face fully well. Or so he was in doubt, it can never be her who would appear in such a lowly state.

"Young lady put off your hair from your face". King Edward spoke.

Kate quickly did that for her. Eleanor looked at the king in the eye and then she bowed slightly. On a second look, the king recognized her. Them. The princess and her maid.

"My princess". The king called in a surprised tone.

"My king". Eleanor bowed again. "These are my knights and the general commander of the knights, general Frederick". Eleanor quickly introduced them to the king.

King Edward never recognized them because he was just meeting with them for the first time.

There was no need for the king to question them further. He heard everything that has happened and was hoping for her survival.

He wished he could help. Each time he tried, he failed. He had sent his men twice to fetched the princess but in each of these times they returned empty handed.

He was happy that no matter how she might appeared before him now. She has life. Material things shall follow.

Earlier, the general had suggested to the guards that they should clean up before appearing before the king. But they declined. They said they didn't want to be punished for parading a fake princess before their king.

King Edward's heart was broken on seeing Eleanor the way she was. "Take the princess away. All of them" He instructed the guard to take them away to be cared for and changed into something appealing before he would meet with them again.

"Till tomorrow" . He commanded his servants. "They should rest for tonight".

Following the king's command, those stubborn guards knew that they were making jest of a real princess.

They fear their head should not be demanded of them. Weeks ago when princess Eleanor first visited their kingdom. Those two guards whom Kate reported to the king for mocking the princess's condition paid for their misdeeds.

They were ordered to take themselves to the dungeon to be punished. They were severely dealt with to the point of death and the message was sent across to all the servants.

Never to disrespect or speak ill of the crown prince's wife, princess Eleanor. Before most of them could get to see and to know her she was gone.

"My princess... This way". He bowed. Kate was dazed at his sudden submission. Something she had expected of him long before now for her princess and their general.

When they stepped out. The head maid, Sandra was out there waiting for them.

"My lady" she bowed. She was surprised to see Eleanor the way she was but she wouldn't dare look at her directly.

She had to peep or maybe if she was afar off, she could have fed her eyes on the princess to her satisfaction without Eleanor's knowledge that someone was watching her.

During Eleanor's first visit, although she was bruised and fainted, she looked nothing like a commoner.

Other servants showed up and escorted the knights and the old general to a different quarters.

While princess Eleanor and Kate went to the prince quarter where the room she used when she first visited was.

"My lady you are welcome back. We tidy the room daily knowing that you shall return someday. Even though we didn't know when".

Sandra went round to cover the curtains she opened when she sighted Eleanor's presence. So that cool breeze would displaced any musty odour.

Eleanor was looking round the room. Every thing in it was white except the brown glistening marble floor.

Memories flashed back through her head. The pains she has experience while spending her first few days in this particular room resurfaced. Just when she was about dwelling on it. She heard a voice spoke in her heart. "Look for a man". she can't resist it. she must act according to the discretion of the voice.