Obediently they listened, filing out of the room as she began dumping random vials into the water. A sweet and spicy smell wafted up. For once I was eager for a hot bath. I climbed in and rubbed the delicious smelling water over my body. Charlene took a bucket of the water and poured it over my head before pouring something into my hair and scrubbing.
"Must you be so rough?"
"You are a mess. Yes I must be." She continued scrubbing before dumping more water on me.
"Here, clean up." She handed me a towel lathered with a fresh shipment of soaps that we'd received a few days prior.
Again, I blindly listened to my lady-in-waiting and scrubbed every inch of my body. I enjoyed how my skin felt and looked after a decent bath. It wouldn't have taken much coaxing from her to get me to use it anyway.
She held up a towel for me to use as I finished.
"Must I get out?" I asked, pouting.
"Yes. You have to dress and prepare for the trip in a few hours."
"Yes. Yes. That."
Somehow the towel was warm, as though it had been heated. I closed my eyes and sighed with content.
"Hurry. Let's go before it gets cold."
I nodded and hurried after her.
I pulled on my chemise and gown quickly, opting out of a bodice once again.
"You're going to need to wear one eventually," Charlene muttered.
"Not today," I replied.
She shook her head and pulled the stays of my gown tight, but I could still breathe.
"Evelyn?" James called before entering my room. "Are your things packed?"
"I believe so. Charlene?"
"Yes, Prince James, our things are ready to go."
"Good. A few men shall be up to fetch them."
"Already? I didn't think we were leaving until this evening."
"Our departure time has been moved. I trust that is alright with you?" he asked.
"Yes, of course."
"Good. I will see you in the carriage in just a bit." He turned and retreated back to wherever he came from.
"I wonder why we're leaving so much earlier."
"I don't know," Charlene mumbled, double checking the trunks and boudoir.
Four men appeared a short time later and removed our belongings. Charlene and I followed to the main entrance where a carriage embellished with the Scottish royal crest waited. Guinevere was hitched to the back as was Charlene's brown gelding.
I descended the stairs toward the carriage when heaviness came over me. I turned and stared at the castle. At my home and realized I was going to miss it terribly.
"Evelyn!" mother called me.
She opened her arms and I ran to her, burying my head in her chest as the tears escaped.
"I shall miss you, mother."
"I know, sweetheart, and I will miss you as well. But it is only for a short while. Before you know it you'll be back with us once again."
Why am I so sad? This is what I want. I want to escape from them. Don't I?
She kissed the top of my forehead before handing me to my father who didn't say a word. He simply held me tight before kissing my forehead as well. James held out his hand for me to take, escorting me to the carriage. I climbed in and watched as my parents and home shrank into the distance.
Farewell for now, England. I shall return!
Chapter seven
I stared out the window watching the backend of a guard's horse for most of our journey. The rain didn't let up until we crossed the border from my kingdom to James's. The grass seemed to grow greener. Elizabeth and Charlene leaned against one another, snoring peacefully as we continued to amble toward Edinburgh castle.
"We shall stop for a short break," James announced, pounding on the roof of the carriage.
I poked my head out the window and saw a modest castle a short way in the distance.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"Lockerbie. One of my lords lives here. He should be fine having us for a quick lunch."
I nodded my head, anxious for an opportunity to stretch my legs.
"How long until we reach Edinburgh?"
"A few more hours. We'll be there by sundown."
"Good."
Something in the distance caught my eye. A meadow near the castle began to blow about as if a massive gust of wind swept through; however, there was no wind. I sat up and watched as the large, golden stalks bent to the ground.
"Do you see that?" I whispered to James.
He peered over my shoulder. "See what?"
"That. There. The tall grass, how it's bent?"
"It's just the wind, Evelyn."
"In that one spot, James?"
"I don't know. I'm sure it's nothing." He sat back against the seat as we continued along to the castle.
I didn't think it was nothing. It seemed so odd. I craned my neck around to watch the area. I lost sight of the grass once we stopped in front of the castle.
"Stop worrying about it, Evelyn."
"I'm not worried, just curious."
"Well stop. Let's go inside."
I took his hand and descended from the carriage.
"Lord Beaufort," James said as a tall, lean man greeted him at the stairs.
"Majesty, it's so very nice to see you." His thick Scottish accent was almost too hard to understand.
He seemed young. Not much older than James. His mop of red hair hung, shaggily in his face. He wore a doublet of fine black satin. His breeches reached his knees while the rest of his legs were covered with thick, white stockings.
"I would like to introduce you to Princess Evelyn of England. She's on a progress through Scotland on a peacekeeping trip."
"Welcome, princess. It's so very nice to meet you."
"Thank you, sir. Um, has there been any unusual wind in the past few minutes?"
"I'm sorry?" he asked.
James rolled his eyes while Charlene and Elizabeth looked at each other.
"I noticed a bit of an oddity in the field over yonder and Prince James mentioned it being the wind."
"No. I don't believe anything odd has occurred."
"Strange," I said, staring at James.
"It's nothing, Evelyn."
"So you say."
"Please, won't everyone come in? I can have lunch prepared for everyone in just a short while."
"That would be great," James mumbled.
“Yes, thank you,” I replied.
“Evely, stop with the wind. You sound mental,” James whispered.
We entered the dining hall and sat around a large but modest table. Servants brought wine and ale for everyone to drink along with various fruits and vegetables. My stomach began to growl as we awaited the main course. A man and three women emerged from a door at the back of the hall with platters of what smelled like fish.
It was fish.
I picked at mine, not in the mood for the smelly food.
I pushed the plate to the side, barely touching it, and continued to wait. I hoped it would be something delicious and succulent. Anything really.
A man wearing long, leather pantaloons, a leather doublet, and some sort of odd contraption about his head
Platters of meat stacked high were brought out to us. We dined on the fine foods and enjoyed the company of Lord Beaufort before returning to the carriages.
As we passed the field, I watched the tall grass wave gently in the breeze. I tried to close my eyes and rest for the continuation of our journey. Unfortunately I was restless and anxious. I wanted to get to Edinburgh and settled.
"Are you alright?" James asked, leaning toward me.
"I'm fine. I'm just fed up with the carriage ride. I've never been able to go on long trips."
"We will be there shortly."
"Mm." I leaned on my hands and stared out the window.
The Scottish countryside wasn't much different than England besides a bit wetter and maybe greener. The houses were sp
oradic, but they were beautiful. A small town some time back had lovely little houses with people milling about with their daily chores. The market had stalls set up in the center of town with a few shops surrounding a beautiful fountain.
I wanted to stop, but everyone insisted on driving through. The sooner we got to the castle the better. So they said. I wanted to stretch my aching legs and back.
I cocked my head to the side as a few trees near the carriage rustled about; bending over a bit, as though something had run into them.
"What was that?" I asked, craning my neck as we drove by.
"What?" James said.
"The trees. Something happened to the trees."
He peered out the window and pressed his lips into a thin line.
"You didn't see again, did you?" I asked.
"No. Sorry."
"Perhaps I'm going crazy."
"You're just tired. Try to sleep."
"Yes, just tired."
I leaned back against the seat not wanting to argue with him. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. I let the rocking carriage carry me off to a sweet slumber without realizing it.
"Evelyn?" Gentle shaking roused me from the unexpected sleep.
"Yes?" I asked, stretching my arms, my hand smacked the top of the carriage. "Where are we?"
"We're at Edinburgh castle."
"Oh! We're here?" I sat upright and looked out at the magnificent palace before me.
It stretched out, covering an entire cliff. The view was terrifying yet breathtakingly beautiful.
"This place is amazing!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"It certainly is impressive," Charlene added.
"I'm appreciative that all of you ladies enjoy my home."
James held his hand out for me. I quickly descended from the cramped box, stretching my legs. A gust of wind blew up from below the cliff, swirling my skirts about my legs.
"Oh it's cold!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, it can be a bit on the cold side when the wind begins."
"Can we go to our chambers? I wish to wash up and possibly take a short sleep."
"Of course." James looked around until he found a tall, lanky man near the front entrance. "Ah, Andrew. Could you show the ladies to their rooms?"
"Of course, majesty." He dipped into a low bow and motioned for us to follow.
"Actually, if you don't mind, I would like to look around out here a bit first instead."
"Out here? Is that wise, Evelyn?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" I asked.
"What if someone here wishes to harm you?" James questioned.
"I think I will be alright exploring the castle grounds."
I turned and walked away from the large group.
"I would prefer if you had an escort!"
"I'll be fine, James."
I rounded a corner of the castle, happy to have a tiny bit of freedom for once. I waited a few long seconds, expecting James to send someone after me. When nobody appeared, smiling, I continued along. The shadowed path added to the chill in the air. Green pastures stretched out as far as I could see. I stopped at the back of the castle when I saw a very large building which resembled a stable, only on a much more massive scale. I bit my bottom lip and walked straight for the building.
I knocked on the enormous front doors and waited for someone to answer. All was quiet though. I pushed with all my might, feeling them give just a bit. I opened it enough to slip through a small crack. The vaulted ceilings seemed to go on forever. Examining the stalls, where I thought I'd find horses, they were much too large for a single horse. The feed and water troths were also much too large for a horse. At the end of one long row, I noticed scorch marks against the wall.
"Did it catch fire?" I wondered out loud.
"No," a voice responded from somewhere in the dimness of the barn.
"Hello?" I called out.
I was met with silence.
"I swear..." my voice trailed off as I crossed the room and peeked in each of the other stalls.
"It's not polite to enter a building you haven't been invited in to," the voice said.
"I'm sorry. I was simply exploring."
"That can end up getting a lovely princess such as you hurt."
"Who's there? I can't see you," I said, spinning around in the center of the room trying to find whoever spoke to me.
"One does not have to see the individual they speak to in order to converse."
"No, but I prefer seeing who I talk to." I walked toward a small room at the back of the barn and opened the door. It was dark. "Where are you?"
"The answer is simple if you keep your head up."
"I'm sorry. What does that mean?"
A gust of wind swept through the space despite the doors being closed.
"What was that?" I shrieked, spinning around again.
I fell to the floor in shock when I saw what stood before me.
"You're...you're a...a..."
"A dragon. Yes, I know. You've never seen one before?"
I shook my head.
"I thought not."
"You can talk?"
"Yes. Most of us can. I am Draco." The greenish-blue dragon lowered his head in a bow to me. "You are Princess Evelyn, correct?"
I nodded my head, my mouth going dry. "You know me?"
"There has been talk of you."
"I don't understand. I thought dragons were of legend and myth."
"Yes. Well after many of our species were hunted and killed we went into hiding. Only a handful of the rulers of the world knew about us. Now it's only James."
"What does he do with you here?" I asked.
"I’m part of the army. Since we become invisible when we wish, the foreign armies never see me or our riders. At least they didn’t when there were more of us," Draco said.
"Riders?"
"Yes, those who are tied to us. They become our riders."
"Tied to you?"
"When we are hatchlings and we bond with a human, that human becomes a part of us. We become one."
"Who is your rider?" I asked.
He lowered his head and looked away. "I do not have a rider. Not anymore."
"I'm sorry."
"It is not your fault. We were in battle. Bad things can happen in battle."
"What happens when you lose your rider?" I queried.
"There have been times when a dragon has been able to bond with another human, but most times we finish out our lives alone."
"You stayed here though?"
"Yes. I am a part of his majesty's army. Even without my rider I will continue to help. He saved us so many years ago, I owe him."
"I see. How do you speak?"
"The same way you do."
"But I'm human. We're supposed to."
"Do you know many dragons?" Draco asked.
I shook my head.
"Then how do you know what we are and are not supposed to do?"
"Uhm, I-I don't know." I pressed my lips together and stared at him.
His horns curled from his head, ending in a point. His wings lay at his side, leathery with a sharp talon at the end. His body and head were a lovely bluish-green and he stood on four legs. His eyes were a remarkable shade of emerald green that shimmered in the soft torch light.
"Are you scared?"
I shook my head. "I know I ought to be, but I'm not."
"Amazing," he said.
"Why?"
"Most humans who do not know of us are terrified. They run screaming. That is why we remain invisible when we're amongst the townsfolk or there are foreign dignitaries at the castle."
"Why did you reveal yourself to me?"
"I do not know."
I stood and walked toward him. Extending my hand, I touched the side of his neck gently. A deep, loud purr erupted from his chest. I retracted my hand and looked up at him.
"Forgive me. That doesn't happen often."
"Did I hurt you?" I asked.
"No. It's just nobody has pet me since my rider left this world."
"You sound like a really big cat when you do that."
He rolled his eyes.
"Well you do." I continued to rub the surprising soft scales on his neck. "Would it be okay if I visited you? I am very intrigued by dragons as it turns out."
He nodded his head and extended his magnificent wings, flapping twice and disappearing into the rafters of the barn.
"Please, come by anytime you want Princess Evelyn."
I hurried out of the barn and right into James.
"What were you doing in there?" he asked.
My face dropped, I didn't know if I should tell him the truth or lie.
Chapter eight
"What were you doing in there?" he asked.
"Exploring."
"Find anything interesting?" He narrowed his eyes as I struggled to find an answer.
"Interesting? What do you mean by interesting?"
"That building is off limits."
"It's a barn. What are you hiding in the barn?" I questioned.
"Nothing. Just stay out of there."
"You don't want me to see the dragons do you?"
He took a deep breath and shook his head. "Draco."
James brushed past me and into the barn.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Draco!" he hollered.
A gust of wind stirred up dust and a soft thud sounded from the center of it.
"Majesty."
"You told Evelyn about, well, you?"
"Yes. The girl was curious. You've spoken highly of her I did not see why she could not know."
"It's not a secret I wish to let the world know."
He snorted, a small spark of fire erupted from his nostrils.
"You breathe fire!" I exclaimed excitedly, running my hand over the scorch mark on the floor. "That's why the wall looks like that!"
James sighed heavily. "A few breathe fire. There are two that breathe ice. There are those who manipulate the earth. And one that can manipulate the air."
"So there are various kinds?"
"Of course! Are there only one kind of human?" Draco asked.
"Well no," I replied.
"So why would there only be one kind of dragon?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know."
"You humans." The dragon snuffed out.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend."
The Defender's Daughter: The Defender's Book 2 Page 5
