Malcolm and Justin gazed at Nate with widened, enthused expressions. “My word! You two know how to have a good time, don’t you?” Malcolm stated with an air of sarcasm. Nate couldn’t help but smirk a bit at that comment.
“I assure you, your majesty, these difficulties were not intended. But, it was all worth the trouble to have the princess home safe,” Nate replied, slowly beginning to relax in the king’s presence.
Malcolm nodded and smiled gently to the boy, nodding his head. “Yes, it is. I am now, even more grateful that my daughter was in the hands of such a noble and brave man… I assume that you expect some sort of reward for her return?”
Nate shook his head. “None at all, your majesty. To know that the princess is alive and in better hands now, is enough to satisfy me for a lifetime.” He bowed his head, knowing that he had lied. Her hand in marriage would have been an excellent reward, but he hadn’t the courage to ask for such a thing and he thought it impertinent if he did.
The king scrutinized his mannerism and thought for a moment. “And I hope that her dignity and honor were not perpetrated by you or any other man in the time that she has been gone?”
“I swear upon my life, no man has dishonored her.”
“Hmm…” Malcolm pondered. “And did my daughter act anything less than what her rank would suggest?”
“Your majesty,” Nate said lifting his head to look into the king’s eyes confidently, “the princess did not act in such a way as to betray herself or her rank. She behaved as a royal princess should in all situations.”
Of course, Nate was bound to an oath of silence when it concerned Kiara’s behavior and he was not about to go back on his word to her. He would never tell a single soul of her unladylike behavior as long as he lived, not even under pain of death.
Malcolm nodded and smiled. “I bet she was a bit of a handful, then?”
Nate’s lips betrayed himself and curled into a smile. “I mean no disrespect, your majesty, but yes, she was a bit of a handful some times along the journey.”
Justin and Malcolm chuckled, but Nate was determined to hold his ground.
“Well, I am just glad she is home and alive, thanks to you. Are you sure you want no reward? I can pay you a very hefty sum or give you one of my best horses or swords? I’ll give you whatever you please for rescuing my daughter.”
Nate gave a weary, heavy sigh and once more, shook his head. “Your majesty, there is nothing in this world that you could give me that would match the satisfaction I feel of seeing her in the place where she belongs. I only wish to return to where I belong so as not to burden you with my unworthy presence.” Nate gave a deep, humble bow.
Malcolm was thrown off guard by the boy’s persistence, but nodded. “Very well then.”
Thinking that those words gave Nate his leave to go, he gave another bow and began to walk hastily out of the throne room before Malcolm’s booming voice stopped him.
“I did not dismiss you, Nathaniel. There is still another matter that we must discuss.”
Nate turned around and skittishly walked back to his spot and waited. “Yes, your majesty?”
“Nathaniel, I know very well who you are,” Malcolm stated, sending fear into Nate’s very soul. “I know who your father is. You and Randolph de Hunt once resided in this very castle. Your father served as my blacksmith and armor maker for a time. Before you think it, I do remember that I exiled your father unjustly. For that, I am deeply sorry and if the man is still alive and loyal to me, I would very much like him to return to my kingdom.”
Nate let out a breath of relief and nodded. “He is alive and well, your majesty. And he is still very loyal to you and the kingdom.”
“Very well,” Malcolm said with a smile. “Then I will send out a messenger to retrieve him. Where is he located?”
“Just along the southern border of the mountains in Deceiver’s territory, not far from Tsadde Creek.”
Malcolm immediately called for a servant to come and schedule a messenger to head out at daybreak. When he turned back to Nate, he could see the boy shaking. “I will not hold your father’s supposed crimes against you. It was a cruel trick and I will do my best to make it up to your father once he arrives.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” Nate bowed once more and about ready to turn around, but was stopped once more.
“And neither will I hold your grandfather’s crimes against you.”
Nate looked up to Malcolm, fear stricken. “My grandfather?”
“Yes, Nathaniel. I know your grandfather is the Deceiver,” Malcolm said with a hint of regret. Justin looked from Nate to the king with confusion and suspicion.
“I knew who he was from the moment your grandmother came to the castle,” Malcolm continued, “Rebecca played a very crucial role in helping me so many years ago. When she arrived, she made me promise that I would not hold Damian’s crimes against those who came after her. I gave her my word and I do not intend to go back upon it.”
Nate felt beads of sweat trail down his back as he nodded. “And I am very much appreciative of that, your majesty. I assure you that I am nothing like the Deceiver. I only learned about my relation with him the other day… Which reminds me of something I mean to inform you about, in hopes that I can be as useful as my grandmother was.” Malcolm leaned in to listen as Nate continued. “When we were captured by the Deceiver, he told us of another scheme he had to take over your kingdom. He was the one behind kidnapping the princess. He hoped to either rouse your anger towards him or weaken you with grief upon losing her. The morning after we were captured, he planned to move out his entire army to attack your kingdom and take it by force. Before the princess and I escaped, we set fire to his arsenal and destroyed the gates of Tau, hoping that would stall him long enough until we could reach you.”
The king was startled by this news and had to restrict himself from bursting from his throne. “This is certainly unsettling…” Quickly, he called for another servant and ordered them to send out a mass call for all the knights, soldiers and any able man to come to Aleph in preparation for battle.
Nate’s stature perked up a bit at the approving looks he got from Malcolm and Justin. He stood in place until he would be dismissed, which he wish would be soon so as to set his heart at ease.
Malcolm turned back to Nate. “You have done a great measure of good deeds for this kingdom. You saved the life of my daughter numerous times and you have saved both my throne and my kingdom from being caught off guard…” he paused for a moment of reflection, “But, there is still one matter than I will have to hold against you. And that is the crimes you, yourself, have committed.”
Nate’s face went pure white and he felt as if he would collapse. If Malcolm was aware of the rogue’s crimes, then Nate was as good as dead. He stayed silent and stood tall and bold in the face of his impending sentence.
“You have committed the crimes of murder, drunkenness, adultery, thievery and general disloyalty to both me and my subjects over the course of several years. Do you deny this?” Malcolm looked as if this would pain him to hear the answer.
“I do not deny it, your majesty,” Nate replied, his voice cracking under the pressure of the moment.
The king sighed and nodded. “Then, it pains me to do this, Nathaniel, but to be the just ruler that I am, I can not treat you with partiality just because you have done me a great many favors in the past two weeks…” Malcolm looked to his guards and made a slight head gesture towards Nate. “I hereby sentence you to death for your crimes against my kingdom.”
The guards took Nate by the arms, but the rogue did not resist.
“To show that I do have a bit of mercy, your sentence will not be carried out until after my daughter has awakened. Till then, you will stay in my dungeon… I’m truly sorry, Nathaniel.”
Malcolm gave a nod to the guards and they escorted Nate away.
But, before they could get him out of the throne room, Nate looked over his shoulder with a last thought.
“Can you please make sure that my pack is delivered to Kiara? There are some things of hers still in it.”
“And that was the last time I saw him,” finished Justin.
Kiara felt like sobbing into her brother’s shoulder, but for some reason, she was too shocked to let one tear fall. She stared blankly across the room, her breathing shaky and heart breaking into uncountable pieces. After a moment of silence, she slowly shook her head.
“No… He can’t die… He shouldn’t have to… He’s a good man, I tell you!” Kiara turned to Justin with a desperate expression. “He’s a good man, you must believe me! You heard all that he had done for me! He saved my life more times than I can remember and he has done a great thing for father. Please, you must believe me!” She clasped her hands around Justin’s arms, digging her nails into the threads of his shirt.
Justin nodded and held her arms in return. “I know, Kiara, I know. But, I can’t do anything about it. It’s the king who gives the orders, not me. You have to take it up with father.”
“I have to see Nate. Take me to him, Justin, I beg of you!” Kiara felt tears breach the corners of her eyes, wanting nothing more than to see him alive for the last time if he was sure to be executed.
The prince nodded in agreement and looked to Eshean, who only gave him a weak smile and gave his approval.
Once Kiara was changed into some finer clothes that suited a princess and left Samson in the hands of her maidservant, she and Justin slipped away, unseen, down to the dungeon. Justin first dismissed the guards, and then let Kiara enter the dank prison while he stood watch at the door.
She hurried down the stone steps, brushing away the tears to look presentable to Nate. But, upon arriving to the dungeon and seeing the man she loved behind the bars, chained like an animal at the hands and feet and looking positively miserable with his eyes closed and head leaning against the stone wall, she lost herself. Thankfully, there was no one else to witness her break down.
Kiara ran forward and fell onto her knees in front of Nate’s cell. He suddenly popped his eyes open and rushed towards Kiara as she did to him, but the chains held him at bay, preventing him from getting close. He looked a mess with his clothes stained and dirty from sitting in the dank dungeon for three days. He even looked sickly like he hadn’t been eating or sleeping at all. It grieved Kiara to see him so.
With tears in her eyes, Kiara reached through the bars and clasped hands with him in such a way that even he looked to be on the verge of crying.
“Oh, Nate, I’m so sorry! I’m sorry for falling in the river, I’m sorry for getting sick, I’m sorry for everything….” Kiara sobbed.
“No, no, don’t be sorry for any of that. It wasn’t your fault.” Nate looked crushed to see her so forlorn.
“But if that hadn’t happened, then you wouldn’t be here in this cell. I’m so sorry! I can’t watch you die! Please forgive me?”
“There is nothing to forgive,” Nate said with a wag of his head, “This is a just punishment for my crimes and I deserve this. It will be alright.”
“No, it won’t be, Nate,” Kiara felt her soul dying inside her with so much pain. “I can’t watch you die. You don’t deserve it. After all we’ve been through, I can’t bear to see you die. I’ll go to my father. I’ll set everything right, I promise.”
Nate shook his head sadly. “No… I don’t want to live another day without…”
Kiara waited for him to finish as he gazed longingly into her eyes. But, he only sighed. “I can’t just go free when I should be condemned.”
“I will talk to my father. This will all be resolved, I promise you. I won’t sit by and let you die,” Kiara said more boldly, the tears dissolving behind her determination.
Nate stared at her and smirked. “You silly, stubborn woman,” he muttered.
Kiara broke into a giggle and squeezed his hands tightly, wishing they could at least embrace for one last time. Nate leaned down and affectionately kissed the back of her hand.
“I was actually sort of surprised to hear that you hadn’t killed anyone in an attempt to escape,” Kiara admitted with a smile.
Nate gave her a forced, but weak smile. “There’s no use resisting. Besides, even if I wanted to get out, killing a few guards would just put me in deeper trouble.”
Silence fell as they gazed at each other, both wishing that bars were not separating them.
“I don’t remember if I ever said this, but thank you for saving me all those times. Even though I don’t want to be here and face my future, I am grateful to your bravery, kindness and patience in bringing me home,” Kiara said as more tears catching in her throat.
Nate chuckled and shook his head. “The pleasure was mine in doing it… I wouldn’t trade these last two weeks for anything in the world. I will die a content man.”
Kiara pursed her lips together and took a stuttered breath. “You will not die anytime soon. Whether it’s to change my father’s mind or it’s to sneak you out, I will get you out of that cell. I will be just as noble as you and keep my word.”
The two smiled to each other, Nate gave one last long kiss to her hand, wishing it were her lips instead and Kiara climbed back up the stairs, on a mission to save him. It would be only right to save his life after he had saved her own so many times.
When she emerged out of the dungeon entrance, Justin was still standing vigilant watch. Kiara came up to him and took him by the arm.
“Can you help me get Nate out of this?” she pleaded in a whisper as they walked back towards the throne room to meet her father.
Justin looked down to her with curiosity evident in his eyes. “Why are you so adamant about this man? He is, after all, a murderer and a thief and so many other things that he does rightly deserve death. Why are you so determined to save him?”
Kiara hardly knew herself, but she could only tell her truthful feelings. “Because, past his rough exterior, he is the kindest, most gentle man I have ever come to know. We were children together once and he told me that he had made a promise to me as a child to always come and rescue me if I needed it. And Nate has kept that word all these years. He has never failed me. He is truly a good and honorable man and he has the heart of a warrior. He would make a wonderful knight someday. In fact, that is his dream… He is everything amiable and worthy of life and blessings. He’s funny, thoughtful, patient and a joy to be around when he is at ease. He’s very hard on himself, but he doesn’t need to be. He’s respectful and dignified… Nate deserves life… Please, my dear brother, will you help me? I can not bear to see this good man die.”
After Kiara’s sentimental speech, Justin stared at her, realizing the truth. “… You love this man, don’t you?” he asked in a hushed, still voice.
Kiara stopped and bit her quivering lips. Could she bear to admit the one thing she had been hiding these last few weeks? She knew she could hide nothing from her brother, no matter how she tried. “I do love him,” she whispered.
Justin, though half shocked by this, was also very concerned. “You are engaged to Sir Claude. He has been driving himself mad about you ever since you’ve left. What about him? Why did you not deny his proposal if you did not love him to begin with?” he questioned, guiding his sister into the shadows of a pillar to avoid being seen.
“I only wanted to please father and I still do. I will go through with the engagement to Sir Claude, but I love Nate more than words can do justice. He has done nothing dishonorable to me, I assure you… But, if he dies, I will be tempted to kill myself because going through life, knowing that he is not out there, alive and well, would pierce my soul more fiercely than any blade could. I may not be able to marry him and live a happy life with him, but to know that he is alive would satisfy me enough…” Kiara felt those burning tears flow once more. “Brother, I beg of you, help me by helping him? I will never ask for anything else from you as long as I live if you do this for me.”
Justin gazed into his sister’s pleading, eyes and found the earne
stly in her voice hard to resist. “I will do my best,” he said gently.
Kiara beamed with a smile and she jumped forth to catch her brother around the waist, hugging him tightly. He hugged in return briefly, and then pulled her away to look at her seriously.
“Just remember, than you still have to marry Sir Claude. You are bound by your oath,” he said with a cautionary tone. Kiara nodded reluctantly, and then Justin took his sister’s arm and escorted her into Malcolm’s throne room, where he sat at a table, discussing military business with some of his advisors, including Eshean, who had finally come downstairs from her bed chamber.
Kiara, half forgetting her manners and partially forgetting about the pressing issue involving Nate, ran forward towards her father. Malcolm, noticing at the last minute his guest, turned and happily embraced his loving daughter, catching her up into his arms and spinning her about like any loving father would. They smiled and laughed as if they hadn’t seen each other in years, let alone two weeks.
“Oh, my little Kiara. I’m so glad you’re home,” Malcolm said joyfully. His advisors looked on with smiles, knowing this was a special moment and not to interrupt.
“Me too, father.”
Malcolm let her down and hugged her again before kissing her forehead lovingly. “Are you feeling well? You look well. Oh, my daughter you are more radiant than ever.”
Kiara giggled and nodded in reply. “I am well, father, thank you… I do wonder though if I may talk to you in private for a moment?” she inquired, glancing to his waiting advisors.
Malcolm looked from his daughter, then to his advisors with surprise, as if he forgot that they were there. “Oh, yes, of course. Um… I need a moment alone with my daughter. I’ll see to these matters when we are finished.”
The Princess and Her Rogue Page 46
