And maybe she was wrong. Maybe Bart had just fallen off Midnight and sprained his ankle, and two people had carried him to the wagon and taken him to the doctor. Or maybe she had got it all completely mixed up and Edward had already found Bart.
Dani looked around. She could try to run through the gates, but there was another guard who had a bow and a quiver of arrows. She wouldn’t make it. She backed away and then raced off in the direction Edward would have gone, following the track around the inside of the castle wall towards the King’s Gardens. Edward could help. Of course he could. He was the Prince, heir to the throne.
Ahead, from around a bend, as if thinking about him had summoned him, Edward appeared. Dani ran to him. ‘Did you find him?’
‘No. You?’
Dani’s heart sank. ‘I think Bart was kidnapped. I think they wanted you but they got him.’
Quickly, she explained what she had found. Once she’d finished, Dani realised what the best thing to do next was. ‘Edward, you have to tell your father and get him to help. If I’m right, Bart’s in a wagon full of hay, but it won’t have got far yet. If the King orders a search and sends soldiers out, they’re sure to find it.’
The Prince chewed his bottom lip. ‘My father . . . he won’t do that. Bart’s a servant.’
Dani stared at him, and then looked away. Edward was right. Last year the head cook had gone missing while at the markets. There was no search. The King had just promoted Miss Bertha to head cook. Then Dani realised this was different.
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘He wouldn’t order a search for a servant. But he would order one for the people who’d tried to kidnap his son, wouldn’t he? I know he doesn’t care about us, but I think they were trying to kidnap you. If you tell him that Bart was dressed up as you, then surely he’ll care enough about that to try to catch whoever did it.’
Edward looked uneasy. ‘But I’d have to tell him it wasn’t me on the horse.’
Something in Dani broke. ‘My brother’s gone!’ she shouted, tears leaking down her cheeks. ‘Because he was helping you.’ She clenched her fists and advanced on him. ‘You have to help him. You promised you’d help if anything went wrong. You have to tell the King.’
‘You don’t know him. I’ll get in trouble.’
‘If you don’t, I will,’ warned Dani, desperately trying to keep control and think clearly. ‘Either you tell him, or I’ll let everyone know what happened.’
The Prince put his hands up. ‘All right, all right. Let’s just go to the doctor first and see if he’s there. Maybe he just fell off and hurt himself.’
Dani nodded. They hurried to a small building in front of the storehouses. Inside, shelves filled with jars containing medicines ringed the room. In the middle of it, an old man lay sleeping in a rocking chair. Beside him was a nearly empty bottle with the word ‘Rum’ written on it. Dani had seen what happened to adults when they drank rum. First they acted silly, then they started shouting, then they started crying, and then they fell asleep.
‘Doctor Sturpen,’ said Dani. The doctor snored.
Dani stepped forward and shook his shoulder. ‘Doctor Sturpen!’
‘Ahhh!’ the doctor cried, flinging himself out of his chair and onto the floor. ‘I didn’t mean it! She was dying anyway,’ he yelled.
Dani and the Prince stared at him.
The doctor’s eyes narrowed. ‘Wait a minute.’ He looked Dani up and down. ‘You’re not God.’ His gaze moved to Edward. ‘Neither are you.’ His eyes widened. ‘You’re the Prince. Oh dear.’ He hauled himself to his feet. ‘At your service your . . . er . . . Highness,’ he stuttered. ‘Forgive me, a bad dream.’
‘Has my brother been here?’ demanded Dani. ‘Bart the servant. He’s my age. Did anyone bring him in?’
The doctor shook his head. ‘Haven’t seen him.’
Dani headed outside, Edward behind her. Dani grabbed his arm. ‘Will you tell your father what happened?’
Edward looked from side to side, as if for a way out, and then back to Dani. ‘All right.’
‘I’ll wait here. Hurry.’
The Prince hesitated and then turned and walked towards the castle.
Dani waited, pacing up and down. She didn’t trust Edward. What if he didn’t tell his father the truth? What if he didn’t want to admit that he had made Bart ride his horse, and instead just told the King that a servant had gone missing? There would be no search. And if she tried to tell anyone the truth, the Prince would deny it and everyone would believe him. But what if Edward did tell the King the truth and there was a search? That would be good, but they wouldn’t let her be part of it, so again she would be stuck waiting, waiting, waiting. So, either way, it was clear. If she wanted to help Bart, she must escape the castle and find him.
She dashed back to her room and grabbed her grey satchel. A hunk of bread, three apples, some dates and almonds and two slices of fruitcake she had ‘borrowed’ from the kitchen were inside their food drawer. She shoved them all into the satchel and from underneath her mattress retrieved a rag containing all the coins she had happened to find over the last ten years in corridors, between cobblestones, or on the floor of rooms she had been cleaning. She added her jacket, a water-skin, flints for starting a fire, her sling and some throwing stones, and then raced back outside to the well where she filled the water-skin. Then she made her way back to the edge of the courtyard.
It was now mid-afternoon. There was less traffic in and around the courtyard, but two guards still stood by the gates and to get out she had to get past them. She looked around for inspiration and saw Gambon approaching from the direction of the storehouses, carrying a pile of wood in his arms. Gambon was a servant who stood a head taller than anyone else, and his shoulders and chest were massive. His job around the castle was to carry heavy stuff.
Dani hurried to head him off before he entered the courtyard. ‘Hi, Gambon,’ she called as cheerily as she could.
Gambon peered sourly down at her. ‘Ye-es,’ he replied suspiciously in a slow, deep voice.
‘Gambon. How are you?’
‘You’ve used my name twice, and you usually don’t talk to me at all, so I’m pretty sure you want something.’
‘Absolutely not,’ continued Dani, craning her neck to look up at his huge head. ‘Actually, I have something for you.’
Gambon stopped and eyed her closely. ‘What?’
‘A new mattress. I’m getting it tonight, and I thought you might like it.’
‘And you want to give it to me just because you’re nice? That sounds as true as a flying shoe.’
‘Well, actually, there is something you could do to help me.’
‘A-ha. I knew it.’
‘It’s a great mattress, though. No lumps.’
‘Is it long?’
‘Very long.’
‘Hmmm. What would I have to do?’
‘You just have to walk across the courtyard –’
‘Easy so far. I’m going that way anyway, and I like walking. I even learnt how to whistle while I do it.’
‘Good for you. Just walk across the courtyard and when you’re right in the middle, collapse to the ground. Let the wood go flying everywhere.’
‘Collapse? But I might hurt my head. Or some other bit.’
‘Well, collapse gently then. Just sort of sink to your knees and then slowly topple over.’
‘Then what?’
Dani shrugged. ‘Just stay collapsed for a while. People will rush over and make a fuss. Lie there and count slowly to two hundred, then you can get up and go. Say you felt dizzy but now you’re fine.’
‘That’s all?’
Dani opened her hands. ‘And the mattress is yours.’
Gambon furrowed his huge brow, and then leant down towards Dani. ‘Why?’
Dani tapped the side of her nose. ‘B
etter you don’t know.’
‘When do I get the mattress?’
‘Tonight,’ said Dani.
‘Hmmm.’ Gambon rubbed his chin. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘Great! Off you go then, into the middle of the courtyard and collapse.’
‘Gently collapse.’
‘Right.’
Gambon started to whistle, and then stopped and looked down at Dani. ‘When I do the whistling and walking together I have to start the whistling first. I can’t do it the other way round yet.’
‘Do it in the right order then,’ she said, giving Gambon a push.
‘Don’t forget that mattress.’
‘I won’t.’
Gambon started whistling again and walked to the centre of the courtyard. As he reached it he cried out, sank to his knees and fell onto his side, scattering the wood. There were about a dozen people in the courtyard and they all rushed to him, as did one of the gate guards. The other, however, didn’t.
Dani cursed, and then had an idea. She ran to Gambon, pushing through those surrounding him. The big man lay on his side, moaning. Dani bent over him and put her ear near his mouth. She stayed like that for a few seconds and then jumped to her feet, pushed her way out of the circle, and ran to the guard who remained at the gate, who she recognised as Hozrit. He was thin with suspicious, darting eyes.
‘He’s calling your name,’ she shouted at him.
‘Wha . . . huh?’ replied Hozrit, frowning.
Dani pointed towards Gambon. ‘He’s calling for you.’
‘I hardly know him,’ replied the guard, peering anxiously at the big man.
‘I think he’s dying. He must want to tell you something important.’
Hozrit hesitated, rubbing his chin.
‘Quick!’ said Dani. ‘Before it’s too late.’
Hozrit looked at her and then hurried over to Gambon.
As he did, Dani ran out the gate and into the rest of the world that she had never seen.
Chapter 5
A Difficult Discussion
As Edward walked up the ornate palace staircase he tried to work out what to tell, and not tell, his father. Yes, Bart was missing, but Edward was far from convinced that he had been kidnapped. He had probably just wandered off somewhere and was enjoying a bit of time away from his loud, bossy sister.
Edward knew that if he told his father he had deceived him by getting Bart to take his place on that horrible horse, he would be in big trouble. It had been clear for some time that his father thought he was weak and useless, and this could be the last straw. Edward wasn’t sure what his father would do, but it would definitely be something unpleasant. No, he mustn’t let him discover the truth. He would just say that a servant was missing, and let him decide whether or not to order a search. If he didn’t, that was fine because Edward was sure that Bart was somewhere within the castle grounds.
But what if Dani blabbed the truth to someone? Edward wasn’t worried. No one – at least, no one important – would believe a servant over a prince.
He reached the third floor and walked down the corridor to his room, where he slipped off Bart’s boots, hid them at the back of a cupboard, and put on another pair of his own. The King’s chambers were a few doors further along. Edward hated how nervous he got every time he saw his father. The worst part was the look of disappointment he saw so often in the King’s eyes. He wished his mother was still alive. She had understood him.
He sighed. Everything would be so much better once he became King. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about horse-riding or sword-fighting or getting told what to do. He could do whatever he liked. He wondered how long it would be before he was crowned. Given that his father had recently fallen ill, it might even be soon. Of course, Edward didn’t want his father to die – that would be nasty – but if he did, Edward would get what he had always wanted. He would become King Edward the Fourth.
Edward nodded to the two guards who stood on either side of the bedroom door, took a deep breath and knocked.
‘Enter,’ came his father’s voice.
Edward eased the door open. King Corolius the Fifth sat in an armchair by the window. A bowl of soup – pumpkin, it looked like – lay untouched on a tray by his side. His father had always been a big, powerful man but the illness had wasted him away so that now his shoulders looked bony and frail, and his face too thin for the grey bushy beard that covered its lower half.
‘Hello, Father.’
The King turned to him. As always, Edward detected little affection in his piercing gaze.
‘Tell me about the ride,’ he ordered. While the illness had robbed his father’s voice of some of its strength, it was still much better suited to issuing commands than to conversation.
‘It was, er, good. You were right, of course. Once I was up on her, it was fine.’ Edward hoped he sounded like he was telling the truth. ‘You saw me then?’
The King stared at him and, as always, Edward felt like he had done something wrong. This time it was worse because he had actually done something wrong.
The King motioned for him to sit in the armchair next to him. ‘A Prince must be able to ride and use a sword,’ he said. ‘You will never be a great warrior – of course you won’t. We both know that. A jellyfish can’t learn to run – but you must try. It is your duty. And if you cannot do your duty, then you will never be King.’
Edward felt his cheeks redden. ‘Yes, Father.’
There was a pause. Edward decided that now was the time to mention that Bart was missing. Then it would be done. ‘I, er, actually, Father, there was something I wanted to tell you.’
‘Yes,’ said the King flatly.
‘Well, you see, um,’ began Edward, ‘one of the servants has gone missing.’
‘And?’ said the King.
‘Well, it’s one of the orphans and I wondered if we should organise a search.’
The King waved his suggestion away. ‘These sorts of things sometimes happen with servants. They sleep in, they wander off, they run away. It is not your concern.’
‘Yes of course, Father, I just –’
The King held up his hand. ‘Do you think the King has time to waste on missing servants?’
You don’t look that busy, thought Edward, but stayed quiet.
‘We have procedures in place,’ continued the King. ‘The matter will be dealt with.’
Well, that’s done then, thought Edward. Now he could tell Dani that he had tried.
The King let out a long, tired sigh. ‘Edward, I have made a decision. I did not want to do this, and I hoped today’s ride might have been the start of a change that would allow me to avoid this course of action. But you have left me no choice.’ He fixed Edward with a stern gaze. ‘Edward, did you ride that horse?’
Edward was suddenly terrified. ‘Yes, of course, I –’
‘Don’t lie to me. Do you think I am a fool? Do you think this sickness has taken the strength of my mind as well as that of my body?’
Edward’s mouth fell open.
‘Edward, when you lie, I can tell. You may be able to fool others, but not me. Whoever was on that horse rode far too well for it to have been you.’ He pointed a finger at Edward. ‘You shame me. All. The. Time. You cannot wield a sword, you cannot ride anything bigger than a pony, and you are a liar.’
‘I . . .’ Edward began, but didn’t know what to say next.
The King leant back and let out a long sigh. ‘Edward, I will soon be dead. When that happens what do you think will happen?’
‘Um . . . everyone will be sad?’
‘Huh! Everyone will pretend to be sad, more like. Who will become King?’
‘I’m your eldest child, so . . . me.’
‘Unless I think that you aren’t capable and pronounce Vincent my heir.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Edward. You a
re not fit to rule.’
The blood drained from Edward’s face. ‘But –’
‘You are too weak,’ barked the King. ‘You will never command the respect of the people.’
No! No! No! thought Edward.
‘It has been obvious since you were young. Your mother babied you.’
Even though his head was spinning, Edward felt a flash of anger. How dare he insult her.
‘You are three and a half years older than Vincent,’ continued the King, ‘and yet he has been able to beat you in a fight since he was two. He would take your toys and you’d be too scared to try to get them back and run crying to your mother.’ The King shook his head in disgust. ‘While Vincent learnt to use a sword, you were drawing. Now he can beat you with fists, a sword or anything else.’
Edward looked down. It was true. His little brother was a terror.
‘A king cannot be weak, Edward. He must be strong enough to do whatever it takes to safeguard his kingdom, even when that is difficult and unpleasant.’
Edward opened his mouth, wishing the right words would come.
The King sighed. ‘Vincent will succeed me.’
Edward felt dizzy. ‘But . . . I’m older than him.’
‘I know that. I’m your father. But you are weak, a liar and a coward. How could I let you succeed me?’
‘But that’s not fair.’
‘It’s not about being fair. My first duty isn’t to you. It’s to the kingdom. I must do what is best for Tintarfell.’
‘Father, please. Vincent is –’
The King held up his hand. ‘I know he is limited, but he is brave and strong.’
‘He’s not smart.’
‘Intelligence isn’t everything.’
‘I’ll prove myself worthy,’ pleaded Edward. ‘Just give me some time.’
The King stared at him. ‘No,’ he pronounced with a finality that made Edward realise there was no point arguing further. ‘Now go. I must rest.’
The Twins of Tintarfell Page 3
