Along with an assortment of gowns, boots and riding habits, Anna had also acquired a straw hat for the journey – an item of great amusement amongst the ladies. Blanche had openly sneered at the unfashionable headdress, and even Kathleen had mentioned that it might not seem fitting for a lady in the company of the queen to be seen wearing such an article, but Anna had stoutly refused to part with it.
“You will be wishing I had acquired one for each of you,” she told the other ladies, but they just laughed.
As the first day of the march grew closer, Anna saw less and less of Garrick, and when she did see him, she could tell he was distracted.
“My apologies, Anna,” he said when she commented on it. “I need to be with my men as we make final preparations.” He smiled at her, then hurried away as she watched in bemusement.
Roderick arrived a week after Anna’s return from Drake Manor. He brought with him fifteen hundred men, swelling the army to a little over five thousand. More would join along the way, as the army progressed through the kingdom. Added to the soldiers were wagons with supplies, guarded by outriders; a herd of cattle; smiths, with their forges loaded onto carts; and the inevitable camp followers – cooks, washerwomen, wives, children and prostitutes.
Anna had not seen Max at all since her return to the palace. It was not that she hadn’t looked for him – she couldn’t help herself scanning the crowds for sight of him, but he was never there. So she was surprised when, the day before the army was to start their march, she saw him striding towards her along one of the many palace passages. She watched him as he approached – the one thing she could not do with Max was pretend indifference.
“I’m marching with the army,” Max said, “as one of the foot soldiers.”
“Why?” Anna asked in surprise.
“Aaron wants me to report back on the king’s progress. And I will be able to watch over you.” Anna looked away. Why did everyone think she needed watching over?
“Why aren’t you flying?” she asked.
“I don’t want to be restricted to my natural form, and people will wonder what I am doing there if I haven’t marched with the others.”
“That sounds very, uh, tedious,” Anna said.
Max smiled. “Extremely, but I dare say I will survive. Especially since you will be there to keep things entertaining.” Anna stared at the floor. Her feelings for Max were so tangled and confused. He watched her for a moment, then stepped away. “I will see you along the way,” he said.
The first soldiers started marching at first light the following morning. It was six hundred miles to the border, a distance that would take a month for such a large army to cover. The people in the rear would only leave the following day – that included the queen, her ladies, her ladies’ maids, other servants, the supplies, and Frank and Tobias. That evening Matilda took a fond farewell of her children, staying in the nursery long enough to listen to the nurse tell a story, before bidding each of them a goodnight.
They started their journey early the following morning, shivering as they mounted their horses, before clattering across the courtyard and through the palace gates. Matilda, Blanche, Kathleen and Anna, along with Frank and Tobias bringing up the rear, all rode on horseback. The rest of the entourage walked with the wagons, and it did not take long for the small group of riders to outpace the slower carts. The early morning chill hung in the air as they set out, but as the sun rose higher, Anna could feel little trickles of sweat running down her neck. They soon saw signs of the army’s progress from the previous day – trampled grass, broken branches, and as the day progressed, the remains of camp fires. They pushed on through the morning, pausing for a short time at noon, then continued for another few hours until the house of their first host came into sight. They trotted up the road, and were soon welcomed by Lord Southam and his lady. They had had the privilege of entertaining the king the previous night, and they smiled in welcome now as the queen swept through the front door and into the hall. Anna noticed Lady Southam glance anxiously around the hall for a moment before her shoulders relaxed slightly. A roaring fire burned in the grate and the table on the dais had been neatly laid with silverware and porcelain plates, while a flagon of wine and an assortment of glasses lay on a smaller side table at the entrance to the hall.
“Wine, Your Majesty?” Lord Southam offered.
“Thank you, my lord,” Matilda replied graciously.
After a long day in the saddle, the hearty meal was fully enjoyed, and when the ladies retired to the chambers prepared for their use later that evening, Anna felt as though every muscle in her body was aching. The bed was soft and inviting, and when she lay down, she was sure she could sleep forever.
“I’m not sure I can ride again tomorrow,” Kathleen said with a groan, lying down next to Anna on the wide mattress.
“You’ll feel worse in the morning,” she assured Kathleen with a grin, and when the girl half-heartedly tossed a pillow in her direction, she laughed. “You can always stay with the Southams,” she said. “Your presence here will be a solace to them when the rest of us leave tomorrow,” she said.
“Do you really think so?” Kathleen said in surprise, while Blanche snorted from the next bed.
“No, you silly goose,” Anna said with a laugh. “I think they will be quite happy to bid us all a pleasant journey and close the door on our backs.”
As Anna had predicted, they felt stiff and sore the following morning, and groaned their way into their saddles. The exertion of the ride helped to relieve some of the aching, however, and they soon fell back into the rhythmic motion of the horses. They caught up with the rest of the army shortly after noon. A permanent cloud of dust hung on the horizon, and when they came across the camp fires from the previous night, some were found to still be smoldering. That night, when they arrived at the next house, Alfred and Roderick were there too, bending the ear of their host about the trials of marching. Rupert, Anna discovered, preferred to remain with his troops, for which she was incredibly grateful.
Chapter 35
As the days progressed, the ladies fell into a pattern of riding for a few hours, resting for a few hours, then riding again. Alfred always ordered an early-morning meal from his hosts, and he and Roderick would leave as soon as they were done eating, but Matilda and her ladies took their time, not leaving until the sun was well above the horizon. Each night they progressed to the next house along the route, partaking of their meals with their hosts before collapsing into their beds. During the day they rode until the late morning sun became unpleasant, then rested for a few hours until it became bearable once more. The wagons and servants did not stop, but continued past the resting group at their slower pace. They would ride for another few hours later in the day, catching up with Alfred and Roderick at the next home they were staying in.
Anna’s sense in retaining the ugly straw hat soon became evident – the veils and scarves the other women wore did nothing to keep the sun from their faces, and soon their delicate, pale skin was painted pink by the sun, before the skin peeled away in unsightly patches. The salves and ointments they brought with them did little to protect them, but it was the queen who suffered the most, with her pale complexion and fair hair, until Anna reluctantly offered her the straw hat. It was accepted with alacrity, and Anna handed it over with a sigh. Perhaps she could convince a farm hand to give her another.
Either Frank or Tobias traveled with the women at all times. Whenever Frank was around, his eyes seemed to be trained on Anna, until she felt as though he was boring a hole right through her skin. She ignored him as best she could, and as the weeks went by, he relaxed his vigilance, albeit it ever so slightly. After all, he had seen no more dragons, and apart from her penchant for walking, there was nothing in her behavior to arouse further suspicion. But Anna knew that Frank could not forget the dragon, nor that he had seen her with the creature.
As the days wore on, Anna lost track of the names of their hosts and the places they had stayed.
The faces of Lords Bradbury, Cropter, Ludlow and Elliot blurred into one, and she could not remember if Rompton was the town with the huge water mill or the Roman ruins. At each place, they were cheered on by the townspeople, although there were always some in the crowds who scowled and turned away, mumbling to themselves as they dragged their wives and children with them. In one town, a young girl presented the queen with a crown of flowers, and when Matilda asked her name, it was discovered the child was deaf and mute. But the girl smiled sweetly and her father watched her proudly as she presented the gift to the queen, before taking her by the hand and leading her away.
Of Garrick, Anna saw no sign. She hoped he was comfortable at night, sleeping on the cold, hard ground. Sometimes Anna would stand at the window and look out into the dark, watching the stars twinkling in the night sky, wondering whether he was staring up at the stars wondering about her, or whether he was too tired to do anything but sleep. Sometimes, another face would intrude on her thoughts, but she would push it away, angry at herself for her moment of weakness. But she could not help searching the stars, looking for the evidence of twin fires burning in the sky above watching over her. She saw them often, and would turn away, pretending she didn’t care.
The first week of traveling was over flat, grassy terrain. Small, spring flowers had once dotted the wide, open fields, but there were few in evidence by the time the queen and her ladies passed by, having been trodden into the ground by thousands of marching feet. In the second week they had to ford a small river, and then the terrain grew more uneven as the mountains in the distance grew ever closer. By the third week they were skirting the mountain range, which lay to the east. Over the towering heights of the mountains lay Storbrook, and Anna wondered whether Aaron was watching their progress. The mountain range ran straight along the trail for a hundred miles, then curved away from them, a distant marker that finally faded into a purple smudge on the horizon. When the path led through dense forests, the army troops would march around them, but the women traveled straight through, enjoying the cool shadows.
It was as they neared the mountains that the homes of noblemen grew further and further apart, and the luxury of a building with separate chambers and comfortable beds became a thing of the past. Instead, the women had to be content with sleeping in tents at night.
“Once we cross the border and reach the towns in the north, there will be people who will gladly open their homes to King Roderick and his sister,” Matilda assured her ladies. “These uncomfortable nights, sleeping in tents, will not be of long duration.”
Every night, Frank and Tobias oversaw the setup of the camp, and instructed where the tents were to be positioned. Matilda had her own tent, but Blanche, Kathleen and Anna shared another, while the maids slept in a third. Meals were prepared over an open campfire, and as the stars appeared in the sky, the ladies drank their wine from silver goblets and ate from porcelain plates. As often as possible, the guards chose a site that had a source of water, and the queen and her ladies would gratefully wash off the dust and sweat of the day. As the days progressed, Anna could feel her body growing stronger. She was not as tired as she had been at the start of the trip, and when they stopped each afternoon, felt she could travel another few hours at least. Now that they were camping, Anna sometimes caught sight of Garrick marching through the camp. He was often with his men, but when he was alone, he would come over and visit with her briefly. His skin had turned nut brown, and his muscles strained against the shirt and leather jerkin he wore. He only stayed a few minutes at a time, long enough to enquire after her health, before disappearing once more between the many men.
The late spring weather grew hotter and drier as they marched. Dust covered everything, getting into the folds of Anna’s gown, into her hair, under her fingernails, and even coating her teeth until her mouth felt gritty. They arrived one hot afternoon to find that Frank had chosen a site near a pond fed by an underground spring. She slid off her horse, and turned to Kathleen. “Come,” she said, “let’s go swimming.” Kathleen looked alarmed.
“I don’t know how to swim,” she said.
“There’s nothing to it,” Anna said. “The pond probably isn’t very deep.”
Reeds and weeds surrounded the small lake, and the two women had to push their way through, scratching their legs, before they reached the water; but once they were in, the water was clear and refreshing. It felt so good to feel the dust wash off her skin, and Anna sighed in pleasure. The roads they traveled in the wake of the army had been trodden to dust, making her eyes water, her scalp itch, and the creases behind her knees turn brown. The water was not very deep, as Anna had supposed, and even at the deepest point she could touch the bottom with her toes. She could feel where the underground spring fed the pond, blasting into the water near the center of the little pool. The pond was shared with a small family of ducks, and Kathleen watched the little ducklings take to the water with delight.
“Have you never seen ducklings before?” Anna asked in amusement.
“Yes, but never this close,” Kathleen said, turning to watch the fluffy chicks swim past. She glanced up at Anna. “I don’t think I will ever eat duck again, knowing how sweet they are as babies.”
“All animals start out small and sweet,” Anna said with a laugh. “Even dragons!”
“Yes, but I think even a baby dragon would scare me,” Kathleen said with a shudder.
“Don’t be too sure of that,” Anna said. She lay back in the water and watched the clouds drifting past. She saw a creature circling high overhead and stared at it, but it was a bird which soon disappeared from view. She heard a rustling in the grass, and flipping over onto her stomach, saw Blanche pushing through the weeds. She eyed her warily, glancing around to see if anyone else was with her.
“Don’t be so suspicious,” Blanche said. “I am quite alone.” That did not make Anna feel any easier, but she said nothing. “Doesn’t this look like fun,” Blanche continued. “But I am surprised, Kathleen, that you would join in such rustic pursuits.”
“Oh, shush,” Anna said, annoyed. “You can come join us if you wish, otherwise go find your own entertainments.”
Blanche raised her eyebrows with a grin, then stripping off her gown, stepped into the water. She sunk down to her knees, and dropped her head back in the water.
“I must admit,” Blanche said, “you peasants do have some good ideas at times.”
The army reached the border to Roderick’s kingdom thirty-five days into the march. A wide river, turned brown by the churning feet of the men seeking its cool relief, separated the kingdoms. It led to the ocean, and Anna could see watercraft plying the tides. Long, flat rafts lay pulled up the banks on the near side, large enough to carry the men and supplies over the water. The army had set up camp near the banks, where Alfred had ordered that the army rest for two days before crossing the border – an order that had Rupert seething with rage, chafing at the delay, if the rumors were to be believed. But if he remonstrated with his brother, it was done beyond the hearing of any of the men.
Garrick found Anna later that day. “How goes the marching?” he asked.
“Exhausting!” Anna averred. “We travel on horseback for at least six hours every day, and have to sleep in a tent every night. And then, to make matters worse, our meals are a paltry three courses, and we use the same plate for all the savory dishes!” She grinned at him, and he laughed.
“You have endured terrible hardships, indeed. I did warn you, but you were determined to become a camp-follower.” He glanced around, nodding at Kathleen when she looked his way. “I cannot stay,” he said. “I just wanted to find out how you are doing. I am glad to see you are still in good health and good spirits.”
“Of course,” she replied. “Do you think I am a wilting flower?”
“I know you are nothing of the kind,” he said. He lifted her hand to his mouth, and quickly brushed his lips over her skin, before turning around and striding away without a backwards glance
.
That evening the queen dispatched a message to her husband and her brother, urging them to join her for a meal. A table was set up beneath the shade of a tree, and when Alfred and Roderick arrived, they were ushered to stools at the waiting tables. Tobias had snared a brace of pheasants and a rabbit, and the food simmered over the camp fire as wine from the supply wagon was served in silver goblets.
“Did you follow the army to enjoy picnic meals in the open air?” Alfred asked wryly, but Roderick just laughed.
“What else would you expect of my sister?” he said. He smiled at Matilda. “Only the best for you, eh, Matty?”
“Of course,” she said with a smile. “And you must admit that you are quite happy to enjoy a well-cooked and well-served meal, my lords.”
“Most definitely,” Roderick assured her, but Alfred remained silent.
The rest of the meal passed well. Blanche chatted to Alfred, while Roderick told Matilda about the march. “We lost a dozen horses along the way,” he said. “A terrible loss.”
“What about men?” Anna asked.
“Men?”
“How many men did you lose on the march?”
Roderick looked at her in confusion, then turned to Alfred.
“Did we lose any men?” he asked.
Alfred glanced up from his conversation with Blanche. “I think Rupert mentioned that there were a few who dropped out. Some of them died, I suppose, after one company got sick with dysentery. I don’t know the numbers, however. Fifty. A hundred, perhaps.”
“Ah,” Roderick said, turning back to Anna. “A few losses are to be expected. But fifty or even a hundred will not affect our chances at victory.”
Across the table, Blanche smirked. “Mistress Anna was born in a small village, where they believe each life has value of its own,” she said to Roderick. “People like us understand that a few sacrifices must be made to ensure the greater good.”
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