The Escape of Princess Madeline

by Kirstin Pulioff

  Madeline looked up and saw her father looking at her expectantly. She shook her head, and saw the warning dimple in his smile. All eyes were on her now, and she had to do something. The crowd, the suitors, her father, brother, Sophia, and even the knights on the field watched. Everyone expected something from her.

  “Thank you all for coming,” she said, her voice cracking as she tried to find the right words to satisfy but not encourage her father. “I’m sure we will be amazed by the feats of these men. I know my life may depend on it.” She ended with a small laugh.

  It was brief, but enough. As she finished, her father nodded, and the band started up, announcing the main event.

  A line of musicians filed onto the field, followed by a troop of jesters carrying various flags. Weaving in and out, they dipped and tossed the flags to the music. After the flags, acrobats tumbled across the field. Jumping off hay bales, over the jousting dividers, and around the poles, they used the field to their advantage. The opening ceremony left her speechless.

  One by one, the knights moved into position, playfully chasing the tumblers off the field. Their armor gleamed under the mid-morning sun. In a line, they walked around the arena, waving to the stands, showing off the crests etched into their armor and shields.

  As they rounded the final corner, they raised their visors and bowed to the king. Madeline leaned forward in her seat, recognizing the knights from their years of service. She saw Sir Anthony, Sir Reynold, and Sir Marcus, the knights who used to swordplay with Braden. A red sash across each of their shields marked them as knights of Soron. Next to them, several other knights she did not know by name bore the same marking.

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as the sensation of being watched took hold. She twisted in her seat, almost knocking the red pillow from behind her back. She searched the crowd but didn’t see anyone still watching her. All heads faced forward, observing the knights retreat to the sides. Even her suitors had settled back in their seats for the tournament. Looking back to the field, she saw one knight gazing at her, his visor raised up. A red sash covered his shield, but she didn’t recognize him. Her cheeks burned, and she glared back defiantly, troubled at the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

  A final trumpet blared, and the events began.

  Running onto the field, the knights separated into two teams for the mock battle. Blue tags hung from the sword scabbards of the first team; the other team used red. Each knight was allowed three solid hits before handing over his tag and leaving the game. If his tag was forcefully removed, he was out as well.

  Strategically placed around the arena, the teams prepared for battle. When the starting trumpet blared, each flew into action. Swords connected and the clash of metal rang through the air. Each knight worked to their advantage, using speed, agility, and brute strength to defeat their opponent. The hay bales splintered, and blue tags littered the field as the red team dominated.

  Centered in the chaos, the trio of her favorite knights worked together, defeating the blue team. Beside them fought the mystery knight. Delivering massive blows to man after man, he ran a circle around the field, finishing with a pile of blue flags in his left hand.

  She watched their names move up on the leaderboard. A vertical tower held wooden planks with each knight’s name and kingdom. At the far end, the stewards marked tallies to account for points.

  She looked to the top and saw the names of her favorites, along with another.

  “Sir Daniel,” she mused, looking back to the field at the mysterious knight. The name seemed familiar, although she couldn’t place him.

  After a while, she found it easy to enjoy the tournament. When each new event started, she lost herself in the cheers, the excitement, and the swirling energy.

  When the knights paired up for fencing, she admired the fancy footwork beneath their flickering swords. They proved just as handy with the long swords as their broadswords.

  Archery, a crowd favorite, surpassed her expectations. In an attempt to outdo their previous tournaments, the knights found new targets to hit. In place of the standard circular targets, smaller items were put up. The crowd erupted as pumpkins and watermelons split beneath the force of the feathered arrows. Winners of the first round competed on apples, pears, and tomatoes.

  After each round, she found herself studying Sir Daniel. His fluid movements under the stiff armor and his skill with multiple weapons impressed her. But she was most affected by his simple nod in her direction after each event. She couldn’t look away.

  In all events, he excelled. Her stomach flipped the higher his name moved up the leaderboard. She couldn’t decide if she was more worried about him winning or losing.

  The end of the tournament crept closer. Madeline’s concentration on the event slowed as the imaginary clock in her mind ticked away.

  Something bumped her elbow. Her father beamed at her. “I think we found your knight.”

  Covering her elbow with her other hand out of reflex, she looked back to the field. The joust was about to begin. The entire stadium stood on their feet, and the trumpets blasted like the end of the world was approaching. More like the end of my freedom, she thought.

  The mid-day sun shone down on her, melting her into the seat. No matter how much she fanned her face, small beads of sweat rolled down her temples. The unbearable heat and anxiety twisting her insides wore on her.

  The knights lined up for the final event, separating again to opposite sides of the field. Their horses stamped with anticipation as the men grabbed their lances. The joust demanded physical strength, timing, hand and eye coordination, and pure courage. Each contender rode toward his opponent, hoping to unseat the other man. The winner was lucky if he remained on his horse, and the loser felt lucky if he didn’t break a bone.

  Some of the king’s best men fell off their horses in the first pass. She frowned as her favorites lost, and their names were lowered on the leaderboard. Now it was Sir Daniel’s turn.

  Madeline didn’t realize she was holding her breath until her chest burned. Daniel raised his visor in a final salute. As their eyes met, her stomach flipped. He lowered his visor, and she clenched her hands together in anticipation.

  Closing her eyes, she heard hooves stomp across the fairgrounds. Each thump matched the beating of her heart. Thump, thump, thump. The smell of the horses, fresh dirt, and dust filled her senses. The cheers grew louder and louder, forcing Madeline to open her eyes.

  When she reopened them, she saw Daniel start his approach. His opponent lowered his lance. The event seemed to unfold in slow motion. The rhythm of the hooves, the cheers of the crowd, the waving of the flags… Madeline looked away, suddenly afraid. The men collided like thunder, a chilling sound. She jumped to her feet to see over the heads of the people in front of her. She couldn’t see anything, and didn’t know what the loud cheers meant.

  When she found a hole in the crowd to peek through, she saw the opponent, a knight she did not know, lean back and slide off his horse with a jolt. Daniel leaned forward, holding his chest, but staying up. The crowd exploded. Daniel looked up through the crowd, searching. Lifting his hand to raise his visor, he turned toward Madeline and smiled.

  Madeline sat down as a wave of nausea rolled over her. She leaned back in her chair, pale and uneasy. The end of the tournament jolted her back to reality. She didn’t need to watch them move the leaderboard; she knew her knight champion had been found.

  Her mind spun with the realization. Knowing the next logical step her father would take, she had to make a choice. She looked up just as her father stood and clapped his hands.

  ***

  King Theodore smiled. He couldn’t help himself. As he watched Sir Daniel unseat his opponent, his own heart swelled in excitement. No doubt about it, this knight proved himself worthy of guarding his daughter. His velvet robe slipped down his arms as he waved them in excitement.

  “Men, women, all my countrymen,” he began. “Never before have I seen such de
termination, strength, and skill. I am honored to have this man as a knight of Soron and protector of our princess. Sir Daniel, it is my privilege to formally introduce you as knight champion of Princess Madeline. May your pledges of loyalty and bravery guide you as you guard my daughter.”

  Not a single person remained quiet. The whole crowd stood up to cheer the announcement.

  King Theodore watched the tournament field with pride. One of his knights proved above reproach his right to the position. The other men surrounded Daniel, clapping him on the back in congratulations. The field began to fill with excited guests and performers. Before the commotion on the field grew, he motioned to his steward on the sidelines of the field.

  “With this win, you not only obtain a position of honor, but receive a gift of honor as well.”

  The steward jumped into action, bringing one of the banners of Soron and a statue of a golden dragon to Daniel. He watched as the knight took the gifts with a look of confusion.

  Daniel dropped to the ground and regarded the king. He took off his helmet in salute. Sweat dripped down his face. The king watched his face waver between him and the chair at his side. King Theodore followed his gaze to where Princess Madeline sat.

  King Theodore and the crowd gasped as they, too, saw her empty seat.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Madeline sobbed. She had held back her tears as she slipped under her seat in the stands, climbing down the wooden posts without uttering a sound, but as soon as she was free from the fairgrounds, she could no longer hold her emotions back.

  Her blue gown whipped against her body as her feet flew over the ground, moving as quickly as her heart pounded. The tears flowed freely, blurring the grand façade of the castle in front of her into an obscure mess.

  Her soft sobs echoed through the deserted halls as she ran to the safety of her room. Flinging her door open, she threw herself on the bed, hiding her face in one of her pillows. She cried until no more tears remained, leaving red streaks around her eyes and down her cheeks.

  “This isn’t going according to plan,” she muttered, knowing she couldn’t avoid the fallout from her actions. The full extent of her disobedience came crashing down on her. In front of her kingdom, she openly defied the king. This wasn’t like changing dresses and skipping out on the end of the ball. Her father was embarrassed by that. He would be outraged at this.

  She didn’t want to think about husbands, or knights, or being a queen. She wanted to feel the wind blow through her hair as she galloped the countryside for fun or watched the sunrise over the Blue Mountains.

  “I can’t do this anymore!” she yelled, throwing her pillow against the wall.

  In a moment, she had decided. She ran around her room, grabbing the important items and stuffing them into a bag. A couple of her plainest, most practical dresses, her marble brush, leather shoes, a satchel, and a few trinkets to remind her of home. Her head jerked up at the pounding on her door.

  “Hold on, I’m coming,” she yelled, hiding the bag under her covers. She looked around. The room had disappeared under a mess of thrown dresses and scattered jewelry. Smoothing her dress, she approached the door cautiously, preparing for the wrath of her father.

  “Oh, it’s only you,” she said, her forced smile melting off her face.

  Braden walked in behind her and stared at her in disbelief. “You should be glad it’s just me. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

  “I just left early, that’s all,” she said, looking at the ground and biting her lower lip.

  “You did more than that and you know it. Look at your room,” he said, moving a discarded dress with his foot. “You’re acting like a little kid about this.”

  “Braden, you just don’t understand. You never have. Our whole life, you’ve lived up to father’s expectations, followed his guidance and rules. I haven’t had anyone to guide me. I’m not prepared for these so-called responsibilities. I can’t do it.”

  “What are you talking about? Father has guided you as well.”

  She looked at her brother sadly. “If you call sending me to this room whenever something exciting, dangerous, or new is about to happen, then he guided me well.”

  “Madeline,” he said, grabbing her hands. “You’re making this a bigger deal than it is. You should be grateful. He’s dropping a kingdom in your lap. I’ll have to wait at least twenty more years until I will rule here. I’ve been careful, dutiful, and respectful. Maybe if I displayed half the disobedience you do, I would get more.”

  She pulled away at his laugh and turned around. He lectured at her, but all she heard was a hum of duty, loyalty, and responsibility. She rolled her eyes and stared at the patterns on the floor. No one was asking her what she wanted. At one more mention of duty, Madeline broke down. Tears trickled down her cheeks.

  Braden stopped mid-sentence and dropped to her side. He lifted her chin and looked in her eyes. “I didn’t mean to upset you. You know I care about you and want the best for you.”

  Madeline shook off his hand and tried to stop her quivering chin. “I can’t do this,” she trembled. “I can’t live my life this way, having no choices, no options. That isn’t a life.” She wiped her tears off her face and slumped back on the bed.

  Braden looked at her. “I know. It’s tough having our futures laid out for us. But some things are easier when you go along with them. Not everything has to be a battle.” He sat down next to her and tossed the scattered pillows behind him. “Did you forget how to clean your room?” he laughed, straightening the bed beside him.

  “Braden, no!” she started to say, but it was too late.

  “What is this?” he asked, holding her leather bag in one hand.

  “Nothing,” she said, biting her lower lip and looking down at her toes.

  “Nothing?” he demanded.

  Madeline’s chin trembled beneath his gaze. In moments of anger, he looked like their father. “I’m leaving,” she blurted, grabbing the bag from him. “It’s the only way.”

  Braden’s gaze darkened. “Leaving? Oh no, you’re not.” He slammed the door behind him as he ran out the door.

  Madeline jumped up, knowing her time was short. He was going to the king.

  “It’s now or never.” She grabbed her bag and ran out the other door on the opposite side of her chamber.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The sun began to set and hints of pink and orange appeared in the sky. As the tournament ended, people trickled back into the castle leaving the halls mostly deserted. A soft thumping reverberated through the air, announcing the start of an impromptu celebration in the square. That would give her even more seclusion as she skulked through the halls.

  The dim light, silence, and cold air settled heavily as she closed the door behind her. Her nose was cold, her feet felt heavy, and she could see her breath when she wasn’t holding it.

  As she hastened down the halls, she thought back to the tournament. It seemed so distant now. Each step she took away from her room seemed like an extra year added to her life.

  Madeline ran down the service routes in the opposite direction of the royal chambers. She didn’t have much time for escape, but she knew which halls to take. Years of hide-and-seek and spying games with her brother and Sophia had taught her the secret paths around the castle. She glided through the halls, looking around frantically to make sure no one was watching or following her. Her hair whipped her face with every turn, and her heart pounded in her ears. Luck was on her side; the castle was quieter than usual.

  Feeling lightheaded, she let out a deep breath and rested her hands on the wooden beams of the back door. The cold iron on the handles felt good and solid beneath her fingers. She had never done anything like running away before.

  She cursed herself silently for not thinking this far ahead and held her breath as footsteps approached from behind. Pound, pound, pound. Either the person was speeding up or her heart was beating way too fast. The sounds were too close to tell.

  Madel
ine pushed the doors open. A rush of cold wind hit her. She made it to the closest tree and sat on the opposite side, feeling the rough bark scratch through her dress. She glanced back at the towering gray castle covered with red banners, waiting for someone to follow. No one did. She turned back and saw the rest of the kingdom stretch out before her. Relief rolled over her.

  She saw everything with new eyes. The castle behind her lost its luster, the greens in the fields brightened, and the sky radiated a new beauty. Everything outside seemed so alive to her. Baying dogs, chirping crickets, even the rustling of the leaves were new.

  Her breath caught in her chest, tightening her whole body. The silence broke under the rowdy yells of the knights. Leaving the tournament grounds, they passed right by her on their way back to the castle. Though she feared she’d be caught, their warm laughs made her smile.

  In the center of the group walked Daniel. She watched him, eager to see more of the man who had worked so hard to become her champion.

  He walked at ease with the older men. His helmet and shield swung from one hand, while the other cradled his prized statue. He was still in his armor, and his face sagged from the long day. As she watched his hair drop over an eye, she fought the urge to move it for him. They wound around the path, disappearing on their way to the castle gates.

  One thing was for sure, she thought, closing off her feelings as the men passed. If she stayed behind the tree much longer, she would be found.

  Now she just needed to decide where to go. Spinning around, she positioned herself so she faced north. Thinking back to her geography lessons, she thought out her options.

  Dragon lairs plagued the northern territories near Dragon’s Gate and the southern bay. Everyone said they were long since abandoned, but she decided not to go in those directions. The exiled lands were to the east, and she wasn’t ready to consider herself banished forever, so that only left one option. She would go west, through the forest.