Etienne was not pleased at Joe's insistance that he needed to see the Queen this night. The bandit was suffering the effects of a fight he'd lost. His bruises ached and he wanted to sit with his feet on the table and a mug of beer in his fist. But he wouldn't let us go without him. Two of his men came with us. We hitched up the tired horses and climbed into the cart. I sat in the back with Joe where we could keep an eye on the three of them. They naturally also kept an eye on us. No one trusted anyone. I was surprised to see that we were headed back into town and more surprised to see that we pulled up to the ruins of the castle. "We were here before," said Joe. "And there's nothing and no one living in these ruins." "Not living, no," was Etienne's comment. "I think that you must not have seen the sarcophagus." Joe was silent. I did not even hear him breathe. Finally, he said, "Show it to me." "I will point out the path to it. There, along that wall. Follow it to the end. You will find the sarcophagus and you will also find the Queen. She comes every night. We will wait for you here behind these walls. I know that you will not change your mind about staying with me because anywhere else is not safe for you. And to go with the Queen would put her at risk. Don't stay too long. We none of us want to be seen here in town." Joe jumped down from the cart and ran. I had trouble keeping up with him. He only stopped, hesitating for a moment, when he saw a light ahead. "Candles," I whispered. I don't know if he heard me. He walked slowly, came around a corner of the broken stone wall, and stopped again when he saw the two women standing over a long stone coffin resting deep in a hollow up against the black foundations of the castle. They were cloaked in black. There faces were hidden in their hoods as they wiped at their eyes and spoke softly to each other. Then one sensed our presence and raised her head and looked in our direction. I could not see her clearly in the shadow of her hood, but Joe did. "Mother," he said, and ran forward into her arms.
I already have the pictures. I'll post them when I get home from work. I should have put all that stuff about pictures over here instead of in SBW's thread. (Just noticed misspelling in the last story post. *smacks face with bare hand*)
Thank you, Michelle. I know that getting published is hard work. I've talked to SBW about it. Writing here for this audience is far more fun than work. Maybe someday I will try to get Pharaoh Farrow published. In the meantime, three pictures of Joe meeting his mother and sister...
They lowered arms and examined each other as if looking for injury. The Queen smoothed his hair and straightened his jacket like any mother with her boy, like mine with me a long time ago. You should not have come back, Konstantin, she said. I want you to leave and quickly. Konstantin? I thought. Oh, of course. It was his real name, or at least one of them, and only his mother would care to use such a mouthful. Im staying with friends. Ill be safe. How is Dominic? How are you and Yvette? We do well she started but was interrupted by the other woman. The other one was younger, her voice stronger, even when whispered, as she did now, We do NOT do well. We have had to sell everything, even our clothes and jewelry. We do not have enough to eat, only what one loyal servant buys for us. You must tell Dominic that we need money. No, said the Queen. We do not need money! Stay away from Dominic and from Hagen. Promise me, Konstantin. Promise me, your mother, that you will not go to either one of them. Joe took her hand between his and said gently, Tell me about the King. What was his project in the labs? Do you know? Did he discuss it with you? I do not know about any project. When we left he told me only that he had a great amount of paperwork to take care of with regard to work on a canal and that is why he could not come with us. Oh, help me understand why this happened, Konstantin. I miss him. She began to weep, her face in her hands and Joe put his arms around her again. The young woman said, We must get past this. Its been two yearsmore than two, almost three years now. We live in a hovel. I have to boil water to take a bath. Dominic has set himself up well in Vassily and we should be there with him where there are good beds and warm clothes. And servants. The Queen and her daughter should not have to cook their own meals. Thats enough! Joe snapped suddenly. You add to your mothers grief. What do you know, Yvette, about a man named Etienne. Nothing, she said, but I did not believe her and neither did Joe. There was something in her tone. Joe said, He knew the Queen comes here every night and believes that he will be paid for delivering me to you. Why would he believe that, Yvette?" Both the Queen and Joe stared at Yvette, waiting for her answer. She raised her chin, defiant. I confess I do know him. He has even paid court to me, this highwayman, and brought us things she glared at her mother, food and bedding. You were warm last night, werent you, Mother? Where did you think the quilt on the bed came from? My poor child, said the Queen and lowered her head. Think whatever you please, said Yvette, standing straighter and stiff in her cloak, but remember that we are desperate and hungry. And I will take care of Etienne. Tell him that, my sweet brother, she said bitterly. I motioned to Joe that we should leave. He didnt want to go but even he could see that the sky in the east was growing lighter. He kissed his mother goodbye and we hurried away.
Those capes are awesome; so, is the coffin. Yvette and Etienne??? Twisted, twisted . . . I like, I like!
I'm so sad that Iven is dead! I refuse to believe it. I think he went through a mirror, or something ... at least I hope he did. Such great characters. I can't wait to get to know them better.
We got back to the cart and Joe went right for Etienne, shoving him hard. Etienne staggered but didn't fall. He raised his fists and they eyed each other, breathing hard, noses almost touching. Then Etienne's hands opened and he slowly lowered them to his side. He said, "They're still alive because I protect them." Joe's eyes got small and he shoved Etienne again, this time to the ground. I turned to the other two men who had moved closer to Joe. They backed away. Joe said to the man on the ground, "The price is too high. If you touch Yvette again, if you touch either of them, if anything happens to them, you're a dead man. I'll kill you myself." Etienne got to his feet but stayed back a few paces. "What did she tell you? Sounds like you got it backwards. Your sister came to me, not the other way around." He brushed dust from his clothes, boldly ignoring the angry man in front of him. He shrugged his shoulders, straightened his jacket and smiled. "The sun's almost up. We have to get back to the swamp. Are you coming? Or are you going to risk getting caught by the Duke's men. There's a few of them at the inn down the road. Saw them only a few minutes ago." I am going to tell you here what I will never tell Joe. I was starting to like this scoundrel. I didn't know his reasons, but he had kept the Queen's secret. They seemed to be safe. I looked into the eyes of the other two men and I saw wolves. If anything happened to Etienne then the Queen and Joe's sister would not be safe, not from anyone. I touched Joe's arm and nodded toward the rising sun. "We can finish this later," I said. He jerked at my touch and glared at me. I've seen men as angry as Joe was then and I know that they are blind to logic. They may see friends as enemies. Better to close your mouth and be silent until a later hour. I had decided that beating down Etienne in front of his men was not a wise move and I knew that when his temper cooled Joe would agree with me. Etienne's eyes shifted between me and Joe. He, too, knew when to shut up. Joe nodded. "Hector's right," he said. "Let's go."
Talk about characters that come to life. I kind of like Etienne too ... your characters are always so complex and interesting. And, you really seem to understand the male mind. I love the showdown. Very well done.
Thank you. I'm blushing. Your guys do some real serious showdowns, too. Spike, for instance. And Porter. To mention only two. It can get pretty rough over there in Porta de Luca. As with Julia and Jack's adventure that ended on a roof in the rain! Yipes! I have to go build another castle now. Vassily (goofy name--sounds like a burn ointment--oh, well) for Dominic to live in. I'm not going to go crazy with castle building this time because I want to get back to the story as soon as possible. And how do I portray two armies meeting for a battle? Don't know if I can do that, being limited to 8 sims on a lot. *scratches head. wanders off absently talking to self*
The men we had left behind at the hideout piled the table with biscuits and cheese on our return and we ate well. Not Joe. He crumbled most of the biscuit in his fingers, looking at it but not seeing it. Finally, he stood up. "Etienne," he said. "I have a plan to discuss with you. Take a walk with me." Etienne leaned back in his chair, squinting at Joe. "We can talk right here." "I want to go over the details with you before we lay it out for the men." Joe paused, "I need your advice." I stood up and Joe looked at me. "Stay here with the others," he said. I was annoyed but I assumed he wanted me to stand guard over them, keep them from following. Joe had said the right thing to Etienne. I saw the beginning of a smile on the bandit's lips which he quickly pushed down into a frown. But he stood up, winked at his men and followed Joe outside, moving slowly, not someone to be ordered around by anyone, not even a prince. Obviously, it was his own choice to go outside and give advice to someone who had asked for it. Clever Joe, I thought. They were gone almost an hour and when they returned Etienne was all business. "You three," he said. "Bring your packs and come with me. We're going to see the King." He laughed out loud, rubbing his hands together. "This is good. I like this. A thief in the court of the King. Quickly, men. It's a long ride from here with those old horses." I was relieved to see that Joe was not going with them. I remembered what the Queen had said about staying away from Dominic and I would have stopped him, whatever his orders to me. Later I realized that Joe knew that. He knows me well. We waited all day for Etienne to return. Joe didn't eat. He didn't read. When one of the men went out to chop wood for the stove Joe took the axe from him and chopped the wood himself, awkwardly at first because he is not practiced in that kind of labor. No one went near him or tried to instruct him in the correct way to chop wood. That axe was swinging too high and too hard in his hands. I feared for his legs but in spite of the force of his blows to those logs he is a methodical man and his aim was careful. The bandits soon had a pile of wood that would last them for quite some time. I could see a new regard for their Prince growing in their eyes. Good, I thought, for I suspected that Joe was the king they needed and not Dominic. At the time I may have been judging Dominic without having the right to such an opinion but all I had to do was look around at the land he fought to rule. It was poisoned and in chaos. Those are the facts of the matter.
Joe had tired with the axe at last. He swung it hard once more, buried its blade in a log, then walked away rubbing his aching arms. I joined him on the path and we went a short ways into the swamp. “Hector,” he said. “It will be dark soon. Harness up the last two horses to the cart and take it to the ruins. Wait for the Queen to come and tell her that I believe her secret has been revealed, or will be before the sun sets tomorrow. Dominic will find out where she is and come looking for her and Yvette.” “How would he know? Etienne?” “Maybe. I’m sure Etienne wouldn’t volunteer the information…but…I don’t know what Dominic will do. I can’t predict. Go meet the Queen. Take them to a safe place.” I almost laughed. “And where would that be? Here?” “No!” He looked around at the swamp then toward the distant mountains. “Up there. To the mountains. Follow the road out of Royden that climbs into the mountains. There are cabins up there, hunting lodges, abandoned farms. Find one for them, and stay with them for as long as you can. Make sure it is well hidden and that your tracks are wiped away. Get them food, clothes, anything they need. Steal it, if necessary.“ He smiled at that. “Don’t let anyone follow you and don’t tell anyone what you know.” “We should take care of them together, Joe. Come with me.” “I have to stay here and wait for Etienne‘s return. Now go. Their lives depend on it. And so does mine.” I didn‘t move. I said, “Are you going to meet with Dominic?” “Not without you, Sir Hector.” He waved in the direction of the cart. “Go!”
I do not much care for horses and they know that. But my need to get to Royden was far greater than their need to doze with their noses in the hay so in the end, despite their attempts to escape my hands, they were buckled into harness. I jumped up into the cart and snapped the short whip over their backsides. It is possible those two old nags had it in mind to shake me loose from the cart because they jumped forward, throwing me hard against the seat. They raced down the road as fast as the lumpy wheels would allow. Soon, however, I think all three of us had forgotten our differences and were enjoying the wind in our faces. The Queen and Yvette showed up at the sarcophagus only a few minutes after I did. When they saw me Yvette started to turn away and leave but her mother stopped her and then faced me with her chin forward. Explain why you are here, she said. Your Highness, I said and bowed. Your son, PrinceahKonstantin has sent me. I was with him last night when he met you here. I remember you. I explained what Joe had said, that their hiding place was almost discovered and that they should leave with me. Yvette protested. The Queens eyes grew wide and she told her daughter to be quiet. What is the Prince doing? she demanded. Hes going to see his brother, isnt he. You must stop him. Dominic does not trust anyone. I will, as soon as you and the Princess are safe. Lets get whatever you need to take with you and go quickly. I thought that two women who had sold their clothes and jewelry for food would not have much to bring with them. I was mistaken. It was late into the night by the time we had emptied their two-room hut on the hill above the ruins. There were now several heavy trunks piled on the cart. We added our own weight and I called out to the horses to wake up and get moving. They leaned into the harness and began the long trek into the mountains.
It was midmorning and the third empty farmhouse before the Queen and Princess would agree to stop looking and accept the new quarters. I unloaded the cart and carried the trunks to the room upstairs. Then I chopped wood and got a fire started in the old stove. While they swept up the cobwebs and dead leaves and made the beds I took the cart and scouted for other cottages and farms, looking for other people, and found no one. The mountain was a lonely place. When I returned, Yvette met me outside and asked about Etienne. I could see that she was anxious but I did not at first understand why. She and her mother were now safe from everyone, even Etienne. Did Konstantin say anything to Etienne about me? Yes. Your brother told Etienne to stay away from you and the Queen or hed kill him. What did Etienne say? Nothing. He laughed. Yvettes face twisted. Her hands closed into fists. But he said He said he loved you. Yes, she nodded and turned away. I watched her sad, hooded figure walk through the weedy garden toward a stand of small trees. I thought about how Etienne had kept their hiding place a secret even though her brother Dominic or the Duke would have paid a great deal. I would not tell her that. Shes a member of the royal family. Hes a brigand. They have no chance of happiness together. Yvette recovered her composure enough to eat porridge with me and the Queen who thanked me graciously for all my efforts on their behalf and urged me to protect Konstantin. I finally took my leave of them.
Although the mountain appeared entirely abandoned I took the precaution of binding a large tree branch to the back of the cart, tilted to drag on the road, and it did a reasonably good job of smearing the carts trail. To be certain, I also stopped on occasion to throw other dead wood onto the road, as if it had dropped from the nearby trees or been tossed there by a strong wind. Because of these efforts to hide my trail it took me all night and the next day to get back to the swamp. The sun was setting again when I pulled the cart up to the bandits den and untied the horses. I went inside and found Etienne and his men at the table, scooping stew into their faces with big chunks of bread. Joe was no where to be seen. Wheres Joe? I demanded of Etienne. Dominics got him. Stand away from me if you want to hear what happened. Etienne and all his men had risen to their feet, still chewing on their bread as they faced me. Tell me, and make it fast. According to Etienne, Dominic had demanded to see Joe immediately. At first he had insisted on seeing Joe at Vassily but Joe, of course, had instructed Etienne that he would not meet Dominic in that fortress. So instead the place was an empty field halfway between Vassily and the town of Royden. Dominic had brought soldiers with him. Joe had come with Etienne and two of his men, but did not reveal his presence until after Etiennes men had carried off the chest of gold--Dominics reward for Joes head. Then, with Etienne remaining as hostage, Joe had appeared and had wasted many words and much effort trying to persuade his brother that yes, Dominic would be King, and that his throne would be more secure when the war stopped. And he, Joe, wanted to help end the war. Dominic seemed to listen but then rose to his feet, accused Joe of returning to betray him and called his soldiers to arrest the traitor. Etienne had sensed the danger soon enough to run off. He barely escaped. Looking back he saw Dominics men surround Joe. Right now, Etienne said grimly, theres a corpse without a head freshly buried in the Vassily courtyard.
