Back at the Castle
Drafty thing.
Estra Jasini came rushing up to the gate. “She came in ahead of me, didn’t she?” she called out to the guards.
“Quite some time ago, your grace,” the guard answered. “The princess was quite upset because you ‘stopped to look at some old buildings.’”
Jasini laughed. “The youth have no appreciation for age,” she said.
The guard, her senior by at least twenty years, looked at her curiously, but only said, “Yes, miss.”
“I can remember when those ‘old buildings’ were full of people, laughing and singing,” she said, reflectively.
“And crying and weeping,” said the elder guard. “The olden days are never as good as we remember them.”
“Do you suppose that these will one day be remembered as good days?”
“I’ve no doubt of it, your grace. I remember, but this was long before your time, Estra, when times were nearly as bad as now, though not for as long. Now when I see it, I remember mostly the good that occurred. The young princess and prince will no doubt think of this as the good times.”
“And Tharton, I suppose,” Estra Jasini said thoughtfully.
“Especially Tharton,” said the younger guard. “He’s being treated practically as a member of a royal family. What more can he hope for after this is all over?”
“He’ll turn out all right,” the older guard said. “He’s got substance to him. If he goes down in the time to come, he’ll be all right. If he goes up, he will still take it well.”
“Yes,” Jasini said absently. “He *will* be well, whatever happens to him, won’t he? I’d better hurry if I’m to dress before dinner.” She rushed across the inner courtyard to the stairs to her room.
The bemused guards closed the inner gates behind her.
On the stairs she met Princess Letara, already dressed and headed down to dinner.
"Late again, Estra?" Princess Letara said. "One would think you'd learn to leave your garden earlier after all these years, especially when you have the young princess in tow."
"I hope the Queen wasn't too upset with me," Jasini said demurely.
"Oh, of course not," Princess Letara said. "If it was me, she'd be jumping down my throat, but you can get away with nearly anything."
"The Queen knows how much more responsible you are than I am," Estra Jasini said, her sudden smile dimpling her cheek. "You so seldom do anything wrong, that on the few times you do, it surprises her into more words than she'd say otherwise."
The princess just huffed at that, not being able to tell whether Estra Jasini spoke in earnest or sarcastically, and turned to descend haughtily down the stairs.
Jasini watched her disappear around the bend in the spiral, then leaned against the wall, collapsing in silent laughter.
"Poor princess!" she thought. "So mistreated. Nobody likes her, everybody hates her. Even Princess Janomi has more sense." She added aloud. "At least she didn't try that old bit about the gardening ruining my hands. Though I've worn gloves this whole time." She glanced down at her shapely hands. "I do have a few callouses, but the garden is worth it."
Princess Janomi found Tharton and Prince Raxil in the paddock near the stables where they exercised the horses. Prince Raxil and Tharton were standing in about the center of this large circle. They had apparently been practicing their swordsmanship with wooden swords, but the swords had been cast aside, and they stood facing each other in a stance which suggested that if they weren’t already fighting, they would soon begin. The princess ran up to them, and caught both of their hands.
“You’ve been fighting again,” she said. “I’ve told you and I’ve told you and I’ve *told* you not to fight, but you never listen to me.”
Tharton looked down at her, his face calm, and slightly amused, unlike Prince Raxil’s flushed, angry, and slightly ashamed face.
“Hullo, princess-mine,” Tharton said. “We weren’t fighting. We just had a slight difference of opinion. Isn’t that right, your highness?”
“He cheated,” Prince Raxil said sullenly. “I don’t care what he says. He cheated, and he knows it.”
“I did *not* cheat,” Tharton explained in that quiet manner of one who has explained something several times, and will continue to explain it. “I just knew some moves that you did not. I’m older, you know, and have been studying longer. When you get to be my age, I’m sure you’ll be much better than I was.”
“I’ll never be your age,” the prince said. “You’ll always be older than I am.”
“Can’t help that, your highness,” Tharton said with a light laugh. “Comes with being born sooner. Had I been able to choose when I was born, I’ve no doubt that you’d be the elder.”
Prince Raxil threw him a sidelong glance, not knowing how to take the words. Then he lashed out, “Well, anyway, I’m a prince and you’re naught but a foundling. I shouldn’t even be seen with you, if the times were right.”
Tharton drew back. “You are indeed the prince,” he said, turning his face away, barely able to contain the fury in his voice. “You are a prince, and I am not even a commoner. What of it?” He took a couple of deep breaths, and turned back once he was able to smile again. “We could no more choose which to be than when to be born, could we?”
“Don’t call my Tharton a foundling!” Princess Janomi said. “He’s just Tharton. Don’t talk like Mama and Aunt Letara. He takes care of me!”
“Let’s forget about the argument, shall we?” Tharton said, flashing his easy smile. With an elaborate bow, he turned to the princess. “Her highness graces us with her presence. I am your humble servant. What do you wish from me?”
She laughed. “Look at me!” She said, twirling around so her skirts filled out. “Aren’t I beautiful?”
“Did you leave any flowers in the garden, Princess-mine?” he asked.
“Of course I did,” she declared, stamping her foot. “But that doesn’t answer my question.”
“Of course you are as lovely as ever,” Tharton said. “Even without the flowers you are always beautiful.”
The princess giggled.
“Oh, stop it,” Prince Raxil said. “She’s just a little girl. There’s no need to flatter her like she’s all grown up.”
“When she’s all grown up, there will be lots of other people to flatter her,” Tharton said. “So I ought to flatter her now when I’ve got the chance. Later on I won’t get the chance.”
Princess Letara called out, “There you are!” from a gate in the surrounding wall. “Don’t tell me none of you have changed. It’s dinner time. If you don’t hurry up and change, you’ll miss it. And that goes for you, too, Janomi,” she continued, coming over to the three of them. “Get all those old dried flowers out of your dress. And your *hair*! Child, whatever possed you to put flowers in your hair? It’s woven in. It’ll take hours to get it all out. Hurry up, children. We’re late as it is.”
Princess Janomi rolled her eyes at the two boys as she was unceremoniously dragged off by one arm.