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Diary of an Heroic Prince part 5
Being the 1st Day of the
Blossom Time
Flowers are beginning to bloom on the
miserable scraggly black trees. How is it possible for any beauty to
appear near so horrible a place. Everything still seems so bleak.
Brother Yaron took Bluebeard's servants and friends to the village
prison. They will remain there until someone comes to take them away
to River City. They have to face heavy charges. Mistress Giselle,
brother Xander and I put together makeshift coffins for the remains
of Bluebeard's wives. Poor Cassandra sits all pale and broken. The
spark has gone out of her and she droops dejectedly. I pity her.
Mistress Giselle's sister Alia was Bluebeard's twelfth wife. He had
not told her family that the poor woman was dead.
“The monster asked me first.”
Giselle admitted, “My dearest Alia would be alive today if I had
said yes.”
“How can you regret your decision?”
brother Xander protested, “That man would have murdered you!”
“But Alia would be alive.” Giselle
whispered, “I am doomed to never find a good man. But what do I
care? They are all criminal anyway.”
“Yaron could marry you.” brother
Xander suggested, “He is a very good man.” I did not like what he
was saying and told him to be quiet. Giselle smiled.
“Yaron is such a boy.” she said
with a laugh. I am certain why I felt so relieved.
“Oh good!” brother Xander said,
“That means you would not have me either.” he flashed a grin.
“Now that this conversation is ended,
lets dig holes-” I got no further.
“Would you marry Zeno?” brother
Xander interrupted. I felt my face burning. If only the ground would
remove me from their sight. Giselle twisted her veil.
“I believe I could have been happy
with your brother.” she said softly and avoiding my gaze. My heart
lurched wildly, could it be possible? “But I cannot be.” Giselle
continued. I remained perfectly still. “Your brother is an heroic
man. If I were to marry him I would live in misery. I have been
promised to another. I am weak and cowardly. But now I will go back
and act like a true lady. I came here for more reasons then to find
my sister. Your brother taught me that it is the small things that
make real heroes.”
“Oh.” brother Xander said flatly.
“If he were to treat you as Bluebeard
did to Alia, Cassandra and the others I will kill him for you.” I
offered stiffly. I wanted to kill him, whoever he was anyway. Giselle
laughed bitterly.
“He would be to proud to treat me
ill.” she said, “But I hate him.” She got up and walked stiffly
back to the castle. I snatched up a pickax and attacked the ground
with vengeance. My heart cursed the pompous man who claimed Giselle.
Then I laughed wildly. I had forgotten my own engagement. I could not
have married her anyway.
“Zeno?” brother Xander cried, “Are
you ill.”
“No.” I said bitterly, “But I am
also engaged to someone I do not care for. Ironic, if you ask me.”
“You ought not to have done that.”
brother Xander said soberly, “You of all people deserve a happy
life.”
“For the kingdom I had too.” I said
angrily. For the first time in my life, I felt overwhelmed by the
unfairness of everything. I had spent twenty years serving my country
and king. Never once had I asked for something for myself. Now that I
finally wanted something, I could not have it.
Being the 2nd Day of the
Blossom Time
Giselle is gone. We did not realize she
was gone until midday. Cassandra admitted that she left in the night.
It took me great control not to shake her. I will write no more on
the subject. We laid the bodies out in their coffins. Sister Anne
covered them in what fine cloth she could find. Then we buried the
coffins. Tomorrow we leave this place of horror. Yaron would be home
by now with our sad story.
Being the 2nd Day of the
Planting Season
I have not written in a full month.
There has been much going on between Glittering Cities and the
Dividers of Kildimere. I am to be married on the first day of the
Green Season. A day less then a month. I have put aside all thoughts
of Giselle and thrown myself whole heartedly into court duty. I am
determined to learn how to sail a ship. Even with a royal wedding to
seal the truce, I do not trust the Dividers to sail our ships for us.
With every sail I take my stomach becomes more accustomed to the
terrible pitching and rolling. But I would still prefer to seat
myself upon a horse.
Sister Cassandra never smiles. She has
grown thin and pale. She barely eats and hardly sleeps. Not even our
father, the king, could scold her into coming to her senses. He has
washed hands of her. I told Rupert that Sister Anne and Madra both
thought she would get better if she staid in the country near the
Divide, but away from Kildimere.
“Maybe she could do some work to
occupy her mind, and push away her dark memories.” I added. I did
not care how noble a person's blood was. They were never above common
work in my opinion. Rupert listened silently then nodded.
“But she cannot go alone.” he said.
“Of course not.” I said
impatiently, “In her current condition she will certainly walk into
the divide and never come back!”
“Give me your sister as my wife.”
Rupert argued, “I knew her since she came here and even before. I
can give her the care she needs.”
“But you don't deserve her.” I
gasped in horror, “You cannot tie yourself to a mad woman.”
“I can and I will.” Rupert
objected.
“I have no objection.” I said
slowly. Actually I did. Cassandra had proved herself weak and
foolish. Rupert was better then her.
Being the 3rd Day of the
Planting Season
Father and Madra had no objection to
Rupert marry Cassandra and removing her from court. They will be
married quietly in a fortnight. Beatrice is very bitter. Cassandra
will have been married twice before her. But even she has voiced no
objection. I think my family is ashamed of Cassandra and want her
gone. I believe our father, the king, has even placed her below
Fiona. But he still does not seem to notice that Fiona is still at
court.
Being the 17th Day of the
Planting Season
Cassie married Rupert and now they are
gone. Rupert was honorably discharged from the army. I gave him a cow
and some chickens. Cassandra made no objection to anything, but she
would not eat during the wedding feast. We did not hold a seven night
feast. I am glad. That would mean two seven night wedding feasts this
month. I could not have stood it. Especially since one is my own.
Being the 23rd Day of the
Planting Season
Tomorrow starts the seven night feast
for my own wedding. My father, the king, bade me ride down to the
Divide and see if it would be fit to invite Cassandra and Rupert. I
intend to invite then whether they are fit to come or not. I was
eager to go, as I did not want to be there to greet Princess
Giselladona. I would wait to see her when we started feasting.
Cassandra, her wild curls blowing
free, was kneeling barefoot in a garden pulling weeds. Her face was
browned and she was no longer thin. Rupert was on the ridge pole of
the cottage trying to grab a rooster who was perched on the chimney.
He was also barefoot. Rupert saw me first. He waved wildly and slid
off the roof.
“Zeno?” he shouted, “What brings
you here?” He picked himself up and rushed up to greet me. I
dismounted and clasped hands with him.
“I am getting married in a week's
time.” I said dryly.
“You?” Cassandra gasped.
“You look well, sister.” I said as
I turned to greet her. I realized that no one had ever told her about
my marriage. I had just assumed she knew. I supposed Rupert had
thought the same.
“We will be there.” Rupert said
cheerfully.
“Must I?” Cassandra whimpered.
“Yes you must!” Rupert said firmly,
“No more feeling sorry for yourself. If Zeno can make a sacrifice
for the country, so can you.”
“Yes Rupert.” Cassandra said
meekly. I felt embarrassed. I doubted Cassandra would ever be the
same again. But Rupert had obviously been good for her.
Being the 23rd Day of the
Planting Season
I dreaded the moment when the feast
would begin. I knew I could not avoid Princess Giselladona any
longer. I arrived at the feast hall early and sat for about an hour
in secret terror. Every time the door opened I jumped slightly. I was
ready to write this day down as the worst I ever experienced. Then
she arrived. She was
draped in red veils, when she entered the feast hall. Her handmaids
and guards surrounded her. I could not see her face. I was glad. I
will not deny that I had no wish to see it. The lady stopped, then
leaving her courtiers behind, she marched up to me. It was the most
out of place thing I had ever seen at a seven nights feast. Unless
you count the peacock from Cassandra's feast.
“You?” she said. It was Giselle. I
felt like a fool. I should have realized Giselle was short for
Giselladona.
“Why did you never tell me that you
were a prince?” she yelled. Now everyone was staring at us. I never
told anyone I was a prince. I always assumed people knew. I stood up
and went to her.
“I supposed you knew.” I said
completely oblivious to everyone else, “But if you would still have
me, I would be honored.
“How do you refuse a man who saved
their life?” Giselle said softly, then she took my hands in hers. I
drew her close and kissed her. I had my reward after all.
The End
The Great.
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