Chapter 12 - I see you...

Chapter 12 – I see you…

“Tell me what you see, sister!” Oswald yelled. Frieda sat stone-faced. There was a time when she had feared her brother, but she had learned that he needed her, and that there was no way he could rule without her.

“What do you want to know, brother.” She droned. There was no love there, only a need to survive. She was the daughter of the king, but had no real rights. The only thing keeping her safe was Oswald, and the only thing Oswald wanted from her was her gift.

“I want to know where Katharine is now. My men tell me she is in Charland, preparing to marry Dane, but you said that they would not be wed this week, you said that they did not want to wed! Now tell me, sister, what do you see?” He pounded his fist on the table, his face a bright red. Frieda gazed into the pool of water and concentrated. She could see faces, and suddenly she was lost in a swirl of liquid light, as if she were underwater looking up at the world. She concentrated harder, and the world became clear again.

“I see Katharine and Dane, together, but… They don’t know each other. They are on horseback, on a picnic? Alone. It is the countryside…” She trailed off. She looked around, but did not recognize the land. She had never seen it before. “There is a small village in the distance. It does not look familiar. They are laughing… “ She stopped. They looked like they were in love. Katharine touched Dane’s arm, like her mother used to touch the King. Frieda wanted someone to look at her the way that Dane looked at Katharine. Frieda did not want her brother to know that they were in love. He would hold off his plan if he thought that they were not going to be wed.

“Inconceivable!” Oswald hollered. “If they are not at Charland Castle than who is? And where are they?” His hollered and stomping about broke her concentration, and she was thrust back through the swirling liquid into her own sad reality. She blinked at the dimness of the room. “Where would a prince and a princess go to hide?” He asked no one. His eyebrows, once furrowed, now raised, and he looked almost excited. “Perhaps… Yes! That has to be it!” He dropped a bag on the table and left the room, without another word.

She wondered how much he had left her this time. She spilled the contents of the bag onto the table. She sighed. The gold and silver coins were scarcely more than what her cook made in a moon, but hardly enough for what she was planning. She needed to get away from Oswald, to somewhere safe. If he kept giving her a mere pittance, than she would never be able to save enough… She wondered if he knew she was planning to run away, to meet the handsome man in her visions. The one who helped King Edward. He was a strong beautiful man, with such kindness in his eyes…

Katharine and Dane - Chapter 10– Katharine meets Dane

“Lady Anne!” Dane enthused, “You look lovelier than ever!” Anne hugged the young Prince. She had always adored the boy. She was sad to hear that he did not want to marry Katharine.

He looked around. Not much had changed since the last time that he had visited. The only thing that was really different this time was that there was not as much pomp and circumstance at his arrival. Not being the prince for a week or so could be fun.

“Duke! It is so nice to see you.” Lady Anne winked at him. “Please let me show you to your rooms!” She led him and his few servants to the rooms that had been prepared for them.

“Now,” She said, “Elizabeth will be here soon, and I really want you to meet her. She would be a good catch for a man like you. She’s sweet, kind, a little sheltered, though. Rarely gets out of the castle, but that’s to be expected y’know.” She smiled, “I think you will really like her.”

He wondered if this sweet, sheltered handmaiden was pretty…not that he was all that interested. After all this week he was Duke! Duke didn’t hang around just one woman, he wasn’t tied down. He was free! He could have any woman he wanted, and some that he didn’t want too… Yes, he would really enjoy this week.

He looked around and saw that the servants had already finished unpacking his things. He wondered if there was time to clean up before he met this Elizabeth.

He heard the announcement that someone had arrived, and ventured toward the main entryway. It was some old noble man from Moscovia, no one of great interest. He wandered out the back and into the garden, toward the stable, he loved to ride horses.

“I wonder if Elizabeth likes horses…” He asked aloud to no one in particular. “Well, I guess I’ll find out.” He decided. Then he wandered back inside, past the library, and the small reception area. He was surprised at the lack of young women about. He had remembered Anne’s retreat always having a number of young ladies, usually the daughters of nobility.

“Duke!” He heard one of his servants bellow. “Lady Anne has requested your presence at the Main Entrance.” He quickened his pace.

“Thank you George” Dane patted the man on the back. Good old George, he was a loyal servant, always willing to do a little extra.

“Duke, there you are. You just wandered off…” Anne shook her head at him. He smiled. “Elizabeth is arriving… Straighten your shirt.” He did as he was told. He looked down at his pants to make sure that there was no visible dirt, and as he looked up, she entered.

She was not at all what he had expected. This was a handmaiden? She was slim, pale, with long brown hair. She wore a blue riding gown, that brought out her sparkling blue eyes. Her skin was so milky, and looked quite soft, belying pampering – not hard work. She smiled at Anne, and he melted a little. Her voice was like a songbird…her voice…Oh! She was talking! Had she said something to him? No, he blinked, almost back to reality, she was embracing Anne, and the two women were chatting.

“Duke of Cardborough,” Anne said, holding Katharine’s hand, “This is Elizabeth, handmaiden to the Princess of Moscovia.” Katharine curtsied, and Dane bowed.

“I am quite pleased to meet you.” Dane said taking her hand. He gently kissed the back of her hand, and Katharine felt electricity run up her spine.

“And I you, m’Lord” She said, almost breathless. This Duke was young, and very handsome. His build was muscular, but not bulky. His hair was dark, and thick. He was dressed well. His eyes were so dark they were almost black. She felt she would get lost in them if he held her gaze much longer.

“Come Elizabeth.” Lady Anne interjected. “We need to get you to your rooms. You will need to get ready for dinner.” Yes, rooms, dinner, of course. Katharine collected herself.

“Thank you.” She desperately wanted to get away from this man before she forgot everything she had been taught about propriety. His very presence unnerved her so, that she just wanted to run and hide. His smell was still with her as they reached her rooms. Anne hugged her niece again, and left her with the servants. She had a few words for Dane.

“Young man!” She hissed at him. “How could you look at that young woman that way? Can I trust you with her this week?” She was not as sure as her sister was that this man should be left alone with Katharine. Prince or no, Anne had seen the look in his eyes, and she knew what men could be capable of.

“I am no monster madam!” Dane was hurt, and a little shocked that he was so transparent. He had been thinking of terribly inappropriate things. “She will be perfectly safe with me.” Anne looked at him. If it had been the real Duke standing there, she would have put an end to the nonsense then and there, but Dane was not the rogue his best friend was, no matter what the rumors said. She sighed.

“She is completely innocent, and I expect that she will leave the same way!” Anne stated. “See to it.” She said, leaving in a huff.

Perhaps being Duke was not so great…Especially when he was not in his own kingdom. He really wanted to see Elizabeth again. He wondered what she had thought of him.

Katharine and Dane - Chapter 4 – Dane and King

Chapter 4 – Dane and King

“You want I should tell Douglas and Rebecca that instead of you marrying their one and only child, that your sleazy, self absorbed best friend will the be the lucky man… Right.” Edward said. “and what says the Duke of all this?” Dane grinned.

“He said wonderful things, wonderful things.” Dane answered, happy to no have to lie.

“Alright then. Send me the Duke. I’ll chat with him on the subject. You are not out of all this yet m’boy. And I hold you responsible for any wrongs that come from this.” Edward warned.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Christine murmured. As her son exited the room.

“Don’t worry my dear, don’t worry.” Edward whispered into his dear wife’s ear. He was grateful for the beautiful woman he had married. She was such a blessing, like Katharine would be for Dane. “This calls for drastic measures. If only our fathers were still around. They tricked you into marrying me…” He said, kissing her nose.

“And I have never forgiven him for it,” Christine teased. Edward laughed.

Katharine and Dane - Chapter 3 - Dane and the Duke

“Look, Dane, I don’t know what you want to hear, but I say marry the shrew.” Duke paused to check out the barmaid. “She’s beautiful, she’s virginal, and she’s a princess. You get the added bonus of uniting two kingdoms. More troops, more land, more money, more power. Where do you lose?” Dane knew that there would be no getting Duke to be on his side. Unless…

“Then you marry her.” Duke almost choked on his beer. “You’ll get to be King, and a hero. Everyone wins.” Dane knew that he had Duke, if he denied the idea, then he would have to take back what he said.

“But you are promised to her, not me. There is no way her parents would agree to this – I have a reputation.” Well earned Dane surmised, as Duke winked at a pretty lass. It may be harder than he thought.

“We shall see.” Dane said, standing. “I’ll talk to my father.”

And so he did.