The Silver Bowl (9 page)

Chapter 17

What Was Said in the Market Town

WE BEDDED DOWN
in the hayloft, as it was not seemly for common folk such as us to share sleeping space with a prince. It mattered not to me. I'd been awake for most of two days and a night and would gladly have lain down anywhere. And I believe I did sleep for an hour or two, enough to take the edge off my weariness.

Then I rose up with a start and looked around to see what had awakened me so suddenly. A noise, most likely, for the place was hardly quiet. From below came the soft breathing of animals, the shuffle of hooves, the occasional bovine sigh. Closer to hand, scattered around me in the loft, were nine human souls, tossing and snoring as people do in their sleep.

Whatever it was, it had left me strangely uneasy. I felt—how can I describe it?—not entirely safe. And so I sat there, still as death, listening to the world beyond the barn: the chirping of crickets, the croaking of frogs, a rise of wind, the distant barking of a dog. Might there also be, among those commonplace sounds, something else? Something more sinister? The furtive footsteps of an assassin?

The more I thought of it, the more uneasy I became. And so at last I gave up on sleep and crept down the ladder from the loft. I looked about for a weapon and found a scythe hanging on the wall. I took it down and carried it with me out into the moonlit night.

I leaned against the great chestnut tree that stood in Margaret's yard. That way, I figured, my silhouette would not be visible to anyone coming up the road.

The tree was enormous. It must have stood there for a hundred years or more. Its trunk was so massive I could not have wrapped my arms halfway around it. I felt anchored, standing beside it, protected somehow. But it had begun to lose its leaves as trees do in the autumn, and they crackled under my feet. I would have to be still so as not to give myself away. I held the scythe ready to swing if need be.

Behind me I heard someone coming out of the barn. I peered around the trunk and saw that it was Margaret. I must have awakened her when I left the loft, and so she thought to check on Winifred, whose turn it was to keep watch over the prince. I noticed that she did not stop to unlock the door. Nor did she knock for Winifred to draw a bolt and let her in. She just opened the door.

They had not locked it at all, then—with the prince lying wounded inside! Anyone might come along that road and go into the house.

Now, for certain, I heard footsteps. I tightened my hold on the scythe and stood frozen against the tree. But these were not creeping footsteps—plodding was more like it. Perhaps just some villager coming home from—

Then I saw him and my heart leaped. I left my weapon by the tree and ran out to the road, waving.

“Oh, Tobias,” I said. “I was worried.”

“You are always worried. It was a long way, that's all. Why aren't you asleep?”

“I was too fretful. Did you learn anything at all?”

“Yes. And I stayed late so that I could hear more. New people kept coming into town.”

“Come sit over here and tell me. Then I promise to let you rest.”

“What is this?”

“My weapon,” I said, taking it from him. “I thought I heard someone coming, and I was afraid—”

“I am glad you didn't use that on me.”

“Sit.”

“I will.”

“Now, tell me.”

“They are all dead, Molly. The whole family. Everyone save the prince.”

“The queen mother and Elinor, too?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, that's horrible. Horrible!”

“Aye, it is.”

“Was there anybody else?”

“No. Not a one.”

“Not even the porter? I mean, how did the wolves get inside—”

“It's past reason, Molly. There were paupers waiting outside the walls for the table scraps from the banquet. There were guards at the gate and the porter outside the doors. Not a one of them was harmed. And how the gate came to open of itself and the doors to the great hall too—it must have been some kind of magic.”

“And the wolves?”

“When it was over, they left the castle as gentle as lambs, and no one's seen fur nor fang of 'em since—not anywhere.”

“Oh,” I said, and felt a shiver run through my body. I wrapped my arms about my knees and held myself close.

“There was a lot of talk about the prince, Molly. Some said the wolves had carried him off or devoured him whole, so now the kingdom has none to rule it. But later a man came into town—he was valet to one of the noble guests—and he set those theories cock-a-hoop. He said they'd found one of the wolves, dead on the upper landing.”

“With the prince's dagger in his belly.”

“Yes.”

“What do they think it means, then, as Alaric is nowhere to be found?”

“That he killed the wolves, then escaped down the river—the water gate was open and the skiff was gone. Now they're searching for the boat. It has the king's crest upon it, Molly.”

“Oh. I hadn't considered that.”

“Nor I.”

“We have to hide it, then. Or sink it.”

“It's too late. The skiff has been down there all day. Folk from the village go to the river for water. With or without the king's crest, a strange boat would be noticed. And by tomorrow they'll have heard about the prince's escape. They know of Margaret's skills with herbs. They'll figure it out, Molly, and come here, sure. They'll have the best intentions but—”

“They'll talk.”

“Yes. The whole world shall know of it in a matter of days.”

I heard a door shut. Margaret was returning to the barn for a few more hours of rest.

“They don't even lock it,” I said.

“Does it matter? The gates of Dethemere Castle couldn't keep those wolves out. What good is a lock on a cottage door?”

We sat a while longer, thinking the same thoughts.

“When?” he asked finally.

“Now. I'm sorry, Tobias. I know you've walked for hours.”

“I'll teach you to row.”

I laughed. “Can he survive the trip, I wonder?”

“You'll have to call Margaret out again and ask her to give you whatever medicines we might need. And we should dress him like a commoner, leave his fine clothing behind. I'll go down to the boat now and scrape up the paint with a rock, take off the crest if I can.”

“Should Winifred come with us?”

“I think it's better if she stays. When people ask about the skiff, she can say it was she who took it, to escape from the castle, and that later it was stolen.”

“Yes. That's good.”

“Go speak to Margaret now. I'll be back as soon as I can.”

He hurried down the path that led to the river. I took up the scythe and headed back to the barn.

Only then did I think to wonder where we were going.

Chapter 18

A Cask of Herring

MARGARET AND HER HUSBAND,
Collum, were not sorry to see us go. They'd just been scraping by as
it was, without extra mouths to feed and an invalid
to care for night and day. And how it must have frightened Margaret to hold the future of the kingdom in her hands. What if Alaric should die in her house?

She provided us with food, and ale, and a blanket to keep the prince warm. She also gave us a little box with salves, and potions, and bandages in it and told me what I should do for fever, and for pain, and should pus appear, and all such things as that. She had already washed the bloodstains off my gown and Tobias's cotte. Now she gave us Collum's Sunday clothes for the prince to wear.

They were beyond generous, and we could not pay them for any of it.

The prince did give them his golden brooch, as well as his doublet, and hose, and pointy slippers. He must have believed he had thanked them well, as such things were worth a lot of money—even the ruined doublet, for it was embroidered all over with seed pearls and thread of gold. But I knew they were useless to Margaret and her family. A peasant could never sell such finery; people would think it was stolen.

Precious keepsakes—that's all they'd ever be. And knowing how poor the family was, I felt most wretched about it. But Margaret only smiled and bid us Godspeed.

She was a good soul. They all were. Someday, I hoped, the prince would make it up to them.

The moon was just setting when we cast off. Winifred had come down to the river with us and kissed us both good-bye. Then she stood, watching upon the shore, till we were out of sight.

As before, the prince lay curled up on the boards. Only now he was wrapped in Margaret's blanket against the early morning chill. He was quiet for such a long time that I thought he'd fallen asleep. But then I heard his soft voice out of the darkness.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“First we must be away,” Tobias said, “then we will think.”

“Can you not think and row at the same time?”

“I shall give it my best effort, Your Majesty.”

“I wonder,” I said, “if you have formed some thoughts of your own, my lord? Would you like to go to one of your other estates, somewhere at the far reaches of the country, where there are people you trust?”

When he didn't answer right away, I continued.

“For I am not sure that is wise. I think it best not to declare yourself to anyone just yet—till you are healed and know more of what has happened and where the dangers lie.”

“You ask me a question, then answer it yourself.”

“My apologies, sire. I was not properly raised. I have no manners at all.”

“I can see that well enough. But I think in this case you are right.”

“I am glad you agree, my lord, for there seems to be a great conspiracy against your family. And now you are the last of the royal line—except for your father's sister, who is old.”

“You forget my cousin.”

“Him, too. But he and his sons—they are merely a side branch of the family, while you are the tree itself. In truth, I believe you must be the king now, though you have not been crowned. Shall we address you as lord king, Your Majesty?”

“No. I would very much rather you did not.”

“As you wish, my lord. But prince or king, you must take great care and not put yourself in danger.”

“Then I shall play the peasant for now. I am dressed for it. I suppose I shall have to behave like one too so I may become invisible to those who wish to harm me.”

“How is it you think we behave, sire? Common folk, I mean.”

“They ask impertinent questions.”

“I'm sorry, my lord.”

“I know. You have no manners.”

“True.”

“You still have not given me an answer. Where are we going?”

I had been thinking hard upon this matter and had come up with a plan. Only I didn't like to mention it due to certain drawbacks it would involve. But seeing as no one else had a proposal to make, I sighed and mustered my courage.

“There is an abbey,” I said. “Two of my brothers are in service there.”

“Your brothers are monks?”

“Oh, my goodness, no. They are only lay servants. Tom works in the stables, and Martin is the almoner's boy.”

“I see.”

“They will give us food and a bed. It is their duty to care for the poor, out of charity. And they will look after your wounds at the hospice. The monks are said to know much of herbs and healing.”

The hospice was one of the drawbacks; I knew the mere thought of it would fill him with disgust. Such places were only for the ragged poor. Gentlemen were nursed by their ladies at home.

But all the prince said was “Hmm.”

“My brothers speak well of the abbot. They say he's a good and holy man.”

“I would certainly hope so.”

“Many are not, my lord.”

“What is his name?”

“Elias, I think.”

“I don't know him.”

“He's a humble sort of abbot. But that seems a good thing, for it means he's not ambitious, nor will he have any great friends.”

“And why is that good?”

“Your enemies, my lord—most likely they are in high places. The abbot will not be connected with folk of that sort, nor will he aim to please them by betraying you.”

“Ha! You are more clever than you let on, my girl, and wiser about the world.”

“Oh, my lord, I think not.”

“I say you are. Stop arguing and just say thank you.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“So, where is this abbey?” Tobias asked, clearly wishing to change the subject.

“Well, you see,” I said, “that's a problem.” Here was the other drawback.

He stopped rowing and turned around. “In what way is it a problem?”

“Well . . .”

“
Where is it,
Molly?”

“Oh, all right. It's in the other direction, Tobias. Upstream, against the current. We'd have to pass Winifred's house again and the castle, too, in order to get there.”

We were all silent for a long time, each of us thinking hard. I resolved to say no more about it. It was the prince who'd bear the danger and Tobias who'd do the rowing. I'd let them decide.

“Say what you will, my lord, and I will take you there.”

Alaric thought some more before he answered. “It seems a likely place to me. But what do you think, Tobias—shall we pull to shore, somewhere remote, and rest till nightfall, then pass those places in the dark?”

“That's exactly what they'll be looking for: a boat pulled ashore in a remote place, downstream from whence it was last seen.”

“So what, then?”

“I say we go boldly in the direction none would expect, and by day. I say we turn around and go there now. And—pardon me, my lord—I say we should cover you with the blanket when other boats pass near so that they will think it is only cargo we carry and not a passenger.”

“Turn around then and row us back upstream. Now I will have one of those apples and some of that disgusting ale. Then I should like a dose of Margaret's potion that eases the pain and calms the soul. After that you may cover me all you like, and I shall do my best to impersonate a cask of herring.”