Hope in the Rain

Hope stood by the window in the lower sitting room, leaning on the rod Zeke had given her. The snow was falling thickly and she could see people below in the village setting up for Christmas. She wondered how things differed here and she also wondered when she and Zeke would have to return to their kingdom. She hoped not soon but he was the King…

The door opened and she turned to see King Talon walk in. He shut the door gently and she curtsied the best she could.

“Oh, no need to worry about that. I am sure you are still in pain.”

“Not as much as I was,” she admitted. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she repeated. “Still a little tired but King Zeke supplied this for me so I can walk easier.”

Talon walked over to stand by her. “How are you feeling about Zeke these days?”

Hope chose her words carefully. “King Zeke is a fine gentleman.”

“I have known you since you were a child, and Zeke for a little while. I think you cannot pick a finer man. But, I have a feeling there is something else going on.”

Hope looked him in the eyes and faltered. Should she tell him? Zeke said she should wait but…

“Your Highness, there’s something you should know…” she began.

But the door burst open at that moment and a guard came running in with a bloody face.

“Good God, what happened to you?” the King asked, rushing to help the guard as Hope hobbled over.

“Erick’s gone. We do not know where he went.”

“How did you get all these bumps and scratches?” Hope asked.

“I was going to feed him when he suddenly attacked. He scrambled out of the window in his cell. I think he has been planning this for a while, Your Highness.”

“I feared this would happen,” the King murmured. “Go and get King Zeke, please. H- Saria, stay here. Do not leave this room.”

“Yes sir.”

Had she not been so worried about what was going on, she would have noticed King Talon’s slip-up with her name.

..

Zeke was sitting in the study, reading about espionage when the guard came and summoned him into the lower sitting room. Zeke didn’t have time to inquire about his bruises. He rushed down to find King Talon and Hope both standing in the room. Talon was conversing lowly with one of his soldiers while Hope looked worried.

He rushed over to her and embraced her for a second.

“What is going on?”

“Erick’s missing,” she whispered and his blood ran cold.

“Send out our best man,” Talon was saying. “If we find him, we will find Seth.”

The soldier bowed and ran out to gather his men.

“What are we going to do?” Zeke asked when they were alone.

“We will go along as planned with your wedding,” the King answered. “Although, it will be pushed back to permit the snow to stop falling. I think a winter wedding will be quite beautiful, don’t you agree?” They both nodded. “A wedding will raise everyone’s spirits as well. Then you can go back to your kingdom and perhaps stop a war.”

“One can only hope,” Zeke agreed and the King left, leaving Zeke and Hope alone. “Did you tell him?”

“I was about to,” she admitted. “Then the soldier came in. Do you think everything will be OK?”

Zeke only shrugged and helped her walk out.

..

It was dark and the snow crunched under his feet as he darted behind trees. They would be meeting soon, assuming all had gone according to plan. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to escape; he had already paid of several of the guards before.

Once at the appointed spot, Seth pulled his fur cloak closer to his body. He kept his eyes peeled for his accomplice. He didn’t have to wait long.

“What did I risk my life to meet you out here for?” Erick shivered, glaring at Seth.

Seth didn’t bother to wait. “That’s not Saria.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The other day, I was reading in the manifest. You remember how the King gave you Saria to keep her safe because of the war?” Erick nodded, still frowning. “He had another daughter. But she was taken from him. The other daughter was a twin.”

Erick’s jaw dropped. “So that woman back at the castle…”

“Is the twin!”

“Wow. We should go tell the King now! Maybe I can get on his good side again.”

“No.” Seth grabbed his arm. “We need to find Saria first and find out who this woman is.”

“As I was slipping over the walls, I heard a guard saying the wedding would be next week.” He grinned evilly. “I can’t wait to see the look on King Zeke’s face when he learns the truth.”

..

Saria gasped, waking in a cold sweat. Panting she looked frantically for her husband. She felt his chest and let out a relieved sigh.

“Saria? Are you OK?” James asked sleepily.

“Nightmare,” she murmured. “James… I think we should go back. I’m worried about Hope.”

James sat up. “You know what will happen if we go back.”

“And you know what will happen if they find out what will happen if they find out who Hope is. They’ll kill her!”

James sighed. They had been staying with a young woman named Michelle. She saw them and was under the impression that Saria was Hope and that’s when Saria began to think there was more to her and Hope than their looks. Saria explained their plight – omitting that they were risking their lives and Hope’s as well – and Michelle was more than happy to let them stay for a little while. Once they gained the trust of the people, they were able to buy a home.

And, two days later, Saria found out she was three months pregnant. Since then, she had been having terrible nightmares. In one, she was stabbed with a knife. In another, she was running from her uncle. James figured it was the pregnancy but Saria always felt like there was something more.

And now this nightmare… She was in the cold, standing by two men planning something… something terrible. Despite James’s hesitance, she knew she had to go back. She had to tell the truth; especially now that she was with child. Surely they wouldn’t kill a pregnant woman.

“All right,” James sighed. “We’ll go. I’ll tell Michelle.”

The sun had risen and he pulled on a loose cotton shirt. Saria stood up slowly and placed a hand over her stomach. She was putting a kettle on when he returned with Michelle.

“If you’re going, I want to come,” Michelle said right away. “I hate it here.”

Saria thought it over. “That will be just fine. We should leave during the day.”

“I have a horse you can use,” Michelle said, eyeing Saria’s bulging belly.

Saria smiled thankfully and they began to plan.