Status: In progress but looking for feedback. The Prologue has been trimmed! More chapters coming soon :)
Always Anyways...
Peace and Protection
As promised, Lord Tiernan bought a true champion bred horse for me. He was put in the royal section of the stables, in one of the best stalls available, and cared for like a champion should. But I did not give Lord Tiernan the satisfaction of going down to see it until he left the castle.
Lord Tiernan left for a hunting trip that would take a few weeks. Finally it gave my Lady Ruth and I some much needed peace and solitude in the castle. It was a relief that I can nearly not explain. Like a heavy yoke had been lifted from my shoulders to not see that man each and everyday, striding through his castle like he was a true king of the land. My father is king and there is not a day that I will forget it. My health has recovered and I have returned to my full duties. But the terrors of that night and the following days, still haunt the back of my mind. I know there are times it is the same for my Lady Ruth, and I do my best to comfort her nightmares. I know these nightmares all to well, for this is not the only time I have suffered from such dark demons. I was twisted and tortured greatly after I left my Lord's manor in such a horrid state.
I have been constant at my Lady's side, and never leave her. There are even nights that I do not leave her as she sleeps, because it is too hard for her. But if anything good came from this, is that my Lord's guards no longer sneer and mock at me. They all keep a very respectful distance, for in their eyes, it is my fault that 10 of them were tortured and hung. I heard that they whisper I am a witch and pray to the dark arts, but none of that matters to me. Their Lord is the one to blame, but their loyalty does not allow them to see it.
When I finally went to see the horse gifted to me for my silence, he was indeed a magnificent creature. Dark black, with a star of white on his head and white around each hoof. He was unique and while he was restless in his stable, the minute I laid my hand on his head, he calmed. The stable boy ran over with some carrots and I fed him, which he ate happily. I looked back at the boy, "See that he is prepared in the evening for I will take him out for a ride then." He nodded, "As you wish my Lady."
Just as I stated, I bid my Lady Ruth a good evening as she read her bible, and found my darkest cloak before heading down to the stables. My horse was already out of his stall, and the stable boy smiled, "He is all ready my Lady, but I was not sure which saddle you preferred." I shook my head, "No saddle tonight my boy, just his bridle." The boy tilted his head, "But he is a purebred my Lady. Surely he could throw you." I sighed and did not want to see the boy in any trouble with the horse marshal. "Fine then, a riding saddle then, not a lady's saddle." He nodded and ran off. I stood there running my hand down his neck, when I heard a door open behind me and a pair of single running footsteps. I turned back to look and saw my brother's farrier sprinting full speed at me. Without speaking a word, he grabbed me by the waist and spun me around, nearly dragging me through the stables. But before we could reach a door outside, I heard more sounds. "Lady.....Is there a Lady in here???" I heard laughter and several boot steps slowly walking through the stables. The farrier covered my mouth tight with his hand and pulled me into the nearest stall with a horse. He pushed me down into the hay in the corner of the stall and knelt in front of me. "Do not talk my Princess...they here are for you." My eyes widened, but he kept his hand over my mouth, because I think he feared I would scream. I could hear the voices taunting and calling for me, guards no doubt. They were banging on stable doors and horses were neighing nervously. The farrier leaned forward and whispered gently in my ear, "Do not move, no matter what happens. I will protect you with my life." Slowly he removed his hand and I nodded slowly to him. "Oh little Lady....where are you hiding?? Come on out. We will give you a ride!" They taunted and it seemed the voices were coming from each direction.
From behind his back, the farrier gave me a small dagger, placing it tightly in my hand before he stood up and stepped out of the stall, "What's is all the fuss about, the horses are getting irritated and I need to finish up my work." He said stepping out of the stall closing the door tightly behind him. I heard a voice answer, "Where it the Lady?" The farrier sounded annoyed, "What Lady??" The voice snickered, "We know the Lady Snow Fox was planning for a ride tonight....and we are going to give her a ride indeed." The farrier replied with disinterest, "There ain't no lady in the stables tonight....no ladies ride this late anyway." The voice responded, "Well this is her horse right here, isn't it??" I heard the farrier's steps walk away from my stall, "Well yes, because I need to change a shoe...." Next I heard the voice of the stable boy, "But I have her saddle. She wanted to go riding!" The farrier rebutted quickly, "That's until I found a damn loose shoe. This horse would have thrown her in a heartbeat. I sent her back to the castle....damn girl doesn't know what in the hells she is doing half the time. You know, spoiled princesses." The voices all laughed, "You ruined our fun tonight boy!!" The farrier sounded annoyed, "We all would have been in a world of shit if anything happened to the Princess of the fucking kingdom. Are you stupid?? I would have been whipped if this horse threw her, and you would be flayed for laying a finger on her. So let's be glad that we both avoided trouble. That bitch is nothing but trouble, haven't you and your boys figured that out yet?!" The voices all laughed in unison. "Let's go to the tavern....this bores me already. Stupid whore in a witch anyway." They all laughed but I heard many footsteps walking away. The farrier spoke to the stable boy last, "Put away that damned saddle and if you ever deliver messages to the guards again, she will send you to the king's dungeons personally!!" The boy's voice sounded tiny and terrified, "But they gave me a gold coin so I would tell them." I heard the sound of a smack, "You would betray your Princess for a gold coin, run off before I whip you myself!" I heard the small feet run off, sniffling.
It was a moment later that the farrier appeared at the stall door, and opened it for me again. He offered out his hand, and I took it, standing up. Slowly and carefully he took the dagger back from my hand. "Princess...no more night rides. I won't permit it." I blinked back at him, knowing that he saved me but I did not like being told what to do. So instead I just blinked back, "How did you know?" He just brushed some hay off my cloak, "It is my job to know....the guards have been speaking about taking revenge on you. You would be wise to stay near your lady for a while." I nodded obediently. "And the next time you ride, insist that I check your horse first. For an accident would be hard to prove otherwise." I nodded again slowly. He slightly smiled at me, and there was something familiar about him that I could not put my finger on. "I do not even know your name" My voice whispered. He nodded, "I am known as Taggart, my Princess." I searched his eyes for a moment, "But you are a Lord for my brother are you not?" He nodded in return, "No more questions tonight....I will see you safe to the castle doors, and hurry straight back to your room." He checked the stalls and carefully ushered me out, "Good night my Princess" he bowed before me. I looked at him one last time before I returned straight to my own chambers.
I was laying in bed that night, and my eyes were just closing when it finally came to me. It was the whisper, his voice....it was the same whisper as my angel in the darkness. I was nearly sure of it. My heart beat hard when my clouded mind finally made the connection. Could the farrier, Taggart, be my angel in the darkness? Could he?
Lord Tiernan left for a hunting trip that would take a few weeks. Finally it gave my Lady Ruth and I some much needed peace and solitude in the castle. It was a relief that I can nearly not explain. Like a heavy yoke had been lifted from my shoulders to not see that man each and everyday, striding through his castle like he was a true king of the land. My father is king and there is not a day that I will forget it. My health has recovered and I have returned to my full duties. But the terrors of that night and the following days, still haunt the back of my mind. I know there are times it is the same for my Lady Ruth, and I do my best to comfort her nightmares. I know these nightmares all to well, for this is not the only time I have suffered from such dark demons. I was twisted and tortured greatly after I left my Lord's manor in such a horrid state.
I have been constant at my Lady's side, and never leave her. There are even nights that I do not leave her as she sleeps, because it is too hard for her. But if anything good came from this, is that my Lord's guards no longer sneer and mock at me. They all keep a very respectful distance, for in their eyes, it is my fault that 10 of them were tortured and hung. I heard that they whisper I am a witch and pray to the dark arts, but none of that matters to me. Their Lord is the one to blame, but their loyalty does not allow them to see it.
When I finally went to see the horse gifted to me for my silence, he was indeed a magnificent creature. Dark black, with a star of white on his head and white around each hoof. He was unique and while he was restless in his stable, the minute I laid my hand on his head, he calmed. The stable boy ran over with some carrots and I fed him, which he ate happily. I looked back at the boy, "See that he is prepared in the evening for I will take him out for a ride then." He nodded, "As you wish my Lady."
Just as I stated, I bid my Lady Ruth a good evening as she read her bible, and found my darkest cloak before heading down to the stables. My horse was already out of his stall, and the stable boy smiled, "He is all ready my Lady, but I was not sure which saddle you preferred." I shook my head, "No saddle tonight my boy, just his bridle." The boy tilted his head, "But he is a purebred my Lady. Surely he could throw you." I sighed and did not want to see the boy in any trouble with the horse marshal. "Fine then, a riding saddle then, not a lady's saddle." He nodded and ran off. I stood there running my hand down his neck, when I heard a door open behind me and a pair of single running footsteps. I turned back to look and saw my brother's farrier sprinting full speed at me. Without speaking a word, he grabbed me by the waist and spun me around, nearly dragging me through the stables. But before we could reach a door outside, I heard more sounds. "Lady.....Is there a Lady in here???" I heard laughter and several boot steps slowly walking through the stables. The farrier covered my mouth tight with his hand and pulled me into the nearest stall with a horse. He pushed me down into the hay in the corner of the stall and knelt in front of me. "Do not talk my Princess...they here are for you." My eyes widened, but he kept his hand over my mouth, because I think he feared I would scream. I could hear the voices taunting and calling for me, guards no doubt. They were banging on stable doors and horses were neighing nervously. The farrier leaned forward and whispered gently in my ear, "Do not move, no matter what happens. I will protect you with my life." Slowly he removed his hand and I nodded slowly to him. "Oh little Lady....where are you hiding?? Come on out. We will give you a ride!" They taunted and it seemed the voices were coming from each direction.
From behind his back, the farrier gave me a small dagger, placing it tightly in my hand before he stood up and stepped out of the stall, "What's is all the fuss about, the horses are getting irritated and I need to finish up my work." He said stepping out of the stall closing the door tightly behind him. I heard a voice answer, "Where it the Lady?" The farrier sounded annoyed, "What Lady??" The voice snickered, "We know the Lady Snow Fox was planning for a ride tonight....and we are going to give her a ride indeed." The farrier replied with disinterest, "There ain't no lady in the stables tonight....no ladies ride this late anyway." The voice responded, "Well this is her horse right here, isn't it??" I heard the farrier's steps walk away from my stall, "Well yes, because I need to change a shoe...." Next I heard the voice of the stable boy, "But I have her saddle. She wanted to go riding!" The farrier rebutted quickly, "That's until I found a damn loose shoe. This horse would have thrown her in a heartbeat. I sent her back to the castle....damn girl doesn't know what in the hells she is doing half the time. You know, spoiled princesses." The voices all laughed, "You ruined our fun tonight boy!!" The farrier sounded annoyed, "We all would have been in a world of shit if anything happened to the Princess of the fucking kingdom. Are you stupid?? I would have been whipped if this horse threw her, and you would be flayed for laying a finger on her. So let's be glad that we both avoided trouble. That bitch is nothing but trouble, haven't you and your boys figured that out yet?!" The voices all laughed in unison. "Let's go to the tavern....this bores me already. Stupid whore in a witch anyway." They all laughed but I heard many footsteps walking away. The farrier spoke to the stable boy last, "Put away that damned saddle and if you ever deliver messages to the guards again, she will send you to the king's dungeons personally!!" The boy's voice sounded tiny and terrified, "But they gave me a gold coin so I would tell them." I heard the sound of a smack, "You would betray your Princess for a gold coin, run off before I whip you myself!" I heard the small feet run off, sniffling.
It was a moment later that the farrier appeared at the stall door, and opened it for me again. He offered out his hand, and I took it, standing up. Slowly and carefully he took the dagger back from my hand. "Princess...no more night rides. I won't permit it." I blinked back at him, knowing that he saved me but I did not like being told what to do. So instead I just blinked back, "How did you know?" He just brushed some hay off my cloak, "It is my job to know....the guards have been speaking about taking revenge on you. You would be wise to stay near your lady for a while." I nodded obediently. "And the next time you ride, insist that I check your horse first. For an accident would be hard to prove otherwise." I nodded again slowly. He slightly smiled at me, and there was something familiar about him that I could not put my finger on. "I do not even know your name" My voice whispered. He nodded, "I am known as Taggart, my Princess." I searched his eyes for a moment, "But you are a Lord for my brother are you not?" He nodded in return, "No more questions tonight....I will see you safe to the castle doors, and hurry straight back to your room." He checked the stalls and carefully ushered me out, "Good night my Princess" he bowed before me. I looked at him one last time before I returned straight to my own chambers.
I was laying in bed that night, and my eyes were just closing when it finally came to me. It was the whisper, his voice....it was the same whisper as my angel in the darkness. I was nearly sure of it. My heart beat hard when my clouded mind finally made the connection. Could the farrier, Taggart, be my angel in the darkness? Could he?