Red's Wolves

Chapter Seven

A much-needed break in the festivities showed itself when her father was distracted by a conversation with a foreign trader, and Prince Nicholas had turned his back on her since their initial introduction. She was able to excuse herself to the refreshment table, but no one around her seemed to acknowledge her or notice her absence.

If nothing else, the brewed tea in the decanter was able to help clear her mind as she took a moment to herself to recollect her thoughts. The anxiety and the dress were making it harder to breathe. And a glance at the opened side door mainly used by the servants helped calculate her next move.

She couldn't do this. Not alone. Not now, not ever.

And she knew no one in that room was going to be able to help her in any way that she needed.

She finished her cup of tea, placed the porcelain saucer back on the banquet table, and took one step, and then another, towards that door for a bit of temporary freedom.

"And where do you think you are going?"

It was as if Brigette had been watching her, waiting for her next move. The maid was right there by her side the moment she was about to step over the threshold.

With a painful shuddering breath, she turned to face the maid with a plastered smile as fake as the others she'd been experiencing in that room since the day started.

"I am not feeling myself, you need not worry. I fear this dress may have been tied a little too tight and I am only in need of some fresh air."

The already sour disposition of her maid seemed to dip lower when she frowned and peered at the princess suspiciously. She also did not budge. In fact, she angled her body in such a way she not only blocked the doorway but leaned in so that only Alera could hear what she had to say next.

"The king has worked tirelessly to make this match for you and it would be incredibly unfortunate should something happen to waste his efforts," Brigette sneered.

Alera was more surprised by the closeness of the maid than the words that dripped into her ear, but she took a step back, nonetheless. "I assure you, I have no such intention," she lied, almost too easily. Perhaps she was spending too much with these insincere puppets these last few hours that they were beginning to change her.

"Then where were you going when everything you could ever need for the remainder of your life is in this room?"

"I told you, I was going to get some fresh air—"

"There is no fresh air near the stables."

Now Alera's countenance darkened defensively. "You forget yourself. You are the maid, a servant to me, my father and this kingdom. I am the princess, and I do not need to explain myself to you."

Brigette seemed unfazed and continued. "Your father, the king, has suffered greatly at your hand—your very existence has created a tarnished reputation that he can barely repair, and you'll do nothing but sully it more with your thoughts of the stable boy."

Alera clenched her jaw so tight she thought she was going to shatter her teeth. How dare she—

Before Alera could lash out in retaliation, however, the maid turned on her heel with a smug smirk and turned her back to the princess. A bold move, but Alera will let her go this time. Let her think she won. So long as it gave her the freedom to continue on her way, towards the very same stable boy, Brigette warned her against for the sake of her father's reputation.

Picking up her skirts, she hurried from the hall, from the castle proper, towards that stable that always had exuded freedom.

As she drew closer, her heart pounded as she saw Jere in the yard, but he wasn't working or training horses. He was fitting the wild horse, the one Alera helped tame just yesterday, with a bridle and saddle and attaching bags to it as if for travel.

As if he was leaving...

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Jere had hardly been able to sleep the night before and was up before dawn to tend to the horses if only to give him something else to do to distract himself from Alera, her birthday, and anything else that was going to come with it too. Perhaps it was a blessing and curse, for being up so early allowed him to be present when the unexpected entourage of Prince Nicholas arrived at the castle, unplanned and unannounced.

He purposefully remained in the stables, tending to their horses and out of the way—and out of sight—when the other hands took control of the Prince's carriage and brought his horses to the yard during their stay. His father, who he was certain was called awake once the scouts saw the entourage on the robe, was dressed and distracted as he barked orders to the others, not noticing his son among them while he threatened to have their hands if anything happened to the Prince's livestock. He knew his father didn't mean it—they all knew that—but it was a sign he was frazzled, and perhaps even nervous.

He had hours to let his mind wander towards the worst-case scenarios. He finished with the horses but didn't leave the stables right away. Not until he had figured out every move he was going to make, ensuring they were perfectly calculated and with the least amount of repercussions. If not for him, then for his father he would be leaving behind.

But he couldn't just stay there and do nothing. If he was going to act, it would have to be that night. No more delaying, no more second guessing—it was now or never, and he was never going to get another chance to act. So that's why he took his saddle bags to his room and while the rest of the castle was distracted by the Prince's arrival he stole a few small rations and water skeins from the kitchen before retreating to his room and began packing the few essential belongings he had that would be needed in their travels.

"Jere."

He was about to pull the final string of his saddlebag when his father's voice caused him to pause in his preparations.

"I have been a member of the King's household for decades," the older man said as he stepped in, blocking Jere from the doorway to his freedom. To their freedom.

"You can't change my mind," Jere said as he set the saddlebags on his shoulder. "I've delayed too long, wasted too much time. I'm not going to stand by anymore."

Palo took another step deeper into the room, his attention solely on his son. "I am not here to stand in your way, but to warn you. Because you are my son. Regardless of my position here in the King's household, running away with the princess will come with dire consequences that even I will not be able to protect you from."

"I am not looking for your protection, as if I don't know the consequences of my actions. But I can't stand by and watch as her life is taken from her without her consent. I can't—I won't."

"And you're so certain that stealing her away from the only life she'd ever known is going to be what she wants."

Something fractured in Jere's heart. What if his father was right? Had he been reading their friendship, their connection, so wrong all this time? No, this was not the time to second-guess. "I'm going to let her know how I feel. She's going to make her own choice. But we both know that whatever she chooses is going to be better than the hell her father has set up for her."

"Careful," his father warned, but he let out a sigh and his features softened. "You have the heart of a hero, Jere. You always have. I think that's why you've always been so good with the animals."

"I'm not looking to be a hero."

"The heart of a hero will not allow another to suffer."

"You and I both know I have never trained a day in my life."

"But even sometimes, the noblest of warriors are the ones who are not trained to fight, but courageous enough to do so anyway."

He tensed as his father reached into his jacket, but eased when he pulled out a satchel, heavy with what sounded like coin, and placed it in his son's hand. "Father—"

"It is not much, but you will need this, son. More than I."

Jere was speechless, but his father pulled him into a tight hug.

"Save your princess, Jere."

And that was what brought him to the tamed wilding, gifted to him by his father. He saddled him in the yard, making it look as though he was taking him for a long ride, so long as his saddlebags were concerned, unknowing to the rest of the castle he was preparing to steal their princess away.