The King

SHOCK

Bell blinks the sleep off her eyes as she watches about half a dozen wagons being filled with multiple bags and barrels. Guards are fixing their saddles as they wait for the sun to come out and settle higher in the sky for them to move out. 

Bell hears someone yawn and she sees Erika walk up to her, looking outside as well. 

"What are you watching?" she asks "oh the 'parade'" 

"Parade?" 

"God what time is it? Like 4? it's too early-"

"What parade?" 

She sighs "It's not really a parade. We just call it that because it looks like one with all the wagons and the guards galloping around it" 

"What is it then?" she asks "what are they doing with all that food and supplies"

Erika frowns "they're giving it away, what do you think they're doing with it?" she starts to turn around to walk away but Bell stops her 

"what?" she asks, her eyes wide 

"Yea after the Ball King Arthur goes on this long trip around the poor parts of the country and he gives away food and whatever else to towns...."

She trails off when she sees Bell's shocked expression "Bluebell what did you think the ball was for?" 

She frowns "the ball?" 

"It's a fund raiser" she says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world 

"All the powerful and rich people attend and they all put money into a box. That box is used to buy supplies, food, supplements...whatever they need and the very next day they kick off the journey" 

She blinks, shocked by that. 

"They do this every year?" she asks slowly and Erika nods "He used to do it every six months but the wars...money is just not enough anymore... and he can't ask people to give so much of their money often or they'd refuse and he can't force them to donate" 

She looks back and watches Arthur walks down the main steps, his usual guards behind him. He's dressed casually in pants and a white shirt.

"that's awfully casual" she comments

"When have you seen him wear anything more?"

Never, he's never wearing more than pants and a shirt. 

"You really didn't know it was a charity ball?" 

Bell shakes her head slowly as she watches him. 

"What did you think it was for?" 

"Vanity?" she asks "like every other ball?" 

"He doesn't care for extravagance" she says "Have you ever seen him in silver or gold? Even his crown is a blank...bland gold band with no jewels. I mean when he first asked for a crown like that people thought he was crazy" 

Erika laughs as she remembers it. 

"You've been here long?" Bell asks and she says "no not really... but I mean I lived in the city...we all knew what was going on in the castle sometimes"

"When did you start working here?" 

"um...when I turned 24? about 4 years ago now"

"you're 28?" she asks, shocked "you don't look 28 at all"

"We're all old here Bell, we had to go through medical school. You're the only child. How old are you anyway? 23?"

"I'm 21" she says "I turned 21 last month"