The King's Artist

Ch 23: A Welcomed Return

Henry's arrival back at Chateau de Suscinio brought about a wave of joy from his people that seemed ready to consume the town. The loyal and abundant Lancastrians flooded the streets as Adelaide and the others rode by. She could see several women crying loudly with broad smiles painfully stretched across their faces as they hugged their clapping and hollering husbands. Some of the children could be seen stretching out their small arms to try and touch the legs of horses as they trotted by, while others called for a soldier's attention, desiring a wave or a courtesy smile from one of them.

Adelaide's gaze washed over the crowd of cheering Lancastrians to land on Henry, who was soaking up the attention with a proud smile on his face. She noticed a glassy quality to his eyes and an emotional furrow to his brow, but other than that, he looked happy and worry-free. Being back at the old castle seemed to have ultimately reassured him, the physical distance between him and death having granted him back his former confidence. The sight made Adelaide smile, but she couldn't entirely ignore the fact that he had yet to speak with her since the night she refused his help in treating her wound.

She had caught him several times since then watching her from a distance, but he would repeatedly look away whenever she attempted to make eye contact. Henry was keeping his distance from her, trying to work through the confusion that was clearly plaguing him.

Adelaide didn't blame him either. Her reaction at his attempt to help her would make anyone confused. She, personally, would be angry too if she was in Henry's shoes. If Henry, instead, had been the one hurt and he had ultimately pushed her away once, she would be reasonably annoyed and hurt by his actions. To make matters worse, Adelaide had made no attempt to explain or elaborate on what she had been trying to tell him back at the monastery. Not only had she grabbed his hand somewhat affectionately, but she had also blurted out an obscure sentence implying her real name wasn't, in fact, Arthur. She had said nothing else but that, which would puzzle anyone.

So, yes, Adelaide wasn't taking Henry's reaction too personally. It, at least to her, seemed justified.

Jasper, who was currently riding beside Adelaide, pulled her from her thought process with a very audible sighed. Following his line of sight, Adelaide, too, sighed at the sight of the castle's bridge. The gates were in the process of being pulled open while additional soldiers lining the top of the castle walls armed with arrows. It was clear they didn't intend to let anyone else into the castle except for Henry and his men.

The cheers of the people eventually died down as they passed over the moat and through the massive gates and into the courtyard. Adelaide spotted several heads of servants popping out of doors and windows to catch a glimpse of the returning Henry. Soldiers rushed forward once their group halted to grab the horses as well as greet Henry appropriately. Adelaide was momentarily forgotten as people flooded around Henry and Jasper. It made dismounting easy, but she very quickly lost sight of Henry.

Not wanting to hang around the huge crowd of loyal but large and smelly men, Adelaide handed her horse off to a nearby servant, before disappearing into the castle. The halls were much more refreshing than outside which was comforting, but Adelaide's echoing steps, and damp, dark stones overlaid a sudden depression onto her. She felt a chill run up her spine and goosebumps erupt over her arms.

She was thankful when she finally reached her own room. The familiar square room was warm, with a fire burning in the corner. The shadows the flames were casting had an eery quality to them, but Adelaide enjoyed watching the dark shapes dance on the ceiling and over her bed that had been made neatly in her absence. Adelaide went to remove her traveling clothes but flinched by the sharp pain in her side. She moved a hand to rest on the wound for a moment before removing it slowly. She groaned loudly in annoyance at the sight of blood. Carefully, Adelaide removed her shirt and went to stand in front of the mirror that she had strongly considered shattering only a few nights ago.