Lily of the valley

3

The morning was pale and cold, it had snowed heavily through the night and snow coated everything. Katherine sat in the window and looked out across the peaceful scenery, outside all was sleeping and quiet but inside her skull a storm was brewing. She wanted bitter and bloody revenge, she wanted to run back up that mountain into her fathers arms and hide from the world forever. But the world does not stop turning for anyone.

Lily and a crowd of young stable boys fed and watered the donkeys, then they reloaded them with all the luggage and food and gold. Lily saw the famished frames of the stablehands and slipped them each a small golden coin, for her heart was filled with more mercy than obedience. The donkeys huffed and complained at the weight, Lily patted the neck of a tall dark eyed mule as troubadour Gustavo entered, appearing somewhat jubilant.

"The guards have taken Lord Ves, but not without a struggle. He's been royally bloodied up, even got a few punches in myself." Gustavo absentmindedly rubbed the bruised fist that had collided with Lord Ves' strong jaw.

"What are they doing with him?" Asked Lily, still stroking the beasts soft neck.

"Taking him to the King who I doubt will be best pleased." Gustavo was beaming, he was now a purveyor of justice, a defender of the vulnerable. Lily could only imagine the reaction of the King of the mountain, a great avalanche causing roar would erupt from his throat. There was no doubt that Lord Ves would be put to death; it would likely be slowly and painfully too. Lily could not help but think of the thousands upon thousands of women that had had to go without justice because their fathers were not Kings, but still she was pleased for her companion. "Are you ready to go?" Asked Gustavo.

"Yes, let me go get her." Gustavo moved the animals, with the help of the stablehands, to the front of the inn.

Lily entered the room to find Katherine in a half state of dreaming, gazing out of that window over the forest, wet cheeks from crying.

"Are you ready my love." Lily perched beside Katherine on the window ledge and stroked her pearly waves.

"I suppose I have to be." Katherine tore herself away from that strange and comforting view, she was more than ready to leave that place, the room stank of fear and sweat. She drank more of her pain tonic and stood, collecting her coat and her shoes.

"The sadness wont last forever." Lily commented, pained at watching this ghost of a woman she loved.

"How do you know?" Katherine half spat half pleaded.

"Because I'm a woman." Lily moved over to Katherine and took her hand, "Come, let us leave this place forever." Katherine did not look back.

Outside the inn, by the well, lay the same man from yesterday. Life had left him. His flesh was blue and solid from freezing, frost coated his skin and clothes. His expression was one of peace. Rats nibbled at his fingers, leaving thick blood on the snow. Katherine moved herself to kneel before him, horrified at what she saw and riddled with pungent, ugly guilt. She batted away the rats and beckoned to a nearby knight.

"Your majesty?" He bowed to the flower of the mountain before hearing her speak.

"This mans death is on my hands. See to it that he is buried in the royal cemetery and that when it is his wife's turn to meet the Gods she joins him. I also want you to ensure half of Lord Ves' money goes towards this man's family and that the rest is spread amongst the neediest of this village. Ves' wife can keep the inn and sustain herself from that, she needs no inheritance." Katherine decreed, feeling a great weight lifting off of her, she had somewhat absolved herself of guilt.

"Of course your majesty, if you give it to me in writing I shall take it straight to the King." Gustavo who had witnessed everything brought to Katherine his notebook and stubby pencil, he admired her for what he had seen. During his travels Gustavo had seen many a famished peasant and many a heartless gold covered royal, never before had he witnessed somebody use their power for selfless good. Katherine signed the royal decree and gave it to the knight, on the back she had scrawled a note for her family, simply saying that she loved and missed them. Seeing no further reason to delay Katherine mounted her horse, Lily took hold of the reins and they were off. The mountain paths were treacherous but Gustavo averted the danger with song, he strummed his lute with elegant grace and sang both low and high. The bright mid morning sun had begun to melt the snow, revealing the dark stone and early spring snowdrops. The dawn chorus echoed around the valley, there was no wind but the cold air still bit and burned. It was not a long ride to the edge of the forest but it would take a few days to get to the other side.

Eventually they reached the tree line, a tall ocean of shadow stretched out before them. There were no birds, no rustle of leaves, the silence was eerie. The mist weaving amongst the trunks was uncanny, the roots twisted through the undergrowth, creating a near impossible path to navigate. Gustavo was nervous just to stand and face the forest which was surrounded by so much rumour and mystery. He gazed into the woods and listened, he heard no screaming and saw no living shadows running about the underbrush; yet still he was too afraid to step across the threshold.

"This is where I bid thee farewell ladies." Gustavo kissed Lily's rosy cheek and the back of Katherine's hand.

"Look after yourself Gustavo." A small part of Lily felt saddened to part with him but her devotion to Katherine outweighed any could be romance.

"Never." Gustavo winked at Lily and though she tried, she could not restrain her blush; then he turned to Katherine. "Good luck with your marriage Princess."

"Thank you Gustavo... for everything." Spoke Katherine, from her heart.

"And good luck with the forest." Gustavo slipped a sheet of notebook paper into Lily's coat pocket, kissed her once more on the corner of her delicate mouth and bowed theatrically to the women. Then he left, climbing back up the mountain, whistling to himself all the way.

"What does he mean good luck with the forest?" Katherine enquired of Lily.

"He has heard stories that the forest is haunted, tis all." Lily saw Gustavos worries as the fanciful ramblings of a bored poet more than an actual warning. Absentmindedly fingering the note he left her. "Do you fear the dead Princess?"

"I think not."

"Are you ready?" Katherine nodded and the procession moved into the hallowed trees.