𝔯𝔬𝔶𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶

A Little Quest

NARRATOR

"Have they left the palace yet?" Princess Idina stared at herself in the vanity in her bedroom, fixing her hair up into a bun.
Her nurse, to whom Idina was speaking to, raised her head to look at the princess, speaking, "I'd suppose the townsfolk hast all left at present. I offer I check, if thou so wish."
"I do so wish."
      "Very well. I'll return momentarily." Idina's nurse, Elizabeth, found herself out of the room, allowing Princess Idina a craved moment to herself.
     As soon as her door shut, Idina bounced up, fetching to her wardrobe, hidden inside — a cloak, in which she collected and pinned in between her thighs underneath her dress. She returned, in a slight waddle, to her vanity, going back to taming her bun and just in time, as Elizabeth had returned.
      "Oh, dearest! Don't fret with your locks. Allow me." Elizabeth swiftly attended Princess Idina's side, lacing her fingers up into her hair, pinning and pulling at it until she deemed it perfect.
"The townsfolk hast left. Dinner will be starting soon. Is particular the dress thine desire to attend in?" Elizabeth rest her hands on Princess Idina's shoulders, examining her in the mirror.
      Recalling the cloak that was forced in between her own thighs, Princess Idina spoke. "Aye. I rather like my attire."
     "Apologies. Dost thou Majesty wish to study while waiting for dinner?"
Idina took the finger of Elizabeth, whose hands were still resting on the princess' exposed shoulders, gently holding it. "Darling, Elizabeth, studying doesn't stir my attention when you use vocabulary such as 'dost' and 'thou'."
The princess paused for a moment, watching in the mirror the ephemeral shock on Elizabeth's face, before bursting into something of that a laugh.
"I kid, my young Lizzie. I quite admire your diction. It means you've elegance." Idina knew how her compliment would impact Elizabeth, who has obviously fancied the princess ever since she began serving her.
Elizabeth dizzied her face a pink. "Your Majesty. Never will I've elegance such as thou."
"Oh, contrary!" Princess Idina exclaimed. "I fear you've more qualities to be a lady than I."
This quite completely floored Elizabeth, who had an uncontrollable grin growing on her heated face. Her lower lip quivered, trying to say something, but remained unable to, flattered by Idina's compliments.
     "I — uh — I believe I hear a gentlemen calling my name — um — from — from out in the — uh — hall. Excuse me."
     Princess Idina watched as Elizabeth made a breathless dash out of her bedroom. This pleased Idina — she never had to do much to work up Elizabeth. She knew the nurse, who was eight years her senior, wouldn't be back until it was time for dinner, being far too awkward to return to the tension. This gave Idina some time to herself. Though alone, she not dare as though remove the cloak held between her legs — for she never knew when someone could interrupt her seclusion.
     In boredom, she rose from her golden chair with a metallic thread sewn-in backing (a gift from a faraway kingdom) and attended to her nightstand where lie a book she was reading for her studies. She picked it up and resumed back to her seat, where she read up until it was dinner time.

♛

      At the dinner table, Princess Idina sat in the middle, whereas the king and queen sat at the head. According to her parents, she must intermingle and socialize with their visitors - showing upkeep of the Damiras name.
      Dinner servants, who were frequent in attending to the satiation of the royals (and many others who ate in the palace), were often known by name. Idina hated to admit she took any particular liking to a servant, but she did have much fun with a waiter named Fallosio, who often constructed ways to entertain her at the sometimes plodding eating events.
"And here is Her Royal Highness, Princess Idina's first dish of the evening." Fallosio came around the table and settled Idina's plate in front of her, being sure she noticed the subtle gesture he made of tucking a piece of folded parchment under her plate.
     "Here is your plate, Sir Arzenian."
Now, of course, a commanding army general wouldn't be seated next to the princess, especially in the case now, when the kingdom was in the midst of planning an attack less than twelve hours away. No, General Arzenian was seated next to the king, but his son, however, Rumio, would be likely to be seated next to someone only four years his junior.
     "That young servant seems to take a liking to you, eh?" Census Officer, Kormsan Callaway poked Princess Idina's right arm with his elbow, giving her a low, growling chuckle.
      Princess Idina made a sound of fake amusement, "Oh, Fallosio? Well, yes, he's quite the courter. Suppose he's every servant in love with him... Oh, yes. The men, too."
     Callaway howled in laughter, turning and nodding at everyone at the table as if they had also heard the princess' joke. "Why, Princess, you are quite the charmer!"
      "I try, Officer Callaway, sincerely, I try." Princess Idina patted Callaway's wrist as he tried taking deep breaths to subdue his laughter.
     As Callaway turned off and away into his world with other men, Idina, with intent, turned to Rumio, who sat to her left.
     "So, Rumio, do you've desire to follow in the General's footsteps?" Idina asked, prompting her eyebrow whilst taking a sip of her wine.
     "Ah, yes," Rumio said, "I'm currently assisting in command of our grounded trade routes - along the east. Certainly not important enough to be up there among 'em."
     Rumio gestured towards his father and other military officials, all intensely conversing with the king.
     Bothered by Rumio's remark, Idina advanced, "Well, dear Rumio, nothing would exist if it wasn't important. Think, what do you in your job that serves well-being to the kingdom?"
     Rumio reasoned for a moment before speaking. "I oversee incoming and outgoing shipments. Past fortnight I stopped a diseased traveller from entering our walls. Just think, the mess we'd encounter if influenza spread in our kingdom."
     "Indeed!" Idina exclaimed. "And to that, the Damiras Kingdom owes you upmost gratitude."
Rumio smiled and raised his glass. "To gratitude."
"Gratitude!" The princess toasted, clinking her glass with Rumio and downing the rest of her wine.
     Now losing the attention of both peoples to her immediate sides, Idina took the given moment to finally peek at the slip of parchment still tucked under her plate. Subtly, she took the paper out from under the plate and folded it open underneath the table. On it, a messy ink drawing of an astoundingly ugly Kormsan Callaway.
     Idina smiled up at Fallosio, nodding in approval. Fallosio did nothing but kiss the air and wink, being as subtle as possible as to not be noticed by nobility. Idina tucked away the slip in the sleeve of her dress, continuing with dinner as if nothing had happened.
     The night went on for no more than two hours (of which Idina spent in endless boredom) and by the end, everyone was full - except for Idina. She still had an appetite for something that even the kitchen cooks could not satisfy. Something that had to do with the cloak still pinched in between her thighs.
     Finishing her goodnights and goodbyes with everyone at the feast, Princess Idina approached her father.
     "I'll be taking a walk about the palace, father," she declared to him.
      "Right," the king responded and turned to a nearby servant. "Dear Juliana, inform Elizabeth that the princess will be taking a walk tonight and won't be back for..."
      "An hour!" Idina prompted.
      The king nodded. "An hour, it is."
      The princess smiled at her oblivious father before making an exit through a hidden passage behind a curtain. Unlike what she told her father, Idina had no intent of strolling around the palace. She was to go outside.
Of the nearly eighteen years she had lived in the palace, Idina still found herself surprised by the places hidden inside the palace that she had yet to explore. However, she knew plenty of secret doors that lead out to the palace grounds, and further than that, hidden pathways that provided her an easy and unseen journey into the village.
Venturing through the tunnels, the princess passed by a bundle of old crates, beside them, blended in with the stone walls, there was a door that opened into the outside.
Standing next to the crates, Princess Idina carefully reached her hand up and underneath her dress, grasping the cloak, and pulling it out. She set the folded cloth on one of the crates and began to pin up the bottom of her dress so it wouldn't poke out underneath her cloak. Idina pulled the hems up to the belt that was wrapped tightly around her lower ribcage and began to tuck her deep red dress into the belt. When she finished, the new length of her dress gave her little room for modesty, stopping mid-thigh. Though, it hardly mattered - as the cloak would cover it up.
Idina collected the cloak and draped it over her, pulling up the black hood and pinning the front together. Ready, she opened up the concealed door and took a chilled step into the outside.
Examining her surroundings, Idina found herself in a part of the old palace gardens. Stone tiled bricks were all broken and shattered. An inoperative fountain stood ahead. As Idina approached, she peered into the fountain, finding not only a green foam pool with dead leaves and bugs floating in it, but also her reflection. Illuminated by the moonlight, the cloak hid her features well, concealing her white hair she had pinned up specifically for her night of subterfuge.
     The flowers in the garden were the only thing that remotely flourished. By request of the queen, all plants on the grounds were to be upkept. Compared to the rest of the palace's flora, this was still dreadful.
     This was, however, near the back of the palace, telling by the sound of the gushing waterfall, so it's no wonder why any groundskeeper would bother beautifying something so rarely glimpsed.
There was no time to waste, though, as Idina was meant to be back at the palace in a singular hour.
She found her way to a beat-down path that ran along the kingdom's walls and began her quest into the village.

♛

Princess Idina found a seat at the bar of the pub, clutching her cloak close to her body in order to hide herself. She ordered a drink and quickly attended to her objective: to collect the opinions of as many villagers as she could.
"What's your talk 'ere 'bout the king's speech s'mornin'?" Idina asked a nearby man, putting on a passing accent and dialect of a lowly townsperson.
"Oh, well," the bearded man opened his mouth to reveal he was missing some teeth, "my 'pinions notta matt'ah anyways: da Remmies a' awful basta'ds, but a fight ain't wort' a damn thin'!"
"And you," Idina ployed the young man sitting on her right, "what d'ya think 'bout the ol' king?"
The brown-haired man looked caught off guard but answered solidly. "Well, I, uh, don't know enough about the situation to formulate a firm opinion. Not from here, you see."
"Ah. North? Judging by your accent. You hold your e's." Idina deduced, taking a sip of her honey-gold drink.
"Smart girl. You're right. I've come here in search of work. This kingdom offers many jobs in the fishing industry. I like to get my hands dirty, you see," the young man explained.
Idina squinted at the man, asking, "And what might be your name, sir?"
"Hollen. Hollen Eversen. Yours, miss?"
"I'm Merula Degulaire."
Hollen smiled. "That's quite a pretty name — and quite pretty shoes, too." He scanned Idina's golden slippers that poked out from underneath her cloak.
The princess quickly realized her mistake and folded her cloak over her feet.
Hollen appeared to think to himself for a moment before saying, "I've noticed your accent has changed. I take it you have... a higher education."
Idina cursed herself for faltering so much on her disguise. Although, she thought for a moment, would it be so bad if he knew who I was?
Princess Idina shifted in her seat and kindly smiled at the pretty man. "I guess you could say I'm more academic than the next girl."
"Ah. Well I must say your education serves you well: that ring must have cost a fortune." Hollen pointed at Idina's hand.
"Let's just say I'm in a higher line of work," Idina poked her signature black diamond ring — the one that always resided on her middle finger.
"Like in, perhaps," Hollen stared into her shadowed eyes, "royalty?"
     Idina paused for a moment, surveying the aging pub. Slightly caved walls, a bucket on the ground for a leaking roof, and a strong odor of fermentation and young whiskey that wafted upwards from the basement. This was no place for Idina to be, but she strangely enjoyed the disarray and lack of rules that would usually bound her to the palace. She took a risk.
"You could say so," Idina grinned mischievously, taking an admiration for Hollen. "In fact, you could say I have power in the palace hiring process. I believe I could render you a job."
     "That's quite obliging of you, Merula," Hollen said, confounded.
     Idina furthered. "However, I must tell you: the job is not in fish — I figure you're a man of higher taste. Don't fret — you'll still be getting your hands dirty. How'd you like to work for the king?"
     Hollen froze, mid-drink. His mouth opened up to make sound but nothing came out. He shifted in his seat, his dusty brown slacks sliding against the wooden chair.
      "The position would be as a groundskeeper. There's a rather appalling garden that needs remedying and I believe you'd be the suited man for the job. Benefits include free breakfast, lunch, and dinner; a room to yourself within the servants quarters; and a reasonable pay with monthly allowances sent home to your family," Princess Idina explained.
      "Merula, this is amazing!" Hollen cheered.
      Still, Idina hadn't gotten her answer. "I take it you're accepting the position."
      "I am." Hollen nodded. "I am, I am!"
     In a moment of celebration, Hollen took Idina's hand, which lay resting on the bar, in both of his and kissed it. Not used to the sudden and abrupt gesture by a townsperson, Idina withdrew her hand sharply, making Hollen grow pale with regret.
     "Oh, Merula, I'm so sorry. It was not my intent to offen-"
     The princess did something she'd never think she'd do — especially to a townsperson, much less a stranger. She leaned forward, one hand on the bar for balance, and the other on Hollen's cheek. She kissed him.
     It was quick — the princess had pulled away only a mere second after. Immediately, she stood up from her pub stool and faced Hollen, her covered eyes peering barely downward at his seated being.
     "You've not offended me, Hollen Eversen, in fact, you've extolled me. Meet me at exactly afternoon tomorrow at the palace front gate. I'll be showing you to the head groundskeeper and it is then you'll be able to begin your new job. It's been a delight, Hollen, but I must go." With that, Princess Idina tossed a couple of golden coins on the bar and left
the pub.
As she quickly made her way back to the palace (in order to instill her cover of being on a walk), she couldn't help but grin. This night had been thrilling for her, despite her original plan falling out. She preferred the turn of events that had transpired.
The chill of the easing winter crept up her cloak and sent a shiver up her back. For the first time in forever, Idina felt at ease.