Upon A Time

Chapter Twenty

Thomas and Renee made their way quietly through the servants’ corridors of the palace, from the Queen’s chambers to Renee’s. Once inside, Thomas was happy to toss the unconscious body of the Duke across the bed, and help Renee carry out the rest of their plan.

“I should put the dress I was last seen wearing at Court upon this seamstress’s dummy,” she said, picking the gown up from where it lay at the bottom of the bed. “Please, sir, if you would put this upon the form. It does not have to be perfect. Just tied so it will not come off in the water. Then we must find something heavy to secure to the form so it will sink to the bottom of the moat and cause a great splash.”

“I believe the chair by the door would work,” Thomas replied, struggling to get the skirts of the dress down over the curves on the form and blushing even more deeply. “It is small, but appears heavy.”

“It is. I have smashed my toes into it often enough to know,” Renee replied, reaching into the wardrobe nearby and pulling out a dark traveling cloak. She threw it on over her shoulders. “Are we ready to proceed?”

“I just need something to secure the form to the chair.”

Renee followed Charlotte’s example and pulled the cord meant to secure the draperies from the window dressings. She handed them to Thomas, and he nodded.

As Thomas tied the strings into knots, she shifted her weight uneasily. “How… badly changed is the Prince’s appearance?”

Thomas frowned as he worked. This girl was certainly stuck upon that one point, and to ask at such a moment as this? They really had no time.

“One grows accustomed to it, My Lady. After a while, you do not even think of it when looking upon him.”

“You were not used to looking upon him the way he looked before.”

“True, but…” Thomas couldn’t help but hide the disappointment in his voice. “Isn’t it enough that the man lives? That he will be healthy enough to rule? To marry?” He muttered something under his breath he quickly regretted. “To father children?”

“You are out of line, sir,” Renee put her hands on her hips and looked at him indignantly. “Would you want to be married to someone so changed from the person you were promised?”

“If I loved them, yes.” Thomas replied, finishing the job of tying up the chair and the dummy and suddenly very anxious to relieve some of his frustration by tossing both out the window.

“Perhaps that is the problem,” Renee said sadly, looking away. “The Prince and I never fell in love.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Thomas realized they were wasting time. “We must hurry. We must risk untying the Duke so it looks like he was in your bed of his own choice when he is found.” They set about that unpleasant task, and then Thomas picked up the chair in one arm and the dummy with the other and took them to the open window. “Are you ready?”

“As I will ever be to watch myself commit suicide in effigy.”

“Here we go.” Thomas lowered the chair as far down as he could before also releasing the dummy. Both fell into the water with a single, great splash; immediately drawing attention of the guards circling the moat.

“Someone’s gone in!” a guard shouted. “Quick! Bring more torches!”

Commotion started below, and Thomas nodded to Renee. “The time has come. We must use these moments of chaos to escape the castle and make our way back home.”

“I wonder where my home will end up being,” Renee said wistfully, taking one last look around the room she was in.

“Where you will hopefully find more happiness than you would have here, My Lady. Now, we really must go.”

Thomas led the way and Renee struggled to keep up, as they left the Duke sleeping where he was and finally quit the room.

* * *

“I see you were successful,” Charlotte said, as Renee and Thomas rejoined them. She had in her hands two travelling bags filled with the items Julien had asked for. “We must depart.”

“Mind those papers, they will give you the ability to pass the gates without question,” the Queen said. “Go, with all haste, and bring my son back to me.”

Charlotte curtsied low before the Queen. “We will do everything in our power, Your Majesty.”

“Renee, stay silent at the gates. But remember, if asked you are supposed to be Marie; another relative of the Queen who has been visiting the castle.” Thomas instructed. “That is what your papers say.”

“I understand.”

“Quickly, while they are fussing about the moat you may be able to access the stables with little hindrance,” the Queen said, causing Charlotte to pause.

“Our old horses… ” She thought of Beau and her stomach suddenly ached. The idea of leaving him here pained her—his life would be in danger.

“No harm shall come to them, by my word.” The Queen promised. “Go!”

Thomas and Renee bowed to the Queen. Then the three made their escape.

Renee led the way, lantern held high. They exited through the abandoned kitchen and went out back towards the stables. “The three fastest horses belong to Knights currently without a proper position at Court,” she explained. “Dismissed, because they were loyal to the King and Queen. Over there.” The horses began to neigh and pull at their restraints, and Thomas spoke to them in a low, commanding tone.

“These are fine, but we need one more. Which one is Frederick’s?”

“That wretched beast,” she gestured toward the largest, fiercest horse in the stable. His coat shone black in the dim light, and his eyes flashed fury. “Must we take him? He is as awful as his master.”

“If we are to follow the Prince’s requests to the letter, then yes, we must take him. I will ride him, and lead one of the milder horses alongside.”

Thomas began to saddle the large, fearsome beast and Renee watched as he managed to command the animal with little resistance. Meanwhile, Charlotte hurried to saddle the other horses.

“Some help, if you please, My Lady?” She handed Renee the last saddle and nodded toward the final horse.

The commotion surrounding the moat was rising to a fever pitch now, and the sooner they were safely beyond the gates of the palace, the happier Charlotte would be.