The King did not leave until he confirmed his wife was okay; Gwen stayed with her after the physician left the royal chambers; rubbing her legs and her hands with ointment; the King excused himself and shortly after; her majesty opened her eyes:
“Gwen.” She called silently.
“I am right here, your majesty.” She said holding her hand and rubbing gently.
“Gwen, tell me, what you told me the first time, we met in the palace garden; in front my roses.”
Gwen looked at her; puzzled.
“What I said was;”
She was admiring a lovely looking bird when her majesty stormed upon her.
“Hello, what are you doing here lady?”
She stood up. “Well, I am………..” she couldn’t come up with the right words.
“I ran away from the kingdom.” She blurted out.
“Why?”
“Because, I had to leave.”
“Why did you leave; people could worry about you; besides its dark out here.” She said quietly before she turned towards the palace; Gwen following closely behind her.
“Now, tell me about your kingdom.” She said when they were inside.
Gwen didn’t say anything.
“What kingdom, are you from?”
“Yana kingdom.” She answered politely.
“What about your parents?”
“I never knew them; but the mother I grew up knowing is a queen.”
“And your father?”
Gwen looked away.
“Oh my child! Come and rest; for the next day; I will introduce you to my kingdom.” She said with a smile.
“Yes, you majesty, thank you.” She said happily, for she had somewhere to stay.
“I never lied to you.” Gwen said to her.
The queen opened her eyes; swiftly. ‘I know but do you know anyone who is Princess Victoria?”
Her heart leapt what? How did she know?
Oh! Prince Robinson.
She remained quiet.
“Gwen, what’s wrong?” The Queen asked.
Still she didn’t talk but look away, she stood up and gathered the bowls and towel she used and the ointment.
“Gwen?”
Why would they come and seek for her now? Sending the duke and the Prince of Yana, have they stopped the people who were searching her out? Since she lived and served here; she has not been threatened by anyone or anything. Why were they even here?
“Gwen.”
She heard the queen’s voice in her head.
She looked at her; the one person; who has been like a mother to her unlike her daughter who couldn’t treat her nicely.
“Your majesty, I am sorry, I need to something for the Princess.” She said as she moved towards the queen and she held her hand and gently kissed it.
“Sleep tight, your majesty.” She said before she excused herself.
“You are like my first daughter; I wish I had her with me today.” She heard before she opened the door.
“Go to sleep, your majesty.” She said and walked out.
The king was outside pacing; immediately he saw her; he turned to her. “Is she doing okay?”
She nods her head.
Shockingly, the king held her hand. ‘I wish our daughter could come back to us.’
She bowed at him, moving away from his hold; ‘I am sure she will get here sooner than you think.’
The king nod with a smile; glad to hear her optimism.
‘Excuse me, your majesty.’
She turned away from him; she needed to think of her next action to avoid putting the King and Queen in any danger; since prince Robin and the Duke of Yana was here; the killer must have followed them too. What was she going to do to avoid putting anyone in any more danger?
She headed to the stables; taking her favorite horse. She fled.
Alone on the mountains, she sat down and thought of her life, her present circumstance; what she was going to do; will she have to leave here again?
She suddenly stopped as she heard a horse neighs a meter away from her; where she had kept her horse; she looked round and stood up then began walking to her horse; she pat her horse and suddenly she felt someone behind her; she bent, dodged and had him to the ground with her legs resting on his chest.
She didn’t have any weapons but even at that she can handle herself.
“Who are you?” She demanded the person; she had on the ground; her horse seeing him struggle from her hold; used its two legs on the body.
“Who are you? Why are you following me?” she demanded the person in the mask.
Amidst cough and choking. ‘I knew I will find you here.’ She heard his voice.
She looked at him; trying to place his voice; he saved her further stress by removing his mask.
She pat the horse to set him loose.
But she didn’t help him up.
“What are you doing here!”
He dusted his butt and moved to her as she untied her horse’s reins.
“Victoria, don’t behave like we are not friends.”
She glared at him; “Don’t call me victoria; I am known as……”
“Gwen.” He finished for her.
“Yes, try to remember my name, okay?”
“Victoria, don’t you think, hiding your identity is a little bit too much.”
It kept her alive; it wasn’t too much. She glared at him; for calling her Victoria. “I warned you, Prince Robin.” Did she forget that the prince she grew up with was one stubborn mule?
She climbed her horse and turned it facing the palace direction; “What are you even doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.”
She laughed. “And you left Princess Angela waiting for you at the stables?’ she asked as she stopped and waited for him to climb his.
He looked at her. “How do you know?” He climbed his horse.
She shrugged. “Princess Angela comes with a load of surprises.”
“You think so?”
She nods.
She stopped and looked at him; “Why are you here? Why did you tell the King and the Queen and all the palace residents about me? Why did you tell them you were looking for me?”
He stopped his horse and looked at her.
“It wasn’t my intention; Angela tends to pry; she is nosy; she asked and I had to say something. I wouldn’t want them to think I am hiding anything.”
“To complete the alliance; I understand.” She jerked her horse and they both went towards the stables; Prince Robin had nothing to say except to go after her.
They were saddling their horses; when he said;
“It’s not the way you are thinking; Victoria.”
“How else could it be? When the Princess had me up most of last night picking out the right dress for her and fixing her……..”
He stopped; he raised his hand in her face; for her to stop talking. “Dresses? Hair? Are you are her personal maid now?’ he asked confused.
She bowed her head in shame.
“Oh my goodness; Victoria, how can you do that; how can you stoop so low?”
“I know, Robin, I have to do that to earn some money and go far away and the Queen has been really good to me. I seeked refuge from her and she treats better than a maid.’ She said flatly removing the hair from her eyes.
He reached her side. “Oh my goodness, being the Princess’ maid must be hard for you. She doesn’t treat you nicely; does she?”
“No, of course not but I am trying all I can; this is the only way I am unnoticeable; I am safe.” She said turning towards the horses.
“Wait, you are not going to continue to be her slave; I can protect you and beside you are a Princess; “Victoria; I can’t keep watching this.”
“It is my only option.” She said about to walk away but he didn’t let her; instead he dragged her back to face him.
“I can’t let you do this!” He snarled.
She wet her lips. “Robin.” She struggled in of his hands.
“Don’t say that; don’t behave like that. Don’t pretend you can handle every thing by yourself; she treats you like a beggar and you hate it; admit it!” his anger rising; that she was bent on continuing to work for the Princess when she was a Princess herself.
“Robin, please.”
His anger slowly vanished but he didn’t release her just yet.
“Fine, I will tell her; I marry her under the condition; she set you free. She can’t keep treating you like this, Vic.”
She knew he would do that; but he didn’t love Princess Angela; much less stand her but they need this alliance for political reasons; no matter how much she hated it.
“Why are you doing this?”
Soon the Princess emerge from the door of the stables but she made no attempt to go in.
“Because you are a decorous, decorum woman and deserve to be loved and have a life she deserves.” He said filled with emotion.
She shook her head; “You are crazy.” She said smiling.
“I am not; you deserve everything good and I deserve you; I adore you very much, my lady.”
The Princess leaned forward to see why the sudden quietness in the stable; alas! They were hugging.
And her hands were round him too; could she ever find this peace. All the chasing; his mother could have die or better yet; he could have died; it have been her fault; but she didn’t want the same thing to happen here; no matter how much she wanted to be with the prince. ‘I can’t.’ she said as she drew away and just then she saw the Princess standing at the doorway watching them; only God know how much she saw and heard; did she hear all those insane things Robin told her.
She couldn’t move because he was the one holding her; it was actually the Princess’ voice; that made him, release her.
Princess smiled as she entered into the stables; “Well, thank you for keeping my guest company, Gwen. Can I have him back, now?” She said with a palm stretched to her.
She moved away from him and went to meet her mistress.
“I am sorry, your highness.” She apologized for the way it looked like.
She knelt down; hoping for mercy on her and the Prince. ‘The Prince didn’t mean what he said or did.’
She just nods and with a wave of hand; the Princess’ hand struck Gwen’s face; hard, she fell to the ground.
Prince Robinson clutched his fists; Princess Victoria shouldn’t be treated like this.
“What are you even doing here? I never invited you.’
Gwen was on the floor, she couldn’t speak; she felt her blood cold on her arms and her tears wet her cheeks.
“You are supposed to be taking care of my mother.” She queried on and on.
“I went out....” She said quietly.
“In the stables? Stupid girl. Liar, an imbecile. Is the palace too suffocating for you? I never asked for maid, even if I did it wouldn’t be you. I hate you Gwen!” she roared.
Robin blew hot hearing this. Why can’t he do something for the princess, why?
“And you my prince, you really left me waiting, I wanted to meet you.” She said moving towards him like the drama didn't just happen.
“Well, you never told me, maybe you are mistaking me for another Prince.’ He said flatly without looking at her.
“If I have told, would you have come? Instead you went out to meet my maid and you called her beautiful; I have never heard you say those words to me, why say it to the lady you get met today, are you that desperate?’ She lashed out.
Robin didn’t flinch at her words; he defended Victoria instead; “You never like her, you hate her, you never gave her the chance to explain; you even want to get rid of her; how can you do that to your own maid.’ He said getting tired of the way she insulted Princess Victoria.
“I never did like her, I wish she hadn’t come to the kingdom; and then she wouldn’t have the right to hang out the way she does with you.” She said holding his shirt.
“I don’t need you because you’re just an annoying little brat.’ He insulted her; catching her off guard; she was about to slap him but he held her hand back.
“If you tell anyone about what happened here, I will not go through with the alliance with your father; and I am sure you won’t like that.’ He warned.
She calmed down; her expression different. “Okay? It never happened.” She said composing herself.
“Good.” He released his hold on her.
Just then the stable men and the guards entered.
“My princess.”
“Yes, I’m here.” She said beside him.
But they didn’t move when they saw Gwen on the ground; holding her hand.
“Gwen, are you okay?’ one of the stables guys asked her.
She forced a smile as she tried standing up. “Yes, I am fine.”
“My Princess, your father asked to see you.’ One of the guards told her.
“Alright.” She said before turning to the Prince. She kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, my Prince.”
She excused herself, not without looking at Gwen still on the ground.
Prince Robinson moved close to her; he scanned her body and noticed a red stain in between her fingers. “Wait.” He stopped the guards. They stopped turning back to face him.
She tried to stand. “I am fine, really.”
“No, you’re not.’ He said as he led her.
She tried to move but she staggered and fell into his arms. “I am fine.” She insisted.
Then she fainted. Her hand fell lifelessly beside him. “Wake up!” He yelled.
