Casimir's Journey (12 page)

He pushed on and found that Melasine was right. He was able to get back to Catrin’s home by late evening. He jumped down from Toly and took the saddlebag off. Striding to the door, he knocked and, as before, Catrin answered.

“So quickly? You must have been successful. Come in,” she said, opening the door and standing to the side. He walked into the kitchen and dumped the saddlebag onto the table.

“I have brought the cup and platter.” He opened up the one side, and pulled them out, offering them to her.

She took them with a smile. “You have done well, Casimir. These are exactly what I needed. What did you give her for them?”

“I? I gave her nothing. We were discussing a barter, and then she changed her mind and gave them to me.” He shrugged. He looked at her. “So my bargaining skills, or lack thereof, made no difference.”

Her smile broadened. “Perhaps you are right, Casimir. I can admit when I might be wrong.”

“Are we finished? I wish to be on my way.”

“You have fulfilled what I asked. You may stay here tonight, take your ease, and in the morning I will agree that your obligation to me is repaid.”

“I have your word that I may stay here this evening with no tricks, no mischief from you?” Dealing with her made him question everything.

“You have my word. You will sleep untroubled, and I will outfit you for your journey back to your life and ensure that your wounds have sufficiently healed. I’ll even have a bath drawn so my servants can help you scrub the dye off and trim your hair so you look less like a vagabond.”

He nodded. “Then we are done. I’d like to have the bath before I retire, if you please.”

“How easily you return,” she remarked. “It will be done. You know where your room is. Please be comfortable until Ingrith can make your bath ready.”

He picked up the saddlebag and went back to the chamber where this had all begun. Closing the door behind him, he leaned against it. He felt he’d escaped, although he wasn’t sure from what. All he needed to do was to clean himself up, and he would never look back on this. Ever.

He sat on the bed, his mind curiously blank. He tried to think about returning to his life as a prince and to his betrothed, but he felt very underwhelmed and couldn’t understand why. He’d been so keen to get back to everything—but what was he getting back to? His thoughts were interrupted by the man from the stables muscling a bathing tub into the room for him.

Right behind him was Ingrith, lugging in a large pot of hot water. “Got more of these on the hearths in the yard, sir,” she puffed. The man walked out with her, and then within moments, they were both back in carrying pots. One more trip each, and the tub was full. Ingrith came back bringing the cleaning items he would need.

“Call out if you need assistance, sir. I’ll come in to trim up your hair once you’ve finished.”

“You cut hair too? Catrin is lucky to have you in her service,” he said. The look of outright fear on her face stopped anything else he was going to say. She bobbed and practically ran from the room.

He stripped off his clothing, and stepped into the tub. He scrubbed himself vigorously, to the point his skin felt raw. Then he sat in the water until it began to get cold.

A knock at the door caused him to sink a little lower. “Yes?”

“I have fresh garments for you, sir,” said Ingrith.

“Come in, and leave them, if you please,” he replied. She darted in and placed a pile of clothing on the chest. “I shall be ready for you to administer to my hair shortly,” he said, smiling at her, hoping to let her know she didn’t have to scurry so.

She didn’t reply, just bobbed as she flew out the door, shutting it behind her.

He wanted to do something to help her. She was obviously not happy here and lived in fear of something. Catrin, probably. But she didn’t stay around long enough for him to get anything out of her.

He stood and dried himself off, taking his time getting into the clothing she’d left. It was more befitting him, although not entirely up to his standards. A knock at the door brought in Ingrith again, and she carried shears and a glass.

In spite of his efforts, he got no information out of her as she trimmed his shaggy hair. If anything, his questions made her more nervous. He gave up. He could not help someone who would not give him anything to help with.

Once she’d finished with his hair, she brought him a late supper, telling him to leave the tray outside the door when he was done. He ate sitting on his bed, satisfied that this awful part of his life was about to end. He hoped to never consider it again once away from here.

And with those happy thoughts, he went to bed. For the first time since this began, he fell asleep untroubled.

He woke the same way. Additionally, he had a wonderful feeling of anticipation. He jumped out of bed and hurriedly dressed. He packed up his saddlebag. He hoped Catrin would allow him to purchase Toly. He didn’t want to walk back to his castle, any castle, and he felt very attached to Toly.

Striding into the kitchen, he found Catrin, Ingrith, and the man from the stables all very busy. There was an air of anxiety in the room.

“Casimir! I’m glad you’re still here,” said Catrin.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“We are done. I thought you might have decided to leave.”

“That makes no sense. I take my leave honorably,” he said.

“Well, I am glad of it. Have some breakfast, and then I must ask you for a favor.”

He sat at the table. “You ask me for a favor? Really? Is this another quest? If so, I remind you are we are done, Catrin, according to you, last evening, in this room.”

She flapped a hand at him. “We are done. I just need you to gather some oranges for me. We’re all busy here, and I have need of three oranges from my grove. None of us have the time to run and get them. If you would go after you eat, it would save Ingrith from having to try to fit the time in.”

Her sideways look didn’t fool him. He could tell she knew he felt sorry for Ingrith. Was there nothing and nobody this woman would not use to get what it was she wanted? Even for something as simple as running a servant’s errand. He could see why Ingrith looked frightened, why the man from the stables had said what he did. She was evil, this woman. Evil. She used everything about a person to her own ends, regardless of what happened to the person being used.

“If you feed me first, I shall be happy to gather your oranges,” he said with a sigh.

“Wonderful! Ingrith!” She gestured with her head to Casimir, and the little maid hurried to dish up a bowl of porridge, setting it in front of Casimir. He thanked her, seeing a single tear slide down her cheek. She turned quickly, but he’d seen it.

“Are you well?” He asked quietly, stopping her from fleeing with a hand on her arm. She glanced up at him, shocked and afraid, and gave a jerky nod as she whirled away from him.

What was that about? He could not fathom. He bent to his porridge, finding that food on the edge of freedom tasted better somehow. Once he was done, he stood and handed the bowl to Ingrith.

“Catrin! Where is your orchard? Let me do this and be on my way!”

She bustled back into the kitchen at his bellow. “No need to shout down the house, Princeling. The orchard,” she said, taking him by the shoulder and steering him to the open kitchen door, “is beyond the stables. There are mostly apple and pear trees. I have two lemon trees and one orange tree. The oranges are beyond compare. It is why I trust you to gather them. I know you will care for them.”

“How many do you need?”

“Just three. The recipe I am using calls for two, and I want one for myself. There is one thing, Casimir.”

“What?” He said absently, gauging how long it would take to get to the grove of trees.

“You must not break the skin in any way. The oranges are particularly appealing, and you will be struck, I assure you, by their aroma. Pick only three, for I ration them. Do not eat any, nor attempt to sneak one for yourself. I will know. Now go, if you please. I need them.” She shoved him towards the door.

“May I take Toly?”

“No need. The orchard is an easy walk. Just head back beyond the stable.” She was already heading down the hallway as she spoke over her shoulder.

He walked briskly to the stables and then behind them. He could see the fruit trees. Catrin had told the truth. It was an easy walk.

As he made his way into the orchard, he could see most were indeed apple and pear. Finally, he came upon the lemon trees, and just to the side of them was the orange tree.

Never had he seen such fruit. Each orange looked like a sunburst, so bright an orange was it. The fruit itself was fat and luscious looking. He stepped closer, and then the smell hit his nose.

What a smell! His mouth watered. He reached out a hand and picked one orange. He brought it to his nose and nearly wept at the craving he felt. She had said not to pick more than three, nor eat one. Pulling the orange away from his face, he hurriedly picked two more, trying to breathe shallowly. The smell was making him insane with hunger, which he didn’t understand as he had eaten more than enough of the porridge. Bundling the oranges in a corner of his jerkin, he turned to go back to the house and away from temptation. Just as he turned, something stopped him.

She would not know if he had an orange from the tree. He turned back, and inspected it. He was looking for the smallest orange, but none seemed to be anything but large and inviting. Finally, after walking around the tree several times, he picked one from the back of the tree. He didn’t think she came out and counted them. He would be safe.

He set down the three he’d picked for her and crouched under the tree. Better to eat it now and bury the evidence at the tree itself. Then it would look as though a bird or some other animal had gotten to it.

He caressed the orange, inhaling its wondrous smell. He broke the peel with his thumbnail, nearly gasping as the smell of the fruit within burst free. How did such a person get such an amazing tree? He had orangeries in both his and Aland’s castle, and none of them—ever!—had this aroma, this draw. He broke the orange open into two halves, and then broke off a single section and put it to his mouth.

The flavor exploded into his mouth like a physical blow as his teeth sank through the fruit. Then he knew no more.

—Thea? Where was she?—

—Where was he?—

He picked his head off the pillow and looked around. There were several men in the room with him, and a fine room it was. Much finer than the likes of him ought to be enjoying.

“What happened?” He said. It came out with a groan, and the men around him all sprang into talk.

“You are awake! Praise God! We were not sure you’d come back to us!”

“Good man, good man,” said another, clapping him on the shoulder. “Lord Maddox’ll be glad to hear of it. You saved his life, you know.”

“Indeed, and a prettier piece of bravery I’ve never seen,” said a third man. “He’d be food for the crows had you not stopped the bandit who sprung for him!”

“Who, who are you?” He asked. He knew none of them. “Who am I?”

“What? You don’t know who you are?”

At that, a woman entered. The three men turned gratefully to her. Eagerly, it seemed. “Mistress Catrin! He has no memory of who he is!” The man who’d clapped him on the shoulder cried. “When will he know himself?”

“Peace, good men. He has taken a hard blow to the head and is lucky to be alive,” she said, smiling as brought a cup towards him in the bed. “It is normal for wounds of the head to cause a loss of memory. Leave him with me, and I will heal him and send him back to you.”

“Be sure you do, woman” said the man who’d spoken first. “Lord Maddox owes his life to this brave young man, and I’ll not have him die.”

The woman called Catrin smiled and bobbed her head. “You may count on me. That is why you brought him here, yes? I will heal him. Now all of you, out. I will send word when he is ready to return to you.” She made a shooing motion, and, muttering amongst themselves, they all left the room. He didn’t know why, but he felt bereft at them leaving. He turned to the woman, who was still smiling.

“Drink this. We’ll have you feeling right as rain,” she said, handing him the cup she held. He took it, carefully and looked at her. “Thank you, madam. Please, tell me, who am I?”

“Your name is Hadden,” she said.

“It is good to see you awake!” The woman smiled broadly. “I’ve been worried about you.”

“I thank you, I think,” he said. “I must confess that I do not know your name, good dame.”

“You may call me Catrin,” she said with a twinkle. “I’m the one who’s nursed you through your illness, and a right scare you’ve given me.”

“Forgive me, but I can’t remember a thing.”

“That’s all right. Sometimes a good knock on the head will do that. Your command sought my help after your courageous defense of Lord Maddox.”

“My command?” He had no idea what she was talking about.

“The Home Guard. You are an esquire in the Home Guard of King Aland of Gallivas, under the command of the Earl Constable Burleigh. According to your direct commander, Lord Maddox, you are one of his trusted aides, and he was most concerned when you became unable to ride your mount.”

As Catrin spoke, he begin to remember what she spoke of. He recalled bouncing along on his horse, Shadow, and feeling most clumsy and ungainly. He thought he might have toppled off, and had a vague recollection of being carried into this room with Catrin issuing orders.

“It would seem I owe you a great debt, madam Catrin.”

“Catrin is fine, Hadden. I am but a poor widow, and happy to offer succor to one of the Home Guard. After all, it is the Home Guard that keeps the bandits at bay.”

Her words brought further memories. He was in charge of the second company of Lord Maddox, one of five. They had been patrolling along the border between Gallivas and Ethion. The banditry crossed between the two nations with great ease and lack of care for the fact that they increased the burden of those who lived along the border.

“How long have I been here?”

“You have been here some days. I have had word from Lord Maddox. He sends one of your company daily to know of your health, and I was able to send the latest man back with word of your beginning recovery.”

“I feel good,” he said.

“That is good to hear. You are young and healthy, and your spirit has aided your recovery.”

“When may I return to my company?”

“I think another day to ensure that you will not set yourself back,” she said firmly, as though expecting argument.

Hadden leaned back. “I find myself in agreement. I do feel good, but the thought of getting on horse does not inspire me at this moment.”

Catrin laughed. “That’s a sure sign that you need more rest. Most young men are eager to be up from the sick bed. Take your ease, Hadden. Lord Maddox is happy to have you back once you are well. He values you greatly.”

“He is a good man, and a good commander,” Hadden said.

“Here. Drink this. Then sleep some more. I feel you will be ready to depart in the next day or so.”

Hadden took the cup gratefully. “Thank you, Catrin.”

She smiled at him with dimples, which surprised him to see in a woman so old. “I am happy that you are mending, Hadden. It has been my pleasure.”

Hadden merely nodded as he drained the contents of the cup. Instantly, he felt sleepy. Catrin must be an herb woman of some renown for such a quick response from her brews.

He burrowed down into the bed, pulling the coverlet up to his chin and let sleep take him.

As he fell into the land of dreams, he saw the face of a dark haired woman looking at him intensely. He felt a flare of unease and concern, and then nothing more.