Drafty

Plotting

        About a month later, the festival of spring was almost upon the people of King Derich's kingdom.  The final preparations were being made, for in two weeks time the festival would be in full swing.  All that was left to do was for Princess Aura to chose the new king of the kingdom.  

        As far as the king knew, his subjects had no idea as to what happened to the Queen.  Most presumed she had either fallen ill due to the small spring fever going around or that she was just being her normal self. The Queen had rarely visited her subjects, let alone leave the castle, and so it wasn't unusual to see and hear little of her.  The only rumors were the usual ones passed around the bars of the kingdom, and even they had little to do with the Queen herself, unless of course they were about some kind of scandel.

        Overall though, the kingdom remained in its normal swing and only suffered from what little chaos was created by festival preparations.  The farms were all beginning to plant and grow as usual, and the shopkeepers continued to sell their wares.  Spring meant new merchandise, and so most were anxious to get their hands on something nice for the summer to come.

        Princess Aura, sitting in her room, was getting ready to travel across the kingdom in search of her groom.  From the looks of it, she seemed calm and collected, even though the fate of her family's reign hang in the balance.  "Princess Aura, darling, would you please lift your arms a tad higher," said the seamstress, "I want you to have the perfect dress for your travels."

        "Hmm? Oh yes Midna.  I apologize.  I've been in deep thought lately."

        "About what my dear?"

        "You know entirely well about what.  I want to make the best decision, but I'm not sure whether to do it for the kingdom or for myself."

        "How so dear?" asked the seamstress, fitting the new dress around the Princess's tiny waist.

        "Well, I can either chose a spouse in order to keep our family's reign going, or I can chose a spouse that I truely love.  What do you think Midna?" asked the Princess.  Her view drifted from the dress to the window, and she felt a light breeze whisp her curley locks that appeared somewhat red in the spring sunlight.  

        "Well..." said the seamstress as she pondered what next to say, "I think you..."

        "Midna! Oh Midna! You are required in the infirmary immediately." said a young soldier after creating a gong-like sound as he shoved the door into the wall. "Axle and the patient are in need of immediate assistance.  There is no time to waste."

        "I'm coming! I'm coming!" shouted Midna as she packed her small bags of the fabric and needles required for the dress. "We'll have to finish this another time Princess Aura.  I'll speak with you soon."

        "Yes but..." and Midna drifted effortlessly out the room.  Princess Aura, still bewildered upon what she must do, strode towards the window of her lavishly decorated room.  It was almost entirely white, but a fluffy white, similar to that of the clouds outside her window.  "Oh what am I to do," said the damsel, "There must be some way for me to discover what must be done.  Now that mother's gone, it's up to me to be the woman of the household.  Yet I still feel like a child!  Why must this dilemma present itself to me?  Why can't it be easily solved, like the puzzle games I watch the poor kids play in the streets."

        The princess stood with little effort.  Everything she did was graceful.  Her mother had taught her, like all princesses, the basics of being the perfect lady.  She had excelled, and thus thought she had more of a chance than most at finding a spouse.  "What do peasant's know of lady-like behavior?  Nothing of course.  There will be no one to compete while I'm hunting for a man!"

        Without warning, the breeze from outside picked up as the air dropped to a chilling temperature.  There were flashes off in the distance created by what the princess assumed to be the heat of the day.  But the flashes could not have been created by the heat; it was much to cold for that.  Instantly, the sky let loose buckets of rain all at once.  Each droplet slapped against the Princess's window, and she rushed over to close it.  "What a disaster.  Even the weather is against me.  Midna always says rain is a bad omen."

........

        Across the kingdom, an important and dangerous discussion took place in a bar on the filthy side.  Three men were arguing over what should happen to the princess once the king and queen were "disposed of".  

        "What do you mean?" shouted a darkly bearded man in the usual peasant garb, "You cannot have her for yourself.  That's not how this works!"

        "I just don't see why we can't kill her with the rest of 'em,  What good will she bring to us?  She's too fragile and annoying I tell ya!  Might as well slit her throat while we have the chance."

        "Shut up, both a ya!  Someone'll hear!" a deep-voiced man with a dagger in his belt said, "There's no use discussin/' this no longer.  I take the Princess.  After all, I'm the leader of this group, and what I say goes."  The men of his group stared at him with deep respect in their eyes.  He was their leader, and although he was short and stocky, he seemed quite large in their eyes

        "Alright boss," said a few of the short man's men, "We'll do as you say,"

        "Good.  Now, I don't want to hear no more about it ,understand?  We can't move into action until the festival anyway.  The Princess'll be married them anyways, so all of 'em will be together.  We can get rid of them then, and possibly start a revolution at that!"

        "Here here!" shouted the men throughout the bar.  Their plot had been finalized ahead of schedule, giving them enough time to prepare just as much as the servants were to prepare for the festival.

        The bar quieted down some as the men returned to their drinks.  A man of average height approached the short man.  "Boss? How many people we got agreeing with us?"

        "Believe me son, we got just enough to do what we got to.  Just enough,  and then some."