Drafty

Two Weeks

        Two weeks had finally come, and it was time for Princess Aura to chose her spouse.  Everyone was on edge.  The potential fate of the reign of the Derich's hung in the balance, and so the king was especially worrisome.  He refused to be interrupted of his constant pacing in his study.  Never before had he been so nervous.  If the word got out in regards to his wife's death, his kingdom and all that he had worked for would have been for nothing.

        Now that he thought of it, he wondered what would happen to the kingdom if such a catastrophe occured.  Most likely, he would be thrown out and possibly even executed.  He tried to shake the thought from his mind, but he only managed to vizualize himself losing his head over and over.  "I've been a good king, haven't I?  I mean, I don't think I've done much to upset anyone."  He pondered it for a moment, wondering exactly what kind of deeds he had done during his reign.  His thoughts flipped back to the latest winter.  "That wasn't so bad," he thought, "My men only went out to hunt, or so the people think anyway.  So what if a few of them died.  Frostbite is frostbite.  I'm sure they wouldn't hold me accountable.  Unless of course some brother or other thought they weren't compensated thoruoghly.  Hmmm."  The king continued his pacing.  "Maybe before my daughter takes over, I think I shall write formal apologize.  Make it look... official.  Ha ha!" the king laughed heartil, "At least it's only a hunt the people see.  And not the fight it truely was."

        There was a knock at the door, and for the first time all day, the king allowed himself to be interrupted.  "Come in. Come in.  Oh hello doctor!  Whatever is the trouble?"

        The doctor who had been assigned to deliver the queen's child coughed nervously.  "I just wanted to inform you of the state of the patient we have had since the winter.  The little girl Axle found out in the snow."

        "Yes, yes.  The one who got terrible frostbite.  I do remember."

        "Well she hasn't awoken yet, but Axle was forced to amputate her right hand.  It's taken quite a toll on him your highness.  You know how he doesn't like..."

        "That's well and fine but what is the point of this doctor?" interrupted the king, "I'm quite the busy man you know, and I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for my daughter's ascension to the throne."

        "My apologies sire.  It's just that I wanted to let you know because this does indicate she will, most likely, wake up fairly soon.  We don't know what she saw or even what she was doing at the time of "the incident.""

        "Oh you are quite right.  What a coincidence! I was just thinking about it myself before you arrived.  Well, when she does awaken, we'll see what she knows.  No use worrying our heads over something that may not even happen.  Thank you doctor.  I know I can trust you without fail."

        "Indeed sire.  Would you like me to bring in Axle for questioning as well?  He was the girl's teacher after all, and he may have been plotting with her against you."

        "Yes that is a great idea.  Send him in quickly.  I will be leaving soon you know."

        "Yes your highness."  The doctor bowed deeply and exited the king's study, and it seemed for the first time that the king noticed how small and weasly the man appeared.  He was balding and had a short hooked nose.  In fact, he gave quite the resemblance to a crow.  "Hmm. I never liked crows," said the king, scratching his short black beard.

........

        As the doctor promised, Axle was sent promptly to the king's study.  The king took in the older man, and he seemed to have aged rather quickly since the winter.  He wasn't balding quite yet, but his hair had more grey streaks than the king last recalled.  Still, he was a handsome man with a strong build that could only come from running all the tasks Axle did.  His face was trustworthy and soft, the kind that would give most people a good impression, but the king had his reasons for mistrusting the man.  Axle was not born within the kingdom of the Derich's.  He had come from the wintry kingdoms of the north and had rose quickly through the ranks based off skill alone.  The king had always been suspicious of his skill.  No man should ever have that much, especially if it's raw talent, but the king accepted him anyway, for he always needed extra help in the castle.

        "Axle, please take a seat.  I have a few questions for you."

        "Is this about your garden again your highness?  I informed the gardeners last year to plant red roses as you said, but they always plant the white ones anyway..."

        "No Axle.  This is not about the garden.  It's about the past winter."

        "Oh yes.  This past winter was horrible.  I've never had to handle so many cases of frostbite in my entire life!  Especially that one day.  That was a killer.  Fifty men all dead, and my young apprentice nearly killed as well.  I at least understood the death winter can bring, being from the north and all, but your folk are used to the warmth so much so that they don't know how much they can handle..."

        To the king, what Axle was saying made no indication that he knew anything about what the king had truely planned for that night.  "Did your apprentice notice anything odd that day?"

        Axle was taken slightly aback.  "As far as I know, sir, she didn't see anything odd.  I mean, she hasn't awaken since that night anyhow so I really wouldn't know," his voice lowered into a sad tone, "I guess it would also be highly inprobably for her to have seen anything anyway.  The snow was so thick, it was practically a white-out."

        "Yes, I suppose," said the king, "If you are certain, then maybe I will be able to let this go."

        "Let what go sir?"

        The king had never been known for keeping his mouth shut, and so he easily desired right then and there to tell Axle everything.  The man seemed so harmless.  Nothing he said would ever be repeated, right?  "Well that night there was..." but the king suddenly contained himself. "Oh it was nothing Axle. No leave me.  I have too much to think about!"

        "Yes your highness," Axle had noticed the abrupt switch in the king's tone.  He wasn't stupid after all.  He had known for months that the king was hiding something.  Word around the kingdom was that something else had happened that winter.  "Shall I inform you if the girl wakes up?" he asked before leaving the king.

        "Sure Axle. That'll do fine."

        Quickly, Axle left the king to his thoughts and raced down the thick stone steps back to the infirmary.  He needed a place to think on what had just occured to him.  Plus, he wanted to be there when his apprentice woke up.  

.......

        Upon entering the infirmary, he checked to make sure his apprentice had not bled to death.  Thankfully, she was still alive and breathing well.  Then, Axle sat down on the bed opposite the girl and worked on his thought process.  The king was defineitly hiding something.  He knew that for sure.  He also knew, since he actually lived outside of the castle, that most people were happy with the king's reign.  He had kept the kingdom at peace throughout it's entirety, but he had also heard people in the bars say it had been too peaceful.  Like he was controlling things without ever informing the people.  

        "Maybe what he did on that winter night has something to do with how he kept the peace.  Maybe, if word got out about what actually happened, he'd been in deep trouble, and that's why he has to keep it a secret.  Maybe what he did enraged a few, but since most people don't know, they can't have any kind of uprising.  Or, maybe I just don't know because I'm a northerner and no one will tell me. Hmm."

        The sound of movement snapped him quickly from his thoughts.  He had been starring out the window when, all of a sudden, he heard the sound of blankets moving and was forced to turn around.  "Someone! Someone come quick! She's finally awaken!" screamed Axle as he burst into tears of joy.