The Escaped Princess

Part 13

As Luis goes to load the boxes of supplies onto one of the caravans I spot a group of guards entering the square. Instantly I'm on high alert. Watching them carefully to ensure they're not heading in my direction I track their approach to several market stalls at the north end of the courtyard. 

The guards pause in front of the fruit stall run by the Rivelli family. I've spoken with Peter Rivelli and his wife Susan a couple of times in visits to the square, they usually come over to watch the show, and they're nice people. The stall is their livelihood. I remember them talking about how tough it could be to make ends meet when they jokingly thanked the Gallavanties for setting up camp in this square and driving up trade for them over the last few days. I watch as one of the guards picks up several oranges and begins to try and juggle, performing for the others who cheer him on. When another guard tries to snatch one out of the air all of the oranges fall to the floor. The group simply laugh and kick them away. Grabbing several pieces of fruit each, they start to walk away when Peter's son Patrick tries to stop them. I can see from here that he is indicated the guards need to pay for the fruit, including the smashed oranges on the floor.

In the blink of an eye the soldier has drawn his sword and is holding it against Patrick's neck. Holding my breath I wait paralised. Surely he's not going to do anything in the middle of the market with everyone watching. For a tense moment everything is frozen but then Peter comes running out to intervene, pulling Patrick away. The guards laugh and walk away, eating their stolen fruit without a care in the world. Inside I'm seething and wish I could go over and reprimand the guards. Tell them who I am and demand they pay for the fruit they've just taken, but I know that I can't. Instead I add the incident to my mental list of things to discuss with my father. I watch as Peter sends Patrick back inside and then goes to pick up the now ruined oranges. Tomorrow I'll make sure I bring some extra coins with me and visit the Rivelli family to buy as much fruit as I can.

With the guards now gone, the square returns to its bustling self and I look around for something to do. Spotting Sam making further repairs to a piece of scenery I wander over.

"Can I help?"

Sam stares at me with a raised eyebrow, "You want to help?"

"Yeah why not?" I say feeling slightly offended by his hostility.

"Hand me that hacksaw then" he gestures. Turning around I see a table full of various tools and I have no idea which one is a hacksaw.

"Errr which one's the hacksaw?" I ask feeling stupid.

"Seriously?" he scoffs before pushing past me and picking up what is evidently the hacksaw.

"Sorry, I haven't really had much experience with tools before."

"Obviously not, why would you?" he mutters.

Ok now his attitude is starting to irritate me, "What is your problem? I'm only trying to help."

"Well I don't need your help so just go back to your castle and leave the rest of us alone."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You heard me. Some of us have to work hard for things in life, we don't get everything handed to us on a gold plate."

"You don't know anything about me or my life. Just because I live in the castle doesn't mean my life is some perfect fairytale."

"Yeah right. Your life must be so tough. Standing up there in your ivory tower judging everyone below you. You have no idea what life is really like down here in the real world."

Hurt by his clearly low opinion of me I can't help but snap back, "I'm not the one making judgements here. You took one look at me and decided you knew me. I didn't do that to you. I wanted to get to know you but I guess that was a stupid idea. Clearly I'm not good enough for you to talk to, I'm just a spoilt girl from the castle who isn't worth your time. I'm sorry for bothering you."

Turning on my heel I stomp away absolutely fuming. How dare he talk to me like that? How dare he say that I'm the one judging people? Maybe I have lived a spoiled life in the palace, and maybe I don't know what life is really like for most people, but I'm trying to alter that. I'm learning. I'm even attempting to talk to my father, to change things and make life better for the people, though not very successfully yet. I've been nothing but nice to Sam since the moment I met him. I just don't understand his hostility. The way he spoke wasn't just dislike, it was like he truly hates me. 

As I repeat all of this to Risa, pacing backwards and forwards across the caravan in fury, she merely sits and listens, letting me get all my anger out of my system. "He doesn't hate you, he just doesn't know you yet. Sam's had a tough life. He's had to fight tooth and nail for everything and he doesn't trust people easily." A slow secretive smile then spreads across her face, "Truthfully I think he likes you and that's the real problem for him. He likes you but feels like he shouldn't. He's at war with himself."

"Likes me? Are you joking? Have you not heard a word of what I just said?"

She laughs, "I heard you."

A knock on the door interrupts our conversation as Luis sticks his head in, "Everything alright in here? I heard raised voices."

Taking a deep breath to calm myself I reply, "Everything's fine."

"Hhmmm" Luis doesn't seem convinced by my response, "So the fact that Sam's out here with a face like thunder, hacking away at a piece of wood doesn't have anything to do with anything."

Risa laughs while I try to maintain a somewhat dignified expression, "I don't know what his problem is, but whatever it is, it's his problem, not mine" and with that I turn, pick up a potato peeler and start peeling potatoes ready for dinner. I can sense a silent conversation going on between Luis and Risa behind me but I keep my back ramrod straight and focus all my attention on my task.

I spend the rest of the afternoon helping Risa and Luis whilst avoiding Sam at all costs. He appears to be doing the same so it works quite well. Eventually though I run out of things to do so decide the best option is just to head back to the castle. I have to attend dinner with the Ambassador and then comes my meeting with my father so I can't stay for the show anyway, and I should probably prepare exactly what it is I'm going to say. I hug Risa and Luis and ask them to say goodbye to Pepe, Dav and Kinken for me. "Not Sam?" asks Luis with a smile. I roll my eyes at him, "Sam doesn't deserve a goodbye."

Risa and Luis just laugh, clearly not taking me seriously although I was actually being quite serious. I'm still upset over Sam's words. I turn and head off with one final wave. Confidently strolling up to the castle gates I walk past the bemused guards and head straight for my room. Before I can reach them however I run into Lord Fagan. Why do I always seem to be running into Lord Fagan of late. Is he following me?

"Enjoy your walk?"

I try to ignore his question and step around him but he moves into my path. "Why the sudden interest in walks in the city? Where exactly is it that you go?"

I stare back with a passive expression, determined not to show him how much he scares me. He leans forward so close that his breath fans across my face, "Don't think I've forgotten you're interruptions in the council meeting. You need to learn your place Princess."

"And you need to learn yours" I declare before finally pushing past him and escaping once more to the safety of my room.