When No One Was Watching.

Chapter 6

Adjusting my cloak around my shoulders I glance down, once again in my brother's clothes. The hole from the knife had been messily mended and the stain mostly washed away, all thanks to little Esme. I sink gently to the floor and tug the leather boots over my feet, then tie my dirty curls up and away from my face. As I stand the dull pain in my side makes me question if leaving is even the right thing. Despite what Karl says, I simply do not see how 'protected' this place is. I just wandered upon it. If the guard shows up here, Father will charge both of them will with treason right along with me, and I refuse to let anyone else die for me.

I tug open the door, stepping onto the platform above the stairs. Esme sits waiting for me just inside the tree's door frame. With one hand on the tree for balance and move down to her.

"You ready?" I ask arriving at her feet. Esme frowns giving me a once over.

"You don't look much like a princess in that." I give her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry dear one." I offer my hand down to her, which she promptly takes, rising to her bare feet. We walk quietly down the other set of stairs and out the front door.

"Do you want to see my garden?" she murmurs kicking a small rock across the grass.

"Very much so." A speck of light returns to her small amber eyes and she tugs me down a stepping stone path. We approach the vine-covered archway and a wooden sign hangs down, with poor handwriting etching out the word 'Esme.'

"Did you make that?" I point to it and she puffs her chest.

"I did! I made everything in this garden, except for Karl. He helped just a little though, he was bored." I hold back a laugh as she continues to ramble on. "These are the six front rows. These are tomatoes, these are cucumbers, that one is peppers," We continue to wind down each row as she talks. Some with little plants, some with much larger ones, and even some in wooden beds. "We keep the strawberries and mint in those ones, or they take over the entire garden!"

Animatedly she tells me about every single one, even the flowers. The spring breeze whisks the lingering heat of the sun away as we come upon a line of small fruit trees. The cat I had seen before watched me lazily from under a tree, curled up inside of a blanket-lined wicker basket.

"Is that your cat?" I ask quietly, nudging her gently with my uninjured hip.

"Oh, that's Pumpkin. She followed Karl home last winter when he went to town." She steps forward a little bit, gently petting her head. I step closer as well, holding out a hand for her to sniff. She does the rolls onto her side, showing her stomach off.

"I don't know how she got so fat." She giggles, petting her sides. "Why are you so fat kitty? Hmm? Hmm?"

"Well, she's not fat." I grin at Esme's confusion-scrunched face. "She's pregnant."

"Oh." Esme replies plainly. "Oh, OH! We're going to have kittens! I have to tell Karl!"

"Quite a few of them by the looks of it." A snort drawls my attention away from the excited little girl to Karl who leans against the archway.

"Your horse is ready." He calls over to us, and immediately Esme seems to remember why she was upset, to begin with. "Come on."

"But- kittens! Don't you want to stay and see the kittens?" She pouts as we make our out of the garden and past the archway.

"Listen, how about this. If I am ever allowed to back to the castle, I'll send you an invataion." I tell her as we cross the front yard, approaching Marisol whose coat shines in the afternoon sun. "And if you want to, you can come to stay with me for a few weeks. You can even bring me a kitten." A squeal erupts from her little mouth, and my eyes crinkle with a smile. She prances ahead, jumping in circles.

"The castle! The castle!" She giggles, scaring quite a few chickens that lingered nearby.

"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep Princess." Karl suddenly speaks, as Esme is out of earshot, frustration, and disappointment clear on his face. "Especially not to her. You're not the one who has to deal with the aftermath."

"Kind sir, I fully intend on keeping my word." My mouth sets itself in a straight line as a look of disbelief stares unchanging back at me. "I have quite a few younger sisters myself and I would not ever hurt someone else's."

"Not on purpose, but the royal family has a way of forgetting their peasants." His words hurt, but I know that often times that is the truth.

"One day, I will prove that not all of us are the same." I give him a curt nod and turn toward my horse. A soft 'I hope you do.' fall's from his lips and almost evades my ears. Almost.

"Marisol, my love." He pushes his large face into my palms, pressing his head against mine. "It's been too long, I know, I am terribly sorry." I give him a few more pats, then move toward the saddle bag, still fastened shut. I open it and everything I left stares back at me. Including two small bags of gold coins that I had hidden so long ago. I pull it out and turn back toward my new friends.

"I am surprised Mari let you handle him at all, he usually hates people." I step forward holding the small velvet purse, but Karl frowns deeply at my hand. "Here you are, for your troubles."

"Keep it, you will need it more than us." I take another step forward and grab his hand, causing the hairs on my arm to stand on end. I stop for a moment as my fingertips begin to tingle. Remembering myself I flip his arm over and plop the bag in the elder's unwilling hand. I let go and my heart thuds wildly in my chest. A blush rises to my cheeks and I clear my throat.

"If not for yourself, take it for her. Buy her a dress or something." His eyes illuminated by the late sun flickers with confusion, curiosity, and something else. I'm not sure what.

"Thank you, Princess!" Esme grins, practically shaking in excitement.

"Wren, please. Just Wren." I turn back toward Marisol and grab my compass, lifting it over my head. I step into the stirrups and hoist myself swiftly over Marisol's large warm body. My side screams and a wince pins itself to my face.

"Oh wait, Your package!" Esme exclaims turning back toward the giant tree. "Don't leave!" I watch as she darts back across the lawn and into the oak doorway. Silence washes over the two of us and I flip open my compass, east still pointing in the direction of the tree.

"Is there a town or some sort of trail that way?" I ask Karl abruptly, pointing past the giant tree.

"Not for a long way off, if you go too far it turns into Xilani." He looks over at me, meeting my eyes, then flickers down to my hands, his stare becoming cold. "Can I see that?"

"My compass?" He gives a silent nod stepping forward, I lift it over my hand and set it in his outstretched palm. About ten different emotions flood through his eyes as he studies it, flipping it over and opening it. He runs his thumb along the inside, his jaw tightening.

"I fear, princess, that I have to insist you don't leave." He sighs closing its lid and forcing his fingers through his dark curls.

"Not you as well, please. I would love to stay but I have to-"

"Get to the place your mother sent you?" He cuts me off, holding up my compass to the light and cocking it sideways. I nod skeptically, his behavior confusing me. "From the looks of it, she sent you here."