A Medieval Affair

Chapter Two: Jezavette

        I ran home, the wind whipping me in the face along with my hair.  I got to the beach, where my home awaited me.  The lighthouse, where I grew up. 

        There, of course, was the tower but next to it was the small, two story shack that I lived in.  I am now seventeen and am currently living alone, now that my mother is dead and my father can not leave the village. 

        He used to visit us often, but since the war has started to move closer he is always needed at the castle with the other warriors.  Little old Asaba was more important than us I guess. 

        With the way I was thinking, I was in a terrible mood by the time I got home. 

        I angrily threw my sword and sheath on the table over my cloak.  My father taught me how to use it and I always take it with me when I leave, just in case.  Though, I wish I had had it when my mother was taken from me, I could have saved her.  I felt my knees shake and I fell to the ground crying, I couldn't control myself anymore.  Luckily I was alone, or so I hoped.  I hadn't heard the prince follow me, but, who knows what he had done.  He could be waiting for me right outside the house; waiting for me to come out so he could ambush me with more questions.

        I got up and climbed the ladder to the upper level of the shack, where my bedroom is located, though half of the floor was not finished and it is just planks.  I sat on my bed and wiped my tears away.  My long, black hair covered my face and made me feel like I was in the darkest place in the world, I felt like I was in that spot as well. 

        I laid down and shut my eyes, looking out the small hole in the ceiling at the stars that shined for only me and the ocean next door.

 ***       

        I woke up extremely famished.  I climbed back downstairs and opened the small bag that Carrie, the fruit merchant from the village, gave me.  She has been feeding my mother and I for a few years now and the payment was my mothers healing salves for cuts and scrapes that were given to the local infirmary. 

        There was a few apples and oranges in the bag so I took out the orange and began peeling it with the small knife that we had in one of the cupboards.  I got the orange open and walked outside to watch the waves like I do every morning while I eat. 

        While I was out there my horse, Barnabis, trotted over to see me.  I fed him two orange slices while we watched the sea.  After we had finished I walked him back to the tower.  It had an adjoining door to the cottage so he got to stay there.  Luckily there was plenty of room for him underneath the stairs that led to the lightbulb above.

        I looked up at the sky and saw that it was almost noon. 

        "I will have to go see if prince-boy remembers our meeting, huh Barnabis?" I called out and my horse winnied in response.  I grabbed my sword and practiced swinging it around my home, just in case we had a disagreement of any sort.

        After a bit of sword swinging I got my saddle from the tower wall and mounted Barnabis. 

        "Onward boy!  To the bridge!"  I called to him once I was seated and secure.  

        He kicked his feet and ran off in the direction I pointed his body in. 

        We got there in a few minutes and hid in the shadows of the trees.  I hated being this close to the village, Asaba has never been that nice of a place to me; except Carrie. 

        "Let us see if we both keep up appointments." I whispered into the wind. I had no idea if I could trust this prince with my real name or if I should tell him a fake one.  But what could I use? My mother's name, no.  I could try my father's name and see how he reacts, no. 

        No, Jezavette, we are going to tell him our real name.  I thought to myself.

        After a while I found myself becoming very bored.  I finally came to the realization that he was not coming, so I got back securely in my saddle and got ready to ride off.  Then, I heard a sound, as if something was racing toward me. 

        From the shadow I found refuge in, I saw it was the prince.  Making the meeting on time.  His face looked angry and sad, his light blond hair almost shining in the sunlight.  I wondered how long I would wait until he said something.  He just stood there, looking for me.  Or something else.  Something was on his mind, was it about me?  I felt a small, strange sensation in my stomach when that thought crossed my mind.

        I drew the feeling away as I watched him silently argue with himself.  I edged closer to the light when he started to speak, it made me jump

        "Where are you?" he yelled "I know you are here!" 

        So I came out from hiding.