Anika | A Wolf Tale

FIVE

FIVE

-P U N I S H M E N T-

The walk through the hall was made in silence. Though, I had no doubt the thrashing of my heart against my chest was heard as loud as any drum to the two men before me.

The prince led me through one hall after the next, each one further from the side of the castle which contained the lecture halls. Rhode, to my dismay, walked in step with me, his large body nearly pressed to mine.

I could do nothing but stare at the golden head of the prince and wish that whatever came next was swift, and perhaps merciful. 

There had been talk of punishments at the castle. Some servants had supposedly been thrown into stocks in the courtyard for all to see, the less fortunate ones getting sent out to the woods at night with no candle, food, or drink.

I prayed it was none of those. If I dared to be wishful, I sent up a prayer that I would be sent home.

No man wants a strong minded wife, Madam Brigida had said.

Perhaps the prince would find no more need of me, then. That was a punishment I could more than tolerate.

"Stop fidgeting."

I looked up to find the captain staring ahead.

"What?" I said.

His jaw tensed, though he did not look to me. "All your fidgeting is going to drive me mad."

I looked down, finding my fingers tangled in my skirts. Dropping them, I murmured an apology. 

"Here we are!" said the prince, waving a hand at a pair of guards who stood outside a large gilded set of mahogany doors. At once, they opened to reveal a dim room lined in bookshelves. 

I stepped inside warily, padding across the rug to follow the prince where he aimed for a desk of deep cherry wood. 

"Please, Lady Green, have a seat."

 Rhode stopped several feet from the desk, and I was almost tempted to stop with him. I did not want to have this conversation with him in the room.

Noticing my hesitation, the prince smiled brightly. "No need to worry. I told Lady Lillith what she wanted to hear. You are safe, Anika."

Feeling rather silly, I nodded and made my way to the plush chair across from the desk of the prince. I sat and a whoosh went out from the chair as I was practically swallowed by the material. 

He beamed down at me, sitting in the large arm chair behind the desk. "I think you have just made history."

"Pardon?"

"No one stands up to Lady Lillith. Not even my father did when he was crown prince, and he was known to be quite rebellious."

Rebellious. Not a word I would associate myself with, nor one I wanted the prince of all people to believe I was. 

"Oh, forgive me. I only...It's not that I disagreed with a royal teaching." I chewed at my lip, forgetting Rhode's warning and fidgeting with my skirts beneath the brim of the desk. "I only thought there should be more to the story, is all, Your Highness."

His smile did not fade, but only brightened. "You do not need to explain," said the prince. "I am curious about what is in the North as well."

I stilled, my gaze shooting to his. 

I said nothing, and he continued. "When I was very young, I can remember your father visiting the palace. He was dear friends with Mother. One time, he brought his cart of trinkets with him and let me have a look."