I Must Save the Evil King

Chapter 29

The prison is gross. Dry stone walls covered in slimy wet moss, mildew can be smelled from a mile away. The roads turn from paved brick to hard gravel as the air begins to chill. It looks like something you would see in your nightmares, with its weird additions that make the layout non-sensical from the outside.   

The only plus side of the prison; I didn't have to walk there. 

We got out of the carriage in the front courtyard, by the bushes that looked like they had been dead for years. I think it could be a pretty building, just hire a gardener or two, and fix this whole haunted vibe. 

A creepy-looking butler meets us in the foyer and at the Prince's request leads us down into the heart of the prison. To where Duchess Sarduo is being kept. 

Her cell is surprisingly nice, especially compared to the ones I always saw on TV and in movies. For one it had floral wallpaper and a nice wooly rug on the floor. While the bed did have some curious stains it looked relatively comfortable and there was even an armchair. Honestly nicer than some of the places I've lived.                              

Duchess Sardou was sitting in the chair reading a book when we rounded the corner. Immediately she shot up and ran to the bars. I kept my distance, wanting to give her and Thibault some sort of privacy. 

"I'm afraid visitation is only 10 minutes, I will be back to collect you after that." said the butler, who I guess was actually a guard of some sort. Prison managment? 

"You are dismissed," Julian said in his very princely voice. 

 Duchess Sarduo's eyes caught mine and a dark look spread across her face, but just as quickly as I had seen it she switched back to her cheerful demeanor. Did I just imagine it? 

"We have not gotten a chance to talk in quite a bit," said Julian, his gaze still on Thibault. 

"We saw each other just this morning." I cracked a cheeky smile. 

"That's not-" He finally looked over at me. "Oh. That was a joke." 

Just then Thibault turned and looked back at us, a confused look on his face, then he quickly turned away again. 

"What was that about?" I asked quietly, Julian just shrugged. I looked up to see Duchess Sardou waving us over. 

"Julian darling I need you to do me a favor." She smiled, but her eyes were tired. 

"Anything." 

"We are going to have to sell the house-" 

"No!" Thibault interrupted, and Julian seemed equally as shocked. 

"Duchess if you require money I am happy to cover-" 

"No. The Sardou duchy will pay for itself, it always has and it always will. But Thibault will need a place to stay until the summer cottage is open for the season." Summer cottage? Why do I get the feeling it's a lot bigger than an actual cottage?    

"Thibault can stay in my apartments for as long as he would like," Julian said. Thibault looked upset but didn't argue. 

"Good, then you boys must leave. Us ladies need to talk alone." The boys turned and looked at me suddenly wondering why the duchess would want to talk to me, much less why it needed to be alone. "Oh you two, don't worry it's just womanly stuff!" 

At that, the two boys' faces went flush. 

"I will get going then!" Thibault said quickly. 

"You can take the carriage, I'll wait for Ettie in the main hall to walk her back." 

 Me and Duchess smiled and waved as the boys walked away but the second they left:

"Chances are they overheard us last night. You need to be careful they might try and get you next." Her eyes were harsh and cold, and I could tell I needed to take this seriously.  

"I know but I just feel like I'm so close to figuring it out. Or at least a big piece of it." 

"Do what you must and be careful I think the King may be involved in this." 

"Really?"

"As I told you earlier I only started being followed after I brought the handkerchief to the king. And you heard the guards, I was arrested on royal orders, and who else could risk planting false evidence?" Yeah, but the King is under a spell of some kind, so even if it was him there's no way of knowing if he was in control. But I couldn't tell her that.  

"I know one of the targets of this plot is Julian, what reason would the King have to target him? Was there anyone else there? At the meeting." 

"It was just the royal family and all the duchies. Oh! And your uncle." 

"My uncle? The marquis?" 

"No Gabriel, the baron." The baron? Why would he be at the palace? It's not like he has a relationship with any of the victums anyway, expect well me and maybe Claudettes parents? If their death was involved in this. 

Gosh a lot of people die in this book. I'm beginning to think it might not have been appropriate for me to start reading so young.       

"My lady," I turned to see the creepy butler standing in the doorway. It was time to go. 

"I'll be back Duchess, I'll get you out of here. I promise." I grabbed her hand again, like I had just last night. 

"Celine. Just call me Celine." She smiled softly. 

"I'll try but I'm really bad at that. Emilee has hammered the titles into my head." She laughed at that. I couldn't get her out of here yet but I hope I can at least releave some of her stress. 

Julian was leaning against the wall when I got back to the main room, staring blankly at the ceiling. Its moments like this I feel very lucky to have been kidnapped and trapped in the world of a novel by a crazy woman. I mean who else gets to meet their fictional crush in person.  

Dark hair, bright almond eyes better then I could ever have imagined. What I had not imagined however was that I was about the same height as him, at least in this body. Claudette is very tall. 

I wish I was tall. 

"You ready to go?" I said, startling him to attention. 

"Did you and the Duchess get to discuss everything you needed to? I'm sure they could make an exception for.." he could finish the sentence. 

"Girl stuff?" 

"Yes," he said pained, unsure of what else to stay while still sounding polite. 

"It's been dealt with," I said in a mock serious tone. Julian seemed to relax at that. We walked out the door and I was warmed by the afternoon sunlight. Afternoon? I looked up at the sun which sat just a bit past the middle of the sky. Somehow it feels like both to much time has passed and not enough.  

"Claudette D'aureville!" Came a shrill cry. I looked over in shock to see Emilee getting out of the carriage, her finger pointed at me in acusation. 

"Oops." I took a step back ducking behind Julian. Surely she wouldn't yell at me in front of the prince? 

"I ask one thing from you! One thing! Just to behave like a lady!" She marched over with a passion, holding up the front of her skirt in her fists. She looked like she had just been hit by a tornado, jewerly thrown ascue, her hair tied in a quick ponytail and most shockingly of all her face was bare of makeup. "Come get in the carriage now!" 

"Baroness, if I may?" Emilee's head snapped unaturally towards Julian when he spoke, and he took a step back too. Glad to see I wasn't the only one freaked out by her. "The Duchess is a guest of mine, and I'm afraid she can not leave quite yet." 

"Why not?" Emilee snapped. 

"I don't want her too."