Annifer

Chapter 11: The Rubbish Cart

I raced down the stairs and along the corridor.

When I rounded the corner into the Banqueting Hall, I breathed a sigh of relief. The "Royal Table" hadn't arrived yet. I squeezed into my seat and no sooner had I sat down than I had to stand up again. Ivan, Beatrix and Skarp were walking down the central aisle. But Kriston wasn't with them.

"Where's Kris?"  I asked Lady Bellina in a choked voice, panic rising inside me. She hesitated. Her lips were pursed, her face contorted as if in pain. My heart fell into my stomach.

"He's very ill, Princess." My tutor held me by the wrist. There were tears in her eyes. "You need to prepare yourself, dear." She swallowed and squeezed my wrist. Doctor Hosta says he won't be with us for much longer. I'm so sorry, Annifer." Sniffing, she covered her face with her other hand and stifled a sob.

Oh God! My stomach turned a somersault. My head spun. I gripped the table to stop myself falling down.

Lady Beatrix processed past me, nose in the air, towards the Royal Table. I gasped in shock. The dress she wore was midnight blue velvet. The bodice was embroidered with little mirrors, sewn on with silver thread. The collar was raised at the back and stitched with pearls. My mother had worn that dress. It was one of the queen's official garments. On her head she wore a silver and diamond tiara, my mother's also. She giggled and hung on to Ivan's arm. The tiara had slipped down over one raven black eyebrow and they staggered as they walked. I could smell the wine fumes coming off them. Skarp was the only sober one in the group and as he passed he threw me a menacing glance — eyes narrowed, lips curled in a sneer.

Nausea rose in my throat. My flesh crawled. They were poisoning Kris and now they couldn't even wait till he was dead to take his place. My aunt and uncle flopped in their seats at the Royal Table.

"More wine!" Ivan thrust his goblet in the air. Beatrix threw her arms around his neck and declared in her high-pitched voice, loud and thick with alcohol,

"My dearest, darlingest husbandy wusbandy." She pinched his bristled cheeks. "Your coronation will be the most spectacular event Frailing has ever witnessed. I just hope the castle kitchens can cope with the magnificent feast I have planned. If not I can always get cooks sent specially from Skaliff. Our cooks are far superior to Frailing's. The dancers must come from Moonrun; Moonrun has the most wonderful dancers in the whole of Tarth . . ."

Around the room a few faces cast me sympathetic glances but most avoided my eye. "My dress will be made by the master tailors of Quain and I'll need the finest, most precious jewellery brought all the way from Erith beyond the sea, diamonds, rubies, eremalds . . . elemralds . . .emeralds . . ."

I couldn't listen to this anymore. Under my breath, I started repeating the prayers Gerda had taught me earlier and soon I'd blocked out Beatrix's voice so that it was no more disturbing than the annoying whine of a mosquito. When the servants served the meal, the smell of roasted venison made me giddy. I pushed it away. Bellina pushed it back towards me and handed me a fork.

"Eat, Princess," she whispered, her face etched with concern. "You need your strength now more than ever." I knew she was right. I cut a piece of potato and put it in my mouth. Once I'd started eating, I realised how hungry I was. Healing the rabbit had drained me more than I'd thought and then there was all that running. I sipped from my goblet of water and turned my mind to the next problem: How to get out of the castle and back to Gerda's house at night. I still had Poppy's cloak but maids weren't allowed out of the castle after dinner unless they had special dispensation. Castle Merlax was well protected by high walls, too high to climb. Kris and I had tried many times. There was no time to dig a tunnel. No, I had to admit to myself that I really didn't know how to do this.