The High Road (On Hold)

Chapter Eleven

Stéaphan was right, it was almost midday. Christelle had not done anything to prepare her for the journey to Edinburgh, but it was only the day after the next. What can I do? I cannot simply prepare like the soldiers can. I have only a trunk of effects from home.

And the Princess was right, what could she do? If there was something to be done, Madewin would know. She decided to go to her friend's quarters in the room down the hall. She donned a blue dress with silver trim running across the sleeves and body of the garment. It truly was a beautiful dress as anyone could tell by the way it looked in her mirror, the same that Madewin had gifted her.

Christelle slid open her door and peered out. The guards bowed their heads and stood with rigid bodies as she emerged. She was a guest in this castle, but no amount of fine linens or guards would make her feel like one. The Princess walked down to hall to Madewin's room. Her room had only one guard posted who came to attention at her approach, then opened the door for her.

She walked in and the door shut behind her. Madewin was seated at a desk reading a book. "A History on the Lands of the Scot?" asked Christelle. "Yes", Madewin said, "If we are to live in this country now, I would like to at least understand it." Always the academic was the Princess's dearest friend.

"You mean you are not readying yourself for the journey?" the Princess asked.

"How would I? You and I need only take the few things we have with us when the time arrives. Before it does, I intend to take as much time to accept living here, as I hope you will."

"That is no small task"

"Indeed not, but one you must undertake lest you desire to be miserable."

"I think I should stay here with you. After all, you are one of the few pieces of England I still have left."

"Prithee, stay."

Christelle smiled. She played with the embroidery on her dress. A few small threads of silver frayed and hung off the left sleeve. The threads continued to split and fray as she played with it. "You'll be naked before you leave this room if you keep that up", Madewin said as she took notice of her friend. Christelle paused and dropped her hands in her lap. She let out a sigh. The room was modest. Clearly it did not see many visitors as noted by the charred fireplace. Even Scottish maids know to clean the firepit before guests arrive. A few tapestries hung from the walls. One depicted a knight on horseback, his sword glancing over the heads of the troops he commanded. Scots pikemen stood below him, filed and ranked. The other two were scenes of nature, one a forest clearing, the other a river bending around a tree. They gave a pleasant aura to the otherwise gloomy room.

"These reminds me of the hangings from the palace back in London", Christelle said, still peering off towards the walls.

"Mother and I used to spend evenings making tapestries like those", Madewin replied.

"They're quite beautiful." Her mind was brought to Stéaphan as the word 'beautiful' left her lips. I wonder where he is, she thought to herself.

"Come, Madewin" Christelle said as she leapt up from her seat, a smile on her face.

"Just where are we going?" Madewin asked.

"On an adventure", she happily replied.

The pair of Englishwomen exited the inner castle through the great hall. Soldiers stood idly on the battlements, staring off into the distance.

"My Lady, are you sure we should not stay with you? This is a foreign land with foreign men", asked the dismounted knight officer that led them to Inverness.

"We need no escort, good knight. We will only stay in the courtyard area", Christelle said to him, Madewin at her side.

"Very well, My Lady." He departed into the great hall and peered out at them before closing the door slowly.

The officers' quarters of castle Inverness stood off to one side of the inner courtyard. There stood one door on the outside of the stone structure that led into a hallway with five rooms, each assigned to an officer. The ladies marched through the door and into the darkened hallway. "The servant said this is where the officers stay, but which room is his?" asked Madewin.

"I am not sure", Christelle replied. "I don't even know if he will be in his quarters now. He might be about the castle preparing for the journey south."

After a moment of searching, Christelle found the door on the left end of the hall that had a small plank of wood with the name 'CAMPBELL' etched into it placed into a depression of the stone wall.

She pushed open the door with a creak from the hinges. It was empty. The only life came from a fire smoldering in a firepit on the far side of the room.

"He's not here", Christelle said. "I thought he might have gone back to his quarters after seeing me earlier."

"Perhaps he is in the outer parts of the fortress. We can look for him there", Madewin said.

Christelle's mind flashed to the events of the previous night. It was in the outer part of the fortress that Stéaphan had come to her rescue. "No", she replied, "We must stay in the inner courtyard. That is where we told the knight we would stay."

"As you wish, My Lady."

"Is there something you ladies need?" a voice asked from behind.

Standing in the doorway was a burly Scot with a dense red beard and wild red hair. He spoke with a thick Scottish accent and appeared strangely familiar to the Princess.

Christelle spoke: "We were just looking for captain Stéaphan. We needed to speak with him a moment."

"Oh aye? I believe the good captain said he was to take his weapons to the smithy for repair. I'd wager he has nae left the shop yet."

"Thank you, good master. I pray thee, what are you called?" Christelle asked. Always she seemed to speak more like a noblewoman in the presence of Scots.

"Meriadoc Lochlain, My Lady, flag sergeant to captain Stéaphan."

"Well thank you, master Meriadoc. Good day", said the Princess as she began to walk to the door, Madewin trailing behind her. Just as she had crossed the threshold, she poked her head back in with a question in her mind.

"Keep on the main road out of the courtyard, then go left onto Dunedin Street. The smithy will be at the end of the road", Meriadoc said, knowing exactly what her question was.

The Princess smiled and nodded, then left through the door.

Perhaps leaving the inner castle won't be so bad with Madewin beside me. Not only that, it is daytime. Surely it is safer now.

Christelle did not know when she would tell her dearest friend of the events of last night. Surely she would, but not yet. Perhaps not soon either. After leaving the officers' quarters, the Princess and Madewin found one of their English guards and instructed him to tell his officer they would be going to the outer castle, but required no escort.

"I hope that won't anger him too sorely", Madewin said to her friend after speaking to the guard.

"'Tis better to ask for forgiveness than for permittance", Christelle said with a smile.

Madewin returned the smile as the pair of Englishwomen strode through the castle gate, off to the smithy.

REVISED