Time's Pandemonium: Perrin (Book Two) (slow updates)

Chapter One- Part Two

 October 6, 1337

“Magge has arrived. She is being escorted in.” The piercing footsteps from the castle guards stopped at the base of the stairwell. Hazel raised her head up from her knees and walked down the steps, stopping before the last turn of the wall.

                “I thought she would have heard that the King has a new mistress. Tis strange she came back.” A deeper voice spoke this time. Hazel automatically assumed they were addressing Edward II, but puzzled by his bisexuality. What sense would it make for a gay king to have a mistress? Also, how could he have a new mistress if he was nowhere to be seen? She pushed her thoughts aside and continued to eavesdrop.

                “King Adam really seems to be pursuing this new mistress, Hazel. She is also a princess- higher status than Magge. The King needn’t Magge any longer.”

Hazel’s eyes widened in disbelief. How could the nobles think of her as a mistress? She sprinted down the last few steps, shocking the guards. “Did you just call me Adam’s mistress?”

The guard with the higher voice spoke. “Um, I apologize Your Highness. Are you not that of the King?”

“No, I am most certainly not. I am a friend of the King, hardly more than an acquaintance. I am certainly not his playmate for sexual desires. Where is this coming from?” Hazel’s tone was insulted. She didn’t take the matter lightly.

“Your Highness, tis talk of the castle. Tis said you and the King well, were kissing. We only assumed.” Both guards appeared frightened of Hazel’s supposed higher status.

“Well assume otherwise. Who is Magge?” The guards exchanged glances, both hesitant to answer. Hazel grabbed the more talkative guard by the collar and drew him nearer. The guard left untouched placed his hand on his sword, ready to draw. “I shall not ask again.”

 “King Adam, he had a mistress before you arrived- Magge. The two of them seemed cold toward each other and she left for some time. She appears to be back now. My guess is without the knowledge of His Highness.”

Hazel was frustrated with Adam. After all the things he claimed he had went through with Eleanor, he had a mistress? Did he not think that was something Hazel needed to know? She pushed him away, still holding on. “I want her gone. I want to talk to her with an unknown identity, first. Have I made that clear?” With the nod from the intimidated guard she continued. “I will introduce myself as a cousin of Adam’s. You will keep my role secret. You will also spread word that I am not, by any means, a mistress of the King. What is your name?”

“Petrus, Your Highness. And that is Forcius.”

“Well Petrus, I expect you to respect my wishes. Is it safe to meet with Magge in the great hall?” Hazel released her grip and straightened out her dress, her acting getting better by the second.

“I will assist you.” He held out his hand motioning for Hazel to lead the way. She held her head high with confidence, hoping her act would be convincing. The pace of their walk to the great hall was fast. Her anger and concern for Adam was overwhelming her. She never felt like he was the type to keep something of that much significance from her. That was just how naïve Hazel had become since she’d gotten there.

The great hall was filled with castle guards. Magge was easy to spot out of the crowd. She had long, dirty-blonde hair and a cream colored dress. Hazel approached the unwelcome guest flashing a quick smile to the nearest guards. “Tis nice to meet you. I am Hazel.”

Magge smiled as if Hazel was worth half of her attention. “Hello. I assume you have already heard of who I am.”

Hazel returned the same smile and said, “Indeed I have. May I ask why you have returned?”

She was obviously bothered by her asking. “I have some unfinished business with the King. What position do you hold for you to be questioning me?”

Hazel automatically thought of her fake island kingdom. “I am Hazel, princess of Trakai and daughter of King John III and Queen Cecelia.” She spoke with an arrogant tone, being sure to put Magge in her place. “What is this unfinished business you have with the King?”

Magge’s forced smile quickly dropped. “Tis business strictly of the King and me. What business do you have to ask such a question?”

“King Adam needn’t your services any longer. He is out fighting in a war, in case you have not noticed. You will be nothing more than a nuisance.” Hazel felt bad on the inside for putting the girl down, but wasn’t open to the option of welcoming her to stay. Adam needed to have his mind set on a plan to return home. He also, first and foremost, needed to have his mind set on their war with France and not getting killed.  There was no time for the company of previous mistresses for him. Hazel would make sure of that.

“Tis quite a war. Yes, I have noticed. But I will be the judge on where my services are needed. You may not talk above me. You haven’t that authority.”

Hazel gave a stern look to Magge, then the guards. “Guards, escort her to a room and watch her. Be sure she does not wander without my consent. Are we clear?”

The guards shook their heads and escorted a peeved Magge away. Petrus approached Hazel and leaned toward her ear. “Quite the handful, isn’t she? Let us just say that Magge is not a castle-favorite.”

Hazel kept her focus on the guards guiding Magge away. “Tell me more about these cold feelings between Adam and Magge.”

Petrus cleared his throat, uncomfortable gossiping to those of higher status. “Whatever it is I tell you are just the rumors I have heard.” He looked down at her and said, “Firstly, it was that she wanted marriage but the King refused to marry lower status. Mistresses often needn’t marriage to please themselves, though. Also, I have heard of a pregnancy. They say he refused to care for the baby and forced Magge to leave.” Petrus looked to Hazel, expecting her displeasure of him.

She drew her eyebrows together, unable to glue the rumors to the Adam she knew. “Which one do you suppose is more likely?”

“I find that Magge with child is far more likely than a proposal of marriage. His Highness is not the type to settle with children early in his life.”

Hazel sighed and tried to picture Adam with a child. In all actuality, the idea of Adam having a mistress wasn’t all that surprising to her. The thought of him having a mistress and also having Eleanor was what didn’t make sense. “Petrus, how do you think he is? Adam. I am worried.”

“I am afraid not too well. The French are well prepared. Although His Highness is still fairly young, he is a strong man. You needn’t fear for him. Fear for his men.” Seeing the look of lost faith in her eyes, Petrus attempted to comfort her. “This battle should be ending soon, dear. Allow me to escort you back to the tower.”

          Hazel walked to the side and did the one thing she promised herself she wouldn’t do- she turned around. She only caught a small fraction of the battle in the second-and-a-half that she allowed herself to look. Men were sprawled across the red-dyed ground in pools of blood. The shoreline of the ocean faded from red to a blue-green with bodies slowly being washed away into the mass of tainted water. French ships were bare, ready for an escape. She could smell morsels of defiance and gore seeping up from the battlefield. It was a smell, even at its faintest, she never wanted to smell again.