The Step Sister vs. Cinderella

Chapter 39

            Paige strolled through the great hall, her lips twitching into a smile every time she noticed the guards now posted in two corners. Before yesterday there’d only been roving patrols. Apparently several people had taken offense to armor that followed them around, struck strange poses every time they weren’t looking or snuck up behind them to scare them.

She giggled at the memory. One of her leg muscles was still a bit sore, having to hop out of the armor while trying to run at the same time hadn’t done her body any favours. But it’d been worth it to see Axton laugh that hard. She wondered if she could get the other four together to organize another prank. Maybe after Rabar arrived.

She continued through the hall and down one of the adjoining pink corridors, eyes looking over everything as she looked for ideas. It needed to be something somewhere that they could get away from easily. Scattering when whatever authority arrived to catch them always had to be worked into the plan. If one of them got caught, they’d know the others were involved.

An indistinct shout echoed down towards her, making Paige frown. She hurried her steps a little, wondering who would be yelling in the middle of the palace. Especially so far from where the private quarters were.

She followed the sound into another corridor, stopping only when she saw the three other people, a servant and a noble couple, staring around the corner. She could hear the voice of an older man shouting “-stay away from her! Do you have any idea the kind of danger a creature like that will bring you?”

It was the reply that had her freezing in place, her mouth open. “Insult her again and I will ensure you regret it, my lord. I will not repeat myself again. I am a knight of Armith. I have been trained to deal with danger, regardless of its source. May I also remind you that since my knighting ceremony, you lost all rights to force me to your will. Press me and see if I do not bring you before the king.” Paige knew that voice though she’d never heard it that low and angry before, sounding like a harsh growl to her. She didn’t know who Axton was talking to but she thought it sounded like the man might be his-

“You are my son and you owe me obedience! It is your filial duty.”

She winced and took the last few steps so that she too, could peer around the corner. Standing in the pink hall were two men. The back she could see was clearly Axton’s, dressed in his habitual somber shades despite her prodding him to try something with actual colour. The man facing him was just a trifle taller, his colouring much the same as his son’s. The only differences were that his nose was more of a beak than anything else, his hair had turned to dark grey and the lines on his face suggested more frowns than smiles.  Right now his eyebrows had snapped together into a glare, his frown pulling the lines near his mouth and nose even deeper.

“What of your duty as a father? You have long left me to an endless succession of tutors and nurses. You have only ever spoken to me when you wished to deliver a reprimand, as now, or because you have some use for me.” Paige didn’t like how dark his voice was, almost like he wasn’t the person she’d come to know. She worried about what kind of expression he was making.

“I am doing my duty by you now, warning you of the danger of becoming familiar with someone that close to the Queen. You do not know the kind of treachery that will ensnare you if you continue your relations with that viperous sprig of a common tree. You are courting disaster!”

Axton took a step back before roaring “Enough! I have told you that I will not stand by and allow you to insult her and yet you persist in doing so. It is clear enough that you have no respect for me or my decisions and I am left with no choice but to be done with you. Goodbye Lord Heartfield, kindly take your poison elsewhere.” On the last word he spun on his heel and marched towards the hall.

Paige stared at him as he stormed past. His normally blank face was covered in deep lines, ones that matched his father’s as he continued to glare ahead, not paying the four watching him any attention. She hesitated for a second, glancing back at his slack-jawed father before gathering her skirts in her hands and running after him.

It didn’t take her long to find him. He’d taken the first door outside and was standing in the sun, his forehead pressed against the wall of the tiny gazebo that had ivy growing up it. She moved slowly over to him, her eyes intent on his back. When she reached him, she slid her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, her hands interlocked as she pressed her face into his shirt. She felt him jerk in surprise but didn’t move. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I am so, so sorry.”

He flinched again. “Paige, you should-”

Her hands tightened, pressing into his stomach. “I’m not leaving you. This is not something you should have to deal with on your own. Especially not since it’s my fault it happened.”

Axton put one hand over hers. “It is not your fault. This has been brewing between us for a very long time. Please do not blame yourself.”

She nodded, not saying anything for a few minutes, just hugging him until she felt him relax a little. “Can I blame him then?”

Paige wasn’t sure, but she thought he sounded less tense when he replied “If you like.”

She released him then, but only so she could move him around so he was facing her. Paige looked up at him, at the way his face was its usual blank mask, only the shadows in his eyes telling her that he wasn’t his normal self. Reaching up, she laid her hands on each of his cheeks, gently pulling his face closer to hers. Holding his eyes with hers, she said “You are going to spend the rest of the day with me. We’ll have lunch with Valerie and Darren then go for a walk. Then we can head back to my place. I’m going out for dinner and a movie with my friends and you can come to. You’re to forget everything bad that happened and enjoy yourself. Remember, there are a lot of people who care about you. I’m at the head of the line and I’m going to make sure you don’t forget it. Do you understand?”

For a second she thought he was going to refuse, his dark eyes staring into hers were flat, like he was hiding behind something. Then he dropped his forehead to her shoulder, his arms going around her waist. “May I stay like this for a time?”

              Paige wrapped her arms around his head, laying her head on top of his. “As long as you need to. I’m not going anywhere.”