When the Banshee Whispers

chapters 2 and 3

     Prince Finnarn moaned grumpily as the midday sun finally crawled across the floor of his room and onto his face. He squeezed his eyes shut hard and pulled the sheets over his head.

"Close the curtains," he moaned at his companion. He was answered with a moan and the feeling of her rolling over. "Hey," the prince complained as he tried to bring her name to his memory. "Close the curtains," he reached out and pushed on her shoulder. She moaned and swatted his hand away. He responded to her complaint by putting his foot against the small of her back and pushing her out of the bed. She let out a shrill squeal before hitting the thick furs that covered his floor.

"What was that for, Finn?" she whined as she made her way to her knees, peering over the edge of the bed at him. Her blue eyes sleepy and blonde hair messy.

Oh my, the prince thought looking at her. I thought I'd brought back the red head. At least this explains why my back is sore. He allowed himself a small laugh and she smiled back thinking him playful. "Close the curtains," the prince rolled over.

"As you command, my prince," she spit out as she rose and walked to the window. The prince glanced over his shoulder just in time to admire her naked form before she pulled the heavy curtains shut and plunged the room into darkness once again. He decided he was glad he ended up with the blonde one.

The servant girl made an unnecessary amount of noise as she fumbled to find her dress in the dark but she seemed to do just fine. Plenty of practice. The prince moaned as she opened his door and let in the light of the hallway. She let out a small gasp as she did.

"The prince is summoned," a deep voice greeted her from the hallway. He recognized the voice easily.

"The prince isn't available," Finn called from beneath his sheets.

"You may leave," Sir Gunthar told the blonde.

"Thank you, my lord," Finn could hear the blush in her voice.

Heavy boots sounded across the floor and soon Finn found his curtains thrown open, once again flooding the room with bright light.

"King Alanar has summoned you and your brother to the hall."

* * *

Prince Finn walked two steps behind Sir Gunthar as he led the way through the twisting hallways of the castle. Castle may have been a strong word for the sprawling single story structure built on the edge of a ravine. He'd dressed as quickly as his hangover would allow. The shafts of light through each of the narrow windows they passed provoking his pounding headache to continue.

"Klair is a nice girl," Sir Gunthar broke the silence.

"I would have to agree," Finn responded with a smile as the events of the previous night started to come back to him.

"I sincerely hope that you where honest with her," the grizzled old night had an uncanny way of making any conversation uncomfortable.

"Everybody was on the same page," Finn said before taking a long pull from his water skin.

"It's not becoming of a prince to be taking advantage of the servants, giving young girls false hope of becoming princesses."

"It was the Thaw Festival, everybody is allowed a fantasy during the thaw. And I behave myself most every other day of the year. Besides, like you said, she's a nice girl, and likely smarter than the both of us."

"Now of that my prince, I have no doubt," Sir Gunthar said with a hearty chuckle.

The knight stopped outside the heavy wooden door to the great hall. Even at his age Sir Gunthar still made an imposing figure in the orange and grey uniform of the royal guard. His long sword on one hip and his pistol on the other.