Heir

Chapter 2, Scene 5

Jennavieve sat perched on the edge of her chair, embroidering an image of a galloping horse into the blanket that lay draped across her lap. Her hands were doing most of the work, while her mind was on her husband, Prince Aldric, who had gone into Silvervale Town yesterday to help defend it against an attack by the rangers. Early this morning, her daughter Ashlin had ridden to town with a few others to check on the situation there. It was now late in the day and nobody had returned. There had been some worry that the rangers would attack the castle also, but no attack had ever come. So, Jennavieve sat in the family’s chambers, not fearing for her own safety, but unable to dismiss the mounting fear that some terrible fate had befallen her husband and daughter. Suddenly, there was a commotion as her son Jarith burst into the room, pursued by his friend Ena.

“No fair, Jarith!” Ena yelled after him. “We said that private chambers were out of bounds.”

Jarith simply laughed as he dove under a table. They were obviously embroiled in an intense game of tag. Ena was on her knees in moments, ready to pursue the boy under the table.

“Cut that out, both of you!” Jennavieve commanded. She barely raised her voice, but her words stopped the children in their tracks like the crack of a whip. “Get out from under that table Jarith. Ena, come here.”

Ena walked over to the woman with halting steps. She knew that she was about to be scolded. Jennavieve’s emerald eyes took in the girl from head to toe. Her tunic and trousers were dirty and disheveled. They must have been playing all over the castle, in the courtyards and the cellar.

“Your trousers are torn at both of your knees.” She remarked disapprovingly.

“Yes, Milady.” Ena acknowledged meekly. Jennavieve thought how much the girl dressed and behaved like her own daughter. Neither one of them were ladies.

“Why you girls never wear dresses I can’t understand.” The woman said absently as she brushed some of the dirt and wrinkles out of the girl’s clothes. “I’d make my Ashlin wear dresses every day if it weren’t for her father.”

Ena barely stifled a laugh at the thought of Ashlin in a dress. Wetting her thumb with her mouth, Jennavieve wiped away a smudge of dirt from the girl’s cheek.

“Well, I guess that’s all the better we can do for now.” The woman remarked. “Now, both of you find a game that you can play quietly at the table.”

“Yes, Milady.” Ena acknowledged.

“Yes, Mother.” Jarith agreed. The two of them had only just begun to unpack Prince Aldric’s stones and towers, when a trumpet sounded from the watchtower, indicating that somebody had been spotted on the road approaching the castle. Jarith and Ena perked up immediately.

“Do you think that Father and Ashlin have returned?” The boy asked.

“I don’t know.” Jennavieve hoped as much, but dared not let her heart get set on it. “Let’s go see.”

By the time they made it out to the castle’s main courtyard, Prince Aldric was leading a small procession of soldiers on horseback in through the main gate. Some of them were wounded, all were weary. Ashlin rode beside her father, while Meical rode beside a cart being pulled along near the back. A weight lifted from Jennavieve’s heart when she saw her husband and daughter safe again. Once inside the castle walls, all dismounted while servants hurried to see to the horses.

“Father, you’re back!” Jarith ran to hug Prince Aldric. “Did you win the fight?”

“Yes.” Weary as he was, Aldric bent over to hug his son. “We won.”

His eyes went immediately to his wife, who stood watching him with tearful eyes. He closed the gap between them as quickly as he could. His rough hand gently pushed aside her burnt red hair to tenderly grasp the back of her neck. He softly pressed his forehead against hers. He was very glad to have come home alive to her when so many others had fallen, but he knew better than to embrace his lady while he still wore the blood and sweat of battle. She let him rest his head against hers for a long moment before turning her head to softly kiss his cheek.

“I am glad you are safe, My Husband.” She breathed into his ear.

“Excuse me, Milord.” Ena’s tiny voice betrayed a hint of worry. “Where is my mother?”

“She is in the cart, Ena.” Aldric nodded in the direction of where Maren lay. “She is hurt, but she will recover.”

Ena took only a moment to let those words sink in before breaking into a flat out run towards the cart.

“Be careful! She’s hurt.” Meical warned as Ena climbed into the wagon next to her mother.

“Hey, my little blossom.” Maren smiled weakly when she saw Ena. She lay in a bed of hay, with her chest tightly bandaged. She was pale and looked fatigued, but she was alert. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Ena was concerned when she saw the state her mother was in. “Are you going to be alright?”

“You bet.” Maren’s tone was reassuring, but Ena still couldn’t help but worry just a little.


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