Toxic Tales

What's in a Name? Part 6

I couldn't think of any lie that would be smart enough to fool Emilia, but fortunately I didn't have to. When she and Nicholas came back from the market, she told me she wanted to take Nicholas to her parents' home for a few days. I said it was a lovely idea, trying not to seem too relieved that she was leaving. We said goodbye that evening, and they set out by nightfall. Looking back, I wonder if she noticed that I hugged and kissed her harder than I usually did, or that I seemed extremely reluctant to let go of Nicholas.

I met Bridget at the well just after dawn. Without saying a word, we headed toward the castle. A thought occurred to me, and I was surprised I hadn't thought about it earlier. "What will the king say when he sees me?" I asked her, following about three feet behind her. "I doubt they'll let me stay with you."

"He won't see you. I've already taken care of that," she said, not looking at me. "I'm leaving you in the care of the guards. I bribed them. They'll take you to the room and you'll hide there until I come in."

It took all of my resistance no to ask how she'd bribed them.

I felt more apprehensive about this plan with every step I took. There was so much that could go wrong, and I had no doubt that Bridget would betray me if we were caught. I'd be thrown in prison, and no one would be able to tell Emilia and Nicholas what had happened to me.

Bridget glanced back at me and noticed my worried expression. She rolled her eyes and said exasperatedly, "Will you relax? I have everything worked out. Nothing will go wrong."

"I admire your confidence." I said flatly.

We were almost at the castle gate. I had always seen it from a distance, but never this close. It was mid-morning, and there were two guards already standing at the gate. Bridget walked directly up to them and smiled.

"Good morning, boys!" she said brightly. "Here he is. You know what to do."

One of the men said, "You, follow me." I did as I was told and followed him through the gate.

The entryway of the castle was cavernous and cold. Our footsteps echoed throughout the room. The guard led me past the velvet-carpeted grand staircase through a wooden door. We went down several corridors until he finally stopped in front of another door.

"Wait in here," he said gruffly. "She'll be along."

He unlocked the door with a key from his belt and half-escorted, half-shoved me inside. When the door shut behind me, all light faded from the room. As my eyes adjusted, it finally occurred to me the magnitude of what I was about to undertake.

The room had to be at least a hundred feet across and fifty feet tall. The only light came from a few dirty windows near the ceiling and a couple of lanterns on the ground. It would have been a rather uneventful space if every last inch of it weren't filled with straw.

Bales of hay lined the walls and the floor. I felt itching break out all over my body just looking at so much straw. In the middle of the room was a lone spinning wheel. I was grateful to have at least one familiar object in the room.

Before long, I heard footsteps from the corridor outside. I hid behind a nearby haystack so they wouldn't see me, and when the door opened once more I heard voices.

"You will be here for three days," said a thunderous voice. It had to be the king. "If every piece of straw in this room is turned to gold by that time, you will be my bride."

Bridget's sickeningly sweet tone made me cringe; I already hated the sound of her voice. "I can assure you that you won't be disappointed, Your Majesty."

With that, the door slammed shut again. Once the king's footsteps had departed, she whispered, "Where are you?"

"Here," I responded, stepping out. "I suppose we should begin."

I sat at the wheel and began to spin. As the hours wore on, I became exhausted, but Bridget urged me on. She would say things like, "Hurry!" and, "What are you waiting for?! We only have three days!"

No, I only have three days. I'm the one doing all the work! I would think scathingly. I never responded out loud, though; I was worried that angering her would only prove more fatal to me later.

The footsteps of people walking outside the door reverberated through the room. Whenever a guard came with food and water, I would have to get up from the wheel and hide again while Bridget resumed my seat and pretended to be working diligently. I heard her ask the guard to bring some more food, saying, "I know I don't look it, but I have quite the appetite." When more food arrived, she gave it to me.

I was sincerely shocked when she did this. "Thank you," I said, truly grateful.

"Well, I can't have you dying of hunger and thirst on me, now can I?" she replied rudely.

Night fell, and it became impossible to see the wheel or the straw in my hands. The lanterns had all but burnt out, and Bridget had to ask the guards for more candles. I worked for another hour, but finally gave up, too weary to continue.