Switched ~ a Fractured Fairytale

Chapter Two ~ Rumours of War

That evening, I slept dreadfully. I dreamed I was dressed in a big white wedding gown, marrying a short, fat and unpleasant stranger. He was pompous and used words like 'wherefore' and 'in sooth'. But then the dream changed, and I was looking out of my tower window, watching Eliyana burn. I tried to shout for help, but no sound came out. I felt like I was trapped in thick mud, unable to move, falling, drowning.

I woke up, gasping for breath and drenched in a cold sweat. I rushed to my window and looked out, convinced I was going to see Elanya and the castle engulfed in flames. But all was well. The castle was safe and Elanya was sleeping peacefully under a blanket of stars. I climbed up and sat on the window ledge, with my cheek pressed against the cool glass. I stayed there, staring out of the window until the stars began to fade and the sun sent her first rays over the eastern horizon.

When I began to hear movement in the castle below, I stumped down the stairs rather than taking the slide, using the long walk down as a chance to think. I knew Father was going to resume the subject of my potential marriage and I was in no mood to argue. It wasn't that I didn't want to help my people, I had dedicated my life to helping them. I just wanted to be more than a pawn, married off for the highest price.

I understood why Father suggested the marriage, but I couldn't just marry someone at the drop of the hat, without love or friendship or even ever meeting them. I couldn't do it, any more than Bash could fly to the moon on his homemade wings.

For once, Father wasn't there when I arrived in the dining hall, there was just Theo and Cassy seated at the long table.

'Morning,' I said.

Before I could sit down, Cassy grabbed my arm and pulled me over to a small balcony overlooking the courtyard below. There were people running everywhere, and there was a constant clatter of horses' hooves on the cobblestones as messengers came and went. I recognised some as Father's personal staff, wearing the scarlet palace livery, but others wore different uniforms and had different coats of arms stitched on their chests.

'Look at them all!' Cassy said. 'I've never seen the castle this busy! People have been arriving all morning, and not just messengers, some of Father's most important ministers. Do you think something is wrong?'

'I'm not sure,' I said slowly, thinking of my conversation with Father the previous day. 'Father did mention something, but it sounded more like a border skirmish.'

'Well, I hope it's nothing too serious,' Cassy said.

As I sat down at the table and pulled a plate of pancakes towards me, I looked around.

'Where's Bash?' I asked.

'With Father,' Theo said, moodily stabbing a tomato. 'Being a better son and heir than me.'

'Theo,' I said. 'Come on. Bash enjoys the bustle and intrigue of court, but you are the Crown Prince.'

'Only technically,' Theo said.

I sighed, once Theo got into a mood, there was no getting him out in a hurry. Cassy and I finished quickly, leaving Theo to his moodiness. We walked down the passage and stopped at the top of the stairs, overlooking the entrance chamber. It was crowded with people all hurrying in different directions, pausing briefly to talk then dashing off again. It was like watching a multicoloured anthill at work.

'It's too crowded,' Cassy said. 'There are ministers and messengers and courtiers everywhere!'

I rubbed my temples, all the bustle and noise was giving me a headache. 'Let's get away for a bit,' I said. 'Take a picnic up to the hill.'

As we wove our way through the people crowding the hall, a messenger stepped forward and bowed to me. He was wearing a sky-blue tunic, and I recognised the sunburst and moon emblem of Kalatani.