Evangeline

Chapter Seven

I woke to the sound of voices talking outside my room door. It takes me a minute to remember I'm not at home or the castle. I get up to find that there is a change of clothes for me, there is a normal black long sleeve shirt, a black vest to go over it, a black hood with ties to go over the vest, a black coat, black boots and black trousers which were thin on the leg.

I didn't wear them but packed them in a bag along with other things such as food and other supplies. I walk out to the kitchen where Louis, Oll and Flik were eating. "Didn't you see the change of clothes I put out for you?" Louis says with a smile as he looked me up and down.

"I thought it best to go back to the castle in what I left in." I try not to smile because of my lip. Louis's face dropped to one of sadness. "Why would you want to go back? Don't t you want to go home where WE belong?" He tries to hide his disappointment but fails.

"Louis the king finds value for me and he will not stop searching for me until I'm back at the castle safe and sound. I like it here, it's the first place I felt where I belong." A stray tear rolls down my cheek. The morning went silent after that. I took some food from the cupboards then retreated to my room to finish packing.

Louis comes into my room just when I finish packing. "Take my bow and quiver and my horse, as a gift. But take this as a memory." He says holding out a brown leather tie necklace with a teardrop shaped, flat, silver pendant on it. "Oh Louis it's beautiful." I say going to him and holding it in my hands. He turns me around and I lift up my hair so he can tie it around my neck. I turn back around to look him in the eyes, he lifts my chin and we kiss.

Louis walks me out to the stables to meet his horse. "His names Jet because he's jet black." Louis says patting the stallion on the neck before grabbing a saddle and reigns. "I'll take care of him." I promise. "The king wants me to be his own private Assassin." I announce randomly. Louis looks up from his work. "Use Jet, he's fast and he will be quiet when needed. It would be good if you used my bow and arrows to, so no one will suspect you." We both know that Prince Arthur has announced that he is allowing women to join the army.

I ride till I see the familiar main road which would lead me to the castle, but I remain out of sight in case there are bandits or any other dangerous people lurking about the woods. When the gate comes in sight I dismount and put the bow and quiver in their little pouches on the saddle. Before I left Louis told me that Jet would be able to feed himself and look after himself and if I needed him I was to whistle.

I hide my knives in an attempt to look like Louis took them but I cut my left arm deeply so I would not have to answer any questions and would be taken straight to the infirmary. I walk to the side road and yell "HELP!!!" And when guards appear seeing me clutching my arm where blood was oozing I made a show of fake fainting.

They took me to the infirmary and before long the king himself was sitting by my bed and Haddie was stitching my wound after cleaning it. I fell asleep from exhaustion of riding and when I wake up I'm surrounded by Denny, King Gadd, Princess Sarah who was sleeping at the foot of my bed, Prince Skye and Prince Arthur.

Denny had a tray of fruits and medicines I should take. There is other food trays on the bed next to mine from when the others ate while I was sleeping. I try to sit up but I forgot about the cut on my arm and winced from pain. My head still hurts from when Oll hit me and my jaw still hurts from when Flik punched me.

"Evangeline your awake." Sarah squeals when she wakes as I sit up. She comes to the side of the bed and sits, she doesn't look any different from when I told her to run away while I stayed behind to stop Oll and Flik kidnapping her. She would've had nightmares worse from when I was a servant.

"Are you alright Lady Princess, you look pale." I say touching lightly to her pale than usual cheek. "Speak for yourself." Skye tries to joke. But I haven't forgiven him. I scoul as Gadd yells at him to remember his manners in the infirmary. "I must say that's the second time you've saved one of my children's lives. I am grateful to have your service." This is the first time I've seen a real smile on King Gadd's face and not a forced one.