Castles - Book 5 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Three

Having had very little sleep until just a few hours ago, Jobyna woke late. The heavily clouded atmosphere made the day dark and it seemed earlier than it actually was. Guilty at having overslept, she dressed quickly. Elliad's voice had not resounded—'Get up, Sparrow!'—the usual morning command over the last three weeks.

Ellice poked the struggling fire beneath a small pot of broth that steamed invitingly. The slave glanced at the weary girl emerging from the tent. The burnt sleeve of Jobyna's dress was ripped off so it would not irritate the unsightly wound.

Ellice fussed about, rummaging through a trunk beside the tent. She found what she searched for; a jar of salve and a bandage.

Jobyna wasn't in a mood to protest whilst Ellice tended to her arm. She surveyed the camp. Tents were still standing and soldiers posted all around stood alert. Elliad was nowhere to be seen and she noted that Speed was also gone. Knowing the women in the camp had instructions not to talk to her, she asked Ellice, "Where has Elliad gone?"

Ellice pointed to the north, between the hills of the valley. "Do you know long they will be?" Jobyna asked.

Ellice shrugged her shoulders. Scooping some broth into a bowl, the slave handed Jobyna a bread roll. The princess loathed eating the bread, knowing it was stolen from the manor house plundered the previous day. When Elliad's band had departed, the house was left burning. Cupping the bowl in her hands, Jobyna blew on the broth and sipped cautiously.

Ellice rolled up her own dress sleeve, pointing to an 'E' brand on her arm. The purple scar was raised and ugly but long healed. Jobyna currently felt the suffering Ellice had gone through.

"How long ago did he do that to you?"

Ellice held up four fingers.

"Four? Four months?" Ellice shook her head, "Four years?" Jobyna exclaimed, not believing her. The slave girl nodded.

"Four years! That's two years before he was king." Jobyna struggled to understand why Ellice should have been branded. If only Ellice could talk. She looked around. The soldiers watching them were out of earshot. This was the first time since leaving Frencolia they had been able to communicate for any length of time.

"Did you live in Frencolia?" Ellice shook her head. "Where then?" Ellice glanced furtively at the closest soldier who slumped against a tree, his eyes half-closed. Ellice scraped pine needles away from the earth. With her forefinger, she drew an 'S' in the soil. Jobyna frowned. The slave completed the word 'Strasland,' which was a country to the west of Frencolia.

"Did Elliad kidnap you?" Jobyna asked, shocked. Strasland was considered a friendly country. They looked around again as a soldier strode their way. Jobyna finished drinking the broth. Kicking and scuffling with her feet, she smoothed the pine needles.

When he had passed and his back was to them, Jobyna whispered, "What is your real name, then?" Ellice gesticulated with her hands and shook her head. "All right. I'll keep calling you Ellice. You're worried Elliad will know we've communicated if I slipped up and called you by your real name." This satisfied the slave girl.

She shook her head to Jobyna's next queries: "Why doesn't he want anyone to talk to me? Is he afraid I'll organize an escape or something? If I didn't believe in God, I'd go insane!"

Much to the slave girl's concern, Jobyna helped collect wood for the fire, "I have to do something!" she declared. Jobyna stoked the fire, encouraging it to burn brightly. Thoughts of Elliad's treatment of Ellice made her feel angry.

Mist gathered thickly in the valley, blocking out the sun. Long lone fingers of firelight kissed the treetops through the vapor. The mornings and nights were becoming cooler the further north they traveled.