Castles - Book 5 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Seven

Jobyna's long, dark eyelashes lifted to view a room beaming with bright shafts of sunlight. Brilliant yellow burst its way through chinks in the shutters... but fear flooded her at the realization; it was the sound of fast-moving boots in the corridor, coming closer and closer that had awoken her...

 Ellice opened the door and entered. Spying Jobyna, she stepped back into the corridor, beckoning with both hands. Boey bustled in breathlessly and the slave-girl closed it.

"Here you are!" Boey called as she opened the shutters. "My, have we had a time finding you! No one knew where you were!" She turned to look at her charge.

The bed covers were in a heap. Jobyna's face was drawn and dark rings circled her eyes. "What have they been doing to you; you look dreadful!" She issued orders to Ellice who scurried to the bathroom for a face-cloth and water. Boey sat on the bed, drawing Jobyna up with her ample arms. Jobyna burst into tears, leaning into the servant woman's chest, sobbing.

Within just seconds, Boey pushed Jobyna away from her, chastening, in gruff tones, "The morning's near over and you're still abed? The slave'll look after you and I'll be fetchin' y' breakfast."

Sinking back into the bedclothes, Jobyna turned and continued to weep. Memories of Berg's visit, his words, his confession, it felt as though her heart was bleeding...

Ellice placed a bowl and towel on the table. As soon as Boey left and the door closed, she drew a folded note, sealed with wax, from within the folds of her cloak. Looking back at the closed door with fear on her face, she searched for Jobyna's hand beneath the bedclothes and pressed the note into her palm, closing her fingers around it. 

Stepping away, Ellice pulled off her cloak and placed it on a hook on the back of the door. Sitting in a chair, the slave girl pulled off her boots.

Jobyna wriggled her way out of the muddle of the bed, her head spinning. A note! Her first thoughts were of Luke. The seal was 'K.E.' Frowning, she broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. It read:

'J. The least I can do now is to take you back to F., that is what I plan to do, the first chance I have. Keep forgiving me.'

There was no signature, not even initials. Jobyna read the message a second time.

"Did Berg give this to you for me?" She asked Ellice. The slave girl nodded, her face mirroring dread. "Where did you see him?" Ellice pointed and made the motion of horse riding.

The memory of Elliad finding her with a note on Kings Castle battlements made Jobyna rush to the fireplace. Placing the note on the dead embers, she said, "We must burn this now."

The slave helped Jobyna find and light a candle to burn the parchment in the fireplace. 

Ellice blew the candle out. Jobyna strode across to the windows, opening the shutters, saying, "We have to get rid of the smell of the wax burning."

Jobyna noticed Ellice staring into space with a blank expression and said, "You're tired, aren't you? Why don't you lie down and rest?"

The slave girl shook her head.

Flopping on the bed, Jobyna closed her eyes, longing to imagine riding off on Brownlea, following Berg on Speed, on their way back to Frencolia; and Luke... 

A knock came to the door and Jobyna sat upright, imagining the worst.

Ellice opened the door. A dozen servants entered the room lugging several trunks. Boey waddled in behind them, placing a tray of food and juice on the table. She stepped to the windows, drawing the shutters in, saying, "It's still too cold to have them that wide open. Eat your breakfast, Princess, then you must get dressed."