Castles - Book 5 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Nine

The view from the vast balcony where Jobyna had eaten breakfast almost a week ago with Prince Gustovas and Princess Rhaselle, brought a small measure of comfort to the lonely girl. Over the past few days, she had spent a lot of time walking to this balcony, pacing there and back, not sure what else she could do.

This wing of the castle was deserted. Boey and Ellice had not returned since being called away on the night Berg died. Jobyna tried several of the doors along the many corridors, hoping to find a library, but the doors were locked.

A manservant brought food and fluids twice a day, not answering her questions or pausing to converse. Disinterest in food caused her to pick; she drank the fruit juice but ate very little. From the balcony, she could see some of the happenings around the castle.

It appeared Chezpro was in a state of siege. All battlements and gates were well manned, no one leaving or entering. Graves were being dug in a grassy area of the garden. Soldiers' bodies were laid within these shallow graves and the turf haphazardly replaced. Jobyna imagined Berg would be buried there without a funeral service. No one would read verses of comfort to Ada and their children. Elliad's injuries were reported to be so severe that Jobyna imagined he might die.

She wished she could help to care for the others who were injured, or work in the kitchens. The idleness made her feel useless. The previous day she had dared to walk down the stairs towards the chamber Berg had been in, but as she neared the doorway, two soldiers stopped her, ordering her to return to her apartment, telling her in no uncertain terms, "Stay there!"

Jobyna remembered the plague, how she had nursed the servants stricken with the sickness of death. There were also orphaned children to care for. Jobyna and her mother had helped care for many bereaved people in the village of Chanoine.

Leaning on the balcony balustrade, the girl reminisced on the times spent working with her mother. Happy hours spent looking after the affairs of the great manor house, talking of homemaking, learning of women's matters. All that seemed so long ago and far away, part of another life.

The sound of horses' hooves cut into her thoughts. She heard the grinding of the chains and the raising of the portcullis. Forty or fifty horses mounted by men wearing Elliad's knight's armor rode through from the barbican. The company clattered across the courtyard, towards the stables. Jobyna walked the circuit back to her apartment.

Loneliness swamped her with depression. If only she had a book to read, some embroidery to do or a pen and ink to draw with. Every sound venturing to her sensitive ears was received with interest, every creak, and every rustle. Footsteps sounded and Jobyna hastened to the door. Stealing a glance cautiously around the door jam, her eyes focused down the corridor.

"Ellice! Boey!" Relief flooded her as she saw their familiar faces. Her relief turned to concern as they drew nearer, tired and drawn.

"We have to pack everything now, Princess. We're leaving within the hour," Boey announced with a hasty curtsy.

The apartment became a flurry of activity. Boey gave no dissent as Jobyna took clothes from the closet and helped the pack the chest and trunks. The servant talked at high speed the whole time.

"King Elliad is improving, he'll be traveling in a special cart they've prepared for him. As soon as we're ready, we'll be leaving. There's news of troops coming from the south. The king wants to be at his coastal castle by sunset today; it's a more secure castle and he hopes to recuperate in peace. He's furious about them newfangled long-range bows the soldiers from Bavarest used. All cowards, he said. They ambushed them, shooting from way off, killing soldiers and horses before they's even got a chance to defend themselves. Jest as well they abandoned the carts or it'd be far worse. Some of them poor soldiers, mind." She clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Knocked him bad, that Berg dying. Took his arrow, too, they say."

Jobyna kept silent. She thought it wise not to say anything about having sat with Berg until he died. That would just give the servants something more to gossip about.

Boey rattled on, "They's worried 'bout the enemy coming from Frencolia, I jest hope we get clear 'fore they do."

She means my fellow countrymen, my friends; they're 'the enemy' to her, Jobyna thought.

Before they finished packing, soldiers arrived for the trunks. Ellice gave Jobyna her crimson cloak, riding boots and gloves to wear. They hurried along the corridors, down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Mounted knights and soldiers were already moving off. Carts packed up with chests, trunks, bags and packs were being repacked to utilize every inch of space. Such a scene reminded Jobyna of the time they left Frencolia. 

Frencolia. It seemed another world, far removed from the life she was forced to live now. A knight riding Speed drew near. He dismounted, and Jobyna recognized his voice as he spoke, "It is King Elliad's command, that you ride with me."

"Julian," Jobyna murmured as he lifted her on the horse. He had lost a great deal of weight, but she remembered his high-pitched, rasping voice. She would never forget him. Julian was the knight who had captured her and handed her over to Elliad back in Frencolia. Jobyna hoped he had not been chosen to take the place of Berg; if so, escape would be much harder, even impossible. Wondering once more why she wasn't allowed to ride Brownlea, she asked herself how they could imagine her being able to escape. It would be impossible to go very far without being caught. With heart-rending dread, Jobyna turned her mind to the journey ahead, loathing the fact that every mile north was one mile further from her beloved home.

The road they traversed was wide, straight and well kept, not at all like the paths traveled previously. Good time was made, and Julian drew the horse ahead of the carts, riding alongside the soldiers in front. Jobyna viewed the countryside before her eyes with a critical air. Quite unlike the mountains and hills of days gone by, it was rolling to flat, luscious and green. Shortly before sunset, as Speed cantered along the crest of a low rise, Jobyna noticed the sandiness of the soil. The grass became more tussocky, such as she had never seen before. Lifting her tired eyes, she drew a sharp breath, and her spirits sank even lower. Outlined against the dark sky, etched into an isthmus-like cliff-top was a great mass of castle-fortress.

Several tiers made an ominous picture. Jobyna counted four stories of balconies and windows. The keep itself did not have battlements but was roofed with layers of sloped shingles. Steep roofs would repel the winter rain and snow. The huge edifice touched the stormy clouds and Jobyna shuddered. This place would become her prison! There was one road to the castle with five sets of tower gates to pass through. Each gate was crowned with battlements. Already, King Elliad's soldiers were there, on guard, keeping watch. The first and fifth gate towers were taller than the middle three. Jobyna heard the sound of water flowing under one of the drawbridges.

The last gate behind them, the company dismounted wearily.

Escorted by Julian and two soldiers, Jobyna walked up hundreds of stone steps, along narrow walkways and paths, through beautiful rockeries and gardens, amidst statues of stone, and arbors of vines. The terraced stairway to the castle entrance was extremely wide. Stone lions stood proudly on each side of the entrance, like fearless guardians. Breathlessness and fatigue overwhelmed Jobyna as they neared steps leading to open doors. The arched opening looked unwelcome, even forbidding.

She found herself ushered to a reception room to the side of the gray marble foyer.

Her cloak and gloves cast off, she allowed her gaze to circle the room. Her heart jumped with pleasure at the sight she beheld. Books! Books were chained individually to huge shelves lining two walls. The lamplight was dim but Jobyna pulled book after book off the shelves, holding each one open towards the light so she could read the title page. They were all the same! All in the language of Chezkovia. She could not read them. Disappointed, she flung herself down on the couch to wait for her next orders.

Boey's voice came to the captive's ears as she felt herself being gently shaken, "Wake up, Princess! We're to take you to your room." Ellice gathered up the cloak and gloves as they hurried after a soldier. Walking the staircase was a dizzying experience. It was a narrow spiral, pulling her round and round, up and up. Still only half awake, Jobyna's head ached by the time they reached the apartment. Not pausing to explore or to cast her eyes around, she stumbled through the sitting room and into the bedroom. She fell on the bed with a sigh as Ellice hastened to pull off her boots and cover her with a rug.

Succumbing to her melancholy, Jobyna's last thoughts as she fell asleep were, Lord, this is the end of the earth! Please be with me here, or I'll surely die!