Stronghold

Chapter 4

A couple of hours later there was another knock on the door and Niall came back in, looking awkward and carrying a bundle. "I brought you some clothes Harry," he said in a low voice, not looking at them. "I figured you wouldn't have any." "Thank you." Harry sat up in surprise and called to Niall quickly as he turned to go again. "Hey. Niall, I'm sorry I snapped at you before. I guess I'm having a hard time coming to terms with being here. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." Niall's face lit up with a smile. "That's okay. Hey, are you guys hungry? There'll be lunch in the hall if you want?" Harry found he was ravenous and Zayn decided that he too was hungry enough to make it worth moving. He felt a lot less sore now and complimented Niall on his medical skills, making him blush. He led the two boys through winding corridors until they came out in the same hall they'd eaten in the night before. Harry thought gloomily he would never learn his way around his place, and then even more gloomily that actually he would presumably be stuck here long enough to. When he had a pile of food in front of him he cheered up a little though, and started paying more attention to Niall's running commentary on who was who in the hall, and often, who was doing what to whom.

A ripple of noise spread round the room and Harry nearly choked on his biscuit as he looked up to see Louis had entered the hall, with a group of men-at-arms. For some reason he hadn't expected to see him again so soon and his stomach gave a peculiar lurch at the sight of him. Louis was wearing a black silk shirt and black riding trousers, with a bright red sash. Harry held his breath as he walked towards them – and they walked on past, without acknowledging Harry with so much as a look. Harry shrank back a little, not quite knowing how to feel. Louis had to have seen him, he'd walked right past him. Surely the fact he'd walked right past him. Surely the fact he'd ignored him was a good thing, if it meant Louis was bored with him. Had moved on, that left Harry a lot safer. So why did he feel so obscurely upset? They watched as Louis' group crossed the floor to another group of well-dressed young people and a girl got to her feet and took his hand with a slight curtsey. Harry felt like his eyes would bore right through her.

"Who's she?" he managed to ask, trying to sound uninterested. "That's the lady Eleanor," Niall informed him cheerfully. "A lot of people think she's going to be Prince Louis' official consort. "What's that?" "Like a wife, right?" put in Zayn. "Sort of. The families don't usually marry, but they have to have at least one child to carry on the line. Whoever's the consort mother or father of that child gets to be pretty powerful." Niall sniffed disapprovingly. "She's nice. Too nice for him." Harry glanced at him, wondering what it was Niall seemed to have against Louis. then again, he was as kidnapping bastard with a taste for dubious sexual practices, so maybe that pretty much summer it up. At the far end of the hall another group entered and it was Zayn's turn to sit up in sudden interest as he spotted Liam. On his arm was the girl who'd been feeding him grapes the day before and Zayn frowned, realising she couldn't be the mere serving girl he'd taken her for. "That's Danielle," Niall explained without needing to be asked, relishing his new role as the found of all knowledge. "She's Liam's companion, a lot of the time. Eleanor's noble born, but Danielle came here as tribute. She was a dancer." Niall looked sideways at Zayn and winked at Harry. "Prince Liam seems to have a bit of a thing for dancers," he added slyly. "Bendy," suggested Harry with his mouth full and Zayn choked on his drink. The group at the far side of the hall appeared to be in high spirits about something, with Louis the centre of attention. His laugh made Harry's skin prickle and he fidgeted in his seat. When the group moved off, followed at intervals by various other hangers-on, Harry was both uncomfortable and oddly pleased when Zayn suggested they should go too, to see what all the fuss was about. Niall demurred. "I'm supposed to be back in the kitchens. There's stuff I'm supposed to be-" "Oh come on, they won't miss you for half an hour." Zayn pressed. Harry nodded, "Besides," he grinned. "We need you to show us the way back." Niall gave in, face pink with pleasure that they wanted him around badly enough to argue the point. Together they followed the stragglers out of the main doors and through the castle until they emerged unexpectedly into the open air, on the edge of what appeared to be a stable yard. Held in the centre on the end of two long tether ropes was a huge horse, clearly unbroken, dragging two grooms this way and that as it reared and plunged on the cobblestones. "Whatever's going on?" Zayn asked, astonished. "It's a wild horse," Harry murmured, "They must have brought it in from one of the herds on the mountain. I guess someone's going to try and break it. Poor thing."