"I'm sorry, my Lady," Sir Denver said awkwardly "I'm sure the king will see sense eventually."
Princess Arianthe had been in the dungeons for two nights now, and she was beginning to look it. Her father had even refused to let Agnes bring her new clothes and she'd never felt so humiliated in all her life.
The girl looked up at the knight. He'd been dutifully guarding her for the past two days and she'd grown to tolerate his presence.
As he sat on the floor with his back against the cell door she kicked at a rat trying to get near her empty food bowl.
"It could be worse though, Princess," consoled Sir Denver.
"How could this possibly be worse?" Asked Arianthe irritably
"You could be a fully qualified knight who should be going on hunts and practicing for war but instead you've been forced to watch the king's daughter throw a strop in the castle dungeon." He grinned.
"I'm not throwing a strop!" protested the girl.
Sir Denver gave her a look which said oh really?
Arianthe rolled her eyes and continued to play with the straw at her feet.
"So," continued the knight (trying to make conversation) "has your father always been like this?"
"Like what?" replied the girl.
"So strict. Never letting you explore the place you live, never letting you out."
"Yes." answered Arianthe, simply.
There was a pause.
"I mean it got much worse after Mother died." She then continued "He just started restricting more and more of the castle until I was only allowed in the stables and my chambers."
She looked up into Sir Denver's brown eyes.
"I'm sorry to hear that." He said.
The Princess looked away.
"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault and there's nothing you could ever do about it." She smiled.
"But I wish there was."
She glanced at him again, he was sitting facing her now with his legs crossed with an unreadable expression on his face, he played unconsciously with a piece of straw in his fingers.
"Thank you, My Lord." Replied Arianthe with a small smile.
Suddenly they heard the rattle of chain mail and the jingle of keys coming towards them. Like a jack-in-the-box Sir Denver shot up and turned to face the approaching soldiers.
About four men entered the room, one held a set of keys.
"Good afternoon gentlemen," smiled Sir Denver "can I help you?"
"We're here for the Princess Arianthe," said one of them "she's to come with us immediately."
They pushed past the knight and unlocked the Princess' cell.
"Come with us." They ordered.
YOU ARE READING
Her Portrait
FantasyYoung Princess Arianthe has never stepped foot outside the castle. Her father, King Eustace is determined to keep her safe due to the disappearance of her mother years ago. But what he doesn't know is Arianthe is slowly learning his secrets and find...
