Her Portrait

The Rest Of The Tale Is Told

If she hadn't seen the words come from Sir Denver's lips she may not have believed he had said it.
"What?" She gasped.
"I shouldn't have said that, now I'm going to be in so much trouble."
"My mother is alive?"
"Yes! No!" He exclaimed before sighing, "it's complicated"
He went and sat on the windowsill facing the girl who was standing in shocked silence as if someone had frozen her.
"Denver, tell me everything."
"When your mother did not give him a male heir he was infuriated so he tried to think of ways to dispose of her. So he consulted a wizard who lived up in the mountains near the border to Jefor, he was told that killing his wife would be discovered so it was best that she disappeared. He gave him a sort of trumpet and a vial and instructed him when the queen was sleeping he had to blow into her ear and catch her soul in the vial."
"Her soul?" Cried Arianthe in confusion.
"Yes, that way her body would die but he could do whatever he like with her soul."
Princess Arianthe stood thinking for a few moments, trying to connect all the dots for herself.
And then she realised everything.
"He put her soul in her portrait!" she exclaimed.
Sir Denver looked at her in astonishment.
"How did you know?"
"I've met her, I've seen her a couple of times but I never thought..." her voice trailed away.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, it would have been better if your father had told you." Denver tried to console.
"It would've been better if it hadn't happened at all." She began but then she stopped.
There was a long silence in which Arianthe's mind whirled and Sir Denver shuddered at the prospect of the king finding out what he had told his daughter.
"He's going to do the same thing to me." She said eventually.
Sir Denver said nothing but nodded.
"We have got to get away from here." Whispered Arianthe
"I know, that's what I've been saying," Denver said, slightly frustratedly "you must leave tomorrow night, I'll help you to pack and everything and I will make sure no one finds out what you are doing."
"You are coming with me, and Mother." Arianthe said
"No, that's not happening." Replied Denver determinedly.
"Yes, it is."
Stubbornness was a large character trait of Arianthe's.
Sir Denver sat staring at her incredulously.
"You really are stubborn, aren't you?" He said, somewhat sulkily.
"Yes I am, and we must have a plan for rescuing Mother. I could sneak down and just grab her from the wall and hide her in my room. Or I could wait until the last minute get her and ride away. Or..."
But Sir Denver shook his head.
"You need someone on the inside to help, I'll get her and bring her to where you are waiting to go..."
The plan was decided shortly and Sir Denver left the room feeling anxious but excited that he could save the woman he cared for from an awful fate...