The Lady and the Prince
Chapter 17

Nick lounged around his suite with bare feet and legs in spite of the occasional disapproving look from his valet. It was just more comfortable that way and easier to rub on more ointment whenever any of the burns started to bother him.

Winkershime said nothing all morning. As he served lunch, he inquired pointedly, “What are your plans for this afternoon, Your Highness? I need to know which clothing to lay out for you.”

Nick swallowed his mouthful of fish and said, “Don’t bother. I think I’ll just read this afternoon. I haven’t had time to read for pleasure since I don’t know when.”

“Very well, Your Highness,” Winkershime said. “Do you want me to fetch you something from the library, or would you prefer one of the volumes you brought with you?”

The prince surprised his valet by saying, “From the library, you pick. Just get me something different that I haven’t studied or read before. Anything, even tales of knights and damsels if there’s nothing else.”

“Very well. If Your Highness is staying in, I had thought to spend some time with Hal. He is weak in reading and math and could use some lessons, but we are rarely free at the same time.”

“Make it two books, and you can both have the afternoon off.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. That is very generous. I will return directly with your books.”

Winkershime returned with three books—one was a translation of Turgoman folktales and the second was a journal of an explorer with sketches of odd-looking places, people, animals, and plants. The third was a slim black volume with drawings of geometric figures, but it was not a geometry book and had odd notations in no language Winkershime knew.

Nick flipped through the books before dismissing his valet. When he came upon the third book, he asked, “Winkershime, do you recognize this language?”

“No, Your Highness, you are far more capable with that sort of thing than I.”

The prince gave him a sharp look, but his valet’s face was blank. Did Winkershime think these were magical diagrams of some kind? Nick wasn’t sure himself what he was looking at. Well, trying to figure it out would certainly amuse him for a few hours.

Elizabeth’s hands were better in the morning, but they didn’t feel agile enough for stitching. Besides, after the excitement during the night, she felt restless and desired something more active.

Sylvie informed her that Winkershime had passed along that the prince was planning on spending the day resting and that he and Hal would be unavailable. Elizabeth went in search of something to do.

She checked on the activity around the stable. Men wearing gloves were pulling out charred timbers from around the edges of the building. It was still too hot for them to do much with the interior, and the smell was unpleasant. Elizabeth walked down to another large building to investigate when she heard the sound of weapons clanging.

It was the arms practice area as she had hoped. She found the large older man in charge and said, “I’m Lady Elizabeth. I’d like to get in some sword practice if I could.”

Everyone within hearing stopped practice to watch. The big man laughed at her and said, “Well, now, little girl, that wouldn’t be very lady-like would it? And you would get hurt if you tried to play with the boys. Run along now.”

Elizabeth drew herself up to her full height, which was still inches short of the man in front of her but impressive for a female. “I am Prince Nicholas’s fiancée, and I said I would like some sword practice. Do I need to disturb Earl Bruce about this?”

The big man frowned. “No, of course not. If you insist, fine, just don’t go crying and blaming me when you get hurt. Whatever happens is on you, Your Ladyship.”

He called over a tall rangy young man who appeared to be a little older than Nick and very athletic. “Sir George, Lady Elizabeth here wants some sword practice. Please oblige her.”

Sir George looked at him questioningly. “Sir Graff? A lady, are you sure?”

“Oh, yes, she really wants to practice, so give it to her and give it to her good.”

Sir George eyed her and asked, “Lady Elizabeth, have you ever sparred with a sword before?”

“Of course, but only for the last few months. However Connidian thinks me quite advanced for the short time I’ve been training.”

Sir George and Sir Graff exchanged a glance. Sir George said, “Connidian is the best…one of the best arms masters in Anglia.” Sir Graff snorted and walked away to get the rest of his students back to their lessons.

They selected practice swords. Sir George started with her slowly, but a quick slashing attack by Elizabeth convinced him to go full-out. They battled furiously back and forth, and she was dimly aware that the rest of the students had stopped to watch them.

Sir George was very good with a sword, and his style was a little different than Connidian’s. Nevertheless, Elizabeth held him off and managed some attacks of her own. He blocked them just as she blocked his. Eventually, they were both panting and tiring, but Elizabeth didn’t want to stop; she had something to prove. Sir George was the first one to step back and raise his sword in a salute, and she followed his example, very glad he had finally given in.

The other students applauded, and she was pleased to see Sir Graff grudgingly joining them. Sir George said, “Lady Elizabeth, that was quite a demonstration. Are all of Connidian’s students as good as you?”

Elizabeth smiled at him. “No, I can beat quite a few of them, but I haven’t sparred with all of them, so to be fair I can’t say how I rank over all.”

“Well, anytime you want to practice, please let me know. I expect fencing with you is going to make me a better swordsman very quickly.”

“I will, Sir George, and the same to you. You’re very good yourself.” He bowed to her, and she curtsied back and returned her practice sword to him.

Elizabeth returned to her suite feeling much better. She was tired, but it was a pleasant tired, and now she was prepared to spend the day in quieter activities. As she changed into the fresh dress that Sylvie had ready for her, she was informed she was invited to luncheon by the earl’s daughters.

Luncheon was just the three of them. Caroline, the older daughter, did most of the talking for the sisters, while Irma paid rapt attention and just added the occasional word or two. They mostly talked about Albert and their parents. Their younger brother was awake and had eaten some soup, Earl Bruce was planning on rebuilding the stable and enlarging it, and both sisters were pleased that their mother was calmer, although she was still staying very close to her injured son.

They politely inquired after Prince Nicholas, and Elizabeth said he was taking the day to rest and recover, but he wasn’t badly hurt and would surely be better by tomorrow. She was glad when the luncheon was over. The young ladies really didn’t have much to talk about beyond their own family and concerns.

Elizabeth found a book from the library herself and spent the afternoon reading a history of coastal shipping and the fight against piracy along Anglian shores. It was an old book, but it contained a lot about pirate practices and tactics, which was at least mildly interesting.

Dinner was well-attended. All of the earl’s family came except Albert, and Nick actually got dressed and escorted her. To her, he seemed to be walking just fine, and she suspected his day of recovery had been more vacation than necessity. Still, she had enjoyed a day of just doing what she pleased herself.

After dinner Nick and Elizabeth went to his suite. He showed her the books he had read.

“The journal is interesting, you might enjoy it. I think at least half of it is made up, but it is entertaining. The folktales are okay, but some are just variations of Anglian stories. This black book is a waste of time though.”

Winkershime was in the room with them, and Nick could see he had his valet’s attention although Winkershime was dusting very slowly as he listened. “It’s a manual from some cult. As near as I can tell, they did all these weird rituals trying to draw on dark powers or something like that. It hasn’t a thing to do with real magic.”

Elizabeth said, “Well, I’ll borrow the other two then. I got in some sword practice today with a gentleman named Sir George. Do you have plans for tomorrow? Do you want to practice with us?”

Nick hesitated and then said, “Winkershime, could you leave us?”

Winkershime murmured, “Of course, Your Highness,” and left the room. The prince suspected he hadn’t gone very far, but if he wasn’t in the room he could deny knowing what Nick was about to say.

“Elizabeth, you know I can do magic. Well, along with the ability comes a drawback. I’m extremely sensitive to iron and steel, especially in my hands. I’m really, really bad with a sword, and I’m never going to get any better. Please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t, but surely it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has things they’re not good at.”

“I’m a prince, I’m supposed to be good at it, and I’ve been trying to be good at it for nearly ten years. There’s no way to explain why I can’t use a sword well without admitting to the magic.”

“Oh, I see. So if we need to defend ourselves, it’s up to me?”

She could see he hadn’t even thought about that. Nick looked up at the ceiling and then walked around in a circle, raking his hand through his hair and scratching his head.

“Damn it. I guess it is if we’re in public, unless I can lay my hands on a weapon I can use like a bow. If we’re in private, just us and an attacker, I could defend us with magic, but I’d have to kill him—or them.”

“Maybe we should have a bow with us in the carriage. That way if you have to use it, it would just be a choice you make over your sword, not publicly avoiding steel.”

Nick nodded. “Good idea. I’ll tell Winkershime to round one up for me. Thank you, Elizabeth.”

“I’m going to be your wife, we’re in this together. Whatever problems you have are my problems too. Please don’t hesitate to tell me so we both can tackle them.”

“What about you? Do you have any problems I can help you with?”

“Not yet, but I’m sure I will.” They kissed good night, taking advantage of being alone to enjoy several long passionate kisses. Elizabeth liked the feel of Nick’s angular body under her hands, and she could tell how much he liked her curves by the way his hands kept trying to roam. She just patiently put them back where they belonged and said, “Not yet, behave.” All she got in return was a grin and another kiss.

The next morning, Lord Alistair appeared at Nick’s door early. Winkershime let him in at Nick’s command, even though the prince was still at breakfast.

Lord Alistair said, “I thought you might like to do something with me today—that is, if you’re feeling better. I’m afraid my whole family has been neglecting its duty toward you, and I’d like to fill in if I could.”

Nick gestured to a chair, and the young lord sat. “Help yourself. There’s way more here than I can eat. Tea? Pastry? What did you have in mind?”

Alistair poured himself tea before Winkershime could grab the pot and do it for him and helped himself to a pastry. “I thought we could have that sword practice. Or if you don’t want to do anything strenuous, we could go fishing.”

Nick only knew fishing as the hard work men did out at sea with nets. “I thought fishing was pretty strenuous.”

“Not when you do it from a riverbank with poles.”

“I’ve never done that. Would you mind a novice?”

“Not at all, I’d be glad to teach you.”

“Could Elizabeth come?”

Alistair hesitated. “If she wanted to, but it’s kind of messy and smelly with the bait and all. I don’t know any ladies that fish.”

“Let’s ask her.” To Alistair’s surprise, but not Nick’s, Elizabeth jumped at the chance. She had gone with Gramp and her brothers a few times back home and enjoyed it.

She put on an older dress and only one petticoat, Alistair got the equipment, and the three took a walk down to a stream that fed into the Pyne. The Landsford heir was impressed that Elizabeth knew what she was doing, and they both coached Nick.

Nick found catching fish a lot more fun than eating them all the time. By lunchtime, they had caught fourteen good-sized fish in total. All three of them were a little dirty and smelled fishy. They carried their catch triumphantly back to the castle where Alistair passed the fish off to the kitchen to clean and cook for lunch.

The three of them washed up as well as they could without bathing and sat down together in a small dining room to gorge on their catch. The kitchen had filleted the fish, coated the fillets, and fried them crispy and golden brown. Nick had to admit eating his own catch was for some inexplicable reason tastier than eating someone else’s.

Afterward they each went to their own suites to bathe and change into clean clothes. In the afternoon Nick and Elizabeth went for a ride. Both Falcon and Elizabeth’s palomino had been barely singed in the fire, and nowhere that would be aggravated by their saddles or bridles.

There were a number of paths obviously used by riders, so they followed one of those, eventually ending up back down by the stream. The path continued along the stream quite a distance, deep into some woods. They were completely alone, and they dismounted to rest the horses and just enjoy the quiet broken only by the sound of the water and a few birds.

Nick walked the horses away from the stream a little and tied them securely to trees. Elizabeth looked at him questioningly when he came back.

“I haven’t been able to practice my magic very much since we started on the Progress,” he explained. Elizabeth nodded, prepared to see him make a light or move a few sticks or stones around.

Instead, Nick faced out upstream over the water, drew in a great deal of power, and let loose with a sheet of flame that went out hundreds of yards. The surface of the stream heated, and a few injured fish floated up. Nick stopped, watching dead and dying fish float by.

“Oops, I didn’t mean to do that. Sorry, fish.”

Elizabeth said in astonishment, “That was incredible. I had no idea you could do something like that.”

“I didn’t know I could either. I mean, I knew I could do fire, but not that much or that far. I’ve never had a big open area to practice in before.”

“What else can you do?”

“Just lightning, but I can’t control it very well.”

“Show me.”

Nick had her stand behind him. Lightning had never kicked back on him, so he knew she would be safe there. He aimed out over the water again but higher to spare the fish. He pulled in as much magical energy as he could, determined to take advantage of the opportunity to stretch his abilities.

The lightning leapt from his hands with a loud crackle but didn’t go out very far, breaking into fingers and flickering down to the water. Nick snarled in frustration.

Peering from behind him, Elizabeth commented, “You made the fire shoot out much further.”

“I know. Like I said, I’m not very good with lightning.”

“Well, how did you make the fire fly out that far? It didn’t even start until it was quite a distance away from you. Couldn’t you push the lightning out that way too?”

Nick started to shake his head, but then stopped and considered. Fire reacted with the air, but lightning didn’t, at least not in the same way. But to push the fire out far, he had to sort of squeeze it, put pressure on it somehow. What would happen if he squeezed the lightning?

He made Elizabeth stand back a few paces. After the episode in the stable, he was fairly sure he could grab energy with his magic and ground it well enough to protect himself, but he couldn’t be completely sure with the way lightning jumped around. If he was going to toss a lot of it, he wanted her out of danger. At least, he hoped there was going to be a lot.

He pulled in a little more energy to replace what he had used and then tried again, attempting to squeeze and push the lightning out in a tight line. It almost worked. It leapt out with a boom and flashed up the stream, going nearly as far as the fire had but then breaking up and flickering down into the water again.

“Well, that was better,” Elizabeth said from behind him.

“Yeah, it was. I just wish I could make it do something spectacular at the end,” Nick said gloomily.

“If you hit something with it before it got that far, I expect the result would be fairly spectacular.”

Nick brightened. “That’s true. Let’s see if I can actually hit something.”

He aimed at a rocky outcrop not quite so far upstream and let loose another bolt. It hit the rock, not exactly where he had aimed, but close. The stone in the impact area burned and shattered.

“Yes!” Nick exulted. “I can actually do something with lightning.”

Elizabeth came up behind him and asked, “Nick, your magic is impressive, but when could you possibly use these abilities?”

Nick shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just nice to know I’m mastering my magic. After everything my mother did to help me, I really had to.”

“I thought your mother died when you were a baby.”

“Yeah, she did, but she used to come to me at night on my birthday and help me expand and control my aperture. That’s the doorway I pull my magical energy through.”

“If she was dead, how did she…?”

“I don’t know exactly. I think she was a ghost. I wish I understood more, but there was never anyone to teach me, so mostly I just have to guess.”

“I wish I understood more too. Is she likely to show up after we’re married? Because I’d like some warning.” And I suppose if magic is real, ghosts could be too. What else?

“No, she can’t come anymore, I think.”

“Well, if you know of anything unusual that’s likely to happen while we’re together, let me know ahead of time, all right?”

“Sure. Maybe we should go. Those last two lightning bolts were pretty loud. Someone might come to investigate.”

Their horses were still tied to their trees—Falcon standing calmly but the palomino a little nervous. They both mounted without incident and rode back to the castle.

That evening Nick decided he should try to learn what he could in the earl’s business office. He waited until quite late, Winkershime sending Hal to bed but staying up himself.

It took him some time to replace the office in the huge castle. Nick thought it might be in the earl’s residence hall where there were guards stationed, but he finally found it a short distance away. The door was locked. The lock was more complicated than he was used to, but he managed to open it.

There was nothing secured inside except one desk drawer. Nick struggled a bit with the small lock. There was more of a trick to opening it than he had encountered before, but with no guard patrols, he had all night. It seemed to take a long time, but it was really only a few minutes before it opened.

The odd thing was that there wasn’t very much in the drawer, just a few account books. Nick looked through them and was able to match the numbers in them to other papers readily available. It didn’t appear the earl was keeping two sets of books or cheating in any way, so why were the books locked up?

With the books out on the desk, Nick noticed the drawer seemed shallower than it should be, and a little feeling around released a catch that opened a secret compartment in the bottom of the drawer. Inside was a large flat green book.

Opening it, Nick found…poems. He read one or two, but couldn’t replace any hidden meaning in them; they were just really bad poetry. Earl Bruce was a secret poet. He apparently realized he wasn’t any good at it, so he hid his work where no one would replace it. Nick just shook his head and replaced everything how he had found it. People could be so weird.

Winkershime was pacing when he got back to his suite. “Thank heavens, I was beginning to think something had happened,” he said, a little exasperated. “Where have you been all this time? Did you replace out anything?”

“It’s a big castle. It took a while to replace the office. All I found out is that Earl Bruce is well-organized and a bad poet.”

“What kind of foreign correspondence did you replace?”

“Lots with both Franck and Drusia. He’s kept in contact with people he met when he was ambassador. I couldn’t read every letter, but those I spot-checked didn’t contain any state secrets, they were personal. Of course, I couldn’t read the ones he sent, but the ones he received were all like ‘Congratulations on your daughter’s wedding, and I hope your son does better in math’ sort of thing.”

Winkershime said, “I wonder if there is anyone else in the household who could be corresponding with Franck.”

Nick sat down, slipped off his shoes, and put his feet up. “When was the last time the earl traveled abroad?”

“I’m not sure, six or seven years ago, I think.”

“So his children still at home would have all been too young to make any significant contacts. Lady Beatrice?”

“Your Highness, the servants tell me she is devoted to her home and family. She doesn’t write many letters, and the few she does send go to her own siblings.”

“So the family is clear. Servants? What about the earl’s valet?”

“His current valet has been with him three years and has never traveled out of Anglia, so it’s unlikely he’s spying for Franck. The former valet retired, so he wouldn’t have access to any current information.”

“So in spite of dealing with Franck a great deal, Landsford is not the source of the leak.”

“If it’s not the earl himself, then it appears not, Your Highness, although there are other servants who traveled with the earl as well. So it’s still possible, but none of the servants’ gossip has indicated anyone sneaking off to meet with foreigners. But it could be much more subtle than that. A letter ostensibly written to a brother could actually be going to a Franckish agent who forwards the information, that sort of thing.”

“So we’re really not sure if the leak is here or not.”

“No, Your Highness. In a short visit like this, the best we can do is seek. The fact that we didn’t replace anything only means just that, not that there isn’t anything to replace.”

“I’m going to bed. Good night, Winkershime.”

“One other thing, Your Highness. You are sure about the library book, that it’s not runes or something?”

“Yes, quite sure. Runes are different. At least, I think so. I’m no expert, of course,” Nick hastily added.

“Of course not, Your Highness, I would never think such a thing. Good night.”

The next day, Elizabeth had a long practice session with Sir George who introduced her to shield work and a heavier sword. At first Elizabeth balked, saying, “I’m not likely ever going to have to defend myself with sword and shield.”

Sir George replied, “You never know. And you have a talent, Lady Elizabeth. Why not develop it fully? Long ago, Anglia did have a warrior queen you know.”

She chuckled and said, “I can’t quite picture myself leading an army into battle, but I suppose no learning is a waste. And it’s possible I might have access to a shield but no sword, so it might be a useful skill.”

Shield work wasn’t complicated, but the weight of the shield and the heavier sword made her slower. She could stand up to Sir George’s attacks, but she tired more quickly, and her own blows gradually lost force.

But when she picked up a lighter sword to continue their practice, it felt like a feather in her hand. She realized that using the heavier weapons would increase her strength and endurance. Sir George also showed her some exercises she could do without weapons that would perform the same function, at least to some extent.

Nick slept late, and Winkershime let him. Over a breakfast that was nearly lunch, the valet said, “Your Highness, Lord Bruce has invited you and Lady Elizabeth on a family ride. It’s not quite a hunt. There won’t be dogs, and it will be just the earl, his children, a few of his favorites, and the two of you. It’s to be at midafternoon. Shall I pass the word that you accept?”

“Yes, of course. Has Elizabeth accepted?”

“Miss Conway will inform her when she lunches. I understand Lady Elizabeth has found a sparring partner and is practicing this morning.”

Nick gave his valet an appraising look. Winkershime had said nothing at all to him on the Progress about arms practice, so if he hadn’t known before, he had undoubtedly listened in on Nick’s confession to Lady Elizabeth. That was the trouble with spy training—both the trainer and the trainee could use the techniques on each other too, and it was probably expected. Undoubtedly Winkershime had plenty of secrets Nick hadn’t ferreted out yet, but the prince had pretty much run out with the revelation of his magic.

The afternoon ride was agreeable, although the day turned out to be hot. The earl led them down paths that were shaded and edged around open meadows to stay in the shade of the tree line. They went down by the stream where it was cooler and rested and watered the horses before continuing on.

Elizabeth was pleased to have a baroness and the wives of two knights to ride with as well as the earl’s daughters. The baroness was well-read, and they talked about the historical basis of a possible war with Franck, while the younger ladies chatted about their friends and some of the local young men.

Nick turned his conversation with the earl from animal husbandry to the situation with Franck as well. Lord Bruce was of the opinion that Louis, recently crowned, was unlikely to actually go to war unless he was absolutely sure he would win. Nick held his tongue about the mercenaries Louis had hired and the fact that he had at least two sorcerers he could send with an army. Lord Bruce had his armsmen and peasant conscripts trained and ready. Knowing that war was very likely wouldn’t change anything.

The evening meal was attended by those that had participated in the ride as well as a few others. Since the fire had forced the earl to cancel the activities that would have allowed him to introduce the nobility in the area to the prince, he was doing his best to perform his duties without an unseemly party. Everyone was dressed more casually than for a formal dinner, but Nick and Elizabeth recognized the gathering for what it was and did their best to have a few words with everyone either at dinner or afterward.

After dinner the group moved from the table to a large well-appointed room for sweet wines, cheese, fruit, and pastries. Elizabeth participated for a while, but she was very tired from all her activities and excused herself early. Nick, however, felt wide awake and stayed up with some of the men long after all the women had gone home or retired.

Their final day in Landsford was a quiet one. Elizabeth found time to practice with Sir George, and he gave her a heavier sword and shield to take with her. Nick rode back to the lonely area along the stream and practiced his magic. Winkershime and Sylvie repacked.

Elizabeth, Nick, Earl Bruce, and Lord Alistair visited Albert before dinner. He was in good spirits, although still in some pain. There was shiny new skin growing over his burns, and Elizabeth felt a little sorry for him, but she was favorably impressed by his attitude.

“I’ll be all right. Maybe I won’t get to marry a princess, but Princess Anne is the last one available anyway,” he said with a grin at his brother, who blushed a little. Elizabeth thought Albert was taking advantage of his injury to say whatever he wanted in front of his brother with impunity, and by the look on Earl Bruce’s face his father thought so too. But for the moment, the whole family was indulging him, at least until he was out of bed.

“Prince Nick, I owe you my life. ‘Thank you’ is not enough. I wish I had something to give you that would show you how grateful I am to you for coming into a burning building after me and helping me save the horses.”

Nick responded, “As long as Landsford gives Anglia and the Warwicks its full support, that’s all the thanks I need. Besides, if you hadn’t gone in, I would have lost Falcon, so in a way you gave me my favorite horse as well as Elizabeth’s gelding and our coach horses. If you want to give me something personally, you can give me your word you won’t risk yourself like that again unless human life is at stake.”

Albert made a face but nodded. Alistair said, “I give you my oath that as long as Albert and I are alive, you will always have our loyalty.” Albert added, “You have mine too.”

Nick and Elizabeth went to bed early. They were awakened in the morning to a pouring rain and the bustle of loading up the wagons to continue the Progress. They said formal good-byes to Earl Bruce and Lady Beatrice and dashed to their coach.

Elizabeth was smiling as they pulled out in spite of being damp and a little bedraggled. The next stop on the Progress was with Baron Stratton—home.