"Reunited..." - Chapter Twenty-Four

Reunited...

Chapter Twenty-Four

By Douglas E. Gogerty

With Prince William ailing, Princess Angelina could not broach the subject of the treaty land or the prophecy's fulfillment with King Thorbjorn. Thus, she simply enjoyed the feast. Any discussions could wait until morning. Unlike the Prince in her kingdom, she did not feel there were any threats to herself or the Prince.

The party had gone on for some time when the Princess asked to be shown to her room. With all of the excitement, a room had not been prepared for her. The King assured her that it was a simple oversight. The King dispatched a servant to ready a room. The King assured the Princess that the room would be ready shortly, and that she should enjoy the party for a bit longer.

Prince William continued to sleep in the provided hospital bed. The Princess was envious, as she had spent several days driving and camping. The thought of a real bed was welcoming. However, there was nothing she could do about the situation. She considered having more wine, but decided against that idea. She could already feel the effects of the small amount she had already consumed. More would just aggravate her sleepiness.

She was having a conversation with one of the guests when the servant told her that her room was ready. She excused herself from the conversation and went to the room. It was a smallish room with a queen-sized bed in the center. It had four posts and a canopy over the top. It had a royal blue feather comforter folded down on one corner. It invited her in.

She did not bother to undress; she just slipped off her shoes. She entered the bed and the warmth surrounded her. She was asleep immediately. The apparent warmth and security washed over her. The long journey and hard work instantly evaporated and she was back in the luxury that she had long gotten used to.

She did not know how long she had been asleep when she noticed that she had left the lights in the room on. She slipped out of the bed, and suddenly felt that something was wrong. She was not sure what it was, but something strange was happening. She looked around the room, but she did not notice anything out of place. However, she only saw the bed when she first entered.

"Come out!" she shouted.

There was no answer.

"I am Angelina, Princess of Calmondak, Heiress to the Queen Marcellina! Now, step out or there will be dire consequences."

"I know who you are Princess," spoke a deep dark voice as a man stepped out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" asked the Princess. "And, what do you want?"

"I am Captain Arieux and I am here to protect you."

"Protect me from what?"

"Whatever may be lurking in the castle."

"How long have you been there?"

"I beg your pardon, but I just arrived. Please forgive me for waking you."

"It is all right."

"It was wise of you to leave the light on. It surely kept any unwanted guests out of your room."

"Yes... That was my intent," lied the Princess. "However, it was preventing me from experiencing a satisfying sleep. After I use the toilet, I plan to turn it off. Is that okay with you?"

"By all means."

Captain Arieux returned to his spot in the shadows and the Princess took care of her needs. She turned off the light and returned to the comfort of the bed. However, sleep did not come as easily this time. The thought of a bodyguard weighed heavily on her mind. Thus, she tossed and turned a bit.

Am I in danger? the Princess thought to herself. Did I do something to warrant the danger?

The thoughts raced through her mind. She did not mention the prophecy, but perhaps it was on the minds of a great number of people. The power of fulfilling the prophecy could put people on edge. However, who believed those types of things? Further, different people could interpret the results in various ways. It would not result in anyone losing liberty, or would it?

Suddenly, the Princess bolted upright in her bed. She heard a floorboard squeak followed by the sound of scuffling. After a few moments of struggle, she heard the sound of something heavy falling upon the floor.

"Who is there?" the Princess shouted.

"It is nothing," replied the dark voice.

"Is that you Captain?"

"Yes Princess," replied the guard. "Someone entered your room. It was most likely an accident."

"Are they all right?"

"They will be a little sore, but they will be fine in the morning. Please, go back to sleep."

"After that?"

"I am sorry. I tried to take care of the situation as quietly as I could."

"The way of the ninja is not what it used to be."

"You know of ninjas?"

"In my youth, I had a thing for the ninja arts. I even thought about studying ninjitsu."

"What? Five years ago?"

"That sounds about right, but I lost interest."

"I would be interested to learn what you know."

"I have not thought about ninjas in quite a while. I would not know where to begin."

"Not now!" Captain Arieux stated firmly. "You need your rest. I will gather my thoughts and give you a list of questions -- if that is okay with you."

"I would like that."

"Now, get some sleep."

The thought of a ninja lurking in her room brought back many fond memories for the Princess. She felt the warmth wash over her again, and she surprised herself. She fell asleep quite quickly.

When she awoke in the morning, the Captain and the body were nowhere to be found. The Princess washed up and put on some clean clothes. With the mood she was in, she practiced her ninja moves as she made her way through the castle.

She suprised King Thorbjorn at the breakfast table. The King roared with anger, and then with laughter. The pair shared a nice breakfast without talking business.