Hydrangea watched as the man in front of her moved the oar with such grace. She would never have thought that he could be skilled in something.
She bit her lip as she recalled how Hadok had killed a man. He seemed to know very well what was happening.
Her surroundings were dark and the only sound was of the water being split by the boat.
She turned her head and looked back at Brigitte, patting her shoulder she asked gently, "How are you?"
Brigitte looked at her with round, brown eyes, "Fine, your majesty."
She nodded and returned to her previous position.
With a jolt the boat stopped and the Sovereign signalled for them to be silent. She looked forward but couldn't make anything out in the darkness.
"What is-" She was cut off by his hand clamping forcefully over her mouth.
She didn't make a sound and only glared at him.
She soon saw the reason for their stopping. Before them a large boat passed with many voices shouting.
Her eyes widened and she watched as it slowly passed them.
He still hadn't removed his hand from her mouth and she raised her hand to pull it off forcefully.
He didn't say anything as he shoved away from the shore and began to move them out into the larger channel.
She'd been in a boat a few times, once she'd needed to cross a large river back home, once an old fisherman had asked her to help fish for some coin and she'd helped him, the third time was when she'd been sold.
Her heart felt a pang from the memory. She'd thought that she'd numbed herself from feeling that pain.
Swallowing she looked ahead at the dark waters.
~~~~~~~
Bastian steered the boat as smoothly as was possible, his mind only once showing him visions of drowning. Gulping he looked at the dark and deep water with a nervousness he couldn't comprehend. He could swim and he would not drown. His boat would also not tip.
Looking forward he saw the sun was beginning to light the sky behind the land before them.
After making their way to the side of his island he could see his palace. This was where he was raised, where all of the previous heirs were raised.
Seeing the stone steps that descended to water level he and Hadok slowly made their way there and Bastian tied the boat securely.
Turning he saw that Hadok was helping the trembling maid out and Hydrangea was staring at a spot in the distance, a concentrated look on her face.
Turning behind him and seeing nothing he turned back to look at her, "What?"
Her grey eyes snapped to his, "What what?"
Rolling his eyes he steadied himself in the boat and helped her to step out.
She snatched her hand back from his and he did the same from hers.
They ascended the steps and he pushed open the tall double doors.
No torch was lit and no carpet laid.
"Does no one live here?" He heard the flower question.
He didn't answer and proceeded to find his armoury.
"While the Sovereign is away it is abandoned, my Queen." He heard Hadok say, "He will inform the servants of his staying here a month in advance and then they will prepare it, but in his absence no one stays."
Hydrangea nodded, showing that she understood. It was cold in the place and her teeth had begun to chatter.
"Come my Queen, there is a chamber with clothes for you." Said Hadok and she nodded following him, wrapping Brigitte's shoulders with her arm they walked up a flight of stairs that led to a second level.
Bastian reaching the end of a hallway and found what he was looking for. The door was locked, for obvious reasons, and he quickly found the key that was hidden behind a tapestry that was hanging on the wall next to the door.
Unlocking the door he stepped through and smiled seeing the weapons arrayed in the room.
Grabbing a sword and scabbard he wore it and then he began to place small knives amongst his boots and belt.
Walking out he felt much better.
As he came back to the main entrance he saw that it was empty. Walking up the stairs he thought that he might as well find some extra clothes.
Turning the opposite way that Hydrangea had he entered his room.
Three large windows lined the wall opposite the door, all three covered by decorative screens. His bed was to his far right and at the foot of it a large chest. On the ground was a soft rug of sheepskin atop it sat a comfortable lounging couch. A fireplace was placed at the left of the room, it was dead and not providing any warmth or light. He walked to where the mantle was above the fire place, the marble itself was dusty but the tokens sitting on it were not. He smiled, it appeared as though his mother had visited recently.
The objects sitting on the mantle were old memorabilia from his younger days; an old leaf, a knot he'd tied, a book and his hands captured the last treasure.
Brushing the small frame he looked at a painting of him and his parents. All three of them dressed in their ceremonial robes, their faces unsmiling.
With a twinge in his heart he set the frame back, with the painting facedown.
Walking to the chest he selected a pair of clothes and dressed himself.
~~~~~~~
"My Queen, I will take my leave to secure the palace." Hadok said.
"Alright." I said and he bowed and left.
I swallowed.
After searching the huge closet in the room that Hadok led us to, me and Brigitte found some suitable clothing.
We could find no dresses so we wore skirts, two skirts overtop of one another and then a simple cream woollen dress over those. To help with the lack of a corset we wore a dark, thick and starched pice of fabric that wrapped around our waist and below our bosoms, more functional than gowns or nightgowns and they were both of a darker colour.
Leaving the room we left the hallway and back down the stairs.
Spinning in a circle we found that there was no one around.
"Do any of you know how to cook?" I heard his voice say, I turned and saw that he was leaning over the banister above us.
"Yes." Brigitte said tentatively.
"Excellent, I don't suppose that you'd be willing to cook something up would you?" He asked, throwing her a dashing smile.
"O-of course, my Sovereign." Brigitte said, a blush on her face.
"Thank you." He said then turned and walked away.
Me and Brigitte prepared a meal with the scarce ingredients that were found in the palace kitchen.
Once we finished we both walked up the stairs from the kitchen.
~~~~~~
Hadok was waiting for them in the main entrance having completed his search of the premises.
"My Queen! You shouldn't have had to prepare such a meal." He said in a distraught voice.
She laughed, while Brigitte only hung her head. She'd done her best to dissuade her Queen from helping to cook but it had amounted to nothing.
"It is alright Hadok, it was no trouble. Besides… I miss cooking." She said with a soft smile.
He nodded, still looking uncomfortable, "Very well my Queen, this way and we shall sit and discuss the current issue."
She nodded and they both followed him to a dining room.
Bastian was sitting at the head of the table and Hydrangea and Brigitte began placing the food down in the middle.
"Ah, did you cook too?" He asked, picking up a vegetable.
She made no reply as she sat and began to eat.
"You see, I don't understand why someone who was granted a position where you would never have to cook again, would cook." He said, leaning over and placing his head near hers.
Without glancing up, because she worried it would weaken her resolve looking in his brown eyes, she spoke, "That is where we differ." She met his eyes, "I enjoy cooking."
He laughed, "Oh, flower, I'm afraid we differ in more ways than that."
She glared at him, but her expression soon changed to that smile he'd seen once before and her eyes turned angrily bright, "Oh, well, you're right. I'm not an arrogant pig who enjoys kidnapping girls from their homes for my own selfish deeds!"
Brigitte gasped but it went unheeded by the quarrelling pair. Hadok watched his two leaders with a calm anger.
Bastian inhaled, ready to refute her words.
"Enough!" Hadok said, slamming his hand on the table, "We are not here to fight like this. Our enemies could be upon us at any moment."
Hydrangea and Bastian both shared a glare before they returned their attention to the eunuch who now appeared to be their leader.