In the silence, Gilbert continued his greeting. "I am your humble servant, Gilbert. If I may say, my lady, we were most sorry to hear about your harrowing ordeal."
Oh behalf of the princess, Conall placed one head dutifully on his chest. "It was most tragic. Lady Alexis was found, uh, wondering in the woods on horseback, injured and afraid after bandits set upon her company and captured the rest of her group. Fates know how my dear lady escaped."
"I cannot imagine what the lady has been through." Gilbert placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to fight the villains if they should appear.
Rose held her fingers to her cheek as a faint blush tinged it. She gave a weak smile. "I did not have to face it alone. Some kind villagers took me in and cared for me until I could travel. But I must get my message to the king. For your help, I thank you."
Conall tilted his head toward Fireball, his shoulders stiffening. Even though Rose could not see the mayor's face, she could guess he was hiding a quizzical expression.
The princess was supposed to remain haughty and aloof to keep too many questions from being hurled her way. But with Alexis's name invoked, Rose had suddenly switched to gracious damsel. The blonde's eyes even glistened with unshed tears as she spoke of the ordeal.
"We will protect you, my lady," Gilbert assured her. "You need say no more. We will stay with you and get the message to His Majesty."
The other soldiers looking on nodded solemnly. It seemed that garnering their sympathy might have kept the men from prying even more than if Rose had been unapproachable.
Although none of the backstory had been necessary at all, it was easier to spin a narrative for the soldiers to latch onto instead of letting them create rumors of their own.
In court Rose had learned that controlling a story was important or it would control you. It appeared that her brother had learned the same lesson before coming up with this plan.
Rose straightened her shoulders, her face filled with hope. "I commit myself to your care."
Conall released the reins. "Very good, so--soldier. I know I can trust you with such an important task. I wish all of you a safe and successful journey." The mayor bowed beside Fireball. "My Lady, we were most honored to have you with us. I do hope you will not forget our sleepy village after you return home."
Rose hid her smile. Even in their parting, Conall was making a plea for her to recommend his inn and town to the king. "My time with all of you is not something I will soon forget," she assured him.
Satisfied, Conall dipped his head one last time and departed. Rose was now alone with Gilbert and the soldiers. For a moment, there was an awkward tension between her and the men.
'What do we do now?' The princess was skilled with directing people at the palace, but military etiquette was beyond her scope. Should she take charge or allow the men--who were escorting her as a favor--lead her as they saw fit?
Gilbert quickly solved the issue. "Are you ready to head out, my lady? Or do you need to take care of anything before we go?"
"I am ready whenever all of you are," Rose said graciously. Her deference to her escort only made her rise in their estimation.
The men stood a little straighter. "We are ready, my lady," Gilbert motioned for the others to mount their horses.
It seemed the young man was in charge of the detail. Rose found it strange Gilbert was directing the others even without having any rank of which to speak.
'Does he just naturally have that authority or did Silver arrange it?' Rose wondered. Deciding it would not be polite to ask, the princess waited patiently for the men to ready their steeds.
Taking their mission seriously, the soldiers began their measured ride by flanking the princess on all sides. Rose tensed because of the men closing in around her.
It reminded her very much of the suffocating babysitters she had had at the palace before leaving. Rose had run away to feel some freedom, but now was back in the same position as when she had been only a week before. Her mind fought fiercely against this reality.
But Rose had also been attacked not once but twice in the week of her supposed freedom. There needed to be some balance between freedom and safety. For now, that balance included a small troupe of soldiers returning her to King Rhodri and the palace. It was a good trade, all things considered.
The men were silent for a long while as they rode, but as the time for a noonday break came around, their curiosity began to get the better of them. As they formed a circle around her to eat their rations, one of them finally spoke to the beautiful blonde.
"That is a lovely horse you have there, Lady Alexis." The thin soldier with brown eyes examined Fireball rather than looking directly at the woman.
Rose was startled. As a princess, none of them would have dared to speak unless spoken to first. But as a lady, she was much more approachable.
Looking around, it was possible that some of these soldiers came from noble houses themselves and could be considered if not a lady's equal, then at least within her peerage. So initiating a conversation was not out of the question. In the long run, being cold toward her might even have been considered rude.
'What did he say? Oh, the horse!' Rose smiled sadly at the soldier. "Fireball is stunning, I agree."
Another man opened and shut his mouth a few times. "Forgive me, My Lady, but may I ask how long you have had him?"
Inwardly the princess chuckled. 'That is a nobleman's son for sure. He is really asking how in the world a warhorse ended up with a damsel like me. We obviously do not go together in the slightest!'
"Only a few days." Rose knew that the more she broke up her cadence, the less likely any of them would be to recognize her. Who knew how many spies Borit had and where?
Although none of the soldiers seemed familiar to her, that did not mean that they had never met.
A third soldier, this one with a scar across his bushy eyebrow, chimed in to further the inquiry. "How did you come across such a gem out in the wilderness? I did not think the townspeople here raised anything but workhorses."
The princess heaved a heavy sigh. The tears pricked her eyes again even though she had not been meaning for them to. "You are correct. That town does not raise war horses."
There was a long pause. Gilbert decided to step into the breach. "If I may?" Upon seeing the princess nod, the kind young soldier continued. "When Lady Alexis was attacked, one of her guards was separated from this magnificent steed. With her own horse taken from her by the bandits, Fireball saved her and completed his master's duty to protect her. Is that correct?"
Relieved not to have to share the news herself, Rose nodded. "It is true. I owe Fireball and his master my life."
"I'm sorry," the third soldier dipped his head. The two who had spoken before him also uttered apologies. Things became tensely silent for a long time.
Unable to bear the solemn mood she had caused, Rose sighed softly and smiled. "I appreciate your care, gentlemen. Do not be quiet on my account. Please speak amiably to one another, it will keep my spirits up."
The soldiers nodded. Having the lady's permission was all they needed to relax. The ones who were not keeping watch fell into polite conversation as Rose listened on. They did not send any more questions her way, much to her relief.
The next day and a half of travel were, thankfully for all, completely uneventful.