Philippa woke the next morning with her ankle stiff and slightly sore. She hopped on her good leg over to the bath chambers and bathed, then dressed. Today, her dress was emerald green with silver trim and short sleeves. She put her hair into a plait down her back then put on her slip-on shoes. When she tried to stand, pain shot up and down her leg, but it wasn't as bad as last night, so she thought she'd be able to manage.
Slowly, painfully slowly, Philippa made her way to her mistress's bed chambers to wake her. It took her five times longer, and she was an hour late when she finally pushed open the door. Her jaw dropped at seeing Jude, another maid, doing Jacqueline's hair. Something inside her broke at seeing the other maid doing her job, at seeing her touch the Princess the way Philippa always had.
Jacqueline caught sight of her in the looking glass and her eyes turned wide. She spun around and took in Philippa's appearance. "What happened to your eye?" she hissed. When she started walking, the Princess gasped. "And why are you limping?"
Philippa shook her head in silent dismissal. The other maid stood beside the Princess looking a little uncomfortable. Philippa gestured for her to leave, but the maid said, "I must finish dressing the Princess. Orders given by King Bardulf."
King Bardulf?
Jacqueline read the confused expression on her favorite maid's face and explained, "Bardulf didn't want you working until the morrow. He didn't want too much pressure put on your ankle."
Philippa did a few movements with her hands and scowled at her charge.
"I'm sorry, Philippa!" Jacqueline said and ran up to her. "I know he's not supposed to give orders, but he takes care of everyone, even maids." Philippa flinched at the term Jacqueline used to call her with. "Please, tell me what happened last night! Please, I will do what I can to make sure the person who attacked you is punished."
Philippa shook her head and backed away. She smiled at Jude and gestured for her to continue her work. She didn't want to be here right now. She didn't want to have this discussion with the Princess. She didn't want pity or sympathy, and she certainly didn't want any more pain.
"Philippa, please!" Jacqueline cried.
The maid shook her head and backed towards the door. Opening it, she waved to the Princess, then left. After an agonizing long walk, she returned to her room and locked the door. Crawling into bed, she curled up and cried herself to sleep.
When Jacqueline walked into the dining hall for meal an hour later, Bardulf was waiting for her with a chair pulled out and a smile curving his lips. She glared at him, angry that his orders made her maid upset. She had tried to get into Philippa's room, but found it was locked. When she called her name, there was no answer. The Princess was troubled that Philippa was going to do some harm to herself if not looked after.
Bardulf held out his hand for hers. When she obliged, he kissed her and helped her sit. As he pushed her in to the table, his lips came close to her ear, "And how are we this morning, Princess?" There was amusement in his tone that Jacqueline didn't like.
"Quite troubled," she replied harshly.
He pressed his lips against her ear and whispered, "Explain."
The Princess turned to him and knew he could see the tears. "Philippa locked herself up after coming to see me today. She didn't respond when I called and I'm afraid for her!"
All amusement dissipated from his face and his body became alert. "Locked? Are you sure she's in there?"
Jacqueline nodded. "It can only be locked from the inside. And she doesn't go wandering around the castle unless working."
"I see the newlyweds are getting along," said a voice from the door.
Both looked up to see with surprise, Roderic grinning at them. He was wearing a light blue shirt that showed part of his chest, brown trousers, and gems on his fingers. Jacqueline, for the first time since seeing both men, looked to Bardulf in a plea. She feared the handsome Prince. She feared what he'd do to her if she ever did what Philippa did the previous day.
"Roderic, why are you here?" Bardulf asked in a dangerous tone, his body towering over the Princess like a brick wall, impenetrable.
"I leave soon. The King had the good graces to let me spend the rest of the day to prepare and pack. Of course, I was not invited to the ball last night which was a bummer. But I had my own entertainment!" he said with a cheerful voice.
A man came up to the Prince and said, "All ready, Sir."
Roderic nodded and bowed to the couple at the table. "It was delightful meeting you, Princess. I do hope we meet again." He looked at Bardulf and his smile turned sadistic. "I do hope your travel home is pleasurable, King Bardulf."
It was three hours later when both Jacqueline and Bardulf finally relaxed at the sight of Prince Roderic's procession disappearing over the horizon. As fearful as she was, Jacqueline stayed close to Bardulf, forgetting they were no longer engaged for the intense minutes she spent waiting for the Prince to leave.
It was only when they no longer saw the whites of his eyes, that Bardulf sprang into action. "Forgive me, Princess, but I need to make sure my men and horses are well."
"Why?" she asked, hugging herself since he moved away.
"Because I do not trust that Roderic of Nubet's parting words were just sincerity." He snapped his fingers and a guard came up. "Please see that Princess Jacqueline is safe in the castle and do not leave her unless or until you are dismissed by either her father or me."
"Yes sir!" the guard saluted.
Bardulf looked at Jacqueline and there was determination in his eyes. "I will come find you later. Please stay within the walls of the castle until we know for sure Roderic is back in his kingdom."
Jacqueline nodded and watched Bardulf storm away towards the barracks. The guard nudged her and said they should return to the castle, and the Princess nodded absently, her body moving on its own to follow orders.
Philippa awoke later that day with a splitting headache and in more pain. Earlier, she was about to go to noon meal when she saw someone lurking in the shadowy corner of her room. She opened her mouth to scream, forgetting that no sound would escape her throat, but got the wind knocked out of her by a punch to her gut. All she remembered was that the person was wearing black and they were tall. She couldn't remember how she got back into bed, or if she did it on her own.
Silently crying, she tried to go to her bath chambers to wash the blood away but couldn't move without blinding pain making her see spots. She turned her head to look out the window, noticing it was sunset, and fainted at the words painted in blood: No one can help you.
Bardulf and Jacqueline were dining with the King and Queen for evening meal when the maid from that morning, Jude, walked up to the Princess and whispered in her ear. There was fear lining the maid's face and her hands shook as she cupped them so no sound would reach the others. But Bardulf saw the look of horror on the Princess's face and knew it had something to do with Philippa.
He got up and left without a word. He heard the King asking him questions and calling his name, but Bardulf ignored them. Seeing Flik, he motioned the man to follow him as he ran up the stairs towards Philippa's bed chambers.
Without realizing it, he found himself pounding on the door, yelling through the wood for Philippa to open. There was no response and he swore under his breath. Flik, who had sense when his King did not, moved Bardulf aside and slammed his shoulder against the door. Wood cracked and splintered. Moving back to the opposite wall, he readied himself and ran, using his full body weight to crash the door into pieces. Bardulf nodded to him in thanks as he stepped through the gaping hole.
What he saw first was the window and the words drawn in blood. What he saw next was Philippa's body on the bed, face turned away from him, dress stained in red. His eyes swept across the room and he saw the red on the floorboards, the walls, the furniture. "Shit!" Flik hissed under his breath as he took in the scene.
Bardulf ran to the bed and rolled Philippa onto her back. He said to his friend, "Make sure the Princess does not come up here. Have guards bar her way. Make sure there is always one guard following her, no matter what she says. Then, bring a medic to my chambers. I want no one coming up here."
Flik left to obey orders while Bardulf studied Philippa's injuries. The whole left side of her face was black and blue, her bottom lip was bleeding. Her chest moved in a slightly ragged rhythm, like she was having a challenging time breathing. Her hair was a rat's nest, entangled with blood while there were other open cuts on her arms.
"My sweet Philippa," he whispered and gently wrapped her in a clean blanket he found in a chest, then carried her out of the room.
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