"Will the king approve of this?" Madeline asked herself as she bent over the fine steel sword she had just finished crafting.
The endless hours spent with metal hitting metal, and her thoughts occupied with what she would do to gain the king's approval, made her forget about her encounter with the man at the cathedral.
Her father approached her, gazing at the sword she had meticulously created. He had observed her hard work these past few days as she strived to make something worthy for the king. There was no doubt that this sword, with its sharp etches and a beautifully crafted dragon on it, would be a fine weapon for the king.
"Well done, my dear," Mr. Gavin patted her back, smiling. "I'm sure the king will not hesitate to buy this."
But doubt crept in as Madeline stared at it for far too long. What if the king doesn't like it? Will he reject everything they made? No, she shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking about the negative things when she hadn't even met the king.
Her father noticed the frown on her face, a sigh escaped his lips, and he sat down near where she stood staring at the sword with tightened lips. "You will be fine at the castle," he reassured her.
Madeline blinked, looking at him. "What does the king like?" she asked.
He looked away, his eyes traveling to the burning flames. "The king is ruthless, so I heard," then he faced her with a warm smile. "But if you do a good job, he would approve of it."
He stood up and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Don't let self-doubt weigh you down. Trust your instincts."
And so she decided not to worry too much, just like her father had said, and just like Josiah had said as well. She tried to focus on what is at hand and remove fear from her heart. This was for the family. If this works well, then things will go well for them.
Days passed, and she devoted more time to her work, striving to perfect the steel for the king. Though he did not specify an exact quantity, Madeline was determined to ensure she crafted the best for him.
The memory of that day at the cathedral returned, with the horseman who resembled an angel descending and his master who appeared like the devil himself. She couldn't shake the thought of how their beauty surpassed anything she had ever seen, yet she refused to let it distract her from her task.
As weeks went by, Josiah stared at her as if he had seen a ghost.
"Madeline, did you eat today?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Despite her father's advice to rest occasionally, she continued to refuse and instead focused on completing the task at hand. This dedication to her work had caused her to lose weight, even though she did eat.
Passing by Mrs. Sophia's shop on some days, she noticed the woman perched with her three daughters, watching her intently. She had observed how they began to frequent the shop more often ever since Elizabeth arrived at her place. Madeline couldn't help but wonder if she had become a topic of their gossip.
"Why does the king want you to go alone? Something seems fishy," Philemon frowned, shaking his head.
Madeline had bumped into him on her way to Mr. Richard's bakery. If she could make a wish to the powers above, it would be to never have to come across Philemon again.
Madeline shrugged, feeling uninterested in talking to him.
Philemon snorted, "Do you have to go? Don't you think it's dangerous for a lady to travel to a faraway land?"
"I can take care of myself, Philemon," Madeline said, irritated. "And I have to do this for my family."
Philemon was taken aback by the sternness in her voice. He blinked, then laughed, "Of course, you can. Be safe at the castle. I have been there once and I can assure you it is quite a dangerous place."
Madeline flashed him a small smile, "Do not worry about me."
"I will worry, Made-"
"I have somewhere to be right now," she cut in and started walking away, ignoring Philemon's next words.
"I will give you two loaves of cinnamon bread as a parting gift," Mr. Richard said when she reached the bakery. He leaned against the door, staring at her.
Madeline smiled, "I won't be gone for long."
Mr. Richard patted her shoulder, "I know, my dear, but you will still be far away, and I do not want you to miss my bread for a single day."
Madeline laughed; after buying what she came for, she left.
....
Two days remained before she was to leave for the castle. The weapons were all placed in a sturdy black box with a well-secured lock. In the span of a month, they made swords, armors, shields, spears, and maces. She only prayed for the king to accept all of their hard work.
The family sat down on stools in front of the fireplace, the red flame blazing with fury but enough to keep them warm from the cold weather.
The quietness in the room was enough to make Madeline doubt herself again, but she quickly shook her head. 'It will be fine,' she reassured herself.
"The king will buy everything," Jo smiled and squeezed her hand.
This caused everyone to laugh, and the tension broke. Her parents then began giving her advice, things to say, and how to convince the king.
When a knock came from the door.
"Let me get the door," said Madeline, racing towards it, hoping it wasn't one of Mrs. Sophia's girls or, worse, Mrs. Sophia herself coming to present her with the gown despite her refusal.
Although Mrs. Sophia did not voice it out loud, she had noticed the slight distance she gave them ever since the news about the king wanting to buy from them.
When Madeline opened the door, she was greeted by the same messenger who had come before. He held a bag, but she did not know what it was until he spoke.
The messenger handed the bag to her, saying, "The king wants you to put on this dress when coming to the castle, and a carriage will arrive to pick you up."