The man broke out of the forest, and came to a halt.
Across his path lay a dusty road, and beyond that, rose the curtain walls and towers of a big castle. It was not at all what he expected to see. he looked about him. He was a tall man, and despite his homespun cloak, there was an air of authority around him. A party of beggars were advancing towards him along the road.
"Greetings sirs, please what's the name of this place?" asked the tall handsome man.
"The royal castle of Jordan" said the leader.
The lone traveler turned and looked at the castle with renewed interest. The beggars had also stopped, and were looking at him.
"Are you also on the road, like us?" Asked the leader of the beggars.
The traveler said nothing,just kept on staring at the castle up ahead while organizing his thoughts.
There was a protrusion under the traveler's cloak which betrayed the presence of a sword. The tall man started, then drew the hood of his cloak further forward over his head.
"If you're down on your luck, then today's your lucky day as you're in good company. Why not step along with us for a while? There's pickings aplenty, for those who can use a sword" The leader persisted, as he was interested in the tall handsome man in front of him, especially when he noticed the sword behind his cloak.
The lone man shook his head.
The beggar shrugged " If you change your mind.....It's night on sunset and we have an appointment with the princess of Jordan"
The traveler lifted his head in surprise.
"Oh not that way", the beggar assured him as if seeing through the traveler's thoughts. "I meant that she distributes alms at the gate at sunset. If you can feign illness, she might even give ea bed for the night" and as he said this began to adjust his arm in a bloodstained sling, while one of his fellows practiced a limp,and a third bandaged one of his eyes with a blood stained cloth.
The traveler shook his head once more, and walked back along the road to where a spring tumbled down the bank.
The beggars went their way.Only when they were some save distance off did he pushed back the hood of his cloak and dash water over his face.His eyes were heavy-lidden from lack of sleep, and his blond hair tousled.And although the cloak he wore was that of a peasant, the rest of his attire proclaimed him to be of noble birth.His white linen shirt was of the finest weave, and the supple leather of his tunic and boots were fastened with gold tassels.
He drank, made the best toilet he could, and then sat down at the wayside to contemplate on what he should do next.
He had been traveling since midnight of three days ago, only stopping to eat or drink and catch a few minutes rest.He had thought he would be far off to the southern border by now, and it was a blow to find out he had mistaken his way and ended up in Jordan instead.
The hue of cry would have begun that night or perhaps later in the morning and it would have depended on what time they deemed fit to call for the prisoner.... and then dogs, men and horses would have set off in pursuit of the fugitive.....
Authur Tudor drew in his breath and put his head in his hands.Even now he couldn't believe it.
Few months ago it had been arranged that he would marry the princess of Jordan and he was a little bit skeptical against it.Now he was a fugitive whose only chance lay in escaping abroad in the season before the sheriffs caught up with him.....for a crime he didn't commit.
They would most likely not look for him in this direction.The dogs might well had followed him to the stream, and the search party on finding no trail or clue on the far side would have concluded that he had went downstream and trailed his way to sea and beyond.
It was somewhere along the stream that he had missed his way to the southern border season and safety.
His stomach churned.There was a sick taste in his mouth.Food he must have, and also a horse.Yet he knew he had only enough money in his purse for a loaf of bread.How would it be of he were to join the crowd of beggars at the castle's gate, and beg for bread and help from the woman who was concluded to be his wife a few months ago?
The idea amused him.His mouth twisted, and his eyes which were blue in colour narrowed.He was a handsome man, infact the most handsome man in his kingdom, well-made, with a long, lean frame.
He groaned aloud.It was in his mind to curse the day he was born, because of the frustrations he had faced for the last two days, but remembering his mother he stopped himself from doing so. That woman has suffered so much for him.He wondered how she was faring right now, with his sisters.
Again his lips twisted.He rose to his feets and, adjusting the harness in which he carried his sword behind his shoulder, he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head tightly and walked towards the direction of the castle.He would not beg for food while he had a little change of money on him, but he would have a look at the princess of Jordan, who happens to one time be his arranged bride and go on his way.
The royal castle of Jordan was built of granite blocks, with here and there a turret looking down on those who walked below.
The road bent to follow the curves of the wall, and presently a small postern gate came in view.Here a oakwood table had been set up and in front of it stood a large crowd of beggars.
Authur stepped into the shadows of the walls and drew the hood of his cloak further over his head.His stomach groaned once more from lack of food and he quickly patted it to stop the noise being made by his stomach.
Just then a middle aged woman dressed in plain clothing and wearing an apron over her washed gown came out and after scanning through the crowd, went back into the castle through the postern gate, banging the gate very loudly behind her.One of the beggars called after her to make haste, for they were hungry and it was night already.
"With no doubt this could be a waiting woman by the plain cut and drab colour of her gown.she probably had gone to fetch her mistress whom undoubtedly would be the princess of Jordan.Well one thing was sure and that was, women were notoriously bad at keeping to time, and the princess of Jordan would likely be no exception" Authur said to himself.
He then straightened his shoulders, and pushed himself off the wall which he had been resting on all this while and began to make his way towards the direction he came from. He would not wait for the princess of Jordan to come out so he could have his wish of seeing what she truly looked like in terms of beauty, as he had other pressing needs to attend to of which the most important, was to get himself to safety.
What! hang around to catch a glimpse of some woman who could mean nothing to him now. Wasn't this ridiculous?!!
His movement caught the eye of the leader of the beggar gang he had encountered earlier.The four men were huddled together, talking in low voices, and casting uneasy glances around.
Authur hesitated. The men were plotting something, something very dangerous. No doubt he was imagining things, but he had the impression that they were plotting something villainy when they meet with the eldest Lady of Jordan. Yet again, what was this to him?, nothing.
The middle aged woman hurried out once more, but this time carrying a large basket piled with bread and scraps of meats. She then called out politely to someone to hurry, for they were already late in attending to the crowd at the gate.
A beautiful damsel in a dazzling blue gown came out a few minutes later catching the attention of everyone outside the gates, including Authur himself.She was indeed an angel to behold. She had Raven dark hair which was neatly packed under a hair net.She also carried a basket of food and stood side by side with with the middle aged woman and began distributing food and alms to the crowd.
Authur stood still.Was this the Lady of Jordan?
Was this the famous Queen of beauty of whom he had heard so much about? This not so tall fair lady with a nice figure that barely passed his assessment of what a lady could look like to him , and who's skin was exposed to the weather. Was this the girl who had presided over the last tournament at Pressia, and had been acclaimed Queen of Beauty in countless ballads and poems.
Authur laughed aloud, what a folly.The girl was a real beauty no doubt but she wasn't as beautiful like Claire Wilson his last mistress who had betrayed him.He thought it was ever so, rumour multiplied rumour until a girl was well enough to look at, provided she was well-dowered.
Well he was well out of the marriage, considering whatever else would befall him.
The girl looked up from up from examining the child which the plainly dressed woman had pushed forward towards her. She had heard Authur's laugh, and as she raised her eyes in enquiry, her own lips formed a smile. It was as if she was saying, tell me why you're laughing and i will laugh, too.
Then eye met eye, and the tall man laughed no more.Neither did the girl. A frown formed on her brow, and she bent her head once more over the ailing child.
Authur turned his back, and biting his lips said to himself " she's a beauty no doubt, but she's far....very far....from it"
And yet her eyes were so deep and green, and her smile so lovely.All her features mirrors every thought. Skin so soft like jade, so soft to touch. Her hair is so pretty, neatly packed, but a pity to be confined in a net. She had a charm, an innocence, and yet a mind of her own, this definitely he was sure of...