The Princess Who Went to War

Chapter 11 - Mariana Elwood

[Calysta] 

"Not that bad of a Royal? What does that mean?" I ask, truly curious. I've known my family all my life, and we're not perfect, but I like to think we're not that bad. We try our best. 

"Well," He says as he leans back a little, and then leans forward again, as if he's unsure of whether or not to say what's on his mind, "Like I said, the Royals have not done much for me." He finally adds, still looking straight ahead. 

"Well, I guess you can count the two times I've saved your life as two things the Royal family has done for you." I tell him, jokingly, trying to lighten the mood as I also divert my attention to the scenery in front of us. It feels rude to ask him to explain what he means by this. 

But I guess Ser Elwood notices the curiosity in my face as he says, "More specifically, the Royal Family has done nothing for my mother, or my people for that matter." 

"Your mother?" I ask, unsure of what he means. We have never discussed our personal lives, much less our mothers with each other. 

"Mariana Elwood. The kindest, most beautiful woman you will ever find." He answers, looking into the sky, as if remembering what his mother looks like. 

"Where is she now?" I ask, expecting Ser Elwood to tell me the name of the Duchy or perhaps the village he had grown up in. Instead, his face is visibly sadder as he turns to look at me.

"She died a few years back." He admits. This takes me in shock, as I immediately relate to him, having also lost my mother. 

"I'm sorry." Was all I could say, as I scramble for words. One would think that having lost a mother at such a young age would allow me to relate to those who have lost their mothers better.

But the truth is, when confronted with this similarity, I usually have nothing to say. Because unlike me who grew up in a Palace with a thousand servants and a thousand guards and a very loving family, a lot of those who have lost their mothers end up having to deal with grief on their own. 

"I am too." Ser Elwood replies, softly. I bite my lower lip, unsure if whether or not I should ask more.

In the end, I let my curiosity get the best of me as I ask, "May I know how she died?" 

He turns to look at me, perhaps contemplating if I'm worth sharing the story to. In the end, he looks right back up at the sky as he begins to talk. 

"We lived in a small village just outside of the Pembroke Duchy. My mother, along with most of the villagers farmed for a living. We provided most of what the Duchy needed for consumption, sometimes leaving nothing for ourselves as the Duke threw extravagant balls every week." Ser Elwood says.

Immediately, I remember Duke Pembroke, with the ever unhappy Duchess Pembroke who has to share the Duke's affection with multiple other women that lived in their very castle's walls. 

"Once, a plague-like sickness came over the village. People were vomiting blood, getting very high fevers, and just deteriorating rapidly. When the village doctor succumbed to the symptoms, naturally, a lot more followed." He adds. 

"We pleaded for help, only to be turned away by the Duke and his guards. They were afraid that we were contagious, and that we might infect the Duchy. We could do nothing but watch. My mother and I and a few others cared for the sick until their last breaths." Ser Elwood says, as I can feel the anger in his voice. 

"In the end, my mother got infected as well. I held her, watching her die. Those of us who were left buried our dead. A few months later, as if to ensure that we were no longer contagious, the Duke's guards swept over the village, demanding that we turn over the crops we had left. The Royal Family was coming into the Duchy." This revelation take me  by surprise as I remember the last time the whole family was at the Pembroke Duchy. 

The food was plentiful and the festivities were grand, no one would know a plague-like sickness has wiped out an entire village just nearby. 

"Not having anything else to live off of, the head of the Duke's guards suggested that the men left still alive join the army and the women join the Duke or other noble families' households as maids."  

"Ulysses and Randall, they grew up with me in that village. We all left to join the army. The moment I became a knight, I took them into my command. The others, we met as we trained and were stationed in different places. We met Ulwid when he was looking for fallen Goblin teeth to sell as an ingredient for some kind of tonic." He adds the last bit about Ulwid as he chuckles a little. 

"So yes, the Royal Family has done nothing for me." He finally ends as he looks at me straight in the eyes just as the sky turns dark blue from orange, meaning that the sun has completely set.

"We had no idea." I almost choke as I reply. We really did not know.

"It's not entirely the Royal Family's fault. But the fault of the system your predecessors created and thrive in. The system that allows the nobility and their power to abuse commoners." He adds as he looks up, now staring at the stars.

"I'm so sorry. Had I known—"

"I was 19 years old. You were probably 15. You couldn't have done anything." He tells me as he looks at me straight in the face, slightly mocking me. 

"You underestimate what I could do at 15." I immediately reply. I scoff as he only raises one eyebrow. 

"I convinced my father to strip the former General of his rank." I proudly say as Ser Elwood looks surprised at this revelation. 

"You got General Caspief fired?" He repeats. I nod proudly.

"He was five glasses of wine deep in a ball when I overheard him commanding a soldier to 'take care of the silver shipment' at the balcony of the ballroom." I tell him.

"He did not notice that you were at the balcony as well?" Ser Elwood asks, quite confused at how the General could have let himself slip in such a public occasion.

"Well," I start, suddenly remembering the part I'm keeping out, "I wasn't on the balcony, more on hanging from underneath." I admit. Ser Elwood laughs.

"What were you doing?" He asks me.

"Running late for the ball." I admit. This makes him even more confused than he originally was.

"I figured that my brother and father would take greater notice of my late entrance had I come through the doors and my entrance was announced. I figured that I would pretend that I had been in the ballroom since before they arrived." I tell him. Ser Elwood laughs at this, which causes me to laugh with him. 

"I would rather not have their nagging for breakfast the next day!" I reason out as we laugh. Soon, the laughing starts to fade as I quickly realize something.

"It's the first time I've ever heard you laugh." I comment as I look at him, bewildered at how such a serious man can actually laugh.

"It's the first time you've said anything funny." He replies, as he looks straight into my eyes and the atmosphere turns very quiet and awkward.

"We should head back. I didn't even get the chance to change." I say as I stand up. Ser Elwood stand as well and follows closely behind as we make our way out of the forest. 

Once we emerge into the road leading to the tavern, I almost jump in shock when Gwen and the others emerge from the tavern as well.

"Gabriel!" Ulysses calls out, waving his hands, looking quite drunk already. Beside him, I find a passed out Gwen on Randall's back. She must have had too much to drink.

"Is that? It's Caly!" Ulysses confirms with squinted eyes. Others in the area watch, as a soldier calls Princess by her first name. Randall, looking sober, nudges him to shut up.

They make their way towards us, as Ulysses stumbles and tries not to fall and Ulwid guides him, but not necessarily bearing his weight. 

"Gwen. Gwen. Gwendolyn, wake up." I call Gwen as I shake her shoulders. She is fast asleep on Randall's back.

"I'm sorry. She doesn't usually drink this much." I apologize to Randall, who has to carry her. It is quite dark, but I notice that he looks quite flushed. Perhaps from the alcohol they were drinking. Just how much did they have?

"We can help you to your quarters." Ser Elwood offers. 

"It's alright I can use magic to lift her up—" I refuse, but Randall suddenly cuts what I was about to say.

"We insist." He says, looking determined. I reluctantly agree, fully trusting these men. At the intersection of long hallways that separate our quarters from theirs, Ser Elwood tells the others to head to their quarters as he and Randall go with us. 

The drunk Ulysses bids Gwen and I goodnight before he is dragged away by Ulwid. When we get to our room, I open the door and I point Gwen's bed to Randall. He helps her get on the bed. Gwen sits, and lazily starts stripping off her clothes, starting with her armor.

Immediately, I push Randall and Ser Elwood back into the hallway as they quickly make their way out as well. 

"Sorry about that." I say as I quickly close the door to give Gwen some privacy. Both Randall and Ser Elwood struggle to avoid eye contact. I chuckle at how flustered they both are. 

"Thank you for helping Gwen into the room." I thank both of them.

"It's not a problem." Ser Elwood answers as Randall still looks quite flustered. Ser Elwood and I both look at him as we chuckle.

"I, uh, thank you again for saving our lives, Your Highness." Ser Elwood suddenly says. 

"No, I still have a lot to make up for as a member of the family that thrives in the flawed system, Ser Elwood. Let me save you a few more times and suggest a few changes to the law once I get back to the Capital." I reply, smiling.

He looks right at me, and what he says next takes me aback, "Gabriel." He says.

"I'm sorry?" I ask, quite confused. 

"Call me Gabriel, please." He tells me. I stare at him, before slowly nodding.

"Then, call me Calysta.., or Caly." I tell him. He simply smiles as he nods. 

"We shall take our leave, Caly." He says, trying out saying my name for the first time. I smile.

"You guys have a good night." I tell them both as I head back in the room, only to find Gwen's armor and gear all over the floor.

I pick her things up before getting ready for bed myself.