The Amorous Mate

Chapter 6: Attacks and Queries

“Princess Demeter Nightingale, Duchess of the House of Saxton, Daughter of King Simoun Nightingale, and second young Princess of the Nightingale Monarchy. May we be bestowed by your Honor. We are in front of the house of Saxton to summon you and heed the call of Queen Cordelia.”

A man, dressed up in beaming red suit on top of an intimidating black, feathery long cap, was standing in front of the Saxton Hall. By the way how the man stood, one would notice its exceptional control and composure. One who have seen him—or them—would feel precise cut of intimidation from the dire aura that has been environing them. Add their radiating silken red royal guard’s uniform, every witnesses of the scene has felt fear rapidly rippling in their souls.

The sun has already risen for today. The servants of the house of Saxton has woken up—they were even more on the qui vive when the royal guard, loud and clear, manipulatively announced about the Princess Demeter’s summoning. Anyone who were still wrapped with their laziness, kept lied on their mattresses, would surely be bombarded with frightening vigor just because of the guard’s blaring call.

On the back of the calling royal guard, there was a huge and long carriage that one could easily identify belonging to the Royal family. It was elegantly constructed, designed with fine lines and traces of intricate sculptures; frame linings of real gold; metal wheels; and heavenly woven fabrics inside, all fashioned to make the royal nobles comfortable. It was led by around five healthy horses. Indeed, it could be too much horse for a lightweight transport. Yet, no one can disagree that those abundance of horses is also a sign of abundant wealth.

Surrounding the carriage, there were around ten more royal guards wearing almost the same fulgent outfit of the man calling outside the Saxton Hall. They were standing sturdily, evenly distributed beside the royal carriage as they wait for the appearance of the Princess.

Minutes after the royal call, the door of the Saxton Hall extensively opened. From there, Princess Demeter materialized, walking together with her two most trusted house servants, Venida and Vennett.

One who watches the scene would be totally captured by the beauty that the Princess bear. Her wearing an entirely black, plain dress, a black hat with a contradicting white rose, and an arm band harmonizing the color of her dress and hat—all as symbol for her pain and mourn—has still made her inevitably captivating. Her white complexion were highlighted. How the Princess could still manage looking divine even when mourning is a mystery for everyone who bears witness.

Simply then, the servants, and the royal guards has daydreamed in clandestine the pride that they could get if this beautiful—not mentioning her natural wit and courage known to everyone in the kingdom—would be their next Queen; the Crowned Princess.

**

“Uhm, Hi? I’m ready.” Dewy of her actions, Chelsea bit her lips when she reached the front of the Royal Guard. She may perhaps looked conquering and empowered noble woman, but the truth inside was her innocence and lack of idea how a real Princess Demeter shall move and act. She is just fake.

She had to be honest to herself too. Earlier, when she heard how the guard croaked like a ginormous flesh-eating bird, as if a pterodactyl, she was terrified. Petrified in her seat, indeed.

How can a man manage to scream so loud? For Chelsea, it was as if the Royal guard used a modern speaker, or baffles, to announce that they are already in front of the Saxton Hall, waiting for her to materialize from the door.

She was indeed terrified because the way how the guard spoke was as if he was threatening everyone who hears him. As if he was saying; ‘hey there, Princess Demeter. If you don’t spit yourself out from your house, you’ll be dead any minute from now.’

Because she had no idea what she was about to do next, she packed her things with embarrassing panic. She tried to smoothen the creases of the black dress Venida told her to wear. And then, when she is finally ready, they went outside of the Saxton Hall.

Back to the current, when she was already facing the Royal guard who plangently screamed earlier, she did not know if she would ignore him. Or would she need to say ‘hi’ or ‘good morning’ to him—or to the whole assemblage of the royal guards.

She is Chelsea, she noted, not Princess Demeter. She had no concrete idea about the royal customs and traditions. She was a foreign object inhabiting a non-foreign body.

“Your Grace, what are you doing in front of the royal guard?” Vennett asked when she noticed that Princess Demeter was still facing the front of the stolid royal guard.

“Uhm, saying that I am ready and that he needs not to sound mad if by any chance he will open his mouth again?” Chelsea confusedly answered.

“That is … certainly not necessary, your Grace,” Vennett awkwardly answered.

“Oh, really?” Chelsea tittered.

“Indeed, your Grace. Now, quick, let us go to your royal carriage before the sun would rise until its aberrant rage. We need to reach the palace by tomorrow’s dawn.” Vennett hastily walked, reaching Princess Demeter. She caught her arm, and quickly, she dragged her towards the royal carriage’s door.

Now when Chelsea saw the interior of the carriage, stepping her feet on its ladder, she could not help but stop mid-way. She was surprised. Shocked.

“W-Wow,” she absentmindedly exclaimed.

“What is the matter, your Grace?” Venida curiously asked.

With astonishment, Chelsea gaped to the querying V-maids. She was widely smiling, fascinated, as she pinpoints the interior of the carriage.

“Is this really where we’re riding?” she queried.

The V-maids looked at each other, raddled.

“It is indeed, your Grace,” Venida then answered.

“f*****g amazing! This is as if an equivalent of a billionaire riding his limousine. Or maybe a f*****g sports car!” she exclaimed. She held both side of her cheeks as she blurt her amazed adrenaline out.

“Your Grace! Watch out for the words spewing from your mouth!” Venida panicked when once again, she heard unwanted muttering of curses from the Princess. She did not as well understand some of the words she has just randomly forenamed. But, it was more than enough reason to decide that she needed a close watch to the Princess because clearly, she was not on her self.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” Chelsea asked.

“N-Nothing, your Grace. Now go on, ride in the carriage. Make yourself relaxed,” Vennett interrupted. She looked at Venida and she signaled her not to cause any scene, because there were a lot of people watching them.

“Alright, this is freaking awesome!”

Princess Demeter did not bother needing the escort of the royal guard standing beside the carriage’s door. She had jumped, on her own feet, riding the carriage, and forcefully slacking her caboose on the soft couch.

Because of her recklessness, the whole carriage wildly danced. The horses in the front were disturbed. They neighed loudly, they panicked. In haste, the Royal guards acted. They tried to comfort the antsy horses.

“Oops, sorry,” Chelsea awkwardly smiled at the guards and to the V-maids.

With the hint of disbelief, Venida and Vennett shook their heads. They then followed the princess inside when the horses finally calmed.

“Your Grace, I suggest you must keep your calm and composure. Do not be too swayed by your excitement or of your temper. We have one day of travelling towards Nightingale Palace, so you still have your time to think and recollect your composure.”

“Uh . . . yeah, sorry about that,” Chelsea replied. She scratched her nape because of the invading feeling of awkwardness.

When everything was set, and finally everyone was ready to go, the horses neighed once again. The carriage moved.

Princess Demeter was excitedly looking outside, through the glass window of the carriage. Still, she could not believe how she was riding on an extravagant transport. The soft cushion was helping her pressured spine to relax and remove her unwanted exhaustion. And, looking outside, she did not feel any form of boredom since each sceneries they have passed by, were undeniably worth to watch.

She was fascinated when they passed through a market filled with busy people, working through their sweat and exhausted bodies. When the people saw the moving carriage, they quickly stopped whatever they were doing, and headedly bowed to their direction as sign of respect. Chelsea asked why there were so many people in that place.

Venida answered; “It is the Saxton Market, your Grace. It is one of the largest and most prosperous market in the whole Nightingale Kingdom. There were lots of merchants from different provinces, countries, and kingdoms who are travelling, with Saxton Market as their point of destination. Other buyers are also visiting Saxton because of the vast materials and spices it can offer.”

“Really? Wow, the one ruling Saxton must be too great because they handled the place very well,” Chelsea remarked.

“Uh, with all due reminder, your Grace,” Vennett interrupted.

“Hmm?” Chelsea uttered.

“You are the one ruling the Province of Saxton, in case you forgot,” Vennett continued.

“Oh,” Chelsea exclaimed. “O-Of course I remember! I was just … I was just … trying to uplift my self esteem! I just wanted to be in a g-good mood. You know, mourning’s a great mess in one’s mind. It is my own way of coping, that’s why. Hehe.”

Chelsea felt the cold sweat trickling on her forehead, and tickling her sensitive nape. She was worried if by any chance, the servants would realize that she is not the real Princess they knew anymore.

She have not thought yet of what will be the possible consequence if someone will know her secret—that in truth, she is not the real Princess Demeter, but someone from a different world. Yet, she had the idea that if that nightmare happens, it would be dire and ruthless. So, she thought she had to wield everything in her arsenal so that she would no more be suspected as someone who stole the Princess’ identity. She have to play along this fire, until she could find ways on how to bring her old self back.

**

“Say, Vennett, Venida,” from their silences, Chelsea suddenly talked.

“What is it, Princess Demeter?” asked Venida.

They were in the middle of their journey. Five hours has passed, and they were no more in the land of the Saxton province. But on a far, unknown, alien land—at least for her.

“What should I do as soon as I reach the palace?” Chelsea asked. While asking, she kept her mesmerized stares at the scenery outside. Secretly, she was fascinated by the crystal-clear lake that is not far from the moving carriage. The water is sparkling in different colors as it reflected through the sun’s radiant beam. There were groups of wild roses growing at its bank. Along with it, there were also white swans romantically dancing on the sparkling water of the lake.

“To the Nightingale Palace?” Venida cleared.

Silently, Chelsea nodded.

“Well, your Grace, why are you asking?”

“Because I don’t know,” Chelsea answered. “My mind is filled with a lot of thoughts and despairs. I don’t think I could still think for more about how I should act the moment I touch my feet on the palace.”

Chelsea has acted so well. Her reasoning was all a part of scheme in order to make Venida believe that she is in despair. The truth is, her mind is not filled by other thoughts. In fact, she was only worried by the things she will encounter in the palace. She has just reasoned out that she had no time to think, wherein the fact is that, she actually had no idea what she will do. She was afraid she will only make herself a jester-in-mock when she reach the palace. That is why she had to ask something in order to get an idea, or else all her fear will happen.

“Well, you have to pay respect to the queen first.”

“How?” Chelsea quickly asked.

“How? Uhm, make a call to the throne room where the Queen is mostly found. When given the chance, walk to the alley, and on the end of the walk, before the King and Queen’s throne, pay respect to your Highness. By the use of respectful bowing, of course.”

“Okay, got it. Then what’s next?”

Venida scratched her head in disbelief. She could not help but be curious why would she need to narrate the basic custom to the Princess, wherein she must know it better among anyone.

“Uhm, have a conversation to the Queen. Then, you will ask if you could pay respect to the dead King and Crown Prince. Then, when given, uhm, you will pay respect to them.”

“How shall I do it? Shall I cry?” Chelsea nonsensically asked.

“What? Oh uh, yes, your Grace. You can cry.” Venida’s head felt like about to explode from all of the Princess’ unbelievable questions.

“Then—”

Her next question were interrupted when out of spur, the carriage stopped. She was also shocked—terrified—when one of the royal guards outside, that was guarding her, just beside the window, suddenly released a grunt. He fell. Later, she realized that the guard was already dead. Lifeless.

“H-Hey, what is happening?” Chelsea nervously asked. She was terrified while looking at the dead guard from her window, helplessly lying on the dry soil.

“Be calm, your Grace, and no matter what happens, never go outside,” Vennett instructed.

“Huh? But why?”

“There is only but one reason why this is happening,” said Vennett.

“Why? Can you inform me?”

“Bandits. The bandits are attacking us.”