A King's Tale

The Castle Grounds

Aurora felt her hair at the back of her neck rise as she felt the cold breath coming from King Henry on her ears. She would have felt offended if it were someone else. But it was the King. She thought of it as rather an endearing gesture from him. She had the attention of the King all to herself. He was even willing to personally tour her around the castle grounds.

When the horse started to gallop, she slightly swayed, not used to riding horses. She almost lost her balance. Luckily, Henry was quick to support her by the elbow.

“I asked you if you were ready?” The pitch of Henry’s voice was high, almost disappointed, but a hint of care and worry was obviously there.

“Sorry your majesty, It has been a while since I rode a horse.” She knew she had to apologize. Her heart was still racing knowing she could have fallen off the horse.

“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Henry.” His voice was firm again. “You are not my servant. You are my guest here.”

Aurora didn’t want to offend him anymore so she decided to comply instead, “Pardon me, Henry. I am not used to riding horses anymore.” She repeated.

“Do you know how to ride a horse?” He asked, he seemed genuinely interested.

She wanted to share that she had a horse once, but it may cause him to ask for further details that she is not capable of revealing just yet.

“I used to ride with my cousins when I was younger.” That was the safest answer she could give. She was telling the truth. Aurora used to race with her cousins when they were younger.

Henry did not reply. She chose to be silent too. All she could hear was the hooves of the horse hitting the rocky part of the castle, close to the cliff and the ocean. She could also hear the waves from below as well as her heartbeat. Was it beating faster than usual?

“This is my favorite place here in the castle grounds.” They stopped close to the cliff where she saw him earlier this morning. “I feel peaceful here. These places make me feel strong, yet vulnerable. I feel connected with life whenever I am here.” He revealed. Henry was talking to her but it felt like he was talking to himself too.

“Aren’t you afraid?” She dared ask.

“Afraid of what?”

“Dying? Falling into the unknown.”

“Dying is a gift. A life well spent sees fulfillment in dying. It simply frees you from all the hurt this world is capable of giving.” Henry was not looking at the cliff anymore. He was looking at the horizon. How he wished death would visit him someday. It was a gift he longs to receive.

Aurora felt confused and amused at the same time. She had never met a man who was not afraid of dying. In fact, she had never heard anyone speak so dearly about losing his life, or how dying can be a bit.

She wanted to turn around to somehow see the expression on Henry's face. But it was not possible and would be rude at the same time.

Henry pulled the horses’ reign so they could proceed with their next destination. He brought Aurora close to the edge of the castle grounds, close to the edge, atop a cliff several hundred away from the sea below.

“Do you know why the castle is built this way? So close to a cliff?” Henry asked her.

“Dunnottar Castle is not just a castle, it is a fortress. This hauntingly beautiful castle was built to hold the many secrets of Scotland, its heirs, its leaders, and the secrets of the Royal families of Scotland.” She answered like she was reading from a book, which was true. She had read so many things about the castles and the royal families here in Scotland and afar. She needed to memorize everything by heart.

Henry was impressed with how well Aurora speaks, how well she carries herself. She might have looked like a pheasant when he first saw her. But here, under his wing, she looked and talked like a royal.

If it was a different circumstance, Henry would want to know details about her. Who she was, where she came from. Where and who is she trying to run away from.

But he was not the type who finds delight in intruding on people's personal affairs. Besides, asking Aurora to give him details about who she was might also prompt her to ask for details about him. He could only imagine her reaction if she knew that he was not only talking to the King of Dunnottar Castle. She was talking to the 215-year-old King of the Dunnottar Castle.

That is the main reason why he trained himself not to ask personal questions. He wouldn’t want to answer personal questions directed to him too.

“Well, most of the stories you read from books are true. However, there is more to Dunnottar Castle than meets the eye.” He went down his horse and took Aurora’s hand to help her get down.

“Wait.” She sounded scared.

“Why?”

Aurora looked down. The size of Henry’s horse was humongous. It was a stallion. She felt as if she was sitting five feet above the ground, or maybe even higher.

Henry seemed to understand why she was hesitant in descending the horse. He leaned closer to her and took both of her hands. He placed them above his shoulders as if she was embracing him. He then placed his hands on her waist and carried her so she could safely descend from the horse. “Here you go,” Henry said, barely strained. Aurora felt as light as a feather for him.

Aurora’s cheek flushed. She smelled Henry’s hair as he carried her to get off the horse. His firm hands on her waist send a tingling sensation to her stomach.

“Thank you, your highness, I mean Henry. Thank you, Henry.” She looked up at him. It was unpleasant to talk to people without looking them in the eye. He slightly nodded, acknowledging her.

Henry tied the horse to a post that seems to be strategically located in that area for the purpose of keeping horses. After he tied the rope, he began walking. He looked at Aurora and encouraged her to follow.

They walked several meters away from the edge of the castle property. After a few minutes of walking, mainly Aurora followed Henry who was leading the way she saw a chapel ahead.

She tried to walk faster so he would be able to catch up with Henry. The path to the castle had several small rubles and stones. She tripped trying to walk faster. She fell and scratched her right hand as she tried to prevent her face from hitting the ground.

Henry heard her gasp but when he turned around, Aurora was already on the ground. He rushed to help her get up.

“What happened?”

“Sorry, I tripped.” She took Henry’s hand to help her get up. There was a huge gash on her right hand. It was starting to bleed.

“Come, let’s fix that.” Henry took a handkerchief from his pocket and tied it to her hand. It helped stop the bleeding.

Henry held her hand while they walked towards the chapel. They went to the side. As they reached the back of the castle, they arrived at a well.

She stood at the well while Henry took the pail tied at the edge of the well. He threw it at the bottom and then pulled it upwards to be able to gather water. He took the handkerchief that he tied on Aurora’s hand and soaked it in water. Henry began cleaning her wound with the now cleaned handkerchief.

“Ow,” She winced. A small stone was still sticking to the wound on her hand. Henry gently pulled it. He continued rinsing the handkerchief and attending to her wounds up until it was completely clean. He rinsed the handkerchief once more and then tied it to her right hand.

“Let us reschedule your tour of the castle grounds tomorrow. For now, we need to apply medicine to that wound.” Henry told her. It was not a suggestion, it was the decision that he chose for her.

The time Henry tried to slow down so he would be walking side by side with Aurora. Aurora tripping would have been prevented if he chose to walk beside her instead.

Again, both of them were lost for words as they went back to where Henry tied his horse.

Knowing that Aurora seemed to have trouble with getting on and off a horse, Henry did not hesitate to carry her again so she could get on the horse. This time, Henry placed her at the back. He took the front.

He took her hands and placed them around his waist. “Hold on tight, I’ll try not to go too fast but we need to have that wound attended to prevent it from getting infected.” It was both a reminder and a warning for her.

Trying to avoid causing any more trouble for the King, she did as she was told. She embraced Henry tightly at the waist. She even leaned her head to his back so there was no gap in between them. The thought of riding a horse as tall as this one at full speed was quite exciting and frightening at the same time.

Henry smiled as he felt Aurora’s hands tightening on his waist. It has been a long time since he allowed himself to be this close to a woman. Of course, he could easily get any woman that he wanted. But he already grew tired of it.

But Aurora was different. She was mysterious and interesting. Somehow, he felt entertained and needed at the same time whenever she was around.

Henry promised not to go too fast but whenever the path allows it, he would allow his stallion to run as fast as it can go. This made Aurora hold on tight to him. At one point, she held too tight Henry felt that his stomach was about to burst.

After a few minutes, they reached the gates to the castle. Silverio was already there, waiting for them. Henry carried Aurora to help her get down the horse. He later gave the reign to Silverio for him to tend. He took Aurora’s hands and led her upstairs.

At first, Aurora thought that Henry was bringing her to her bedroom. Instead, they went to the room located at the farther end of the hallway where her room was located.

Aurora was not comfortable with the idea of entering a room together with Henry. But Henry pulled her inside the room.

“Sit here.” Henry pointed out to a chair near a table. He then went to his cabinet to look for something. On his hand was a bottle of alcohol and some bandages.

Aurora stood up. The idea of washing her wounded hand with alcohol was not appealing to her.

“Sit down please.”

Aurora tried to sit down but she was beginning to turn pale.

“Are you afraid of some little alcohol? Come one, we need to clean that up to avoid any infection.” Henry was trying not to smile.

“Easy for you to say.” Then Aurora remembered that she was talking to the King. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“Speak your mind as you please,” Henry replied. “I prefer that over dishonesty.” He took some cotton from her closet. “Here I’ll make it easier for you.” He poured alcohol on the cotton balls and offered his hand to Aurora.

Aurora slowly gave her right hand to Henry.

He gently pressed the cotton balls over her wound.

“Ouch.” She complained.

“I am trying to be gentle here.” Henry’s voice sounded like a brother trying to be patient with his younger sister.

“It hurts.”

“Of course it does. This will make you remember to be more careful next time.” He reminded Aurora.

“But I was trying to catch up on you.” Henry looked at her to which she replied. “You told me to be honest.”

“Sorry, I was walking too fast. It won't happen again when I am with you.” Henry continued cleaning her wound.

Aurora bit her lip to be able to control herself. Henry was just trying to be nice. He was fixing her wound. When he was done cleaning her wound, he covered it with bandages and secured it so it would not easily fall off.

“Can you use your hand? He was still holding it.

Aurora tried to close and open her fist. She was able to do it.

“Good. You can wait here while they prepare our lunch.” Henry suggested.

“Whose room is this?” She had to ask although she already had an idea that it was Henry’s.

“Mine, here, I’ll show you something.” He handed her his hand, which she took. She got up from the fair and followed her deeper into his bedroom.

He opened the curtains of the largest window in his room. Aurora could not help but let go a gasp of a surprise after the curtains were pushed to the side.

It was a view of the North Sea from the edge of the property of the castle. Captivating like beautiful, the view was somehow a mixture of beauty and power. The view was overwhelming. She suddenly felt dizzy. Henry held her elbows to support her.

“Did you feel it too? The power of those waves over us? What seems to be so stunningly beautiful can be frightening if you look deeper into it.” Henry said.

Aurora looked at Henry instead. She was still dizzy from looking at the horizon at the ocean for too long. “It’s beautiful, but the longer I look into it makes me feel like drowning. It felt like a force that I am not prepared for.” She was confused with what she had just told Henry but somehow, it was the closest explanation that she could come up with what she saw.

“If you like, you can look here once a day, or whenever you feel like doing so. Eventually, you’ll be able to withstand the power. You’ll be able to appreciate its beauty when you are used to its overwhelming force. It took me quite a while to get used to this view, to fall in love with it.” Henry gave her a side glance. She was looking outside the window again and didn’t notice that Henry was staring at her.

She felt dizzy again. This time she was quick to hold onto Henry’s arms.

“Come, enough of that. Have a seat.” He pointed to the nearest available seat in his room, the edge of his bed. “Stay here, I’ll get you water downstairs to drink.” Henry left without waiting for her reply.

She was still dizzy. Actually, she is feeling nauseous too. She decided to lay on the bed for a while. She assumed Henry would take a few minutes downstairs. She could use a few minutes with her eyes closed.

But she was too dizzy. In a few minutes, she eventually fell asleep.

When Henry returned inside his bedroom with a glass of water,  Aurora was already lying in his bed, her eyes closed.