Chapter Eight
1611 Words
If forever is lived in seconds of today,
Why must I give my heart away?
If could fall down into the night,
And forget her grey eyes filled with light,
Or the touch of her golden locks of hair,
Oh curse my shallow heart,
Because I want to care.
*
The air is silent and still. Usually the woodland is full of loud noises from roaming animals but tonight the shadows seem to cover every living creature. His footsteps are the only sound that greets him but even they are muffled and noiseless. Brooke frowns and turns to the small stone stables. He should return to his bedroom in the castle but a soft women's laugh startles him. Someone was inside,
"Pretty mares!" A ladies voice mumbles,
"Who's there?" His voice shouts loudly full of power and confidence,
"Brooke? Is that you?" She calls out and he relaxes walking quickly to the doorway,
"Jenna? I did not know you walked the woodland alone at night." He grins seeing the lady inside,
"I did not know you did either." She smiles back. Jenna's hair is rumpled and messy, her dress old and muddy. Her eyes blink at him from inside the shadows,
"Does Thomas know your out?" He frowns and takes a step beside her staring at the white horse,
"Oh Brooke, please do not tell him! He will go mad. I just needed some time alone."
"It is alright. I can keep a secret." He smiles again and turns away,
"It's just sometimes Brooke. Sometimes Thomas can be so controlling. I feel as if I am his maid not his wife." Jenna looks horrified for a moment, "I have spoke out of turn! Do not tell him." She whispers,
"You can trust me." He says softly before walking away....
When Brooke awakened from his dream the first thing he saw was the sky. Pure endless depths of raising blue waves, dotted with shapes of white fluffy clouds and the rooftops of green trees stretching to the shining sun . He didn't bother to move. It was nice, in a strange way to lay on the woodland floor and pretend that you were part of it. Part of the rotting sticks that were covered in deep dark moss and old crispy leaves. A length of thick rope swung gently on a branch to the soft breeze. Brooke closed his eyes again with a silent groan. Now he was awake the harsh thundering of a head ache was starting to creep to his temples. The empty bottle of vodka had rolled away from his outstretched hands,
"This is not a good look." A young voice echoed from somewhere,
"Not now Clarence." Brooke grunted. Somehow the state of him laying on the leaves, half drunk and still in yesterdays ruined clothes hadn't mattered when he was alone, but now,
"So what happened? I see a broken rope, an empty bottle of vodka...." Clarance's footsteps crunched as he stepped closer, "And a collar of rope around your neck. So I take it ya tried to hang ya self but the rope snapped?"
"I said not now." Brooke grunted again and opened his eyes. The second thing he saw was a big head with dirty hair peering down at him,
"Come on ya lazy sod, get up" Clarance nudged him with his ratty shoe, "You need to help clear the gardens and me and Sam arn't doing it by ourselves again like last time."
"Sam is the gardener. It's his job." Brooke grunted and closed his eyes again. A new wave of sickness over powered him. Stupid vodka and hangovers,
"Ya, I know that, but Master wants the gardens cleared and the castle dusted by this evening so we've been told to help. I can't be arsed with it but we gotta help." Clarence kicked him again,
"And why the sudden rush?"
"Ah. I dunno, somethink' about a Mr Drumond and his family coming to stay? The servants are saying the Princess and him are to marry or somethink'. I don't see what the huge deal about the man is personally, he's averagely good looking, yet he's not a god and...." But Brooke had stopped listening to Clarence's preferences in men and stared back up at the rope.
"I don't think I will ever befriend that man...let a lone marry him."
Teyha's words echoed back at him. I bet she doesn't even know about it. He thought,
"Brooke!" Clarence kicked him again,
"Alright you filthy git, I'm coming." He muttered and dragged himself to his feet. The day had just started and he felt like grabbing another bottle.
****
The sun was already high in the warm air. She stared up at the blue skies and dug her bare toes into the slightly damp mud. Teyha had skipped breakfast in hope of avoiding her Uncle. So far it was working. In fact the whole castle seemed busy this morning. The servants were cleaning and rushing about quickly with fixed faces of deep concentration, which is why the Princess had taken herself outside into the sunshine. Her white dress was rolled up to her knees and she had abandoned her gloves and petticoat. Only a small silk bandaged covered the burn on her arm. The birds were singing loudly in the nearby woodland, and the soft smell of blooming flowers filled the air. She found a patch of blinding sunlight next to a row of red ripe roses and sat down on the lush green grass with a content sigh. Soon, soon my white snow skin will be sun kissed, She thought with a smirk and it was nice to just sit in the sun and do nothing. Teyha wiggled her toes as a cool breeze danced around the gardens,
"You still look like shite." She heard a voice echoing from the woodland and watched as a small servant boy stepped from the trees,
"Clarence watch your bleddy mouth." An amused reply chuckled back. Teyha realised with a start it was Brooke,
"You watch your mouth or I'll make you spread the horse shite." She watched as Clarence laughed crazily before Brooke could hit him,
"Show some respect to your elders!" He grunted but she could see Brooke laughing to himself. His clothes were rumpled and his black hair looked hardly brushed, yet there was something about this wild look that suited Brooke more than the suit he'd worn yesterday. The two boys hadn't noticed her yet, but then again Teyha was well hidden behind the rows of blooming roses. She stared at the ripe flowers. Her Mother had loved plants, she used to have pots of them in every window at home and her Father used to pretend he hated it. Her hands tore at the grass as she fought away tears. Oh God, it was so hard living without them, trying to carry on,
"Princess?" Teyha almost jumped at the soft sound of her name. She frowned and turned, seeing the small figure tending the flowers behind her. The maid was small and her black hair was pulled tightly into a knot. Teyha frowned,
"Your name was Rose?" She asked straining to remember,
"Yes." She nodded. Her smile was strained and dark shadows which hadn't been there yesterday sat under her brown eyes,
"Where is Netty and was it Classia?" Teyha asked. Rose's face paled slightly,
"You wouldn't know but Master sent them back to Todders this morning. They won't get a placement now. It was our own fault Princess." She glanced around the garden in a hurry and quickly started pulling off dead flower leaves,
"Oh Rose! I am sorry..." Teyha felt her gut drop and a wave of guilt filled her,
"It's not your fault Princess. I think your Uncle only kept me because he couldn't lose any more maids." She muttered and a small tear leaked from her eye. Teyha stood up and quickly stepped towards the girl,
"We'll find a new work placement for them." The Princess said softly,
"But this is the castle!" Rose shook her head softly, "No where will be as good." Her brown eyes filled with deep sadness. Something thing inside Teyha snapped. She wanted to comfort the girl, but when Teyha's hand landed on Rose's arm the maid flinched and pulled away. Teyha froze meeting her brown wide eyes,
"What is it?" The Princess breathed,
"Nothing..."
"Show me!" She hissed and pushed up the sleeve.
Oh....god no...no...no.
A thick fresh ugly burn bruised Rose's soft skin,
"I done it on the oven." The maid whimpered,
"No you did not." Teyha mumbled and without hesitating she unwrapped the silk bandage from her own arm, "I have got one as well." Rose was silent as she stared at it. The Princess remembered the way her Uncle had touched her, afterwards. She felt sick to ask but the words found their way to her lips, "Listen. Did, did anything else happen? Did he do anything else?" She asked softly. Rose bit her lip and more tears poured from her eyes as she nodded,
"I tried to stop him but he, he was strong and...he...he...."
"You have to leave." She hissed cutting into the maid's stuttered words,
"I can't! I have sisters and brothers! How will they survive? My wages pay for our food."
"I can help with that! Tonight Rose. You have to leave. Do you know where the stone stables are in the woodland?" Teyha questioned. The maid nodded, "Meet me there at midnight."
"But what about you Princess?" She whispered,
"I will be ok. I can handle myself." Teyha said but she didn't truly believe the words.
- Writer
