Crown of Smoke

Chapter 18

        There was only a slither of light on the horizon when Gwen heard a knock at her door. She groaned but she knew exactly what he was meant to do. She also knew that Hayden would not hesitate to barge into her room if she did not comply with his requests to get her arse out of bed and pack up the remainder of her things. She lay for a second and stared at the ceiling for a moment, trying to remember why it was that she followed Hayden across the country in this crazy bid for her to reclaim her right to a throne she hadn’t even known she had.

            He’d infuriated her, he still infuriated her almost constantly, but he cared about things so much it was impossible not to follow him. She didn’t think she had ever cared that much about anything in her whole life and yet watching Hayden made her want to.

            As if on cue, Hayden knocked again, louder and more pointedly.

            “I know!” Gwen shouted at the door, smiling to herself, shaking her head, and frantically running around the room, throwing things into the open trunk at the foot of her bed. She didn’t have space for the gowns Briar had found out for her and barely had any space left for even the ones Harrison had given to her. She sighed, pulling her common outfit over her head.

            She paused for a moment, catching herself in front of the mirror. Her hair hung loosely around her face and had grown a surprising amount in the week since she had left home. The dress was also tighter a little. She’d put on some weight from the feasts that appeared in front of her every night, but it made her look a little more mature. She pulled her hair into a bun on the top of her head and shrugged. It would do for the day.

            They weren’t traveling far. There was a family Hayden knew in the town, although he had been very shifty about any details of who the family may be. Still, he had told her and Harry to dress commonly for the outing into the village, and Briar and Ant would stay back and over and tracks before the King got to Briar’s house in the afternoon. Ant’s father was traveling with the king and his and Briar’s parents would hardly refuse their spending time with one another, especially when they had been trying to get the pair together since they were sixteen. When Gwen asked Briar why she didn’t court Anthony, but she just waved her hand and shrugged.

            “It felt wrong,” was the only explanation she would give, and Gwen let the subject go. Besides, they’d decided Ant was going to be her husband now, or o it seemed. Hayden had dropped the subject since the news of the king’s travels but she knew it would come up again eventually.

            When her trunk was packed and ready to go, Gwen picked it up and dragged it through the door. Harry was hunched over a croissant at the table but he seemed only half interested in it, his eyes glazed over and staring into the distance.

            “You’re planning on carrying that trunk, are you?” Hayden sighed. “You know we haven’t got a horse this time, Briar is going to be storing things here for when we return.”

            Gwen huffed, dropping the trunk with a bang loud enough to bring Harry out of his trace at the table and grimace at her sympathetically.

            “It’ll just be a couple of days at most Gwen, don’t worry.” He told her, making Hayden roll his eyes and make his way upstairs without another word.

            “I don’t even know if I’ve got anything smaller.” Gwen whimpered. “And he’s going to be mad if I don’t have all the books-“

            “Ignore him.” Harry got up and went into his room, pulling out a sizable satchel and handing it over to Gwen. “This isn’t huge, it’ just a riding bag but should fit in an extra dress or maybe two if they’re thin.” He followed her into her room, pulling open her trunk and holding up one of the dresses he had given to her, stroking the skirt gently.

            “One of your mother?” Gwen asked him. He only nodded.

            “It’s going to be a strange time, Gwen, once we’ve done this. None of us are prepared for it.”

            “Not even Hayden?” She asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

            “He likes to think he is, but I know he’s not really,” Harry replied. “I think he’s spent so long wanting to find you and start this that now it’s beginning he’s floundering around trying to figure out if it’s actually what would be best.”  

            Despite herself, Gwen giggled.

            “What?”

            “I just can’t imagine him ever not being in control of himself.” She laughed. “I don’t know maybe I’m just so used to him boing me around I find it harder to see.”

            Harrison laughed. “Well, I can’t deny he is rather bossy towards you.”

            “I’ll be bossy to the pair of you if we don’t get a move on.”  Hayden said, leaning up against the door frame, trying desperately to conceal the smirk playing on his lips. “Come on, we need to make sure we don’t run into the king on his way in. He might not know Gwen but he could recognize me or Harry and it would look a little too suspicious.”

            Gwen picked up the now full satchel and pulled a cloak around her shoulders. Her walking boots felt solid beneath her feet after days of heels and as much as he had loved staying with Briar, she was itching to get back to a normal village for the first time in weeks. Briar and Anthony were waiting upstairs, not dressed properly yet. The servants were already bustling around like bees in a hive, trying to prepare the mansion for the King’s arrival. Briar was wringing her hands together, her eyes darting between Gwen, Hayden, and Harry.

            Anthony stood calmly next to her, a hand gently placed on her shoulder. He nodded to Gwen kindly a she made her way up the stairs and the tiny gesture made her stomach flip. Briar was temporarily distracted from her worry and smiled as Gwen blushed and almost tripped up the final stair, Harry catching her arm. Hayden rolled his eyes.

            “Please don’t injure yourself before we have the chance to present you.” Briar laughed, embracing Gwen tightly. Gwen shut her eyes tightly, savoring the physical affection she knew she would be lacking with Harry and Hayden over the next few days. Briar’s eyes shone a little when she let Gwen go, but she held back any tears and went over to the boys for a final strategy session.

            Anthony cleared his throat, and Gwen chuckled.

            “I suppose you want a cuddle too?” She said to him, making him blush as she went forward and embraced him. He was tall enough that her head handed square on his chest and his arms wrapped comfortably around her shoulders.

            “It has been a pleasure getting to know you.” He whispered into her hair. “And I hope to get to know you further when you return.”

            “I’d like that very much.” She told him, feeling her own face blush. When they finally let one another go, she was further embarrassed to see the others all staring at her with varying degrees of amusement on their faces. Harry and Briar were smirking despite their efforts to hide it, but Hayden was merely studying Gwen’s face intently with his brow just slightly furrowed.

            Gwen waited for him to make some sort of comment, but he simply turned and made his way through the door, clearly done with his goodbyes and ready to leave. Gwen sighed, taking in the great entrance one last time before following him and Harry out into the cool, crisp morning air.

            The sun shone down through the yellow leaves of the forest, casting a golden glow over the ground. Gwen smiled, pushed her shoulders back, and ran down the path to where Hayden had already walked ahead.

            “Graceful as ever,” he muttered, but Gwen only smiled. She had never thought herself to be a lover of the outdoors but spending days cooped up over books and hiding away, it felt so good to have the breeze ruffling the loose ends of her hair around her face. She could feel Hayden’s eyes on her as she half-ran next to him, determined to keep up with his long strides but she couldn’t make out why.

            “Would you two please wait up?” Harrison shouted from behind them. Gwen stopped, but Hayden powered on. Harry made a face behind his back and Gwen laughed a little too loudly, making Hayden turn around and give them both a staredown.

            “We have to hurry!” He huffed.

            “Can we stop at the bakery and get some tarts? I miss tarts.” Gwen sighed dreamily, thoroughly enjoying the redness grow in Hayden’s face. He turned away again and Harry winked at Gwen, confirming everything she adored about him.

            It was another hour and a half’s walk until they finally reached the village. It seemed Briar’s family did not want too close proximity to the common people and therefore they liked to make sure they were far enough away from the rabble. Gwen tried to remember who the nobles were in the Eldun region, but she couldn’t remember ever seeing them. They liked to keep their distance too, it seemed. Harry was frowning, as though he could read her mind.

            “It alienates them.” He muttered in Gwen’s ear. “The oldest families used to be so scared of rebellion they thought they maybe if they lived far away it would stop the peasants from coming. Not too many could afford horses then so they’d be less likely to come and knock down the doors and steal all their riches if they had to walk there.” Gwen let out a humorless laugh and Harry squeezed her shoulder.

            Hayden was still strolling ahead, but he stopped at the edge of the village.

            “Please, please don’t draw any attention to yourselves.” He begged Harry and Gwen, who simply stared at him with full innocence.

            “So no running naked through the streets? Damn my plans for the evening really are ruined.” Harry said, winking at Hayden.

            Hayden ignored him and turned his attention to Gwen. He reached over, adjusting her hair a little before deciding to pull up her hood so it rested just above her brow. She wasn’t sure if that was really necessary, but she didn’t have it in her to argue with him. No one would know what she looked like, even if they had heard rumors about the lost princess. She wasn’t dressed nobly, there shouldn’t be any suspicion, but Hayden didn’t trust the world and therefore she should be thankful he valued her life enough to protect her.

            They began to edge out of the forest, towards the gentle noise of the town. The hustle and bustle of a small market could be heard, the noise of merchants shouting out the prices of pumpkins and squash and warm apple cider. As they approached the town square, there was a gaggle of children playing some game drawn out on the ground with chalk as their parents shopped, their baskets full of bread and fresh vegetables. The sun shone down on the market, the flowers all seeming to turn in their boxes towards the light.

        Hayden ahead made his way over to a flower stall, picking up a small but pretty bouquet laced together with a thick red ribbon. He spoke quietly to the seller and handed him a few coins before making his way over to a baked good stand where Harry and Gwen were already waiting, their mouths slightly agape and a desperate look in both of their eyes.

        “Pretty flowers,” Gwen said to him, not taking her eyes off the cherry pie under a glass dome.

        “Thanks,” Hayden rolled his eyes. “Do you want some pie?”

        “Yes.” Harry grinned, pulling out a coin purse from his and handing the baker 6 bronze coins in exchange for three slices of the cherry pie.

        “You do both realize we could have had this at Briar’s, don’t you?” Hayden whispered.

        “Not the same.” Gwen declared, biting down into the slice of pie and bathing in the flavors. It was incredibly sweet and reminded her of her mother’s, sending a pang of homesickness through her. The whole village radiated the things she missed about her home. She tried to shake the feeling, but she couldn’t. She missed her mother and father and even Blaine.

        “Are you done with that?” Harry asked Gwen, pulling her out of her thoughts. She nodded and handed him the half-eaten pie still in her hand. Hayden furrowed his brow in question but Gwen shook her head. She doubted he would ever understand.

        Once Harrison had finished his second piece of pie, they began to move their way out of the village square and into the village houses. Noises came through open windows, sounds of babies crying and mothers hushing, sometimes music being played badly by a child learning an instrument or some singing.

        After a while, Hayden stopped in front of a tiny thatched cottage, hardly more than three or so rooms and all on one floor. Through the window Gwen could see a small fire burning in the front room as the light began to fade from the sky, a young woman inside began lighting lamps. Gwen smiled at her through the window and she started a little, almost dropping her match until she spotted Hayden next to her and she broke out into a wide smile.