Essence Of The Heart (The Royal Tutor) (13 page)

 

          She went in and asked the cook to prepare lots of food, and the
largest batch of honey candy she had ever made. The shocked cook said it
would take a couple of hours, but it would be ready.

 

          By then, everyone knew that Alexander was gone. It didn't take a
great imagination to know what Louise was up to either. The question in
everyone's mind was whether she had the king's permission. Before her
parents awakened, she had the whole castle hopping. After preparations
were well underway, she went to find Lady Margaret and Duke Reginald,
who were just exiting their quarters. Lady Margaret's eyes were red and
swollen. Alexander would not have left without telling his parents good-bye, and their sorrow showed in their faces.

 

          As they came from their room, could see everything around the
castle flying at high speed, and Louise waiting for them, they looked at her
questioningly. She knew this seemed all backwards, but she was going to
do it anyway.

 

          "My Lady. My Lord. I have a question to ask of you."

 

          Duke Reginald nodded. "Yes, Your Highness?"

 

          Yes, this really seemed backwards, but it was kind of fun.
Ceremoniously, Louise asked, "Would it be all right with you if I married
your son?"

 

          They stared at her in shock. Duke Reginald blinked a couple of
times, as if he were dreaming. "Alexander?"

 

          She grinned. "You don't have another son that I don't know about,
do you?"

 

          Duke Reginald shook his head. His eyes were big and he looked
like a shocked deer as he spoke. "Why, yes, of course, it would be fine!"

 

          "Then you don't have any problem with me going and getting him
out of the military and bringing him home, do you?"

 

          Duke Reginald nodded. "Yes." Then realizing what he said, he
shook his head. "I mean, no. I mean, it would most definitely be fine."

 

          "Good," Louise said. "Because preparations are already under way."

 

          "And, uh, what does you father think of all of this?" Duke Reginald
asked.

 

          "Oh, he has already given his permission. In fact, he told me I'd
have command of whatever forces I need." She then looked at them
teasingly. "You don't think he'll put up a fight, do you?"

 

          The whole situation began to dawn on them. Duke Reginald's eyes
sparkled as he laughed. "I don't think so."

 

          Lady Margaret had not said a word. She reached out and hugged
Louise and smiled through her tears. "And we will love you as our own
daughter."

 

          Louise hugged her back. "You already have."

 

          Duke Reginald stood at attention. "You couldn't use an additional
old, former soldier could you? I'd really like to be there when you find
him."

 

          Louise laughed. "I'd love to have you along."

 

          As Louise was heading to the dining hall, she ran into her parents.
Her father seemed pleased with her ability to take charge. He shook his
head in disbelief. "You sure have this place busy, Louise." He then looked
at her and stood very formally. "You couldn't happen to use an old king in
your plans, could you?"

 

          "You'd come?" Louise asked.

 

          "If it's all right," he answered. "I wouldn't want to miss it for the
world."

 

          Louise nodded. "In fact, Father, I have a plan, and it involves you."

 

          It took longer than Louise had hoped to move out such a large
contingent. It was almost noon before they rolled through the castle gates.
She rode right at the front with her father, Duke Reginald, Captain Johnson,
and Lieutenant Richins. She turned to see her mother and Lady Margaret
waving from the balcony. Below, the courtyard was filled with almost
everyone from the castle waving, and wishing them godspeed.

 

          It would take them at least three days to get to the camp. She
figured Alexander, unencumbered by supply wagons, would have ridden all
night and, perhaps, the full next day, so he would be there by nightfall. He
would be in the military for around three days before she could get to him.
She had heard the treatment on the first days was the worst, and she wished
she could be there sooner.

 

          She pushed them as fast and hard as she could. When asked when
he would like to camp, or any other questions, the king would point to
Louise. "I am not in command here; she is."

 

          It was almost noon on their third day when they finally reached the
military training camp. They flew the flags of the royal family and were
still a good distance away when a greeting party was dispatched from the
camp. The top commanders came personally, led by General Lavison. He
had a worried look on his face when he saw that the king himself was riding
at the front.

 

          The general bowed. "Your Majesty, to what do we owe the honor of
your visit?"

 

          Louise thought, by the look on the general's face, he really thought it
was anything but a joyous occasion.

 

          The king, as he and Louise had planned, did not defer to her this
time, but looked sternly at the general. The king's voice was strong as he
answered. "You have a new recruit here, a young nobleman by the name of
Alexander of Bernodia. Do you know the man of whom I speak?"

 

          The general looked to his officers and some of them nodded. He
then turned back to the king. "Yes, Your Majesty, we know the man of
whom you speak."

 

          "I have given him a command, and he has shirked his duty,
disobeyed me, and has run away to join the military," the king said.

 

          The concern written on their faces was evident. It was obvious they
wondered what kind of command this young man could have disobeyed for
the king to come after him himself, and what kind of man he was for the
king to bring a whole contingency along. The king continued. "I want him
brought to your headquarters, where I will meet with him. I do not want
him treated roughly, for I will mete out any punishment. You are not to let
him know that it is I who seek him, nor anything of this; just that he is to
report to headquarters. Is that understood?"

 

          The general bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

 

          The king continued. "Some of us will come with you. I will tell you
exactly what I want him told of my visit, but he is to be told nothing until he
is standing outside the door of the room that I am in. Is that clear?"

 

          The general bowed again. "Yes, Your Majesty."

 

          The king spoke sternly to the general. "Lead on."

 

          The group rode solemnly to the military camp. Only five followed
the army officers, and the rest were left to make ready for the return journey.
Louise wanted to get back to the castle as soon as possible, and had given
orders that as soon as they had Alexander, they were going to head back.
They still had most of the day left, and she didn't want to waste it.

 

          She had asked Duke Reginald, Captain Johnson, and Lieutenant
Richins to accompany her. As they followed the army officers back to
camp, the king rode in the lead, followed by Louise, then the others.

 

          Captain Johnson and Lieutenant Richins stood guard outside the
door to the king's make-shift headquarters. Louise and Duke Reginald hid
behind where the door would open, and the king moved to the middle of the
room, where Alexander would see him when he came through the door.
The men were just coming off of a march. Louise could hear a man bellow
out, "Alexander of Bernodia, you are to report to headquarters."

 

          A few moments passed before, from her hiding place, she heard the
general's voice outside. "Alexander of Bernodia?"

 

          "Yes, sir."

 

          "I have been informed," the general said, "that you have disobeyed a
direct order from the king. He awaits you inside."

 

          The military officers were nonchalantly hanging around outside,
wanting to know what was happening. Inside, Louise grinned to herself.
Oh, how she would have loved to have seen Alexander's face when the
general spoke to him. She was glad he was young or his heart probably
would have stopped on the spot. Slowly, surely, the door opened. She
could not see Alexander from her vantage point, but she could imagine what
was going through his mind.

 

          Her father played his part well. She could not believe he had agreed
to this, but he was as good as any actor at the royal palace, and seemed to be
relishing his role in this drama. She had to play this one last trick on
Alexander. Of all the tricks she had ever played on him, it would be her
best, and she wasn't doing it out of spite this time, but because she loved
him. She smiled to herself. Besides, he had it coming for leaving with only
a note of good-bye.

 

          The king stood with his back to the door. As the door was carefully
opened, it squeaked on its hinges. The king turned slowly, deliberately, and
faced Alexander.

 

          The king's voice was stern and harsh. "Alexander of Bernodia."

 

          Alexander quickly stepped forward and fell to his knees before the
king. "Your Majesty!"

 

          Now Louise could see Alexander clearly. He was wearing the
uniform of the army. He was dirty and sweaty from marching. He looked
exhausted, and he was trembling and breathing hard. She didn't know how
much was from the march and how much was from fear.

 

          The king took a deep breath. "Young man, did I not give you a
direct order?"

 

          Alexander nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

 

          "And what was that command?" the king asked.

 

          "That I should report to military training," Alexander replied.

 

          "Was there not a command that superseded that?"

 

          Alexander paused momentarily, seemingly confused. "Uh, well, you
said..."

 

          "I said you were to be my daughter's escort until such a time as she
no longer needed you, did I not?"

 

          "Well, yes, Your Majesty, but you said she was to marry."

 

          "But did she ever tell you she was no longer in need of your
service?" the king asked.

 

          "Well, no, Your Majesty, but I thought..."

 

          "You thought? You thought? Do you think this is your place to
make the decision?"

 

          "Well, no, Your Majesty, but I, uh, I..."

 

          Poor Alexander was really trembling now, and his voice was
quivering as he stumbled all over his words. Louise clapped her hand over
her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh, and she could hear Duke Reginald beside
her gulping back his own laughter. Alexander must have heard them or
sensed their presence because he turned slightly, though he didn't dare turn
away from the king.

 

          The king's voice suddenly became soft and kind. "Perhaps,
Alexander, you should ask her, don't you think?"

 

          Louise burst into laughter as did Duke Reginald. Alexander turned
to see her, and she ran to him, pulling him to his feet and throwing her arms
around him. He seemed embarrassed and confused, but he half-smiled, as
the king also joined them in laughter. Still, Alexander obviously had no
idea what was going on.

 

          When Louise could finally get control of herself, she pulled back
and took Alexander's hands in hers. "You see, Alexander, you are never
going to be released from being my escort, because Father has given his
permission for me to marry you."

 

          The stunned look on Alexander's face was priceless. She had sworn
that she would break his composure some day, and this time she finally had.

 

          The king smiled kindly at Alexander and added to what Louise had
said. "Not only my permission, Alexander, but my blessing."

 

          "You see," Louise said, "we decided I should marry the best man I
could find, and, well, we decided I couldn't find a better man than
Alexander of Bernodia."

 

          Tears started to pour down Alexander's face, mixing with the sweat
and dirt that was there. Louise reached up and kindly touched his face. "But
there is a little problem. You see, Alexander of Bernodia has never asked
me to marry him."

 

          Alexander's breath started coming in gasps as his tears seemed to be
choking the air from his lungs. He turned and looked at the king, and the
king nodded. He turned and looked at his father, and his father nodded. He
turned back to Louise and smiled through his tears.

 

          He had to swallow a couple of times, but finally he was able to
speak. "Princess Louise, if you will marry me, I promise to always love
you, to always support you as queen, and to always be your best friend."

 

          Now Louise was crying. She couldn't even speak. She just nodded
and threw her arms around his neck. He took her in his arms and kissed her,
and she didn't even mind the mud and sweat. She leaned against him, and
he held her for a long time. She knew, more than ever, how much she loved
Alexander of Bernodia, and how much he loved her.

 

 

 

 

          It took only a brief moment for Lady to be prepared for Alexander.
Alexander said he had debated taking Lady with him to the army, but he
was sure she would feel as lost without him as he would be without her.
They weren't even mounted before word of what had happened had spread
like wildfire across the camp. Some of Alexander's immediate
commanding officers came to wish him the best. Louise could see by the
way they addressed him that they were slightly fearful. She imagined that
they had treated him badly and were worried about it.