Once Upon a Romance 03 - With True Love's Kiss (3 page)

To her
relief, Bianca didn’t have to talk her way past a guard. Brannon must have
realized that having a guard on Isabelle’s room would look odd, with the “spy”
Alice in custody. Besides, Bianca thought bitterly, he’d left the queen barely
able to walk. She hardly needed to be contained.

Isabelle was
in bed on her stomach when Bianca entered. Many of the queen’s shallow lashes
had begun to scab, but far too many were still open cuts. Bianca knew she
should look to treating her friend, but instead she just stood there shaking.

“Bianca, you
look like a ghost. What happened, love?”

“I—” She
didn’t know where to start. So much had happened since she’d last come to check
on Isabelle. “The king held court this morning. He brought forth the traitor
that was leaking information to Fain.”

Isabelle
lifted her head and stared. “What?”

Bianca felt
the tears begin again, and didn’t try to hold them back. She knew the queen
would understand. “I’m so sorry, Isabelle, but they took Alice. They’re
claiming she is the spy.”

The blood
drained from Isabelle’s face, and her head sank back down to lie on the bed.

“I never
thought he would take someone innocent to punish me.” The queen’s voice was
weak. “I should never have done this.”

Bianca knelt
down on the floor, and leaned over to put her mouth near Isabelle’s ear. “How
many people have you helped save, Isabelle? How many families did you warn,
before the king’s men arrived to take them away? You can’t blame yourself, it
isn’t your fault. He’s mad.”

Isabelle
acted as though she hadn’t heard. “I should just tell everyone the truth.”

“You can’t.
He practically told me that if anyone found out she wasn’t the spy, he would
kill her.”

Bianca watched
in disbelief as her friend tried to push up off the bed. “Then I should leave.
If I’m not here he will have no further reason to hurt her, or anyone else.”

“How will
you leave?” Bianca was so distraught she almost forgot to whisper. “You cannot
walk! And the guards will stop you from leaving the palace.”

Isabelle
stopped trying to move, and lay still, a look of hopelessness in her eyes. “It
would be better if I died in an escape attempt, than lie here while Brannon
tortures others to make me talk.”

Bianca
stared down at her hands in helpless misery. She still held the paper that
Robin Goodfellow had handed her in her quarters. A wild idea bloomed in her
head. It was ridiculous, and it would never work, but it was better than seeing
Isabelle try to escape on her own.

“Something
else happened today.”

Isabelle was
lost in her misery, but Bianca’s tone of sudden hope roused her.

“What?”

“The king
wants to send me hunting.” Isabelle gave her an incredulous look. “Hold on a
moment…” Bianca grabbed a tiny pencil nub, and scribbled her plan out on the
paper, then held it where Isabelle could see. Before she was even done reading,
the queen was shaking her head.

“No,” she
whispered urgently, “it’s insane. I would get you killed.”

“Isn’t it
worth trying?”

“No.” Bianca
could hear the steel in the quiet words. “It will be hard enough, with just you
to spirit away. Go with Robin. Then I can know that you, at least, are safe.”

Bianca
leaned down close, so she could whisper directly in the other woman’s ear. “I
am not leaving you here alone, Isabelle. If you cannot ride, say so, and I will
lock the doors and keep us alive as long as I can. But do not ask me to go
without you.”

Bianca sat
up and looked down at her friend. There were tears in both their eyes as they
held each other’s gaze a long moment. At last, Isabelle reached up and laid a
gentle hand on Bianca’s cheek.

“Help me
dress, then. I’ll do my best.”

First they
changed the bandages. Isabelle bit her lip while Bianca peeled the old wraps
free as gently as she could. The healing skin clung to the linen, and a few
gashes began bleeding again as their scabs were torn at the edges. Bianca
dabbed the blood away, and then smeared a heavy layer of unguent all over
Isabelle’s back. She smoothed it deep into the cuts, despite Isabelle’s hiss of
pain, and then wrapped fresh linen strips around her torso, trying to create a
thick, stable padding of cloth over the whole injured area.

Isabelle
rested while Bianca searched for clothing. She packed a simple, heavy gown and
a woolen shawl that would keep Isabelle warm on the chill spring nights. Then
she pulled out the queen’s riding habit. The sturdy fabric would serve well in
the woods, and the tight jacket should help keep her bandages in place. Finally
she shoved the last of her medicines into the top of her satchel. She’d used up
so much on Isabelle over the past few days, there was barely any left, but even
some would be better than none.

“Ready to
get dressed?”

The queen
gave her a dubious look. “Would you prefer bravery or honesty?”

Getting
Isabelle dressed was an agonizing process. Her lightweight chemise could barely
be felt above the thick padding of bandages, but it rubbed along her shoulders,
irritating the abrasions there. Her pantalets and divided skirt were easy
enough to slip into, but they hung heavy on her body, as did the padded silk
blouse. The worst was the jacket. Putting it on required her to rotate her
shoulders, moving and compressing all the damaged skin on her back. Isabelle
gasped in pain, but resolutely struggled her way into the tight-fitting coat,
with Bianca’s careful help. Once Bianca had fastened all the buttons, Isabelle
gave a trembling sigh.

“I am never
taking this off again.”

“You’ll
change your mind once the scars start itching.”

“After this,
itching will be a relief.”

Bianca’s
smile faded, and her fear rose. This would be difficult, and dangerous, even
for someone healthy. For Isabelle it would be next to impossible. It would take
several weeks for her back to start itching in earnest.

Bianca
desperately hoped Isabelle would still be alive then.

***

Robin let
out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding when Bianca came out from the
palace. He had been worried he would have to make good on his threat to carry
her out. She was dressed in a riding habit, as she should have been for a hunt.
Unfortunately it was bright red, and would stand out in the forest, but at
least the material was warm and sturdy. Over one arm was slung a small satchel,
nothing that was too big or overly full, nothing that would raise suspicions.
And following behind her was a woman wearing a plain cloak.

Robin
blinked. Surely the girl wasn’t stupid enough to bring a chaperone on the trip.

Bianca
turned and said something to the woman, and gestured over to the horses.

Robin
sighed. Apparently she was that stupid.

He called
out to them, across the courtyard. “My lady, surely you don’t want to subject
your maid to the rigors of a hunting—” When he caught sight of the face under
the hood, he cut off. That wasn’t a maid.

That was
Queen Isabelle.

Beneath her
injuries the Albian queen’s face was white with pain, but she walked on her own
feet, and she was dressed, ready to ride. The two of them made their way over
to where Robin stood holding the reins of two horses. There was a bow and
quiver strapped to each saddle, as well as a small sleeping roll and saddle
bags holding a few nights’ worth of provisions.

That was all.
A gracious plenty, had Robin been travelling on his own; just barely enough for
himself and a companion.

Not at all
enough for three.

“What do you
think you’re doing?” He spat the words out through smiling lips, in case anyone
was watching.

Bianca, too,
kept a smile plastered on her face. “Only what I must. Now, are you going along
with it? Or giving us away?”

For a split
second he considered throttling her himself and getting it over with. Then he
exhaled, hard, and turned his head to the stables.

“Bring out a
horse for my lady’s maid!”

Bianca gave
him a look of gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Do not
thank me.” He muttered the words. “I have likely doomed us all.”

From the
open doors of the palace came the voice of the king.

Robin
tensed. If the king saw Isabelle, if one of the women gave them away…

But Isabelle
turned, calmly, and busied herself checking the stirrup length on Bianca’s
horse, and Brannon’s eyes passed over her without hesitation. Just another
servant in the background.

“I see I’m
in time to wish you good hunting.” King Brannon moved into the sunlight, and
smiled with oily cordiality at his huntsman. “I don’t know when I was last
looking forward to the outcome of a hunt more. Do bring me back something
fresh.”

“Then you
wish us well, your majesty?” Bianca said the words softly, and her voice
quivered with fear. It was obviously hard for her to speak with the king. Robin
wondered why she forced herself, unless she was trying to keep his attention
away from his poorly disguised cousin.

“Indeed,
Nieve.” Brannon bared his teeth at his daughter, enjoying her discomfort. “I
wish you an excellent kill.”

He turned on
his heel and strode back into the palace, and Bianca let out a shaky breath.
After he disappeared into the shadows, Robin saw the two women look at each
other. Bianca’s eyes were worried, but Isabelle smiled soothingly.

“One thing
at a time, Bianca. Just get me on the horse.”

It was
easier than Robin had feared. Isabelle’s legs were mostly unharmed, and her
tight riding jacket kept the bandages from rubbing as she was boosted into the
saddle. Robin helped her settle her skirts, while Bianca used the mounting
block to climb onto her own palfrey. When they were both ready, Robin vaulted
into his saddle, and looked at his travel companions. Both of them.

He wondered
how well the women would do in the forest, and if he would manage to keep them
safe.

He shook his
head at his own hubris. Safe was impossible. Better to wonder if he could keep
them alive.

Bianca broke
into his thoughts. “Shall we ride?”

They pointed
their horses down the long, broad avenues that led out of the city. As they
left the castle behind, Bianca took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.
Robin was surprised to see a smile on her face.

“Enjoying
the afternoon?”

“I’m scared
out of my wits.”

“Then why
the smile?”

“It’s a
beautiful spring day. And for better or worse, I am riding away from my father
for the last time.”

Robin stared
after her, astonished, as she set her heels to her horse and trotted off to the
city gates.

Robin took
them west, towards the forests where Brannon staged his largest hunts. They
rode at a leisurely pace while they were within sight of the city walls, but
once the trees closed behind them he cut their horses hard to the south and forced
them into a faster gait. Bianca was surprised that their mounts didn’t injure
themselves, moving so quickly over uneven terrain, but Robin seemed to know the
way, and always slowed them before the footing grew too treacherous.

The horses
were fine. Isabelle was not. When the queen had discovered that her palfrey
would follow Robin’s mount without any encouragement, she dropped her reins and
clung to the pommel instead. Bianca rode behind her, anxiously watching but
unable to do anything to help her friend. She gave thanks that Master
Goodfellow had the foresight to equip them with standard saddles. If Isabelle
had been riding sidesaddle she never would have maintained her seat. Even with
her legs to grip the horse, she swayed alarmingly.

It seemed
like forever, but the sun was still up when Robin finally called a halt beside
a small stream.

“The horses
need to rest for a few minutes. Dismount and have some water, but not too much.
We need to cover a lot more ground before nightfall.”

He slid from
his saddle and moved over to help Isabelle down and settle her on a fallen log.
Bianca hurried to fetch some water for her friend, and then went to kneel by
Robin at the edge of the stream.

“Where are
we going, Master Goodfellow?” Bianca hadn’t asked before. It had been
impossible at the palace, and since then her attention had been focused on
Isabelle. In fact, that was the only reason it had occurred to her to ask at
all. She assumed the huntsman knew a hunting lodge where they could hide, and she
wanted to be able to reassure Isabelle that it wasn’t much farther.

“Albion.”

“Albion?”
Bianca didn’t remember the last time she’d raised her voice to anyone, but she
did so now. “Isabelle cannot possibly ride all the way to Albion! She could
barely keep her seat for half an afternoon—Albion is weeks away!”

“If you will
recall, I had not originally planned on her company.” He spoke through gritted
teeth. “Regardless, I am not taking either of you on a pleasure ride, Bianca.”
Robin kept his tone level, but Bianca could sense the heat behind it. “I am not
asking you to ride to Albion on a whim. I must get both of you beyond Brannon’s
reach, and that means out of the kingdom. Albion has the closest border, not to
mention you have connections there. Where would you have us go instead?”

“A hunting
lodge! A farmer’s cot! Even a cave in the hillside, if that is all that we can
find. But Isabelle must have time to heal, and to rest. She can’t—”

“Listen to
me, foolish girl.” Robin cut her off sharply. “We have a day, a day at most,
before the king realizes that the queen has run off with us, and I am not going
to cut out your pretty heart as instructed. When that happens he will set his
finest riders and trackers on our heels. We must ride and we must ride hard, or
you will both be lost.”

“She cannot—”

“Bianca.”
Isabelle’s tired voice cut through their argument. “If Robin says we must ride
then we must ride. I will be fine.”

Robin
nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face. He started to turn away, but Bianca
caught his arm.

“Why are you
doing this?” She kept her voice low. She didn’t want Isabelle to interfere. “Isabelle
is risking her life to do as you advise. But I don’t even know why you’re
helping us.”

Robin let
out a frustrated sigh. “It is no coincidence that I came to work at the palace.
I was sent there, to keep an eye on you and keep you safe.”

Bianca
started at him in shock as he rose and and brushed his knees free of dirt.

“Why?” It
was only a whisper.

Robin
snorted. “I wish I knew. When I next see my grandmother I intend to ask her,
trust me.” He walked off to help Isabelle to her feet. “Now mount up. We ride
on.”

They kept
the pace to a fast walk through the afternoon and on into dusk. Bianca rigged a
simple sling for Isabelle’s waist from one of the sleeping rolls, and the extra
support seemed to help with the older woman’s exhaustion. She could relax;
barring sudden changes in direction she wouldn’t fall from the saddle.

While
Isabelle dozed and Robin led the way, Bianca brooded on Robin’s revelation. He
had been sent to keep her safe? By whom? She wanted to know who this mysterious
benefactor was, and what interest they had in her. As she turned his words over
and over in her mind, another thing he had said struck her. She resolved to ask
him about it, when she got the chance.

As the last
of the sun’s rays fled from the sky, Robin pulled up in a clearing and swiftly
stripped the saddle from his horse.

“The moon
will not rise until close to midnight. We shall rest here until then, and head
out once there is enough light to see our path.”

Isabelle
groaned as she all but fell from her horse, but made no protest. Instead she
tried to tend to her palfrey. Bianca stopped her and sent her to lie by the
fire Robin was starting.

“I can see
to your horse. Go sleep, Isabelle. We’ll wake you to eat something in a little
while.”

The Albian
queen didn’t have enough energy to argue. She tossed her blanket on the ground
and collapsed down onto it, falling immediately into a deep slumber.

Bianca took
the saddles off both their horses, and made sure each had a nosebag of food.
Then she filled a small pot with water and nestled it near the fire, crumbling
strips of dried meat and vegetables into the pot. When the water boiled, it
would quickly become a stew. Then she took a deep breath and braved the dragon.

“I suppose
it’s no use to ask you if we can stay here until morning.”

Robin put
down the small piece of wood he was whittling and looked at her in
exasperation. “Have you no sense of self-preservation? Do you care for nothing but
her safety? Let me make it simple, then. If they find us, they will kill you
both. True, it is a risk, forcing Isabelle to ride, but it is far safer than if
she is found.”

Bianca
decided to change topics. There was nothing to be gained by them yelling at
each other. They’d only wake up Isabelle, who seemed to agree wholeheartedly
with Robin. “That reminds me. You said something like that earlier. That, if we
were caught, we would both be lost. What about you? Are you not in danger?”

Robin
laughed, the first sound of real humor she’d ever heard from him. “I am only in
danger so long as I stand between you and the king. If you and Isabelle were
killed then I would simply vanish into the forest.”

“With the
king’s best hunters and trackers looking for the man that had betrayed him?”
Bianca was skeptical, but Robin just smirked at her.

“There is no
man alive that can hunt me in the woods. I would never be found, were I not
burdened with two hinds.” He stood abruptly and strode off into the blackness
that ringed their fireside. His voice came floating back. “Finish your stew.
Then get some sleep. I will wake you when the moon rises.”

Bianca
stared into the shadows where he’d disappeared. She heard his words echoing in
her head. I am only in danger so long as I stand between you and the king. What
was to stop him from vanishing in the night and leaving them to be found by the
king’s trackers? After all, he had never planned on helping Isabelle escape. What
if he decided it wasn’t worth the risk? What bond kept him at their side, when
he so clearly resented his task?

When she
turned back to the fire, Bianca saw that Isabelle’s eyes were open. “He’ll be
back, Bianca. Don’t worry.”

“How can you
be so sure?”

For answer,
she got nothing but silence. Isabelle had drifted off again. Bianca went to
check her friend, and for a time, forgot her worry over her mysterious
protector.

In the cool
air of the spring night, Isabelle’s face had started to burn.