My father turns towards the head table, pushing me past the man blocking our way, ignoring the man to the point of being rude. The hand at the base of my spine is rigid and forceful. The man is doggedly trying to gain my father’s attention. Although, the aristocrats and guests are constantly vying for the attentions of the royal family, this man’s badgering is more. What could this man want with my father? The intrigues of court are overwhelming.
“I’ll be right there, Freya.” Father says, pushing me further away from him and the gentleman.
Daniel greets me at the table and I look at his cheek, cocking my head to the side in question. He barely shakes his while pulling out my chair with a white knuckled grip. His jaw is clenched tightly. I see out of my periphery Dante standing off to the other side. I look in his direction. He casually walks over leaning down. I whisper in his ear, hoping Daniel doesn’t hear me.
“Between you and AnnaBelle, I want to know everything there is to know about Baron Farfall and whoever that gentleman is with my father.”
“Done.” He replies and takes out his brand-new iPhone, a luxury we never had in New York, and covertly takes a picture. He’s becoming good at the court intrigue stuff.
“Can I get you something?” Dante asks, putting his phone away.
“No, I’m fine.” I look to Daniel then to Dante. “Can you find a place where Daniel and I can talk privately?”
“Sure, I’ll be right back?” He replies scampering off.
“Who is that gentleman with my father?” I question Daniel.
“I’m not sure, but I’ve seen him at the castle a few times.” He says, leaning slightly towards me in his chair. “We need to talk.”
“I know. I asked Dante to find a private place for us. I’m taking it things didn’t go well with Elizabeth?” I comment derisively, looking directly at his reddened cheek, all the while smiling.
“You have a way of understating things. Has anyone ever told you that?” He remarks, sarcastically.
“I don’t think they have. But thanks for letting me know.” I reply equally as sarcastic, but then change my tone to a softer one. “Do you need ice?”
He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and quirks an eyebrow at me.
“Just a thought.”
I remember all the fighting he used to do. This is a walk in the park compared to that. The sweet Daniel I danced with half an hour ago is no longer, only the man from the club the second night we met. The coldness emanating from him is palpable, so much so that the guests avoid our table. It’s either that or they are pretending I am not here and don’t exist without my father’s presence.
“Baron Farfall approached my father and me while you were gone. The animosity between the two of them is suffocating. It’s like they were trying to best the other. Why didn’t you tell me there was history between her father and mine?”
“It was for your father to tell you the intricacies of court. There are many relationships like that. Eventually, I would have said something.”
Dante stands by the ballroom doors catching my attention with a scratch of his head then chin. That is our code for I need you. When we were on the streets we sometimes found we couldn’t talk but still needed to convey what we needed. So, we came up with this code. I reply with a tug to one ear then the other, our code for I’m coming. I lean into Daniel in what could be viewed as two lovers sharing a moment.
“Dante found us a place.”
Daniel rises and pulls out my chair, assisting me to rise. He nonchalantly spots Dante then leads me toward him. I notice my father is no longer in the ballroom and neither is that man. Dante holds the door open as I pass through. We follow Dante down a hallway, passing a few servants along the way who bow and curtsy upon seeing me.
The smells of cooking meat and baking sweets flood my senses, making my mouth water and stomach growl. We walk through the kitchen to a walk-in freezer. There is a hidden door in the back of it. It leads us to another darker, windowless hallway. There is a set of stone stairs leading up at the end of the hallway.
“This leads to a private room used only by the royals when they needed to escape.” Dante explains. “There is a hidden escape hatch up there that no one knows about except the royals and their trusted personal assistants. Your father told me about it, but I don’t think he told Annabelle yet.”
I lean into the corridor looking up suspiciously.
“It’s safe. I’ll wait here. It may be the only time you two will be alone until your wedding night.” He says jokingly.
“Not funny.” I slap his shoulder.
Daniel goes up first.
“Be careful the steps at slick.” Daniel cautions.
As with Balwart Manor, there are rusted iron holders where torches at one time must have sat. The only difference is that the air seems stale and dank. The walls are black from years of soot and grime.
As we approach the top, voices can be overheard. One sounds upset and the other angry.
“I told you that was a mistake and not to contact me again.” The angry voice says.
“But I did what you wanted. You can’t just let me hang because of your orders.” The other voice says in a belligerent tone.
“I am King and can do as I wish.”
Daniel puts his finger to his lips and I nod. We creep slowly and quietly closer to the top. The closer we get, I notice my father’s accent is more noticeable.
“You wanted him in a compromising position and I arranged it.” The other man states.
“You were paid for a service that you failed to complete.” Father says.
“I can’t help it they caught on. I did exactly as you instructed.” The other responds.
There is a scuffle and crash. Daniel tenses ready to spring, but I grab his arm when I hear a third person up there.
“John, get rid of him.” My father says. “I don’t ever want to see or hear you’ve been on Farquadt soil again.”
There is another scuffle.
“You’ll regret this.” The man yells.
After a couple of minutes, my father sighs then there is a thud. I tap Daniel on the shoulder and ease pass him up the stairs. At the top step, I turn to Daniel and motion for him stay there.
“Father?” I speak softly, ascending the last few steps.
He is rubbing his hand.
“Daphne?” He looks at me perplexed.
“I’m sorry. I was coming up here to talk with Daniel when I overheard voices. I came to investigate. Are you okay?”
“Fine, Sweetheart. Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Is there anything I can do?” I ask.
“Nothing to do. What did you need to talk to Daniel about that had to be in private?” He questions with a raised eyebrow.
“We need to talk about what happened between him and Elizabeth.”
“Where is he?”
“He should be up any moment. I came up alone, not wanting to draw attention to the both of us leaving at the same time. Dante is downstairs waiting.” I offer. “I didn’t know this place existed. I asked Dante to find Daniel and me a place where we could talk without being overheard. He brought me here.”
“All the royal residencies have rooms like this. This one is different though. It is above ground whereas the others are all below ground and usually outside the walls of the castle. Tunnels were dug in the other estates for the families when they needed to escape the castle without being seen.”
“Really? That sounds like something out of a book.” I remark.
He laughs.
“Here at Hadley, because it is built on an extinct volcano tunnels were not an option.”
“That’s so cool.”
“This one is my favorite places in Farquadt. It overlooks the sea. There is a stone staircase on the outside of the wall leading down to the sea where a boat sits, waiting to take the royal family away, if need be.” He motions to the window for me to look out.
There is nothing but long stretches of rolling waves. I lean up, peering over the ledge of the window and see a sharp drop into the sea. If a person was to fall, they would crash into the rocks then the sea.
My father walks to a hidden door, visible only if you were looking for it. He opens it, leaning out to look down, then motions for me to follow. I step to where he stood and peer out. The barely discernable stairs leading down has no railing and blends in with the wall. My heart does a leap at the possibility of falling. I step back clutching my chest.
“I guess if you were being hunted it would be better to meet your end on your own terms then by someone else’s hands.” I say looking at the now closed door.
“My thoughts exactly.” He replies. “Let’s hope we never have to use it.”
“Agreed.” I say shivering.
Daniel walks in acting surprised. He bows to my father who nods back.
“Daniel, now that you’re going to be my son in law, in private no more bowing. We’re going to be family.” My father states.
“As you wish my liege.” Daniel replies.
“And use my God given name not my title.”
Daniel smiles his acknowledgement.
“Did you know this place was here?” I ask Daniel.
“I know they exist, but not where in the castles.” He replies. “As you know, we have them at Balwart Manor.”
“Well, I’ll leave you two alone.” Father says kissing me on the cheek. “I’m guessing you made sure no one saw you leave?”
“Not that I know of.” I remark
“No.” Daniel replies.
“Good then. I still don’t want anyone doubting you Daphne. Make it fast.” He turns to leave.
“Father?” I say.
He turns slightly at the top of the landing, looking back at me.
“Put some ice on them.” I say nodding to his hand.
“I will. Don’t worry about me. I’m stronger than I look.” He says smiling.
I smile back at him. Once he is out of sight, I turn back to Daniel and look at his now pink cheek. I walk over to him and place my hand lovingly against it. He places his hand over it closing his eyes. After a few minutes, he turns his head kissing my palm, and then lowers our clasped hands.
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask disrupting the serenity of being alone together.
Sighing, he replies, “It was as you said. She felt humiliated. I couldn’t reason with her no matter what I said. I even explained the danger of finding you and bringing you home. She said you had no claim to me. I reminded her of the promise made between my family and yours, the day I was born then you. She didn’t want to hear any of it.”
Daniel is pacing back and forth still explaining. I right the stool that must have been thrown during my father’s meeting.
“I didn’t realize how much she wanted to be Queen. She said that finally her family would be in their rightful place.”
I hate being the person to say I told you so, therefore I won’t but I am itching to.
“When I mentioned the possibility that your father could outlive her and me, well she lost it. She started spouting things that could have landed her in jail, but I knew she was just upset and didn’t mean anything by it.”
“What do you mean? What did she say?” I ask intrigued.
“Don’t worry about it. She didn’t mean any of it. But then her father came along and I’m proud of myself for not slugging him. I almost did more than once after the comments he was making about you and your father. If Elizabeth wasn’t there, I probably would have. I tried to see the man my father was friends with, but all I saw was hatred towards me.”
“Maybe it was always there, but he hid it?” I speculate.
“Then why offer my father his only daughter as a bride for me?”
“I don’t know. Why would your father accept when he knew I existed?” I counter.
“My father thought it was good idea at the time. As far as he knew, you both had died. He had no way of knowing otherwise.” He sighs.
There are many questions we have about the time between my mother leaving Balwart and Daniel finding me. Now knowing the dynamic relationship between my father, Daniel’s father and Baron Farfall, I have even more questions.
“In all these years, why didn’t the Baron push you for a wedding date?”
“I will not be controlled by any one and he knows it. If he tried, I would have ended the engagement and I think he knew that.” He answers.
“But why not have Elizabeth push then. You said you have always respected her as an equal.” I comment.
“You know, come to think on it, I’ve never really spoken to the man. All the years Elizabeth and I were engaged, I think George and I have maybe had a dozen conversations. He and I didn’t always see eye to eye especially in politics.” He replies reflectively.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“He sided with the actions of the Purists many times. George would make comments like ‘they knew what was right’.”
“What did he mean?”
“I never actually asked. I don’t care for the guy and tolerated him because of my father and for Elizabeth.”
“I understand that. I mean I only met the guy for a few moments and didn’t like him. He doesn’t respect my father. My father explained our history especially between the two of them. Did you ever think that this was their way of getting the throne back?”
Many emotions pass over Daniel’s features at my suggestion. He slides down the wall to a squatting position and pulls at his hair thoughtfully.
“What is it?” I ask concerned.
“I’m just thinking.” He replies.
“What are you going to about Elizabeth?”
“Nothing. As far as I’m concerned, it’s done. There is nothing stopping you and I from getting married.” He stares off into space.
He shakes his head then looks to me, sliding up to a standing position.
“Come here.” He utters quietly.
“You know my father said a Queen never chases after anyone.” I say coquettishly. “I think you should come here.”
He growls and pulls me to my feet. I fall into him and his hands cinch my waist.
“Yes, in public, but in private, I rule. Remember that.” He says before his lips crush mine possessively.
The kiss seems to last forever. His hands never moving from my waist. They are burning through layers of dress. Before he pulls away, I feel him shiver under my touch.
“Let’s set a date as soon as possible. I want what is mine.” He growls as his lips meet mine hungrily.
A throat clearing stops us dead in our tracks. I think I probably would have agreed to anything Daniel said right at the moment if Dante hadn’t interrupted us. Daniel looks over my shoulder towards Dante quirking an eyebrow.
“So much for giving us some alone time.” He comments to Dante.
“Your father said I was to give you five minutes and then come up to take you back. He said you needed to speak with the guests. Something about the events of the night leading to something else.” Dante remarks.
Daniel sighs kissing me once more before pulling me towards the stairs. As we pass Dante, he snickers. I push him and he pretends to stumble back injured.
“Jerk.” I muttered and hear him laugh louder.
At the base of the stairs, Daniel halts waiting for Dante to lead us back. This time he takes us on a different route after we leave the kitchen. A violin is playing a beautiful piece. Dante brings us to the main entrance and stops.
“Daniel, I think you should go in first.” He suggests. “I’ll bring Daphne in about ten minutes.”
Daniel nods.
Security guards walk the hallways and are stationed at the entrance to the castle as well as the ballroom door. Dante and I walk to one of the rooms not being used, directly off the ballroom. Dante flips over two of the unused chairs. I sit in one, removing my heels. Dante pats his lap for my feet after seeing me rub them in relief. He goes about massaging my feet. I groan in appreciation not realizing how badly my feet hurt until this minute. His fingers work magic on my toes. Between the massage and the quietness of the room, my body relaxes. After a few minutes on each foot, he places them on the floor brining me out of my peaceful zone.
“We should get back before Daniel and your father worry.” He states, reaching for my hands.
“I’ll be right behind you. I need to fix my lipstick.” I reply, walking over to a wall adorned with mirrors.
Dante hands me my lipstick, having been gracious enough to hold it for me since I amsans purse or clutch tonight. He doesn’t stick around and walks out.
“Don’t take too long.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Once the door closes behind Dante, it opens again.
“What did you forget?” I say without bothering to turn around and look.
I lean over grabbing a loose cloth napkin on the table, blotting my lips. When I place it back on the table and look in the mirror, there is someone standing directly behind me. I jump in surprise.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, realizing it isn’t Dante.
I try turning around but he grabs me around the waist securing my arms at my side with one arm and places a cloth over my mouth and nose with the other. An intense fear settles over me as I fight his hold. I struggle is in vain because my limbs start to feel heavy and my eye lids drift close.
The last thing I hear is, “You should have died with your mother.”