Princess Rescue Inc (71 page)

“Busy
here, just a moment,” Sue answered curtly then shut the channel. He pulled off
his shirt, sniffed it, and then dropped it into the laundry basket. He sat on
the edge of the bed and pulled off his boots.

“Doc?
Oh hell, Charlie? Wanda?” he asked. Charlie answered, sniffling. “What's with
the waterworks? It was a close call but Deidra and I are fine. I feel sorry for
that guard and his family though,” he said over the net. Something was going on
and damn it someone better start talking. He sighed as he managed to yank the
right boot off.

“It's
the King,” Charlie said over the link and then sniffled again. He froze.

“What
happened Charlie?” he asked carefully after a pause. She didn't answer at
first.

“He
was exercising, getting some sun. He saw the whole thing and collapsed. Doc
said it's another heart attack.”

Ryans
grimaced throwing the boot to one side. “How bad?”

“He's
out. We don't know if he'll come back. Doc has him hooked to the external pace
maker, that's the only thing keeping him alive. We had to defib him three
times,” Charlie replied. He opened his door to find her standing there. He
motioned her in as she kept talking. “Wanda's in with her now but most likely
he won’t live much longer,” she added. He sighed as he pulled off the blood
soaked pants, noting a couple of rips the horns had made.

“Damn,
I'm not looking forward to feeling that later,” he sighed seeing bruises on his
arms and legs. He picked up a washcloth and gave himself a quick wipe down. “I
take it the court knows, Zara was upset when she met Deidra and me.” Charlie
sniffled. “Doc said she doesn't expect him to last the night.” She looked and
sounded a little lost.

He
sighed, puffing his cheeks. “Oh hell, that sucks. That royally sucks.” He shook
his head. “Try to go to work. Do your best to... I dunno, not dwell on it.
We'll take it as it comes.” He rested his hand on her shoulder. She nodded and
then walked off.

<==={}------------>

He
met with Deidra in her quarters nearly an hour later. He sighed outside her
door, nodded politely to the new, rather nervous looking guard then tapped
politely. It was opened immediately by Zara who smiled reassuringly and
seemingly extremely grateful. “She's resting now,” she said softly.

He
nodded. “I'll go in and wait, or she'll never forgive me,” he murmured. She
nodded and then left quietly closing the door behind her.

Within
the chamber he noted her sleeping on the great four poster bed. He went to the
ante room and settled in a rocking chair near the balcony. He pulled out his
tablet, checked to look at her over his shoulder once and then dug into the
reports he'd missed since the disastrous morning inspection. She stirred a few
times over the next several hours before waking. Each time he would look up at
her, then back to the report when she settled. “How long have I been asleep?”
she murmured some time later.

He
checked. "About three hours, give or take a couple of minutes," he
answered.

She
stretched and then froze. "Is daddy...?”

“He's
still alive Deidra. Doc isn't sure for how long," he said carefully. “The
last heart attack...” He shook his head and closed his eyes. “I'm sorry
princess.” He sighed as she got up. Her face was drawn. She checked her wrist
and ankle, both were wrapped tightly. “Zara does good work,” he noted.

She
nodded. “She's had a lot of practice,” she replied dryly. “It's not like we
haven't been hurt before.” He looked at her in surprise. “We were all quite
rambunctious in our youths,” she smiled as he chuckled.

She
got up and stretched and then motioned for him to look away. Blushing slightly
when he saw her pick up the chamber pot, he got up and went out to the balcony.
He felt the stiff night breeze on his body and smiled. Off in the distance the
convoy was lit by torches and pyres. The wagon folk danced and partied. He
snorted. “Party?” she asked behind him. He turned; she was leaning against the
door jam, holding her favorite red shawl around her shoulders. Gently he aided
her to the edge. She looked out. “Yes, they do it every time. They leave quite
the mess. But it's fun,” she murmured. She grinned in memory of something and
then she sighed. He gave her a curious look but she didn't see it. “I snuck
down there once, a year ago, it was a lark, so many people, but many were
drunk,” she sniffed. “Not very different from some of the low brow parties here
in the castle.”

He
chuckled at that. Yeah, I can imagine. Maybe next time we should set up a
picnic area for them complete with trash bins,” he joked. She blinked at that.
“Sorry,” he said, realizing it was foreign to her. She hugged herself to his
side. He stroked her hair.

“What
is that?” she asked indicating the wall off to one side of the castle. Ropes
dangled from the top of the wall. “I've seen it, seen men climb it but never
understood why.”

“Boot
camp. Sergeant Waters, Gunny Paris, Scooter, and Lieutenant Perry are running
another batch of Silent Knights through a night exercise it looks like,” he
explained. He watched as men, looking like ants, ran around. They were dressed
in black, so once they entered the embrace of the shadows they faded into
invisibility easily.

“Why
do they climb the wall? Why not just go around?” she asked. He smiled.

“It's
a training exercise. The wall is an obstacle they must overcome. It builds
character, confidence, and teamwork. It also builds upper body strength and
stamina,” he explained.

Deidra
shivered as the night breeze plucked at her fair skin.

“Here
now, let’s get you in before you catch cold,” a female voice grumbled behind
them

.“I'm
okay Nana,” Deidra looked up smiling. The old woman nodded and then smiled and
moved off.

“Yeah
well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry,” Ryans said chuckling. “Time for
something to eat,” he said. He held her to his side as they walked into the
anteroom chamber.

Nana,
an aged frumpy looking woman smiled at him. She had dimples despite her
advanced age. She was a tiny thing, not quite four feet tall. He chuckled
softly. “And now what has you in such fine spirits?” Nana asked, eyes
twinkling. She seemed a lively sort, somehow filled with warmth and mirth. She
filled a room with sunlight and happy feelings.

“Just
amused by myself and life's little quirks,” he replied. He much preferred this
Nana over Druzilla. Deidra seemed to stumble on a flagstone. He caught her and
then swept her up into his arms and then gently set her down on a chair. “There
that's better,” he said. Her arms remained around his neck. “Ah you’re
welcome?” he said questioningly.

She
smiled, and then hugged him. There was a knock at the door. He caught the look
of annoyance on her face as she released him. Her sister came in followed by
servants. “Deidra, we need you in the main hall, politics as Lieutenant Perry
said are getting nasty,” Zara said, not bothering to say hi or anything. She
shook her head, clearly disgusted but also slightly scared. Ryans noted she was
in a Victorian princess's dress, complete with bodice, frilly petty coats, and
face mask. “Are you up to it big sister? Mother needs our support at the ball,”
she asked searching her face as she fluttered a Japanese style fan.

Deidra
sighed, and then straightened in her chair. “How bad is it?” Ryans asked as the
servants went to work on the princess. She opened her mouth but a servant
grabbed her chin and started painting makeup on her. He snorted looking away.

“Bad
enough, Father's collapse has them tearing at each other and sharpening their
knives. Deidra’s close call has made things... further complicated,” Zara
answered, looking from Deidra to Ryans. She was sounding like a natural
politician, which was probably true. She'd most likely grown up with politics
and schemes and went to bed with them dancing in her head he thought wryly.

He
sighed. “Well, princess...es I'll leave you to it then,” he said getting up.
Deidra’s eyes widened.

Zara
intercepted him at the door. “Oh no, you’re coming to,  Mother insists,”
she said firmly.

He
sighed. “Great, I
hate
parties. And don't get me started on politics.
Put the two together in one setting...” he snarled. Zara looked up at him in
surprise and then chuckled.

<==={}------------>

He
managed to make the rounds with the princess, then gently but firmly got her to
sit down. She wearily complied. She seemed a little smug though, and the looks
some were shooting their way were getting on his nerves. He smiled at her.
“See, I told you it wasn't wise to stress that ankle. Doc will probably flay us
both for letting you up and about when she hears.” The princess's lips puckered
then she cocked her head. In truth it wasn't just her he was concerned about.
The monkey suit they had saddled him with was rubbing him raw in places he
didn't want to think about right now. At least it was something they'd cooked
up with Sue and Wanda in his absence. Not that he wasn't going to rip them a
new one over it.

Two
men with their backs to them were talking, their voices rose. “He's a commoner,
A Gaijin, out worlder! No matter the law or tradition, he's as poor as a church
mouse!” one of them said loudly and rather obnoxiously. He was clearly looking
for agreement.

The
other shrugged. “Both tradition, and the law are clear in this. Vita Sodalis.
He has saved the princess. This last time right in front of this very castle,”
the young man said. Ryans’ jaw tightened at this. Deidra shot him a look and
then went back to watching the men. “He does have those loyal to him, and has
the royal favor, that too has to be taken into account.”

“But
he hasn't been on the battlefield! Or in the court! Where was he today? With
the princess?” the first man snorted and turned. The princess straightened. The
loud mouthed snot's eyes widened comically as he caught sight of them sitting
there. “Princess! Ah...”

Ryans’
mouth quirked in a sour smile. “You were just talking about us?” he asked
nastily. “Nice night isn't it?” he asked sarcastically straightening in the
high back chair. The princess shot him a reproving look.

The
Duke of Nuevo Troy came over. He was a recent addition to the court, having
arrived the morning before with his retinue. His duchy was a new addition, on
the outer south western quadrant of the Kingdom. He and his family spent most
of their time setting up their new demense. They had been here briefly, earlier
but had to go to attend to business and to raise more followers for his part of
the army. Now they were back and the Duke was ready for war.

 “Ah
my sons, there you are!” he said, hands spread to encircle each son's shoulder.
He looked over to the princess. “My sympathies your highness,” he said politely
and then bowed deeply. She regally tipped her head in a small bow to him. “And
my thanks, and that of all the subjects of the realm go to you good sir.” He
bowed again to Ryans. “I was there on the parapet and saw the entire thing.
Quite brave of you.”

Ryans
shrugged. “Right time, dumb luck,” Ryans replied. The Duke straightened with a
surprised look and then chuckled. His lady tittered.

“That
may be true, but rumor has it that you have saved the princess several times
already,” he looked toward the princess. She looked away.

Ryans
shrugged. “Which one?” he asked. “Princess Deidra a couple of times. Princess
Zara? Only three times. I'm not exactly keeping track." The courtiers
hushed and looked from one princess to the other. Deidra’s eyes sparkled.

“So
you have saved Princess Zara... Are you going to marry her instead? Or both?”
someone in the back asked quizzically. He scowled, this wasn't going as he'd
hoped or expected.

“Wait,
you said you've saved Princess Deidra more. How many more?” Troy's eyes
hardened.

Ryans
shrugged. “A few.”

Deidra’s
lips quirked. “Try five.”

He
sighed shooting her a dark look. “You would bring that up.”

“So
this morning's event makes six?” the Duke's lady asked, eyes wide in surprise.

“Something
like that,” he said embarrassed. “Like I said, right time, and dumb luck.”

Deidra
chuckled herself. “Something like that I suppose. Though the way you fought off
that wild
basilisk
with your bare hands was something else,” she
murmured, resting her hand on his arm.

He
looked at the hand then smiled. “It was good exercise,” he replied, looking up
to the courtiers. “Besides, if you had a sword in your hand you would have
handled it without my help. I know you princess, you're quite the fighter,” he
said. He saw the approval in her eyes at that.

“You
fought a wild
basilisk
?” someone asked in disbelief. “Bare handed?”

“Hardly,
he must be wrong! Boasting! Liar!” someone else in the back said. He turned
with a scowl.

The
princess grabbed at his sleeve. “Show them,” she ordered.

He
sighed. “Do I have to?” he murmured. Her eyes locked onto his. He sighed again,
seeing the gleam but unyielding stubbornness. “All right fine,” He grumbled as
he took off his jacket then rolled up his sleeve. Under it was the scarred arm.
“I have scars on my hip, thigh, and chest as well. Due to the mixed company and
nature of them, I'm going to forgo showing them,” he said holding up his arm.