Carmine

The roof’s dark maroon wood, the swirling circles in the sliced steam had me groggy. I fidgeted as the bell rang out. The cup thudded on the table. The steam was slim and wavered upward into the aspirant space.

I breathed out as he sat opposite me in my bedroom. Comfort should have blessed me, but in practice, I was lost within this dark moment. It was the first time the front door was open to my room and I didn’t vibrate in ecstatic joy.

“I am sorry about this, Lady Carmine,” he said.

The table’s rough exterior mesmerized my sight, but what caught my attention was below the table; a line of ants.

I sighed.

“We need to bring you back. The Crown—”

“To hell with the Crown! The—I am still banished, did you forget? Who would accept me?” I asked.

“The council, the vassals who swore fealty, and the whole of Ascus is at your feet, my Lady.”

The ants continued. Never worrying, they searched for crumbs and brought them back to their families. They brought it back to their source.

“I care little about such things. I want to see my father off. That is what I want to do. Everything else will have to wait—” I froze in the distinct train of thought that came to me. Someone killed my father. He died. I could have died if that person vied for the throne.

It racked my soul with distress. To think this would be where my life would lead.

At least the ants were quite dutiful. They never broke formation, for only one line marched into the dark depths of those walls.

Fluttering my eyes, I groaned and looked Garth direct in the eye.

“You are lying, Sir. Someone does not want me back. I am the last heir, I die, they can make their claim,” I said.

Garth rocked his head nervously.

“My Lady, we will deal with that,” he said, with a tight wrinkle of his brow.

“Will you?”

“Hion has made provisions for that. He sent me of course to escort you. He—said, he did not want to raise too much attention, to the Lords of this land. It is the only reason he sent me, rather than, a group of men.”

No, that alone proved I was right. Hion desired secrecy least someone tried to have me drudged under the earth. It was politically easier killing me outside the country than from within; they knew.

I had to request more men to be sent to my aid. No, forget that, I should have left as it was. The thought of going back knotted the inside of my stomach.

I always desired any way out of this prison, but not this way, no, why did it have to be this way?

My mother died giving birth to me a long time ago, while my father was gone now. All that was left were half-bloods I never met. I had no source to go back to.

“Statehood is more complicated than that. I fear I won’t be welcomed as you say." I hesitated and grabbed the cup handle.

“Until it kills me, I won’t allow that to happen. I am here to protect you,” he replied.

Garth was not that dutiful in the past. I remembered him being more robust.

Age matured him I assumed. I was surprised I remembered him. The name had not escaped me as if every bone in my body knew.

I laid the cup down. Watching the black sea, light brown swirls twisted in slim strips. I got up and reached for a dusty leather bag. It flapped to my side as I advanced to the back of the room.

Which should I take? What did I need now? I couldn't hide the elation and fear rippling through me, for I was leaving this place, but I was now walking into a more precarious situation.

I had to face it.

“My Princess?”

I turned to him.

“Call me Carmine, help me pack my things we leave now.”

It took a while to decide whether to carry some of those books.

I carried one. A book about the history of the nations, how they were formed, how they fell.

I had a small black waist bag. Some leaves to make tea, an emerald that once stood within my old crown, and a pencil with parchment paper in case I needed to write. You would really think after all those years I picked up more interesting objects of worth. Something more meaningful, but my mind was muddled and lost and I had to leave.

Garth gave me clothes to wear and I now looked like a tattered urchin. His attire was no better. Garth suggested it to make us as inconspicuous as possible.

I had to suffer through this...

We met out at the front of the keep. A chalk-white room, it had thick curtains along the borders of the columns that reached out to the inviting forest.

Rionala and the two dutiful soldiers were there to see me off.

I hugged Rionala. “What was that white paste in the bowl?”

Rionala widened her eyes at me. “Potatoes. A rare food around here, I hoped you like it.”

I patted her on her back. “I loved it. You were always the best cook. Thank you.”

She grinned brightly and nodded in respect to her. Next up was Beckburt and Hangor, so as I slithered before them I nodded my head. They nodded back. There was an uncomfortable silence.

Was I supposed to have kind words for my jailers?

These ingrates kept me locked up here on my father’s orders, but now I guessed being angry about that now was pointless.

Because I was free, yes, yes, Ashuor be praised!

So I would be gracious in my happenstance victory. “Thank you for your service, even though we hated each other at times and I drove you guys senile with all my insane escape plans. I respect your duty to the Crown and your ability to never disobey your orders.”

They smiled and seemed proud. Hangor cracked a tear and said, "Thank you, my Lady. Take care and be safe.”

I replied, “Aye, I will.”