The Princess and the Tavern-Queen, by Kotep and Stackhoused

[Kotep]

Dew had soaked the poor runner's legs. Such was his thirst that he gladly would have licked the water right off his skin. He had been running for over half a day, taking little time to stop. The dew seemed to taunt him, as he dared not rest and let his message be late. It had come straight from one of the kingdom's spies, dictated to the scribe before his very eyes, and then given to him to take to the king. Chest heaving with deep breaths, his mouth slowly shaped into a weak grin; in the distance stood the great stone fortress that was his destination.

That had been three days prior. Since that time, the king had discussed with his generals the best course of action in relation to the news the letter had brought them. Robert la Montagne, the king of the country of Auvergne to the west, had formed a new strategy to obtain the much-desired rich farmland held by his neighbor, King Charlot Levesque. He would attack the kingdom of Aquitaine directly, with an assault on the king's palace itself.

The king prepared for battle. He entertained no notion of fleeing. However, he would not hold his family inside what was to become a military fortress. His five sons and daughters, each by themselves but for the youngest of his sons who was accompanied by the queen, were to be sent away to various forts, away from the battle, so that should he fall, there would be at least one true heir to the throne. King Charlot had watched the carriages roll away into the darkness before turning away, steeling himself for the battle that was to come.

The carriages were sparsely manned, as the king could spare few men from his ranks to serve as guards. One driver and one royal guard each rode with the carriages, for all but the youngest son and the queen, who received two guards. They did their best to comfort the royal family, dashed away to some unknown fort while their father led the defense of their land.

Only the brief details were picked up by the bandits living in the woods one of the carriages had to pass through: rich coach, lightly guarded, easy to attack. The carriage was stopped rather abruptly, rocking as bandits leapt from the trees, while the driver rose from his seat, yelling and cracking his whip at the faces gleaming in the darkness. The lightly armored guard rose from his seat opposite the princess, leaping out and drawing the bandits' attentions.

The princess could see him, surrounded with his sword in the moonlight, trying to fight off the dark figures of the marauders as they descended around him. "Run!" he cried out to the face that watched him from the carriage, willing to give his life if it meant that the princess would have the time to reach safety somewhere. "Run!" he shouted again, dealing the leader of the pack a blow with his fist to turn their attention onto him once more. There was only one way to go: out the other door of the carriage and into the woods.

Not far from the woods that were the princess's only chance for escape, the last people awake in the small countryside town were shutting down, going home, and going to sleep. The town's biggest tavern, The Blushing Wench, had only four waking souls in it: the bartender and proprietor, one of the barmaids, and two old friends in a drinking contest. The barmaid leaned on the end of the bar, sighing lightly as she watched the two of them. "The more they drink, the more they're forgetting the headache they'll be feeling tomorrow," the tavern wench said. She gave the bartender a knowing glance. "But the more they drink, the more they pay your wages," the bartender replied with a warm smile.

 

[stackhoused]

The princess had wanted to fight her father's wishes; the idea that she should be separated from her family was too much for her to handle. He wouldn't hear it, though, as he forced her into the carriage and loaded her belongings. He pressed a kiss to her forehead she fought that idea that this -- a rush exchange and too many tears -- could be the last chance she would see her father. Even, for that matter, the rest of her family. With a heavy heart, she leaned against the seat and watched the countryside unfold beside the carriage, tears stinging her eyes.

She didn't feel the need to sleep, though the men with her practically begged her to close her eyes. She stayed alert, eyes focused on the darkening skies outside as she remained silent. They touched her shoulder lightly, pulling away after a moment as if they were afraid she'd have them hanged, but it didn't bring her any peace of mind. Instead, it made her more anxious, more worried for her father back at the castle.

He had told her, sternly, not to worry which is exactly why she was worried. He was the type of man to give up everything before handing over his family and she wondered, the thought bringing more tears to her eyes, if that would be the death of him.

The wetness that covered her eyes disappeared quickly as the carriage stopped abruptly and she opened her mouth to speak. The guard beside her pressed his hand against her lips, however, and soon the carriage was rocking, her eyes wide as she looked towards the man beside her. She could feel her heart expanding in her chest as she heard the whips outside and suddenly she was alone, a chilly breeze licking at her face.

At the command, she looked towards the door beside her. He said it again and she didn't think as she threw open the door, hands grabbing at the fabric of her dress -- plain so as not to draw attention -- and then she was running. She tried to focus her ears on any sounds around her, but the harshness of her breathing made it difficult. The trees, dark with the night, raced passed her.

She heard something behind her and glanced back, only to catch her foot on a root. She stayed down for a minute, long enough to tear the bottom of her dress, and then she was running again. It wasn't too long until she heard something and then, without even pausing to look where she was going, she raced into the first building, eyes wild with fear. She brought a dirty hand to her face, dirt streaking across her cheek as she pushed her hair back, trying to catch her breath.

Her eyes settled on the two drunk men at the bar and she frowned somewhat; she'd landed herself in a pub?

 

[Kotep]

The two men were to wrapped up in themselves and their drink to pay much attention to the girl who had just crashed through the door. The bartender simply stood behind the bar with a strange expression of shock on his face. It was the barmaid who got up and came over to the gasping, dirty girl and put a hand on her shoulder. Dirty and ragged, the girl looked to her like an orphan.

"Are you alright, dear? What's the matter?" she asked sweetly, tilting her head to the side slightly and making her mane of red curls fall down off of her shoulders. She had a pretty face and a soft, curved figure, likely aided by the supply of drink that was always at hand. Her clothes, the typical dress and cut of a barmaid, bulged nicely from the presence of her warm body. Gently, she pulled the girl over to the bar, and helped her down into one of the seats.