novel : King Thomas

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven


Leynitice

         





Sir William was so happy to see that everything was going to go as it had been foretold. Sed and SanTrina was entering the gates to their city (their home). The people seemed to looked as if they were very happy and content. They were cheering and bowing for the return of their King and Queen. “Long Live King Sed! Long live his queen!'


         SanTrina was the first to enter the castle. Sed went to check the walls of the city. The castle had not changed at all. She was welcomed by the bowing of her guards. They were still loyal to their rulers. They led her to the throne room where Sir William was sitting to care for the city. "My lord," SanTrina begins."I have come to learn to serve as mayor under King Thomas."


         "Welcome home, My Lady. Your people have missed you."


         They both walk to meet Sed. The three of them discussed  how the kingdom of Leynitice was now the city of Leynitice. They went over laws and plans that would have to take place. Most of them were no different than what they had all ready had in place before the kingdoms were united. They were to Judge and rule the city as they had before. King Thomas planned to only step in when needed.


         It was so nice for them to see their people waiting for them under the royal balcony. Sed and SanTrina walked together. The cheers were roaring loudly. "My King, My Queen."


         "My people, we are no longer king or queen. We still rule Leynitice, but King Thomas is your king. He will build us into a mighty kingdom. We will prosper, and we will be a mighty nation."


         The people murmured among themselves for the idea of a different King.


         "My People, we will not survive without the help of the king. God has sent him to guide us. Our Princess Arebella had visited us." Sed continues. "She foretold that the Prince Yecheil would be the one to rule with the power of heaven. He has been sent to save us. She morns that she wanted the child to die. She now asks us to except her son. He has power to create riches and health for all the land."


         The couple turned and walked back into their room. They were comfortable that their people would listen to Arebella's words. The people had never bucked against the words spoken by Sed and SanTrina. Their room was so welcoming to them. It had been so long since they were in King Sed's room. The light shone through the windows creating marble pattern on the rug and bright golden light through the gold curtains. He had nearly forgotten what his bed had looked like with its tall posts. It had such a fluffy dawn mattress. The spread was silk sewn together with gold threads. The room was his. Though the tower was comfortable and King Thomas was kind, Sed was so happy to be home in his own bed. He looks up at a portrait of his daughter. "Good night my sweet Arrie."


         The next morning SanTrina was in the hall. She was admiring the craftsmanship of the wood work. She was glad that they had not lost their castle to war. She places fresh cut flowers in a vase on the table. She smiles.


         Sir William sent for them. Sed and SanTrina was lead to the throne room. There he handed them their rules and laws of King Thomas. He stepped from the throne, and he asked them to take their places on the thrones that they used to rule from.


         "I will be here three more days. I will make sure that things are ran smooth for you, and I will note what you have need of. Then I will leave to join the King Thomas, and I will present them to your King." Sir William explains.


         Sed asks, "What will we have need of?"


         "Anything you may need to grow, we will try to grant it to you. It is like we are the head of the nation, and you are the lungs. This nation can not grow without both parts functioning properly. Both will fall if one does."


         Then William went his way through the city spreading the word that Sed was back on the throne under King Thomas. He observed each house hold, and he made notes to what each family needed that would make the nation to grow strong. Most people seemed happy, and needed for little.


         William met the children of the city. They were as happy as the children that the Queen Anne spends time with. They played games, and their laughter made William a little home sick. He could just see the queen playing with children in the court yard. For a moment William was distracted from what his mission was.


         William spent the three days in Leynitice. He filled his notes with all the things that would be beneficial for the kingdoms to work together as one. The list had things like more live stock to help them have all the food and goods to keep them from borrowing from others. Weapons just for the reason of protect and hunting. He also felt that the king should set up shops there for passer byes can purchase. Yes, William has so many plans to petition the King in behalf of Leynitice.


         He is now ready to say his good byes to Sed and SanTrina. "Is there anything that you would like me to petition in your name?"


         "We would like to have Prince Yecheil to spend time here. For he will be the next King, and he needs to know how to rule both this city and the kingdom. I would truly love to spend time with him as my grandson, and the people must see and except him. It would be easier to ready them a little at a time."


         "I think that is an excellent idea. I will be sure that King Thomas hears your words. He is a wise and knowledgeable King, and he will know that this is a wise idea."


         " Thank you for caring for our people until we were able to return." SanTrina expresses true appreciation.


         William left his guards with Sed to help him create a mighty city. He readies his horse, and begins his way back to Salaamanta.


         After Sir Williams left the city, Sed took his seat on his throne. SanTrina went throughout the city visiting it citizens. She had not done so as a queen. This was a trip that King Sed would make. Now that she was of equal title as her husband, she could help with things like social visits.


         At the end of the city, SanTrina met a child named Claire. She was six. She lived in cave alone. Claire's mother had left her in death. Claire was the only family member to survive starvation. SanTrina did not know how bad things were for some of her people.


         "My dear, what is your name?"


         "I am Claire. I am the daughter of Terra and John."


         "Where do you live?"


         " I live in this town."


         "Show me your house. I will take you home."


         " I have no house. I will take you to my home."


         SanTrina followed Claire to an opening in the side of a mountain at the end of the city. The girl lights a torch hand leads SanTrina into the darkness. Claire attaches the torch to the wall. On the floor was blankets. This is where the lonely child slept. Against the wall was half eaten breads and fishes that she has scavenge. There was a little vessel that held water.


         Looking at the child, SanTrina noticed that she had no tan to her skin. Her hair was matted, and her clothes were long out grown. She had a lovely smile shinning out of a dirty face. She took SanTrina to the back of the cave. There she has a little bird there. It had a broken wing.


         "This is my only friend, and I am afraid that I can not save her. I am about to loose my only friend. I found her the night that my mom died. They came and took our house, but I hid in the brushes in the back of our garden. I walked until I found this cave, and I made it a home."


         "Claire, would you like to come live with me?"


         "No, I need to care for the bird."


         "You can bring the bird along. You will have new clothes, and a nice place to sleep."


         "I would like for you to come visit me. I would love to have more friends, but I don't want to live with anyone else. You can not be my mother."


         SanTrina would not try to force the child to go. She did not want Claire to resent her. "Ok, my child, I will come again next week to see you."


         Santrina went back to her castle. She went through Arebella's childhood things. She found many little dresses, shoes, and even a few toys. She calls for her handmaid.


         "Go to the cave. Stay about a meter away. I need you to leave these things there, and do not wait to see who shows to pick it up."


         So the maid left and took the large package to the edge of the city. Claire watched the woman leave the things there. She would not go receive it until the maid was well on her way home.


         Claire runs and grabs the things and brings it into the cave. There by the dim light of the home made torch, she pulls the first thing from the bundle. It was a porcline doll. It had blue eyes and blond wavy hair. It was the most beautiful thing that she ever did see. She would call he Little Terra. She loved having something so beautiful. Next was a gold brush and mirror. She looks into the glass. It was the first time that she had seen herself since her mother used to brush her hair. She runs the brush through the mats and realizes what shape it was in. So she decides to finish brushing it again later.


         The next things she pulls out of the bundle was a pair of shinny black shoes. They had silver buckles. They shined and that was strange for shows to be so shinny. Then she pulled three lacy and ruffled dresses. One was black trimmed with gold. The next dress was red trimmed in black. The last was pink ruffles with red roses in the lace. These were the most beautiful things that she had ever seen.


         The next day Claire put the clothes on, and started to put the other things back into the bundle. Her hand bumped into a smaller bundle. She opened it. There she found ten silver coins, and there were also five pieces of silver. She cried and prayed.


         "My Father thank you for saving me. Let my momma know that I will be all right." She cried and went toward the city to buy her something to eat.


         When she reached the Inn, she went up to the merchant. " I want to buy this bread and this meat."


         "What are you doing her? Where is your parents?"


         " I have no parents. I live near the end of the city."


         " Where did you steal these things?" the merchant grabs the girl's arms. " Where did you steal these things from?"


         " I did not steal them. I found them." Claire said terrified.


         "Guards will take you to the Sed to be judged. You did not find these things. Do you have more?"


         "Yes, but I found them." Claire cried.


         The merchant sent for the guard, and the guard made Claire take him to her cave. There the guard found all that she had been left. " I recognize this brush. It belonged to the princess Arebella. This will not be good."


         The guard throws the child across his horse and takes her to see Sed. When Sed saw his daughter's things, he became very angry. "Who gave these things to you?"


         "I found them."


         "Where did you steal them from?"


         " I found them. I did not steal a morsel even to eat."


         "Take her to the servant's quarters. She will serve this castle as a slave for the crimes that she has commented. She will work for the rest of her life."


         Claire was crying when they took her to servants to help the child start on her chores. The first one that met her was SanTrina's handmaid in charge, Tess. Tess had been with the queen since she had been a maid since Arebella was born. She dried Claire's eyes. She could see how dirty she was, and she recongnized the clothes she wore. When the child told her story, Tess believed her. Tess knew this because she was the one that SanTrina had ask to leave the bundle. Tess didn't know what was in the bag until she seen the dress on the child.


         "Where did you come from?" Tess asked.


         When the child told of how she lived in the cave at the end of town, Tess was now sure of how the child had gotten the things. Tess thought about going to the king and telling him the story of the meeting of SanTrina and Claire. She realized that if Sed found this out, he would release the child back to her cave. Instead Tess decided to have the child working in SanTrina's personal maidens.


         The first chore was to draw a bath for her friend. She helped the other maids pour the water and frangrances into the the water.


         SanTrina sees the little girl. She was so clean and human. She asks the child how she became a servant to her. The child tells her the story. SanTrina does take her bath this night, as she thinks of how she can help the child just as Tess knew that she would.


         SanTrina sends the servants back to their quarters save the youngest Claire. She spent time going through clothes and things that once belonged to Arebella. It was a nice feeling to be able to go through the things without the feelings of saddness. She was unable to see them without crying. Now she had a reason.


         The next morning SanTrina goes to meet with her husband. He is being served his morning meal. SanTrina sits by his side to eat her meal with him. This is something that she hardly ever did.


         "Sir," She starts her conversation. "You have put a child in service when she is not guilty."


         "You speak of the child that was caught wearing the Princess Arrie's clothing. She said that she had found them. She would not tell me the truth about how she obtained the items that had not been removed from the Princess' room."


         "Yes, My love, This is the child." SanTrina speaks as she reaches for her husband's hand. "I met the child. She has no mother or family. They died some time ago. She lives in the caves alone. I wanted to bring her here, but decided against it. I thought that I would leave her somethings in a bundle near the cave. I gathered the items and sent Tess to leave them for the girl to find. I was going to visit again and win her trust. Then maybe she would allow me to help her."


         Sed sees tears filling his wife's eyes. She seemed to be honestly loving this girl. She had told Tess how to dress the child to meet her and Sed at breakfast. Tess brings the little girl into the room. She had on pink dress trimmed with roses. Her hair was pulled back and her eyes shone bright with hope. She bowed to the couple. "My lord."


         "Child is this true that my wife met you by the cave?"


         "Yes! but I did not know who she was at first. She was very kind, and was the only person who treated me well since I lost my family."


          Sed looked to his wife. She had not smiled like that since Arrie was in the castle. "Child what is your name?"


         "My name is Claire. I have been on my own for about six months. I am only six years old, but I can care for my self."


         "Do you miss your parents? Would you like to become our daughter?"


         "I only have one set of parents. I do not want to replace them."


         SanTrina replies to the child. "I would not want to be your mother. I would like to be your guardian until you become of age. You will live a rich life, and no one will disrespect you again."


         "I will like to be with you, but I will find my own husband. I am not royalty, and I want to meet my love as my parents did. They met on their own."


         "You have a home." Sed said. "I hope that you will be happy."


         "Tess go and set my daughter up in Arebella's room. make sure that she has all that she needs." SanTrina looked at Claire. "Don't forget to find her a teacher."


         Tess walked the child to her new room. Claire held Tess' hand nervously. She felt strange. Was she deserting of her parents? Would they want her to have Sed and SanTrina to care for her? These were the questions that ran wild in her brain all night while she slept.