Daughter of Death -Chapter 17 (Patreon)

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“I miss my beloved,” Princess Reina complained to her dwarf ‘friends’ over dinner about two days after his departure.

“He will return no doubt of it.”

“It will not be long—” they tried to comfort.

But Reina was not placated. By her suggestion her dwarves did their best to distract her that night but eventually they had to concede and go to bed.

That night The Princess slept restlessly –having nightmares that Ferdinand never returned to her and others where she slaughtered everyone she’d known at the castle. She woke up in a cold sweat uncomfortable that she’d had no one to wait upon her but after a few moments understood it had just been a dream.

The following morning, the dwarves departed as normal to work in the mines; something Reina had to allow since it was obvious without this they could not pay for her comforts. It had been a help that Ferdinand had given coins for their visits to town during his stay but now she knew from the dwarves’ voiced concerns that they couldn’t manage without performing their work.

She had two of them stay behind with her, though, in attempts to have some entertainment and service. “Shall we attempt to arrange your hair, Your Highness?” Errol offered.

She had pinned it up earlier that morning to the back of her head. “Don’t bother.”

After more failed attempts to cheer Her Highness, Hulbard quietly went to start preparations on lunch.

“I’m going out,” Reina announced though she needed no permission to do so. Without another word she set off into the forest and made her way to the stream. The young woman removed her shoes, her dress and her shift and stepped into the water. Reina felt the goosebumps rise on her skin and she sighed in ecstasy as a shiver went up her spine. She slowly lowered herself into the coolness of the water and then slowly lay back feeling the soft and gentle rush of the water surrounding her and calming her down.

It would not be long before Ferdinand returned, would it? She’d been content with her situation before his arrival, hadn’t she?

Yes. She could very well manage.

And now that she’d learned some proper lessons about her blood lust she’d be considerably more careful with her dwarf companions.

After some time, Reina stood and let the water cascade down her body that she might dry off some before deciding what to do next. She was lost in thought about what jewels she might like to wear at her coronation when the sound of branches snapping behind her stole her attention. The princess turned, forgetting to be modest, and faced the creature that approached.

Only, t’was no creature but Errol. He was stood stock still in surprise gazing at Her Royal Highness’ exposed skin, her nipples taut from the cold and her pale curved form almost glowing in contrast to her dark hair which fell in pieces about her.

“Errol—” Her voice cut through the silence like a dagger returning him to his senses and he looked to the ground, embarrassed that he’d come across her in this way.

“Your Highness I apologize I-I didn’t realize you were... that is...that you were bathing,” he muttered as his cheeks flushed warm.

She stood calmly, making no move to cover herself or apologize for letting his gaze find her in such a vulnerable state. “Your arrival is unexpected and untimely. What is it you want, Errol besides to disturb the tranquility I’ve sought?”

“F-forgive me,” he mumbled, his blue-eyed stare remaining on the dirt. “I’ve come to see that you were...alright and to inform you that lunch is ready for you whenever you desire it.”

She hummed softly. “Are you pleased?” she inquired in a self-assured tone.

“Pleased, Your Highness?”

“Yes. Are you pleased by the sight you have found?” When Errol didn’t answer, she went on, “I am beautiful, am I not?”

The dwarf mumbled something of agreement in a soft tone.

“Have you before seen a woman’s naked form?” she questioned.

“Yes,” he lied.

“Ah but certainly this time is more agreeable. You may look again and agree,” she declared cockily, “I would imagine as was given by divine right as was the miracle of my birth that many a maid may be fair but I, Her Royal Highness Princess Reina, Anointed Future Queen of Bayern, are fairest in the land.

“You may say so, Errol. I give you permission to speak it so.”

His cheeks which were normally light when scrubbed clean of the dirt and soot of his mining work were now dark and ruddy as he blushed.

“Look upon your future Queen, Errol, and pay homage.”

“It is not right, Your Highness, that a lowly creature such as myself see you in such a state,” he mumbled uncomfortably.

“I command you, nonetheless.” She was insistent.

Errol slowly raised his eyes to gaze at her face feeling absolutely hesitant.

“There Errol. Now, what have you to say?”

He stammered, unable to figure out the words.

Reina grew impatient. “Am I not fairest in the land? Tell me!”

The ferocity of her command took hold of him and he spoke, “Wh-while other maids may be fair, true, n-no one in the land is fair as you, Your Highness.”

She smiled, pleased. “Bring me my garments and help me dress, Errol.”

Once dressed Errol accompanied the young woman back to the cottage where a lunch was laid out.

“Tell me,” Reina spoke up after popping a slice of cheese into her mouth and chewing delicately and swallowing, “Hulbard what was it like to lay with your wife?”

“I beg your pardon, Your Highness?”

“Your wife. Sharing a bed with one’s husband or wife it is satisfying, is it not?”

He was shocked by these words from such a person as her. “I’m afraid I do not understand your meaning, Your Highness,” he whispered.

“The experience of laying with the one you love and enjoying the other; being joined as one. I imagine it must be wonderful and satisfying to fulfill those urges towards one another.” When the widower was quiet, she went on with a direct gaze, “You may speak freely, Hulbard.”

The dwarf had no choice under the influence of her command, “It is indeed satisfying Your Highness.”

“Have you lain with another maid since her death?”

“I have not.”

“Don’t you want to?” Reina questioned curiously between bites of her bread.

“No.”

“You don’t have the urges to any longer? Does it only come when you are in love with someone?” she mused.

“I suppose so,” Hulbard muttered softly as he gazed down lost in memories of his beloved wife.

Reina asked no more on the topic for which both Errol and Hulbard were grateful.

In fact Princess Reina was tolerable for the next several days. Her mood it seemed had improved and life at Brickwall Cottage resumed its normal pace once more.

Each day one or two of her companions stayed behind from work while the rest went to the mines. By the end of the week Reina permitted them all to work the mine as she was content without their company and was not hungry enough to feed upon any of them.

It was on the third day following this change to the routine that Reina was confronted with something rather uncomfortable.

“Why have so few of you returned?” she questioned as they came in that evening and she noted a noticeable difference in their numbers.

“Hulbard and Rutger aren’t back from town yet?” Ulrich answered, “Ah they’ll be along soon Your Highness. Two of us always go into town on the fourth and twenty-fourth of the month for provisions and to update a little more thoroughly about our work. The men who pick up our...goods from the mine can only communicate so much.”

“Ah,” she muttered rather disinterestedly.

Wendall and Gus got dinner underway and soon the other two dwarves were home. They got washed up and after the table was set the inhabitants of the cottage sat down for their meal.

“What is wrong, Rutger? You look troubled,” Oskar declared after food had been passed around and all were tucking into their meals.

“Well... Hulbard and I had a...disconcerting experience in town today. I...I don’t know what to make of it.”

“What happened?” Wilhelm spoke up gently. He was still rather reserved because of his grief but he found strength enough to speak to this.

“Well... the miller inquired after Ansel.”

“Ansel?”

“Who is that?” Gus frowned.

“That is just the thing. He seemed troubled when we didn’t know of whom he spoke.”

“Did he say who this person is? To clarify?” Wendall put in.

“Says he is one of our companions,” Hulbard answered, “We were so confused. Still are, in fact. He said he had a book to give him which is obviously unusual considering only two of our lot are educated enough to read, not counting Her Royal Highness.”

“The old man must be out of his mind,” Reina exclaimed with a laugh.

“The miller is young,” Wendall pointed out kindly. “Did he say much more?”

“Oh yes. He did the decency of explaining that this Ansel was young and blonde but when we protested that we’d not such a man or child in our group he seemed to drop it but I heard his wife as we were loading our flour bags to the cart say that perhaps we hadn’t wanted to talk about it because he’d run off on us or betrayed us.”

“That’s very odd indeed,” Ulrich put forward with a frown.

“And the miller told his wife he couldn’t see Ansel doing any such thing. Apparently they grew up together and were play fellows of some sort. This we gained from overhearing...”

“It can’t be possible that he mistake us for any others. Truly!” Oskar gestured at their statures.

“You know what it perhaps could be: this Ansel was set out to join us but never did and the miller didn’t realize and just assumed he’d been living with us for a short length of time.”

The lot of them nodded in consideration of Ulrich’s suggestion.

“That is exactly what happened,” Princess Reina spoke up and they turned their eyes on her. “Wilhelm look at me.” He did. “Trouble yourselves not over this Ansel. He went off into the woods to make his own way independent of the mines and if anyone should ask you in the future you will tell them so,” Reina commanded.

“Oh he did?”

“Yes Gus he told me so himself. Stopped into the cottage whilst you all were out and told me the entire story. He made his way on and he does not intend on returning.”

“Why didn’t you tell us so?”

“I didn’t wish you all to worry. Should anyone ask you in the future about Ansel and things do not make sense to you you will tell them he went off into the forest and did not return. People disappear in the woods quite frequently do they not?”

“They can,” Ulrich conceded. 

“There then. This is what you will tell everyone and then you will ask not to discuss it further as it upsets you. Furthermore you will not mention that name again unless someone in the village has to you then you will tell me. Otherwise you will not think about Ansel ever again.”

The seven dwarves nodded and set back on their meal. Reina did not realize that while she had been speaking and making her commands that the eighth dwarf, Errol, was stood behind her having gone to fetch more bread from the kitchen. He stared curiously at the back of her head as she spoke and then at his companions who all readily agreed to Her Royal Highness’ statements as though she had issued a royal degree to be taken without question.

It struck him as odd not because they shouldn’t listen to their future sovereign but because they had all so easily agreed to drop the subject of this mysterious ‘Ansel’ and tell everyone what Reina had told them without seeming the least bit concerned or curious that she seemed all too eager to drop the subject herself and did not seem the least bit curious in this mysterious lost companion.

When Her Royal Highness was bent over her meal again with cascades of her dark hair blinding her peripheral Errol quietly slipped himself back into his spot at the table and quickly pretended to be chewing so that she may think he had been sat there all along. For something did not seem right and he wished to ponder in silence without suspicion. Who was this Ansel? Did Her Royal Highness really speak with him? Why was she so eager to dismiss that he had been lost in the woods if he’d told her he was making his way onward?

The answers Errol sought were far darker than he could have anticipated. This would not be his first sleepless night to come.