The Dark Queen of White 1.18

18.

The wedding was a lavish one, with the invitees list was as long for them to house the whole banquet in the open fields next to the castle. The guards were deployed to prevent any incidents, and the Queen had requested for her huntsmen to be present. Two hundred of the huntsmen were deployed with the relief blessing of King Bannion. Among them was a huntsman with part of his memories wiped out. Gareth checked on the huntsmen assigned to the area outside the castle. He was given that task by Alan, and told to be in charge there. He wanted to protest but found him baffled on that action. He was unsure why he would protest when Alan was his superior, and taking care of the Princess was his main task as a Huntsman.

"McCormick, have you patrol the stream?" McCormick from the Highlands was a new comer to the huntsmen; he had no skills in hunting in the thick foliage of the forest, but he was one good man to have in a fistfight. The man was built like a bear and threw logs into the air back in his village.

"Nay, Peters had taken that patrol. He wanted to fish there too." McCormick smiled. He was contented to be in campsite where the other huntsmen are all resting. Gareth joined the others since he had checked all the sentries point.

Unknown to all of them, Peters had arrived at the stream, behind the cluster of trees. He dismounted from his horse and looked at the stream. He was hidden from the others by the trees, and was not to be there alone. He had sent the others in his group back to the campsite while he came there alone. His other reason was to meet someone there.

"Jenny, are you here?" Peters called out for the barmaid from the tavern by the nearby village. It was she who suggested they meet there.

"Yes, I am here." Peters turned to look at the direction of the voice. He was met with a blow on his face with a club. He fell down and the next blow was on the back of his head. He was dead without meeting Jenny, but soon someone dressed in his leathers was riding to the castle.

Alan was in the Courtyard of the castle, and observing the guests walking to the open ground by the castle where the banquet was to begin. King Thaddeus was there to receive the guests, while the Queen would joined them later on her carriage. King Bannion had politely declined to come citing some state issues.

"Travers, I am riding out to the banquet. You follow the carriage with the escorts, and make sure all go well." Travers, one of the original huntsmen and was a good friend of Alan. He had lost his left eye in a bar hunt, but he tells everyone, he needed only one good eye to hunt. Travers saw the person in charge rode off, and was soon headed himself to the Main Hall. He had huntsmen posted on every corner with King Thaddeus personal guards, but the threat of an attack on the King and Queen, cannot be dismissed. There were a few ladies which were distressed by the King' choice.

Travers made it to the Queen's chamber door and noted the two huntsmen there. He knew them by name and ability, and smiled at them.

"The Queen would be ready in a short while". Travers was advised by the guards, and then he retraced his steps checking every huntsman on the path. He soon arrived at the Courtyard, and saw the huntsman riding in. He watched the rider rode to the stables and dismounted there. All the huntsmen do not have any insignia on their leathers to show their ranks, but all of them knew their superior and the higher ones eventually. He however does not know all the new recruits since they had to increase the numbers.

"Huntsman! Step up and identify yourself." Travers asked the rider to walk towards him. The other looked at him and moves over. Travers saw the rider was younger but had a limp.

"Weaslet of Gareth group. I came over to see the castle since we had been resting at the campsite. We had completed the patrols on the hills." The limping huntsman reported to Travers.

"Weaslet, you do know that we are on guard here on the Queen." Travers reprimanded the other and then smiled. Then he lowered his voice. "Don't take too long. The kitchen is on the left. Get some food and drinks there."

Weaslet smiled back and walked over to the kitchen. He was to stepped in when he saw the huntsman walking towards him. He was taken aback as he recalled having seen the man before. He was unsure as the face was still there in his mind, but it was past memory.

"Lich.....Lichfield?" Weaslet called out to the huntsman. He recalled it then. It was the guards who chased him out of the forest before in the lands on the eastern coast. The man he called out paused in his steps and then started moving faster.

"Stop him! He's not a huntsman." Weaslet shouted out the alarm. The other huntsman then began to run when more guards were alerted to his presence. He rushed to the doorway to inside the Main Hall, but he was fell down by the arrow from Travers who was on his horse by the castle drawbridge. The arrow shot from a distance of a hundred paces, hit the other in the back of the neck. The guards soon surround the dead huntsman, and the situation was settled.

Or it was assumed.

"Helene, am I making the right decision?" The Princess still in her chemise looked out from the window to the Courtyard. She had seen the commotion and then the dead huntsman a few feet from the main door to the Main Hall.

"The decision is yours, Clare." Helene told her. "You are old enough to determine your own destiny."

"Like how you ...removed my own child?" It was Helene who assisted her in making the drink with the potion and forcing her to drink. She could not do it herself, despite her request from Merlin, and had Helene assisted her. At the last moment, she backed off, but Helene forced her by pouring it own her throat. In her mind, it was Helene who killed her baby.

"Yes, my Queen. It would be also my fault that you to be wedded today." Helene held up the wedding gown. The lady had a cynical smile which the Princess returned with her own.

"To the fittest and to our survival." Princess Clarity stepped out of her chemise, and walked towards Helene. "One less clothing to remove soon."

Both ladies smiled.