“I’ve thought of it, but no. She was a lady.”
“Your mother helped the queen as a lady in waiting. She was born to an out of favor family that had been stripped of its lands and wealth, but not titles.”
“But I was a slave.”
“You were an orphan and considered a bastard child.”
“But my mother was more?”
“Yes, a maiden, of royal blood. Her family lost their lands, position, and power a hundred years ago in a political dispute, but that is no matter. The point is, she was of royal blood. As my daughter, you will be a princess when the King recognizes you. However, I have no idea how far from the throne you will be. James?”
The knight calculated, using his fingers, first holding up one or two and then letting them rest as he counted. “Five, maybe six.”
“What does that mean?” Hannah asked.
The Mage said, “It means that others have also counted and come to the same answer. I am number four in the line, which means that if the King and two others who are both elderly, in front of me die, only the King’s son is between me and wearing the crown. I would refuse, but that’s of little consolation to my enemies and those immediately behind me on the Royal List. You will be either one, or two, positions behind me, depending on future male births, of course.”
“I don’t understand any of that, but why would they try and kill me?” Hannah asked.
Sir James said, “There is already a number five and six in the royal line. If the King recognizes you, and I’m sure he will, they move down a spot. If you have children, three boys, for instance, they may move down three more places, and if your boys have children, well, you see where this is going.”
“It sounds complicated.”
The Mage said, “Only those back at the Earl’s Palace know of you as my daughter. The knowledge of your existence has upset someone powerful and rich. Rich enough to buy all those men back there on the road.”
“I just don’t see why moving down one place is so important,” she said. “I don’t see why they care so much.”
“Neither do I.” The Mage sat on the seat lost in thought, his eyes unfocused and glassy as he tried to figure out who would benefit most from his and Hannah’s deaths. “I’ve never understood why some seek power above all.”
The horses fidgeted as they stood, and Hannah started to climb down and sooth them like Cleanup often did, but Sir James shook his head. “You need to stay in the carriage in case there are others out here looking for us. We may have to escape.”
She looked around again, the fear she’d felt earlier returning. The feeling of helplessness during the attack angered her. If arrows killed the two remaining guards, she and the Old Mage couldn’t avoid capture and whatever came after. She didn’t know how to drive the carriage. “Okay, Sir James, but make me one promise?”
“What is it?”
“When we get to where we’re going, I want you to train me to fight. And shoot arrows. I never want to feel helpless like this again.”
He glanced at the Mage as if asking silent permission, and then back at her. The guard nodded his chin once to her, then went back to watching the forest. A flicker of movement drew the attention of both of them. The younger knight returned, his horse trotting as it panted and wheezed. Both guards ignored the horse, as he rode directly to the white carriage and poured gold and silver coins onto the floorboard from a leather purse. He pulled the second pouch and poured out more. Then a third.
Coins now littered the floor of the carriage, most lying on top of others. Copper, brass, silver, and gold. Coins of all sizes, from tiny copper shims, to solid gold rounds. The guard looked at the Mage. “The price of your life, sir.”
“Mine or hers?” the Mage whispered to himself, but all three of them heard. “There are forces at work I do not understand, but I will demand a pledge from each of you. I order you to protect my daughter with as much fervor and honor as you protect me.”
“Sir?” the younger one asked his question with the single word.
“In all my years as a Mage nothing like this has ever occurred. I find I have a daughter and the following day an attack on my life is made and paid for with more coins than I think I’ve ever seen together at one time. I think it is not me they are after, but Hannah. But who desires power so much they would commit murder and revolt?”
“Why?” the same guard asked. “Why risk it?”
“Yes, that is also a question, but one we will not answer sitting here. My suspicion is that a plot is afoot to overthrow the King, and the knowledge of Hannah may somehow disrupt it. Most know I will abdicate the throne if circumstances offer it to me. Only Jeffery, the King’s son is ahead of me, other than Henry and Willard, both too old and in ill health. That means someone after me in the line of succession has tipped his or her hand.”
The younger guard said, “Politics is above me, sir. What are your orders?”
The Mage said, “We’ll go on, but I demand you both keep your pledge to protect my daughter, no matter what happens. I fear that her life is in as much danger and mine. Agreed?”
Both men warily nodded, their eyes not on the gold lying in the bottom of the carriage, nor on the Mage, but on Hannah. The rules had changed for them, and they needed time to adapt, but time had become critical. The Mage climbed back onto the seat of the carriage and whipped the horses into a trot as Hannah climbed beside him.
With the increased speed the carriage moved ahead, it bounced, jostled, swayed, and rattled. Hannah grabbed for a convenient handle with one fist and the back of the seat with the other. She found that half-standing allowed her more freedom to absorb the punishment of the bouncing seat. Sir James rode his horse hard to stay well ahead of them, and the younger guard brought up the rear, their eyes constantly searching for danger.
They didn’t talk. The Mage was too busy controlling the horses, but as the morning wore on the horses lathered and slowed. Their panting told of their pain, and they couldn’t continue much longer without rest.
The Old Mage slowed the horses before reaching a shallow river. He stood up and examined upriver, then down. He turned the horses to the downstream side and navigated the carriage across a field of grass, then into a stand of willows.
He called to the guard at the rear, “Wipe the tracks as best you can.”
While that knight rode back to the road, Sir James continued into the thick brush and made sure they were alone. The Mage didn’t have to tell him what to do. He understood and looked prepared to fight a legion if required. The guard behind them had dismounted and used a leafy branch to obscure the turn the wagon had made. He managed to scuff the tracks up where their departure was not quite as noticeable. The guard headed back to join them.
The Mage raised his hands and wriggled his fingers as he mumbled and incantation. A stiff breeze sprang into existence and blew dust across the road before diminishing to nothing after the tracks were fully hidden.
Hannah watched everything with eyes wide. She had never slept outside the walls of the palace, and all was new to her, not just the magic. The river, the smells, and lack of protective walls surrounding her kept her attention wandering. This was all she’d hoped for in her life and more. There were no ovens waiting for her to light in the morning, and no Overseer walked about giving directions and watching her to make sure she performed well. The gossips would have plenty to talk about in the morning—but without her ears to hear, and all would be about her. She hoped they’d be kind for a change.