THE PRINCESS & THE PIRATE

Chapter 5: Claimed by the devil

Reanna woke in a haze.

" Are you alright dear?" Edwina gushed as she rushed to Reanna's bedside with a glass of water hearing her begin to stir.

" Edwina?" Reanna asked as she blinked trying to clear her confusion.

" I am here dear...NO! DON'T GET UP...your back will be sore my darling." Edwina cooed as she gently pushed Reanna back into the comfort of the plump pillow and warm bed.

" My back...?" Reanna mumbled trying to understand when suddenly the vivid memory of her confrontation with the Meccador soldiers came flooding back. " The soldiers...my back was whipped and I fainted....how long have I been unconscious for? And how did I get here?" Reanna demanded anxiously as Edwina sat beside her and handed her a glass of water.

" Drink that and calm down then I will tell you..." Edwina said softly nudging the glass to Reanna's lips.

Reanna was about to protest when Edwina squeezed her hand lovingly and looked at her with motherly concern and so with a dramatic sigh Reanna complied and drank the full glass of odd-tasting water as ordered. " Good girl," Edwina cooed as she tucked the covers tighter around Reanna - so tight Reanna could hardly move and felt as though she was being kept hostage in the beds comforting warmth.

" I am no longer a child Edwina, although I appreciate your care. " Reanna said softly smiling at her maid who was so much more to her than her title suggested. " But please now tell me what I asked, how long have I been unconscious and how did I get here?"  Reanna demanded in a tone edged equally with anxiousness and authority.

" Very well" Edwina huffed at Reanna's stubbornness. " A village man carried you back, he snuck you in amongst the servants quarters and ... rather boldly, carried you straight into your chamber. I was drawing your evening bath when he walked in and gave me such a fright that I threw various objects at him and was about to scream for the guards when I noticed you lying limply in his arms..." Edwina trailed off her tone laced with sadness. " I thought you were..." Edwina looked at Reanna lovingly and took a moment to wipe away the numerous tears that streaked down her cheeks before she gathered her composure enough to continue. " Well, the man seeing my reaction laid you down, with such gentleness for a man of his size, on your bed before he told me about your confrontation with the Meccador soldiers and assured me you were injured but alive. He told me you had instructed him to take you to the healer in the village for treatment and you had ordered her to dress you in servant's clothing so he could sneak you into the castle undetected...so you wouldn't face your brother's anger whilst you healed. Which was a smart plan, my dear although it seems a needless one..." Edwina rambled. " Maurice also left medicine from the healer to help with the pain and to help you sleep...with orders from her that you must rest in order to heal..."

" Maurice?" Reanna asked surprised

" Yes dear, did I not mention? That was the man's name who carried you to your chamber..."    

" No you didn't mention his name, I must thank him for his help," Reanna replied as she mentally made a note to do just that and to also thank him for providing a cover story for her wearing servant's clothing...if Edwina knew the real reason that could put her in a lot of danger. " And my second query? I noticed how you skillfully tried to avoid that question..." Reanna said as she glanced at her maid in a pointed manner.

Edwina scowled before she replied hesitantly, " Three days but do not..."

" THREE DAYS?!" Reanna shouted in shock as she wriggled her arms free and attempted to leave the bed, crying in pain as she did so.

" ENOUGH! DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE THAT BED! THE HEALER SAID TO REST!! " Edwina scorned as she pushed Reanna back down with a gentle touch which contrasted with the forcefulness of her tone.

" EDWINA! " Reanna began with equal force, glaring at her maid with annoyance and preparing to chase her; but as she looked into Edwina's eyes she saw her expression of worry and love, and instead of chastening her as she planned Reanna softened her tone. " I appreciate your care and I know I must have frightened you ...being carried home in such a fragile condition and for that, I am truly sorry but you must understand... THREE DAYS?! The Meccador soldiers and Captian must have arrived back to their court by now and informed their King of the incident, by now he must have written to my brother about his displeasure and my brother... he will be furious that I may have risked the union between our kingdom and Meccador. He made it very clear he wished for a union between King Sebastian and I, to unify our Kingdoms and he instructed me to charm him into one when he arrives in a few days, he even informed me that the Meccador soldiers were to be kept happy so they would return to their court with praise for Avlington ... oh dear God, What have I done? " Reanna mumbled in a panic as she tried again in vain to wriggle out of the confinement of the tight covers.

" ENOUGH! All will be well..." Edwina tried to explain.

" YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!! Edwina my brother threatened to harm the people of Avlington if I did not comply with the union...he will see this as an act of defiance on my part and he will punish me by harming my people. I have to go and plead with him for mercy and ensure him I will smooth things over with King Sebastian when he arrives...if my actions haven't already ruined my Brothers plans..." 

" AS I WAS ABOUT TO INFORM YOU THERE IS NO NEED...." Edwina said shocking Reanna into stopping her attempts at freedom, from the confines of the once again tightly tucked bedding. " The Meccador soldiers and Captian it seems, surprisingly, had a once of intelligence despite their brutishness and whilst they returned back to their court two days ago...it seems they decided to keep quiet about the whole incident when returning home, as news of the possible union between our two Kingdoms has spread amongst both Kingdoms. No doubt they feared the punishment they would receive from their King when he learned they not only spilled Royal blood but the blood of possibly their future Queen..."  

Reanna absorbed the news.  " Well that solves the problem of King Sebsatians wrath and my Brothers anger over me possibly sabotaging his plans but surely my Brother is angry at my absence for the past few days? I should go to him at once and apologize before he takes his anger out on the people..."

" Again there is no need..." Edwina said as she poured Reanna another glass of water and handed it to her as she explained further. " I forged a letter from you on the evening Maurice brought you back and gave it to the King," Edwina replied as she looked at the glass in Reanna's hand pointedly and Reanna sighed, knowing she would get no further information from her maid unless she complied and drank the water.

" And what did this letter say?" Reanna enquired as she handed Edwina the empty glass.

" It said that the headaches and dizziness that you experienced in the morning, the ones that made you miss the morning meal, had worsened and you humbly ask the King's permission to retire to your chamber for the rest of the week until King Sebastian arrives on Friday. With the hope that the rest and quiet prayer found in the solitude of your chamber will help you recover from whatever ails you. As it is your deepest wish that you greet King Sebastian with enthusiasm, warmth, and looking your best on his arrival so you can obediently charm him into a union." Edwina replied as Reanna sighed a breath of relief at hearing her maids wonderfully written letter that no doubt would please her brother greatly.

" The letter was a wonderfully written piece of fiction Edwina... you missed your true calling you should have been a storyteller." Reanna jested her anxiousness gone thanks to her maid's cleverness.  " The letter spun an excellent tale that no doubt appealed to my Brothers vanity in believing his ability to control me and my eagerness to please him. Thank you for your quick thinking ...and for taking care of me, I am very lucky to have you..." Reanna said as her eyes began to flutter shut and her body sank deeper into the comfort of the bed as the sleeping draft Edwina had mixed into the first glass of water began to take effect.

" Yes you are...but it is my job to take care of you dear and I shall always do so..." Edwina replied as she stroked Reanna's hair and hummed her a song to lull her to sleep, just like she used to do when she was a child. 

Reanna drifted off into a deep sleep and once she was fully asleep Edwina gently and efficiently replied the healing salve to the wound on her charges back and redid her bandages before she quietly left the room. Leaving Reanna to blissfully dream of the handsome stranger who stole her first kiss, unaware that he and King Sebastian were both on route to claim her...but which devil would claim her first?