Introduction
Laughter and cries of joy rose up from the large castle garden, where roses bloomed and where the air was heavy with the sweet scent of lilies. A small, red-haired girl with freckles on her nose, laughing heartily, chased by a boy with dark hair and dark eyes, trying to catch up with her. The girl reached the blankets on the grass near the water, and breathlessly dropped herself on them, still laughing. The boy sat next to her and smiled as he looked at her happy face. He was older than her, but nontheless they played together. Nathan, Nathan! the girl cried out when he started to tickle her. Mercy? the boy's eyes asked her cheekily. And eventually she surrendered. The boy let her go and she jumped up, running away from him. The boy saw her look back with a smile on her face, daring him to follow her. He grinned, and got up again, stretching his legs once more.
Chapter One
The castle seemed to be deserted. No light that sprang from torches, fireplaces or candles. No guards at the gate. The young man who was walking up to the castle, felt exposed and uncertain. Although there didn't seem to be anyone in the fortress, it could always be a trap and there was nowhere to hide. The castle was built on a large island in the river, and all around it was open field. Not a good place to do battle, the young man thought. He was tall and broad, with dark hair and eyes. Although he was still young, his face looked like it had seen much. Too much. Under the scar that ran from his neck over his right cheek and his right eye to his forehead, he was handsome. He wore traditional English armor, a long sword dangling from a belt next to his left leg. The man's name was James of Nottingham.
Then there was a girl. The castle wasn't deserted after all. She was sitting in a window on one of the top floors, and had been reading a book when she spotted the rider. She had seen him tie his horse to a tree before starting to cross the field, and wondered if the guards planned to kill him. She doubted it. It was only one man, in the armor of an Englishman. What harm could he do? He was probably just a messenger. The girl was the daughter of the Earl of Suffolk, and was named Magdalena Irena Marìa, after her mother, who had long passed away. She was not of age officially yet. She looked mighty like her mother, with deep red, long curls, bright blue eyes and a skin as soft and white as white roses. Everyone who came to know her better, learned that a rose has thorns. Madja now left the window, and was about to go to bed when someone knocked on the door. She called to come in, and her father opened the door. Charles of Suffolk. Earl and knight of the king. He looked oddly human when he walked in to Madja's room.
'Still out of bed at this hour?' he asked. 'No, don't answer that,' he added when he saw Madja was about to say something. 'We have a visitor. A young knight from Nottingham, son of the Earl of Nottingham. He has requested an audience with me.'
Madja looked at her father with a hint of sarcasm.
'So... why do you tell me about it in the middle of the night? Couldn't it have waited 'till morning?'
The Earl's eyes pierced throught those of his daughter's. 'No, it couldn't. I wanted you to know this before breakfast, so you wouldn't appear at breakfast looking like a maid returning from getting milk in town. Am I understood, Magdalena?'
Madja's eyes were burning. 'Yes, father. You have made yourself very clear.'
'Good. Now go to bed.'
With that, he turned around and walked out. Madja raised her fist at the closing door, and decided to go to bed.
That morning Madja stood up early. At five o'clock the sun hadn't even risen yet. Quickly, she called her maid and had her corset done. Then she picked out her old dress and shoes, platted her hair and ran down on the stone stairs with her sketching book under her arm and her coalsticks in her hand. She said goodmorning to the half sleeping guards on duty, who watched her as she ran over the field towards the woods and, probably, the river. Madja felt herself awaken as she sprinted on the field. The moring air was bitterly fresh, fog was making the world a blur of green and white and the sky seemed blue. It was going to be a beautiful day. When Madja arrived at the river, she went back to her old spot: a large rock hanging over the river. There she sat down, and continued drawing what she had been drawing for the last couple of days: the falls. She wasn't satisfied easily, and kept on drawing until she had the feeling it was good enough. So there Madja sat again, the only sounds around her being that of water collapsing on rock and birds singing happily in the early morning.
After a while Madja looked up. The sun had risen already, and by looking at it, Madja decided that she was to return to the castle. It was around 8 o'clock, and breakfast started at nine. Slower this time, Madja walked back to the castle. The sun felt warm, there was no breeze today. She greeted the guards and some of the people that were now also walking in the fortress. Maids, cooks, farmers, craftsmen... the courtyard of the fortress held all sorts of shops, and every morning a stream of craftsmen, business people and maids walked in. Madja was let in by the guards in the privet parts of the castle. She took off her shoes and ran in the hall towards the stairs, to change into proper clothes. She was not careful. Madja collided with a young man who had just reached the bottom of the stairs, and she had run into him at full speed. Because of the impact, Madja fell on the ground, but stood up immediately, ignoring the hand the man offered her.
'I am awfully sorry, sir. Please do forgive me,' she said, looking up straight in to his eyes. Kind eyes, in a handsome face that was disgraced by a large scar running from his forehead to his cheek. The man smiled and shook his head.
'It is my fault, milady, I should have taken more care. After all, I am just a visitor.' Madja saw his eyes scan her body, stopping for a moment at her bare feet and wet dress. The hem was covered in mud. She wasn't looking like what a daughter of blue blood should look like at all. Locks of hair had been set free by the run Madja took, and were now dangling around her face. She had red cheeks and a dress that could have been a Sunday's dress for a maid. Madja felt caged when he scanned her like that.
'Something bothering you, sir?' she asked, directly referring to her appearance. The man smiled, and said: 'Nothing at all, milady. I was simply wishing I had been out of my bed early enough, so I could have walked with you.' Madja stared at him. He smiled again. Then Madja spun round and ran up the stairs with three steps at once. 'Claudia!' she called when she reached her room. She quickly closed the door and said to her maid Claudia, who was just walking in, that she had to prepare a bath very quickly. In the mean time, Madja went to her closet and picked out a dress suitable for breakfast. It was a simple, but obviously expensive, green dress with half length sleeves and golden thread in the seams. She quickly went to the bathroom and saw that Claudia was almost finished. The water had been boiling already when Madja came in, and all her maid had to do was throw in a few baskets of cold water. Claudia washed Madja's hair while Madja washed her body, and reached her a towel when they were done. Madja very much liked Claudia. They had a lot of fun together. Claudia fixed Madja's corset and helped her in her clothes. Then she platted Madja's hair and put it up, winding it around her head and holding it tight with a pin. Madja thanked her and put on some shoes, just before she sprinted down the stairs again. She was late. As usual.
'Ah, Magdalena,' the Earl said with a slightly angry look in his eyes. 'There you are. Sit down, I have reserved a place for you next to James. He is the son of the Earl of Nottingham.' Madja nodded politely at him, while he stood up and bowed. 'An honour, miss,' he said. Madja figured that he hadn't told her father about their little rendez-vous a minute ago. She blushed, and sat down.
Breakfast was very boring, like it always was. The men were talking about business, lands, cattle, hunts and whom was marrying whom these days. When breakfast was over, Madja asked permission to go riding. Her father looked worried. 'You know I don't want you to go out on your own, Magdalena. I want a bodyguard or a maid with you always. So the answer is no.' Madja was annoyed by this, but she didn't say anything. She stood up and was about to walk out of the room, when she heard the young man say:
'Sir, would you allow me to accompany the lady? I assure you, I am as good a bodyguard as the soldiers in your army, and if she wants me to I can carry her affects.'
Madja spun, and tried to force her father with her eyes to say no. However, her father had already made his decision, and answered:
'Very fine idea, James, very fine idea indeed. Please do take my daughter for a ride, she hasn't been out in the woods for so long. A little fresh air should do her good.'
Madja turned on the spot before James could say anything, and ran back up her room again. She was furious. Why wouldn't her father let her do anything on her own? It was not like she was still a baby who needed protection in every way. And because he had set her up with that Earl-to-be, there was no going back. He was not some guard she could discard. Madja sighed, and put on her riding dress. It was the same color as her hair, deep red. Checking her appearance in the mirror quickly, she went downstairs and directly to the stables. There she found the Earlson, and made a hasty curtsey before saddling her horse. To her dislike, Ruth, her mare, was already half saddled. She dismissed the stableboy and continued the work herself.
'May I help you with that, milady?' she heard a warm voice above her as she strangled with the belly strap. Ruth made a habit of swelling up on purposely when Madja tied that, so the saddle would slide to the side when she ascended. Madja shook her head without looking up, and instead pinched her mare in the chest. Immediately, Ruth let all the air in her lungs escape and before she could blow up again Madja tightened the belt. Gotcha. She raised herself up and patted Ruth on her neck. Implying with her eyes that the nobleman should step aside, she pulled her mare with her by the reins and ascended without taking the helping hand of James that was now standing beside her.
'You better get yourself ready, sir. I am not the most patient of persons,' Madja said with the sweetest possible smile on her face. The nobleman's face remained stoic as he, too, ascended his horse. Madja gave Ruth the signs and sprinted out of the stables, everybody dashing aside at her comethrough. James followed with less speed and terror, watching Madja disappear through the gates and onto the open field.
Meanwhile, Madja grinned to herself. He'd never be able to catch up with her anymore, Ruth was quick, agile, and her lead on him was now already too large. Out of breath, Madja and Ruth reached the edges of the forest and, taking care to take only the leaf-littered paths so that Ruth would not leave any footprints, Madja sent her directly to the falls again. Sucking up the fresh air scenting of water and leafs, she descended and once again took her sketching book and coalsticks.
[OOc: Comments welcome ^^
Found this in an abandoned folder in my documents, would like to know what you think about it now that I've made some minor adjustments...]
