Chapter 2

Elizabeth sat silently in the small kitchen, hands in her lap and head bowed as she listened to the man softly talking upstairs. A simple prayer drifted down the stairs, catching Elizabeth's ear as she softly prayed along with the voice. Outside, the snow had started to fall again, heavily this time over the fields. The drifts were getting bigger than Elizabeth had ever seen, something odd considering that it never snowed much around the area.

Her father had taken a turn for the worse over the past few days, coughing continuously, soaking cloth after cloth in red blood. Elizabeth had watched helplessly, not knowing what to do for him and yet knowing that she should be helping him. She tried her best to nurse him, but it was when the first of her coughs started that she got scared and had to force herself to tend to his needs.

It made her feel awful, a failure as a daughter because she couldn't stand to be around him, so scared that she would get the sickness and die before Richard came back. She remembered leaning against the wall outside his small bedroom as he cried out her name, silent tears running down her cheeks at the helpless situation. She had finally run to town in the driving snow and begged the priest to come straightaway after the coughing had subsided and her father no longer responded to her.

The sound of boots on the stairs made her look over at the small staircase, her thoughts suddenly interrupted. The priest had his head bowed, eyes lowered to the ground as he made his way into the kitchen. He looked up at her, his blue eyes stony, betraying no emotions. Clearing his throat, he absently pulled at the collar of his shirt, as if it were too hot in the tiny kitchen.

"I'll send someone to tend to the body." He stated gently, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything that I can do for you, my child?"

Elizabeth sat still, numbed at the news that her father was gone. Her face paled as she tugged at the fabric of her favorite blue dress, wringing it tightly in her hands as she tried to keep her emotions at bay. She sniffled slightly, suppressing a small cough from deep in her chest as she took a deep breath. "Unless you can convince the Duke to let me stay..." She trailed off as she looked at his face, his eyes suddenly filled with sorrow. "No. There's nothing you can do for me."

The next few days were filled with people coming and going from the house. Ladies helping her to clean the body and the men toiling with the frozen ground so that he could be buried next to her mother and brother. A short funeral service and Elizabeth suddenly found herself alone. So alone that it made her chest hurt with pain of a new kind: abandonment. The sky was dark as the last person left, heading home for the night. Elizabeth sat at the kitchen table, sobbing into her arms. They were cries of despair, sounding throughout the house and echoing through the windows out into the dark night.

"Richard, where are you?" She asked the empty space, sobs shaking her whole body. "Please come back to me." She whispered, trying to remember what he looked like, but she was frightened to admit that his image had faded in her mind.

Out of nowhere, a wracking cough shook her frail body, the pain in her chest growing so great she thought it was her end. She coughed for minutes on end, tears streaming down her face as she tried to calm down. A few deep breaths had her back to normal, the sight of blood in her hand making it tremble slightly with fear. It was only a speck, but that was all it took to seal her fate. Closing her hands tightly into fists, she pounded them on the wooden table, her forehead falling down on the rough wooden planks as she sobbed her heart out.

Slowly, she wore herself out, falling asleep at the table, the snow continuing to fall outside. She dreamed of Richard, of dancing with him at the May Day festival in town. That was where he had told her he loved her and he wanted to live the rest of his life with her. He would build her a huge house and they would fill it with children. Even King Richard himself would be envious of the two as they started their lives with all those riches.

Elizabeth smiled in her sleep, feeling someone brush her hair away from her face and caress her cheek. Their touch was ice cold, as if they had just walked in from outside.

"Richard?" She whispered, opening her eyes in the darkness, a small cough shaking her body, her chest tightening in pain as she gasp for air.

"And who is this Richard?"

Elizabeth gasped and sat upright, staring at the man whom she had talked to on the road. The light from the hearth cast an eerie glow about him, his skin seeming even paler. For some reason, his dark eyes cast fear into her heart and Elizabeth suddenly felt the urge to run. Before she could get up, a fit of coughing doubled her over, her grip painfully tight on the table as she tried to stop the pain.

"Well? Who is Richard?" The man asked again, taking a seat next to Elizabeth, a smile on his face as he reached out a hand and smoothed back her hair. His touch was soothing and cool as she sat back up, her breath ragged and her cheeks flushed with heat.

"My betrothed."

"Ah. The man who will be lucky enough to wake up each morning and see this princess next to him." He said, cupping her chin and examining her face in the light.

"I don't even know your name." Elizabeth murmured, losing herself in his dark gaze, everything fading away as she felt adrift in a sea of black.

"Lothie." He answered simply, running his hand down to grip her throat, feeling her gulp slightly in her nervousness.

Lothie looked at her, his eyes questioning as the smile fell from his face. He could sense her fear and her sadness. It was so overpowering that he had never felt this way before. The spot of blood on her lip made him freeze, his gaze locked on the ruby speck. He knew exactly what it meant and it explained the way she was wheezing slightly and the paleness of her skin with the slight yellow tint that his sharp vision could detect.

"That's an unusual name." Elizabeth whispered.

"Yes, it is. So, tell me, princess, where is this betrothed of yours?"

"He went off to battle. He sent a letter at Christmas last year and then nothing." Elizabeth was confused to why she was sharing this information with this man. Something about his eyes made Elizabeth want to tell him everything.

"Watching that horizon, eh?" Lothie said with a smile. The statement made Elizabeth's blood run cold. She was sent into a fury, backing away from him until she hit the wall opposite the kitchen, her mind racing.

"I want you out of my house!" She shouted, trying to keep her wits about her.

"It's not your house anymore." He stated, standing up and looking into the hearth. "That's why I am here. To inform you that the Duke wants you out come spring."

Elizabeth sucked in a breath like she had been punched in the stomach and slowly sank to the floor. Lothie turned and looked at her, his manner still cool and aloof. Had he still had control over his emotions, Lothie certainly would have felt for this girl.

"You have nowhere to go, do you?" He asked, kneeling down beside her on the floor.

"No." Elizabeth choked out, sobbing harder as she looked around her tiny house, her hands wringing tightly together at the thought of having to leave all of her possessions behind.

"Come with me. Come stay with me in the manor. I'll take care of you."

"I can't." Elizabeth protested, wiping her face as she looked up into his eyes, her eyes turning a dark blue with tears. "I don't know you and Richard could come back..."

"Richard isn't coming back, my dear." Lothie stated, watching Elizabeth's face crumble. She clamped her hands over her mouth, shaking her head in protest. Her face changed from a deep red to a purple as she held her breath, trying to convince herself that the man in front of her was lying. "The other soldiers have been back for weeks. I'm not asking you to do anything but come with me to live. You know that you wouldn't last more than a few days out there, princess." He reached out to touch her shoulders, fighting the urge to hug her tight.

"Just leave me be." Elizabeth shouted, shoving his arms away from her, sobbing harder, another cough wracking her body at the exertion.

"All right, princess." Lothie said, holding up his hands in surrender before he began brushing his pants free of dirt as he stood. "I'll leave you to decide. I'll be back in two days."

As quickly as he had appeared, Lothie was gone, leaving Elizabeth sobbing on the floor. Soon, the sobs trailed off into yawns and she leaned onto her side, watching the empty house from her spot on the floor. She was cold, but she didn't care, just lying limp as she let the coughs come freely. Nothing mattered to her in this moment as she slowly resigned herself to the fact that Richard was gone. She had nothing to live for anymore; soon the cough would take her like it had her parents. She closed her eyes, shivering slightly at the thought of death, trying to imagine what it would be like and if she would see Richard there. Elizabeth curled up on the floor, pulling her legs into her body and curling her arms against her chest.

"Goodbye, Richard." She whispered finally, just before drifting off to sleep.

Two days later, Lothie found himself back at the darkened farmhouse. The sun was quickly setting but even in the dim light, he could see that no one had tended to the place in that time. There were no prints in the snow, save his and a few wild animals that braved the freezing temperatures. He wondered to himself what had happened to the girl as he opened the front door and stepped inside.

At first, he didn't see her as he searched the house, checking every room. All of her possessions were still in place in her tiny room at the top of the stairs, her cloak hung on the hook by the door. A thin layer of dust had fallen over the furniture, undisturbed. The hearth had gone cold, the air in the house chilly. Searching the house, he saw nothing and he felt disappointed that she had left.

Lothie gathered his cloak around him and started for the door, sure that he would find her in the village when a soft sigh caught his ear. It sounded like the squeaking of a mouse, but his trained ear knew it was human. It was followed swiftly by a barking cough and the sound of a labored breath. He softly shut the door, walking back through the small until he saw her. She was curled up on the floor, just where he had left her two days ago. Her face was flushed pink with fever, arms and legs trembling in the cold.

Lothie could finally see her for what she was in the dying light. She was painfully thin, no doubt cause by the hard winter that the Duke had been talking about with him last night. Her homemade blue dress was shabby and coming apart in places and her shoes were mud covered and worn from years of use. Her blonde hair, which was no doubt beautiful, was a tangled mess of curls. Her face had a smattering of freckles over her nose, showing her days out in the sun. Her skin was like porcelain though, perfectly showing the veins as they crept up her arms and neck.

"Elizabeth." He whispered, kneeling down beside her.

Elizabeth opened her eyes slightly and stared at him before closing them again. Lothie sighed and looked around the house, assessing what needed to be taken and what stayed. He would just have everything packed and shipped to his rooms at the manor; she could sort them out later. Lothie unclasped his cloak and gently wrapped her body in its warmth. She sighed, coughing gently as she opened her eyes to look at him, those deep blue eyes covered in a sleepy haze. He picked her up in his arms easily, carrying her out of the house and to his waiting horse.

"What are you doing?" She whispered sleepily as he lifted her up into the saddle.

"Giving you a future, princess." He said, vaulting onto the saddle behind her.

He wrapped one arm around her waist, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as he spurred the horse on into the night. The chill bit through the cloak, but it only took a few moments before Elizabeth drifted back into her cocoon, blissfully listening as Lothie sang a soft song as he made his way back to the manor house.

Elizabeth moved in her sleep, stretching out on the large bed. She yawned and slowly opened her eyes, smiling at the feeling of a soft, feather bed beneath her and the blessed warmth that surrounded her body. Suddenly, she sat upright, confused. Looking around the room, she saw a huge state apartment dressed in more luxury than she had seen in her entire life. Tapestries hanging on every wall, scenes done in red and blue of horses, unicorns, and other fantasy creatures. A huge canopy over the bed was done up in red, curtains on every side of the four-poster bed. With a laugh, Elizabeth flopped back against the pillows, staring up at the canopy as she tired to remember how she got here.

She burrowed back beneath the thick comforter, welcoming its warmth as she tried to go back to sleep. Elizabeth heard the door open and sat up slightly, watching as a women in a yellow silk gown walked into the room, shutting each of the curtains tight against the remaining sun that was streaming through the thick, gray clouds. The cap that the woman wore hid most of her hair, but Elizabeth caught peaks of auburn tresses as she turned around, smiling at her.

"I see you're awake." The woman said, her voice tinged with a Scottish accent.

Elizabeth could just nod, still confused by the whole situation. The woman smiled and laughed softly, her green eyes lighting up in amusement. Elizabeth couldn't help but notice how the woman's teeth poked out slightly over her lips as she smiled, giving her an almost sinister look but her eyes were soft and inviting. The overall effect was warm and welcoming, making Elizabeth feel safe.

"Lothie told me what you're doing here and I'm here to keep an eye on you. My name is Gabriella."

Elizabeth just sat, enthralled by this woman and her green eyes. Just as when she looked into Lothie's eyes, Elizabeth felt drawn in and she wished to tell her everything. Gabriella smiled again and walked over, sitting on the bed as she watched Elizabeth's face, the emotions playing across her blue eyes. From fear to confusion to acceptance, the emotions surrounding the small girl in front of her were almost intoxicating.

"Well, do you have a name, my dear?" Gabriella asked as Elizabeth stared at her.

"Elizabeth." She whispered, unable to take her eyes off Gabriella.

Gabriella sighed and raised her hand, snapping her fingers in Elizabeth's ear to get her attention. Elizabeth gasped and looked away, suddenly embarrassed. A deep blush of red spread across her cheeks, a charming attribute Gabriella thought to herself.

"I'm so sorry for being rude. I've just never seen green eyes such as yours. They're beautiful."

"Thank you, Elizabeth." Gabriella said with a smile. With a keen eye, Gabriella quickly assessed the girl in front of her. A beautiful, childlike face, flushed pink with a fever, but she would be no worse for wear after a few days of rest. The only thing that marred her beauty was the tinge of yellow her hands carried, a telltale sign of the coughing sickness lurking just beneath the surface.

I'll make sure she never feels pain. Gabriella thought to herself as she reached out a hand to brush away some strands of blonde hair that had fallen in front of Elizabeth's eyes. In a moment of nostalgia, Gabriella found herself thinking of her little boy and how this girl could feel that void in her heart. Finally, someone to be a mother to.

"Lothie would like you to join him for dinner."

"I would love to, but I have no clothing." Elizabeth stated, looking down at the white nightgown she was wearing, confused at how she came to be dressed in such a fine garment. Elizabeth knew she didn't own anything this fine.

"He's taken care of that." Gabriella said, getting up quickly and throwing open a closet across from the bed.

Inside, Elizabeth could see a wide array of the most beautiful gowns that she had ever laid eyes upon. A dress in every color, especially shades of blue. Somehow this man knew of her favorite color.

Elizabeth threw back the covers and put her feet on the cold stone floor, slowly making her way across the room. She stood in front of the closet, staring at the clothing, her mouth open in surprised shock. She hesitantly reached out a hand, running her fingers over the expensive cloth, marveling at the feeling. Elizabeth smiled, her eyes lighting up to a shade of blue-green but the joy was short lived as the smile faded, replaced by sadness as she slowly backed away. Gabriella could see the tears welling up in her eyes, a crystal blue color that clung to the girl's cheek as it slowly slid down her face.

"I can't wear any of this." She said, looking at Gabriella for a moment before looking at the ground.

"Why not, my dear?" Gabriella asked, confused by her sudden change, reaching out to offer comfort and wipe away the tear.

"The silks are too bright." Elizabeth answered simply as she walked back to the bed. She took a deep breath as she sat on the edge of the bed, tears falling down her face again. "I'm supposed to be in mourning."

"Ah, for your father. Forgive me, Elizabeth, I've forgotten." Gabriella said, touched by her sadness.

Looking back through the closet quickly, Gabriella found something that might be suitable. With a sly smile, she turned around with the gown in her hands, holding it out in front of her. "What about this one? It's dark in color, certainly appropriate from mourning."

Elizabeth looked up, taking in the gown. It was dark green velvet, almost black in appearance. At first all she could do was nod, her heart warming at the kindness of the grand woman in front of her. Finding her voice, Elizabeth took a deep breath and whispered, "That will do."

Gabriella took great care in making Elizabeth presentable, fitting the gown perfectly to her body and gently combing the tangles out of her hair. Standing in front of the mirror, Elizabeth looked over every inch of her appearance; her blonde hair plated in a simple braid down her back, the gown making her pale skin glow in the candle light. Gabriella smiled, watching her run her hands over the velvet bodice. It occurred to her that she had taken for granted the expensive clothing that she had always had, a novelty, she thought.

"Come. Lothie doesn't like to wait." Gabriella said as Elizabeth slipped on her slippers, following her out of the room and across a huge waiting room to another set of rooms.

Elizabeth gasped, staring in awe at the room. High vaulted ceiling with ornate oak carvings covering the beams. Thick tapestries hung from the walls, a red carpet covering the floor. There was a small circular table set up in the center, two over stuffed leather chairs around it and a roaring fire in the hearth. Walking towards the windows, Elizabeth could see the manor's courtyard, covered in snow with stable lads walking back and forth between the house and the stables. She reached out and placed her hand against the windowpane, feeling as the cold seeped into her skin, still trying to convince herself that this wasn't a dream.

Lothie gently opened the door, stopping beside Gabriella as he watched Elizabeth take in the scene in the courtyard.

"You're right, Lothie. She is absolutely beautiful." Gabriella whispered into his ear.

Lothie smiled, laughing softly as he took Gabriella by the arm and guided her out of the room. "Beautiful and very sad at the moment." He whispered back, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead as he started to shut the door.

"You've use that line once before, Lothie." Gabriella said with a smile as she rolled her eyes.

"And it worked, didn't it?"