Kris Kringle

Princess Eva sat in the open window of her chambers that night, gazing out at the huge expanse of trees that made up the forest to the south of the kingdom. It was through that forest that her father had just traveled earlier that morning on his way to the South Kingdom. He had not explained to her his reasons for traveling to that neighboring kingdom, but as was customary for all his long journeys, he brought with him a dozen guardsmen for protection, a horse-driver and carriage for transportation, a scribe for record-keeping, and a priest for religious authority and advice. She often felt an emptiness when her father would go on these long trips. She grew increasingly nervous about her brother and his thirst for power. Seeing him as the de-facto king when father was gone reminded her of the inevitable future day when Renier would indeed be king, and that thought frightened her more than anything.

As she sat there in the window, she thought about the man she had met the day before in the marketplace. She prayed he had been true to his word and delivered her message to Rudy. She worried that the information she had shared was not detailed enough, but she also knew of the great danger that came from sharing too much of what she knew and saw from within the castle. The Shepherds would figure out the meaning of what she had written, she told herself. She had done her part and now had to trust that they would do theirs.

An urgent knock at the door pulled Eva away from her thoughts and away from her window. She quickly made her way to the door, throwing on a lavender-colored robe to cover herself along the way. When she answered the door, she was surprised to see Margaret, her lady-in-waiting, standing at the door. She was a young, shorter woman with a heavy-set frame. Her eyes, which usually sparkled, were at this moment filled with tears that trailed down her round cheeks.

“Margaret, what’s wrong?” Eva asked in surprise.

Margaret took a few heavy breaths, trying to calm herself enough to answer the princess.

“It’s your father,” came the reply, and Eva’s heart immediately sank into her stomach.

“What about him?” Eva asked, her voice already starting to match the emotion on Margaret’s face. It was clear, after all, that whatever news her lady-in-waiting was bringing her would not be easy to hear.

“We just received word that he and his men were attacked while traveling through the forest today,” Margaret explained, starting to gain a little more composure, “Only one of your father’s guardsmen made it back to relay the incident, though he himself is also badly injured. According to him, they were attacked without warning from a terrible beast that flew down from the sky.”

At that moment, Prince Renier came running down the hallway to Eva’s chamber door.

“We already have a search party out to see if there are any more survivors in the forest,” he informed his sister in a rushed voice, “Though it is unlikely they will find anything until the morning’s light.”

Eva was overcome by all the information that was suddenly being thrown at her.

“The guard who survived,” Eva inquired, “Does he think Father is still alive?”

Margaret looked at Renier who looked back at her. “He doesn’t know,” the prince answered, “He says it was all a terrible blur. We’re hoping he can remember more once his mind and body can rest and the medicine relieves his pain.”

“Margaret, see that I am summoned the moment he wakes up. I wish to hear everything he has to say,” Eva ordered. Margaret nodded a confirmation and began to make her way back down the hallway, wiping the half-dried tears from her cheeks.

Eva looked at her brother with a stern face. “I will not rest until Father is found,” she told him simply.

“Nor will I,” Renier agreed, “Like I said, I have sent a search party—“

“Of which you are not a part,” Eva interrupted, “Our father may be dead or dying in the woods, and you cannot bring yourself to mount a horse and find him? You send someone else to do it?”

Renier’s eyes flashed with rage. “You do not get to judge me, Eva,” he replied coldly, “I have done the best I can do in this situation. I have sent forth men that are far better at tracking than I. My presence—though it may seem necessary to you—would help them in no way. And who knows if the same danger that befell Father would befall me too! What good would a dead king and then a dead prince do for Silverbell?”

Eva, without consciously willing it, felt her hand strike against her brother’s right cheek in a stinging slap.

“How dare you continue to think only of yourself at a time like this,” she said in detest.

Renier raised his hand to his injured cheek, and Eva was surprised to see that his hand was also injured. It was wrapped heavily in white cotton bandages, some of which were stained with the blood it had helped contain.

“What happened to your hand?” Eva asked, feeling somewhat remorseful now for slapping her brother.

Renier shook his head. “Sorry, Eva,” he said softly, “You cannot insult me, slap me, assume the worst of me, and then act as though you are concerned for me.”

He walked back down the hallway, leaving Eva—now filled with a multitude of emotions—standing alone at her doorway.

“What does it mean?” Kris asked aloud as he re-read the note to himself.

“None of us know,” Paul replied, “The princess had told me privately (and very briefly) that we should have someone waiting outside the church yesterday for her to deliver a special message to.”

“Why didn’t she just give the message to you inside the castle?” Jack asked simply.

“Far too risky,” Paul explained, “Granted, Princess Eva traveling outside the castle by herself is not exactly the most safe option either, but if anyone—anyone—were to see the princess hand me anything, it would be disastrous for her, for me, and for each of us. Renier has eyes and ears everywhere inside that castle. If he suspected anything, I shudder to think what might happen.”

“I understand,” Jack said, “But if he is as observant as you say, there is no guarantee Renier is not aware of her venturing outside the castle either.”

“True,” Rudy chimed in, “I am constantly paranoid about the idea that Renier knows far more about the existence of our organization and our collaboration with the princess than we realize. But such fear does no one any good. We must continue on as though Renier knows nothing, and do our utmost to ensure it stays that way.”

Kris crossed his arms and rubbed his chin with his thumb. “Who was supposed to meet the princess yesterday?” he asked thoughtfully.

Rudy looked around the stable with a sad face. “That’s part of the reason we are meeting tonight,” he replied, “We had assigned Calvin to retrieve the message that day. He was supposed to be waiting for the princess outside the church where you found her. But obviously, he never showed.”

Kris looked around the circle. “I’m taking he is not here tonight either, then.”

Rudy nodded. “We don’t know why he wasn’t there. His house is empty, and his neighbors have not seen him.”

Jack stared at the floor and shook his head. “That’s concerning,” he said softly, “Especially when you’re trying to convince yourself that the prince knows nothing.”

“It’s also concerning that our brother may be in great danger,” the thin man who had greeted them shot back, angry at the remark made so casually by Jack.

Rudy sighed. “We best call it a night, boys. Kris, do you remember what I told you about how we signal to each other that another meeting is going to be held?”

“When the Shepherd I have been assigned to says, ‘Peace to you’, I respond with the phrase, ‘Goodwill to all’,” Kris replied with perfect remembrance, “I then do the same with the Shepherd assigned to me.”

Rudy smiled. “Exactly so. Until Calvin returns, we will have you take his place in the circle. I will therefore be the one assigned to you, and you will be assigned to your employer, Mr. Elpert. Should make it easy. And Jack…”

Jack shook his head. “No need,” he objected, “You have my word that I will not reveal anything I have heard here tonight, but I myself am not ready to commit to being a Shepherd.”

“What makes you think we wanted you?” Rudy replied playfully.

Jack smiled. “I do consider myself a well-read man. I will help where I can in deciphering the princess’ message. I’ll let Kris know if I find anything.”

“Speaking of which…,” Kris said, handing back the note to Rudy.

Rudy shook his head. “Keep it. You and Jack find out its meaning. That’s what we need from you right now. Let us know.”

Rudy adjourned the meeting, and after the Shepherds said their farewells to each other, they each left the stable at intervals so as to prevent the kind of attention that a group of men traveling at night was sure to create. Kris and Jack were the last to leave, standing at the stable’s entryway as they watched Mr. Elpert walk away.

“Read it to me again,” Jack requested.

Kris held Princess Eva’s note under the only lantern that hadn’t been put out after the meeting:

“I overheard him telling another in private that he had learned nothing more about where to find it, only that he had found this phrase written down in the Royal Record Book: The knowledge of Percy’s Parchment dies with the king.”