Mary's Path

Several hours later, the kitchen staff sat at the tables and ate their dinner. Mary avoided the bread and fruit because her lip protested as soon as something made contact with it.

Suddenly the door opened, and a boy came into the room. He quickly approached Mrs. Karrots and handed a note to her. Everyone’s eyes were on her while she read it, everyone knew that a note coming to the kitchen meant the court had made changes to the menu.

Everyone wanted to know how big the changes were and for what day. Mrs. Karrots looked up and asked for silence even though it was dead-quiet in the dining room.

“My friends, I have to ask you to take your dinner quickly today. It looks like we’re going to have to work late tonight. The King will be expecting guests for lunch tomorrow. The Lady and her entourage will arrive at the castle tomorrow morning.”

She was interrupted by surprised exclamations, and everyone started talking at the same time. Everyone except Mary, who just sat there, looking straight ahead.

“My friends!” Mrs. Karrot’s words were heard over all the voices, and the room fell silent again. “Let’s eat. In 20 minutes, I expect everyone to be ready to start working again.”

The people around Mary began to eat quickly, but she herself could not get another piece down. Perhaps at least she could catch a glimpse of the Lady or Kopa. If they stayed until Wednesday, she might be able to sneak into the castle on her day off. The thought made her feel better than she had in a long time.

---

The spring sun was shining through the windows of the carriage. Tariana sat and watched the landscape sweeping past outside.

But her thoughts were far ahead of them, in the castle where they were heading. Her thoughts, as so many times over the years, were with the little redhead girl.

She was finally going to see Mary again. It had been difficult to separate from her all those years ago, more than once had she regretted her decision and been on the verge of sending for the girl.

But now she would get to meet her again, and she would get to know everything that happened to Mary during this time. Did she have a fiancé or was she maybe already married?

Tariana quickly did the math in her head, Mary would be seventeen, almost eighteen, by now. That was about the age young women started getting married.

Tariana knew that Kopa also was excited to see Mary again. He didn’t say anything, he rarely talked about his feelings. But he had been impatient and restless for the past few days, which was unlike him. He had nearly thrown a punch at Nihal when he had suggested they take it slow and delay their arrival by a day.

She didn’t think Kopa truly had forgiven her for leaving Mary behind. But now he would see that it was for the best. Soon, she thought.

---

In the castle there was nonstop activity. The kitchen seemed more chaotic than usual, and Mary worked as efficiently as she could.

They had two new kitchen maids that had not yet learned the importance of keeping the water in the barrels full. When Mary went to fetch water from the barrel, it was empty. She turned to Mrs. Karrots.

“I’m getting water,” she shouted, getting an irritated nod back. Marry knew the cook wasn’t irritated by her, but by the kitchen maids that had failed in their duties.

Mary walked with trained steps through the chaos and out towards the well. She took a bucket from the stack and started hiving up water.

“I thought you’d stopped doing that.” The voice almost made her lose the grip on the rope. Zerden came walking in a parade uniform, he was so handsome that her heart fastened its pace.

“Substandard helpers,” she said, continuing to pull up the bucket. He pushed her aside and heaved up two buckets of water for her.

“Thank you,” she said.

“It doesn’t look too bad” he said with a nod to her cheek and lip.

“No, it doesn’t feel too bad either,” she said, smiling gently, not to open up the lip again. “You look handsome today.”

“Thank you. Our squad will be on display in the castle courtyard when the Lady arrives,” he told her.

“You can tell me everything when we have time. Now I need to go and do what I’m actually supposed to do” she said, grabbing the water buckets and starting to walk toward the kitchen.

Funny, she thought. This is where it all started, with Zerden, and water buckets.

---

Tariana could see the city approaching. This time they arrived in broad daylight, she thought. As they approached the city, the road began to line with people cheering and asking for help.

Tariana looked out over the people and wished she could help each and every one of them. It wasn’t long before the wagon drove through the big gate leading into the city. Here, too, the road was lined with people.

There was something familiar about this, Tariana thought. She almost expected to hear a dull thud from the ceiling. But this time the journey went through the city without interruption, and the grey riders and carriage poured into the castle courtyard where the court was waiting to welcome the Lady.

---

Kopa opened the carriage door and held out his hand to help Tariana out. He tried not to look along the line of people standing, waiting to greet her. But unwittingly, he was looking for someone with red hair.

The Lady got out of the carriage, followed by her aari and Kopa took his position at her right side. He stood beside her through the tedious presentations of the royal family, advisers, and other influential people.

He saw that Tariana was as impatient as he was. When would they come to Mary? Then the king turned to the Lady.

“Maybe we should go inside so you can rest from the trip your grace” he said.

“Your Highness, have you forgotten anyone?” asked Tariana. The king looked at her blankly.

“Who would that be?” he asked. Kopa exchanged a look with Tariana.

“Mary, your Highness, the young girl I left in your care the last time we were here.”

The king seemed to be trying to make an effort to make remember. Kopa was getting worried.

“I can’t remember any such person,” the king finally said. A tense silence lay over those gathered. The castellan, standing a short distance away, drew closer to the king and whispered something to him.

“Ah. Yes, yes, that’s good then” said the king, nodding. “The girl is safe and well according to my dear castellan. Kopa breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Where is she?” asked Tariana.

“She’s apparently working in the kitchen,” the king said contently.

“She is doing what?” asked Tariana, and there had been a sharpness in her voice. “I left her in your care and now I find out she works in the kitchen?”

Kopa felt the blood boiling in him, he saw in front of him the image of a lonely and vulnerable girl.

“Hm, yes, very unfortunate. There must have been a misunderstanding of some kind” the king said.

“Who can bring me to her?” asked Tariana.

“To the kitchen your grace?” said the king in amazement.

“Yes, to the place where the girl is right now.”

The king looked questioningly at the castellan.

“Please come with me your grace” said the castellan and started making his way through the crowd.

Tariana spoke quietly with Leana and Mildy before following him. Kopa stayed close behind her with his jaws bitten tight, he looked more fearsome than usual, and the people gathered quickly dispersed to let the trio through.