‘How are you feeling, Ponderosa?’ Mȧthair asked when she woke from her nap.

‘Better,’ she replied. ‘Have you been waiting long?’

‘Not at all,’ she replied. ‘Kelton will be in shortly with Nathaniel, so rest until then.’

‘Alright.’

True to her words, only a few minutes passed before Prince Kelton entered the room with a fussy Nathaniel. Ponderosa got up then to clean him up and feed him again. Once he was content and sleeping again, Ponderosa handed him back to Prince Kelton.

‘Is it alright to have a little more time to myself?’ she asked.

“Yes,” Prince Kelton said. “Let us know if you need anything.”

Ponderosa nodded her thanks then left the room to explore the castle. It was much smaller than Greywolf Castle, but that helped Ponderosa not get lost in all the halls. She found several more bedrooms before she came across a study. The books were many and did not look as if they had been moved for some time. She looked into the drawers that were at waist height under the bookcases and found ink, quills, and a plentiful stack of paper. Another drawer held measuring tools and maps. She scanned the titles of the books, and saw a handful that sounded like it might be an interesting read. She drew her finger over a couple more book titles that drew her attention. She wasn’t sure if she would have the opportunity to read all of them, but even to be able to read a few of them would be nice.

Mȧthair chuckled in her head, ‘So bring a couple back to your room.’

‘Can I?’

‘Yes.’

Ponderosa grabbed two books about plants then she turned to explore more of the castle.

While she was making her way down the hall, she saw several servants whispering and making subtle gestures in the direction of Their Majesties’ chambers. They seemed unaware of her presence until she was almost past them. Even as she walked by, she didn’t understand what they were saying and their motions didn’t seem indicative of anything specific, but she still had the feeling that something was off. Ponderosa continued her walk, though remaining wary. She paused beside one of the windows when she saw Prince Kelton’s knights sparring out in the snow. They had found a place sheltered from the wind to practice in, but once the wind changed direction and allowed the storm to break, they wouldn’t be out there for much longer.

Sir Hamnet turned and saw her standing beside the window. He came inside, and practically ran to where she was.

“Is something the matter, Ponderosa?” he asked.

She shook her head then turned away.

Sir Hamnet followed. “I hope you have changed your mind in regards to being rewarded for caring for Lady Iredys, and now Prince Nathaniel.”

Ponderosa shook her head.

“Why not,” he insisted. “Prince Kelton would be more than….”

Ponderosa held up her hand to get him to stop. She took a step back then turned to walk away.

“Would you at least take a turn with me after the evening meal, Ponderosa? Provided Prince Kelton approves,” Sir Hamnet said, before she could go too far. “I would very much like the opportunity to get to know more about you.”

She turned to him once more.

He had relaxed his stance, but there was something about his attentiveness that made her want to avoid him.

Ponderosa turned away without an answer. She walked down several halls to reach the stairs that would lead to her room. She took each step without seeing the stones in front of her. Why would Sir Hamnet want to get to know her? And how did he expect her to answer while they walked since she couldn’t speak? Ponderosa’s next step slipped. She cried out as she dropped the books and fell forward onto her arms and knees, but her motion didn’t stop. Her foot caught on her dress, causing her to slip, and sent her tumbling down the stairs. She did her best to protect her head, but nothing could be done to protect her elbows, shoulders, knees, or back.

Her back smacked the stone floor at the bottom of the stairs. The air was forced from her lungs. She hit the back of her head on something a little softer than stone, but it still made her vision turn white. She struggled to get her next breath in. Clanking footsteps approached her location. Sir Hamnet was coming. Her heart rate increased. She started to roll over, hoping to deter him. She moaned then tried again to take a breath, but her lungs refused to expand. She couldn’t pass out. She needed to catch her breath so she could escape!

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‘Exhale, Ponderosa,’ Mȧthair’ calm voice said.

She exhaled.

‘More,’ Mȧthair instructed before she could try inhaling again.

Ponderosa forced a little more air from her burning lungs. When she could exhale no more, Ponderosa tried again to breathe in. She succeeded this time and coughed. She coughed hard, which aggravated the places where the stairs had caught her.

‘Thank you, My Lady,’ Ponderosa thought before darkness conquered her consciousness.

She woke slightly to the feel of weight being placed on her right thigh.

‘It’s just me,’ she heard Mȧthair say.

‘Alone?’

‘Not entirely. Prince Kelton and Sir Hamnet are discussing their next steps.’

Ponderosa nodded slightly then lifted her hand to stroke Mȧthair’s head. ‘How... did I get here?’

‘Sir Hamnet brought….’

She opened her eyes wide. Her hand came up to where her necklace rested under her dress.

‘It’s alright, Ponderosa,’ Mȧthair soothed. ‘He didn’t see anything.’

Ponderosa nodded and took a deeper breath. Her eyes fluttered closed and she returned to sleep.

‘Mȧthair?’ Ponderosa asked as she came to.

She heard the shifting of fabric before Prince Kelton, Nathaniel, and Mȧthair walked into her line of sight.

‘Prince Kelton. I’m….’

He gently waved her words away. “This was not your fault. We’re just glad you were not hurt more than you were.”

She nodded slowly then looked down, feeling even more troubled by the things she had seen, and now experienced, here in the castle.

‘I am sorry I was not able to warn you about the stairs sooner,’ Mȧthair whined.

Ponderosa shook her head. ‘Better to not rouse any more suspicion about magic than might have been raised already.’

Mȧthair nuzzled her head against Ponderosa’s leg before Prince Kelton pet it. “Is there anything we can bring you to ease your pain, Ponderosa?”

‘Not that I can think of right now. …Your Majesties have been more than generous with me.’

He nodded. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as the rattling of the window increased. “Guess that means the storm is finally here,” he said.

‘Yes,’ Mȧthair responded.

Prince Kelton stroked Mȧthair’s back. “I hope I don’t come across as insensitive by asking Ponderosa, but has Sir Hamnet harmed you in any way?”

Her brow furrowed. ‘Not that I recall, Prince Kelton. I... I don’t know what about him puts me on edge. I.... When I look at him, there is something familiar about him. And that familiar... feels dangerous. I just....’ Ponderosa shook her head. ‘I wish I knew what it was.’

Prince Kelton nodded. “You should know that he and Sir Droyn are standing guard.”

She nodded.

Mȧthair set one of her paws over her hand. ‘Unless it is important, he won’t be coming in.’

‘Okay.’

‘Try to rest.’

Ponderosa nodded then closed her eyes.

She didn’t sleep well. Different types of dreams related to Sir Hamnet tormented her. Her mind focused on his eyes in a good majority of her dreams. She woke with a gasp then groaned when the expansion of her lungs aggravated her bruised ribs. Mȧthair shifted on the bed beside her and Nathaniel’s screaming pierced her ears. A lamp remained dimly lit on the bedside table. She moaned then struggled to push herself up so Nathaniel could nurse.

‘What else do you need, Ponderosa?” Mȧthair asked.

‘My writing kit.’

‘I’ll get it.’

Ponderosa nodded. She tried to take a deeper breath as Mȧthair left the bed to grab the satchel holding her writing kit. Although Ponderosa winced and gasped as she moved and breathed, she was glad she hadn’t broken anything. She did her best to breathe slowly to keep the pain to a minimum and focus on the distraction Nathaniel provided as he suckled. When he was finished, Ponderosa became more aware of how much pain she was in, as she lay him back on the bed to sleep. More sleep sounded good to her, too, but she needed to figure out what her dreams about Sir Hamnet meant.

So, with trembling hands, she pulled out and opened her kit. Picking up one of her last few sheets of paper, her quill, and her ink, she prepared to draw. Mȧthair used her magic to turn the lamp up a little to give her more light to work by.

‘Thank you, Mȧthair,’ Pondera winced.

‘You are most welcome, Ponderosa. Is there anything in your bags that might help alleviate your discomfort?’

‘Maybe,’ she replied, distractedly. ‘I....’

She uncapped her ink and dipped the tip of her quill in it. She needed to draw Sir Hamnet’s face, figure out what it was about his studious eyes that unnerved her this much.

Mȧthair left her to work. The soft clink of glass barely reached Ponderosa’s ears as she drew a rough outline of his face, his eyebrows, the location of his eyes, nose, and lips before Mȧthair stopped her long enough to swallow some white willow bark tincture. The alcohol burned her throat and the pain relieving properties left a slightly numb feeling in her mouth. She accepted a little water to help wash it down then dipped her quill in the ink once more.

Ponderosa gave several of her general placement lines a little more definition before her breath started to deepen as the herbs kicked in, causing her eyelids to droop. The quill stopped moving and she tipped her head back. She fought to open her eyes again, but she was feeling so comfortable it wasn’t long before her mind plunged her back into sleep. A sleep so deep she didn’t dream.

When she woke to Nathaniel’s cries after several hours of sleep, she was glad to see that the young Prince, and her writing kit, were no worse for wear, despite her current resting position. Ponderosa moaned as she shifted. The herbs had worn off, but she needed to feed Nathaniel and hope she had enough energy to draw some more.