Читать книгу Theopolda's Quest - Linda Wisely - Страница 11

Theo's guard dragged her through the castle and up winding stone steps with a vice-like grip on her arm. When they got to the top, she was shoved through a heavy wooden door frame which opened into a round stone-walled room. She gritted her teeth when she heard the door slam and the lock scrape as the key was turned.

Picking herself up and dusting off her dress, she began to look around. She saw that she was in a tower room high above the rest of the castle. It was a luxurious room compared to what she was used to, having lived in the monastery all of her life. Two narrow parapet windows opened into blue sky. The city of Naples could be seen all around the castle. As she looked through the windows, she assessed if there was any way of escaping through them. But when she looked down, she saw that she was so high up it made her feel dizzy. She realized that she hadn't eaten any breakfast, and it was way past lunch now. Her stomach began to gnaw painfully and she felt nauseous.

She found a pitcher of water and a tin mug sitting on a small table beside the door. She poured herself a cup, and drank so quickly that it caused her to choke and sputter. Anxiety caused by this bizarre incident had made her mouth uncomfortably dry. She wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and began to wander around the room.

The bed, which sat in the middle of the floor, was unlike any she had ever seen. It was made of a dark wood with four ornate corner posts that were taller than she, with carved wood rails around the top. Midnight blue silk brocade curtains hung from the top rails with light blue satin panels tied at each corner with silver rope. The feather mattress must have been a foot thick, with big pillows, and a bedspread matching the bed draperies.

There was a stone fireplace built into one wall with a fire burning low. Above it hung a large painting of a stag hunt. On the floor was a woven rug with blue and gold flowers. Next to the bed sat a wooden table in the same wood as the bed with a heavy, ornate chair beside it. On the table was a candle in the center and some books scattered around. A chamber pot could be seen sitting in a hole in a wood chair at the foot of the bed.

The only other furniture was the table where she had gotten her water. There was also a brass basin for washing sitting on it and a small towel hanging on the side. There was nothing anywhere in the room resembling food.

Theo remembered that they had dropped their bags on the ground when they were being arrested. She wished she had her crossbow that was tucked inside of her bag. Hopefully Brother Justus was able to save them before they were stolen. A lot of people had gathered around during their arrest.

She began to pace around the room. Deep in thought, she rubbed the handle of her rapier that hung from her belt and was still hidden in the folds of her skirt. She had forgotten it until now. If anyone came and unlocked the door, she might be able to use it to escape. But the guard had said that she would have a chance to tell her story tomorrow in court. If she tried to escape that would make her look guilty. It would be best to wait and see if Brother Justus could get the charges dropped. She decided to take the rapier and slide it under the mattress for protection in case anyone tried to bother her while she was sleeping. Charges, how ridiculous, she thought. Surely anyone could see that I am not a criminal.

After a while, Theo sat down at the little table and thumbed through the books that lay there. One was Plato's works in Latin which she was familiar with. Another was a little book of verse written by an author she had never heard of. The third one was the book of Psalms, much like the one Brother Justus had given her for her eighteenth birthday. How beautifully the scriptures were written. It gave her some comfort to read the familiar words.

"Dear Lord, please help me get out of here safely and take care of Will and Sagan. Also, please guide Brother Justus as he seeks to free us," Theo prayed silently.

She could see that it was beginning to turn dark outside. As she lit the candle from the fireplace, she heard the key being turned in the door lock. She jumped up from her seat and stood watching the door anxiously. A tall, thin, older man entered first. He had a sharp

beak-like nose and thin lips stretched tightly into a little smile. He was dressed in a purple velvet doublet with a black fur-lined over robe which had loose sleeves that touched the floor. Around his neck was a heavy gold chain with an amulet hanging from it. Another man followed close behind him. He wore a black leather doublet buttoned over his pouchy stomach, with green tights encasing his skinny legs. He had black hair and heavy eyebrows over drooping eyelids and eyes that were mere slits. She couldn't help but be repulsed, but was careful to remain expressionless. She merely looked at them calmly and waited to see what they had to say.

"Hello, my dear. I am King Ferdinand and this is Signor Nicholas Petersen de la Germania. We have merely come to see if there is anything you need to make you more comfortable."

"I am so glad to get an opportunity to talk to you, King Ferdinand. My friends and I are not guilty of any crime. That man in Palermo was trying to kidnap me..." Theo began.

The King held up his hand for her to stop. "I'm sorry, I can't discuss that until tomorrow in court. You will be given a chance to tell your story then," he said in a deadpan voice. "I just came to make sure you are being treated properly."

The other man merely stood and looked Theo up and down like a slave on the auction block.

"Well, I would like a bath and some clean clothes," Theo said, realizing that the King wasn't interested in what she had to say. It seemed very strange that he would come personally to talk to her.

"Very well, I will see that you have some hot water and a clean gown. That will be all for now," Ferdinand said haughtily, then turned and walked out the door, with the other man following close behind.

"What a strange visit," Theo mused.

A little while later, a young women dressed in the simple clothes of a servant, came through the door carrying a tray with a bread trencher full of savory smelling stew. A guard stood blocking the doorway.

"I'm thinking you are pretty hungry by now. Here's a little something to eat," the small, thin girl with long, dark hair said sweetly.

"I am starving," Theo said, rushing to the table and immediately grabbing the bowl and gulping some of the soup down her throat.

"Thank you so much. Do you know when l will be taken to court?" she said, as she wiped her hand across her mouth where some of the stew had dripped.

"Court is held in the afternoons. Tomorrow someone will escort you down when it is time. I'm Sarah. I will be bringing your food and water tomorrow, and see to emptying the chamber pot. I'm afraid that's all they'll let me do for you, as you are a special prisoner of the King."

The guard stepped forward. "Stop talking to the prisoner and get out now," he said gruffly, a scowl on his face as he looked at Theo and Sarah.

Theo's heart felt very heavy as she heard the lock being turned once again.

She sat down and slowly ate the thick stew. It had vegetables, and some kind of dark meat in a light colored creamy broth. Though a little too heavily salted it tasted very good to a starving Theo. Although the bread was tough and dry on the outside, it was soft and good on the inside where the sauce had soaked in. She broke off a small piece of the trencher and dipped the hard crust into her stew. After eating it all, she felt much better.

With nothing else to do, Theo removed her kirtle and folded it neatly on the chair. Then she turned down the covers on the bed and lay down in her chemise, which she had carefully tied high around her neck to hide her precious compass. As she lay in the big bed, she couldn't relax. First she turned on her left side, then on her right side. She fluffed the big, soft, feather pillow and tried praying herself to sleep, but her mind just wouldn't shut down. She kept reliving the events of the past few days. Eventually a few tears started running down her face. She missed Fhi so much. How she would like to lay her head on her old nurse's shoulder and be told everything would be all right.

Why, oh why, did we have to take this trip into this horrible world? I always felt safe at the monastery. So far I have almost been kidnapped, Captain Columbus treated me unseemly, and now I am locked in a tower. What could happen next? Finally she fell into an exhausted sleep.

The next morning Theo awoke to sun streaming in the windows, which cast the room in a golden glow. As she opened her eyes and stretched, she didn't know where she was. What a beautiful room. Then she remembered that she was a prisoner. She jumped out of bed and went to look out of the window. An eagle was soaring peacefully like he hadn't a care in the world. Theo wished she could trade places with him. Oh, to just be able to fly out of this place to freedom.

Then she went to the little basin and washed the sleep out of her eyes with the water that had cooled during the night. That woke her up. After taking care of personal needs, she put her kirtle back on over her chemise. Hopefully Sarah would be up soon with breakfast.

Just as that thought went through her mind, she heard the key turn in the door lock.

"Morning to you, signorina," Sarah said briskly. "I'm praying that all goes well for you in court today."

"Thank you, Sarah," Theo said, her voice trembling a little. "Can you tell me anything about how they do things at court? Will I be allowed to speak for myself?"

"I think so. I am not allowed down in the court area," the little maid said nervously. "Now I have to hurry or the guard will be in again. He is waiting impatiently outside the door." She went swiftly out the door with last night's tray. "I'll be back later to empty the chamber pot."

This morning's meal consisted of an apple and some barley gruel." At least the food is tolerable here," Theo thought, as she ate the gruel and saved the apple for later.

Time went by very slowly. Theo lay on the bed for a while thinking of her days at the monastery with Will and Sagan. How she wished she could talk to Will right now. He was the one she usually shared all her thoughts and dreams with. Sagan was a good friend, but she just felt more comfortable talking to Will.

"I wonder what Will and Sagan are doing right now. I hope they are not being mistreated," she said to herself.