Chapter Fourteen
Serron
“This is a bloody big forest,” Serron muttered to Patin as he guided his horse through the thick trees a few hours later. “Face it, with the amount of time Jaq’s been missing, he could be anywhere.”
“We would’ve got a messenger falcon from the castle if he made his way back there, and Hunter at the house said he would do the same thing if we missed Jaq somehow and he turned up there.” Patin looked grim. “Seriously, though. How many times have we petitioned for simple signposts? The people of Monce all have a decent education, it’s not like they can’t decipher a simple sign. That crossroad back there is a case in point. It would be so easy for anyone to turn right instead of left and I’ll guarantee that’s what Jaq did, too. Otherwise he would’ve been at the estate about the same time I got there.”
“I know.” Serron sighed. “Father said some of the society families felt it was a breach of their security if routes to estates were clearly marked for foreign bandits to find them. As if we’d ever get foreign bandits this far away from the country borders. It’s always been a damn nuisance, if you ask me, especially when visitors to this country, such as our new crown prince consort, end up lost simply because a few society families objected to road signs.” Serron pulled his horse to a stop when he heard the dogs barking. “Jackson,” he called out to the Folkon stablemaster. “Have they found anything?”
“They’ve caught the scent of something, Your Highness.” Jackson was a large, capable man who cared more for animals than people. “Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing if it’s a deer, boar, or the missing prince.”
“We’ll head in their direction.” Serron signaled to the footmen on his right. “It’s not like we’ve got any other leads.”
“I still can’t believe Jaq came after me,” Patin muttered for what had to have been the sixth time in the past two hours. “He didn’t have to do that. He could’ve just found and alerted you.”
“It would seem our prince has an impetuous streak. He knew you’d be upset, and his first instinct was to find you.” Serron glanced at his lover.
“He has good instincts, and a quick mind,” he murmured although not much could be heard at all over the baying of the dogs. “I haven’t even had a chance to tell you how he stuck up for our relationship with my mother this morning. Because of Rupert’s insinuations, Father wanted you excluded from our wedding completely.
“I don’t know if Jaq saw how upset I was about that or if he just knew you would be, and in his mind, they are pretty much the same thing. But he’s there sipping his tea, sitting up as nicely as you please, asking if you could stand with him while he marries me, just so you could be in the ceremony. And it was his idea to move to Folkon for a while. Thanks to the artful way he put it, the queen agreed, and in private with me, she even said what a good idea it was.”
“How did Jaq manage to convince her of that?” Patin was watching where the dogs were headed. They had definitely picked up a scent.
“He phrased it as a way of helping out the king while my father is going through his difficult time. He even agreed to a reception so he could meet society families, and you and I both know Jaq is not keen on that sort of thing.”
Serron leaned as close as he dared in public. “Mother wants our vow exchange done before Father’s passing. She’s worried that Rupert will cause more problems if we have to wait the designated time the World Council insists on regarding marriages after a royal death.”
“Technically you don’t need the vows, but if Jaq is prepared for the three of us to be on a stage while vows are exchanged between you and him, then I’m all for it.” Patin stilled a moment. “Do you hear that?”
Serron frowned and tilted his head. “I can’t hear anything because of the dogs.”
“I thought I heard someone calling out. Jackson.” Standing up in his stirrups, Patin called out to the stablemaster. “Quiet the dogs a moment, if you please. Everyone else, be quiet.”
Serron strained his ears as a sharp command silenced the dogs. He held his breath, waiting, and then he heard a voice calling out – it was faint, there was a hint of panic, but the words were still unfailingly polite.
“Help, please. I mean, excuse me, but do you think I could get a spot of help here, please? I appear to be in a bit of a predicament.”
“Jaq.” Serron’s breath came back in a rush. “That has to be Jaq. I can’t think of anyone else in Monce who would say please when asking for help.”
“It looks like the prince headed for water, sire, which was a sensible thing to do.” Jackson called back his dogs. “I’ll keep the dogs and all but two of the men back here. Don’t rush the horses on a downhill trek, Your Highness. You don’t want your horse to stumble.”
Serron kept his reply to himself. Jackson wasn’t concerned about him, he just didn’t want the horses to sustain any damage. Letting Patin take the lead in his guise as Serron’s guard, they headed toward the direction of the sound, the two strongest stable hands fell in behind him.
They hadn’t gone far when Serron could hear Jaq again. “Excuse me, is anyone there? I heard dogs before, but things have gone very quiet. Have I upset a hunting party? If I did, I’m so terribly sorry.” He was closer, and the voice was louder, and there was a definite panic there.
“Crown Prince Consort Jaq,” Patin called out. “We’re just making our way to you. Keep talking if that helps. We will be able to hear you, Your Highness.”
“Is that you Patin? I’m sure that’s your voice. Thank the goddess.” The relief in Jaq’s tone had Serron pushing forward a bit faster. “Do you have anyone with you who can check on Bella for me, please? I left her tethered down by the creek and then I got a bit stuck, and I’m worried about her.”
“Tommy, hurry down to the creek and find Prince Jaq’s horse, please.” Serron pointed to one of the men following him. “Don’t fall.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” The man barely nodded before he was springing directly down the hill.
“We have someone looking out for your horse, Your Highness,” Patin called out, pulling his horse to a stop when the edge of the creek came into view. “Can you give us some idea of your difficulty, please? I’m not able to see you anywhere.”
“That could be because you’re looking on the ground. Maybe you thought I had fallen, but that didn’t happen. You need to look up.” Jaq’s voice cracked. “I thought it would be a good idea to climb a tree so I could see where I was. And now…now… I’m terribly sorry to be a bother, but I can’t get down. I feel like I’ve been up here for hours.”
Oh, no. Serron pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted before his horse realized what was happening. Dropping the reins, Serron prowled between the trees, looking among the foliage for any signs of life. “Can you see us, Jaq?” he called out even though it was considered bad manners for a royal to raise his voice. That was another reason Patin went everywhere with him, but in Serron’s head, desperate times called for desperate measures, and manners be damned. “Are we close?”
“I can hear you, but I’m not seeing you yet. Oh, I can see a man with Bella, bringing her up the hill. Thank goodness she’s all right. I would’ve been so upset if something had happened to her.”
“Tommy,” Patin said loudly. “Stop a moment. Can you see the prince from where you are?”
Tommy looked around frowning, checking on either side of where he was and then he tilted his head up. His face cleared. “About three trees to the right of where you are, sir. His Highness is very high up.”
“Take Bella to Jackson, Tommy, if you wouldn’t mind, and then grab a long rope from one of the baskets and bring it back,” Serron ordered, moving in the direction Tommy indicated and peering through the leaves. Finally, just when he thought Tommy was seeing things, Patin tapped his arm and pointed up.
The white of Jaq’s shirt is what Serron saw first, although Jaq’s worried face was a similar color. His dark hair appeared plastered to his forehead, and the man was clinging to the side of the tree trunk, clearly afraid to let go.
“I feel very foolish, even though I did believe it was a good idea at the time,” Jaq said, trying to smile. “I just thought I would try to see where I was from a higher vantage point. But I’ve never been up a tree before. It’s a lot higher than it looks when you get up here.”
“Just wait a few moments more,” Serron smiled, trying to be reassuring. “We’ll get you down.” He turned as Patin took a long rope from Tommy who stepped back. “I’ll go up and get him if you can get the rope secured.”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t,” Patin muttered, as he fashioned a loop in the rope. “You’re the crown prince of Monce, and it’ll be all over the castle in mere clicks if you’re seen to be risking your life, or the danger of a fall, to save someone lower ranked, even if that person is your fiancé, husband, consort, or any other moniker. The queen would be furious, and I can’t imagine what your father would say. You’re going to have to let me do it.”
“But… but…” Serron’s fists clenched. “That’s so unfair,” he hissed, conscious of Tommy and the other stableman standing nearby. “We live by the most ridiculous rules.”
“And we can debate them over a drink later,” Patin agreed. “I still need to get his permission to be allowed into his personal space and how ridiculous is that when the man is barely hanging on.” In a louder voice he called up the tree. “Your Highness, I am going to throw a rope and secure it on one of the branches to one side of you. I will then climb up, and you can climb onto my back, so I can bring you back down again. Will that be suitable for you?”
“Suitable? Who cares about suitable at a time like this?” Jaq’s voice rose, but then he seemed to realize his position and that there were people around. He coughed, trying to compose himself. “Please forgive that unseemly outburst. That would be suitable, Patin, if it’s no bother. I fear I wouldn’t be able to get down on my own without falling.”
“Just keep hanging on,” Serron said quickly, moving out of Patin’s way as he started swinging the rope in anticipation of his throw. “You’re doing a great job. I think you’ve been incredibly brave, staying up there for so long.” He cast his mind about for something else to say. “We brought you lunch. I imagine you’re hungry.”
“I think I will be when my feet are on the ground and my legs can stop shaking.” Jaq’s wide eyes met his. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to see someone in my life.”
“Me, too,” Serron said warmly. “Definitely, me too.” He glanced over to see Patin had got the rope secured on a branch and was removing his coat. “Patin’s on his way up. Did you know he used to be a mountain climber at one point? He’s very well used to heights.”