arranged somewhat haphazardly before an enormous hearth. A tea set, now cold, sat on the corner of the rug, awaiting the steward. The curtains were closed, reducing the space to a chilly cave-like gloom even at mid-morning.
Gabriella had dim memories of what these rooms had been like when her mother had still been alive. There had been less disorder then of course. The tables had been regularly cleared, dusted, and made resplendent with fresh flowers arranged in huge, colourful vases. The curtains had always been pulled back to let in the sunlight. Gabriella treasured faint images of her mother sitting in one of the upholstered chairs by the fire, writing letters or reading correspondence as flecks of dust danced like fireflies in the sunbeams all around her. It was a beautiful memory, albeit a little sad.
Fortunately, the King led them past his cluttered den and out into the sunny warmth of the private balcony. A desk had been set up there, with three chairs arranged around it. In the centre of the desk, its polished lid glinting mellowly in the sun, was a small, wooden box.
"Let us be seated," the King said, easing himself into the largest of the chairs. "Professor Toph has a story to tell us before we open this very interesting box."
Gabriella was curious despite herself. She settled into one of the chairs and smoothed her gown over her knees. Darrick sat next to her, placing her between him and her father.
"The first bit of the story really is not mine to tell, Your Majesty," Toph said, drifting slowly behind the desk and resting his thin hands upon the wooden box.
"Indeed," the King answered, "but you tell it so much better than I. Go on. Regale us."
Toph nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he was looking at Gabriella.
"Forgive me, Princess. Some of this will provoke unpleasant memories. Bear with me, for it will end well."
Gabriella nodded, smiling and frowning slightly at the same time. Toph began to speak.
"Many years ago, as you will certainly recall, upon a winter's midnight, there came an attack upon this very castle led by a well-organised band of assassins. Barbarian men from the north had infiltrated the city, trickling in by ones and twos as part of a coordinated plan to murder your parents and capture Camelot in the name of Emperor Aurengzia. But for the quick action of the palace guard, these men might have succeeded. Sir Percival roused your father, who immediately ordered that you and your grandmother be evacuated from the castle under the protection of three royal guards. These men helped you escape via the servants' entry but were waylaid at the city gates. There, your guards gave their lives fighting off the murderers whilst you and your grandmother fled, riding in a common hay cart.
"By evening of the next day, the marauders were finally captured and dispatched. Unfortunately, as you well know, the villains were not stopped soon enough to prevent them from partially succeeding in their vicious plot. Your mother, the Queen, was murdered in these very halls, cornered by a lone, rogue barbarian who had managed to slip past the guards."
Toph paused for a moment in his retelling. Gabriella felt Darrick's eyes on her. She glanced at him and gave a small smile. It is sad, her smile seemed to say, but it was a long time ago, and I'm all right now. Darrick didn't look convinced.
"When it was finished," Toph continued, "your father, the King, was stricken with grief, and yet his worries were far from over. He sent men to retrieve you from your hiding place, a tower keep on the southern border, but they found the tower empty with no sign of your occupation. Further, he learnt that the guards that had been assigned to protect you had been killed. He feared the worst but did not abandon hope. A search was launched, scouring the snowbound Kingdom for word of your whereabouts.
"Finally, after twelve days,
Gabriella had dim memories of what these rooms had been like when her mother had still been alive. There had been less disorder then of course. The tables had been regularly cleared, dusted, and made resplendent with fresh flowers arranged in huge, colourful vases. The curtains had always been pulled back to let in the sunlight. Gabriella treasured faint images of her mother sitting in one of the upholstered chairs by the fire, writing letters or reading correspondence as flecks of dust danced like fireflies in the sunbeams all around her. It was a beautiful memory, albeit a little sad.
Fortunately, the King led them past his cluttered den and out into the sunny warmth of the private balcony. A desk had been set up there, with three chairs arranged around it. In the centre of the desk, its polished lid glinting mellowly in the sun, was a small, wooden box.
"Let us be seated," the King said, easing himself into the largest of the chairs. "Professor Toph has a story to tell us before we open this very interesting box."
Gabriella was curious despite herself. She settled into one of the chairs and smoothed her gown over her knees. Darrick sat next to her, placing her between him and her father.
"The first bit of the story really is not mine to tell, Your Majesty," Toph said, drifting slowly behind the desk and resting his thin hands upon the wooden box.
"Indeed," the King answered, "but you tell it so much better than I. Go on. Regale us."
Toph nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he was looking at Gabriella.
"Forgive me, Princess. Some of this will provoke unpleasant memories. Bear with me, for it will end well."
Gabriella nodded, smiling and frowning slightly at the same time. Toph began to speak.
"Many years ago, as you will certainly recall, upon a winter's midnight, there came an attack upon this very castle led by a well-organised band of assassins. Barbarian men from the north had infiltrated the city, trickling in by ones and twos as part of a coordinated plan to murder your parents and capture Camelot in the name of Emperor Aurengzia. But for the quick action of the palace guard, these men might have succeeded. Sir Percival roused your father, who immediately ordered that you and your grandmother be evacuated from the castle under the protection of three royal guards. These men helped you escape via the servants' entry but were waylaid at the city gates. There, your guards gave their lives fighting off the murderers whilst you and your grandmother fled, riding in a common hay cart.
"By evening of the next day, the marauders were finally captured and dispatched. Unfortunately, as you well know, the villains were not stopped soon enough to prevent them from partially succeeding in their vicious plot. Your mother, the Queen, was murdered in these very halls, cornered by a lone, rogue barbarian who had managed to slip past the guards."
Toph paused for a moment in his retelling. Gabriella felt Darrick's eyes on her. She glanced at him and gave a small smile. It is sad, her smile seemed to say, but it was a long time ago, and I'm all right now. Darrick didn't look convinced.
"When it was finished," Toph continued, "your father, the King, was stricken with grief, and yet his worries were far from over. He sent men to retrieve you from your hiding place, a tower keep on the southern border, but they found the tower empty with no sign of your occupation. Further, he learnt that the guards that had been assigned to protect you had been killed. He feared the worst but did not abandon hope. A search was launched, scouring the snowbound Kingdom for word of your whereabouts.
"Finally, after twelve days,
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