Nash sighed and handed his dagger over to the guard who reluctantly took it. He held his hands up as they searched him. When they went to remove his coin sacks, he stopped them. “Wait!” he said. “This is all the coin I have in the world. I’ll go willingly if you let Saria hold it for me. I trust her.”
The soldiers looked to the King for guidance. The King looked to his daughter to try and understand what her relationship with Nash was. Saria looked at her father and smiled.
“Why her?” King Rowley asked.
Saria interjected. “We all have secrets, father. Even you,” she said with a grin. He wasn’t sure what she meant, but it was true that he had secrets.
“Even so,” he started to say.
“I’ve been meaning to sit down with mother and discuss some of the lewd things I’ve seen recently while about the castle,” Saria whispered in his ear. “Some of the maids have been very naughty.”
King Rowley blanched. “Give the coins to Saria to hold,” he said and looked to Saria. Saria glared at him with her chin down. “And make sure his cell has some furniture. I just want to hold him until I can figure all this out.” Inside, Rowley was furious, and proud, that his youngest daughter had learned the ways of palace intrigue and used it against him.
Saria smiled at him, she was pleased that her father understood what was at stake.
Nash had endured months of confinement. Every morning, he would wake up at his usual time and greet the guards. “Good morning Samuel,” he would say, and usually Samuel would grunt a greeting back. He had only learned his name because one of the other guards made fun of him occasionally.
When he awoke, the first thing he did was stretch on the floor, the same as he always did. Being limber was important to him only because his father had stressed it. More important, really, was the normalcy it gave by following the same routine he always did. It wasn’t unpleasant being Rowley’s guest, it was just boring. Saria visited twice a day, like clockwork. She would bring his breakfast, and she would bring his dinner. He expected her any moment now with his dinner, but she apparently was running late. Two days ago, Adriana had come down to see him. She didn’t say anything, she just stared at him while he apologized to her profusely.
Nash took up one of the books that Saria had brought him. Books were a rare treat, indeed. Something only Royalty got to enjoy normally, but Nash had several to choose from. He had read them all and was happy to read them all again if he had to. Reading could take him away to another place without even leaving. He was a pirate on a deserted island when he heard the keys jangle at the far door. He closed the book and waited.
Saria moved towards him slowly. She carried what looked like a cake with a lit candle on it. Samuel carried his plate full of food to him.
“Thank you, Samuel,” he said, taking the plate.
Samuel smiled and said, “Youuu a-a-are wel-wel-welcome.”
Samuel wasn’t much for talking. Nash was very pleased that he had tried in Saria’s presence.
“Nicely done!” Nash praised him and elicited an enormous smile from Samuel.
“What is all this about?” Nash asked Saria, indicating the cake.
“It’s my birthday,” Saria said.
“Oh?” Nash asked. “I didn’t know. I’ll have to owe you when I’m free,” he said.
Saria grinned broadly. “Today, I turn fourteen, and by Praetha law, I am old enough to marry,” she said.
Nash wasn’t sure what to make of her statement, but he wasn’t dumb either. “And?” he asked for clarification.
“And, if you ask me to marry you, I might say yes, and you would be set free,” she said and whispered, “Father isn’t happy, but even Adriana likes you.”
“Saria,” Nash said. “I will not pretend to be in love with you to be free. You are still very young.”
She looked at him with sadness in her eyes. “I was afraid you might say something like that,” she said while cutting a piece of cake for him and moving it to his plate.
“However, I would not be opposed to marrying you when you turn sixteen if you are still willing,” Nash said, “ I do love you.”
Saria laughed. “That’s not much of a proposal,” she said with a grin.
“No it’s not,” Nash agreed and cleared his throat. “Saria, will you marry me when you are sixteen?” Nash asked. Samuel grinned even bigger than before.
A mischievous grin crossed Saria’s face. “I’m not sure; you’re so old!” she said. “Of course I will!” she blurted out.
Samuel unlocked the cell while the two ate. They fed each other bites of cake through the bars of the cell until it was gone.