The Unknown Youth (Working Title)

Please disregard any grammar errors, I'll catch those in editing.  I'm mostly looking for content comments, awkward sentences, anything like that.  Might be continued.  Any title suggestions welcome!  Thanks in advance!

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If you asked anyone in the city that day, they could have told you. They would have spoken of a tall, well-built young man, maybe late teens, with hair dark as night and neat, clean clothes, not opulent, but not rags.  “Handsome too.” A few of the girls might have added, giggling behind their hands. He walked with purpose, the youth, oblivious to the hustle and bustle around him, obviously a man with a plan. They all would have told you about the skirmish he got into with the castle guards trying to get inside, some even heard him shout something about going to see his sister. A few citizens even claimed to have seen him slipping around the corner of the castle, toward the servant’s entrance. But, not one single person outside the castle walls heard a peep about what went on inside that day, due to strict orders from the Queen.

The youth rounded the corner and immediately spied a man unloading bags of apples at the back gate.He smiled slyly.Sauntering up behind the man, he grabbed a particularly heavy bag and smiled brightly.

“Let me help you with that.”

The man was taken aback, but readily accepted his offer.He was getting on in years, too old to be hauling heavy apples back and forth.His sons usually helped, but they had been out when he left and he wasn’t able to wait.A strapping young lad coming along seemed a gift from God.

“Aye, a’right.Take ‘em just inside there, to the kitchen.”

The youth nodded cheerily to the guard at the door and stepped inside with no problem.He lay his apples lightly by the door with the rest and, glancing around the bustling, oblivious kitchen, slid through the nearest door, closing it gently behind him so as not to make any noise.He had entered a gloomy, slightly damp passage way, lit at intervals with torches.The floor was smooth and unbroken, worn down from hundreds of servants trooping to and fro in its grim confines.He walked quickly, soon coming to another door set into the wall with a slot for peering out.He looked through to a massive dining room with huge windows and the longest table he had ever seen.After a moment of gaping, he continued, passing more doors leading into other rooms and hallways, each more extravagant than the last, or so it seemed to him.Some were occupied, some empty.It was a miracle he avoided running into any servants.Finally, just when he began to despair, he found what he was looking for.He stepped out into a long stone corridor, unoccupied except for a girl, facing away, about eleven years old, with long black hair and a pretty green dress.Though simple, the cloth alone must have cost more than what he made in a month.The snap of the door startled her into whirling around.

“I…Oh.”She frowned, “Hello.Who are you?”

She didn’t seem frightened or angry to find a strange boy in her home, only confused, but he still approached on hesitant feet.

“It’s…Well, it’s a bit of a long story.”He said, smiling, in an almost relieved sounding voice, “I wasn’t sure I’d find you.”

“Oh, I’m always around.Are you new?”She asked, smiling now, oblivious to his continued approach.“Martha usually tells me when she hires… Oh, but no matter.I’m Princess Cynthia, but please just call me Cynthia.I’m not good at titles.”

She dipped into a perfect curtsey, bowing her head.When she lifted it, she found herself looking straight into the eyes of the older boy.

He grasped her hand gently and said softly, “I know.”

Cynthia froze, every story she’d even been told about princesses being kidnapped or tortured or killed running through her head at once.Then, her maid, Jenna, came out of Cynthia’s room down the hall and spotted them.And the world exploded.

“Guards!Guards!Intruder in the Princess Corridor!”Jenna screamed at the top of her lungs, rushing over she kicked the stunned young man in the shins and yanked Cynthia away from him, hugging her tightly.The youth doubled over briefly, but straightened just as two guards arrived.

“No!Wait!”He called, fighting their iron grip on his arms. “Cynthia, you don’t understand!Please, let me go! Please, I’m your-!”

He broke off as one of the guards roughly clapped a hand over his mouth.Even then, he mumbled and struggled, eyes pleading.It wasn’t until he was dragged out of sight around the corner, that Cynthia hid her face in Jenna’s apron.

“Shh, shh, it’s alright.”Jenna murmured softly, stoking Cynthia’s hair, while her eyes remained glued to the spot where the boy had disappeared. “He’s gone now, your fine.It’s ok.It’ll all be ok.Shhh.”

After that one, quiet moment, it was all “Are you alright”s and “Did he hurt you”s, with a few “Did you know him”s and “What did he say”s sprinkled in for good measure. There were messages sent to the King and Queen and guards checking on the other Princesses.They even called the court physician to give her a checkup, even though she insisted she was fine.She asked quite a few questions of her own, but the only information she was given other than “He’ll never see you again,” was from the cook, who brought her a snack after her checkup.

She told her that, “He isn’t from the city proper that’s for sure.My niece, Chastity, bless her, knows every eligible bachelor in the city, plus a few ineligible, and he ain’t one, though he’s the proper age.From the country he must be with those clothes, but don’t worry none, love, they’ll put extra guard on the gates, and as for him, he’ll be in the dungeon for a mighty long time.”

Finally, everyone stopped fussing and Cynthia was free to go.Though Jenna thought she ought to rest, she decided to find her mother instead.She’d been out when the incident occurred but she should have arrived back by then.Cynthia had nearly reached her mother’s chambers when she heard the raised voices.She was in the servant’s corridor, for she was friends with many of the servants and it was almost always quicker to use the smaller passageways that the big stone hallways.So, she crept up quietly and peered through the slit in the door, used by the servants to check for a room’s occupants, so they would know if it was clear to go in and do the dusting or bed-making or whatever needed done.It was used just as often for spying, particularly by Cynthia, a clever, curious girl.She checked it more out of habit than of need, reaching for the doorknob at the same time; she froze when she saw the scene inside.

Her mother was there with her lady’s maid Trinity, which was not unusual, but the Queen was not sitting.Instead, she was pacing the room, Trinity standing nervously by the door.

“Dark hair?”The Queen ranted, “You’re sure they said dark hair?Black or just dark brown?”

“I didn’t see him your majesty, I’m sorry they just said dark.”Trinity twisted and untwisted her hands in her apron over and over, “Cynthia is fine though, ma’am, that is what matters yes?”

“Are you sure he’s sixteen?”The Queen continued ignoring Trinity, “Did he tell them that?What is his name, tell me again?”

“He hasn’t said your majesty, I’m sorry.He’s said nothing; he just keeps yelling that he’s, he’s Cynthia’s…”

“Stop!”The Queen commanded, stopping in her tracks and glaring fiercely at Trinity. “He’s a liar!A liar!”

“Of course.”Trinity bowed her head.

Cynthia frowned from behind the wall.This was so unlike her mother.She adored Trinity and Cynthia could remember maybe a handful of times in her entire life that the Queen had lost control at anyone.She had always been the most even-tempered, put together, beautiful woman in Cynthia’s life.Even if she wasn’t overly affectionate, she was always there, always logical.Whoever the boy was, it was about more than he grabbing Cynthia.

Cynthia had been so lost in thought that she lost the thread of the conversation.She looked back just in time to hear her mother say, “…must go to the dungeons.I need to speak to him myself.”

Then, she strode out of the room, Trinity hurrying after her calling, “But Your Majesty, I don’t think the King would…!”

Cynthia shook her head in disbelief.Her mother going to the dungeons?She had never, not once in her life, seen her mother anywhere near the dungeons.After a moment’s thought, Cynthia slipped down the passageway toward the dungeons.If her mother was lowering herself to visit the dungeons, it had to be serious.

Cynthia met few servants as she walked; most were preparing for dinner.Those she met, she simply told them she was tired from her ordeal and headed to bed, which they all believed.She was the Princess after all, and not to be argued with.After a long, sloping section of passage, she finally came to the end.The last door only led to the antechamber of the dungeons, guarded by only one guard and a stout wooden door, chained, leading to the cells.Cynthia frowned, if she’d arrived after her mother she would have no way in, the guards would never let the Princess in alone, but her luck held.She had walked so fast that the Queen was just arriving.Cynthia peered through the slot in the door.

“I wish to see the prisoner that attacked my daughter.”The Queen drew herself up to her full height.Attacked me?thought Cynthia, He barely touched me.

“Oh, um, of course your majesty,” The guard bowed low and fumbled with his keys, “Let me just get the lantern for you.”

He entered first to get the latern, but the Queen did not wait.She followed, with Trinity still hurrying along in her wake, though this time silent.Cynthia saw her chance.Slipping quietly out of the passageway, she entered through the still open door, into another dark corridor, this lined with iron bars creating individual boxes.Instantly she was hit with a most horrible smell, along with the moaning and crying out of the imprisoned.Her kind heart nearly broke in half from the air of despair.She could just see the lantern up ahead with three shadowy shapes following it.The voices seemed to pick up when it passed, begging for release.One voice, however, stood out from the rest.

“Let me out!”He yelled at the top of his voice, “Let me out!I’m her brother!Let me out!I’m the princess’ brother!”

Cynthia jolted back against the slime covered wall, ruining her dress. Brother?She had a brother, the Prince and heir.There was no possibility, no way, that this, this peasant could be related to her.She steeled herself and crept after the light.Her mother would set him straight.

She stopped a few feet outside the circle of light cast by the lantern.The voice, the boy, had fallen silent at the sight of the Queen, though not silent in awe.He glared with such hatred that Cynthia shrank back against the wall.

“Leave us.”The Queen commanded.Trinity and the guard exchanged glances, but complied.The guard hung the lantern on a hook on the wall, “We’ll be right outside the door, your majesty.”

Cynthia looked frantically for a place to hide, finally sliding into a niche in the wall.After they passed, the Queen turned back to the prisoner.

“I am her brother.”He said calmly.

“You are not!”She hissed, practically spitting, “You are a lying, thieving, conniving peasant! And you don’t deserve to wipe the dirt off my daughter’s shoes!”

“I’m her brother.”He continued, “And she’s her mother.”

She?What does he mean she?

“Liar!”The Queen almost flew at him.“She was never her mother!I gave her everything!I gave her ball gowns and French tutors and maids and pastry!What did you and that creature have to offer her?Dirt and rags!”

“She gave her life!”He exploded, “She was her mother!”

Mother?Another mother?Cynthia sank to the ground.How could he say that?And her mother not deny it?She didn’t even argue!

“She was a rat!Living in dirt!”She smiled, “And now so are you.And that’s how you’ll stay.Good-bye.”

The Queen stalked away as he screamed behind her.“I’m her brother!You can’t change it!I’m her brother!You aren’t her mother!”

Cynthia stayed on the ground for a moment longer, shaking her head.It was impossible.Not possible.Finally, she stood.She needed the truth and if her mother wouldn’t tell her it, she’d ask someone who would.She walked over to his cell, where the lantern was still burning.He looked up from his place on the ground and darted to the bars.

“Cynthia!”

“I want the truth.All of it.Now.”

“Of course.”He sat down, “Whatever you want to know.”

“Everything.From the beginning.”Cynthia sat down as well.

“Well, when I was five, the Queen was about to have a baby.Our…my family was having a hard time.Our…my father had left.My mother took in washing, but she wasn’t making much money.My older sister and I were always hungry and we hardly ever had coal for our stove.Then, my mother had a baby.That made it so much worse.She worried all the time about the baby, but we loved her so, so much.Then, after one day of no food and freezing cold, a woman came to the door.She told my mother she would give her money.As much money as she needed for as long as she lived, in exchange for one thing.Our baby sister.She wanted our baby sister and our silence.She said the baby would have a good life, a better life, and we would be taken care of.We were so cold, so hungry, so my mother agreed.She gave her the baby and the woman left.We just gave her away!”He slammed his hand against the bars, making Cynthia jump, and then swiped angrily at his eyes.After a moment he went on, “For a while things got better.The woman had left us with gold, so we bought coal, and food, even new shoes which we hadn’t had in more than a year.An uncle we knew nothing about left us some money and my sister got big enough to help with washing.But, my mother, she never forgot about the baby.She told stories, every night, about what it would be like if the baby was there.Even after she remarried and had the twins to take care of, she kept talking about our baby sister.The woman never came back.”

He looked up, straight into Cynthia’s eyes, “I figured it out later.It took… a while, but I figured it out.We even look the same.The baby was you.The woman was the queen.”