strange noise. It was going to him. It was fire caused by the Spanish of course who didn’t know that the King and the Queen were there. When William and Susan was the fire, the Spanish was already boarding on their ship to get back home.
“Fire. Where did it come from?” asked the queen.
“Come Susan,” said the king who saw a small underground cave. They could escape from the fire in it. The king went in. Suddenly a flaming tree fell down. From that moment William did not see his wife ever again.
“Susan, come here! Susan!!” he shouted but he did not get any response.
“Susan” he tried again. No response. He climbed up the hole and he looked through the forest which was still in smoke. He walked for a while and searched for Susan. After a while he saw her lying on the floor. Dead.
“Susan, no!” he shouted. Unfortunately for him these were his last words. A flaming bush fell in front of him. It fell on his foot and he couldn’t rescue himself. He burned as his wife.
The fire was spreading long and fast and then finally. A rescue. The fire was seen from a far from a nearest village ant the people went to extinguish it. They were extinguishing it with water for a while but it did not help. Then a villager thought they could trick a fire by going in the other direction. It helped and the fire was extinguished.
They were mourning their queen and king for a long time in kingdom Butterfly. Even Jane, who knew her the shortest. But no one knew who ruled them then until Rake and Jane announced they are new king and queen.
“Long live king and queen” shouted the villagers. There was a little life in them. The nature will took a lot time to recover because you could see where the fire was for a long time.
“Cal the gardener Jake.” ordered Rake to him main servant. A young boy approached to him. He was a little confused.
“Is this your first time in the castle?” asked Rake the gardener.
“Yes, it is.”
“What is your name?”
“Setch, sir.”
“I believe you know what happened to our forest.”
“Yes sir, I saw it.”
“I will ask you to add a new soil and plant trees and bushes and leave grass somewhere in the forest. One glad should work in the forest, OK?”
“Yes OK. I will do what I’m asked.”
“You can ask for help from a gardener in Ferland if you want.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The gardener did what they were ordered to. They gained new soil elsewhere from the forest, and planted bushes and trees. After a week some animals which lived there came back. There was too soon for birds and squirrels though.
“You fool. I did not order you to kill them” shouted the Spanish king to his knight.
“I am sorry sir. We did not know they were in the forest. I didn’t know it will go like this.” was sorry the knight.
“Well next time please do a little research before you do something stupid.”
“I am sorry sir. It won’t happen again.”
“Of course not. I don’t have anyone else to revenge. Go now Juan.”
The King thought further how he could get a piece of Butterfly’s land.
“I will gain one of its village then.” the king decided.
“But no. Now his son is the king. What should I do” he asked without getting and answer because he was alone.
A lot changed in Butterly. The new king and queen were responsible for that.
“You know what Rake. I think we need new weapons for our knight.” said the queen.
“You are right. What if someone attacks us.” agreed the king.
“Do you think someone attacked your parents with fire?”
“Maybe. But I don’t know who would do something like this. The only enemy around here was your father, who is not anymore.”
“Yes. But still. What about someone from our villages?”
“You think? But people love us.”
“Maybe. But maybe that was just on the outside. Maybe someone wanted a revenge?”
“It is possible. But please leave it. What happened, happened. Even if we have an enemy he will attack again, right?”
“Yes.”
There was a sadness in Spain. Everyone was grieving. Soon after the incident in England someone murdered the Spanish queen. They were all preparing for the big funeral and the king asked everyone to dress black as a sign of respect.
At the funeral the king announced: “It was them. Those bloody Englishmen.”
Everyone stood quietly even the priest.
“I’m sorry.” said the king to the priest and said he can carry on.
“Your highness, I heard you swore on Englishmen in the funeral. Why, king?” asked the king horseman.
“They murdered by wife. I’m sure they were revenging me for the fire. But now we will revenge back.”
“But, we already did.” was confused the horseman.
“I know. Look there are three kingdoms in England – Ferland, Butterfly and Wood. Wood is way up north and is not a threat to anyone. Ferland and Butterfly has fought for centuries. We wanted to help the kingdom Butterly so we suggested the marriage between my daughter and their son. Well, suddenly the news came out that Jane from Ferland and Rake from Butterfly got married. So I decided to take teach them a lesson. I guess they found out it was us who planted the fire so they murdered my wife. Now I must do something about it.”
“So what do you plan to murder their people?”
“No, I must send a spy there. But I don’t know who.”
“Sir, with all respect, please send me. The queen and I know already know each other. Actually I came from Ferland to Spain because I couldn’t be around Ferdinand anymore.”
“I see. You are absolutely right.” agreed the king. “But don’t tell them who you are OK? Maybe Jane will be so dumb to trust you.”
“Yes sir.”
“It’s settled. You will leave in one week.”
timor
Timor the horseman came to England. In the kingdom Butterfly to be exact. He stepped to the king:
“Good morning, your highness. My name is Timor and I used to be a kings horseman. I went on an emergency trip a few years ago and when I came back to England the position was already taken. I remembered that you are the new king here in Butterfly and I thought that maybe you need a new horseman.” explained Timor. Part of that was true, because something like that happened to him in Ferland.
“Actually you would be a big help for me. When can you start Timor?”
“I can star tight away.”
“Nice.” Rake called his main servant and asked him to show his new horseman around. He must show him where he would work, sleep, and do other things. Timor settled in and joined the horses. Rake explained to Jane that someone named Timor came to work and that he would be his new horseman. Jane remembered the name but didn’t know where she heard it. But now both of them are getting their own horseman.
Jane and her lady Karen decided they would visit the city and Ferland where Jane’s parents live. Both took separate horses, the queen took the white brand new one and the lady took the brown one.
“Karen, you have been here for a long time. Please tell me something,” Jane started a conversation with Karen.
“Yes, tell me.”
“Why is this kingdom called Butterfly?”
“Every year thousands of butterflies from different species settle here.”
“I see. And can you see them?”
“I think so. Why do you ask?”
“Nothing special, just curious. After all I’m pretty new here.”
They came to the city’s cemetery. Karen looked at Jane funny for a while until she saw what Jane was doing. She was bringing everyone flowers. She even put some candles to some graves. Those were Jane’s friends or friend’s of her parents.
A woman looked at them and went straight to the grave, because she did not see that the woman she saw was a queen.
“What are
you doing? Leave the grave alone.” shouted the woman. Jane didn’t do anything special. She just turned around and the woman went down on her knees.
“I’m sorry your highness, I didn’t see you.” apologized the woman.
“It’s OK.” said Jane calmly.
“No really.” apologized Jane again.
Jane went on to the other graves.
“Ok, we are done here,” she said to Karen and went back to the horses. They were going to the church.
“Father, please help us. I heard that you have a new intern here.” said Jane.
“Yes, why do you ask?” asked the priest.
“Our priest is very ill. He need help. I helped him for a little while, but you see, he is getting worse. You must do something.”
“Of course. You will get my intern in the next two days.”
“Thank you father. I’m very grateful.” thanked Jane, crossed herself and went outside where Karen was waiting.
“Now we can go to Ferland.” said Jane.
“Thank god.” said Karen quietly.
“What?” asked Jane, although she heard something.
“Nothing, never mind.” They took off to Ferland.
“Juan!” shouted the Spanish king for his knight.
“Yes sir?”
“Did Timor leave any news?”
“No, nothing. Shall we go look?”
“No, leave him alone for a week. He must gain Jane’s trust. And then we will see.”
“Ok, sir.”
The Spanish king wanted to know what is happening with Timor. It’s been a month already but still no news. Something must be going on.
the truth comes out
Jane was drawn to meet Timor again. But she didn’t had enough courage. She was a queen after all. “But still. Do I go?” the queen wanted to know.
“I will go horse riding.” said the queen to Rake.
She went to the barn.
“Timor, settle the horse please.” said Jane.
“Are you going for a walk my queen?” asked Timor. Timor settled her horse and also took his.
“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Jane.
“I will go with you my queen. I believe you are going into the woods. It is dangerous there.” said Timor.
“So you are coming with me? OK.” said Jane. They went into the woods. The sun was at it’s highest and it beautifully shine on the whole forest.
“How nice!” shouted the queen.
“Have you not been here for a long time, my queen?” asked Timor, still a little upset he must address Jane as queen.
“Yes Timor. A long time has passed. I haven’t been here since my mother in law died.”
“Yes of course. Jane….”
“That’s queen Jane for you.” Jane corrected him.
“Yes, sorry. I must tell you something.”
“Go ahead.” Jane was curious.
“You see, when I vanished from your eyes, I came to Spain.”
“Yes, so? You joined the Spanish.” said Jane as she was not interested.
“No. Listen. We started the fire where king and queen died.”
“So? Thank you for telling me. I hope you don’t think you can stay here after these words.”
“No. I am really sorry. Actually we didn’t want to hurt anybody. The Spanish king only wanted a little revenge to the previous king, but we accidently killed him. I wasn’t involved of course when they planted the fire. But I was one of them, if you know what I mean.”
“Actually no. What’s the point of your story?” Jane was a little mad.
“They send me here to spy for them. But I saw an old friend. You my queen Jane. I want to stay here. This is my home.” was really sorry Timor.
“No, your home is Ferland, not Butterfly.” Jane corrected him.
“As yours my queen.”
“Ok then. So you want to stay here? OK. You can stay. If the king will let you, you can stay here. But no more spying for the Spanish king, deal?”
“Anything you want Jane.”
“Queen Jane.” Jane reminded him.
“Yes.”
The queen decided to tell the story about the Spanish to Rake. Timor can do what he wants, she will not tell a lie to her dearest. Timor and Jane slowly went back to the court.
When Jane and Rake went to bed, Jane was tempted to tell Rake what Timor told her. “No, I will wait until the Spanish attack again.” she decided. Why talk now? Maybe the Spanish don’t know anything. Maybe they really wanted the revenge for old king and not the new one.