The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor - Chapter 8.1

Leaving Klein behind, Margaret hastened forward, soon catching up with the royal couple. Caterina handed her a torch, and Margaret took the lead. It had been quite some time since the prince and princess had walked this extensively. The curved shoes they wore had long been stripped of their luster in the water, and their feet felt the roughness even through the silk socks. The idea of taking a brief rest had crossed their minds several times, but they suppressed the urge, unable to utter a word.

Margaret’s determined back led them into silence, an embodiment of boiling frustration akin to a teapot about to release its steam. And above all, there was a desire to escape the foul stench emanating from the sewer.

“We have arrived,” Margaret announced.

Amid the seemingly endless path, a set of stairs finally appeared. She reached out her hand to assist the couple in ascending. Their eyes, accustomed to darkness for so long, remained shut as they shuffled forward like moles, their feet gingerly navigating the ground. Gradually, their eyes adjusted to the light, revealing an unfamiliar scene.

“A communal cemetery!” Caterina exclaimed, her voice tinged with shock. Moss-covered gravestones were scattered across the expanse of green grass. The sun, having passed its zenith, now leaned toward the western horizon.

The prince, realizing that the ground beneath him was a tombstone, quickly retreated and crossed himself. The couple offered a silent prayer for the deceased.

Margaret, without much emotion, checked to ensure the pouch of gold coins was still secure in her possession.

One coin for life, she thought.

The pouch of gold coins had been a gift from her fencing instructor upon learning that Margaret had been chosen to guard the royal couple. The instructor, a man from the southern regions, was more connected with the common folk than the nobility.

‘Money is mightier than power. Isn’t it the root of all things? And how could a humble man like myself become a lady’s teacher? It must be the allure of that shimmering rogue that led me down this path.’

In the short time they had spent together, Margaret had learned more from him than from any other teacher.

Margaret fiddled with four gold coins as her thoughts turned to Klein. She imagined him ascending the stairs, perhaps apologizing for being late with an expression that lacked any hint of remorse.

“Now, where should we go?” asked Caterina after finishing her prayers. She looked uneasy, her gaze flickering toward the hill where the cemetery was located. The riverbank was just visible beyond the slope.

Margaret pointed out a path that led directly down to the river without passing through the village below the hill. Considering the attitude of Duke Orlean’s soldiers, she suspected they might have already been deployed in the village.

“We’re heading towards the river estuary. With luck, we might be able to catch a boat that’s out fishing and use it to escape.”

“What about the carriage? Isn’t it ready?” The prince, who had assumed that everything would be prepared once they managed to escape, was taken aback. He looked at Margaret with a hint of skepticism, as if he couldn’t believe that he would have to share a boat with fishermen. His gaze seemed to say, “After the stench of the sewer, now this foul smell?”

“I apologize, Your Highness. I’m afraid the situation was too dire to allow for proper preparations. Please forgive me.”

Margaret offered a polite apology, although she hadn’t planned for a pre-arranged escape. Surprisingly, her courteous demeanor seemed to lighten the prince’s mood, as he let out a hollow cough.

“They’re handing over the throne to an inexperienced child, are they?” he muttered to himself, recalling the words Duke Orlean had said to the previous king. Margaret pushed aside such thoughts and began descending the hill.

Unlike the prince and princess, Margaret wore long boots over her white tights, preventing her shoes from coming off. However, the boots were filled with water, creating a discomforting sensation with each step she took.

Upon reaching the riverbank, they saw no boat returning. Only a single narrow ferry carrying two passengers was visible upstream.

Margaret hesitated for a moment. The ferry had some suspicious aspects. Although it carried passengers, were all the ferry operators really so slow to catch up with the rumors?

If the Duke had issued a warrant, boarding the boat might have been more dangerous.

“There’s a boat. Why aren’t they signaling us?” The prince also spotted the boat and raised an eyebrow at Margaret.

It might be best not to board that boat.

She couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. Caterina’s disheveled state caught her attention, her once-elegant shoes were in shambles. She had worn thin silk stockings without shoes, and her toes were exposed and bleeding. The torn nail on her big toe oozed blood, evidence of the pain she must have endured with every step. However, Caterina remained composed, not showing any signs of discomfort.

Margaret glanced toward the river again, but the boat was still nowhere in sight. If they continued to delay, soldiers might arrive from the village.

Eventually, Margaret waved her hand and shouted loudly to signal the boat. The boatman briefly paused rowing and then turned the bow toward them.

“Crossing the river?” he called out.

Judging from their attire, it seemed suspicious to board the boat, but the boatman seemed indifferent. The passengers on the boat also paid no attention to them and chatted amongst themselves.

Is this how boatmen usually act? Margaret wondered. Without harboring doubts, she handed a gold coin to the boatman.

“Could you take us upstream? We’d like to cross to the other side of the Wester Estuary.”

“That’s a border region. If you want to go, you’ll have to pay more.”

“We’ll pay twice as much upon arrival.”

Instead of answering, the boatman rowed vigorously. The boat glided across the river, riding the current smoothly. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be much difficulty navigating against the current. The original price was five coins, but not knowing the value of money in this land, Margaret inwardly sighed.

“A mere single coin for three lives,” she thought to herself.

With a sense of relief that the prince and princess were safe, they settled down on the boat. Margaret remained vigilant, deliberately wetting her clothing to ensure her sword remained visible.

“I wouldn’t mind having a drink of water, even if it’s from the river.”