[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

he lifted his upper body and, with surprising dexterity, led the
way back into the room. But as soon as the soldier was inside
and the door closed, he went back to his complaining.
 I don t understand, Princess.Why did you do this?
I sighed. I had imagined Don Alfonso would be thrilled
with my rescue operation. Instead he seemed genuinely upset
at me.Why had I bothered to go to him? I should have left on
my own. But now it was too late. Worried that he would call
the guard if I didn t convince him of the validity of my actions,
I took a deep breath and plunged on with my explanation.
 Because we must talk with Don Julián immediately. I have a
plan. A plan to stop this war. I have found the door.
 I see you have found my door 
 Not yours.The door to the other world. Remember? The
one your brother is looking for. To make my point, I rolled up
my sleeve and showed him the watch. Don Alfonso stepped
back, fear flashing in his eyes.  You said your brother would do
anything to go to the other world. Does anything include
negotiating a peace treaty with Father?
Don Alfonso stared at me for a long time.Then when I was
sure he was going to declare me insane and call for the sol-
diers, he smiled.  Yes, I suppose it does. For access to the other
world, my brother would most likely stop the war and leave.
And I will marry Princess Margarida.
 What?
 To make the peace last, we need an alliance between your
House and Alvar. That I marry your sister seems the obvious
solution. Don Andrés will 
Having Don Alfonso as my brother-in-law was not exactly
my idea of a happy ending, but now was not the time to argue.
 Fine, I said.  Now we must hurry.
Two Moon Princess_book 3 8/17/07 2:05 PM Page 179
TWO MOON PRINCESS 179
Don Alfonso was not convinced.  Why didn t you tell me
of your plan this afternoon? We could have sent a letter to my
brother, instead of . . . At the look of disgust on his face as he
pointed to the soldier lying on the floor, I finally lost my tem-
per. Raising my voice until his was silenced, I told him of my
plan in a quick angry gust of words.
 I hate violence as much as you do, Sir. But there was no
other way. And yes, you will write a letter to Don Julián we
may need it to trick the guards into letting us leave. But we must
carry it ourselves.This matter is too important to leave the let-
ter in the hands of a messenger who may or may not deliver it.
Anyway, it is too late for me now. I have kidnapped a maid and
knocked out a soldier. I am not going to sit around and wait for
your temperamental brother to send me to a real prison.
 As for you, Sir, I m sorry if I disturbed your evening. I
thought you would like to come with me. I see now I was
wrong and I apologize. If you would be so kind as to tell me
how to get to the stables, I will be gone presently.
 But of course I m coming with you, Princess, Don
Alfonso said as he bowed to me in his annoying manner.  What
kind of a gentleman do you think I am if you believe I could
allow a beautiful lady like yourself to go alone?
I was going to tell him that I did not need his protection,
that I had managed to do very well by myself until then, thank
you very much. But the truth was, I would be happy to have
him at my side, as he knew the castle and the way back to the
river better than I did. So I swallowed my pride and gracious-
ly curtsied to him.  Your company is greatly appreciated, my
lord, I said. As he smiled, I urged him impatiently.  Now, Sir,
would you please change into the soldier s uniform? We don t
have much time.
Two Moon Princess_book 3 8/17/07 2:05 PM Page 180
180 CARMEN FERREIRO-ESTEBAN
Without further argument, Don Alfonso complied. Once
he was ready, he wrote a letter to Don Julián, and after he had
sealed it with the signet on his ring, we rushed through the
corridors and into the courtyard.
The page at the stables let Don Alfonso get a little too
close. Soon the boy was unconscious and tied on the floor, and
I was wearing his clothes.
Don Alfonso, in the meantime, had saddled two horses.We
mounted them and rode away across the empty baileys until
we reached the gatehouse.
The sun had been gone for a while now, and in the soft
golden light of Athos, we were only shadows. But when the
guard called to us with his compulsory  Who goes there? that
would determine our fate, my blood was pounding in my ears
so loudly that I could barely hear the impatient thunder of the
horses hooves.
Ahead of me, Don Alfonso, anonymous under the soldier s
helmet, waved the sealed letters at the sentries, shouting his
urgent mission to the night shadows. There was a moment of
silence, then with a screeching sound of rusty iron, a line of
light appeared under the gate. Without a look back, we
plunged ahead through the open mouth, down the steep hill
that led to freedom.
IT WAS ALREADY MORNING WHEN WE REACHED THE CAMP WHERE
my ill-fated conversation with Don Julián had taken place.
Dressed as Suavian men, we were virtually invisible among the
soldiers coming and going between the fields and the encamp-
ment.The guards let us through without challenge.
After leaving the horses alas, not my dear Flecha this
time grazing in the enclosure, we proceeded to the king s
Two Moon Princess_book 3 8/17/07 2:05 PM Page 181
TWO MOON PRINCESS 181
tent. Two soldiers stood at attention on both sides of the
entrance.
 We have a message for the king! Don Alfonso shouted in
his most imperious voice as soon as we reached them.
He was still talking when the flap of the tent was lifted
from the inside, and a man appeared in the opening. He was
dressed in black as he had been the day I had last met him, and
the crown, symbol of his power, shone on his head. But when
I raised my eyes, readying myself to confront his cold stare, my
heart stopped beating. Because the man who was standing in
front of me wearing the king s clothes was not Don Julián.
Two Moon Princess_book 3 8/17/07 2:05 PM Page 182
Two Moon Princess_book 3 8/17/07 2:05 PM Page 183
S EVENTEEN
The Bridge
My feet rooted to the ground, I stared at the man who was
not Don Julián. Over the crossed spears of the sentries, our
eyes met. Who are you? I screamed at him without words. But
the man had already turned his attention to my companion.
A flash of surprise gleaming in his eyes, his hand jerked to his
sword.  At ease! he shouted to his men.
As the soldiers stepped aside, the knight moved forward
and, unsheathing his sword, dropped to one knee and pre-
sented the hilt to Don Alfonso.  My lord, he said with a curi-
ous mixture of respect and embarrassment.
Don Alfonso gasped.  Don Fernando? He hesitated, then
demanded,  Where is the king? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]