"help me… help me… “
what had at first sounded like a scratching at the little door was now a more distinct pounding.
the flowerseller’s only thought was that he did not want kobra to return, for any reason, and have himself, the flowerseller, brought back into his field of vision…
did he have time to reach the stairs and get safely up them before kobra and the innkeeper heard the cries and pounding and returned?
the flowerseller sprang to the door and turned the handle. the door did not open right away but with a jerk he got it open.
a gust of wind and rain hit him in the face, and a body brushed by him before he could focus his eyes on it.
but he knew immediately that the body belonged to a beautiful young woman.
“close the door - quickly!” the beautiful young woman whispered, and he obeyed.
“you must help me,” she hissed, and dragged him into the shadow beneath the stairs. too bewildered to speak, he listened as she went on,
“do you know who kobra is - the bandit?”
“why, yes,” stammered the flowerseller -
“keep your voice down!”
“i have just seen him,” the flowerseller continued in a lower voice, “he is in the front of the inn, with the landlord - “
“here - now? kobra is here?” the young woman’s eyes widened, and they burned into the flowerseller’s, through the strands of wet hair that lingered on her face.
“yes, i saw - and spoke to him not a minute ago.”
“ah - he is ahead of me!” the young woman glanced back toward the front of the inn. “now you must help me more than ever! i am a princess - “
“and a most beautiful one,” the flowerseller interjected gallantly. “the most beautiful i have ever seen.”
“thank you, kind sir, but as i say, i am a princess, come to claim my kingdom both from the wretched usurpers who violate it now, and from the threat of the even more wretched followers of kobra - “
seeing the terrified glances the flowerseller continued to cast toward the front of the inn, the self-styled princess paused and then continued -
“but perhaps we can discuss these matters in some safer and better lit venue. you have a room here in the inn, sir?’
“yes, i do.”
“then lead me to it,” the princess commanded.
“but the landlord - i am not sure -“
“you are not dealing with the landlord, you are dealing with me. you were courtier enough to pay me a compliment, now show yourself champion enough to help me!”
struck dumb, the flowerseller began to climb the stairs as rapidly as he could. he could hear his own heart beating , and the dripping of water from the princess’s clothes on the steps behind him…
the wind flared up again, and rain beat against the walls as they climbed the staircase.
the light was still showing underneath the door to the fool’s chamber when they reached the landing.
the princess followed the flowerseller into his room, and he closed the door behind them.
the princess shook some water off herself, took her hat off and threw it in the bed, and sat down in the one chair.
“now, sir, you shall be privileged to hear my story. it is a long one, and a sad one…”
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