Rhodri in the Gardens

“Hey! Wait for me!”

It was Rhodri. It was always Rhodri. No matter how early the children slipped out of the Palace into the gardens, no matter they crept out one by one, or scattered through the labyrinthine halls to store rooms, weaving hall or kitchen, Rhodri was there.

Her Lycopersic Majesty Queen Drysi had ignored the von Hedwig children for three days. They spent most of their time in the gardens, where the teenage pepper inevitably discovered them no matter where they hid. Adolphus declared him a weasel.

“I bet the queen told him to keep an eye on us,” he said. “His parents are always ‘popping by for a chat’ whenever we’re alone.”

Claire could not disagree, but pointed out that he and his parents lived their lives in fear.

“He doesn’t know how to be brave, he’s never had a chance to. People who don’t do what She wants disappear, you know.” Claire didn’t have to say whom she meant by ‘She’.

“Who’s disappeared?” Annabelle asked.

“I’ve heard rumors,” Claire said. “We need to be careful not to get anyone in trouble.”

Now Rhodri hulloed and ran after Adolphus, Claire and Bettina. They had spent the morning testing the boundaries of the Court and the guarding of the perimeter, seeking a path to escape. As with every other exploration they had managed away from prying eyes, they were frustrated. There were no thin spots in the hedges, no unwatched door. They were never far from a Capsicum Guard.

He arrived, puffing. “Why do we always have to play hide and seek? Why don’t we play the ball game?”

Bettina carried one of the netted sticks from the ball game wherever she went now. She was small and frightened, and it made her feel safer. She swung it and cracked Rhodri hard on the shin.

“Ow!” Yelping, he grabbed the injured shin and hopped out of range. “Stop that you wretched-!”

“Rhodri!” Claire interrupted sharply. “She’s just a baby.”

“Then how does she always manage to hit the same place?”

“Not a baby,” Bettina said. “Big girl.”

“We don’t have enough for the ball game,” Adolphus said. “Haven’t seen the others for an hour or more.”

“Let’s go look for them,” Rhodri suggested.

“No, let’s find some shade. It’s getting hot!” Adolphus pale skin was reddened by weeks in the hothouse conditions of Antafrican sunlight.  Poor, freckled Gerhardt was positively sunburned, and had caused a scandal at court by weaving from reeds and then wearing the first hat seen in that country.

“How can you keep saying that?” Rhodri whined. “It’s unhealthy to be out of the light!”

“Let’s go get a drink of water,” Claire said.

Rhodri led them to the nearest fountain. The Palace grounds were riddled with springs, hot and cold, and they were tapped to provide easy water sources. No Antafrican could go long without a drink or a soak.

The fountain they found was near the kitchen gardens. There stood a thick wooden column three feet tall, carved in pictures. Cold water bubbled from a spout in the column and fell into a shallow pool surrounded by benches. Runoff from the pool chased down a rock-lined trench towards the gardens, for irrigation.

The benches were crowded with servants with their feet in the pool. At sight of the approaching children they gathered their things and hurried off. Everyone, courtiers and servants alike, was polite to the children, but no one wanted to be too close to them should the tide of the Queen’s favor turn against them. The servants’ flight was as much self-preservation as deference.

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Sketch of Rhodri Annuum from the observation book of Adolphus von Hedwig.