by Janet
Disclaimer: The characters and
situations of the TV program "Big Valley" are the creations of Four
Star/Republic Pictures and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by the
author. The ideas expressed in this
story are copyrighted to the author.
Audra Barkley had the house to herself other
than Silas, who was working in the kitchen on the evening meal. Her mother, Victoria Barkley, was in Denver
visiting a sick relative and would be gone a week; Nick and Heath Barkley were
on a buying trip in Nevada close to the Ponderosa and had decided to go by and
see the Cartwright family; Gene Barkley was away at college at Berkeley and
Jarrod Barkley was in Stockton working at his office. As the afternoon wore on, Audra could see from the french doors
in the study that a terrible storm was on the horizon. She wished Jarrod would leave his office
early to miss it but if she knew her brother, he would get caught right in the
middle of it. She smiled to herself at
the thought of the soaked lawyer as he walked through the front door.
Audra decided to pass the time, she would read one of Jarrod’s many books. She walked over to the shelves where his
books were kept and picked one. She sat
down on the couch. She read the title of
the book, “The Knights Of The Round Table.”
She settled down and began to read.
As she read, she began to get tired and finally the book fell to her
chest as she slept. Then she began to
dream.
In the province of Stockton lived a
beautiful, blond-haired princess named Audra.
Her mother, Queen Victoria and her father, King Thomas, were very wealthy
and Princess Audra was very happy with her three brothers, Prince Nicholas,
Prince Heath and Prince Eugene.
However, Princess Audra wasn’t happy because her oldest brother and her
protector, Sir Jarrod was away. She
longed for his return. She so much
looked forward to their many late night talks and to hear of his travels to the
other provinces in the area.
“Princess Audra,” her brother, Prince Nicholas asked, “why are you so sad?”
“I long for the return of our brother, Sir Jarrod,” she answered. “I am anxious to hear of his most recent
travels.”
“He should return in two maybe three days,” Prince Nicholas said. “I hope he will have news for all of
us. He has gone to the province where
King Evan lives.”
“I do not care for King Evan,” she replied.
“He has asked me to come to his castle and become his queen. But I have refused.”
“King Evan always gets what he wants,” Prince Nicholas told her. “He is rich and powerful. If he has decreed it then you have no
choice.”
“I have a choice,” she said. “My
protector, Sir Jarrod, will make sure that King Evan will never bother me.”
“I hope you are right,” he replied.
Sir Jarrod had ridden long and far. He longed to return to his castle. He had had no luck at all with King
Evan.
“The only way I will deal with you is if your sister, the beautiful Princess
Audra, becomes my queen,” he had said.
“That will never happen,” Sir Jarrod had replied. “My sister is not interested in you. She waits for her prince.”
“She will marry me,” he had told Sir Jarrod.
“I will promise you.”
After that, Sir Jarrod had decided to return home to warn his sister of the
King’s motives. But he didn’t arrive in
time.
One day while the beautiful princess was shopping in the province two knights
dressed in black appeared out of nowhere.
They captured her and took her away.
All that was left behind was her golden veil.
“King Thomas,” the driver of her carriage said, “the beautiful Princess Audra
has disappeared. She was walking
through the many shops and then she was no more.”
“Someone has taken her I fear,” King Thomas replied. “Did you not find a word lying around?”
“No King Thomas,” the driver told him.
“Not a word.”
“Oh what am I to do,” he said. “When
her mother hears she will be heart broken.”
When Sir Jarrod walked into the castle, he
knew something was amiss. He found his
father, the king, very upset.
“Father,” Sir Jarrod asked as he entered the room, “what has happened?”
“Your sister, the beautiful Princess Audra, has disappeared,” he answered. “We have received not a word.”
“I fear I know where she is,” he said.
“Where my son?” the king asked.
“I fear that King Evan has kept his word,” Sir Jarrod said. “He promised me that the beautiful Princess
Audra would be his queen.”
“Not on my life will I allow a no good like him to enter into this family,” the
king replied.
“I know,” Sir Jarrod told him. “I will
journey on my trusted steed to King Evan’s castle and rescue my sister.”
“Be careful my son,” the king said.
“The king has many surprises.”
“I know,” he replied and left the castle.
The beautiful Princess Audra had been taken
to King Evan’s castle and locked in the dungeon. She feared not for her life but for her love. She loved not King Evan. She loathed him. He was so evil.
“I wish my protector, Sir Jarrod, was here to rescue me,” she said to herself.
King Evan appeared at the door.
“Hello my queen,” he said as he entered the dungeon. “I have wished for this day for many years.”
“You will have to go on wishing,” she replied.
“Because I will never marry you.”
“Ah,” he told her, “you will.”
“No I will not,” she said again.
He left the room. He had his queen and
now he must prepare for the ceremony.
“Prepare my queen,” he told his men. “I
will marry her today in the garden.”
“Yes King Evan,” they said and left to carry out his decree.
Sir Jarrod rode as fast as his mighty steed would carry him. He arrived at the castle as the ceremony was
to take place.
“Stop,” he said as he dismounted and walked to his sister’s side. “There will be no marriage between my sister
and you.”
“Yes,” the king replied, “there will.”
“I will challenge you to a fight,” Sir Jarrod told him. “The victor may claim his prize.”
“I will accept and claim my prize when you are dead at my feet.”
King Evan and Sir Jarrod began their
challenge with swords for the hand of the beautiful Princess Audra. The entire province turned out for the
festivities. The two drew their swords
and began to fight. King Evan took the
early advantage but Sir Jarrod fought back.
And soon he had the king down on his knees begging for his life.
“I will spare your life for I am kind,” Sir Jarrod said. “You will never ask for the beautiful
Princess Audra again or I will return here and leave you dead at my feet.”
“I will not,” the king replied so sad.
And so the beautiful Princess Audra rode home with her protector, Sir Jarrod,
knowing that she could marry her prince, Sir Scott.
Audra woke up as she heard the thunder in
the distance. Her dream had seemed so
real. But here she was in her own
home. She rose from the couch and peered
out the window. It had started to
rain. In the distance she thought she
could hear a horse’s hooves. She looked
closely and barely made out a horse and rider.
She ran to the front door as it opened and Jarrod walked in. He was soaked to the bone.
“Jarrod,” she said, “you’re wet.”
“Astute observation my dear,” he replied.
“It’s raining outside.”
“I was hoping you would arrive before the storm hit,” she told him.
“I started to but just as I was getting ready to leave,” he said, “Judge Parker
walked in. He had some matters to
discuss and by the time I left town, it was raining.”
“Come in and get those wet clothes off,” she replied. “I’ll have Silas fix some coffee and we can sit by the fire in
the study.”
“All right my dear,” he told her. “It’s
a date.”
Jarrod walked upstairs to change and Audra watched him go.
“There goes my protector, Sir Jarrod,” she said to herself and went to tell
Silas that Jarrod was home.