by Elise Marion
He did as she commanded, but seemed to have a difficult time meeting her gaze as he launched into his story. “After my abominable behavior last night, I left Guthrie Hall, thinking it would be best. His Majesty was furious—as well he should have been—and I thought removing myself from his presence might help soothe his ire. I rode to a small dwelling I own a few hours’ ride from here—a small, isolated home where I have spent many holidays alone and with friends. This morning, I set off for a ride thinking it could help me to clear my head. Within seconds, I was surrounded by rebel soldiers. I do not know if they had been watching the castle and saw me leave, or if they happened upon me by accident, but when they took me into their custody I had to think fast.”
“What did you do?”
“I pretended to defect to their side,” he told her, a slight flush reddening his face. “It was not difficult to make them believe it with my face still bloodied and bruised from King Serge’s thrashing.”
“Which you deserved,” she pointed out.
“A fact I will not dispute. I was able to make them think I’d coveted the throne for myself, that I was unhappy with King Serge’s leadership and wished to overthrow him.”
A sudden thought struck her, rousing her suspicions, and Isabelle narrowed her eyes. “You’ve made no secret of your disdain for my husband. How do I know you haven’t defected in truth? How can I be certain this isn’t all a part of some trap and you have led the rebels to our gates out of spite?”
He bowed his head again, hands shaking as he threw himself on her mercy. “Your Majesty, please … I will admit that I did not think your choice of husband to be best, nor was I fond of his plans for dealing with the rebels. But you know the love I bore for your parents, the loyalty I’ve had to Barony and to the crown since well before you were born. You must believe me. I only did this to make up for my behavior last night.”
His words held the ring of truth to them. Had Primus wanted to overthrow her, he’d been in power long enough to do so. Instead, he’d restored her to her rightful place and aside from the mounting tension between him and Serge, he’d thrown himself into the rebuilding effort and assisting with Barony’s defense.
“Look at me,” she commanded. When he did, she continued, holding his gaze. “Tell me what you did. How did you escape?”
“They took me to Lucius Winthrop and I convinced him of the tale I’d told his men. I asked him to allow me to join him … told him that all the secrets of the castle could be his if I were allowed to live. That was when he told me of his plan—a small force would be sent to Gladstone to attack it. A messenger would, of course, be sent here to inform the king of the attack. Then, while the king rode out, leaving you and your guests unattended, the majority of his force would attack. I pledged my sword to him, promised to ensure you would not escape him this time … and he believed me. With their trust gained, I was able to have my run of their camp. They released me from my shackles, and within an hour I slipped away, fleeing before they were the wiser. By now, they must know I have escaped … they will be here any minute, and they will attack with every ounce of their strength.”
In that moment, she decided to trust him. Despite the things he’d done more recently, he’d proven his loyalty to her and to Barony time and time again. He would not lie about something like this.
“Very well,” she said. “I believe you. Now, I need your help. You will help me get these people organized and into the cave, Primus. We have no choice now but to inform them of what has happened and pray that they do not panic. Then, you will join me in defending the castle until the king returns.”
Primus’ shoulders sagged with relief, and he bowed to her. “As you say, Your Majesty. I will follow your every command.”
Entering the ballroom with him on her heels, she approached the dais, finding Esmeralda and pulling her along.
“Isabelle, what is going on?” her friend hissed as they mounted the dais. “There is word of a possible attack on Gladstone. Is that where our husbands have gone?”
Sparing her friend a glance, she sighed. “Please, Esmeralda … I will explain it all in a moment, and I will need your help.”
Seeming to sense the gravity of her tone, Esmeralda nodded. “Of course. You have my support.”
With her friend on one side and Primus on the other, she faced the crowd, whom had gone silent.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid I have dire news,” she began. “I am certain many of you saw King Serge and King Damien leaving with our generals a little over an hour ago. I know you have questions, and have heard rumors, so I am here to ensure you know the truth. I am saddened to report that Gladstone was said to be under attack.”
Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd. Isabelle raised her hands in a call for silence before pressing onward.
“We have also been informed that it was only a diversion. The rebel soldiers are coming here. They mean to attack Guthrie Hall.”
The shock that had rippled through the crowd quickly turned to panic as cries of alarm went up here and there, spreading like wildfire. Everyone seemed to speak at once, their fear and anger swelling to fill the room with a palpable energy. Isabelle had to shout to be heard above the deafening noise.
“You have no need to fear!” she bellowed. “We have planned for this eventuality. Through the doors behind me lies a secret entrance to a cave leading deep into the mountain this castle was built upon. Inside there is wood for fires, toys for the children, and food and water, as well as warm blankets … everything we need to survive for several days should it come to that. I will now ask that you follow the instruction of Queen Esmeralda as she directs you in small groups into the cave. Please remain calm and do not panic. The cave is a closely guarded secret and the rebels are not likely to find you there. I am asking that every able-bodied man, both noble and common, lend a hand in defending Guthrie Hall. Armor and weapons are on the way, enough for every man here. These are your women, children, and elderly at risk. You must stand with me in their defense.”
When every man in the crowd had either nodded or shouted his allegiance, both common man and privileged lord, Isabelle smiled and continued. With them adding to the soldiers’ numbers, they would be an adequate enough force. The defensive architecture of the castle itself would only strengthen them. They could do this.
“Queen Esmeralda will now take charge. Women, children, and elderly into the cave. Men, remain here and await my instruction.”
As those she had indicated moved toward the platform to await Esmeralda, Isabelle turned to her friend.
“You must keep them calm, Esmeralda. We cannot afford for anyone to panic; it would only worsen the situation.”
Esmeralda nodded. “I will do my best, but what of you?”
“I will go to fight with them. My fellow soldiers from the women’s regiment have gone to retrieve my armor.”
Her friend opened her mouth to reply, but was cut short when her own family appeared—her mother, grandmother, and brother joining them on the dais.
“We cannot find Tatiana,” Raina cried, worry in her voice as she searched the ballroom with tear-filled eyes, clutching baby Leila to her chest. “She said she was going to lie down for a bit after the sleigh rides, but she has yet to return. Someone must go and find her!”
“She is gone,” said Akira, her eyes clouded as she stared unseeingly across the room. She pressed a hand to her brow and shook her head. “There is a note on her bed,” she murmured as if reaching for something with her mind. “She has gone with Lord Andrew Forsyth to elope.”
Esmeralda gasped. “Oh God, no! How could she do something so reckless?”
Isabelle frowned, but found she had no time to worry over Tatiana. “If she has gone with Lord Forsyth, then she may be safer than us all. After this is over, we will spread the word that she is missing and find her. We cannot do that until this threat has passed.”
“I hope she hasn’t married him yet,” Esmeralda mused aloud. “I pra
y we can stop her in time.”
“It’s too late,” Akira whispered so low that only Isabelle could hear her.
Instead of replying, she turned to Desmond instead. Esmeralda’s brother was a man now, his body honed with strength by years of working with horses.
“Do you know how to use a sword?” she asked him.
Esmeralda’s arm came protectively around him.
“No, Isabelle,” she said firmly, her yellow-gold eyes flaming in rebellion as she pushed her younger brother behind her. “Not Desmond.”
Desmond placed a hand on his sister’s shoulder and kissed his mother’s cheek before stepping from behind them.
“It’s all right Esmeralda,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “Damien and Serge have been teaching me the sword. I am not as good as they are, but I am adequate enough. I will go with you.”
Tears flowed freely down Raina’s cheek as she clasped her son’s hand. “Please be careful, my son. We will pray for your safety.”
Before anyone could think to stop them, Isabelle led Desmond toward the small gathering of men who had volunteered to fight. Vernon appeared, leading the male servants he had gathered, putting their numbers well into the hundreds. Each held an armful of armor or weapons. Once everything had been spread out on the ballroom floor, Vernon and the other bodyguards began assisting the men with strapping on armor and choosing weapons.
Ava, Hanako, and Mudiwa appeared, also dressed and girded for battle. Hanako handed Isabelle her breeches and tunic. Ava carried her sword, bow and quiver, while Mudiwa toted her armor. Isabelle ducked into the corridor and changed while Ava stood watch. She tossed her gown and undergarments aside and allowed Ava and Hanako to assist her in putting on her armor while the men within the ballroom went about preparing for battle.
A footman came scurrying down the hall just as she strapped her sword around her hips.
“Your Highness,” the footman choked between shaky breaths. “Lord Burnham sends word from the east tower. He says the rebels are now on the horizon and riding fast. They will be here in less than an hour.”
Isabelle’s heartbeat quickened and her mouth went dry, but she maintained her outward mask of calm. “Tell the men to gather in the courtyard, where I will wait for them.”
Then, she motioned for Ava to follow her, and ran down the corridor to the main hall. She flung open the front doors, making her way toward the outer curtain wall and the stairs leading up to the east tower. Soldiers had already begun flooding the courtyard from the barracks, the archers streaming up to the wall walk, where they could fend off attackers from on high.
Primus stood in the tower wearing his armor, his gaze locked on the approaching horde of rebels on the horizon. Isabelle’s throat nearly closed as the black cloud of approaching soldiers filled her vision. Her knees trembled, and her hands began to sweat inside her gloves.
Speaking of defending the castle had been one thing … actually doing it would be quite another.
Akira told you that a warrior king and warrior queen would be the saviors of Barony. You will do this … you will do this, and succeed.
“The men are gathering in the courtyard,” she said aloud.
“Good. We have just enough time to get everyone into position.” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and waited for her to meet his gaze. “Your Highness, I will fight at your side to the death. I will fight for you like I fought for your mother and father. The rebels tried to take Guthrie Hall once, and though they succeeded in taking many lives, they failed in their goal of bringing Barony to its knees. The people will rise up as they did before. This time, I pray we will be successful in squashing the rebellion once and for all.”
Encouraged by his words, Isabelle raised her chin. If he had confidence in their ability to end this war, then so did she.
She heard the soldiers filing into the courtyard, and turned to descend the stairs, hoping her fear did not show in her eyes. These men looked to her in Serge’s absence, and she would portray confidence as their queen. They stood waiting for her with Ava, Vernon, Mudiwa, and Hanako at the forefront. All eyes locked on her as she came into view. Mounting the front steps so that everyone could see her, she turned to look down on them.
“I want to thank you for standing with me today,” she said, her eyes connecting with every man her gaze fell upon. “I realize that most of you are not soldiers. Some of you are shopkeepers and farmers; others are privileged lords who have never worked one day in your lives. Many of you have never had to raise your sword in defense of anything. I understand how you must feel. Not so long ago, I was a pampered princess who had no insight into the horrors of war. For so long, you’ve been unable to do anything more than watch as your villages and homes are burned and your families terrorized—just as I was helpless despite wanting to help my people in some way. But, today I rise up and declare that enough is enough! Now is our chance to stand and fight. Now is our chance to prove our mettle and show those rebels that we will not be moved. We may be outnumbered and outmatched in skill, but damn it, we will not surrender. We will not fall. We will give them hell before we do!”
The roar that met her ears was deafening, seeming to shake the very walls surrounding them. Men yelled and cried out, stomping their feet and banging their swords and shields against the cobblestones. A tear roll down her cheek as she surveyed them, pride swelling in her chest. She remembered her dream, and hope filled her heart. The great warrior she had seen in her visions would now be put to the test. She could not fail.
* * *
Relief flooded Serge when he rode into Gladstone to find that the women’s regiment had beaten the rebels back and even captured a few. Nell Gibbs stepped forward and bowed to him, a massive club held in one hand.
“It would seem that we were not needed here,” he said with a chuckle. “You appear to have the rebels well in hand.”
Unexpectedly, Nell frowned. “Why would you think otherwise, Your Highness? The attack was not well executed, and their numbers were small. They might have been ignorant enough to underestimate the women’s regiment, but everyone knows we are more than capable of holding our own.”
Damien dismounted and came to join them, a frown creasing his forehead. “We were led to believe that you were outmatched and in grave danger. We set out from Guthrie Hall immediately to offer aid.”
Dread formed deep in Serge’s middle before spreading outward, until he was tingling with it. Every hair on the back of his neck stood on end as his eyes locked with Nell’s.
“It was a distraction,” he murmured, his voice hoarse as equal parts fear and grief washed over him.
He had urged his wife to stay at Guthrie Hall, and now she and everyone else with her could be in grave danger.
Damien blanched, mouth setting in a firm line. “We have to get back. We’ll have to ride fast and hope the rebels haven’t reached Guthrie Hall yet.”
Nausea brewed in his stomach, and he fought the urge to empty his stomach all over the snow. Isabelle and the others hiding at Guthrie Hall needed him to keep his wits. Forcing down the bile that had risen in his throat, he turned to Nell.
“Have every one of your women ready to ride for Guthrie Hall in five minutes,” he said before turning back toward his waiting horse.
“What about the prisoners, Your Highness?”
Serge paused and glared at Nell over his shoulder. His jaw hardened and his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.
“I have no more mercy to spare for these black-hearted bastards. Execute them.”
Chapter 19
“Archers, at the ready!” Isabelle shouted from where she stood in the east tower, her gaze locked on the rebels.
They were riding hard and closing in fast, showing no sign of slowing or turning back. She held one arm up in a signal to the archers lining the curtain wall. Mudiwa and Hanako stood among them, each with an arrow notched to her bow.
“Steady!” Mudiwa called out, her voice traveling to be heard by the a
rchers awaiting their command. “Hold!”
Isabelle watched, waiting for the rebels to draw close enough to be affected by flying arrows. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Lucius Winthrop at the front of the pack, his sword raised high as his mount charged toward the castle. A breastplate adorned with black enamel set him apart from his men. She remembered what Serge had told her of the man’s cruelty, and vowed to end his life should she find him on the other end of her sword. As his father had slain her parents, she would slay him, repaying their lives with his.
She could see that four riders held a battering ram between them fashioned from the trunk of a large tree. No doubt they intended to break down the castle gate. Down in the courtyard, those who were not skilled archers waited with their swords, clubs, pistols, and axes—any weapon they’d been able to procure from those available in the armory.
“Come on,” Isabelle whispered as the rebel force drew nearer. “Just a little bit closer.”
Time seemed to stretch on forever as they watched their enemy closing in. Many began to slow as they realized they were being targeted by archers. Having expected to surprise Guthrie Hall with their attack, they seemed to not know what to do when they realized that they were sitting ducks.
“Fire!” Isabelle screamed.
The arrows flew through the air with a synchronized hiss before finding their targets. Many fell from the saddle with arrows embedded in their flesh.
“Fire at will!” Mudiwa cried, freeing the archers to do their worst.
The battering ram was brought forward, while arrows continued to rain down on the rebels. Several men lifted the heavy tree trunk, and within seconds the curtain wall shook from the impact.
“It will not take them long to break through the portcullis,” Primus said, turning to face her. “We should go down to the courtyard and prepare to defend the castle, Your Highness.”
Isabelle felt a lump rising in her throat, and fear creeping up her spine yet again as she cast one final glance at the horizon. By now, Serge was sure to have realized he’d been duped, and begun riding back toward the castle. The fate of those hiding in the caves rested upon her holding down their defense until he arrived with reinforcements, which should include the women’s regiment.