[Fairytale 02] - Asleep (2013)

by Elizabeth Darcy

  “I don’t like it,” Tanvir said, dread filling his eyes.

  “Nor do I. Covert tactics probably are our best option, but I fear Ellaria may have accounted for them and there may well be a trap either way.”

  With a small grunt of frustration, Tanvir began pacing back and forth, tugging at his beard. Jess had the sudden, irrational urge to take her sword to the ornamental flowers and hedges in the garden, but she knew that would serve no purpose.

  Tanvir stopped pacing and his face cleared. “We need a diversion.”

  “What sort of diversion?”

  “Rather than split our forces in two, perhaps we should split them in four.”

  “Go on,” Jess said, standing up straight and fixing her full attention on him.

  “Your mother can lead the assault on Ellaria’s forces. Ellaria will expect that; your mother is the most seasoned and experienced commander. Her forces can move in from the eastern side of the isle. Meanwhile, another group will move in from the west, and a third will harry Ellaria’s troops from the south. If we get there in time, Mallaric’s forces will still be defending Ygres, which means Ellaria’s forces will be surrounded. We will have to move quickly to close the noose around her, as her spies will doubtless bring her word of our intent.”

  “But what about the fourth army?”

  “I’ll lead them in an assault on Skyhold.”

  “And I’ll move in with a small team, using your assault as cover,” Jess finished.

  “Exactly.”

  It was a sound plan, though it was not without its risks, but no plan would be risk-free. With any luck, Ellaria would be so focused on her battle with Mallaric that she wouldn’t have attention to spare for the other Four Realms. She expected Lyrane and Estoria to join forces, but Jess hoped she wouldn’t be aware that Deshira and Corland had joined the cause until it was too late.

  “Any particular reason you didn’t want Mahlia and Beland to know the full details of this plan?” Jess asked, wondering if Tanvir knew something she didn’t.

  He shook his head. “An overabundance of caution. I don’t trust Beland any farther than I can throw him, and my faith in Mahlia’s trustworthiness is not much stronger.”

  “Beland is especially worrisome,” Jess agreed. “We can’t trust that his allegiances won’t shift, if he feels circumstances are about to change.”

  “I wasn’t surprised by his decision to remain in Corland. If he were to join us in Moritan, it would be obvious that he’s thrown in with our cause. If he remains in Corland, however—”

  “He can claim to Ellaria he intended to double cross us all along, if it comes to that,” Jess finished. “As if fighting this war won’t be complicated enough, we can’t even trust our allies.”

  “We must remain on our guard with Beland, but our concerns about him will have to stay in the background for now. Your father and my parents should prepare contingencies, in case Beland’s loyalties do prove fluid.”

  “I suppose we can take comfort in the knowledge that, if Beland’s allegiances do shift, Mahlia will have more incentive than ever to be a friend to us.”

  “There is that,” Tanvir said, his mouth twisting in an ironic smile.

  “Your Highness!” a voice called. Jess and Tanvir turned to see an out-of-breath messenger racing their way. “There you are, Your Highness! I’ve an urgent message for you.”

  The young woman handed the missive to Jess, and Tanvir took the messenger by the elbow, steering her back toward the manor. “Well done. Take yourself off to the great hall. Someone will provide you with refreshment there,” Tanvir told the woman.

  “Thank you, Your Highness.”

  Jess waited until the messenger was out of earshot before breaking the wax seal with impatient fingers. It took her a moment to figure out which cypher Medhan had used, but once she had, her eyes flew over the message.

  “Ellaria is preparing to march on Ygres, and it will only take her a few days to get there. We have to make haste to leave,” Jess said, setting off for the manor. Thanks to his superior height, it didn’t take Tanvir long to catch up with her. His face tensed, his eyes going steely, and Jess felt her own resolve harden.

  It didn’t take them long to assemble all parties in the war council, and Jess shared her news with them. Toran was visibly shocked to hear that a noble would dare rebel against her sovereign leader, while Beland studied Jess with a hooded gaze. Mahlia’s face was stony, and Jess noticed how hard she gripped the table.

  Mahlia and Toran announced their intentions to return to their Realms immediately. They’d already sent word that their troops should assemble, and it was quickly decided that Lord Shantan Delhurst would join Mahlia’s army, while one of Farah’s most trusted ladies would join Beland’s forces. The armies would all set off from separate ports, the better to try to maintain the secrecy of their plan. Jess, Tanvir, and Farah would depart from the Estorian port of Melan on the morrow.

  “Jess and I will lay siege to Skyhold as soon as we reach it,” Tanvir told the others. “That should distract Ellaria, perhaps give the rest of the forces the chance to take her by surprise when they arrive at Ygres.”

  “I wish we’d had more warning,” Jess said, trying to rein in her frustration.

  “Ygres is well fortified,” her mother said. “Mallaric could hold it for months. We’ll have plenty of time to reach him.”

  “We know he’s been stockpiling supplies,” Adar said. “He’s prepared for this siege.”

  Their words mollified Jess, but only a little. She hated that Ellaria had maintained her advantage this entire time and was eager to try to even the odds.

  The council broke up soon after that. Beland, Toran, and Mahlia left to make preparations for their departure, leaving Jess and Tanvir alone with their parents.

  “You will both lay siege to Skyhold?” Farah asked, raising an eyebrow at them.

  Tanvir explained the plan to their parents. Nishana’s face was stark, and Jess knew she did not relish the idea of both of her sons being in harm’s way. Adar looked more resigned, though his concern was clear. Omar said nothing, studying his wife as she thought over what Jess and Tanvir had proposed.

  “It is risky. Who will you take with you, Jessmyn?” Farah asked.

  “Pala, Loren, Rahib, Holen, and Ashra.”

  Though she looked unhappy, Farah nodded. “Sound choices.”

  “Are we in accord, then?” Tanvir asked.

  “We are,” Farah said.

  “I do not like it,” Nishana said. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were bright with tears.

  “None of us do,” Adar said, his voice soft. He put a hand on his wife’s shoulder and her face crumpled. She collapsed against him, leaning on his shoulder.

  “We shall take our leave of you now. I must depart for Shala at dawn, but I thank you for your hospitality,” Omar said to the rulers of Estoria.

  “I hope when next we meet, it will be under better circumstances,” Nishana said, her voice trembling as she wiped her eyes.

  “As do I,” Omar said.

  After a quick goodbye, Jess and her parents left for their chambers.

  “Please, Jess, be careful,” Omar said as they stood inside Jess’s receiving chamber. He pulled her into his arms, giving her a fierce hug that told her just how worried he was about her.

  “I will,” she promised, swallowing against the lump in her throat.

  “You are the bravest of the brave. I love you.”

  “I love you too, Papa.”

  He looked as if he wanted to say more but couldn’t bear to speak the words. Jess’s mother gave her a sad smile and caressed her cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning, love.”

  As soon as they left, Jess began packing. There wasn’t a moment to lose.

  Chapter 29

  The courtyard was quiet the next morning. Dev didn’t even remember having fallen asleep, which told him there must have been more of the drugs in his system than he’d realized. He hadn
’t made it to the bed; when he woke, he was sitting in the chair, slumped across the small table, and the ache in his neck was terrible. Wincing, he tried his best to knead the pain from his neck. He was so distracted by the discomfort that it took him a few minutes to realize that his head was clearer than it had been since the day he was captured. His hand stilling, his gaze darted around the cell. Though he strained his ears, all he heard was the impatient huffing and shuffling feet of his guard, and he took it as a hopeful sign. Trying to make as little noise as possible, Dev moved his chair to the window and climbed on top of it, peering out over the muddied ground surrounding the stronghold. He saw a few people straggling about, but the tents were gone, and so were the troops and all their equipment.

  She’s gone to attack Mallaric, Dev thought as he climbed down from his chair. Clear as his mind was, his body was still weak, and the effort of looking outside exhausted him, forcing him to sit down and catch his breath. What to make of what was happening? Maybe the gods would smile on them and Ellaria would be struck down in battle, but that didn’t guarantee his safety. And what if Ellaria had a successor lined up? The only way he could see this playing out in Mallaric’s favor was if Mallaric managed to decimate her forces, and Dev didn’t feel all that confident in Mallaric’s ability to quell the rebellion.

  Lifting his head, Dev took stock of his cell. It was just as bare as it had always been, and he pushed himself past the point of frustration trying to think of things he could use as a signal for Jess. But what signals could he send? He had no idea when Ellaria was coming back, nor how many men she’d left behind. He was furious with himself, with his failure to have enough sense to seize the opportunity to glean what he could from Ellaria. He’d let his hatred of her, his anger over his capture, and his fears for Jess blind him.

  But would Ellaria have shared anything with him? She’d told him some things, but nothing of any real use. She was mad, of that he had no doubt, but she was also intelligent, and the combination frightened him. He was fairly certain that no matter how hard he might have tried, she wouldn’t have slipped and told him anything of substance. If anything, he’d probably learned more from her by provoking her anger because he’d acted as she’d expected he would. Had he tried to befriend her, had he feigned any sort of sympathy for her, he most likely would have put her on her guard.

  He found no solace in this thought. Even if it was true, he still felt as though he had failed. If there was comfort to be had in the thought that he had no control, Dev couldn’t find it. Every fiber in his body screamed that there had to be something he could do.

  Straw, there is straw in the mattress.

  Heaving himself from the chair, he walked over to his bed and pulled out a few of the stalks that tormented him, robbing him of rest. It wasn’t much, but he could maybe weave them together. He didn’t know what he could weave or what he could do with whatever he wove, but it was something, and it made him feel a little better.

  There was the rough cloth that covered the straw of his mattress. Hooking a finger through the edge of one of the holes the straw had pierced through the fabric, he gave it a cautious tug. It ripped easily and Dev froze, afraid that the guard hard heard the sound and would come to investigate. He held his breath for a full minute but the guard did nothing more than grunt and clear his throat with an awful noise. Dev grimaced as, against his will, his mind pictured what his guard had just spat onto the floor.

  So your guards are uncouth. Brilliant observation, Dev! Maybe you can signal to Jess that her weapon of choice should be impeccable manners.

  Leaving his mattress alone, Dev roamed the cell, but there was nothing else of use. He already knew his furniture was too sturdy for him to break, especially in the state in which he currently found himself.

  Scratching his head, he gritted his teeth and hoped his hair wasn’t infested with lice, though he suspected it was. He caught sight of his arm and realized he was still wearing the same clothing he’d been wearing when he was taken. Though it was filthy and tattered almost beyond recognition, some of the color was still visible through the filth. Fingering a loose flap of cloth, Dev raised his eyes to his barred window. He could tie a bit of the cloth around one of the bars, but he would have to bide his time. He wouldn’t use a large strip, but even a small one might catch the eye of one of Ellaria’s grunts, and he couldn’t risk that. If they realized he was trying to send signals, they would drug him into a stupor so profound he might never come out of it.

  In addition to his clothes, he still had the jewelry he’d worn the day of the ceremony. He’d refused the heavy chain his mother had wanted him to wear, but he had the ring Jess had given him, along with an obsidian ring, a family heirloom that had passed from father to firstborn son for more generations than Dev could count. Both pieces were distinctive, and he knew Jess, Tanvir, and his parents would recognize them, but he had no way of getting the rings to any of them.

  Footsteps rang out on the tower steps, and Dev tensed. “I’ve the prisoner’s tray,” a female voice said.

  The guard grunted and Dev heard keys jingling. A moment later, the door opened and a servant girl slipped inside. Dev recognized her, and if he recalled correctly, the last time he’d seen her had been when she’d restrained his head while Ellaria drugged him. Still, she must have made frequent visits to his cell, most likely while he was unconscious. He couldn’t imagine his guards would want to deal with his waste bucket, so he supposed she was the one to empty it. She must also be the one to bring his tray, though it was often his guards who put the tray through the door.

  Without saying a word, the servant girl dropped the tray on Dev’s table and hurried off with his bucket. He tried to catch her eye, but just as on that first day, she would not look at him. She hurried through the door with his bucket, and the guard slammed it shut. Dev sat down at the table, poking listlessly at the stale bread and half-moldy cheese the girl had left behind. He had no appetite, but he forced himself to eat the meal just the same, doing his best to scrape the layer of mold away with one of his filthy, ragged fingernails.

  I need to regain my strength.

  The girl returned a few minutes later, carrying the emptied bucket. Dev had finished his meal and moved away from the table, and the girl snatched up the tray, moving for the door with quick footsteps.

  “Thank you,” Dev said to her, his voice pitched low in an effort to prevent the guard from hearing.

  For a second, the girl went rigid, every line of her body frozen in place. Dev stared at her, willing her to look at him, but she kept her head turned away. Taking an abrupt step, she rushed out of the cell like a frightened mouse. Dev suppressed a sigh and tried to reassure himself that all was not lost, not yet. He might be able to persuade her to at least look at him, if he could somehow convince her to overcome her mortal terror.

  Ambling over to the door, Dev craned his neck to the right and caught sight of his guard. He grinned as he saw that it was the easy to provoke, moon-faced man.

  “Hello, old friend,” Dev said, his voice sounding raspy. He wondered how long it had been since he’d last spoken. Judging by the way his guard grimaced, the man thought it hadn’t been long enough. Dev would have to proceed with care. He didn’t want the guard to drug him again. “It’s awfully quiet here today.”

  “I could make it quieter,” the guard growled.

  Dev held his hands up. “There’s no need for that. I’m happy to keep my thoughts to myself.”

  “See that you do.”

  Studying the guard, Dev wondered why they weren’t keeping him drugged. Had they run out of whatever vile potion they’d been using? Was Ellaria planning on moving him? Or did prolonged use of the drug cause some sort of side effect that Ellaria was unwilling to risk? None of the possibilities struck Dev as particularly appealing.

  He pushed the questions away and focused on taking note of what the guard had in his possession. Dev couldn’t see his keys, but he knew the guard must be wearing a ring, which me
ant it was on the side Dev couldn’t see. The guard wore a decent helm that left his face exposed, and boiled leather armor. Neither were anything Dev couldn’t get past with a well-placed blow. What he wouldn’t give for a weapon. It would help even the odds, seeing as how he doubted he could punch a fly unconscious in his current condition. It was questionable if he’d even be able to summon the strength for a blow that would at least stun the guard. A short sword was visible on the guard’s hip, but Dev was certain the guard had many other weapons concealed on his person. Surprise was the only advantage Dev would have, if he could work out a plan to lure the guard into his cell.

  “What’re you lookin’ at?” the guard asked, and Dev gave him a bright smile.

  “Not much, I’m afraid.” The guard bristled and Dev withdrew into the cell, unwilling to aggravate him any further.

  Let’s wait and see what the day brings. I need to know how long they’ll go without drugging me. If it’s more than a day, I may be able to recover enough of my strength to do something.

  So little time remained, though, and worry clawed at him, but Dev forced it aside. There was nothing for it now. He would do his best with what scant resources he had.

  Moving as far from the door as he could, Dev stood close to the wall. Even if the guard craned his neck, he wouldn’t be able to see much of Dev. Satisfied that he was out of the man’s direct line of sight, Dev began to do what exercises he could, though he was careful not to make a sound. The last thing he needed was to tip the man off that he was working to regain his strength.

  Chapter 30

  Gripping the railing with such force she was surprised her fingers didn’t pulverize the wood, Jess stared out into the gray world. It had been overcast since they had set sail from Melan but, fortunately, it seemed that the sky was simply sullen rather than auguring a coming storm. Jess wouldn’t have hesitated to set sail in the midst of a maelstrom, but it was better for all concerned if they did not have to suffer through a tumultuous journey. The monotony of the weather grated on Jess’s nerves, though. Sea was almost indistinguishable from sky, and the effect was disconcerting. Even more disconcerting was the fact that the grayness seemed the living embodiment of everything Jess felt. Not knowing, not wanting to speculate about what was to come, Jess existed in a sort of stasis, and it did not sit well with her.