The Scar-Faced King

by Isabell Schmitt-Egner

  “I can only agree with you up to this point Your Highness,” Berard replied, filling the cup with water again.

  “That is ... you have believed all these years that you must die and have told me NOTHING?” Constance almost shouted it. She had stood up and faced her brother.

  “It would have been too much for you,” Amon said. “Please forgive me.” He reached out his hand to her, but she did not take it.

  “I must collect myself first,” Constance said. “You must forgive me that all this is a bit much for me right now.”

  “Of course.” Amon’s voice sounded gentle, and Lilli realised for the first time in full how much Amon loved his sister. She also understood that the two of them needed time now to talk to each other, to sort everything out, to forgive each other for things. But they didn’t have that time right now.

  “I know it’s hard for you,” Lilli resumed. “But we need to focus now on who is after Amon’s life. And how did the poison get into his body tonight?”

  “Someone seeking the life of a king is not exactly unusual,” Berard spoke up. “And poisoning is very common after all. The question is rather, why would anyone administer a poison to the king for years without killing him?”

  “That’s quite obvious,” said Constance. “To make it look like a natural death after a long illness at some point. Everyone thought Amon was sick. If he had died at some point, there would have been little suspicion.”

  “True.” Lilli nodded. “You should have a word with your personal doctor, who probably isn’t one, I think.”

  Amon tried to push himself out of the chair but sank back again.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Constance said. “The doctor will be detained and questioned. He’s not allowed near you again. Wait here.” She gathered up her dress and literally stormed out of the room. Lilli could still hear her giving sharp orders to the guards in the corridor.

  “I can’t believe it.” Lilli put her hands on her hot cheeks. “Can it be true, and Amon is healthy? He will live on?”

  “I can’t believe it either,” Amon whispered.

  “Berard, thank you. I am feeling much better. I have never recovered so quickly from an attack.”

  “You mean from poisoning!” Lilli interjected.

  “We should still consider how the poison got to you, Sire,” said Berard. “I ask you to think. Was the food served on platters or on plates?”

  “On platters,” said Amon. “We helped ourselves. Lilli, do you feel bad in any way?”

  Lilli shook her head. “Not a bit.”

  “Good.” Berard stepped up to the table and let his gaze wander over it. “It is perfectly possible to coat dishes with poison or to put the poison invisibly into a drinking vessel beforehand. Your wine goblet is empty. It may have been in it. Or on your dishes as I said.”

  Berard looked more closely at the silver goblet and then ran his finger over the inner wall of the ruby-decorated vessel.

  “Do you see this? My finger is a very slight black. The material of the chalice apparently reacts with the poison and residues of it settle on the wall. So, I would have this chalice thoroughly cleaned, Your Majesty. I do not assume that you intend to dispose of it.”

  Amon and Lilli exchanged a horrified look.

  “The doctor?” asked Lilli.

  “Or an accomplice. It could have been anyone. Your Majesty, I advise extreme caution. Word will now spread that the poison attacks have been exposed. It is likely that your enemies will then resort to less subtle means.”

  “Thank you, Berard, I will do that. The first thing to do is to interrogate the doctor, then we may be smarter.” Amon braced himself once more and this time he got shakily to his feet. When Lilli tried to help him, he smiled weakly at her.

  “I’m all right. I’m just a little dizzy now, nothing more.”

  “Allow me to accompany you anyway, please,” Berard said.

  “I insist.” Amon was already on his way to the door.

  With five guards in tow, they reached the personal physician’s room, but Lilli immediately suspected that something had gone wrong. The corridor was full of guards who seemed to be looking for something, and when they entered Sewoldt’s chambers, several men were in the process of thoroughly searching everything.

  “He’s gone!” Constance approached Amon and he took her briefly in his arms. “Sewoldt has escaped. We confronted him and told him to follow us. He seemed to comply and said he would just get his coat from the bedroom. By then he had disappeared. We suspect he went through the window. Everything is being searched. I’ve sent guards down to the courtyard.”

  “Heck! Had you told him why you appeared here? Did he suspect anything?” Amon went to the window and looked out.

  “No, I didn’t tell him anything, of course,” Constance replied. “Only that you wanted to speak to him. But if I show up in the company of so many guards, maybe he can figure he’s exposed.”

  “Possibly.” Amon turned away from the window and looked around the room. “I need to know who he was in contact with, who he talked to a lot, if he had friends at court. I just can’t imagine who his employer is. It couldn’t possibly be him alone. What would he have to gain from it?”

  “We’ll find out. I’ve spoken to him many times too. I’ll think if I remember who he mentioned once.” Constance nodded at Amon. “Please excuse me, I will go down to the courtyard. It would be interesting to know if a horse is missing. You should stay inside, Amon. It would be best if you went to your study and placed plenty of guards outside the door.”

  “I will. Before that, the dishes should be cleared away and cleaned. The poison was in father’s goblet.”

  “WHAT?” Constance wheeled around.

  “Yes, calm down. At least now we know. The poison was in the goblet, that’s why Lilli is fine. The perpetrator knew that no one but me would ever drink from that cup.”

  Constance propped herself up in the doorway for a moment, then staggered out into the hallway. “I’ll be back soon!”

  Lilli made a move to run after her, but Amon held her by the arm. “Let her. The best thing now is for her to do something. Let her go down and talk to the guards. We can’t send her to bed now anyway until she calms down.”

  It was going to be a long night. Five maids were summoned up to meticulously clean the king’s study under Constance’s strict supervision. She personally cleaned the magnificent chalice with the embedded stones, which had belonged to Amon and Constance’s father, and then polished it to a high shine with a cloth.

  “And before you put wine in it again, always go through it with a cloth first,” she instructed her brother and put the chalice back on the desk.

  “The culprit will hardly be so stupid as to put the poison in the goblet again already,” Amon said. “He’ll come up with something else. And if it was Sewoldt alone, then it’s over anyway.”

  “I thought we agreed it couldn’t have been him alone.” Lilli had to stifle a yawn.

  “I think that’s enough for today,” Amon said. “We’re all exhausted and should rest. Sewoldt is no longer on the premises, or we would have found him.”

  No one objected.

  11

  When Lilli awoke the next morning with a slight headache, she felt nothing but gratitude despite everything. Amon was lying next to her, still asleep, and she could cherish the very justified hope that he was not carrying a deadly disease. He could certainly defend himself better against an opponent of flesh and blood than against a mysterious disease that nobody knew about – and which apparently did not even exist!

  She lay quietly beside him so as not to wake him and pondered. Constance had certainly been right in her reasoning that the regular administration of poison could fake an illness and, in the end, a natural death. So there probably wouldn’t even have been any examinations if Amon had died.

  Lilli considered whether the nightly attack on herself could have had anything to do with it but came to no conclusion.

/>   She carefully turned on her side to be able to look at Amon. A wave of tender feelings flooded through her and she had to control herself not to kiss him and nestle into his arms. Today Amon would need all his strength and every minute of sleep was precious to him.

  She sighed softly. Amon opened his eyes and turned his head towards her.

  “Blast!. I didn’t mean to wake you.” She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. Amon said nothing, pulled her down to him and gave her a tender kiss, his hands roaming over her back.

  “How are you?” Lilli whispered against his ear.

  “Fine. But why are you whispering?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Lilli, no one can get in here, we’re safe in here.”

  “I know.”

  She sank into the pillows beside him as he propped himself up on one elbow.

  “You know, I had planned last night a little differently, which I’m sure you can guess. Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you. Quietly and in private.”

  “And what?” Lilli looked up at him tensely, with a burgeoning hope in her heart.

  “That I’m going to ask your father for your hand in marriage. I know he’s already agreed in appearance, but you know it was only because of your quarrel. I want to hear it from him myself, that he blesses our union.”

  For a brief moment Lilli continued to stare up at him, then she wrapped her arms around him and couldn’t suppress a soft cry of excitement.

  “I’ll take that as a YES from your side,” Amon said, and Lilli stifled any further words with a kiss. When she let go of him again, Amon straightened up in bed and put his hand to her cheek.

  “Lilli, I will be leaving in just a few days. To Aurenbrunn. I’ll talk to your father and come back as soon as possible. You can prepare our engagement in the meantime. There should definitely be some apple dishes.”

  “If you’re going to Aurenbrunn, I’m coming with you!” Lilli cried, wrapping her arms around him again.

  “Lilli, that’s not usual, you know that too.”

  “Yes, that the men settle it among themselves, and that you must not say anything about it, THAT is customary.”

  “I don’t get the impression that you haven’t decided anything in this matter. Where were you going to have your say again?”

  She could hear in his voice that he was grinning. And unfortunately, he was right. She had decided everything on her own. That she was coming here, that she was going to marry him after all, that she was leaving, then coming back. Still, something was bothering her, she just didn’t know what it was.

  Amon kissed her temple and then brushed his lips up to her mouth. Instantly, Lilli’s anger dissipated. Heavens, she loved this man so much and she wanted to enjoy this new feeling. Nothing else.

  “Can you believe you’re healthy yet?” she asked between kisses. “I still can’t believe it.”

  “I can’t quite either. It hasn’t gotten to me yet, but it’s slowly settling in my mind. Lilli, you changed my life and saved it too. That doctor would have killed me eventually without detection. For that alone I am eternally grateful to you, just like Constance and Auntie Jahne. If I die before Jahne, her conception of the world will collapse.”

  “When we’ve recovered from all this, we’ll have to celebrate, with another apple festival,” Lilli said.

  “By all means. And now, fairest princess, we must get up. The future regent couple need to go and have a look outside.” Amon flicked back the silken sheets and Lilli felt her heart pounding hard. This was so exciting! She would rule Grauemfall by Amon’s side, they would discuss everything together, sleep in the same bed every night. Her face ran hot, and she quickly got up to dress.

  They had a quick breakfast, but before that Amon had already discussed all the security precautions with his captain of the guard. As after Lilli’s raid, no one had been discovered on the castle grounds, and Lilli still brought up the idea that perhaps Sewoldt himself had raided them back then. He didn’t even have to have a secret hiding place in the castle for that, because no one would have suspected the doctor when they were looking for the unknown man. But basically, it was all speculation and they had to expect anything.

  “Only what I don’t understand: why should Sewoldt have anything against Lilli?” Constance asked as they sat together after breakfast.

  “It’s obvious,” Amon replied. “Officially, Lilli came here as my fiancée. If we marry, then she inherits the throne after my death. So, she is to be eliminated for someone who seeks the throne or has similar motives. Sewoldt may also have just been meant to scare her into giving up and leaving.”

  “Yes, but ... are you really planning to marry now?” Constance asked, her eyes wide. Amon reached for Lilli’s hand.

  “Dear sister, I wanted to tell you and also Lilli all this in a completely different, solemn mood, but times call for a different approach, so I’m telling you now: Yes, I will marry Lilli. I love her, Lilli saved my life, but that’s not it. I loved her before and there can be no other woman for me. Therefore, I will travel to Aurenbrunn to speak with Lilli’s father. True, his consent has already been given strictly formally, but we all know how matters have been. And I don’t want anything to come between the bride’s father and me.”

  Constance jumped up and flung her arms around Amon’s neck.

  “You have so earned your happiness. Amon, I am speechless. I didn’t think this could ever happen.” She kissed him on the crown of his head, which was only possible because he was sitting, and she was standing in front of him. Then, in the gesture Lilli now knew her to perform in moments of emotion, Constance pressed her palms to her eyes.

  “Excuse me, I have to go out for a moment.” She left the room with quick steps.

  “Was that too much for her now?” Lilli asked after the door had closed behind her.

  “She’s always like that. I think now that she sees that I’m finally happy, and healthy on top of that, things will get better. My sister has done so much for me, carried so much burden, for years. I wish for her to finally come to rest. It’s time. Now we’ll get through the rest and then our new life will begin. And I’m so looking forward to that, I can’t find the words.”

  Lilli felt her face grow hot again and joy flooded through her as well. Apart from the incident with the doctor who had fled, it all seemed like a wonderful fairy-tale to her. Very briefly, the thing about Amon’s scars came back to her and that she had seen this other man in the mirror. They hadn’t pursued that any further because of what had happened, and perhaps it wasn’t necessary. For now, they had other things to do than chase apparitions and ghosts.

  During the day, Amon organised his departure to Aurenbrunn and the safety of Lilli, Constance and Auntie Jahne. There were restrictions on access to certain areas, the guards were tripled and there was no corridor without guards. The three women were to stay mainly in their rooms in his absence, with Lilli moving into Amon’s study, as it was specially secured and there was no possibility of getting to her from the windows either.

  Amon had considered taking Lilli with him to Aurenbrunn against all custom, but if someone had it in for her, she was even more unprotected on the road than she was in the castle. Lilli promised to stay in his study until he returned. She wanted to plan the engagement and paint some pictures. To do this, the paints and brushes were moved from the old workshop to the study.

  While all this was going on, Lilli still felt comfortable and safe. Nevertheless, she was inwardly dreading the moment when Amon would leave her here alone. If Sewoldt came back, would he try to get to her?

  She knew she would be well guarded and basically it was impossible, but the uneasy feeling just wouldn’t go away. She even thought of asking Amon to take her with him after all, but she also knew that it was not proper and that she was depriving Amon of the opportunity to present himself freely before her father. The courting groom usually travelled with an appropriate entourage and thus showed the bride’s parents
what he had to offer the bride.

  She knew he would take her if she asked him, but Lilli held back.

  The very next day, they were all standing in the courtyard when Amon mounted his horse. He looked stunning in the precious clothes he had put on for the occasion. Lilli knew that it was important for the bride’s suitor to be seen on the road in this magnificent state, which is why Amon had already dressed accordingly for the journey.

  He wore the colours of Grauemfall, silver and a dark grey, set off with ruby red. His travelling cloak was embroidered with silver threads, and if you looked closely, the embroidery on the hem showed the history of the castle in small pictures. The coat was a masterpiece of tailoring and Lilli knew from Constance that her father and his father had already worn it on their courtship ride.

  Lilli felt awe as she hugged Amon goodbye. He would go off, take the road and everything upon himself, so that they could share their lives afterwards.

  Her pride alone now dictated her to wait here for him and let him sort things out as he needed to for himself and his reputation. And to appear before her father and all of Aurenbrunn, with his disfigured face, that took courage.

  Lilli stayed at the gate until the cavalcade was out of sight. Only then did she go inside Grauemfall, while four guards followed her.

  Lilli found the first night without Amon to be simply awful. She had curled up in the dark room, on the side of the bed where Amon usually slept. The pillow smelled of him, but that only made her sadder. What she would have given to feel his warm body beside her, to hear his quiet breaths in the dark. But he was gone and without him the room with its dark corners seemed hostile, threatening, full of noises and things that might be lurking there, waiting for her to get out of bed. Especially the mirrored wardrobe in the corner frightened her. Again and again, she reassured herself in her thoughts, told herself that there was nothing there. Neither a mad doctor hiding in the dancing shadows, nor the mysterious man she had seen in the mirror, who was not Amon.