The Reign of Trees

by Folkman, Lori

  Sir Tannin warned Illianah that too many radical changes might not be well accepted by the people of Burchess, to which Illianah replied, “Madame Partlet put her neck on the line so I might save mine. She has earned a voice in court. Any citizen who shows me such loyalty—male or female—will also earn a place on my council.”

  Once the cabinet was filled, they met to discuss the most pressing matters, which essentially was preparing for battle against the Burchessian troops, most of whom were in Deltegra and likely making their way back to the capital. It was assumed that most of the captains would have a fierce allegiance to Prince Harrington and would fight viciously to free their leader. They could expect the cavalry to start arriving within the next two days, although it would take well over a week for the majority of the troops to march from Andoradda. Prince Harrington would be dead by then, but Illianah did not know if his death would stop the battle or further ignite it. Sir Tannin worried that some of Prince Harrington’s captains would feel better qualified to lead Burchess than a woman and would fight to overthrow the current leadership.

  “We need help,” Illianah said. “Liksland will likely attack as well in retribution for our punishment of Prince Harrington.”

  The cabinet members looked at Illianah blankly, as if they had no advice to offer on this terrible prospect. Her crown seemed to be pushing further into her scalp, making it feel as if her head was beginning to bleed. She might be in agreement with Prince Harrington’s captains: she was not the best man for this job.

  “Vieve,” she replied. “I shall write to them to plead for their support. I shall write to every neighboring country and request assistance in keeping the throne of Burchess in the bloodlines that have been here for five centuries.”

  “That is very well,” said Sir Partlet, “but I do not know that we can count on help. We need a battle plan.”

  “Who is the most qualified to lead the battle?” she asked.

  Various names were tossed around the room; several of her council members were mentioned by others, but the name that was most mentioned was Count Leopold, who had sat on council with her father for Illianah’s entire life.

  But Count Leopold shook his head. “My Queen, I would be glad to assist with the battle plans, but that is what I do best: assist. I could not sleep with myself at night if I had the weight of leading the resistance on my shoulders.”

  Illianah was about to chide Count Leopold for lacking courage when he said, “However, Prince Henrick does have more experience in making war-time decisions than anyone at this table.”

  She caught herself smiling from Count Leopold’s remark. Her foreign councilor had been accepted as a member of Burchess. She quickly wiped the smile away, knowing it would make her look too weak and girlish to be sitting in the privy chamber. “Prince Henrick,” she began, “what do you suggest we do to safeguard the city of St. Moraine?”

  He glanced at her momentarily, letting her see the spark of the happiness in his eyes, and then he addressed the council. “We need to get a large number of men outside the city of St. Moraine as quickly as possible. We need to send our people out into the outlying villages to get pledges for help. We arm the new pledges, seal off the city by tomorrow at this time, and have our vast majority of mercenaries hiding in the farmlands surrounding St. Moraine. While Prince Harrington’s troops are engaged in trying to bring down our wall, we attack from behind. They will not expect that. They will expect us to be hiding behind the tall walls of the city.”

  After a short discussion, it was agreed that this would be the best course of action, even if it put the mercenaries in danger of getting caught in the middle of the battle when the remaining troops arrive from Deltegra. But Illianah was confident she would get help from Vieve, for she knew something her council did not.

  ***

  Illianah went to her bedchamber to compose the letter to King Reginald. She decided that she should address both the king and the queen, as the queen had spent more time with Illianah than the king, and it was likely she could get Queen Margarit to support the cause.

  In her letter, Illianah gave great detail about her capture at Freidlenburg and her awakening while in Deltegra; she told about the monstrosities committed by her then-husband and her never-father, and about the lies spread around the continent to cover crimes and deceptions.

  She told of her return to Burchess to save the life of Prince Donovan and about the charges of adultery, wanting to make certain to dispel rumors that the new Queen of Burchess was a wonton woman. And then she told of her miraculous escape with death and of the battle to overthrow the throne.

  I can assure you that it was not my intent to take my father’s throne, but I can say that I did not feel as if the throne should belong to anyone else. These are my people. They found the courage to fight against their king only after I spoke out against him. I know I can lead them in restoring Burchess to righteousness, but I cannot do it without you.

  Illianah then went on to explain how they awaited an attack from the troops who were once led by Prince Harrington, and how an attack from Liksland was likely eminent as well.

  Should Liksland come to attack, it is certain Prince Harrington will be dead before they get to our shores. They will not fight for vengeance, but for control of the crown. You must decide who you want for your neighbors; if Burchess is left without aid, you will soon find yourself a very small kingdom next to the empire of Liksland who will control the isles, Deltegra, and Burchess. You must ask yourself if you will ever feel safe having that force pushing at your border.

  Illianah gave them her promise of fair trade commerce, and told of her plans to restore King Henrick to the throne of Deltegra, diminishing imposition from Burchess in the Western Corridor.

  Her last paragraph of the letter was this:

  You may say that you do not wish to get involved in affairs outside of your own border. You may say that Burchess’ troubles are not your troubles. But that is where you are wrong. You are already involved in the war, as you hid and sheltered me for nearly a month as I tried to find the courage to face my father. Yes, I was in Vieve, right under your noses. For a time, I stayed on the coast where I was kept captive because of my unfortunate circumstances. The treatment I received there by a nefarious sailor—who shall remain nameless—was worse than the treatment I received as a prisoner of war in Deltegra. But that is not important. I made it back to where I belong. But I do worry that Liksland will assume you to be my ally because of my intrusion within your border and they will find it in their best interest to beat you into submission, just as that sailor tried to do with me, regardless of where your heart might actually be bound.

  I found refuge with you once, and I hope to find it in your open arms again.

  Yours in friendship,

  Queen Illianah

  Writing the word “Queen” before her name did not give her the satisfaction she thought it would. It troubled her.

  Once the letter had been sent with five of Sir Tannin’s most trusted men, Illianah had eaten supper and then ordered the destruction of the house on Tower Row so the castle could not be accessed from outside the curtain wall. Then she finally found a moment alone with Donovan.

  “You do not look happy,” he said once they were within the castle’s solar.

  “I do not feel like I will ever be allowed to smile or laugh again,” she replied.

  “That is understandable. You have just had the weight of a kingdom land upon your shoulders.”

  His words did not comfort; in fact they seemed to push her down even further. She grabbed onto the edge of the bureau for support. Donovan grabbed her affectionately by the elbow. “I know you will worry greatly about the welfare of your kingdom. You will be a good queen, as you are giving no thought to your own needs and desires. That is all Burchess needs—a selfless leader.”

  She nodded, although she did not entirely agree. Selflessness was key, but there was so much more to worry about. She could not protect her peo
ple from an invasion by merely thinking altruistically. Illianah had been trained to run a castle, not lead an army. But Donovan had. “I need you, Donovan,” she said, knowing she sounded desperate. “I cannot do this alone.”

  “You do not have to. I will stay and help as long as I am needed.”

  Her shoulders felt lighter, knowing Donovan would stay in St. Moraine. “What of your kingdom?” she asked. “We need to restore order and …”

  “Deltegra can come second. Focus on securing your border first. When your military is under control, we can then restore order in Deltegra and put my father back upon his throne.”

  “How can you be so certain? I cannot offer a single guarantee. I cannot even say for certain that I will still sit on the throne come morning.

  He let out a small laugh, which made her brows instantly crease. Then he smiled reassuringly and sighed heavily, almost like he was going to scold her. “Stop and think for a moment about all that you have accomplished since you left Deltegra. Stop and think about how you have changed since you last lived in Burchess. All the misery—all the pain—you have suffered these past months has strengthened you. I do not worry about the future of either of our countries because … because I know who you are, Illianah. You will not fail, for it is not in your nature.”

  The warmth of his words surged through her entire body and lifted it, renewing her strength and fortitude. The trials of the past few months now felt like cogs on a wheel, lining up with the greater wheel of life and propelling her forward. It was no longer like the trials were impossible obstacles to go around; they were the momentum she needed to step into the shoes of the Monarch of Burchess. Had she stayed at Leif’s side, she would have never known of the injustices of their government and the day would have come that she would have been dethroned while sitting alongside Leif. She would have remained in ignorance, thinking the rebels sought after their own fame and power. As it was now, she was actually able to do good. She was able to make a difference in the lives of thousands. Her heart felt as if it was beating warm honey through her body and she could not help but to smile. “I once thought that my stubborn nature would be my demise,” she said.

  He put both his arms around her waist, laughed softly and said, “That is ironic: because I once thought your stubbornness would lead to my demise. The moment you decided to claim my heart, I knew I was lost to you forever. No one can resist the powers of Queen Illianah of Burchess.”

  She wanted to scold him for teasing, but as she held her eyes on him, she realized he was not being a sycophant. The devotion within his black eyes said that he was hers, forever. A chill ran up her spine as she realized the trust and responsibility that she had—not only as queen, but also in caring for Donovan’s heart.

  Illianah could not think of anything to say that would express how she felt about the sacred privilege of owning his heart, but she thought she should show him instead; however, he stopped her by placing a finger to her lips. “Do not be angry,” he whispered. “But I do think it is best savoring the memory of yesterday’s kiss.”

  This did not anger her, although it did disappoint her. She did not know his reason for not wanting to kiss her, but she knew whatever his motivation was, it would be a wise one. “Very well,” she said, “but so long as that memory does not have to last me a lifetime.”

  His brows furrowed and he said, “I am offended, Illianah. That kiss will be imbedded in my soul for eternity. I cannot believe you wish to forget it.”

  She inadvertently let out a laugh. “That is not what I meant,” she said.

  “A laugh?” he replied. “Did the queen just laugh?”

  “Stop,” she said, again laughing. “Do not tease me.”

  “Is that an official order?” he asked. “Because unless you directly order me that I may not jest while in the queen’s presence, I will never stop trying to make you laugh. I consider it my duty.”

  “I did not know you had a desire to be court jester, or I would have given you that title rather than adding you to my council.”

  “I do not wish to be a court jester. Just … yours.”

  Illianah smiled, finally feeling that they did have a future—and not meaning just her and Donovan, but Burchess as well.

  ***

  Knowing that Donovan had a unique ability to help her stay focused and positive, Illianah kept him on her right hand during the following days. He was at every meeting. He was involved in her every decision. The only time they parted was at night when she would retire to her old bedchamber to sleep; but it was at this time that she wished him to be near more than any other. She could not sleep for more than a few moments at a time before her dreams would be overrun with images of King Gregory and Prince Harrington in the gallows. It was likely that scene in the city courtyard conquered her dreams because she would not allow herself to think of it while she was awake. She did not wish them to suffer—she only wished for them to be out of her life.

  On the third night after she had taken the throne, she found that no matter how she tried to push the two former monarchs of Burchess from her dreams and thoughts, she could not avoid them any longer. It felt as if her life would not move another inch forward unless she confronted them.

  Illianah requested an escort to the city courtyard and even though her captain of security did not want her to go beyond the protective walls of the castle, she went anyhow. Her men surrounded the courtyard to ensure her safety and privacy as she addressed the two men in the gallows, and even though it was the dead of the night, she still felt as if she was being watched by every citizen in St. Moraine. She did not want to show them that she was weak, yet her heart told her that she had ignored her past long enough.

  The two stocks were only a few feet apart; Illianah chose to stand nearest to her father. His head was hung low and the stench coming from his stock was overwhelming. The only thing keeping the vultures from pecking away at him was the fact that it was night and they were sleeping. Nothing would keep the vultures away come morning. Her gut told her King Gregory would not live to see another night.

  She looked away from the distressing sight in front of her and looked to Leif. He had his head lifted, watching her as if he was praying to her for salvation. He was stronger. Younger. He would outlive the king by several days. She only hoped that watching the king die would fill Leif’s heart with regret and fear.

  She approached her father’s stock and stooped to his level. “Father,” she whispered. The stench was worse in this position. Illianah covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve and briefly closed her eyes, warning her stomach to not get sick from the smell, as nothing would be more disgraceful than a queen vomiting at the stocks.

  He lifted his head, but his eyes did not rise to hers.

  “I have come …” she began, but then she paused as she realized what she was about to say. He had cast her off and chosen a wily man over his own flesh and blood. But her heart overpowered her thoughts. She had to say this, as she would never have a chance to say this again. “I have come to give you my forgiveness. You gave me a good childhood and raised me the best you could, but you never did give me your confidence. You did not see the potential within me. But I have found it nonetheless.

  “I forgive you for never loving me. And I forgive you for following the wicked whisperings of Prince Harrington and trying to take away my life.”

  Her father’s head shook, as if he was crying, and he finally brought his eyes up to meet hers. While he did not have tears streaming from his eyes, he was indeed crying. “Have mercy on me, Illianah,” he begged, his voice sounding rough and broken. “Do not let me die like this. It is not the way of nobility. It is not the way of Burchess.”

  “Father, it is by decree of the people of Burchess. I cannot revoke their wishes.”

  “Then you are not a queen at all. You have no power.”

  “That is where you are wrong. You never did realize that power comes from your people.”

  She felt as if her hea
rt was crumbling like dry bread. She did not know that she could stand in his presence much longer without caving into the weak girl she once was. Illianah stood and said, “I do not wish to see you die like this, in fact, I do not wish death upon you at all. My only wish is that you realize you were wrong. You did not need to enslave your people. You did not need to conquer Deltegra for their wood. You could have been a good king—a good ruler—had you only thought of others instead of yourself.”

  A dry, irritated laugh came from her father’s chest. “You are weak Illianah. You always have been. You always will be. The name of Boyé will be spoiled by you. You will live in infamy for bringing down the house of Boyé and the kingdom of Burchess.”

  “No father,” she replied, her voice firm. “That legacy already belongs to you.”

  Illianah left him and as she stepped away, he again pled for freedom. He sounded more desperate than before, but that did not make her turn back. She stopped at Leif’s stock.

  “I want to thank you,” she said, “for wishing me dead. It is through your heartlessness and quest for power that my father has lost his throne, which has now been given to me. I can never feel regret for being forced to marry you, as through you, I have been given everything.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  It did not surprise Illianah when she was informed the following morning that her father had died. It did sadden her—mostly because she had hoped he would cry repentance for ordering her death and proclaim that he did at least have a small amount of love for her in his heart—but she did not shed a tear over his death. She instead turned her focus to the war with the troops of Burchess.

  Battles had already begun at the city wall, and thanks to Donovan’s strategy of having renegade soldiers hidden in the farmlands, the Burchessian troops were surrendering by the dozens. It seemed that the Burchessian troops were unable to fight savagely against their own people—friends, neighbors, and oftentimes family. But these were the troops who had been stationed at cities throughout Burchess and along the border. Illianah worried about the troops who had actually served under Prince Harrington; when they arrived from Andoradda, she did not think they would be so compassionate and soft-hearted.