Happily Ever Afters

by Melanie Cellier

  We arrived at the square faster than I expected, and I was immediately swamped with children. I struggled to extricate myself, attempting to explain to them that I was on duty and unable to play today.

  But the women called out to us with welcome, and several of them laughed and told me to start up a game.

  “We didn’t let anything happen to your princess when you visited us before,” called out one, “we won’t let anything happen to her now that she’s our queen.”

  I looked at Ava and she gestured for me to stay with the children.

  “I’ll be safe enough here,” she said. “Hans played last time, remember?”

  She was right, and the memory reassured me that I wasn’t failing in my duties. I threw myself into the game, energised by the enthusiasm of the children. It felt like no time at all before the game was over and I was collapsing next to Sarah.

  Sarah had also slipped straight back into her old role and was teaching a small group of girls how to plait reeds into armbands. She had decorated hers with flowers, and the girls’ gazes were as worshipful as they had been last time we were here.

  “Do you really like court better than this?” I asked her, reaching over and picking up a completed armband. I whirled it idly around my finger.

  Sarah paused in what she was doing and regarded me thoughtfully.

  “It’s not better,” she said at last, “just different. I like both.” She elbowed me lightly in the side. “It’s why I keep you around, you keep me grounded.”

  “Oh, really,” I said, pushing myself to my feet. “I thought it was because you couldn’t get rid of me.”

  “Well, that too,” she said with an impish grin. She groaned as she scrambled to her feet. “One thing’s clear at least. I’m going to have to go a little easier on all those refreshments at the balls and afternoon teas and soirees. I think they’re starting to take their toll.”

  “Very true,” I said, my face serious. “I’d been meaning to say something…”

  She shot me a worried look, and I couldn’t help grinning. “But I figured you’d notice yourself seeing as how you’ve started having to turn sideways to fit through doors.”

  She took a swipe at me, but I stepped deftly out of her way. “See?” I said, still smiling. “You’re getting slow too.”

  She rolled her eyes, and I ducked in close enough to whisper in her ear. “You wouldn’t want to risk looking less than perfect for Miles now, would you?”

  She exclaimed in outrage and tried once again to catch me. I escaped her easily, and she proceeded to chase me around the fountains, much to the amusement of the children who followed behind us, shrieking encouragement to one or the other of us. I eluded her for several minutes, ducking behind fountains and jumping over benches, purely for the entertainment of our audience. She entered into the drama with equal enthusiasm, pretending to be slower than she really was. When I eventually let her catch me, we both collapsed onto a bench, laughing.

  “Don’t think I didn’t notice the blush,” I whispered, too quietly for the children to hear. “I hope you’re not forgetting who Miles is.”

  I shot her a warning look, and she met my eyes, her own full of guilt. But Ava approached us before she could reply.

  “If you two are quite finished, we should probably get back to the castle now.”

  I jumped to my feet, but she was smiling so I relaxed.

  “As you command, Your Majesty,” I said, bowing low.

  The children laughed again, and Ava shook her head at me.

  We were all still smiling when we left the square. None of us were really in a hurry to get back, so we walked, leading the horses behind us.

  Ava and Sarah were talking idly about the court when a voice called to Ava from across the street. I turned around and sucked in a sharp breath. It was Anhalt, one arm raised in greeting and a broad smile on his face.

  I had just enough time to whisper his name to Ava and Sarah before he had crossed over to join us. I was careful to keep my face free of all emotion as Sarah and I dropped back to walk respectfully behind Ava and the count.

  Anhalt seemed delighted with our chance encounter and determined to make the most of his unexpected audience with the queen. I watched the surrounding streets with my usual vigilance while I wondered if his voice really sounded so oily, or if it was my own feelings painting my perception of them.

  Sarah was listening intently to their conversation, her eyes never leaving the count’s form. I knew she would be paying attention for any clues, so I stopped listening myself, devoting my full attention to watching for any threat to the queen.

  I wasn’t sure if it was this extra attentiveness or just a heightened sense of alert due to the count’s presence, but I noticed an odd flicker of movement as we passed a small side alley. It was barely more than a shifting of shadow, and I could easily have missed it. Instead I tensed, my hand flying to my sword hilt.

  In one step, I placed myself between Ava and the alley. She turned to look at me, surprised out of her conversation by my sudden movement. I spoke to her but kept my eyes trained on the shadows.

  “It might be nothing, but I think it would be a good idea if we moved a bit faster, Your Majesty.”

  Sarah let out a quickly stifled squeak, but Ava said nothing, merely lengthening her stride. I moved my gaze away from the potential threat to scan the area around us. We were in a fairly quiet side street, and there was still some distance to go before we reached the next crossroads.

  If there was a threat, we weren’t going to make it there in time. I chewed on the end of my tongue in concentration, frantically trying to formulate a plan. Coming up ahead of us, on the opposite side of the street to the alley, was a large shopfront. It was closed, the windows shuttered, but the entryway to the store was set back from the street front, down two steps.

  “Over there, that doorway,” I gestured towards the shop as I muttered the words to the other three. “Get down there, quickly.”

  Ava only had time for a single step in the direction of the meagre shelter when three armed men charged from the shadows of the side street.

  “Hurry!” I yelled and heard Ava drop her horses’ bridle and begin to run.

  Our increased pace had taken us far enough from the alley entrance that the queen was able to reach the minimal safety of the doorway before our attackers reached us. I drew my own sword as I stepped backwards, placing myself in front of the two stairs.

  I risked a single glance behind me to assure myself that Ava was in position and noticed that Anhalt was lingering at the top of the stairs, his hand on the hilt of his own sword.

  “Get down there,” I said, sweeping my arm backwards to indicate he should join Ava. My duty was clear. If at all possible, I needed to protect the nobleman as well as the queen.

  But I was glad to see he was wearing a blade. If any of the attackers made it past me, he would be Ava’s last line of defence. He didn’t respond immediately, but when Ava snapped a command I heard his footsteps moving towards her.

  I had assumed that Sarah would join the others but instead sensed her at my side. As the men closed on us, I angled myself to shield her with my body. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a long knife in her hand. She trembled visibly, but her expression was determined. I felt a swell of pride and fear, and then the men were upon us.

  They attempted to rush us all at once, but our position and the milling horses made it difficult. One fell back and the other two attacked, swords raised. Sarah’s knife would provide little defence against them.

  I parried the first thrust and desperately tried a simple trick, twisting my blade to disarm my opponent. Even a moderately skilled swordsman could guard against it, but to my surprise, my attacker’s blade went flying across the street.

  I instantly ignored the man, side stepping and whipping my sword back to parry the second attacker. The first man was only disarmed, but I was hoping he would take the time to retrieve his sword.

  The seco
nd man managed to evade my first two attacks while the third man stepped forward, eyes trained on me.

  I lunged desperately, using all my strength to beat back my current attacker. To my relief, he was too slow to block me. My sword slid cleanly into his shoulder. He cursed loudly, dropping his weapon to the ground with a clang.

  I shifted my weight to my back foot and kicked him hard in the stomach. He staggered backwards and fell to the street.

  In the space of one panting breath, the third man had taken his place. More determined than the other two, he was quick to attack. He drove me back several steps. A half cry from Ava alerted me just as the back of my foot felt the edge of the top step.

  I leaned dangerously backwards to avoid his next thrust and then drove forward with an attack of my own. My sudden ferocity surprised him, and he fell back into the middle of the street. I feinted towards his shoulder, where I had hit the other man, and he reacted with a desperate block. I used his distraction to step forward and sweep my leg across his feet.

  He cried out and fell heavily to the ground. His hands flew out instinctively to catch himself, and he lost his grip on his sword. I knelt down and smashed him across the head with the hilt of my own weapon. His eyes rolled up, and he lost consciousness.

  For a second I knelt there beside him, gulping for air and steadying myself. Then I remembered the first man. He had never renewed his attack against me and by stepping into the street, I had left the path to Ava open.

  I leapt to my feet and spun around, fear filling my mind.

  Chapter 9 - Sarah

  I don’t like knives. I avoid fights. I hate blood.

  But I also know my duty, and I couldn’t leave Evelyn to face our attackers alone. Ava must have read the determination in my face because she leaned out of the doorway to pass me a knife. A quick look passed between us, and I knew that it was killing her to huddle in the doorway and let us protect her. But she knew her duty, too.

  I tried to stop my hand from shaking and guiltily felt relieved when Evelyn angled herself in front of me.

  The first attack came so quickly that I could hardly follow it. I felt sure I was about to be cut down when suddenly my attacker was disarmed. Evelyn stepped away to deal with the other assailants, but I stayed frozen in place, my terrified gaze fixed on the now unarmed man in front of me. I wondered if I should step forward and attack him, but my feet stayed firmly in place.

  He glanced at his sword, lying some way down the street and then at the queen and count behind me. Finally he transferred his gaze to my shaking hand.

  He obviously decided I wasn’t much of a threat because he abandoned his sword, instead charging unarmed towards the narrow doorway. For half a second I stood frozen. And then my body responded automatically. I took one step forward and thrust my knife straight ahead of me.

  The blade buried itself in his stomach with a sickening sound and an even worse sensation. I let go of the hilt and stepped backwards, my eyes wide and my whole body trembling.

  The man looked down at my knife and then up at me in surprise. He reached forward as if to grab me but instead collapsed onto his knees and then down onto his side.

  Blood began to pool around him, and I felt myself start to go faint. I swayed once and then steadying hands gripped me from behind. I recognised them as Ava’s. I took two deep breaths and the blackness receded.

  I turned towards her gratefully, but my eyes once again passed over the injured man on the ground. My stomach heaved uncontrollably and when Evelyn returned from dispatching the final man, instead of proudly standing guard over Ava, I was vomiting into the gutter.

  Not my finest hour.

  Still, the praises Evelyn and Ava heaped on me were almost enough to make me forget the groans of the man I had injured. Anhalt remained silent, his expression rather sullen, and the other two seemed to have almost forgotten him.

  I hadn’t, however, and I kept a sharp eye on him.

  I was hoping we would move away from the location of the fight since the smell of blood kept making my stomach heave. Evelyn, however, was reluctant to leave the small amount of shelter offered by the shop doorway. Instead she whistled loudly in a complicated pattern, and I was just able to hear an answering whistle from beyond the crossroads.

  “Good,” said Evelyn. “There’s a watchman nearby. He’ll pass the call along to the closest squad of soldiers.”

  She kept us all in position for several tense minutes before I heard the distant tramp of feet. Sure enough, a small squad of soldiers appeared, heading towards us at full trot. When their leader caught sight of Evelyn, he barked an order and they picked up their pace.

  Evelyn gestured for Ava to emerge from the doorway, and the soldiers quickly formed a protective barrier around her. Anhalt and I were included in the bubble of protection, but Evelyn remained outside. After a brief exchange of words with the leader of the squad, we set off back to the castle.

  One runner was sent ahead, and two soldiers stayed behind to guard the wounded men. I didn’t envy them the job and, from their expressions, they didn’t much appreciate it either. They kept looking nervously around, as if expecting to be assaulted by the men’s friends at any moment. I assumed the runner had gone for more help and hoped, for the sake of the remaining guards, that he would be quick.

  As we approached the castle, two groups came speeding from the front gates. One group passed us with nothing but a quick salute, but the others formed a second barrier of bodies around our existing guards and swept us into the safety of the castle walls.

  Hans came rushing from the door of the castle, and the guards melted before him. In two large strides, he had Ava in his arms and was murmuring something into her hair. She was shaking her head against his chest, and I assumed she was reassuring him that she was unhurt.

  I thought, a little wistfully, about how nice it would be to have someone rushing out of the castle to check on my safety. An image of Miles flashed through my mind, but I shook my head. It was no use thinking such thoughts.

  As the rest of the guard dispersed, sent to man a double watch at the gates and along the wall, I saw another figure come striding around the edge of the castle. After a moment I recognised him as Jake and was pleased to note that his face reflected some of the worry I had seen in Hans. I watched his eyes search the crowded courtyard and then settle on Evelyn. His gaze raked her up and down, and he visibly relaxed when he saw she was uninjured.

  I smiled to myself. That, at least, was going well.

  Evelyn hadn’t seen him, but I was still watching him closely when I saw his steps falter. I followed the new direction of his eyes and saw they had moved to Anhalt. The count had also seen Jake, and I struggled to determine whose face held more animosity.

  Well, well, well, I thought. Clearly those two are not allies.

  I waited with great interest to see what would happen next, but Anhalt muttered a farewell and strode off into the castle. I was glad to see him go but a little disappointed to have missed a promising confrontation. It would have been quite exciting and just the thing to drive the lingering scent of blood from my mind.

  While I had been distracted, Evelyn and Hans had decided to move us all into the castle. I looked over my shoulder as I mounted the steps into the entryway and saw Jake standing alone in the courtyard, his gaze fixed on our retreating figures. I didn’t think that Evelyn had even seen him, and I felt another rush of disappointment.

  I would tell her about it, of course, but I wasn’t sure if she would believe me.

  We were all ushered into Ava’s council room and took seats around the polished table. I was only listening with half an ear as Ava and Evelyn recounted our adventure to Hans, Adelmar and the captain of the guard. The other two men had appeared in the room only seconds after we did, and I suspected that news of the attack was rapidly spreading throughout the castle.

  I used the time to consider the details of everything that had happened and everything I had seen. Something didn’t fee
l quite right, and I wanted to get my thoughts straight before I said anything to the others.

  “There were only three?” Something in Hans’ voice suggested he was surprised by the number. I returned my full attention to the conversation.

  “Yes,” said Evelyn, and her voice reflected his confusion. “There’s no question there was something strange about the whole thing. It was hardly the sort of polished attack I would have expected against a reigning monarch. The men weren’t even very skilled.” She paused thoughtfully and then hurried to add, “Not that I’m complaining.”

  “I think I might know why that was,” I said, looking around the table in anticipation of seeing the same understanding in the faces of the others. Instead I got blank looks.

  “Really?” I opened my eyes as wide as they would go and looked around again.

  “Come on, Sarah, out with it.” Evelyn rolled her eyes.

  I opened my mouth to give a dignified reply but was interrupted by the door opening. A guard came in and leaned down to whisper something in the captain’s ear. The older man nodded acknowledgement before dismissing the messenger.

  When the door had closed, he directed a thoughtful look around the table.

  “I find myself even more interested than ever to hear the young lady’s theory. Something about this situation definitely doesn’t add up. The three attackers are still being treated by some of the guard’s doctors, and we naturally haven’t had a chance to conduct an interrogation. However, one of my men has recognised them. They’re mercenaries from one of the outer regions. Recently arrived in Rangmeros and mostly to be found at one of the seedier taverns. They’re not too skilled apparently but also not too scrupulous about what sort of job they’ll accept. I suspect we’ll have no great trouble getting them to talk. Unfortunately, I’m equally confident they’ll tell us they have no idea who hired them, they’ll just know the man had gold.”