Pawn of the Crown

by Cheryl Oblon

  I sat there as they healed my bruises and cuts from being tossed around in the ship. Trying to figure out why I hadn’t read the betrayal in the mind of the queen or king gave me a headache. I should’ve known what they’d done to me, but they’d limited contact with me afterward. Those pills were probably meant to keep me sedated.

  Focusing on Remmy’s heartbreak was somehow less selfish. Plus, it distracted me from the idea of being pregnant and not far from marriage.

  “He loves you,” I said.

  Remmy looked over at me. “You’re getting everything you wanted, and I’ve got nothing.”

  “You’re alive. You have your family.”

  “I should never have gone.”

  “That’s true, but rehashing it won’t change anything. You had hopes Faldar would stand up for himself and you. That his parents weren’t as bad as you thought. Some people might surprise you. I’m sure there are plenty of gay men in that country, and their parents would love and support them. But the king is the man who makes those rules and could change them. If he won’t…for his own son…” I shook my head. “You’re lucky they didn’t kill you.”

  “Right now, I’d rather be dead. I don’t have a life without him.” Remmy sat like a zombie as the medical staff injected him.

  The doctor gave me an injection as well. “Just a prenatal vitamin booster for you.”

  “What about me?” Remmy frowned at me.

  “You need a little booster, as well. I’ll prepare it,” the doctor said.

  From the doctor’s mind, I gleaned his injection would be full of antidepressants as well as vitamins. Remmy was a shell of his normal self, but he’d recover.

  “Remmy, you have a life. You don’t want to hear it or believe it right now. I know you’re worried for Faldar. I’m sorry.”

  “Why couldn’t you get him? Bring him, too?” Remmy yelled.

  I’d never seen his temper flare. “I’m sorry. He was being watched by the king or his personal guards all the time. He was in the king’s chamber. You were hurt. Zoma suspected I might be pregnant. My father had slipped out of my hands more than once. I had to act. Once we knew you weren’t allowed to leave yet, we had to break you out and escape.”

  “Easy enough for you and your powers. Faldar doesn’t have that.” Remmy cracked his knuckles.

  “He’s a dragon shifter. He can fly away.”

  “They’re all shifters. They’ll stop him. His own father would battle him before he let him leave.” Remmy hopped off the table and began pacing.

  “So, what makes you think I could get him out? Part of the deal with taking Tantil was we deny we have him. He’s not our guest or our prisoner. He’s going to be a she. I need to practice using the right pronoun, but she’ll make her own path.”

  “She’s lucky. The king won’t want her once it’s done.”

  “Blood is blood. He’d change her back to a him if he needed an heir,” I said.

  “Any means is fine to the king’s end.”

  “Basically. Look what he did to me. You would’ve been leverage he’d have used to hurt Faldar and make him do whatever the king wanted. You know that? He was never really going to let you go. He was going to torture you. Send pieces back to your mother. We’d be in a full war and unable to save you. We had to take you when we did. I’m sorry about Faldar.”

  “You think we’ll avoid war now?”

  “If the king believes our queen. How can he prove where Tantil is? How can he prove I’m still pregnant? If he starts a war, we’ll fight. We’ve been prepping. You have to be there. On our side. For our troops.” I had no idea what he’d do if war broke out.

  “I’d fight. We have to win. War might mean Faldar is freed. All of those people need help.”

  “True.” That triggered my memory. I grabbed a passing nurse. “Where are Anela and her mother? They must’ve been brought here.”

  “Isolation. Follow me,” she said.

  “Are they very ill?”

  “No, they’ll recover. We’re detoxifying their lungs with a special air mixture. They arrived here and began coughing and gasping,” she replied.

  Anela ran up to the clear plastic wall between us. She was clean and dressed in a white medical gown. Smiling and waving, she looked happier than I’d ever seen her. She pointed to her mother and then hit a switch on the wall to activate the speaker.

  Her mother looked like a new person. Clean and clear-eyed. Her skin had color in it, and she munched on a mix of berries and nuts from a bowl as she looked at a view of the outside.

  “Mother likes looking at the grass and the clean air. She can’t wait to walk around in the gardens.”

  I found a chair and settled in it. “So, you’re okay. I’m sorry you’re stuck in here.”

  “Oh, no, it’s wonderful. I’ve never felt better, and I’d be lost wandering out free right away. No rules or orders. I mean, of course the guards interrogated us a bit. And the queen. She’s lovely. Really. I told her what you did for us and how we were living. She beamed like she was so proud of you and promised I’d have a job here working for Marel. I can be her assistant or something and live in the castle if I want. Mother can have a little house in the country, and I can live there, too.” Anela’s energy was so high she nearly bounced.

  “I’m glad you’re happy. The job won’t be much different than you’re used to, but it will be safer and with fair pay.”

  “No one has said a word about money or owing anything. Do you know how much medical treatment Mother has received? Two procedures and countless rounds of therapy and regeneration on her joints. She can walk on her own. They’ve given us vitamins and amazing food. I could live in here, and I’d be fine,” she said.

  “You won’t say that when you’re out there in really fresh air and you see what our cities are like.”

  “I have. I mean not personally yet, but they gave us a view screen so we can see cities and towns. They gave me job listings in case I don’t want to stay at court. We have at least two more weeks in here for our lungs to adjust, but then, who knows? I think I might want to train for one of these medical jobs. People seem so nice and helpful.” She smiled.

  “You’d be great at it. I’m glad your mother is doing so well. A lot of seniors work in greenhouses to keep busy. They sprout new plants and cultivate seeds. It’s physical, but not heavy or demanding. If she likes nature, she might like that.”.

  Her mother turned, nodded, and pointed to herself.

  I nodded. “You got it. Keep getting stronger, and when you’re ready, we’ll make sure you get set up near one.”

  “How can I ever repay you?” Anela asked.

  I leaned in. “You tell the queen everything you know about the Bachal. The royals. Their weapons, troops, plans, and anything else. We had to flee. I had to break Remmy out of the dungeon. Your king might start a war, so anything that’ll help us win.”

  “They gave me a tablet with information, but only paper to record things. Probably doesn’t want any messages going out yet. I’ll make a list of anything I can think of. I told them whatever they asked and what I knew, but tidbits were overheard. I might not know everything.”

  “Don’t worry. If we have enough refugees telling us information, we can piece things together. Have your mother do the same. Did my cousins visit you?”

  “Julianne? Yes. She didn’t bring her daughter, but she painted us a get well card.” Anela retrieved it from the desk and showed me the work.

  I smiled. “She’s sweet.”

  “Yes. I’m not sure what to send in return.”

  “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. If you need anything, let me know. They’ll contact me.”

  “I will. Thank you!” She headed back to her mother.

  I found the doctor treating Anela and her mother. “How are they?”

  “Good. Very good. Eating like they were starved, which they were, to a point. Lacking nutrition. We’re supplementing t
hem. Asking them to drink a lot of our water. The lungs are the main lingering issue. A few more weeks at the most, and they’ll be fine to leave. They’ll need supplements, though, for at least a year. The older woman has brittle bones. A few more weeks of density therapy won’t hurt there, either.”

  “Why doesn’t Tantil have that issue?”

  The doctor shrugged. “Best guess is the castle air filters are better. Cuts down on the particulates that are breathed in. Outside, or where the rest of the people live and work, probably has no filters.”

  “Thank you for taking care of them. If they need anything, please let me know.”.

  Heading back to Remmy, I found him studying the medications in a clear, but locked cabinet. “Need something?”

  He sighed. “Nothing cures heartbreak.”

  I changed the subject. “I wonder where LeFawn is.”

  “We’re still being cleared. We had the most cuts. And you have a baby implant.” =

  I shuddered. “I can’t believe it. I still can’t. It’s not real.”

  “It’ll be real soon enough. Kicking and moving. I can’t believe they used Faldar’s…That’s just wrong.” Remmy’s temper flared again.

  “Did they knock him out like they did me? Drug us and take certain cells.” I frowned.

  Remmy’s jaw fell.

  “What?” I asked.

  “What if they kept some?”

  “Some what?”

  He shook his head. “Fertilized baby eggs. If that one didn’t take or you lost it, they had backups. They can use another woman or an artificial womb, too. Faldar has an heir, and he’ll be a father to a son with your powers and genes.”

  “I can’t even think about it, honestly. It’s too much. He’ll be a good father. Nothing like the king.”

  Remmy rubbed his eyes. “But he’ll do it without me.”

  I headed over to tried and comfort him when a doctor barged in. “You’re both clear. You can go. We’ll send an alert for your next pre-natal check-up. Zoma will remain for some tests, but she’ll be fine. Brain takes a bit to heal.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “Great. I want to see LeFawn.” He practically sprinted away from me and out the door.

  I wanted to see her, too, and my family. As I exited medical, Marel hugged me tightly.

  “I was so worried!”

  I patted her back. “You did a great job. Anela seems quite happy.”

  Marel sighed. “Coming from where she did, this is paradise. Your cousin was a bit confused, but I was nervous and stressed. Are you and Nemal really getting married?”

  “I’m sure you know why.”

  “I should’ve warned you to use some other form of protection, but you two were always together. I figured you had it covered.” She looked at my stomach. “Either way, you need an heiress. Plus, you two couldn’t keep hands off each other anymore.”

  I blushed. “Don’t tell the queen that. Or your mother.”

  “I promise. Is Zoma okay?”

  “Okay, yes. But, she needs more recovery. If you want to go and sit with her, it’s fine. I just need a bath and to change. The queen will probably want to sentence my father today or tomorrow. He has a habit of escaping.”

  Marel scrunched her nose. “Zoma probably needs rest, too, and I feel like talking. I’ll help you, and once you’re done and ready, I’ll sit with her. If I bug her, I can always talk to Anela.”

  “Excellent. There’s one thing I don’t understand. Why did Minnette go to Fairyland?”

  “There are rumors and more rumors and speculation. Even my mother isn’t sure.”

  “That’s not good. I’ll have to get it out of the queen.” Mental gifts were great in a pinch if I remembered to grab the information.

  Chapter 25

  “Pregnant and getting married?” LeFawn shouted.

  Nemal hugged his sister first and took the brunt of her enthusiasm. My hug was more of a squeezing enthusiasm.

  “You seem old now,” she said.

  “Thanks.” I’d felt older since the day my mother died. LeFawn and I would always be friends, but I’d been forced to grow up much faster than anyone wanted.

  “Minnette will go insane when she finds out,” LeFawn said with a big smile.

  “I’m just glad your mother didn’t have a problem.”

  “What’s she going to say? You’re pregnant with a little princess.” LeFawn kneeled down and hugged my stomach.

  I looked to Nemal, and he grinned. “Welcome to the family.”

  “Why is Minnette in Fairyland?” I asked.

  LeFawn stood and sighed. “It looked like war. Mother had been talking about sending me there just in case for safety. For the continuation of the family and someone to take over if the worst happened. All the rulers of the five families are in the castle almost every day unless they’re on business for the crown. If the Bachal managed a sneak bombing of our castle, it’d be a huge loss.”

  “You going, I’d understand,” Nemal said.

  “Blame Remmy for Minnette getting the trip. He insisted on going to Bachal and refused to stay behind. I’m surprised Mother hasn’t thrown him in the dungeon here, but it sounds like he got a terrible lesson or ten over there. Minnette was so furious with Remmy that she was upsetting the court and making the family look disjointed. Mother sat me down and said we had to be unified. We had to stay calm. I want Remmy to be happy with Faldar, but he was a fool to go there.” LeFawn rolled her eyes.

  “Worse than a fool. It’s hell there,” I said.

  “Marel told us when she got back. Those poor women. Anyway, Mother had the same talk with Minnette, but she thought we should go to war right then. Storm in and take you guys the day after Remmy went. I don’t know if it was a power trip or a panic, but she couldn’t keep calm. She’s usually so cold and stony,” LeFawn said.

  “Where is Curlon? I asked him to watch over Minnette. Maybe he has a clue what was going on in her head.”

  LeFawn shook her head. “He went with her.”

  “What? He’s a member of my family. He can’t go to Fairyland without my permission. Did he take his brothers along, as well?”

  “No. Just him. I think she sort of had a romantic thing for him.”

  I looked at the droid in the corner of my chambers. “Bring me Furlon, now.”

  The droid exited immediately.

  Nemal said, “Minnette feels the pressure. She lives in it. Father used to tell her she’d be queen, and she had to keep calm and quiet, but that she had to worry about everyone. She had to take responsibility for the poorest person in the land. It was her personal burden to carry, and she had to love each subject like a little brother or sister. She grew tenser, and when he died…”

  “That’s when she grew cold. Like she had to be brave and stay strong so the rest of us could cry.” LeFawn hugged her brother.

  I sat there, clueless. “I knew she’d had pressure in her head. But those thoughts weren’t there. Neither of you ever told me any of that.”

  LeFawn smiled at me. “I wasn’t even ten. I didn’t remember it really clearly until Nemal talked about it. I think about Father, and it was a blur of pain and tears. Minn was strong. Remmy carried me half the time.”

  “I remember more, but I wasn’t much better. Minn was how she was. I thought she was just practicing. Being strong for when she had to take over for Mother. She did get a bit snippier when Kimess’ mother died. You’d think she’d have been nicer.” He kissed my forehead.

  LeFawn shook her head. “She got scared. Especially when it turned out that rebels were behind it.”

  “There haven’t been any attempts on anyone since we were gone, have there?” I asked.

  “No. Quiet. Boring, really. When Minnette couldn’t stay calm and keep it together, Mother ordered her on an ambassadorial tour that ended in Fairyland. We haven’t heard from her since she arrived. No one wants to leave there.”

&n
bsp; The door opened, and the droid had Furlon by the collar. “Furlon.”

  He tried to bow. “What did I do?”

  “Let him go,” I said.

  The droid released him.

  Furlon bowed low. “I’m glad you’re safely returned, but I don’t understand the droid.”

  I crossed my arms. “You don’t? Your brother is in Fairyland with the princess, and you have no idea why I’d summon you here?”

  “Forgive me. Curlon did as you asked. He stayed close to her, and she liked him. That smug and sure of himself stuff made her feel safe, I guess. When the queen commanded the princess on the tour, Curlon volunteered to accompany her. Our mother didn’t want him to go when she found out it ended in Fairyland. Curlon told her he swore to you he’d protect her. He had to keep his word. Mom agreed.”

  I rubbed my neck. “I never meant for him to leave here. Leave his mother.”

  “He is in the Queen’s Guard. Travel is part of his duties,” Nemal said.

  “Not Fairyland. That’s not a predictable or quick trip.” I sighed.

  “Mother is collecting his pay, and I took a position as a teacher. We’re doing fine.”

  “I’m glad. We’ll make sure you have any extra droids for helping your mother, and I’m increasing her monthly stipend.” I owed his mother that much.

  “Thank you.” He bowed.

  “You may go,” I said.

  Once he was gone, the room was eerily silent. I grinned to myself.

  “What’s wrong?” Nemal asked.

  “Nothing, I just missed being home. My friends. My family. My responsibilities.”

  “We missed you, too,” Le Fawn said.

  It took two days before everyone was medically cleared and we were able to assemble properly to view my father’s judgment. I just wanted today over. I was in my place at the left side of the queen. Normally, that felt second-nature, but today, my father stood before the queen. He’d been interrogated. It looked like they weren’t nice about it, and I felt like everyone was looking at me.

  The word of my pregnancy and engagement spread around the castle and the country in one day. Some people thought I’d seduced Nemal because of my father. It’d keep me safe to be the queen’s daughter-in-law. But people who knew us better had expected the match. LeFawn was so pleased that no one dared disparage the engagement within her earshot.