by J.D. Rogers
Princess Wars
J.D. Rogers
Text copyright © 2016 by J.D. Rogers
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locals is entirely coincidental.
COVER PHOTO: Courtesy of Pixabay.com
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
DESTINY'S QUEEN
BOOKS BY JD ROGERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chapter 1
"Save your sisters." Those were the last words my mother said to me. But how do you save people that want to kill you? Not that I had a chance to ask my mother that question. Shortly after she issued that command, she slipped into a coma. Now, a servant was standing in front of me, telling me my mother didn't have much time left. An hour. No more.
"If you wish to say goodbye," the servant said. "Her physician believes that you should do it now."
I nodded. "I'll be there as soon as I dress."
I had a vision when I shut my door. I saw myself in my mother's chambers, dressed in the black silk gown I was about to don. I saw my mother die. I gave her a final kiss on the forehead, then headed back to my suite. Just as I reached the door to my suite, four members of the palace guard grabbed me and dragged me below ground, to the dungeon, where they tossed me in a cell of granite and iron.
I was still locked in that cell when my oldest sister, Bedonna, entered. She drew her broadsword out of its scabbard and plunged it straight into my heart. She did it without an, I'm sorry, on her lips.
I should point out that Bedonna didn't have anything against me, other than the fact that we were both heirs to the throne. When the reigning Queen of Adah died, her daughters fought among themselves for the right to replace her on the throne. Those battles were known as the Princess Wars. The surviving daughter, presumably the strongest and smartest, became the next Queen of Adah. The dead daughters were quickly forgotten, dumped into unmarked graves on a barren hill known as the Cemetery of Would Be Queens.
As the youngest of the queen's four daughters, I wasn't considered much of a threat to become the next queen. I wasn't a great warrior like my oldest sister, Bedonna. I wasn't a blond beauty like my second oldest sister, Salisha. I wasn't a great intellectual like my third sister, Iderra.
My problem was that each of my sisters excelled at something, while I excelled at nothing. That was why people referred to me as Lila the Insignificant. That was why I didn't understand our mother's final words to me. How was someone as insignificant as myself suppose to save them? If mother had been in her right mind, she would've told them to save me.
I had never told anyone about my visions, not even mother. With three older sisters coveting my death, I decided that it was better to be known as Lila the Insignificant than Lila the Seer. People feared seers. No one feared the insignificant. If I could become insignificant enough, I might be able to slip away while my sisters fought among themselves.
My vision didn't tell me if Salisha and Iderra were at our mother's side when she died, nor did it tell me if Bedonna killed them. Not that it mattered. That future was gone, altered by my decision to not say a final goodbye to our mother. The only thing that mattered now was making the most of the next hour, putting as much distance as I could between my sisters and myself.
Tucked away in one of the wardrobes that filled my dressing room were some clothes I had stashed away for this very night. I planned to put them on after my mother's passing, but I now knew I didn't have that luxury.
The outfit was identical to the one the servant had been wearing, polished black riding boots, gray cotton breeches, a thigh-length green tunic with the royal seal on front, namely, the head of my mother on the body of a golden lion with eagle's wings. A wool cloak that matched the color of the green tunic completed the outfit.
Once I was dressed in the livery of a royal servant, I attached two leather pouches to my scabbard belt and buckled my sword around my waist. One pouch was full of gold coins, the other was full of jewelry. Most of the jewelry was mine, but a few of the more valuable pieces had been pilfered from my mother's personal collection.
I wrapped the cloak around myself and pulled the cowl over my head, hiding my face. I slipped into the hallway, which much to my relief was empty. I headed downstairs, moving away from my mother's suite. Servants were rarely bothered if they were hurrying, moving as if they were on an important mission. With that in mind, I tried to look like I was on an important mission, which I was, a mission to save my life.
My path out of the palace took me through the throne room. I slipped into the room through a side door used by servants. Green and gold banners decorated with the royal seal hung from the room's white granite walls. At one end of the room were a pair of massive oak doors. At the other end of the room, on a white granite dais, sat the throne. The rest of the room was empty, save for the numerous brass oil lamps that hung from hooks embedded in the ceiling.
When I reached the door that would take me to the stable, part of me wanted to stop and take one final look at the place where I had spent my first twenty summers. I wanted to stop, but I didn't. The butterflies in my stomach told me to press on, to keep moving, to put as much distance between myself and the palace as I could.
It wasn't until I reached the stable that I ran into anybody, a stable boy to be exact.
"I need a horse," I said, stepping out of the shadows so he could see me.
The stable, like the palace, was made out of white granite. Brass oil lamps hanging from hooks in the rafters lit the place. There were fifty horses in the stable, resting in the twenty-five stalls that lined each side of the building. Like all stables, it smelled of hay and manure.
The stable boy straightened up, moving off the stool he had been sitting on. "A bit late to be going for a ride. Mind if I ask where you're headed?”
He looked about eighteen, a couple of years younger than myself. He was a good head taller than me.
Judging by the way he stepped in front of me, the stable boy clearly meant to make trouble. That wasn't surprising. The stable boys had a reputation for teasing the maids whenever one of them ventured into the stable. Even though he couldn't see my face, he could tell from my size that I was girl. If I continued to play the part of a maid on an errand, he would poke, prod, and grope me. Once he pulled back the hood on my cloak, which he undoubtedly would, he would know who I was. I figured I might as well save him the trouble.
I threw back my hood, so he could see my face. "Where I'm going doesn't concern you."
The boy dropped to his knee and bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't know it was you."
"The queen is dying. She will not survive the night."
"I have heard," the boy said. He was tall and skinny,
with a hooked nose and curly brown hair that covered his ears. He had a thick lower lip that drooped toward his chin. He wore brown shoes, white wool socks that reached to the knee, brown leather breeches, a long sleeved white wool shirt that laced down the front, and a brown leather jerkin.
"Have you declared allegiance to one of my sisters?"
"I am but humble stable boy. No one has demanded my allegiance, Your Highness."
I brought my left hand out from underneath my cloak and extended it. On my finger was a gold ring with the royal seal of Adah. Instead of my mother's head on the body of a lion with eagle's wings, this one contained my head. In the middle of the lion's body was the number 412. It meant that I was the fourth daughter of the twelfth queen.
"If no one has demanded your allegiance," I said. "Then I will demand it."
To his credit, the boy didn't hesitate. He took my hand in both of his and kissed my ring. "You have my allegiance, Your Highness."
"What's your name?"
"Zore."
"Your support is acknowledged and appreciated, Zore. We shall not forget you when we assume our place on the throne." It sounded a little pompous, considering I was a long way from assuming any throne, but it was the standard reply when someone took an oath to defend and support you. "Now, saddle the two swiftest horses you have."
"Those belong to the guards. I'm not sure they'll like it if we take their horses."
"They belong to the royal family," I said, using the haughtiest tone I could muster. "Of which I am a member. Now hurry, time is of the essence."
The boy hurried off. A few minutes later, he returned with a black mare and a red gelding, both saddled. He held the mare while I mounted it, then led the gelding to the stable doors.
"You're taking both horses?"
"Not quite," I said. "You're coming with me."
I couldn't leave him behind. Eventually, Bedonna's guards would ask him if I had passed through the stable. Although he took an oath to serve me, I had little doubt that when someone pointed a sword at him, he would tell them everything he knew, including which way I went. The only way to keep him from doing that was to take him with me.
The palace was on a hill just west of the city of Morcesha. The city was located in the center of the country, on the foothills of the mountains that dominated the western half of the country.
As we headed down the tree lined drive that led away from the palace, we encountered a member of the guard. If he had been on foot, we could've just galloped by him. But he wasn't on foot, he was riding a speckled stallion.
"Hold it right there." He blocked our path by turning his horse sideways.
I pulled the mare up and threw back the hood on my cloak, so he could see my face. There was only a quarter moon out, not enough light for him to see that I wore the livery of a servant, but enough for him to recognize me.
The man was Vomeir Nardus, Captain of the Palace Guard. I knew he had torn loyalties. He loved Salisha, but he served under Bedonna, who headed the palace guard. They both wanted me dead, so it made little difference to me which one he elected to support.
"Princess Lila," Vomeir said. "A bit late to be out for a ride."
"I couldn't sleep."
"So you thought you'd go out for a midnight ride?"
"One of the advantages to being a princess."
"Perhaps I should accompany you. It's not wise for a princess to ride alone. Highway men abound at night."
"I would hate to keep you from your duties, Captain." I nodded at Zore. "Besides, I'm not alone."
"Truth be told, Your Highness, I'm not on duty right now. Like you, I came out to clear my head."
I tugged on the mare's reins, steering her around Vomeir. Much to my chagrin, he fell in beside me, matching my pace. Zore followed along behind us, trying not to be noticed.
"I don't envy you," I said to Vomeir. "You have a tough decision coming up. Do you support Bedonna, your commanding officer, for queen? Or do you support Salisha, the woman you desire? One way or another, you'll be disappointing one of my sisters."
"My decision is harder than you can imagine."
"How so?" I wondered how long he would stay with us. Eventually, he'd realize that I had no intention of returning to the palace. What would he do then? Force me to return to the palace and turn me over to Salisha or Bedonna? Kill me himself and bring my severed head to whichever sister he decided to support? Let me go and pretend that he never saw me? Probably not much chance of that last thing happening.
"I declared my love to Salisha several weeks ago and she rejected me."
That surprised me. Salisha liked handsome men as much as they liked her. With our mother already gravely ill, I would've expected her to lead Vomeir on, use him as a spy to keep track of Bedonna's plans.
"I find that hard to believe," I said. "Salisha would never reject a man as handsome as yourself. Especially with our mother so gravely ill."
"That's what I had hoped. Turns out she doesn't trust me. She accused me of being one of Bedonna's spies."
I knew Vomeir wasn't spying on Salisha. When you saw how he looked at her, saw how much he wanted her, it was clear that he was in love with her. The fact that Salisha couldn't see it didn't surprise me. Salisha wasn't great at reading people, let alone seeing what was in their heart. She tended to focus mostly on herself.
"So your problem is solved. When our mother passes, you'll swear allegiance to Bedonna."
Vomeir surprised me yet again. "I'm not sure I can do that."
"Because?"
"As Commander of the Palace Guard, Bedonna is very competent."
"But?"
"I'm not sure she'd make a good queen."
I wasn't going to argue that point, but I was interested in hearing Vomeir's rational for not wanting Bedonna to be the next queen. "You surprise me, Captain. Bedonna is as good a soldier as you."
We reached the point where the drive leading to the palace connected with the main road. Rather than turning east and heading into the city, I turned west and headed away from the city. Vomeir kept pace alongside of me. Zore continued to follow behind us.
"Being a good soldier and being a good queen aren't the same thing," Vomeir said. "I don't know if you're aware of this, Your Highness, but once she's the queen, Bedonna plans to wage war against the Dark Wizards of Sorea."
"And you think that's a bad idea?"
Vomeir laughed. "Surely your tutors told you what happened the last time we invaded Sorea."
I nodded. "Two legions crossed the border into Sorea and were never heard from again."
"Don't forget the plague that followed. Killing one half the children in this country."
"So what will you do, Captain?"
I was beginning to wonder if running into Vomeir had been an accident. Could he have been waiting for me? Did he really not trust Bedonna? Did Salisha really reject him? Or did one of them send him out here to make sure I didn't slip through their grasp?
"I can't very well support Iderra," Vomeir said.
"Why not?"
"She never looks me in the eyes when she talks to me. She just stares at my feet." Vomeir laughed. "Plus, I never understand what she's talking about."
"Iderra's very smart."
"I don't question your sister's intelligence, Princess. I question her ability to relate to people. A queen that can't look her subjects in the eye wouldn't be very popular."
"Sounds like you're out of options, Captain."
"Not quite. I believe there is one princess that would make a very good queen."
"Surely you can't mean me."
"Why not you? You fight well for someone your size. You're not foolish enough to start a war with Sorea. You're a better communicator than Iderra. You may not be tall and blond like Salisha, but there isn't a man in the palace that doesn't enjoy watching you walk across a room. Especially when you're wearing a pair of those snug fitting breeches you like so well."
I could feel my cheeks flush with emb
arrassment and was glad that it was too dark for Vomeir to see me blush. "After listening to a speech like that, Captain, I can but come to two conclusions. Either you've been drinking . . . . "
"Or?" Vomeir said, when I didn't finish the sentence.
I stopped my horse, threw my cloak back, and drew my sword. It wasn't as long as Vomeir's sword, but it was just as sharp and I could wield it just as well. "Or you've decided to taunt me before you try and kill me. Who sent you out here, Bedonna or Salisha?"
Vomeir stopped his horse, but didn't draw his sword. "You overestimate your sisters, Princess. You also underestimate yourself. It's true that most of the guards want Bedonna as the next queen, but it's also true that they'd be willing to settle for you. And while it's true the court scholars want Iderra as queen, it's also true that they'd be willing to settle for you."
"And what of those that want the queen to be elegant and beautiful like Salisha?"
"I have no doubt that they would be content with cute and perky." Vomeir smiled. "And who knows, if you were to start wearing gowns instead of breeches, some might even consider you to be elegant and beautiful."
"Breeches are more practical." I sheathed my sword and set the mare into a comfortable trot.
"For a princess," Vomeir said, matching my pace. "But those days are ending. You need to start looking and thinking like a queen."
"Hard to think like a queen when all you have are the clothes on your back, a stable boy, and a member of the palace guard that you don't trust."
"You really think one of your sisters sent me out here to kill you?"
"I think it's a more likely scenario than your deciding that I'm the best choice for queen." I gave Vomeir what I hoped was a determined look. "I must warn you, Captain, if you try to kill or capture me, I shall fight you."
Vomeir broke out laughing. "I would expect nothing less, Your Highness."
So far, my plan of slipping away unnoticed wasn't working out the way I hoped it would. I had barely gone a mile from the palace and I had already picked up two people, one of whom I didn't trust.
"So which of your sisters do you think I'm working for?"
"That depends upon whether you try to kill me yourself or try to take me back to the palace. If you try to take me back to the palace you're working for Bedonna."
"Because?"
"She wants all three of us to die at her hand."
"But if I kill you, I'm working for Salisha?"
"Salisha would never kill me herself."
"Why not?"
"She'd be afraid my blood would stain whatever beautiful gown she happened to be wearing."
"You don't give Salisha enough credit. She likes you. She says you're the only one of her sisters that she can talk to."
I couldn't respond because I had another vision. In this one, Vomeir, Zore, and I had reached the stone bridge at Cross Creek, about a mile from our current location. There were three guards on the bridge. I ordered them to let us pass, but they refused and drew their swords.
Vomeir drew his sword and charged two of them. I drew my sword and attacked the third. Just as Vomeir managed to slay the first of his opponents with a slicing blow to the neck, an arrow flew from the trees just south of the bridge. The arrow hit Vomeir in the side, stunning him just enough to enable his remaining opponent to plunge his sword into Vomeir's chest.
"Princess, are you all right?" Vomeir's hand was on my shoulder and he was shaking me.
"I'm fine." I tried to sort through what I had just seen. Apparently, Bedonna had men watching the roads leading from the palace, with orders to stop any of her sisters from leaving. That was the bad news. The good news was Vomeir wasn't part of that trap. He might still be working for Salisha, but at least he wasn't working for Bedonna. "There's trouble up ahead."
"How far up ahead?"
"The bridge at Cross Creek. Three members of the palace guard are waiting for us on the bridge. And a fourth hides in the trees with a crossbow."
"And you know this because?"
"Because it's true."
Vomeir dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to Zore. "Wait here."
He took off running down the road, crouching so as not to be seen. He returned a short while later and mounted the stallion.
"You were right. At least about the three on the bridge."
"And the archer?"
"If there was an archer in the trees, I couldn't see him."
"He's there," I said with certainty.
"I recognized the guys on the bridge. They're three of Bedonna's strongest supporters."
So what do you suggest, Captain?"
"We go north. There's a shallow crossing a couple of miles up stream. The cattle use it."
Vomeir turned his horse north and I did the same. We left the road and cut through a field of green wheat. We were making an easy trail to follow, tramping the wheat down. Not that it could be helped. I trusted my visions. They were my gift from the gods, just like Salisha's beauty was her gift, Iderra's intelligence was hers, and Bedonna's strength was hers.
About a mile north of the road, the wheat field ended, replaced by a grass pasture littered with cows. A stone fence separated the wheat from the pasture but it wasn't even waist high. Vomeir's stallion cleared it without hesitation. My mare and Zore's gelding did the same.
Once inside the pasture, Vomeir continued north, slowing his pace so I could ride alongside of him. "Can I ask where we're headed?"
"I'm heading west," I said. "To the Pass of Nod."
"The Pass of Nod leads to the Western Palace."
"Yes, it does."
"The Army of the West defends the Western Palace."
"And gaining their support is the only chance I have of defeating Bedonna. General Dacus leads the Army of the West and he has never been fond of Bedonna. He thinks she's dangerous, reckless even."
Vomeir found the cattle trail that led to the shallow section of Cross Creek. There were no guards there and we crossed without trouble, the water not even reaching our stirrups. We were still climbing the bank on the other side of the creek when the palace bells started ringing.
"The queen has passed," Vomeir said. He stopped at the top of the creek bank and looked at me. "If you need a moment alone."
"I'm fine." I reached the top of the bank and stopped next to Vomeir. "I've had ample time to prepare for this day. Mother has been ill for some time."
Vomeir extended his hand toward me. "May I have your hand, Princess?"
I hesitated for a second, then extended my left hand, the one bearing the ring with the royal seal. At the same time, I slipped my right hand beneath my cloak and wrapped it around the hilt of my sword. Vomeir might not be working for Bedonna, but that didn't mean he wasn't working for Salisha. He couldn't harm me when mother was alive, but now that she had passed, no one would bat an eye if he killed me.
Vomeir took my hand in his and kissed my ring. "Queen Bella is dead. Long live Queen Lila."
Just like that, Vomeir removed any doubts as to who he supported. With that act, he had taken an oath to defend and support me as the next Queen of Adah.
"Your support is acknowledged and appreciated," I said, releasing my sword. "We shall not forget you when we assume our place on the throne."
"This trail continues west for another ten miles," Vomeir said. "It will take us all the way to the forest."
"Let us make haste. Before Bedonna realizes that she doesn't have every route covered."
Vomeir turned his stallion west and took off at a gallop. I fell in behind him and Zore brought up the rear. The butterflies in my stomach were still fluttering, not from the jolting ride, but from the realization that my mother was dead and I was running for my life.