The Poison Within

by Rachel Marie Pearcy

  “There’s a lady coming pop,” he said. “A fancy one at that.”

  “A fancy lady huh?” His father repeated in a bored voice.

  “She just got out of a nice coach. Got some men with her too.”

  “Wait,” his father said, suddenly looking excited. “She’s got men with her?”

  The boy nodded, “Men in shiny armor. And they got swords.”

  “Byron, get down here and straighten yourself up.” His father’s eager tone had him equally excited, and he clambered down the stack. The man reached out, trying to slick down the tufts of hair on the boy’s head.

  “Who is she, pop?” He asked, squirming away. “Who’s the lady?”

  “She’s no lady,” his father answered. “She’s the new queen of the Isles. Now look sharp, I heard she can be particular about things, and it’s safer not to test it.”

  The boy brushed the dirt off his knees and stood tall, scanning the passing people for any sign of the woman. It wasn’t long before he heard the guards shouting orders to part the crowd. The queen walked between her men, eying the stalls around her as she passed. His face lit up, and he craned his neck, standing on his toes, trying to get a better look at her. His straining must have caught her attention, because a moment later she pointed his way and headed straight for him.

  “Good day, Your Majesty,” his father said with a bow. “Such a blessing to find you out and about today.”

  Byron followed his example, bending at the waist. He stayed still as a statue until the queen came forward and stopped in front of the crates.

  “What do we have here?” She asked, peering inside one of the stacks. “Apples? From what I understand, that’s unusual for this kingdom, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.” The man answered. “I own a small plot of land along the southern border, and I found the soil is just right for growing apples. I haven’t had much luck with the other crops I’ve tried, but these here--these are the best apples you’ll taste in all of Kelda.”

  “Is that so?” She said, picking one up. “With such a bold claim, I’d better try it for myself.”

  Byron held his breath. She put the fruit to her lips and sank her teeth into the bright green skin. A sparkle of juice hung on the corner of her mouth as she slowly chewed the bite. Each second felt like forever, and as they ticked by a growing sense of fear rose in his stomach. It was impossible to judge her face.

  “What’s your name?” The queen asked, finally swallowing the chunk of fruit.

  Byron’s father was sweating now. “Morgan Parson, Your Grace.”

  “And who is this young man?”

  “This is my son, Byron.”

  “Well,” she smiled. “I’m happy to say Mr. Parson this is in fact the greatest apple I’ve ever tasted. You should be quite proud of yourself.”

  His father beamed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  “In fact, your product is so superb I’ve decided I’m going to buy your entire stock. I’ll even give you double the price.”

  “That’s nearly 200 gold for the lot,” Morgan stammered. “That’s too much, Your Majesty. I don’t believe they’re worth that amount.”

  “There seems to be some misunderstanding,” the queen replied. “I meant, I’m going to buy your entire stock from this moment on. I will be the only person in all of Kelda you sell to from this day forward. Your apples will be found exclusively in my castle, and my castle alone.”

  “I see.” He nodded. “Yes of course Your Majesty, anything for the Queen of the Isles.”

  “Good. I’ll have my men help you reload your cart and you can deliver this batch today. After that, you can set up a schedule with our bookkeeper.”

  “Thank you, Your Majesty. It’s such an honor.”

  Byron tugged on his father’s shirt, and as the man leaned down towards him the boy mumbled in his ear. “What about the man from before?”

  “What’s that?” The queen asked.

  “Oh, it’s nothing Your Majesty,” Morgan replied. “A man stopped by shortly before you arrived. He only bought a small basket full. Nothing more than a dozen I’m sure.”

  “That does pose a problem,” the queen replied. “I believe I was quite clear that I’ll be the only person to have these.”

  “You did, Your Majesty. I’m sure he couldn’t have gone far. I bet he’d be happy to gift them to his queen.”

  The young woman turned to the two men standing behind her and with a wave of her hand said, “find him.”

  The soldiers darted off into the crowd, and Byron felt the sense of dread from earlier rising up inside him again. He stood to the side, the queen next to him, nervously tapping his foot as the rest of the men helped his father load the crates onto his wagon. They had just picked up the last of the boxes when the two soldiers reappeared. The one in front had a sick smile on his face. He held a lumpy brown sack in one hand, and a bloodied sword in the other.

  The queen glanced down at the items and back at the man. Movement around them had stopped. It seemed the entire village was frozen, each person waiting and watching with baited breath.

  “I trust you got them all?” She asked after a moment.

  “It took some coaxing,” the man laughed, “but in the end, he handed them over without much of a fight.”

  “Good,” she nodded. She turned back towards Morgan, “I trust you can find your way to the castle’s gates.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” he answered, his voice barely above a whisper.

  With a final nod, she turned and walked away. This time the queen stepped in front, leading her party back towards the carriage, and unlike before, there was no need for the soldiers to shout. The crowd parted way without word, bowing their heads and keeping their distance as she strolled past them.

  Eight

  The past ten days had all started the same, and that morning was no exception. A sour-faced Norell pushed open the queen’s door and stormed past the bed in a flash of dark hair and frustration. With both hands, she grabbed the heavy fabric covering and thrust it open, allowing the morning light to flood the room in a yellow glow. Grumbling, Rya rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.

  “It’s time to get up,” the girl said, stripping the blanket away. “If you had it your way you’d sleep until sundown.”

  “There has to be a more pleasant way to wake me,” Rya growled, glaring at her from under her tussled brown mop. “You could at least say hello before blinding me.”

  “Where’s the fun in that,” she replied without humor.

  Rya swung her legs over the side and stood up, stretching her arms overhead with a groan. Norell wasted no time, sliding between her and bed to smooth the covers and fluff the pillows. The queen eyed the small stack of clothing sitting on a nearby table and looked to the girl.

  “What’s that?” She asked mid yawn.

  “Your outfit for the day.”

  Rya walked over and picked up the top piece, unfolding it to find a pair of dark gray riding trousers. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “The princess has asked me to bring you to the stables this morning,” Norell explained. “I’ve been told she’s taking you riding. I thought this outfit would be better suited for the activity than the low-cut dresses you seem so fond of.”

  The girl’s words dripped with bitterness, and Rya couldn’t help but toy with her. She smiled as she pulled the pants on under her nightshirt. “I’m sure I can find a way to show some skin in any outfit. It’s all about being creative.”

  Norell rolled her eyes but refused to take the bait.

  “You don’t like Cam spending time with me, do you?” Rya asked.

  “My opinion doesn’t matter,” she replied, handing over a white shirt to the queen.

  “Let’s say it did matter, how would you answer the question?”

  “If I’m being honest, I believe there are better things she could be spending her time on.”

  “Better things?” Rya prodded. “Or better p
eople? People like you maybe?” Norell snorted in disgust as she picked up the queen’s discarded clothing off the floor, but the reaction only fueled Rya’s amusement. “I still don’t understand why you volunteered for this. You hate waiting on me, so what’s in it for you?”

  “My reasons are none of your concern, Your Majesty.” The title always sounded wrong coming from Norell’s lips, as if the words were drenched in a foul taste. “I suggest you move quickly, you don’t want to keep her waiting.”

  “Is it to raise your status?” She wondered. “Or maybe you just want to get closer to the princess? I’ve seen you watching us this past week. Does it bother you when we’re together? If so, then this ride she’s taking me on must really upset you.”

  The girl continued her work, dumping the water jug onto the last few embers of the previous night’s fire. Rya could see the anger burning beneath her cheeks.

  “I’m just curious why you’d keep this position. It’s clear that it is torture for you.”

  Norell glared and turned towards the door, stopping only for a moment. “And it’s clear you enjoy other people’s torture. I’ll be waiting in the hall when you’re ready.”

  As they walked, Norell placed herself directly in front of Rya, pretending to lead the way when they both knew it wasn’t needed. The queen wasn’t used to being a long-term guest of a kingdom, which had left her with a great deal of free time. In the beginning, she spent the day wandering the gardens and sticking to the interior of the castle, but that grew tiresome quickly. Soon after, she ventured to the inner ward. She had braced herself for the whispers and stares, resolving to keep her head held high in defiance of whatever the people thought about her, but as she walked down the narrow streets she found it unnecessary. Children smiled at her as they passed, and some of the adults had even waved and greeted her good morning. No one eyed her with disdain. No one altered their path to move away from her. If any of them were fearful or angry about her presence they kept it well hidden, treating her as if she were just another normal face in the crowd.

  It was by the fourth day she’d found herself in the outer ward. The training circle was situated in the corner and offered a bit of excitement during the day. Guards would practice their swordplay, challenging each other with childish taunts and personal jokes. Rya had been surprised to see a fair number of women dressed in the heavy leather armor, waiting their turn to exchange blows. In the Isles, the army was made up of the men only and included those far too old to be marching into battle. Back home in Asta, women were allowed to fight but only if there were no men of age left in the family. Despite it being legal, many women chose to forgo the opportunity, believing they would never be able to make a decent marriage if they were viewed as rough and callous.

  The ring was where she found Cam most days. Thane would be next to her, exchanging tips for swordplay or setting up for their next archery training. As the time passed, Rya found herself drawn to the outer ward to watch them. It wasn’t long before Cam started to wait for Rya at the doors to the castle, offering to walk to the circle together. The sight of Norell leading her now was a disappointment compared to the princess’ company.

  The archway to the outer ward passed above and they were suddenly walking side by side. In the brief moment Rya couldn’t help but steal a glance at the girl. She was trying to study her dark eyes and round face, desperate to take in her features without notice.

  “Is something wrong?” Norell huffed.

  “No,” Rya replied, looking forward again. “Why do you ask?”

  “It seems I’m not the only one who’s been watching people this week. I’ve caught you staring at me a handful of times now, like you’re waiting for something to happen. There must be a reason I’m so interesting to you.”

  Rya frowned. “If you must know, you look a lot like someone I used to know.”

  “Someone important?” Norell questioned, coming to a stop. “Someone like Sora maybe?”

  “What?” Rya snapped. She froze to the spot. The color had drained from her face and her heart dropped into her stomach. She hadn’t expected to hear his name, not now, and certainly not from this girl. The shock of it left her void of words.

  “You were calling for him while you had the fever. I expect he’s quite special to you for that to happen.” Her face twisted into a smile. “You’ve reached the stables, Your Majesty. I hope you enjoy your ride.”

  The girl was gone, disappearing back into the inner ward, but Rya’s emotions were still surging. Sora’s face flashed in her mind, and all she could see was the pained look he had the last time they spoke. It was like being punched in the chest. Each breath was deep and focused, each an effort to keep her stomach from emptying itself. The blood kept pounding in her veins, and the ringing in her ears grew so loud she’d almost missed Thane calling to her from the stables’ entrance.

  “Over here,” he shouted. He was leaning against the wood siding, with one leg propped up against the wall. A small horde of children gathered around him, but with a wave of his hand they scattered, returning to whatever duties they’d been neglecting. “I would never have guessed Cam would be the one running late,” he laughed. “Maybe you’d care to keep me company until she arrives?”

  “Certainly,” Rya said with a forced smile. She clasped her shaking hands together behind her back, and as she’d done a hundred times before, she put on her mask for the world to see. Pushing the last bit of anxiety away, she followed him into the barn, ready to distract herself with the new surroundings.

  The walkway led down the middle of the long building, opening to the stalls which lined each side. The roof was pitched in the middle and Rya could see the stacks of hay stored above in the rafters. The smell of the fodder was mixed with the scent of packed earth and animal; all familiar, and all painfully tied to the memory she didn’t want to have.

  The children she’d seen before now scurried from one end of the stable to the other. Some carried pails of fresh water from the outdoor well, others were dropping armfuls of feed into the troughs. They passed an open stall door where inside a small girl stood on an old wooden stool, brushing out the coat of a large beige stallion.

  They’d walked about halfway down the length of the building when Thane stopped, slid open one of the doors and stepped inside. Rya stayed in the aisle way, leaning over the side wall, watching him pat a mare on the neck.

  “This is Rainy,” he smiled, picking up the bristled brush closest to him. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

  Rya couldn’t agree more. Rainy’s rich cream coat seemed to shine against the blackness of her mane and tail. Both front legs had matching black stockings, but the back two were dipped in white. “She’s gorgeous,” she nodded. “But aren’t you the head of Cam’s personal guard? Why are you out here grooming your own horse?”

  “My job is to protect the princess, but she makes it hard to do. You’ve followed her around this week; you’ve seen her with a sword, and how amazing she is with a bow. I’m sure you’ll agree she’s not the type of girl who needs protecting.”

  “That much is true,” she nodded. “I just wouldn’t imagine you would want to spend your free time in the filth of the stables.”

  Thane laughed, stroking the mare’s nose. “Rainy’s my soul mate. I would never leave her out here alone.”

  Rya returned the laugh. “She isn’t exactly what I pictured your type to be, but you did pick a pretty one.”

  “Rainy was a gift from my father when I was ten. Cam had just named me her Kinsman, which is the official title I’ve been given. It’s an old tradition the royal family has, and it’s the highest honor our people can receive. By agreeing to be her Kinsman, I swore in that moment I would always protect her, even at the risk of my own life. Even above my own blood. It’s not a position one takes lightly.”

  “It seems like an important job for someone so young.”

  “It is, which is why my father awarded me with my own horse. I already knew how to ride, but he t
aught me how to ride Rainy specifically. He showed me how to read her movements, and how to know her thoughts. He wouldn’t allow the children working here to groom her because he said it was my job, and mine alone. I’ve been out here every single day since then, brushing her down, making sure she’s fed, filling her water. In the end, I’m a better Kinsman for it.”

  “How so?” Rya asked, shaking her head in confusion. “How does brushing the horse make you a better guard to the princess?”

  “I’ve spent each day for the last nine years with Rainy, building the bond between us, and it has taught me everything I need to know about her. I know her personality, her quirks, her habits, and I know what spooks her. Spending all that time together has allowed her to know me in return. She moves where I want before I ask, and she can tell what kind of mood I’m in. When we ride now, we ride as one mind. We are always together, and always in sync—"

  “And that’s how you are with Cam as well,” Rya finished for him.

  “Exactly. I only spent an hour or two each day with Rainy, but I spent ten times that with Cam, so you can imagine how well I know her.”

  His eyes flashed, hinting his statement was hiding a secret he wasn’t going to share with her. Rya shifted her weight back and forth, feeling uncomfortable and suddenly exposed. She was about to find an excuse to leave when the footsteps broke the tension. From the far end of the stable, Cam was jogging towards them.

  “I’m sorry,” she puffed, stopping at Rya’s side. “I hope you weren’t too bored.”

  “Not at all,” Rya answered. She shot another quick glance at Thane who had returned to his normal cool and calm composure.

  “Well,” Cam smiled. “If you’re ready, follow me this way.”

  As Rya walked after the princess Thane breathed one last comment.

  “Be careful out there,” he said with a hint of warning. “We don’t want anyone getting hurt.”