Princess Reviled

by Butler, J. M.

  Naatos laughed, as did AaQar and WroOth. AaQar muttered something unintelligible, then resumed making shadow puppets. His current choice: a contorted kraken.

  "Only one person is allowed in the circle of death, little sister." WroOth stood.

  "Square of death," Naatos corrected.

  "All right. Square of death." WroOth fell back, then caught himself on the bars, laughing. "And that's you. You want us in another place, you'll have to take us there yourself. Oh, look at the way the light blurs. Or is that my hand?"

  "Can you see me, WroOth?" Kepsalon asked.

  "Yes, of course I can. Hello." WroOth passed his hand in front of his own face.

  "Don't step on the mandolin." AaQar braced his back against the black bars. He scowled as he made the shadow kraken climb the wall beneath the nearest torch. "You shouldn't have left it on the floor to begin with."

  "WroOth," Kepsalon said, his tone light and easy. He tapped his finger to his temple. "Do you recognize me?"

  "Oh. Yes." WroOth frowned. "You're…someone. No." He leaned closer, focusing intently. Recognition flashed over his face. His eyebrow arched, and the smile became forced. "No…I don 't remember you. Why don't you come close enough so I can see your face?"

  "I think that's clear enough." Kepsalon directed his attention at Amelia once more. "See if you can keep them calm. I don't think it's wise if we both leave. Not that they should be able to escape, but who can say what will happen for certain?"

  Amelia nodded. That's what it came down to anyway. They were her responsibility. Her gut clenched at even the thought of leaving them alone. "Do you have enough Machat to take care of the animals in the menagerie or do you need me to make other arrangements?"

  "Other arrangements." Kepsalon chuckled before he strode away. "I don't know who else you would ask, my dear. But yes. There are enough of us to tend to the creatures of the menagerie. We will see to them as well as the others."

  "If they can be kept in a safe place until the Tue-Rah is fixed, they can be sent to places where they would thrive and people wouldn't be at risk," Amelia said. "There are worlds without people still, aren't there?"

  Kepsalon nodded from the doorway. "Oh yes. Quite a great number. It won't be difficult at all to find homes for them if we can get them through the next few days."

  "Thank you." Amelia ran her hands over her face, breathing with relief. That was at least one burden removed from her shoulders. "I couldn't do this without you."

  She crossed over to the clay pots and peered inside. The huanna was a low burn, thankfully, smoldering and glowing a dull black-red. It was a good thing there would be more when they reached Telhetum, otherwise she doubted there would be enough to keep them sedated beyond dusk.

  "I'm glad we're alone now," Naatos said.

  "And what about your brothers?" Amelia asked, facing him again.

  "If we bother you, open the door and let us leave. We'll gladly give you all the privacy you require." AaQar remained on the floor. He twisted his hands about to make a shadow rabbit.

  Amelia paused, frowning as she studied AaQar. Something was wrong with him. She wasn't entirely sure what. He moved and spoke, even laughed, yet somehow he was more distant, his voice frailer. And his skin… "AaQar, are you feeling all right?"

  "More than. Yes." AaQar lifted his head. His eyes were not so crisply black and white. They appeared cloudier. And he was paler. Somehow.

  "Why are you whiter?" Amelia walked to the far side of the cell to be closer to AaQar.

  "Whiter?" AaQar's mouth turned up in a half smile.

  "Little sister, you can't just ask people why they're whiter," WroOth said.

  "Forget it." Amelia walked away. She could guard them just as well from the hall. But something strange was happening to AaQar. Her gut and elmis confirmed it. She made a mental note to check on him again.

  "So you're just leaving," Naatos said, following her within the cell. "And here I thought you came to play."

  WroOth chuckled. "Oh she never comes to play. She doesn't want to. Only wants to train. To fight. To try to kill. To fulfill her destiny. Never to play."

  AaQar leaned forward. "Do you know who she sounds like?"

  "Who?" WroOth asked.

  "Naatos." Both AaQar and WroOth burst into laughter.

  Naatos gave them a stern look. "That is not true. I don't try to kill. I succeed. And sometimes I do play."

  WroOth grinned. "Once in a green sun. Perhaps a purple moon." He flicked Naatos in the ear.

  Naatos swiped WroOth, the movement clumsy but playful. "And what about when there is no moon then? Do you have an answer for that, little brother? Of course you do. You have an answer for everything."

  Amelia shook her head, knowing better than to interact. She pressed her palms against her elmis to relieve the itching ache. At least she could avoid talking to them. She sat on the other side of the doorway, mostly out of their sight and listened as they continued to bicker and laugh. She rested her head against the stone, her mind spinning and twisting all the possibilities together as she searched for the best solution. She only left once when the agonizing pain of the split heart returned. Then she moved beyond the pillars and arched back against the stone, desperate for the clenching pain to end.

  Kepsalon returned after a fair bit of time had passed. He carried several coils of rope. "My people are finalizing the preparations, but unless those three are unconscious or allow themselves to be bound down here, they won't be able to do much to help. You're the only—"

  "Yes, I know." Amelia pressed her hands to her temples. "I'm the only one who can enter the square of death and not be killed. And they're not going to be falling asleep any time soon. Are you sure we don't have a few more scraps of huanna here or something like it to put them out faster?"

  "Not a bit more. I'm sorry, Amelia. It must be rationed out with even more care to avoid running out completely. There will be more at the palace, but that's all that's left for a few days. We are getting the rest there as soon as possible."

  Amelia stood slowly. Getting those three up the staircase and to the wagon would be the most difficult part. Even if they were thoroughly bound, she doubted they would be entirely incapacitated. "It's fine. They'll fall asleep eventually. If you could just see about getting some sort of rope pulley system set up, that would help. Something that we can put one of them on a board, fasten him down, and then pull up. That way the Machat hardly have to be around them at all in case they wake up. It could take awhile longer before they're asleep, and we need to move as fast as we can.."

  "I'll get them working on it. You see about getting them restrained as soon as you can," Kepsalon said.

  "I will. Send someone down with chains please. Or anything stronger if you can find it. I don't really think rope is going to work for long." She pushed her hair back over her shoulders and returned to the dungeon.

  "You really can't stay away from us." WroOth jumped back to his feet with a loud clap. "Don't you think this would all be so much more fun if we were free? Just open the door, and everything gets so much better."

  Amelia set her arms akimbo. "You know, frankly, I'm surprised that you haven't picked the lock. All of you are over nine hundred years old. You've worn out your shackles and the bindings. How have you not figured out a way to unlock the door? I mean, I know it's made with a different metal, and it won't wear down as easily. But lock picking is basic."

  "Why would one pick a lock when there's a perfectly good key just over there?" WroOth motioned to the iron circlet hanging on the wall.

  "Because no one is going to give you the key. Anyway, I don't want you to pick the lock. I'm just more surprised that none of you know how. Now here's what's going to happen. I am going to tie your hands to the bars here in a bit, and then I'm coming in, and I'm going to chain you up. Then we'll leave."

  They all burst into laughter. Amelia covered her face, annoyed.

  "The only way you're tying us up, darling, is if you come in yourself.
" Naatos bowed to her mockingly. "And that I would love to see."

  "As would I." WroOth climbed the bars again. He moved along the top with surprising ease before dropping down and laughing hysterically.

  They really shouldn't have put these three in the same cell. Amelia tightened her grip on the rope. "All right, fine! What do you want? What is it going to take?"

  "You know exactly what it will take, viskaro," Naatos said.

  "Yes, well, obviously, for you, but you're not the only one in the cell, are you? What about AaQar and WroOth?"

  AaQar sat back on the floor and contorted his hands to make a shadow dragon. "I don't actually need anything. Just give Naatos what he wants and let him have his brain back. That'll make all of us happy."

  "If that weren't so true, I'd resent your statement," Naatos muttered.

  "WroOth." Amelia tilted her head. "Would you mind staying on the ground long enough to tell me what it's going to take to get you to cooperate?"

  Grinning, WroOth dropped in front of her as close as he could. He pressed his face against the bars. "Come closer, little sister, and I'll tell you."

  "Yeah, I don't think so." Amelia kept her arms crossed. "I think you're going to grab me if I come within arm's reach."

  "If you want to tie me up, you've got to get within arm's reach." WroOth's eyes twinkled, almost feverish in their light. "It's quite the conundrum you've made for yourself."

  "Stay right there." Amelia grabbed the rope up and fashioned rough slipknots. Uncle Joe had taught her a great deal about ropes. Within a few minutes, she fashioned a double bruin rough knot with a triple winding that made a crude set of handcuffs.

  She walked to the other side of the cell and tied it to the bars, leaving a long tail. If she gave it a hard tug, it would tighten. "All right, WroOth. Come tell me what you want, and put your hands through those loops." It wouldn't hold them for long, but it would give her a slight edge.

  WroOth examined the loops. "Just through here?" Amelia nodded. WroOth shrugged, looked at his brothers, and started to put his hands through. He then pulled back, laughing harder. "Really? You expect me to put my hands in there? Do better, dear heart."

  "What do you want, WroOth?"

  "Ahhhh." WroOth wagged his finger at her. "You think I don't see what this is? You're hoping to pit the three of us against one another. If I let you tie me up, that means you only have to deal with AaQar and Naatos. So, really, I think I'll be a good brother and say, do whatever Naatos wants."

  Naatos stepped in front of WroOth. "Last night was our wedding night, viskaro, and we have not festhashooned even once."

  "That's really not my problem," Amelia said. "If you had stuck to the terms of our agreement, I would have feshtashooned you. But you didn't. So it's your fault and your problem."

  Naatos began unwinding the rope fibers. "Well, it's your problem too. Because I have no intentions of cooperating with you until we consummate this marriage." He gave the rope a sharp tug.

  Amelia dropped the other end just in time. Even in a drug-addled state Naatos was strong and dangerous. Perhaps there was another tactic she could try.

  She lifted her chin, hoping the angle would keep him from seeing her eyes or that this minor deception wouldn't count as an actual lie. "You really are out of your head right now," she said. "I can't believe you don't remember what we did. I would have thought as much as you want me that you'd at least remember our first time. What? Was I not good enough for you? All of this was nothing but talk. I can't believe you, Naatos!" She turned away, hiding her face as if distressed.

  Naatos cocked his head, confusion marring his amused calm. "What?"

  "We've already consummated this marriage," Amelia said, her back to him. "And I can't believe you don't remember it." She ducked her head and glanced back carefully to see his reaction.

  A slow smile spread over Naatos's face. "No, viskaro…I would have remembered that."

  "Well, clearly not!" Amelia turned on him, scowling. Confidence and conviction would have to sell this one. She forced her voice to tremble. "I can't even believe I trusted you with that, and now…well, I don't think I'll be able to ever trust you again unless you do something to show me I can."

  "In other words, nothing's changed." Naatos grinned. "I don't believe you, darling. But excellent try."

  "Naatos." Amelia pressed her hands together and took a step closer. Naatos had seen the sketches that the Truth Bringers had made of the two of them. Hopefully that memory would blur with the drugs to make him think that it had actually happened without her having to tell a lie that would trigger the red in her eyes. "How can you not remember? Think back. It was a rather complicated position. A very large blue ribbon was used."

  "The seagull?" WroOth grimaced. "Why do I remember it? Ugh." He struck his hand against his temple as if to jostle the memory free.

  "Now I know you're lying." Naatos leaned against the bars. "I would never have attempted the seagull with you on our first time. You don't trust me nearly enough, and I can't imagine I wouldn't drop you at least once because you don't hold still even now and there's no support system. Besides, if we had done that, there's another even more important question: how are you walking?"

  "I'm full of surprises," Amelia said dryly.

  Naatos shrugged. "Excellent. Then I want you again. Even if it did happen as you say, you can't think I'd be satisfied for our entire marriage with only a single opportunity."

  "No. Not until you show me that I can trust you, and you'll do that by letting me restrain you three. After we get to Telhetum, I promise I'll spend time with you. All right?" Amelia paused as she heard Kepsalon calling her name. "Hold that thought. I'll be back." Turning, she left, desperately hoping that perhaps Kepsalon had come up with an additional plan or something else to render these three unconscious.

  9

  The Honest Half Conscious

  "Please tell me you found some more huanna?" Amelia hurried to the end of the hall to meet Kepsalon by the staircase.

  Kepsalon lifted his hands. "I'm afraid not. But the wagon will be moved as close to the main entrance as possible, and we are getting a pulley system set up. There shouldn't be any problems with that."

  "That's good news at least." Amelia sighed.

  "Are they restrained yet?"

  Amelia cast a glance over her shoulder. The singing had resumed. "No. And they're not going to be for a while longer because I'm not walking into that cell."

  "I know that this has been difficult, and I don't say this to put more pressure on you, but the elder commander and several of those loyal to him have already left. They will reach the palace hours ahead of you, and if they do…" Kepsalon's voice trailed off.

  Amelia's shoulders tightened. She could guess what Vorec would say. "I don't suppose anyone could have stopped him?"

  "Physically restraining him from leaving would have broken many laws and complicated things further," Kepsalon said. "We will do the best we can to mitigate the damage, but the elder commander will not simply speak with your father and mother. He and those loyal to him will spread the word of what happened as well as his own lies throughout the other Ayamin and the Libyshans."

  "You know what, Kepsalon? I don't care." Amelia's heart twinged with fear, contradicting the words. But she met Kepsalon's sharp gaze. "I've got other things to worry about right now. Like how to get three shapeshifters to calm down and go to sleep so I can tie them up."

  "You should care," Kepsalon said soberly. "Every minute Vorec is at Telhetum without you your potential allies shrink."

  "Don't you think I know that?" Amelia demanded. "I just can't deal with it right now. He's going to do what he's going to do, you'll do what you're going to do, and I'm going to do what I'm going to do. And maybe it will turn out terribly. But there really isn't anything else that can be done because no one else can do this job here without risking death, and we can't know for sure that they aren't going to find some way out. Even if I leave and you Machat wait until
you think they're asleep, they could be faking and attack you. And if we wait too long, the huanna is going to wear off." She braced her hands against her hips, fighting to keep her emotions under control.

  "I know. We'll do everything we can to minimize the effects. I have already sent two prophets to Telhetum, and they should arrive before the elder commander. It won't look good, and there will be increased distrust, but it should be better than allowing Vorec free reign."

  Amelia pressed her foot against the wall, trying to calm herself. "I suppose a sharp crack on the head with a club would be out of the question."

  "For the Paras or Vorec?"

  "I'm open to either."

  "It's difficult to knock a Vawtrian unconscious with blunt force, and with the drugs keeping them from shifting or healing, that could lead to added complications. As for Vorec, given what has already happened between you, I'd recommend a subtler course."

  Amelia tried to laugh, but the sound was hollow in her ears. "I think we passed subtle after I broke a chair on his head."

  "The elder commander did not anticipate that." Kepsalon smiled wryly. "His initial intent was to break you, but then…well, you showed that you were not so easily broken. You cannot attack him again though. Had we not been there to intervene, he could have twisted the truth into whatever shape he liked."

  "I know." Amelia drew her arms over herself protectively. "Thank you for everything, by the way. It would have been a lot worse without you."

  "It still might be." Kepsalon patted her shoulder. "Do what you can to get those three restrained. We'll be ready for you when it's finished." More snatches of song floated through the air. Kepsalon chuckled. "They do seem to be enjoying themselves though."

  "Yeah. I guess I should get back to it." Amelia kept her arms wrapped around herself as she returned to the large room.