“Well, obviously we’re together.”
She pointed at a building on the corner ahead of them. They were deep in the market district and the building she indicated belonged to the City Watch; in fact, it was their main headquarters. “I thought I’d show you how to manage a dangerous situation properly.”
“So, I won’t worry the next time you’re on your own?”
“So maybe you won’t get yourself killed acting by yourself when I’m not around,” she countered. “I’ll introduce you to the watch captains. It’s time they learned your face.”
Given most of his experiences in life, Will wasn’t really certain he wanted anyone involved in law enforcement to know his face. He’d been in more jails than he’d been out of them, according to his personal reckoning, but he could see the logic of Selene’s statement. They entered the large front room of the watch building, which featured a long desk in front of the far wall. The desk and the two men behind it served the dual purpose of receiving citizen complaints and processing those who had just been arrested. One side had several officers with criminals in tow waiting to be documented, while the other end of the desk was clear.
Everyone glanced at Selene as she entered, not necessarily because she was royalty, but more so because she was female and exceptionally lovely. Pretty young women were a relatively rare occurrence in the building. Her current attire indicated modest wealth but gave no clue to her birth. Apparently, none of the watchmen that were present were familiar with her face, for they watched her with open interest as she marched toward the empty side of the desk.
Will immediately became defensive and began glaring back at some of the men who were staring too openly at his wife. Then he recognized one of them. “Ned?”
Selene stopped, watching him curiously. She hadn’t expected Will to be the first to meet someone he knew. The burly guardsman stared back at Will in confusion for a moment, then pointed with a faint smirk as recognition dawned on him. “Murder weapon?”
Will grinned and nodded. The man he was addressing had been the same guard who had once arrested him when he first tried to enter Branscombe. At the time he’d been wearing armor and clothing stolen from an enemy soldier that he’d killed.
Ned smiled back. “You’ve filled out some since then. Where’s your Darrowan uniform?”
He laughed. “I told you I wasn’t a spy.”
“I never really thought you were,” admitted the burly man.
“Then why’d you arrest me?”
“Rules is rules.” Ned nodded politely in Selene’s direction. “Pardon me, ma’am. I should have introduced myself. Ned Spratte, at your service.”
Selene’s expression acknowledged him but before she could reply, Will jumped in, feeling self-conscious. “This is my wife, S—”
“Lady Isabel!” interrupted Ned, snapping his fingers. “I remember you now. They had all of us take note of your face. Wait!” He glanced from her to Will and back again. “You married this scrounger?”
She nodded quietly, a faint smirk forming on her lips. Everyone in the room was watching them, except those whose hands were full with their current business.
Ned shook his head. “No accounting for taste I guess.” Then he asked Will, “What happened to you? Last I saw you; they were carting you off to face the king for desertion and kidnapping.”
Will blushed, then glanced at Selene. “Things worked out.”
It was then that the current shift captain stepped into the room from the back. Like everyone, his eyes were drawn to Selene, but unlike the others, he immediately recognized her. His voice cracked out, louder than a whip, “Attention! Men, show respect to the princess!”
The watchmen in the room all straightened, then stared at their captain, who for his part had his eyes firmly on Selene. After a second, he cast his gaze and the floor and then bent at the waist. “Your Highness, we are honored by your presence!” The rest of the room quickly followed suit, except for Ned, who seemed to have been paralyzed.
Selene accepted the scene with the aplomb possible only for someone who had been raised to it. Will did his best to hide his embarrassment, but there was one person in the room who was even more uncomfortable: Ned. At long last, the poor man’s brain began moving again and rather than merely bow, he fell to his knees, his red face directed at the floor. “Please forgive me, Your Highness.” The tone of his voice was that of a man who obviously feared his life might be forfeit.
“Please rise,” said Selene graciously, reaching out to touch the timorous guard on his shoulder. “You have nothing to fear on my account. Any friend of my husband’s is a friend of mine.”
Ned slowly rose, but his eyes were fixed on Will’s and they were filled with the dread knowledge that he had once arrested the man now married to the crown princess. The princess might think they were friends, but Ned knew otherwise, and he expected his end to begin with Will’s next words.
All eyes were on them as Will replied, “It’s all right, Ned. I honestly don’t hold any ill will. I was truly glad to see someone from back then.”
“I was just doing my job!” exclaimed Ned.
“And you did it well,” said Will. “Though next time, remember this and let them have some water while they wait to be taken to the lockup.”
Selene’s expression was a combination of curiosity and approval as she tried to figure out exactly how they knew one another. She didn’t know the precise circumstances, but she was happy to see that the man she had chosen matched her in his treatment of those who might have wronged him.
The next few minutes were less remarkable as Selene had Will introduced to all the ranking watch officers who were present before explaining she needed to borrow a few men for an impromptu outing. Will was somewhat amazed to see that the captain in charge sent five men with her without so much as even asking what she needed them for.
When they were back in the street, with two men ahead and three behind, he leaned over and whispered in her ear, “That man, Captain Lipton, he didn’t even question you. Shouldn’t he have at least asked what you wanted them for?”
“Although my father has long strived to provide a fair and efficient justice system, he has never encouraged those who enact and police those laws to question him or those who represent him. To be honest, it hadn’t really occurred to me either, until you mentioned it just now. Perhaps you should devote some time to thinking about how to change that someday when I come to power.”
He grimaced. Ask an honest question and you get more work, he thought. He had no idea how to improve the world; he just knew when he saw something that didn’t feel right. Will turned it over in his mind a few times while they walked, but he was no closer to a solution when they finally stopped in front of a modest house on the left side of the street, Belinda Arberry’s home.
Chapter 14
Selene glanced at the watchmen, and two of them stepped away to circle the house and make certain no one attempted to leave via the kitchen door. Of the three remaining men, Selene addressed one in particular. “After we go inside, you’re to wait out here and make sure no one leaves or enters.” She turned to the other two men. “You two will come in with us. I’m going to question the matron, Belinda Arberry, if she’s here. Once I’ve engaged her, you’re to search the rest of the house and bring out anyone hiding in the other rooms. I want to know who’s there and who they are. Don’t leap to violence, but be cautious.”
Will couldn’t help but be impressed by the brevity and clarity of her orders. “What about me?” he asked with a smile.
“Same as always,” she snapped with a sparkle in her eye. “Stay close to me and show some leg to distract them.”
He blew a kiss in her direction and stepped up to rap heavily on the door with his knuckles. After a moment he heard a woman’s voice answering, “Just a minute.” When the door swung open a minute later, a maid stood there. “Can I ask who’s calling?” There was a look of worry and confusion on her face when she noticed th
e watchmen.
“Her Highness, Princess Selene Maligant of Terabinia,” Will replied. “Is your mistress at home?”
The poor maid began to stutter. “I-I’m not sure…” Her eyes were on the ground, and her body began to shake in terror. After a second, she fell to her knees. “Forgive me, Your Highness, I forgot to show proper respect.”
“Get out of the doorway,” ordered Will. The maid tried to rise hurriedly and lost her balance. He moved to catch her shoulder, hoping to steady her, but that only frightened her more when she thought he meant to seize her.
“William,” said Selene quietly, shaking her head when he glanced back at her. “Patience.” They waited several long moments while the maid sorted herself out and eventually scrambled out of the way. Then they entered.
The house was modest but clean and well taken care of. The front door opened into what might have been called a parlor but was more of a multipurpose living area that served as the main room and the dining area. A small doorway led to a kitchen, and a stair off to the right led upstairs, presumably to the bedrooms. A young, somewhat attractive lady was descending as they entered.
“Laura, who was at the door?” The woman’s words slowly faded as her eyes took in the watchmen, William, and the modestly dressed princess. Recognition struck, and the blood drained from her cheeks. She sank slowly to her knees. “Your Highness.”
“Belinda Arberry?” asked Selene.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Get up. I need answers. Is there a place we can sit?”
“The table, Your Highness.” Belinda pointed at the kitchen table with its simple wooden chairs. Her hand was trembling. The two watchmen moved past her, one toward the kitchen, the other making for the stairs. That provoked a response. “Wait! Where are you going?”
“Is there anyone else in the house?” asked Will.
“My daughter. Please, she’s innocent. Don’t hurt her!”
“For the moment, I only want answers,” stated Selene. “What comes after depends on your words.” She pointed at one of the chairs. After the woman had found a seat, Selene joined her and Will dragged a chair off to one side for himself. “Do you know why we are here?”
“No, Your Highness,” said Belinda, struggling to cover her rising anxiety.
Selene’s response was so cold and flat that it sent shivers down Will’s spine, for it reminded him of her father. “That was a lie, Belinda. I would advise you against doing so again. I already know more than you realize about your relationship with your estranged husband. From this point forward I expect honesty, even if you fear that your answers will anger me, for if you lie, I will become angrier still. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Do you know why we are here?” Selene repeated.
Belinda was becoming visibly agitated and she began to beg, “Please, Your Highness! I truly don’t know!” As she did, she stood up from the chair suddenly, which startled Will. Before he realized it, he had summoned his saber from the limnthal and held it mere inches from the woman’s throat, prompting a gasp from Selene and a choking squeak from Belinda. A scream of pure terror came from the direction of the stairs, where the daughter, Theresa, was descending behind the watchman.
“Don’t kill Momma!” screamed the young girl. She appeared to be somewhere in the vicinity of seven or eight years old. The watchman grabbed her quickly as she started to dart past him.
“Theresa, don’t worry. No one’s going to hurt me,” said Belinda Arberry with forced calm as she stared at the keen edge of the sword. A tear traced its way down her cheek. “Go back upstairs and wait for me. I’ll explain everything later.” Her eyes were pleading as she looked back at the princess.
Selene covered her surprise quickly and gestured to the guard while Will quietly returned his sword to its extradimensional storage place. “Take her back to her room for now,” she ordered. A second later she spoke to Belinda, “I would also advise you not to startle my husband, Mistress Arberry. Now answer the question honestly. I don’t expect you to have exact knowledge. Tell me why I’m here.”
Belinda’s expression grew despondent. “Lewis did something, didn’t he?”
Selene smiled, but no warmth showed in her eyes. “That’s better. Doesn’t it feel good to be truthful?”
“I don’t know where he is,” blurted out Belinda. “Whoever he hurt—he didn’t tell me! Please, you have to believe me.”
“You know what your husband was doing for a living.” Selene’s remark was a statement rather than a question.
“He told me he scared people into paying what they owed.” Selene’s eyes narrowed angrily, and Belinda hastened to add, “And sometimes more than that! He did more than just hurt some people.” Something broke in her then. “He killed someone important, didn’t he?”
“Almost. My husband and I are still reasonably healthy, though. I’m afraid Lewis didn’t survive the attempt, however.”
Belinda’s shoulders slumped, and her arms fell limp beside her. The expression on her face communicated her feeling clearly—her death was inevitable. “Please, Your Highness. I knew very little, and my daughter knew nothing. She’s innocent. Do what you will with me but spare her life.”
Will’s immediate reflex, despite the seriousness of the crime, was to explain that neither he nor Selene would dream of hurting a child for their parent’s wrongdoing. He started to say as much when Selene caught his eye and raised her hand. “William, why don’t you step outside for a few minutes? I’d like to speak to Mistress Arberry alone, woman to woman.”
He remained still for a moment, his eyes locked with hers, wondering what she meant to do, but in the end, he decided to trust her. He took his leave from the room and stood outside the front door. While he waited, he couldn’t help but reflect on what he had just seen, particularly the image of the young girl staring at him with horror in her eyes. Threatening to decapitate a mother in front of her child hadn’t been his intention; he’d simply reacted without thinking. He kept hearing Belinda’s calm voice as she told her daughter to go back upstairs.
There had been death in her eyes, and he’d been its representative. His emotions were in turmoil, as he felt ashamed of his own role in the scene and simultaneously inspired by the heroic resolve and self-sacrifice evident in the mother’s calm acceptance. But she’s the villain here, he told himself, isn’t she? That wasn’t clear. Her husband had obviously done wrong, though perhaps he’d possibly become a criminal for a not entirely ignoble purpose.
Belinda Arberry had been a silent accomplice and beneficiary, but did that make her evil, or merely desperate?
When Selene emerged from the house fifteen minutes later, she seemed composed and unruffled. In her hand was a small notebook and a freshly written letter of credit. She handed them to him.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“The letter authorizes you to receive a sum of five thousand six hundred and thirty-five gold crowns from Mistress Arberry’s bank holdings. Give it to Blake when we get home, and he can take it to the bank and handle the transfer. The notebook contains the name of the man who paid Lewis to assassinate you.”
Will flipped the notebook open and saw a name, Benjamin Doster, along with an address in the dockside district. Next to the name was a number that matched the amount of coin that was to be paid from the Arberry account. After a second, he asked, “You made her pay us the fee he received for the assassination?”
Selene shrugged. “It seemed fair.”
“And that’s it? You’re not going to do anything else?”
Her expression was empty. “Should I? Lewis had already paid his helpers, so that sum will leave her with a loss. I suspect she’s already on the verge of bankruptcy. You know the type of charity work I do. Do you think I should add another orphan to the list of children that need help?”
There was a certain deadness in her tone that bothered him. After hearing her use her father’s verbal tactics earlie
r, it unsettled him even further. Yet Selene had obviously shown mercy to the woman. “No, I just wanted to make sure I understood your intentions.” He studied her face and leaned closer. “Are you all right?”
Selene’s eyes darted first left, then right, indicating the watchmen that stood beside them, then her expression hardened. “We are not alone.”
Message received, he thought sourly. Mother forbid I should inquire about your emotional state in public! Some aspects of being a royal would never feel normal to him. He tried to hide his annoyance, and the two of them began to walk in the direction of the dockside district.
The watchmen they had borrowed separated from them at Selene’s request, walking roughly fifteen feet behind them to allow them some privacy. At the same time, Will noticed a certain heaviness become visible in Selene’s shoulders, but she kept her back straight. She’s definitely upset.
“What’s wrong?” he asked once they wouldn’t be overheard.
“Nothing,” she answered immediately, but then she bit her lip and rethought her answer. “Why did you look at me like that back there?”
“When?”
“In the Arberry home.”
Will thought about it for a moment. He wasn’t aware of having borne a strange expression, but there could only be one thing she was referring to. “You reminded me of your father for a moment,” he admitted.
Selene blinked, and the pain his reply caused was plainly apparent. “That’s what I thought,” she said softly.
“Is that why you wanted me to step outside?”
She nodded sadly. “I still had worse to say and do, and I couldn’t bear you seeing me like that.” After a moment she asked, “Do you think I’m a monster?”
“You’re asking the man who held a sword to a woman’s throat in front of her child?”
“That was just a reflex.”
“My reflexes have killed people before. Sometimes before I knew if it was the right thing or the wrong thing to do.”
“It was still a reflex,” said Selene. “You were being protective. Maybe it seemed villainous in retrospect, but no one who saw it would have blamed you. What I did was cold and calculating. Just like him.”
Disciple of War (Art of the Adept Book 4) Page 12