Memory of War

by Michelle Lynn

  “Who will rule in your stead?” Drake asked.

  Marcus narrowed his eyes, knowing what his brother expected. But his father had been right, Drake wouldn’t make a good king. He had no compassion, no love for his people.

  He braced himself for the reaction to his decision. There was only one person he trusted in his stead.

  His lips curved up as he remembered his father’s words and spoke them aloud. “You must choose a queen you trust wholly, completely. With your family. With your life. With your rule.” He met his mother’s stare. She too was remembering. His father had trusted his queen with everything.

  “You can’t be serious,” Drake snapped.

  Marcus’ mother heaved a sigh and shook her head. “If you insist on taking on this mission, I cannot stop you.” She turned to a servant near the door. “Find us a priest and a scribe and fetch the king’s own crown.”

  The servant hurried away and it seemed he took all the air in the room with him. Marcus gave his mother a grateful smile that didn’t last as the weight of his mission fell upon him. He was to travel through the mountains in the middle of winter.

  In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to rush across the room and take Marissa into his arms. Her eyes watered as she watched him, but Lonara spoke into her ear and she brushed away the tears before they could fall.

  The servant returned with priest and scribe in tow. The priest held the crown in a tight grip and the group of advisors backed away from Marissa.

  The dowager queen spoke, facing Marissa. “It was a shock to learn of the secrets my son kept from me and the kingdom. It is … difficult not to think of you as the enemy. But he was right. He is the king, and his decisions are law. In my grief, I have said some things that are unforgivable, but my husband is gone. It is time we welcome in the new generation.” She placed a hand on Marissa’s growing belly. “In this time of turmoil, children give us hope that we will still have a future.”

  She stepped back and nodded to Marcus. He walked forward and pulled Marissa from her chair. “This isn’t how I wanted this to happen. I wanted you to have a grand ceremony.”

  Her lips shook. “I’d settle for you being able to stay.”

  He ran his thumb over her lip. “I can’t choose my own selfish desires over my people.”

  “I know. It’s one of the reasons I love you.”

  A pillow was set on the ground, and Marissa knelt upon it. Marcus didn’t hear the words the priest said to her or how she responded. He focused on her face. Eyes that tore through him. Pale pink lips that pulled him back together. Red curls he saw in his dreams. Her eyes swam as she spoke the words that cemented her as a part of Dreach-Sciene, finally forsaking Dreach-Dhoun for good. She’d chosen her side a long time ago, but now she was vowing to destroy everything she’d ever known.

  When the priest put Marcus’ crown onto her fire-born head, she looked up.

  Marcus extended a hand down to his beautiful wife. He pulled her to her feet and smiled. “My crown looks good on you. We’ll have to get you your own, because I’m going to want it back.”

  She closed her eyes and leaned into him. “You better come back for it.”

  His mother cleared her throat, and everyone turned to her. “We aren’t finished. The realm needs to know who is fighting for them.” She gestured to the scribe. “I want proclamations posted in every village in Sona and Aldorwood. The same will be done in Isenore when the snow melts. We need to give the people something to celebrate before the fighting begins anew. I want Marissa’s life in Dreach-Dhoun left out. Say she is the daughter of the Tri-Gard and a hero of the recent battles. We’ll paint it as a grand love story and one that gives us an edge in this war.”

  It felt good to have his mother on his side again. Some of the worry about leaving drifted away. Whether he was there or not, Dreach-Sciene was in good hands. He dismissed his advisors and left his mother with the scribe as he pulled Marissa out into the hall and towards a hidden alcove.

  Once away from prying eyes, he pulled her to him in a kiss that intensified the longer it went on.

  Marissa pushed away from him and leaned against the wall to catch her breath. “There’s something I don’t understand.”

  He played with one of her errant curls and tucked it behind her ear. “What is it?”

  “If my father can make it through the mountains in winter, why hasn’t he come?”

  “He’s being kept with Lord Eisner by my men.”

  She leveled him with a stare. “Do you honestly think he couldn’t get away from them easily? No, he’s still there by choice. He finally broke free of Calis, and he still hasn’t joined us.”

  “How does Calis have so much power over members of the Tri-Gard?”

  “Because, Marcus, Calis is the most powerful man I’ve ever seen. While he holds Briggs – probably the weakest link of the Tri-Gard – in his dungeons, he can make the others do unimaginable things. Even Lonara, if he were to capture her. The three of them will protect each other at all costs. They have no allegiance to man. Only to each other and to the earth.”

  Marcus pulled her close and rested his chin on top of her head. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

  “I have a horrid feeling about all of this.”

  “And I have no choice.”

  “I know.” She buried her face in his shirt and clung to him as if she’d never see him again.

  But she was wrong. They’d be together again. This mission could end the war. It could let him live with her and their child in peace. He felt her stomach. For the child. He’d do it for the child.

  And for the world the child could have.

  Chapter 7

  Every day he was gone was another day Marissa was sure he wouldn’t come back. It’d been months, and they’d had no word. When the snows finally melted, she’d sent messengers into Isenore, but none had returned.

  The army was prepared to march. The Aldorwood and Sona regiments had arrived to join the crown’s army. It was only a matter of time before they’d be needed. In the next weeks, she’d deploy troops to the border to bolster the Isenore units still loyal to the crown. They provided the first line of defense at the border.

  The winter had lasted longer than expected, with the snows sticking around into spring, and food stores were running low. Soon, the villagers would be able to use their magic to prepare the land for planting.

  Marissa sat on Marcus’ throne, still feeling like she didn’t belong there. Villagers came daily to plead their cases with the queen, bringing gifts and well-wishes. The proclamations had been met with a surge of joy throughout the kingdom. There had been too little to be happy about as of late.

  A woman stood in front of her, complaining of the crown’s soldiers’ behavior in the tavern she owned. They’d taken over the village meeting places as they sat idle waiting for their orders.

  “I am sorry for your troubles,” Marissa said smoothly. Her eyes found Drake in the back of the room. “It will be dealt with swiftly. Our villagers deserve to be treated kindly.” She raised her voice. “Captain.”

  Drake walked forward, his cool mask hiding his disdain for his brother’s wife. He thought he should be sitting on that throne. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

  “Your soldiers are no longer permitted to go into the village for entertainment. I have received many complaints of harassment.”

  “They are only restless.”

  “As are we all,” Marissa snapped. “Make sure my order is obeyed.”

  He ground his teeth but gave her a short nod.

  Two guards appeared at her side to escort her to the healer. He’d been keeping a close eye on the future king or queen in her belly. Nothing he did made any difference. She was tired of being poked and prodded, of having various foul-smelling herbs shoved down her throat.

  The young woman who’d been guarding her all these months gripped her arm to help pull her from the throne. Marissa would have been embarrassed if she wasn’t so uncomfortabl
e.

  “Thank you, Avery.”

  “Your Majesty.” Avery nodded. The girl was always so formal, but the two had also developed a sort of bond. Avery’s brother was with Marcus in Isenore, and they commiserated together.

  As they left the hall behind, Marissa stretched her arms out in front of her. “I would kill for a training session right now.”

  Avery raised a brow but stayed silent. The further along Marissa’s pregnancy got, the less she was allowed to touch a sword. Other than Drake, Avery was the only person in the palace who could give her a good fight.

  “Avery, I don’t feel like a trip to the healer is in order this afternoon.”

  “Your Majesty, you are too near your time to neglect yourself.”

  The woman was stubborn, and Marissa realized she was only looking after her, but she wouldn’t be sway. “Have the stable lad fetch our horses.”

  The woman didn’t move.

  Marissa smiled and touched her arm. “Please, Avery.”

  Avery turned on her heel and went to do as commanded. Marissa still hadn’t gotten used to people obeying her word. She’d never imagined wearing a crown on her head or carrying a prince in her belly. Even when Calis was most adamant, she’d been planning ways to escape the fate.

  A sharp pain stabbed into her ribs and she pressed down on her stomach, thankful for the reminder she wasn’t alone. She hated that she was rendered unable to fight in the middle of the war. That she couldn’t vault onto her horse and ride swiftly to Isenore to recover the man she loved more than life itself.

  But she could never hate the hope growing in her belly. That’s what the child represented. A future that has some possibility for happiness.

  She only needed the child’s father to come home.

  Avery returned pulling two horses across the courtyard. Three guards appeared atop their beasts, and Avery shrugged. “When the pregnant queen wants to leave the safety of the palace walls, she must take an army with her.”

  Marissa shook her head but didn’t protest. Two of the guards dismounted to help her up into her saddle. The healer had told her months ago that she shouldn’t be riding, but Ariana said otherwise. She accompanied her husband on his trips until the day Marcus was born. She didn’t put much stock in the healer’s pregnancy tips, seeing as he was an old man who ascribed to old myths.

  They rode into the hills behind the palace. There was someone Marissa needed to speak to. The old king had been buried in a lush glen called the Valley of the Fallen. Kings, queens, and revered warriors rested among the tall grasses and wild trees.

  One of the guards helped Marissa slide down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, peace flowed into her. She could see it in the faces surrounding her as well. The magic was strong in places where the earth was rich with growth. The tension eased even from Avery’s shoulders. Their connection to the earth was what made them who they were. Without it, there would be nothing left for them.

  A soft hum came from beneath her. She was the only one who could hear it, the only one whose connected went deep enough.

  The baby squirmed inside of her, feeling the effects as well.

  Releasing a calming breath, she slipped her feet from her shoes and dug her toes into the soft earth. Grasses tickled her shins as she walked and every bit of pain she’d been feeling in her back drifted away.

  Stone carvings marked each of the graves. Some were too faded to read, but one was still fresh. A great warrior had been shaped. He carried a longsword.

  Avery helped Marissa kneel in front of him. She let the silence wrap around her, her eyes closing to find the hum again. The earth knew they were there. It remembered her, and every bit of blood she’d shed. It loved her and was saddened by her. None of them were as their guardian wanted them to be.

  The memory of war was too strong.

  When she spoke, her words were not meant for the earth but for the man who resided in the very soil. “You don’t know me. Your life was taken before I found your son and for that, I am deeply sorry, Your Majesty. But he needs you now. I don’t know where he is or if …” Her voice broke off and she swallowed down a sob. “He may have already joined you. If he hasn’t, I need you to watch over him. Give me some sign. Allow me to save him.” The corner of her lips curved up sadly and she rubbed the top of her stomach. “Losing you nearly destroyed him. Don’t let his child face that future before it even has a chance.”

  She wiped at her eyes. “He told me you were a great man. Thank you for believing in him. You did well. Bring him home to me and he will be an amazing king. Together we can save Dreach-Sciene. I know we can. But I don’t think I can defeat Calis without him.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Please.”

  She’d been so lost in her conversation, she hadn’t heard the horse galloping towards them.

  “Halt,” Avery yelled.

  Marissa dried her tears and struggled to stand. The rider pulled up on his reins and jumped down. Marissa recognized the young man immediately as one of the palace messengers. She wobbled forward.

  “What has happened?”

  He dropped into a bow. “You’re needed at the palace. We have word from Isenore.”

  Marissa had barely been lifted into her saddle before she kicked her horse and took off, her guards racing behind her.

  She practically fell from her horse at the gate and a stable lad rushed to grab the reins. She moved as quickly as she could in her state. Avery gripped her arm to help her up the steps, and together they walked into a great hall where chaos reigned.

  Advisors spoke over each other and the dowager queen tried to calm them. Drake stood off to the side with a calculating look on his face. And in the middle of it all was a young boy.

  Marissa recognized him instantly. “Wren?”

  Her presence threw them all into silence, no one wanting to give her whatever news they’d had. She stepped up next to the dowager queen and Ariana gave her a tight smile.

  “Your Majesty,” one of the advisors said. “Maybe you shouldn’t be here. The stress is bad for the baby.”

  Before Marissa could respond, Ariana stepped in. “And how would you know, Alistair? Have you ever carried a child? No? Didn’t think so. Now, if we are done acting like fools, let the boy speak.”

  Dark circles gave Wren’s face a sunken appearance, and his movements were that of an exhausted child. He couldn’t have been more than seven or so. What was he doing there? And alone?

  He bit his wobbling lip, fear alighting in his eyes as the advisors crowded around him.

  Ariana leaned into Marissa. “He was found in the woods attempting to reach the palace, but he could barely sit atop his horse any longer.”

  “Has he been given food?”

  “Some, but he comes from Isenore so we must hear his tale before he can be taken care of properly.”

  Marissa’s mind warred between wanting to protect the child and begging for any information on Marcus. She pushed through the advisors, and Avery once against helped her to her knees. She’d be happy when she could do it herself again. Muttering sounded behind her about the impropriety of it all, but their voices faded away as scared blue eyes raised to meet hers.

  Relief bloomed on the boy’s face. “Marissa.”

  She smiled. “You remember me?”

  He nodded. “I couldn’t forget.”

  “Wren, did you come alone?”

  He sniffled and nodded again.

  “All the way from Isenore?”

  “Yes. My father couldn’t escape, but I was able to get out.”

  “Get out of where?”

  “Our estate in Isenore. The king is there.”

  Gasps sounded and the men behind her began demanding answers to their questions. Wren clamped his mouth shut.

  Reaching out to cup the child’s cheek, Marissa said, “Ignore them. I need to know what happened.”

  He sucked in a shaky breath, and his head bobbed up and down. “It was a trap. Ramsey Kane wasn’t at the Duke’s estate
. As soon as the king arrived, Dreach-Dhoun soldiers poured out of the mountains to surround them. The king withheld the siege with only his few men. The lord’s wife and son were there. My father called them the bait. My father led his men to rescue the king, but an avalanche delayed them. It was months before he got to them.”

  The boy sniffled as tears shone in his eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, Wren, but we need you to continue.”

  “Calis and Eisner retaliated on my father by marching on our estate. Father had left a lot of men with us, but they were no match. Every noble in Isenore who has remained loyal to Dreach-Sciene has faced the same thing.”

  “Lord Yaro lost his holdings?” someone asked. Marissa couldn’t help the scowl that crossed her face. Yes, Lord Yaro’s estate was one of their final strongholds in Isenore, but that wasn’t the most important factor in all of this.”

  “Father returned before they could take us and he had the king with him.”

  Marissa released a long breath.

  Wren burst into tears, and Marissa pulled him into her arms.

  “I heard the king say to father that everything could be lost. That Calis now had the final piece he needed.”

  Marissa didn’t need Wren to tell her what that piece was. Calis had taken Lonara. He now had the entire Tri-Gard. Pain stabbed through her but she didn’t release the boy. His soft warmth in her arms calmed her frantic heart.

  “Where is the king now?”

  “Besieged at the Yaro estate in Isenore. He tried to send runners out, but each was returned in pieces. I heard father say if they didn’t get word to the army, they’d be lost. He’d skin me alive for leaving, but I had to.”

  Marissa raised her gaze to meet that of the one person who’d act without a second thought. They may not like each other, but they both loved Marcus. Drake didn’t need instruction. He gave Marissa a short nod and strode from the room to prepare the army to move out.