by Nina Monroe
Tamzin spent her days watching the townspeople from her single window in the tower. Like Gregory and Will, Tamzin learned the names of all the townspeople, but surprisingly, she had grown fondest of the women from the brothels and their children. Those women were the ones that suffered most, part from those who perished in the fires on the first night of captivity. When Tamzin was brought before Court, she was placed with those women and their children.
One of the most outspoken women, a woman named Francesca, nearly always had a black eye but lately, she had scratch marks on her shoulders and a long, jagged cut down her face. Jacque treated her wound, but it was too late. The slash on her face would leave an ugly scar. Though the line itself was thin, it was long and went from her eyebrow down the curve of her cheek and finally stopped at her chin. It was angry and red before Jacque treated it, and told Tamzin that it was becoming infected from the use of an unclean sword.
“No doubt the soldier who sliced her face used his weapon on someone else and didn’t clean it,” Jacque said softly when he visited Tamzin the following night. He checked on her every night when he gave her the potion to help in her development. “It’s better to have a scar than to be dead and buried.”
If Will had written her again, Tamzin wasn’t made aware of it. Duke hadn’t requested her presence in weeks, but she could see the agitation in the remaining soldiers that decided to stay with Duke. The men had been so cocky in the beginning, but they were beginning to lose that touch of superiority. From her window, it seemed like every action from a townsperson set them off. A soldier stabbed the butcher in the belly after the butcher was unable to offer the soldier any pieces of meat. Duke’s greedy consumption and the fact that he hadn’t allowed the hunters into the woods to find the meat led to starvation, even in the noble classes. Tamzin herself had only been receiving small portions of meat and mostly green vegetables, but those were running out as well. Thankfully, she always ate enough and her babe didn’t seem to mind. He moved happily beneath her skin.
Tamzin felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Red standing behind her, a small smile on his face.
“Tonight is the night, Your Grace,” Red whispered, in case others may have been listening. Kendall heard, her eyes flickered from her sewing to Red’s face. “It took us awhile to find the person who would ride out for you. It seems the working girls are the only ones brave enough.”
“Don’t call them that,” Tamzin chastised as her hand touched her exposed belly. “If they’re the only ones brave enough to do this, then they deserve your respect.”
“Spoken like a true Queen,” Red smiled again before he nodded his acknowledgment. “Three of them are riding with the same letter to Queen Isabelle’s, your father’s territory, and what we think is the possible location of your husband. Isabelle will send Thurston soldiers, your father will send his own men, and well, we all know what Prince William will do.” They heard the chuckle from the other two soldiers as they sharpened their blades.
“I’m not fit to be a Queen,” Tamzin said as she looked away from Red’s face and back out the window. “If I was a real Queen, this would never have happened. No one has attacked Queen Isabelle.”
“That’s because no one wants what Queen Isabelle has. Your husband commands the finest army in the entire realm, and your marriage to him has made Thurston much, much stronger,” Red explained before he unsheathed his sword. “The only people who makes better swords than us is your father’s territory. The only people who are more well fed than ours are the Roth people. The strongest army is now forever linked with the territory with the best resources. Because of this marriage, your husband is on his way to becoming the most powerful man in all of the territories. Duke is a front, and the Southern territories are very nervous.”
“So they attack the single link between Roths and Thurstons? If they’re so frightened of us, then they surely picked the wrong person to attack,” Tamzin said as she continued to look out the window.
“You living or dying helps them. You live and the Southern territories will barter for you and the second they find out you are with child, you’ve become more dangerous. If you die, the Southerners hope it will strain the relationship too much. I doubt your father has forgotten how the Prince treated you in the beginning,” Red frowned as he slowly put his sword away. “And we certainly haven’t forgotten just how Lucy came into this territory in the first place. Our King was always a dealer, not adept in the ways of the sword like Will. Sometimes death is the only way to stop your enemies.”
“It shouldn’t be this way,” Tamzin replied solemnly as she looked down at her belly. “I’m a romantic girl. They said Will was a good man, but he had seen too much. They said he was handsome and honest, but when I first saw him, I couldn’t believe that we were of a similar age. He hated me when he met me, and I think I hated him for a brief second. But now, it’s so hard to remember when he was mean to me or when we didn’t see eye to eye. I love him so much, and I fear that he will never know,” Tamzin said as she looked down at her belly. “What if I don’t survive this?”
“You will, Your Grace. You will live and all of this will only be a memory,” Red said as he looked back to the window. The hours had wasted away and the sun began to set. Outside, it had been quiet for hours and Tamzin’s stomach gurgled. No soldiers had come to taunt them and no one had brought food to her chambers. Kendall hadn’t said a word all day and Tamzin had almost forgotten she was there until Kendall touched Tamzin’s shoulder.
“They’re coming,” Kendall nearly whimpered and it was then that Tamzin heard the footsteps of the soldiers coming up the tower steps. “Put your cloak over your stomach!” Kendall ordered in a tone Tamzin had never heard before. Her shy best friend had changed over these few months of captivity, and Tamzin wondered if Garrett would still recognize the once meek girl. Tamzin tossed the cloak over her bump but kept her position on the ground. She wouldn’t be able to stand up in time without the men seeing her belly or how she needed assistance to stand up.
Red and the two other soldiers stood at the entrance of the door, always prepared for a fight when the familiar Johansson soldiers opened the heavy door and stepped in. One of them was always the man whose hand was cut off by Red. He nearly always glared at Tamzin when he came into her presence, but never spoke a word.
“Three horses are missing, as are three girls. Duke wants to see you,” one of the soldiers said almost frightfully. Tamzin noted the sprinkles of blood on his face, tiny droplets that only came from a splatter. Tamzin had done enough work with healers to know splatter marks when she saw them. The soldier stared at her as he waited for her to stand, and carefully, Tamzin rolled to her side and forced her body up with the help of her hands to steady her legs. With a hand wrapped around her cloak, Tamzin kept the cloak closed around her middle and she took a deep breath of relief when she knew she successfully hid her stomach.
Red came to her side, as did one of the other soldiers and took each of her arms in the crook of their elbows. Kendall was escorted by the remaining soldier behind her and together, they descended down the stairs together. As they walked down the steps, Tamzin felt the cold from outside climb up their bodies and she could feel the coolness seep into her cloak. It was an ominous feeling and it made her blood freeze in her veins, like the icicles outside.
At the bottom of the stairs, there was no one else there. Though it was dark out, Tamzin was surprised to see that there weren’t any townspeople in the streets at all. As she came into the street, the ground was wet and muddy as her shoes stuck to the ground. Tamzin could see the footprints in the mud from others and there were lots of them. Red wrapped an arm around Tamzin’s waist, over her cloak, and lifted her, though he made soft grunts of strain. Tamzin had gained some weight, mostly in her belly and breasts, but her face had swelled slightly. She noticed it, but no one knew her body better than she; would Duke notice? Tamzin knew his eyes leered over her figure every time she was in his presence, but su
rely his eyes did not linger for long on her face?
The entrance to the Throne Room opened and Tamzin noticed instantly that it was more crowded than before. She realized instantly that Duke had rounded up the remaining survivors of the townspeople and the men that patrolled the wall were now with them as well.
“Be strong, my lady Queen,” Kendall whispered from behind before Tamzin departed from their group. As always, despite her snarly hair, her ill-fitting dress, and her ratty cloak, Tamzin stood proudly like a Queen. Her heels did not click as she dragged mud and filth into the Throne Room. As she approached Duke and Lucy, she noticed that Rainer had joined them again. He stood by Duke, his eyes not nearly as forgiving as Lucy’s.
“You never bow when you’re in my presence,” Duke said, though his voice was not nearly as commanding as before. “Why is that?”
“I am the Queen. You bow to me,” Tamzin said menacingly, her teeth clenched together, though she had never been more fearful of Duke in her life. He was different now; everything about this room was different now. She hadn’t spotted Junior yet, but she imagined he was close by.
“It takes very much to break you, doesn’t it?” Duke asked as he lulled his goblet in between his fingers. He watched the gems shine in the dim light as it was more fascinating than Tamzin’s in-compliance. “Your husband isn’t far and three girls escaped on your three fastest horses. They were sent to deliver something. What were they to deliver?”
“Letters,” Tamzin said almost unsurely. “Letters to Will’s aunt further north, a letter to my father, and a letter to reach Will and his men. They know what you have done. Nothing can save you now,” Tamzin said as her eyes turned to look to Lucy and Rainer. “I don’t know who is the bigger traitor amongst you three, but none of you will survive when my allies arrive. You will pay for the death and suffering of my people.”
“You don’t know the meaning of the words suffering, but you will,” Duke’s eyes flickered to her and he smirked when he saw a brief look of fear in her eyes. “Strip her.”
“No!” Lucy’s voice rang out and even Duke was shocked at her outburst. “No man will bargain for a soiled wife.”
“Johanssons are snakes, like everyone says. You betrayed the girl and even now with what she faces, you’re more concerned with how to spin this for your own favor,” Duke said before he struck Lucy across the face with his ring hand. The ring on his hand, one she recognized as belonging to Gregory, left a cut by her eye.
“Don’t hit her and if your men lay a hand on me, you’ll wish the only thing you lost is a hand,” Tamzin spoke in bitterness before she felt the tear at her cloak as the fabric ripped from her body. She felt the gasp before she heard it, like a gust of cold air that whistled through broken windows.
“A mother’s belly,” Lucy whispered before Duke stood suddenly from his throne while Rainer slipped further into his own.
“How far along is she? Can she drink the tea?” Duke barked as he approached Tamzin swiftly and grabbed her arm.
“She is five moons along next week,” Jacque spoke out as he pushed his way through the crowd. “Even you’re smart enough to know she is more valuable alive than dead. You make her drink that tea, you will lose a few more men and she will die with them. I imagine the first letter has reached Isabelle or will very soon and by dawn, her Thurston soldiers will arrive. They will hold the kingdom until the King and Prince return. If you flee now, you may have a few more days of life before Will sends his best men for you,” Jacque raised his eyebrow at Lucy, who shook violently. “You may want to hold onto your false Queen, Duke. She looks like she may flee this instant.”
“You knew you were with child before dear William left, didn’t you?” Duke asked as he grabbed her arm. She couldn’t stop the gasp of pain from escaping her throat as he maneuvered her so he might see the straining laces of her gown. Duke tore her gown as she watched the fabric touch the floor. She was left in nothing but her shift and her pregnant belly showed proudly against the dirty fabric. She hadn’t been allowed to change clothes in weeks. “Do you not want this child?”
“I want this child more than anything and not even you will take him from me,” Tamzin pulled her arm free as she covered her chest. The way Duke stared at her chest; she could only imagine how see through her shift was. “My boy will be as strong as his father and he will be the greatest King this territory and this realm has ever seen.” Tamzin turned to focus on Lucy and Rainer. “I will tell my husband to make you lot suffer more. Duke may have attempted to steal the crown, but he would have had no chance without the help of you two.”
“Bite your tongue, Queen of Ashes,” Duke laughed as he brought a hand up to her face. “You’re so confident for someone who knows so little. I do thank you for telling me the contents of the letters. They were too covered in blood from when my men shot the girls with our crossbows. You weren’t smart enough to tell them to wear the mail, were you?” Duke asked as he watched Tamzin’s eyes become wide. “No help is coming for you, sweet and beautiful girl. Will may be close, but he will not be close enough to save you.”
“You can’t. I’m a woman of royal birth. Northern law…” Tamzin’s clipped words said before Duke struck her with such intense force that she stumbled. Her teeth bit hard on the inside of her cheek and all she could taste was the metallic blood filling her mouth. Coughing and sputtering, she spit some of it out, unsure of the consumption for her child. “Everyone will know what you have done. Every person in this room and God himself have witnessed what you have done and you will never escape it.”
She heard Red step forward with his sword bare as his men followed his lead. It was Kendall’s hand on her arm as she attempted to pull Tamzin back.
“Junior was the one to shoot the whores down and he’s just finishing with their children,” Duke said casually as Tamzin let out a cry of horror. “I am not as charitable as you, Queen. Children without a bitch to take care of them is too much of a burden. Anyways,” Duke continued like what was happening was just so insignificant. “Junior did a fantastic job, and I told him he could have anything. Naturally, the red-blooded fellow wanted you for a night. I initially told him no, and he would have your handmaiden instead, but he might just be able to solve my problem. I had no doubt dear William would be unable to keep his hands off you, you devilishly beautiful girl, but Junior cares nothing for the bastard in your belly. Junior was never a gentle man in the sack, though,” Duke frowned falsely and Tamzin felt Kendall squeeze her arm almost painfully.
“If you want to harm her, you will have to go through me,” Kendall stuttered as she came to stand in front of Tamzin. “There is no worst crime than killing children, but you’re a coward. You don’t do your own killing,” Kendall said as she fisted her dress in her hands. “You betrayed the only true friend you had in this life,” Kendall said as she looked to Lucy. “Some crimes cannot be forgiven or forgotten. You won’t find an ally anywhere once the rightful King returns.”
“So I am a coward, says the handmaiden? Oh, but weren’t you married to Prince William’s second in command only a few days before we showed up? Our spies let us know, the men from the inn. Did you have an awful feeling about them, too, Princess?” Duke said as he unsheathed a dagger from around his waist. He merely glanced at the dagger before he thrust it into Kendall’s stomach.
It was like slow motion. Tamzin heard her own scream and watched as Duke slowly twisted the blade in Kendall’s abdomen before he withdrew the blade, covered with the slick blood. Kendall opened her mouth wide but no scream came out. Tamzin listened to her sputter as the drops of crimson blood began to fill her mouth. Kendall collapsed in Tamzin’s arms as she gently laid her friend on the ground.
Kendall’s face was pale as the tears slowly leaked from the corners of her brown eyes. Tamzin could hear her own voice crying and screaming, but she felt as if she was silently watching her friend. She couldn’t bring herself to offer words of comfort as her voice wouldn’t allow it. There was no othe
r way in the world to convey the agony she felt in the bottom of her heart other than to scream. She brushed Kendall’s chestnut hair out of her face as her eyes became slightly glassy and unfocused.
“You have to run,” Kendall whispered as her pale lips became red from the blood on the other side of her lips. “You know where you must go. You have to go.”
“You’re not going to tell her she will be fine? What kind of woman are you?” Duke sneered as he dropped the blade next to Tamzin. “You might as well take your own pathetic life, you twit. If William Thurston will bring the blade down upon me, I want him to know true suffering.”