She had been about to say, ‘ever since she first gave her a mission.’ But that first mission had been to rescue George. Perhaps she didn’t regret that part much.
“You think it was chance that brought us together this time?” he tilted his head to meet her eyes. “She’s not as heartless as you think.”
“Yes, she actually said something in my dream that makes me think she knew you would be here. The question is, why did she send me instead of rescuing you herself?”
“You would choose not to come?” George’s face wrinkled in confusion.
“No, of course not. I just…” she sighed. “I just think she could have told me, that’s all. Brit and I would have come a lot faster if she had just told us straight.”
“She has her reasons. For example, I recently returned from the north, where I saved a young boy from drowning. I don’t know his name, nor do I know why the Faerie Queen sent me to find him, or how she knew he would drown at the moment I was to arrive.”
“There aren’t many Britons much farther north of here,” said Una, frowning. “Except maybe among the islands. I hear King Lot and his allies keep a strong defense. Was the boy one of them?”
He shook his head. “No, he was one of the Picts. The Faerie Queen doesn’t know nationalities like we do. She is a protector of all, not just the Britons.”
“Hm,” Una sat back in her chair. She wasn’t sure she liked that, though she could think of no reason why. “Then what happened?”
“After I saved the boy I was instructed to ride all the way to Cornwall. There, I saved a young girl, maybe a few years younger than you. Her father, King Leodegrance, had run afoul of some bandits, refusing to pay them for their ‘protection’. I stopped them from completing their plans for retaliation.”
“And I’m sure Gloriana didn’t tell you why you were required to save her either? Or why she couldn’t send someone else when you were already hundreds of miles away.”
“No, and I would not ask such a thing of her.”
“She’s not all knowing, you know.”
“Perhaps not, but she knows more than you or I.”
That temporarily brought a halt to their conversation.
Una supposed she couldn’t blame George for his steady devotion to the Faerie Queen. Although maybe she should. After all it was Gloriana’s fault that she and George couldn’t see each other as much as they wanted. Why should that trouble him less than it did her?
She went back to dabbing George’s injuries again, this time not bothering to be gentle.
“But you haven’t told me what happened to you.” he said after a moment. “Not the details at least.”
Una sighed. “It’s a long story.”
“I’m here all night,” he said, grabbing the arm that held the wash cloth and pulling her in a little closer. She swallowed, her cheeks coloring. It was only then that she realized just how long it had been since the two of them were this close. And before they had shared only kisses and late nights together. Here, they were alone, they could…
She shook her head and pulled away. “I...I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
“Do what?”
“You don’t understand, the number of times that men...men like Pyrochles, guards in Londinium, so many others,” she began breathing hard, feeling an unexpected panic grab her.
But though she tried to step away completely, his grip caught her by the wrist and pulled her to a stop. “I know,” he said in that smooth, gentle voice. “I never wanted that. Not tonight at least.”
She met his eyes, not sure of what to say. To her, every man wanted...that.
“You...you didn’t?” She tried to stop the waviness in her voice. Leave it to people like George and Guyon to always bring out the worst of her emotions.
“No, and I don’t think I ever will until we’re married...” he broke off and his eyes widened. Una took in a deep breath, but it was not one of horror. A light replaced the sadness in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he said, hastily, letting go of her arm and looking away. “I didn’t mean to presume. It’s just after all my past mistakes I vowed never to press myself on a woman again, not...not until I was sure.”
Ignoring his bruises completely, she flung herself forward, planting her lips firmly on his and throwing him back against the bed sheets. She ignored his protests of pain as she kissed him as thoroughly as she’d ever done before. Eventually he stopped worrying about the pain and returned her kiss. He held her back firmly, pressing her against his warm, bare torso. She clutched at his face, using one hand on the back of his neck to pull him ever closer. It was a moment that they held for an eternity, though it was nowhere near long enough.
“We are definitely going to talk about that little slip up again,” she said with a sly smile once she broke the kiss.
“Not now?”
She shook her head, feeling a somberness return to their discussion. “No, we have bigger dragons to slay this time.” She settled herself down so that she was lying against his chest. They might not go there tonight, but that didn’t mean she wanted anything but to be in his arms.
He wrapped his left arm around her till his hand lay on her shoulder and his eyes stared upward. “So…” he broke off and didn’t speak immediately. She raised her head to look at him, silently asking what he wanted to know. He met her eyes. “Pyrochles, all those men who tried...did any of them…?” He left the question unfinished.
“No,” she said, putting a hand on his cheek. “My parents trained me well in self-defense and in the case of Pyrochles my magic came to my rescue.”
“So, no one has ever…”
She shook her head. “No one.”
A part of him seemed to relax, as though he had been unknowingly tense this whole time. “I...I’m glad.”
“I’m a lucky one though,” she said, nuzzling her face in his chest. “Other women are not so lucky. There are so many who…” she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“I know,” said George. “I’ve seen my share of evil, from all peoples. The Britons blame the Saxons for their barbarity when they plunder and push inward. And it’s true that many of the Saxons kill the men and children, then have their way with the women. But I’ve seen every bit the same level of barbarity from the Britons when they have a chance. In many ways they are no better. Even the Romans have the same faults, though they are a little more discreet about it most of the time.”
“Why haven’t you tried to stop them?”
“Recently, I have,” he said, giving her a knowing look. “There was a time when I would not dare to question a superior or step out of line. But now that I’m working for the Faerie Queen, things are different, my charge is different.”
“What do you mean?”
“The girl I rescued in Cornwall for example,” he said. “She had been taken by bandits to be held for ransom, and even though they had promised not to harm her unless they received that ransom, I knew it was only a matter of time before they had their way with her. King Leodegrance had fallen on hard times and wasn’t able to pay the funds. Had I not arrived when I did, chances are she would have been violated and thrown into a gorge somewhere.”
A heat rose in Una’s face, this time with anger. “Is there no law? Can we not stop men like this, eliminate their scourge entirely?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “The Faerie Queen tries though. Even with all these threats coming from Annwyn, she makes sure that all of us know to stop such things when we see them. And many of our missions involve the destruction of such baser men...and women,” he added as an afterthought.
Una thought back to Guyon’s story, about how the Faerie Queen had saved him from a similar band of men, though not before his parents had suffered the very fate that Gloriana claimed to work against.
“I definitely don’t agree with all of the Faerie Queen’s methods,” she said, slowly. “But I believe in you. If you say she is good, that she works against evil men like this, then I
can accept that.”
“But?”
“But…” she tried to gather her thoughts. “While she may have good intentions, I’ve felt like she’s manipulated me this whole time, and I don’t know why. From the way she used our relationship to try and get my help, to the way she’s withheld information from me. It’s obviously not the same as the evil we’ve seen others do, but it still feels...violating.”
“I know,” he began to trace one finger in circles on her shoulder, sending shivers down her spine. “I don’t pretend to understand it either. But what other force is working for our good in this land? Neither the Saxons nor the Britons are much better than the other, and the Romans don’t care what happens to either. I hear they’re planning to abandon the isles completely.”
“But you are good,” said Una. “And Guyon, and Brit. There are good people on all sides. They just need someone to bring them together.”
“And you don’t think the Faerie Queen is that person?”
“Perhaps,” said Una. “But she doesn’t strike me as someone whose purpose is to unite nations. Besides, she apparently has enough on her plate with the forces of Annwyn.”
“That is true,” he conceded.
“I’m beginning to think no one has the capacity to stop all wrong-doing.”
“You can’t lose hope. As long as there are people like you and me, there is always hope. What about your friend, Arthur? Isn’t he supposed to unite the people?”
Una shook her head. “He doesn’t want that responsibility. His heart is in the right place, I think, but being a king is too much for him. Besides, most of the Britons want him dead so they can be king instead. King Pellinore even tried to have him assassinated.”
A noise came from the next room over where Brit was sleeping, like the creak of a bed as though someone had just made a sudden movement.
“Wha...what are you doing,” came the unmistakable sharp tone of Britomart’s voice. “Get off me, get out!”
10
Immediately, Una rolled off the bed and George was on his feet by the time she straightened, despite his injuries. Those didn’t seem to matter to him anymore. He was as tense and alert as she had ever seen him. Grabbing his sword from beside the bed, he threw down the scabbard and revealed its glittering length. Then he pulled open the door and stepped outside, clad only in his trousers.
Una hurried around the bed to follow after, delving within herself to touch the well of magic there. If needed, she would have it ready.
“Get out!” Brit’s voice came again. “Get out, get out!”
Una had never heard the woman so worked up. There must really be something wrong. George moved to open the door that led into the foreign knight’s room. But even as he did so, a figure burst through the door, causing the pair of them to take a step back.
“Get away from me!” came Brit’s voice from inside the room.
The figure had on a loose nightgown, and in the darkness it was difficult to make out who it was at first. But it didn’t take long for Una to recognize the long flowing hair. It was Malecasta herself. Yet there was something different about her now as she stared wide-eyed into Brit’s chamber. Whereas before she had been calm and collected at the dinner table, now every part of her screamed utter terror. Her body shook, and her mouth was open in a silent scream.
Two guards came running down the hall, having heard the cries, and quickly made to place themselves in front of their lady.
It was then that Brit’s form appeared in the doorway of her room. In the dim light it was hard to make out her features, but she appeared to be dressed in only her undergarments, her sword in one hand. Her shoulders were hunched; her bearing menacing.
George looked from Brit to Malecasta and back again, his sword only half raised. His motions reflected what Una was thinking. They had thought Brit was in danger, but now Una was not so sure.
“Brit,” Una asked, taking a step forward with her hands raised. “What’s going on.”
“This woman came into my quarters unannounced,” said Brit, and as Una approached slowly she could see that Brit’s face was contorted in rage.
Una glanced at Malecasta. The woman had said nothing, not made a sound, but she was clearly afraid of Brit.
“I don’t think she meant you any harm,” said Una, taking another step forward, passing George.
“No, she meant to do worse,” said Brit, glaring at the woman.
“I think you might be overreacting,” Una readied her magic, preparing it for the worst.
“Overreacting? Overreacting!? I’ll show you overreacting.” Brit lunged forward with her sword raised. Immediately the two guards raised their own weapons to intercept. Malecasta covered her face, cringing against the wall.
But none of the weapons met each other. No metal clashed against metal. Brit and the guards stood frozen in place, their swords poised to meet each other but unable to do so.
Una had her hands outstretched, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration, using her magic to convince the air to harden around Brit and the guards, rendering them effectively immobile. It wasn’t that difficult a task, and it was far easier than trying to use her magic to stop Brit or the guards directly. Doing so would push against their agency, their strength of will, which was something much harder to do with magic. Much better to simply affect their surroundings so they could not move, just as she’d done to Brit when they’d first met.
“You’re under his spell.” Malecasta spoke for the first time, and her voice was haunted.
Una glanced at Malecasta. “What do you mean?”
“A dark force surrounds you all,” she replied, seeming to shrink from them even further.
“I have magic, but I assure you I mean no harm,” said Una. “I’m merely keeping them from attacking each other.”
“No, not you,” said Malecasta. She raised a finger to point at Brit. “Her.”
Una glanced at Brit. Now that Malecasta mentioned it, there did seem to be an air of darkness around Brit. Before she had thought it just the dimmed light, but there were torches along the walls in the distance, as well as within the room Una and George had just vacated. And a nearly full moon shone through a window at the end of the hall. There was some light to see by.
“You will let me go,” said Brit through gritted teeth, glaring at Una.
“Brit,” said George. “You seem unusually angry.”
“You only just met me, you have no idea how normal it is for me to get angry.”
“Yes, but you were about to hurt this woman.”
“She...she wanted…” But Brit broke off, not wanting to voice Malecasta’s intent on entering her bed chamber. Una glanced at the lady of the castle. They all understood what she had been trying to do. It was no surprise after seeing the way Malecasta’s attention had been fixed on Brit since their arrival. But apparently Brit had been oblivious to that fact.
Una felt her magic strain a little bit. Not enough for her to lose hold, but enough to remind her that her strength was limited. Staring at Brit and the two guards, she addressed them directly. “I am going to let you all go. If you try to attack each other I will prevent that from happening, and I will personally drag all of you down to this castle’s dungeons and lock you all up. Yes, even you, Brit.”
The knight scowled but did seem like she had calmed down a little. Her face was not as red with rage, and the darkness that had seemed to surround her was gone. Or perhaps that was Una simply getting used to the dim night.
Seeing no sign of protest from the guards, she slowly released her magic. Their muscles relaxed and all three of them lowered their weapons, though the two guards looked ready to jump on Brit the moment she moved.
“Brit,” said Una. “Throw your sword back into the room, please.”
“I will not allow myself to be defenseless in front of…”
“Brit,” Una cautioned, danger in her voice.
A hint of color flushed Brit’s face again, and she glared at Una.
But several tense seconds later, she did as told and tossed her sword back into the room where it landed with a muffled thump on the bed.
“You must leave this place,” said Malecasta, still in a frenzied voice.
“I think that would be wise,” George agreed, lowering his own sword. “We should never have stayed the night here.”
But Una was looking at Malecasta, and something about the way she was reacting did not sit right with her. Judging by the woman’s fear, it seemed unlikely that Malecasta was one of the Sins. Taking a step closer, she asked. “What you said earlier, about Brit being under someone’s spell. Whose?”
“There are dark forces at work in this place.”
“You don’t say,” Una replied. “But dark forces from whom? You mentioned someone, a man? Is it your husband?”
Malecasta hesitated, clearly looking like she had already said too much.
“You do not have to worry,” said George. “We fight against darkness.”
Una didn’t think that would comfort the frantic woman. After all, Brit had just tried to murder her with little provocation. Una and George would have to speak to her about that later. But for now, she pressed Malecasta further.
“Tell us what you know of what happened here. We might be able to help.”
Malecasta looked from her to George. “There...there is a man I’ve seen, not my consort. He comes here sometimes. Whenever he comes, others lose their sense of control. They fight each other in anger. Even when he is gone, he leaves an ill feeling throughout the place. It is perhaps this that caused my men to attack you,” she pointed at George.
“This man, why does he come here?” George replied.
“I...I do not know,” said Malecasta. The way she hesitated caused Una’s eyes to narrow. Malecasta was holding something back there, but another question surfaced in Una’s mind. “What about Brit, how was she influenced in such a way?”
Brit had seemingly calmed down and was gazing at Malecasta with a different expression, one of concern. Perhaps she had finally realized just how extreme she had reacted.
“I have rarely seen someone react so violently,” said Malecasta. “It can only mean that he is near.”
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