He’s stood in front of a door, facing outwards, grumpy look on his face. Poor Addyson must be well past petrified, being guarded so closely by these thugs. What Millard expects her to do, I don’t know? She’s only eleven, hardly a huge threat to him and all his soldiers.
So, he lets me in and slams the door behind me, happy to leave me on my own with her, after all, I’m no threat, either.
I don’t know her half as well as I know Everleigh, but she drops in to my arms straightaway and I hold her tight. I’m not that much older than her really, but I feel older. Her little body is cold and shaking, her face wet from crying. “It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright.” I repeat myself, reassuring myself as much as her, I reckon.
“Everleigh’s safe. And I’m going to get you out of here.”
She cries even louder then, probably with relief. “I hate it in here. It’s so cold, and I’m so hungry. The guards are scary.”
“Quiet,” I whisper. Poor cursed princess, she may not be well liked in the Realm, people are right superstitious around here, but she’s just a little princess. She’s always been well looked after. This tower must be the worst thing for her. It’s not much warmer or fancier than my little room off the kitchen.
I nod my head. Decision made. Everleigh is my Queen even without a crown on her head, and it’s partly, or maybe all, my fault that her father is dead, and her brother and Halfreda and Archer. I told her secret and the stupid boy I’d been kissing went back and told Macsen and Macsen tried to kill everyone before Millard did kill everyone else. It’s all a mess and it’s all my fault.
I don’t want the pigs guarding her to know anything, so I hold a finger to my lips. “I’m going to swap places with you.” Her eyes are wide, mouth open to protest or thank me, I don’t know which, but I shake my head quickly.
“I need to do this, then you need to go to Halfreda’s room, knock the door and call Everleigh’s name. If she doesn’t answer, call Will. You need to be quick and you need to be quiet. Though I don’t think those guards are all that smart, and I don’t think they’ll be expecting anything like this.”
I reckon everyone’s still a bit shocked by the day’s events and I reckon I can do it. I feel sick and excited at the same time. I don’t do brave things. I don’t do anything. I serve and I wait on people.
But ever since Millard took the crown I have felt like I need to make things better, make what I did wrong better and if I free Addyson I reckon I’ll be well on the way.
On the way to Everleigh trusting me again.
I pull off my maid’s livery until I’m just in my slip, one of Everleigh’s old ones and made of beautiful silver silk. I help Addyson undress, hoping that the guard won’t decide to open the door. I don’t think he will, why would he? But my movements are clumsy as I untie her laces. Her dress is gorgeous, made of thick embroidered velvet and I will be glad to wear it.
Although we are not much different in size, she looks like a little girl playing dress up in my clothes. She looks so frightened and unsure; but I know I have done the right thing. With her father dead, she needs to be reunited with the person who loves her most, and not be used by Millard when he wants to frighten everyone by tying her up and locking her away.
She smiles at me, her eyes full of unshed tears. “Keep your head down,” I tell her, as I tuck her hair into my cap. She’ll do it, if she’s quick and brave. She’ll do it.
“Be quick and brave. Go to Everleigh.”
She nods at me, face white and eyes huge.
Before either of us can change our minds, I knock on the door, then sit in the corner, nibbling on the food I brought for Addyson. I hope he will not look too closely at either of us and I whisper, good luck, just before he opens the door.
She walks out with more bravado than I would have in her position and I take a big gulp of ale, hoping I’ve done the right thing, and hoping Millard won’t slice my head off when he finds out what I’ve done.
4
WILL WALKS AS SLOWLY as he is able without angering Wolf, who has a tight hold of his arm, pointlessly trying to delay the inevitable. Though he has no idea what the realities of the inevitable will be; he’s sure he won’t like them.
Being Everleigh’s best friend, but still having a role within the castle – learning the way of the fool – Millard and Macsen were always just her brothers who he tried to entertain. He doesn’t know them well at all.
What he saw of Macsen and Millard yesterday has left him quaking, though.
Seeing how Wolf handled Addyson and Everleigh is also making Will nervous.
The walk from Halfreda’s room to the new King’s room takes an age as he imagines one heart-stopping scenario and another and another, but the walk is also too short.
Two burly guards open the doors when they see Wolf coming; not wanting to keep him waiting.
Millard is standing looking out of the window and turns to greet them.
Will smiles and bows low.
“Will!” Millard sounds pleased to see him and while Will manages to keep the smile on his face, he feels his insides shrink, as though he wants to make himself smaller; less of a target; invisible. “Where’s the handmaiden?” he asks, looking at Wolf.
Wolf shrugs. “Can’t find her.”
“Send someone to find her. Tell them to keep looking.”
Millard strides across the room to Will and claps him on the back.
Will coughs. “Your Grace.”
“I can’t get used to that,” Millard says laughing. “Your Grace. It seems so formal.”
Will is silent but smiling; fearing he must look very much the fool indeed.
“So, Will. I saw you helping my dear sister earlier, so chivalrous, so gentlemanly.”
Will feels like he is being tricked. Millard is being too nice.
“Where is she?” Millard has his hand on Will’s back again, less of a clap, more of a grasp.
Will opens his mouth but cannot force any sound to come out.
Millard grips him harder. “Where is she?”
Wolf steps closer to them. Will does not want him to join in.
“I don’t know,” he lies with a stammer, and knows he doesn’t sound convincing.
Abruptly Millard lets go of his shoulder and paces in front of him. “Let me explain things to you, Will, since you are a fool in the making, maybe more of a fool than less, I’m not sure how learned you are, how bright you are, how clever you are, how much you understand.”
He stands still, facing Will. “I have been planning my reign for a very long time. Since I was a little boy. They would talk of Everleigh’s role in choosing who would rule, the magic of her blood, the sanctity of the Kingmaker, and as much as I love her, I knew I couldn’t let her have a say in choosing who would rule. It couldn’t be a random decision made by her blood. I couldn’t let her live, sadly. People had to think I had been chosen, but I was working out how. Then Macsen, dear Macsen, saved me a lot of trouble, and really...Ha, I’ve never thought of this, but how similar we were, how alike. He had the same idea as me, and I let him carry on. I didn’t realise he’d kill our father, I regret that. He didn’t need to die for me to rule. For either of us to rule. And, of course, he’d found out Everleigh’s little secret, too.”
Will nods along as Millard talks, taking in every word, he doesn’t want to be caught out.
“But she lived. I need to know if she’s going to cause me a problem. I need to know where she is. I want to enjoy being King. I want to reign in peace. And though I let her go earlier, I find that I cannot rest, I cannot relax, I am uneasy. Have I got a problem, Will? Is she going to hunt me down, like she said? Put my head on a spike? Let the birds feast on my beautiful face?”
This is a trick. There is no right answer that Will can give here.
“Your Grace.” He bows low. “I cannot speak for Everleigh. I am her close friend, but I serve at your pleasure. She has disappeared; I am sure she knows the castle cannot be safe for her. You
r Grace, she is your sister, but you are wise enough to want to protect yourself as well. No one would blame you.”
Millard paces again before stopping abruptly right in front of Will. He moves closer, uncomfortably close. “You say what I want to hear. But is it what you really think?” Closer again, peering at Will’s face, trying to see a lie. “How much of a fool are you?”
“I am a fool through and through, but the fool is often the most honest of men. All I say is true.”
Millard steps back, seemingly mollified. “And you do not know where she is? If I asked you to lead me to her, so I could put her safely with our sister in the tower, would you take me?”
“If I knew where she was I would help you. I would rather she was locked up than hurt in any way.”
“I know that is true. If I find out that you have played me false, Will the fool, you will find that a fool cannot laugh in every situation.”
Will bows low again. “Your Grace.”
Millard looks at Wolf and nods at him. Will watches him leave. Millard hasn’t said a word, so this is a pre-planned move. Will feels uneasy. His ordeal is by no means over.
“When you said that I am wise, you were so right. I must know for sure whose loyalties are mine and who still serve my sister. After I have spoken to you I will speak to her handmaiden as well. You two are closest to her; it hasn’t escaped me. Would you like a drink while you wait?”
Wait for what? Will wants to ask, but instead shakes his head. His stomach is twisting now, and he wouldn’t be able to drink anything without spilling it or being sick.
The silence is thick, and Will tries to calm his breathing, tries to think of Everleigh and Lanorie and how, together, they will crown Everleigh and live happily ever after.
The doors bang open and Wolf is walking towards them, with one of the King’s men, Brett, struggling to hold on to the fool. Will’s father.
Will’s father, whose given name is Eldrin but who is only ever referred to as the fool, is upset. He is an affable man, full of silliness and fun, who has never been poorly treated in all his time at the castle. “Unhand me, Wolf man.”
Millard nods at Wolf and Brett, who let the fool go. He straightens up, pulling at his funny clothes until he is as smart as a fool can look. He drops into a low bow, the bells on his clothes giving him a musical accompaniment, which would be comical if Will wasn’t feeling so sick.
“Your Grace. Is this a lark? Tell me it is.”
The hurt on his face makes Will tremble, but he doesn’t make a move to reach his father’s side; Millard killed his own brother earlier today without a heartbeat of hesitation. Will knows he will kill him if he needs to. As would Wolf, as would Brett, or any of the guards scattered around the room.
“Fool. I do apologise. I do, but I must know how loyal my new subjects are to me. I hate to use you, but...” Millard shrugs.
The fool looks at his son, his child by fate, and nods his head, just the tiniest movement. It speaks volumes to Will. He nods back.
Millard paces around, reaches for a goblet, takes a deep slug before turning back to them.
“Tell me again, Will. Do you know where Everleigh is?”
Will shakes his head, forcing his words out. “I do not.”
Wolf slips his dagger from its holder and brings it to the fool’s neck.
“Where is she?”
Will takes a deep breath, apologising in his head to his beloved father, no fool at all, and speaks his lie again. “I do not know.”
Millard nods to Wolf who gently pricks the fool’s flesh. A trickle of blood rolls down his neck, staining his skin.
“Where?”
“I do not know.”
Millard nods to Wolf once more, and, after several beats of hesitation, he pushes the fool away from him, to the floor. The fool clutches the wound on his neck, tiny but still bleeding. Will wants to drop down beside him but stays upright.
“I believe you,” Millard says. “And as you know so little, you truly are a fool. Your father can retire from his duties, he was my father’s fool, not mine. You will be mine and I expect you to make me laugh. Always.”
Ginata
WE SIT ON THE ISLAND for what seems like hours, but I know from the sun, isn’t long at all. My heart wants to break for this young girl, not so much younger than me that I could be her mother, but young enough that I feel maternal towards her. She has been cosseted all her life, looked after and mollycoddled. She cannot look after herself and yet she will have to.
I think my idea that she should go to my cottage is a good one. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. I don’t think she’s safe to even stay a night here. Who knows how long Millard will be happy to let her live. Who knows with this changeable, difficult, spoiled child of a King?
Della can look after her to a certain extent, but she will have to wash and dress herself; how ridiculous that she cannot even do that. I have lived a long time on my own, since my parents died, and I enjoy my self-sufficiency, love my independence. This princess has no idea. Food is brought to her, her bed is warmed for her, she is managed in everything she does.
I need to get her back to Halfreda’s and I need to get her cleaned up and then we need to move her. If I send her on her way with a few sleeping draughts, some potions to pep her up, maybe Della can keep her safe and well until Millard’s coronation.
It’s not long.
The courtyard is relatively quiet, and we sneak back to Halfreda’s rooms easily. Will is back, brooding in front of the fire.
When he sees Everleigh he bursts out crying, something I’ve never seen him do. Everleigh runs to hug him and I think it’s good for her to have to take care of him; it will help her come out of the fugue she’s been in today.
“What happened? What did he do?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Between sobs Will manages to tell us about his father and the threat to his life, about Millard’s questioning of him and his new role as the fool.
“You are safe. You are safe. You are safe.” She whispers it like a mantra, and I realise again how much she has lost in such a short space of time.
They hug, and I busy myself in Halfreda’s bathroom, getting some water from the jugs on to the fire to ready a bath for Everleigh. The last one she will have for a while. She has blood on her clothes and her hair is matted. She will feel better if she looks better and she can be on her way.
I realise that I have quickly slipped into Halfreda’s role of caretaker, caregiver. I am quietly taking charge of this little band of people and I do care about them. I have been alone for a long time, with enough friends – Della, Finn, Halfreda – that I never felt alone. It’s never been an issue; I like my own company.
I feel responsible now for these three youngsters, four if you count Addyson.
There’s a knock at the door and I go through so that Everleigh and Will can hide.
“Everleigh!”
Even I recognise Addyson’s voice, but I am not quick enough to stop Everleigh rushing to answer the door. It might be a trap, is what I’m worrying, but she runs to the door and lets her in. Only her.
Addyson is dressed in Lanorie’s clothes and I cannot help but smile. I would never have thought it of Lanorie, after spilling Everleigh’s secret and her stupid stunt of trying to kill herself. She hasn’t struck me as clever enough or loyal enough or nice enough.
Maybe she is trying to atone for all that has happened. She’s done a good job.
Everleigh is beaming. “How?” Even as she asks the question, I see her come to the same realisation as I did. And she laughs. “She took your place?”
Will has turned almost green. “He will kill her.”
I hadn’t thought of that, but of course he will. If Millard finds out about the deception, he will be furious. He won’t worry about killing some little handmaiden, when he was happy to kill his brother, to kill Halfreda, to kill Archer. I mustn’t forget in the quiet aftermath of such an awful day what he is capable of, my n
ew King, my new master. A chill runs through me.
“We’ll get her out.” Everleigh puts her hand on his arm, looking right into his eyes. “We’ll get her out. I’ll make sure of it.”
I cannot think how, but she is right. We have to help her; we have to rescue her. She cannot let Lanorie die for her sacrifice, the same as she didn’t let Will.
Everleigh holds Addyson tightly, and I can tell she doesn’t want to let her go. They are both crying. “Did Wolf hurt you?” Everleigh’s voice is harsh. We all feel the same about Wolf. I remember him leaning nonchalantly outside my little cottage waiting for Macsen. Macsen wouldn’t have known that he had been betrayed. Not a loyal man or a good man. Serving the King happily for now but could he trust him? I know I won’t. If I have anything to do with him. I’m now living in a state of high alert, keeping my wits about me will keep me alive.
“A little, but only when he tied me up and pulled me about. He wasn’t cruel.”
“This has to end. Today.” Everleigh’s voice is hard and I move towards her. I need to get them moving. I need to keep them both safe. We must get them to my cottage before too long. The sun is starting to set, the dusk creeping in.
Everleigh hugs Addyson tight to her again, and then sits her in front of the fire; I can see her shivering, but I don’t think it’s from the cold. Poor baby is probably petrified. I go to fetch her a little something to help her from Halfreda’s bottles and jars.
“Do we have food?” Everleigh is asking. It’s an age since we ate breakfast, too much has happened to think about food, but suddenly my stomach rumbles like thunder.
Will shakes his head. “I’ll go and get some.”
“Be careful.”
“I think I’ve faced the worst for now.”
He slips out of the room.
“We need to get you both away from here.” My voice is quiet; I don’t want to frighten Addyson. “He has forgotten about you, but he will remember. He’ll kill you both.”
Everleigh shakes her head. “Not if I kill him first.”
The Kingmaker Complete Trilogy (The Kingmaker Trilogy #1-3) Page 25