by Colt, K. J.
‘Halt!’ the captain ordered, unsheathing his weapon. He poked the end of it into the back of Klawdia’s leather armour. ‘Back away.’
Klawdia looked over her shoulder at the captain’s steel and then stepped back from the healer, saying, ‘Call me savage again and I’ll prove it to be true by tearing the skin at your throat away with my teeth.’
The healer got to her feet and said, ‘You’re as weak as your father was. Skelkra told me as much.’
In the blink of an eye, a silver candlestick flew across the room and collided with the healer’s head.
She dropped to the floor unconscious. ‘She’ll be fine in a moment,’ Klawdia said, flexing her arm.
The captain rolled his eyes. ‘Then we’ll wait.’
As Klawdia said, Healer Euka roused a few minutes later and rubbed her head, and blood stuck to her fingers. ‘She attacked me.’
‘You deserved it,’ the captain said. ‘May we continue, please?’ His sincerity in that moment made me understand why he commanded the Royal Senyan Guard.
‘Sir,’ Emala addressed Captain Festral. ‘I wanted to say that the ambassador is lying, because I heard her talking to my father a few months ago. She was the one who offered him a hundred gold if he sold Adenine to her.’
‘Of course I never accepted,’ Mayor Vawdon added.
‘You didn’t?’ Emala said, clearly shocked at her father’s admittance.
A twitch of Healer Euka’s mouth made me reflect on past events. Perhaps Mayor Vawdon had never accepted the money from the ambassador. Maybe he hadn’t been working with Healer Euka at all.
‘You must have heard me wrong,’ Mayor Vawdon said, crouching to put his hands on Emala’s shoulders. ‘I… I don’t believe you,’ she said. ‘I know what I heard.’
One of Mayor Vawdon’s eyes twitched. He stared at Emala’s feet, deep in thought.
‘Captain,’ Klawdia said. ‘Let us travel to Juxon City now.’
The captain frowned and spread his hands. ‘I admire your eagerness to hear the king’s judgement on this.’ The way in which he spoke made me doubt he had any admiration for Klawdia.
‘Yes, Klawdia, tell us all your plan,’ Healer Euka said, grinning. She wasn’t afraid of the Ruxdorian at all, but I imagined that healing so quickly would make you braver in the face of, well, being physically attacked.
‘Silence, ambassador!’ the captain snapped. ‘I’ve ridden for twelve hours. My arse aches, my joints are stiff, and I’m in no mood for these ridiculous squabbles. A devil’s curse on all of you.’ He pointed at Mother. ‘What did you do wrong?’
‘She locked me in a storeroom,’ Healer Euka said haughtily.
The captain looked dubious.
‘No she didn’t, it was me.’ Jemely said.
The captain folded his arms. ‘Now, that I can believe.’
‘Jemely—’ Mother began.
Jemely silenced her with a determined look. ‘The healer wench offered Capacia gold to have her and Adenine come live with her. When Capacia refused,
Healer Euka started accusing her of neglecting Adenine.
So I locked her in.’
‘No, it wasn’t her,’ Healer Euka insisted. ‘She wasn’t even here when it happened.’
I figured that if the healer proved Mother’s guilt, she’d have an easier time with the king, which would ensure my going to Meligna.
‘I was hiding in that room.’ Jemely pointed toward Mother’s bedroom. ‘’Sides, you think a cripple could outsmart an ambassador of Meligna?’ The captain scratched his chin.
‘Of course not,’ Jemely continued, answering her own question. ‘She’s just admitting to it ‘cause she didn’t want to stay behind while you took her daughter away.’
‘I knew it!’ Healer Euka hissed. ‘The girl is your child! Capacia, you have the bloodlines. You belong in Meligna with us. Your womb is still fertile and your bloodline’s obviously strong. Don’t you want more children? There are many handsome and strong men desperate to serve a beautiful woman like yourself.
You’d be treated like a queen, the same way Adenine would.’
Mother addressed the healer. ‘If you represent Meligna’s moral compass, then I’d rather remain a widow and submit to the rulings of a powerless king.’ Jemely laughed out loud at that.
The captain didn’t seem too impressed. ‘Your sharp tongue compensates for your useless legs. If that’s everything, shall we go?’ With an arched eyebrow, he said, ‘Ambassador?’
‘I’ve nothing more to say.’
‘About time,’ Jemely said, exasperated.
‘Since you locked the ambassador in a room against her will, you’ll be coming with us,’ the mayor said to Jemely.
‘She beat me as well,’ the healer added.
‘Ambassador, as there are no marks on your body indicating these so-called attacks, it’s your word against theirs,’ the captain said.
Healer Euka pursed her lips. ‘It still hurts.’
‘Given that the cripple seems innocent, and, well, she’s a cripple, she’s not going anywhere. She will remain behind. The rest of you merry men are coming with me.’
‘Let Jemely stay. Please,’ I said.
‘Let me see…No. Anything else?’ Captain Festral asked, rubbing his forehead.
Healer Euka spoke to me, saying, ‘I’ll drop the accusation against her if we can reach an agreement.’
‘It’s too late,’ the captain said. ‘The maid has already admitted to her guilt. Let’s all peacefully make our way outside now, shall we?’
As we descended into Mystoria, the shouts from outside grew louder. Many voices made up the rhythmic chant that called for out for death. My blood chilled in my veins. I shivered and wondered if they would call for my death like they had Father’s. I finally understood the words. ‘Whores! Whores! Whores!’
Captain Festral tilted his head, listening. ‘Sounds like there’s more people out there now. I’ve only enough soldiers with me to keep the people controlled for a short time. Once outside, we need to move quickly.’
Mother’s eyes glistened as she hugged me. ‘Take care. We’ll see each other soon. I know it.’
A guard pulled me away, and I followed Captain Festral downstairs, where the rest of his soldiers waited to escort us.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
THE SHOUTS GREW LOUDER AS the door to Mystoria opened. About six soldiers barged ahead to push back the crowd that flooded the entrance.
Captain Festral was at the tail, shouting, ‘Make way, make way, by decree of King Erageo.’
The people quietened a little until they saw Healer Euka, which revived their hateful cursing and they shook their fists. By uniting themselves in larger numbers, the people had strengthened their bravery against the elegant ambassador.
Every face displayed shock or disdain. No longer able to endure the rawness of their hate, I focused on my boots and kicked off a little powdery ice.
‘There she is!’ a man said, shoving people aside to get closer to me. ‘That’s the girl who stabbed my brother!’ The man seemed familiar.
Captain Festral looked at him and then me. ‘What have you to accuse this girl of?’
‘Yesterday afternoon she stabbed my brother, Derkal, in his own house after trying to bed his son for the second time!’
Derkal’s brother was a beast of a man with bags under his eyes and a pointed chin that resembled his brother’s.
‘Whore!’ a woman cried.
‘It’s in ‘er blood!’ added another.
‘Send her north where she belongs.’
They didn’t understand me, nor would they try. Fear ruled them, as did spite, and suddenly the thought of going to live in a city where my healing gift would be valued and appreciated didn’t seem like such a bad fortune. The townspeople, my neighbours, should have been grateful to the healers for trying so hard to save the country when the Death Plague struck. They had more reasons to defend me rather than condemn me.
‘Send her nor
th? Hang her, I say,’ someone else said.
Captain Festral smiled at the crowd then slapped
Derkal’s brother’s back in a friendly way, saying, ‘What’s your name, friend?’
‘Tombo.’
‘Tombo, let’s go discuss this matter in private, shall we?’
The captain took the back of the man’s neck and shoved him ahead through the crowd, using him as a human shield. More yelling, jeering, and chanting of my name made me cover my ears. We arrived at the council building, and Jemely shoved me through the building’s entryway. The soldiers filed in behind us, then locked and barred the two solid doors. There was pounding on the doors and the shouting loudened.
‘You all right?’ Jemely asked.
I was so shaken all I could do was stare at her.
Jemely pulled me close, giving me a squeeze. ‘It’s not you they hate. It’s the Queens. They just can’t tell the difference between them and you, that’s all.’
I tuned into the conversation between Captain Festral and Tombo.
‘It’s her, all right. My brother almost died because of her. If he’d lost any more blood… so the doctor said. There’s a deep wound in his back. Derkal said he found the healer whore straddling his son. On his sickbed!’ Tombo scowled at me. The man stood as tall as a horse and as broad as a bear.
The captain regarded me. ‘Is this true?’
‘Of course it ain’t true,’ Jemely spat. ‘Our Adenine wouldn’t hurt no one.’
‘Quieten her, please,’ the captain ordered, and a soldier pulled Jemely away from me.
‘Hands off, oaf!’ she said, trying to beat him off with her fists.
‘Adenine?’ the captain prompted.
‘It’s not the way it happened. I… well, I was going to leave town because Mayor Vawdon wanted to send me away to Meligna. I wanted to say goodbye to Frooby first. But when I went there, Frooby’s father, Derkal, tried to make me… he tried to make me lay with Frooby.’ My face flushed. ‘But I couldn’t. I couldn’t. And then Derkal dragged me onto the ground, undid his pants, and…’ My throat closed up, and tears trickled down my face.
‘My brother wouldn’t do that!’ Tombo yelled. ‘She’s spinning devil’s lies.’
‘Rape is a severe allegation, young lady.’ At first, I thought the captain wasn’t going to believe me, but then he asked, ‘If you didn’t attack Derkal, who did?’
I paused for a moment. I could save myself, but I couldn’t do that to Frooby. Frooby valued his honour and would feel his shame deeper than any wound.
‘I was defending myself,’ I said, wiping at the tears on my face.
Captain Festral sighed. ‘A crime is a crime, though I suppose a girl of your build had no other choice.’ He turned to Tombo. ‘Your brother threatened her first; he deserved his injuries. I see no reason to pursue the matter further.’
‘Oh, I see how it is,’ said Tombo. ‘Take her side, right, it’s ‘cause she’s a healer, ain’t it? The healer bitch has bewitched you all. You’re all under a spell, every single one of yous.’ Tombo shoved his fists in Captain’s Festral’s face. A soldier drew his sword and rested the tip at the nape of Tombo’s neck. The man glanced at the sword, smirked, and stalked towards the door.
Townspeople began to pound on the council building door. The soldiers seemed to brace themselves at the sound.
Captain Festral raised a hand and gestured with his fingers. The soldiers drew their weapons and formed a horseshoe shape around the entrance. Two of them unbarred the doors and flung them open, and a couple of others shoved the man into the angry crowd before the doors were quickly pushed shut again. When the wooden beam was replaced, I sighed with relief.
‘Men, deal with the mob,’ the captain ordered. His voice seemed to growl with his frustration.
One soldier stayed inside while another ten spilled out of the council hall and into the streets.
‘What a headache.’ Captain Festral rubbed his face before growling and punching a nearby table. Outside, there were shouts, cries, and screams, followed by silence. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. ‘You healers are nothin’ but trouble,’ the captain said, looking at me and then at Healer Euka.
‘The people obviously don’t respect you or your king,’ Healer Euka retorted.
Captain Festral scowled at her.
A soldier came back inside. ‘All clear, sir.’
The captain rolled his eyes. ‘Let’s leave.’
Two large prison carriages led by four horses waited outside. Jemely, Klawdia, and I were put in one with a guard. Mayor Vawdon, Emala, and Healer Euka went into the other.
The trip was long and painful. The top and sides of the carriage were sealed and sturdy. But the grooves in the floor did little to keep out the cold night air, and when we crossed streams, water splashed up onto our feet.
Jemely, Klawdia, and I met eyes several times during the trip, each of us desperate to talk to the other. Jemely even tried once or twice, but the guard threatened to shove his foot in her mouth and she quietened.
A dark feeling came over me as I imagined standing in front of the king. I did not fear for my own life, but for Klawdia’s and Jemely’s.
My legs, back, and bottom were throbbing by the time we arrived in Juxon City. The shadows of night were gone, and the enormous stone walls towered above the surrounding grassy landscape where patches of snow were melting in the morning sunlight.
On the wall walk, soldiers stood watching the settlements below where the poorest people lived in shoddy makeshift dwellings that were almost stacked on top of each other. The ground had been churned to mud from the traffic of peasants and livestock. Groups were huddled over fires and drinking ale, as our cart drove by we drew their curiosity.
As we entered the city I smelled smoke, bread, and meat hovering in the air. The roads turned to cobblestone and the people were clean and tidy. They laughed as they said their good mornings, parents shouted at their kids, and chickens clucked in distress as dogs chased them.
After what felt like fifteen minutes—the homes were grand and opulent by this point—we came to a stop. There was a loud cry, and heavy gates creaked open giving way to Juxon City Castle standing tall and proud. Spiralling towers framed each corner, and small stained-glass windows decorated the walls. At the bottom, larger arched windows were evenly spaced, and thick vines crept between the cracks in the stone. It was the biggest structure I’d ever seen. My eyes were heavy and my head foggy. Sleep had proven impossible in the rickety cart. Jemely groaned as she climbed out of the carriage behind me, and I knew she felt the same aches and pains. Klawdia looked as strong as ever. She jumped to the ground, her boots crunching on the dirt and rocks.
‘Right, you two with me,’ a soldier said to Jemely and me. He pointed at Klawdia. ‘And you go with him.’ He gestured at a giant of a man obviously hired to escort the most capable criminals.
Klawdia looked vulnerable without her leather armour, which they’d taken from her. Her remaining attire consisted only of a cotton shirt, woollen leggings, and brown boots with torn fastenings. I wondered if she concealed a weapon. Jemely watched the blue-eyed warrior with a hopeless expression; we both knew Klawdia’s fate would be worse than ours.
Klawdia’s escort seemed menacing, but I suspected that even he would be no match for his captive. She winked at me as he led her away, and her attempt to make light of the situation only made me feel gloomier. I watched until her red hair disappeared through an entrance to the side of the building.
Jemely and I were required to wait. I turned around to take in more of the castle gardens, which were covered in a thin layer of snow. There were oaks, chestnuts, and beeches. Their leaves were red, curling and dying as winter moved in. Red and yellow flowers grew at the base of the trunks, and benches for sitting were placed about ponds.
Ladies and noblemen strolled about the grounds, some purposefully, others less so. One man read scrolls under a tree with drooping branches.
Overhead, the clouds were fat and foggy. I felt a prickle of cold on my forearm, and I wiped at it. When more prickles touched my skin, I realised it had begun to snow. The white flakes drifted through the air, catching rays of the morning sun. It was a breathtaking sight.
To my right, Healer Euka, Mayor Vawdon, and
Emala disembarked from their carriage. I smiled at Emala, but she didn’t seem to notice. A brightly dressed man kept a serious expression as he talked with them.
‘Are you well?’ Jemely asked, touching my arm.
‘Yes,’ I lied.
In the distance, among the dense trees, children chased each other. A group of deer bounded away from the wild children, startling rabbits that had been feeding on nearby shoots. White tails flashed as smaller animals scattered. And then I saw my first peacock, which I recognised from my picture books. The true richness of its greens and blues was a marvel. The bird brought its tail up high into the air and started shrieking a dreadful sound.
Captain Festral commanded one of his men to take Jemely away. The soldier twisted her arm to her back and pushed her in the same direction Klawdia had gone. Healer Euka, Mayor Vawdon, and Emala were escorted through the enormous castle entranceway. I watched Emala walking, her shoulders drooped and her braided hair draped at the sides of her head. I worried about her. If the king believed Healer Euka, then Mayor Vawdon’s punishment might be serious, and Emala could lose her father.
I struggled to think of something to say, some way to lie that would save everyone. Perhaps my words would hold more weight because of my gifts, even though I didn’t feel they should. Why should the king care anyway? My healing talent was just an article of trade to him. He would do anything to keep the peace between North and South. And so he should.
A soldier shook me from my thoughts. I looked up at him. His face was rough, his skin dry, and his eyes reflected that absence that I was beginning to think all soldiers had—detached, uncaring, just following orders. He pointed towards the castle. They were keeping me separate from everyone. His armour clanged as we walked inside.
The long entranceway contained portraits of kings and their queens. Painted men and women stared at me with thoughtful gazes. I felt judged, unworthy to be before them, as if I should feel a burden to the kingdom purely by my existence.