Princess of the Emerald Valleys

by Cassandra Finnerty

  “So he was on the west side?”

  “Yes. That’s where you’ll find the clues.”

  The prince nodded and rushed off to join his soldiers. We need to find some answers, he thought, before all the evidence disappears.

  Aisling hurried back to the house and penned a hasty note to her cousins. Before she could deliver the missive, there was a commotion in the entranceway, and she recognized Sean’s voice. Moments later, she descended the grand staircase and made her way to the sitting room. Sean was standing next to the fireplace, smiling and animated from their recent successful journey.

  “Hello, Sean, I’m happy to see you,” she said as she hugged him.

  “It’s good to see you, too. I’ve been trying to adjust my sea legs to dry land. It’s no use, I’m afraid.” He peered at her pale face and furrowed brows. “What is it?” he asked. “Have I come at a bad time?”

  “No, of course not, you’re family,” she said. “There’s no such thing.”

  “What then?”

  “Something disturbing has happened.” She proceeded to relate the details of the discovery.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, clasping his hands. “How can I help?”

  “Can you talk with the prince? His soldiers aren’t familiar with the local terrain. They’re ready to begin the search, and I think you could be helpful.”

  “Aye, by all means,” he said, already buttoning his coat. “I’ll go at once.” He reached for her hand. “Everything will be fine,” he reassured her.

  She hoped he was right.

  The prince and his men trekked to the river and followed the meandering shoreline. After dividing into teams, they began to scour the area. A few minutes later, there were shouts.

  “What is it?” asked the prince.

  “We’ve discovered the path,” said the colonel. “Sean found traces of a boat that was pulled onto the bank. It looks like the men chased the victim down the trail and veered off into the woods.”

  Sean nodded. “Based on imprints in the snow, we’re trying to recreate the scene.”

  “Good progress,” said the prince. “Move the teams inland. Be careful not to disrupt any evidence.”

  “It looks like he was attacked here,” said the colonel. He pointed to clusters of footprints. Traces of the assault were already muted from the icy drifts.

  “I’ve found something,” yelled Sean. He retrieved a piece of paper with a red stain in the corner.

  The prince scanned the fragment. “We’ll bring it back with us. Walk the trail to the beach. Let’s see what else we can find.”

  After several hours of searching, it began to snow. With reluctance, Drayaen called off the search, and the men retreated back to the barracks.

  The group huddled around the table. The flames in the hearth sputtered in protest at the incoming waves of icy air.

  “What do we have so far?” asked the prince.

  “It looks like three men killed the victim,” said the colonel in low tones. “They attacked him between the river and the beach, then fled back to their boat. Judging from the trail of blood, it seems that no one was injured, other than the deceased.”

  “There’s a partial imprint of the vessel used to navigate the river,” said Sean, “but it looks like a standard issue rowboat.”

  “What’s this?” asked Aisling, pointing to the torn note.

  “I found it near the scene of the attack. It’s blank,” muttered Sean.

  “May I see?”

  He handed her the item. She scanned the page and held it near the candle.

  “What are you looking for?” asked the prince.

  Aisling turned to him. “There’s a hidden message.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “There are faded marks on the surface. It’s possible they were made with lemon juice. Whoever wrote this wanted the words to be invisible, except to the intended reader. To decipher the note, you need to move the paper closer to the flame. Then the words become clear.”

  “What does it say?” inquired the prince, his eyes widening.

  Aisling fanned the paper near the heat source. As the words started to form, her brows furrowed.

  “It says we’re a safe house for the Sons of Tarn.”

  “Who are they?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “Was there anything found on his person that might give us a clue?”

  The prince handed her a key. It had a long blade and a silver chain around the bow.

  Aisling took a deep breath. “I’ve seen that before.”

  “Whose is it?”

  “It belongs to Toby, our estate manager.”

  Drayaen and the colonel made eye contact.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Aisling.

  “He was already at the top of our list.”

  “Should we speak with him now?”

  “Let’s wait. I’d like to continue with our investigation before we show our cards.” He turned to the group. “This information, of course, is confidential.” There were nods and murmurs around the table.

  As the team disbanded, the prince ran his hand through his hair. This no longer seems like a random act of violence, he thought. Lord Bailey was right. There may be perpetrators much closer to home.

  CHAPTER THREE

  UNVEILED

  It was still dark when the prince and the colonel ventured to the outbuildings that were scattered around the estate. Some of the structures housed garden supplies, while others stored miscellaneous tools and equipment.

  The moon cast fragments of light as they crossed the expansive lawns. The men had been inspecting the grounds for several hours, and the cold was starting to take its toll.

  They stopped in their tracks.

  There was a lantern visible in one of the storage units.

  “I was told that building was empty,” said the colonel.

  “By whom?” asked the prince.

  “The estate manager.”

  “We’ll scope the area first and then confront whoever’s there.”

  After circling the periphery, it appeared that the interloper was alone.

  The prince held the lantern aloft and flung open the door.

  It was Toby. He was removing some of the contents out of the shed.

  “What are you doing here?” asked Drayaen.

  The man exhaled a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

  The prince entered the room, noting the presence of a cot, blankets, and other household supplies. Removing the dead man’s key from his coat, he slid it into the lock.

  It fit.

  “We need to have a conversation, it seems,” said the prince. “You’re going to tell me what I need to know.”

  The manager sighed as he closed the door behind him.

  The three of them retreated to the barracks and sat at the table. The prince locked eyes with the estate manager.

  “Who are the Sons of Tarn?”

  “I can’t say. I’m sworn to secrecy.”

  “You’ll have to make an exception,” Drayaen gritted out.

  “I’ll be killed.”

  The colonel tapped his fingers against the wood. “Your friend is already dead. The man on the beach. Do you know his name?”

  “No.”

  “He was carrying a message.”

  “What did it say?”

  “Enough to know you’re involved.”

  Toby turned pale and clutched his hands. “It’s an organization that promotes freedom.”

  “From what?” asked the prince.

  “Oppression. We’re fighting for basic rights.”

  “It’s an admirable pursuit, but who gave you permission to make this estate a safe house?”

  “Maológ.”

  The prince shook his head. “It’s convenient that you’ve chosen to blame a dead man.” He recalled the recent health crisis with Aisling’s uncle, in the Kingdom of Lions.

  “It’s true. I t
hought if Maológ was a member, then Lord Bailey must have known too.”

  “That’s a big assumption. Maológ had no right to jeopardize the safety of the people here. It wasn’t his decision to make.”

  “Do you have anything in writing?” asked the colonel. “A communication that gives you permission to carry out this kind of work?”

  “No.”

  “Why were you in the shed?”

  “I was moving some things.”

  Drayaen scanned the box of items. “It looks like you were expecting company.”

  “It was intended for people who needed a temporary place to stay.”

  “Why didn’t Maológ use his own estate?”

  “The security is better here.” Toby paused, his gaze darting around the room. “There are many escape routes.”

  “How have you moved people on and off the estate?”

  “By boat or on foot.”

  “And the underground network?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked, shifting in his chair.

  The prince leaned closer and tapped his fingers on the table. “We’ve already been down there. We know you have a key. Interesting thing, though. It was supposed to have been sealed off, but there were no cobwebs.”

  “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “You’ve been using the tunnels for your activities.”

  Toby rubbed his eyebrow and gazed into the distance. “I’ve taken one person down there, to aid their escape.”

  “Who?”

  “The man who held the key to the shed.”

  “Do you know who killed him?”

  “There are powerful people who are threatened by our cause. If we succeed, it means they will lose control.”

  The prince frowned. “Do you know their identities?”

  “I have my suspicions.”

  “Write down the names.”

  “What?”

  “Unless you want to face charges for disrupting a criminal investigation, start listing the suspects who may have killed that man on the beach.”

  Toby rubbed his forehead. “Some of this is guesswork.”

  “Don’t forget to include those who might want to retaliate against us.”

  “Do you mean the attack on Lord and Lady Bailey?”

  “What do you know about that?”

  “Nothing at all. I would never forgive myself if I caused their demise. They treated me well over the years.”

  “And yet, you betrayed their trust.”

  “I see that now. Back then, I was caught up in the mission.”

  “And now?”

  Toby sighed. “I don’t believe their deaths had anything to do with the Sons of Tarn. Before the attack, it seemed that Lord Bailey was worried about something other than a local organization.”

  “Like what?”

  “A more powerful enemy, I think. He ordered me to pack up some of the estate valuables and hide them in the secret storage areas.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “He bought a piece of property before he was killed. It’s called Clare Island, and sits at the entrance to Clew Bay. From what I gathered, he was planning to create a fortress there.”

  “Who else have you told?”

  “No one. I was planning to tell the princess later this week. I didn’t want to mention it in our correspondence because Lord Bailey insisted it remain confidential.”

  “Any information about the estate is still to be treated as such.”

  The prince motioned to the colonel, and the two men moved to the corner of the room.

  “Stay here until you have all the names,” said the prince. “We’ll need to decide what to do.”

  He walked back and faced Toby. “One more thing. You need to tell the Sons of Tarn that we are no longer a safe house. We can’t put our people in danger.”

  “I’ll try,” said Toby.

  “Figure out a way, and do it now,” insisted the prince.

  Drayaen left the barracks to find Aisling. He was not looking forward to this conversation. It could bring back painful memories of her parents, and the unknown assailants who changed her life forever.

  Although it was morning, the sun’s rays were obscured by the clouds that swirled overhead. Aisling perched in the window seat and looked out at the garden below. She smiled when she saw the prince walking down the path, but as she observed his expression, a sudden chill came over her. She got dressed in a hurry and put another log on the fire.

  His somber expression was still on display when he arrived at the door of her sitting room.

  “What is it?” she asked, anticipating the worst.

  “I’m afraid the news is not good,” he murmured, as he paced in front of the hearth.

  He recapped his conversation with Toby: the secrets, the betrayal, and the question about the unexpected death of her parents. He also talked about her father’s purchase of Clare Island.

  Aisling sat there, listening to his summary. As he finished his assessment, she turned to him and tapped her fingers together.

  “What do you think?” she asked.

  “Toby has put everyone here in danger. We should send him away for awhile, until we figure out what to do.”

  “I agree. My father trusted him, but he violated that pact.”

  “How do you want to handle this?”

  “His intentions seem honorable. Everyone deserves a second chance. Let’s move him into a role that’s less demanding. We can work out a transition plan until we find our new estate manager.”

  “I have a candidate.”

  “Who?”

  “Colonel Lex.”

  “It’s an interesting suggestion. I know we can trust him. Does he have the experience?”

  “He started out managing some of King Yi’s affairs, before he assumed his military role.”

  “He’ll need to become familiar with our laws and customs.”

  “I think it could solve some of our problems.” Drayaen sat down next to her. “I know you’re attached to the estate here, and I love it as much as you do. But we may want to create a base of operations on Clare Island. We could secure our ships and valuables there, and use it as a second home.”

  Aisling nodded. “I think we just solved our problem,” she said. “What about putting Toby in charge of special projects? He did a good job overseeing development of the barracks and cottages before our return. Let’s have him move out there this week. He can take a few people with him and start drawing up plans. It will protect us from further involvement in this mess, as well.”

  “What about Lex?” he asked.

  “We should talk with him about this opportunity. I want to make sure he has a realistic understanding of what’s involved. He’ll need to use his legal and operational talents in addition to his knowledge of security.”

  “I agree. Let’s meet with him today.”

  “All right.” Aisling reached up and grasped Drayaen’s arm. “Thank you for working through this.”

  She thought about her father’s purchase of the island before his death, and wondered what events had caused him to fear for his safety. It’s something I need to discover, and soon, she vowed.

  During the next few days, activities at the estate unfolded at a frenetic pace. The victim who carried the hidden message was laid to rest. Toby was dispatched to Clare Island. The colonel assumed his new role as estate manager, and began working on a number of projects. At last, the house was quiet.

  Aisling sat in the sitting room by the fire, catching up on the latest news. Her thoughts were interrupted by Galen.

  “Princess, there are men at the gate. They are demanding to see you.”

  “What do they want?”

  “They say they are tax collectors.”

  Aisling recalled her father’s previous dealings with these people. His approach was to resist, calling them nothing but scavengers who extorted payment and pocketed the money for themselves.

  “Where is the prince?” she asked.


  “I’m here,” Drayaen said, as he rounded the corner. “What’s wrong?”

  “There are mercenaries at the gate, delivering threats.”

  He moved to the window and scanned the terrain. In addition to the riders near the entrance, there were reinforcements on the other side of the bridge.

  Aisling continued. “My father used to call them the blackmail brigade. They extort payments from local gentry in exchange for leaving our property alone. We pay our taxes through legitimate channels. These people are thieves and outliers.”

  The prince turned to Galen. “Send one of the footmen to the barracks. Tell the colonel I need twenty soldiers to surround the trespassers outside.”

  “Right away,” said Galen, already motioning to a nearby servant.

  A few minutes later, the prince and his men headed to the gates and formed a ring around the unwanted guests.

  Drayaen faced the man at the head of the formation. “State your business.”

  “I’m here on behalf of Lord Thrain. This is a notice for taxes due.”

  The prince looked at the document and handed it back to the messenger. “We’ve already paid our share.”

  “It will cost you more if you don’t comply.”

  “Is that a threat?’ asked the prince as he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

  “It’s a threat and a promise,” was the reply.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  MASTER OF DECEPTION

  The winds howled, sending the snow drifts into a frenzied dance. Travelers were deterred from venturing forth in the blustery conditions. But inside the manor, the fire cast a cheery glow across the chamber.

  Aisling turned to her cousins and drank a toast to their health. Aside from the recent Christmas holiday, this was the first occasion where they had regrouped as a family. Opposite Sean and Ryen, the prince and the colonel chatted away about estate business. Since assuming that role, Lex had been busy, organizing plans for their new compound on Clare Island.

  There had been no more sightings of the men who had appeared a few days earlier. Aisling hoped the matter would resolve itself, but based on past observation, she worried about their return.

  As the group chatted through dinner, they were interrupted by Galen, who hurried over to the colonel with a note.