The Honor of Duty

by A. R. Rend

  “Thank you, your majesty,” Jamie repeated.

  Without a word, the queen turned and left.

  Forgive me, everyone. I do what I must.

  Epilogue

  Sitting in the gardens, Phillip stared out at the lovely decor around him.

  A great deal of coin had been spent on this place. Far more than he’d ever want to actually consider.

  While he enjoyed such places, he didn’t quite understand them either. Money spent on such things like this carried no return to him, other than enjoying them as they were.

  If it was money spent that would have gathered dust anyways, he could certainly understand it.

  “Young master Curis. The queen is about to hold court,” said a voice from one side. “You’re of course, invited to attend.”

  Phillip wasn’t sure which one of Janice’s red-haired assistants it was. He didn’t turn his head to check. Nor would it really matter.

  Over the last five days he’d found a pace and tedium that worked for him. Where he spent most of his time reading in the study, sitting in the garden, or attending Sadie.

  If she sent him an invitation, he always took it.

  Because as long as he played nice with her, she would likely play nice with Jamie.

  There was no mistaking that Sadie didn’t care for Jamie. The allowances she made for Phillip were non-existent for his sister.

  Except that if he was dutiful and attentive to Sadie, he’d found that she was considerably warmer to Jamie. Effectively making his behavior a hostage in the situation as well as he was as a person.

  “I understand. Thank you,” Phillip murmured and stood up, brushing his hands against his thighs. “I of course will attend to the queen.”

  Not needing to be shown the way or escorted, Phillip placed his hands behind his back and began to sedately walk to the throne room.

  Given Sadie’s habits, this would be the lunch-time update that she regularly held. Anything regarding the business of the country would be relayed. As well as orders, needs, or requirements of others.

  Most of the people in attendance were those who called Sadie their liege lord. Though there were a few people who were very much hostages just as he was.

  The number of hostages were considerable when he’d first arrived. There were fewer hostages every day, however. As payments were made to get people released and sent back home.

  Sadie didn’t keep hostages if she didn’t have to, either. There were no others like Phillip or Jamie that he could tell. They were a unique exchange.

  Hostages for a hostage.

  It was likely because Sadie saw it as an expense as far as he could tell.

  Feeding, clothing, and protecting people so that she could harm them if needed seemed to be counter-intuitive to her.

  To be honest it was to Phillip as well.

  Wandering into the throne room he saw all the normal women he’d expect to see, dressed in lovely fabrics and rich clothes. Their daughters at their sides and looking much like hungry animals.

  Those who sided with the Karen family were those who were close by; those who wanted to see change; and the most populous group, those who wanted to benefit from being there. To be part of the group that took over the country and were part of the founding core.

  The ones who would be the most likely to get a title out of the war for their contributions.

  Or given spoils of war from those who would lose their titles.

  There were also a number of young men around his age throughout. Dressed up to their fullest and wearing more wealth than modesty should allow.

  With Sadie being unattached, quite a few women were looking to get their sons onto the throne. It would give their family incredible leverage on future politics.

  Moving off to the side, Phillip found his sister and stood next to her.

  “Hey,” Jamie said, giving him a smirk. “Thanks. You must have buttered her up real good this morning. She actually gave me a compliment.”

  Thinking to breakfast, Phillip flicked through the moments quickly.

  He’d commented that Sadie had looked rather lovely in green.

  “I see. I’ll continue to do what I can to make sure you receive good treatment,” Phillip murmured, turning his eyes to the throne.

  “No. Don’t do that. Just do what you need to. We’ll get through this,” Jamie said, laying her arm around Phillip’s shoulders and pulling him close. “Just like when we were kids and you covered for me.”

  “Covered for you? You threatened to dye my teeth black with Father’s ink if I said anything,” said Phillip with a chuckle.

  “Yeah? And? You covered for me. You never got black teeth,” Jamie said. “Now Louise… she got a lot of black teeth.”

  Grinning, Phillip shook his head.

  It would be understating it if he said he missed his old life at the Curis county home.

  “Her majesty Queen Karen,” shouted the herald at the back of the room with two stamps of their large staff to the ground.

  Jamie released him and Phillip fell into his normal “at court” position. His hands behind his back, his posture straight but somewhat loose. The goal from here would be to keep his face a bland mask unless the queen looked at him, at which point he’d smile.

  Only to stop the moment she looked away.

  He was developing a number of patterns and survival mechanisms that would help him survive here. As a hostage, his rights were limited and at the whims of the queen herself.

  If she decided he needed to be executed, there would be very little he could do about it. He’d be executed without the bat of an eye. There were no rights provided to him as what was essentially a prisoner.

  Marching into the throne room came Queen Karen.

  Or Sadie as she demanded to be called with Phillip in private.

  She was once more wearing her military uniform, as she always did, and looked to be immaculately put together. As of late she’d taken to wearing a golden coronet on her brow.

  It was the only sign of her royal personage, but it was certainly far more than her mother ever wore. While she was certainly her mother’s daughter, she was also her own person.

  And that was becoming readily apparent.

  The anxious and military-like setting of her mother’s court had become a paranoid and hostile one. While the vast majority of those at court thought nothing of it, since they were already at war, Phillip couldn’t help but find the whole thing rather nerve-wracking.

  He had to admit though that things needed to change.

  If Sadie’s mother really had been poisoned, which was quite likely, then her response to the situation was certainly understandable.

  After all… tradition isn’t the worship of ashes, it’s the preservation of fire.

  And in this case, she has to push forward with her family’s claims. Not the feelings that surrounded the court during her mother’s reign.

  Walking up to her throne without a word or look to anyone, Sadie took her seat.

  Only then did she start to look around the room to see who was in attendance today.

  As soon as her eyes landed on Phillip, he gave her a small smile, holding her gaze with his own.

  As expected, she smiled at him in return before letting her eyes wander down the line to the next person.

  “Our news is simple and plain,” she said without a greeting. “Princess Marie has taken the field with the remnants of their armies. We’ll be completing our own regroup and replenishment in several days.

  “Once that’s finished, we’ll move our forces into the field to engage the Tralins. There’s no reason to dance around them when they have no true leader.”

  All around the throne room people were nodding their heads to that. It was what was expected, so it wasn’t a surprise to anyone at all.

  “Amusingly, Queen Tralin attempted to force General Curis into the field,” Sadie said with a satisfied smirk.

  Wa… she did? Truly?

  Damn.


  Damn, damn.

  It was exactly what Sadie predicted would happen.

  “Given that we have her heir, and her only son here at court, Countess Curis was forced to decline,” said the queen, gesturing to Phillip and Jamie. “It isn’t as if she could truly force the situation given what’s occurred. Not without fully alienating the peerage that supports her.”

  Nodding his head, Phillip felt rather sick at that news.

  It validated Sadie and her belief, but it only made Phillip feel all the worse.

  He was stuck here until the end of the war.

  There was a half-believed hope that his mother would return home, nothing would happen, and he’d be allowed to leave. That he could go back to the Rias household and settle back into his life.

  But that wasn’t going to happen now. Not with Tralin trying to get his mother back into the general’s position.

  “Countess Curis of course declined and that was the end of it. Amusingly, every single Curis family member serving in any branch… quit,” Sadie said with a cat-ate-the-canary smile. “Not a single Curis family member is under Tralin’s banner now. They lost a very large number of veterans and officers with that silly choice on Tralin’s part.

  “All for the sake of the royal guard’s honor. Which won’t be preserved now that Clarissa Curis is home anyways without any help from Tralin.”

  Phillip didn’t like any of this one bit, but he found it incredibly difficult to fault Sadie in any way. Everything seemed to be going exactly as she’d said it would.

  “Moving on,” Sadie declared and shifted to one side. “I’ve received all of your marriage proposals. Thank you for them. I’ll not be acting swiftly, or without thought. This will take some time.

  “I need to find a partner as much as I find someone who fits my needs politically.”

  Raising his eyebrows at that, Phillip was surprised.

  It was one thing for everyone to know exactly what Sadie was doing without her saying it. It was an altogether different situation when she came right out and said it.

  Without apology, sidestep, or evasion.

  Sadie moved her eyes to Phillip as she finished speaking.

  He’d come to recognize this as the moment he was expected to nod his head in support of her statement. That he was one of her supporters and agreed with her action.

  The one time he hadn’t made a move, she’d cornered him later that day to interrogate him on what he thought of her policy changes.

  It hadn’t been unpleasant, but she’d picked over each and every thought he had.

  Nodding his head, Phillip gave her a warm smile, holding the eye contact with her. In this case, he did agree with her.

  Sadie immediately smiled in return and let her eyes move away from him, clearly getting the confirmation she needed from him.

  “That’s all, everyone,” Sadie stated and then stood up. “You may all leave.”

  Turning, Phillip exited the throne room with Jamie. After these meetings he’d normally be given some time to do as he wished until the evening dinner.

  Which was something he and Jamie would have to attend with Sadie.

  A firm grip on Phillip’s shoulder brought him up short.

  “Stay back a minute, Phil,” Sadie said from behind him.

  Shit. I wasn’t fast enough.

  “Of course, yo-”

  “Sadie,” interrupted the queen.

  “Sadie,” Phillip finished, turning around. There were more than a few people around them. Having him address her by her first name was a massive breach of etiquette.

  Given who told him what to say, there wasn’t an alternative.

  “I bought you a few things. Hopefully they can make your stay in my court easier for you,” Sadie said with a grand smile.

  I… she bought me things?

  No. No, no.

  She shouldn’t… that is… receiving gifts from the queen isn’t something I can rightly refuse.

  But in the same breath as a married man I’m obligated to reject them.

  Smiling, Phillip stood there, once more at a loss.

  “I got you a number of very lovely tunics and matching pants, several cloaks, and a very sturdy-looking belt. As well as a ring that I think will fit admirably with the outfits,” continued Sadie, not even realizing what she was doing to him. While there were still yet others leaving the throne room. All quite curious about what the queen was saying and doing.

  Listening in even as they passed by or left.

  “I’m sure her m-”

  The glare Sadie gave him forced Phillip’s tongue to still on her title.

  “I’m sure your taste is appropriate, Sadie,” Phillip said, realizing he had no way out of this.

  “Well! Thank you for the compliment,” replied the queen, smiling and taking another step toward him. “Come with me. I’d love to show you everything. I have it all laid out already in your study.”

  Affixing the smile in place on his face, Phillip set his teeth together, and bowed his head to the queen. He briefly saw her smile fade at the deference he gave her.

  “By your leave, lead the way, Sadie,” replied Phillip, making sure to use her name again.

  It got the appropriate response, her face once more breaking out into the expected smile.

  “Perfect. Off we go then,” said Sadie, putting her hand on the middle of his back and leading him from the throne.

  For… my mother, I must persevere.

  My familial duty. The duty of honor.

  My honor. My duty.

  Yes.

  My duty.

  I only need to get through this, and escape. She hasn’t done anything like Marie did, and for all I know, this is truly just a gift.

  After all, she has admitted several times she isn’t fully aware of her own position at times.

  “After we’re done looking at the gifts, I wanted to get your opinion on a few things as well,” admitted Sadie. “I’d love your thoughts.”

  Ah.

  Yes. Just gifts.

  It’s just gifts.

  Taking the statement with the same smile, Phillip only nodded his head.

  Right…?

  Thank you, dear reader!

  I’m hopeful you enjoyed reading this story. Please consider leaving a review, commentary, or messages. Feedback is imperative to an author’s growth.

  Oh, and of course, positive reviews never hurt. So do be a friend and go add a review.