The Heir of Eyria

by Osku Alanen

  The man laughed. “My apologies, my lady.” He urged the horses to hurry forward with a loud whistle.

  How did this young man always manage to make her heart race so? She had known him only for a few short months, but for some reason, morning after morning, they talked. If Alessia’s father ever discovered how the boy addressed her, he would no doubt throw him into the dungeon, and throw away the key. Alessia didn’t mind the innocent flirting; she thought the boy sweet. That was all it was—flirting. She might have been considered the black sheep of the family, but she was a royal princess; it was impossible to marry outside of nobility. And besides, marriage was something Alessia had fought long and hard against. No matter what happened, she would never let her father force her into one. She was still unmarried, yes, but her father no longer forced a chaperone to shadow her, either. She was, indeed, ‘a lost cause’, as Lionel so delicately put it during one of their dinners two years ago.

  The carriage traveled slowly through the queen’s gardens. Alessia couldn’t help but reach out with her fingers and touch the exotic plants around her, savoring their sweet and intoxicating smell. The arrangements in the garden were at their best this time of the year: the colors were plentiful, and the smell was divine. It made her forget all about the stench of death she had to endure day after day while working in her basement. The life of a scientist was often miserable, but it was small things like this that kept Alessia going. She thought it pity that not everyone could enjoy the gardens here, as the Royal Plateau was reserved mainly for the nobility. Of common men, only the servants and maids were permitted inside. She often contemplated what the life of ordinary men and women was like down there, for it had been years since she had last left the comfort and safety of this sheltered life she had lived. She knew her father meant well, but he had been too protective of her ever since the death of his wife—Alessia’s mother. One of these days, he would have to let her out, for she was no longer a child, but a woman grown. Perhaps once she was to be appointed the full title of surgeon? Even the King couldn’t stop her from visiting her patients then.

  “We’re here, my lady.” The carriage came to a halt, and Alessia shook her mind back to the present. She had again lost the passage of time, too lost in the maze that her mind often was. She used to do that a lot—zone out.

  The door of the carriage opened, and the warm, gentle sunlight momentarily blinded Alessia. She saw Rodrik’s joyful, handsome face staring at her, hand extended. She took the man’s hand eagerly, stepping into the inner courtyard of the castle. She saw the guards of the gate salute her astutely as they realized who had arrived. A runner was sent inside to fetch the captain of the guard—the man responsible for providing security for the members of the royal family.

  Her smile vanished as she saw Captain Severan approach her, dressed for battle, sword in hand.

  Something is terribly wrong.

  “Severan, what has happened?”

  Captain Severan walked up to the princess, promptly saluting her. He lowered his head as he spoke. “There has been an attempt on your father’s life, my lady. He requests your presence at once. Will you allow me to escort you safely to the throne room?”

  Alessia nodded. “Gladly. Lead the way, Captain.”

  Rodrik shared one last trouble look with Alessia before urging the horses forward, likely leading them towards the stables where he would wait for Alessia’s return.

  Alessia felt sick to her stomach as this seasoned warrior and a veteran of war of his father led her through the halls of her childhood home. Her anxiety spiked as she realized in horror the unprecedented silence in these halls. The silence was absolute, like her eardrums had been shattered by the roars of a thousand men in battle.

  This was the heart of their kingdom. Regardless of the time of the day, countless servants always passed by here, ready to grant the smallest of errands any lord or lady might desire. She couldn’t even hear the laughter of children in the halls.

  “Is… is my father alright?” Alessia asked the silent captain, dreading the answer.

  “The King lives, my lady. He survived the assault unharmed.” Severan stopped for a moment, ushering Alessia forward. In a calm, hushed tone he whispered: “But I’m afraid there have been casualties.”

  Alessia swallowed. “Who?”

  “It is not my place to say, my lady. Please forgive me.”

  By all that was holy, was the man holding back tears? He had served her father for all her life and the King’s family was like his own to him. She wanted to push the man, but she would know soon enough. “I understand. Please, take me to my father with haste, Severan.”

  The Captain nodded gravely, leading the way. Alessia couldn’t help but notice how his sidesword was always within reach. Was there an attacker loose still?

  Severan pushed open the heavy doors leading to the throne room. There was no sign of Perceval—her father’s personal servant—to announce her in. Alessia jumped as the doors closed behind her. She heard steel being drawn behind the door. Was Severan standing in guard? So, they were under attack.

  Alessia’s gaze wandered around the spacious room opening in front of her. A red carpet laid in front of her, leading all the way to the throne in the distance. She saw her father—the king—sitting there, his back slumped, regarding her with the haunted eyes of a dead man walking.

  Alessia walked the long walk to the King with nervous steps. She had always prided herself in the calm, composed manner she held herself: the appearance of a rational, calculative scientist, well-versed in the secrets of the natural world. Yet she couldn’t help but remember the timid, scared little girl she had been most of her life.

  “Father,” Alessia said. They were alone in the throne room.

  “Alessia, my child. Please, come closer.”

  Alessia pursed her lips in fear as she realized the absence of any other members of the royal family was unusual. The family dinner hadn’t been canceled without letting her know, had it? She was late, yes, but only by a few hours. At the very least, she expected to see her elder brothers, Lionel and Rewalt, standing right by her father. Where were they? They were the successors to the throne, they should be here. Something had gone terribly wrong.

  “Where are my brothers, father? Where are Lionel, Rewalt and Edgar?”

  King Robert poured himself a glass of wine. Several empty bottles were scattered across the marble floor. This was the thing that frightened her the most: nothing good ever happened when his father was drunk. She, along with her siblings, had spent half her adolescence watching the angry outbursts of his father. Now, all these years later, she finally understood why he drank—and she resented him for it more than ever. The weight of the crown had grown too heavy for him to handle, the burden too large to bear. Still, was there ever a king who didn’t anguish over the choices they had to make? The weight of the crown was crushing for any a mortal, indeed, and her father was no exception.

  “Assassins, that’s what has happened,” her father cried, his calm exterior shattered in the blink of an eye as tears fell down his hairy, wrinkled cheeks. Without so much a word, Alessia rushed to her father, embracing him like she had as a little girl.

  “My sons are dead. They are all dead,” King Robert vas Nerian whispered in Alessia’s ear, voice breaking.

  Alessia gasped. “Both Lionel and Rewalt?”

  The King’s voice broke. “Yes, my child. And Edgar too. They are all dead. The heirs to my throne and to the kingdom I have built with these very hands lies now in shambles, for they are all dead.”

  “Who? Who would do such a thing? And how?” Alessia hissed.

  “Our mortal enemy, who else? Those twice-cursed, spineless mongrels of the Nubian Empire. They have been keeping their eyes on our nation for years, Alessia. Watching my every move, waiting for any and every opportunity to strike, to weaken us. And finally, after all these years, they have struck at the heart of our nation, and they have crushed it. We are ruined, my child. Ruined.”


  “But why would they attack us now? What prompted this attack? Surely, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to squander the peace we’ve had for half a decade now?”

  The King stood up with sudden vigor, placing his shaking hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “That’s why I have called you, my daughter. We caught the assassins only moments before your arrival. One managed to cut his own throat the second he was discovered, but the second one yet lives thanks to the Captain’s swiftness.” The King paused for a moment, looking at his daughter through squinting eyes. “High Inquisitor Everny interrogates the man as we speak in his chambers.”

  “Good. The High Inquisitor is nothing if not efficient, father. He will get him to speak, no matter how absolute the assassin’s loyalty and training is. Eventually, he will succumb, and he will speak.”

  “Yes, eventually,” King Robert hissed with anger. “I don’t have the luxury to wait. What if this was but a start? What if the empire gathers its forces even as we speak? You must remember: the assassins failed, Alessia. I, the King, still live. As do you, my daughter.”

  Alessia frowned. “What can I do to help?” Her patients would have to wait. No matter how important her experiments were, surely this had the higher priority. By all that is holy, her siblings were all dead. Lionel. Rewalt. Even her young brother, Edgar. The same sweet boy whom she had cared for since he was an infant. Who would be evil enough to murder an innocent child?

  “I thought you’d never ask.” The King hesitated before continuing. He seemed to consider his words carefully. “You have always had a certain tendency towards things that other ladies of nobility find distasteful. The surgeon Meridian has always spoken highly of you, my daughter. He says your knowledge of the human body is exceptional, rivaling the best of even our royal surgeons. And I know how your quick your mind is. It has always… frightened me. For assassins to find their way atop the Royal Pinnacle… there is no one else I can trust. Well, Alessia, time has come to put your unusual skillset to the test. I have seen, first-hand, the horrifying experiments you perform with my prisoners.” The King shook his head in disgust. “Our nation faces an unprecedented crisis, and I must use whatever skills we have at our disposal. I want you to assist the High Inquisitor with his interrogation. Make the assassin talk, whatever the cost. Avenge my sons. Avenge our nation.”

  Alessia nodded gravely. She had to bite her tongue to stay from talking back to him. For the words that had changed from praise to insult in the blink of an eye. But this was not the time to cause any more strife between them. For now, she would be a good daughter and find the truth about the assassination.

  The fate of her kingdom depended on it.

  ***

  Everny’s interrogation chamber was a tightly-contained secret. Her father wanted to keep this part of his rule a secret—and for a good reason. Ordinary men and women did not need to know what happened there. Sure, the people did know. You couldn’t ignore a man walking through the halls with the title of a ‘High Inquisitor’ without wondering what he did for the King. Fear was an essential part of ruling, too; it kept the nobility at check. What fool would dare challenge her father’s rule under the looming threat of torture?

  Finding the entrance to Everny’s chambers proved more challenging than she originally anticipated. She knew it had to be close to the entrance to the dungeons, but it’s exact location was still elusive. How strange is it to not know every corner of a castle you have spent your entire childhood in? But once you apply an adult’s knowledge, the task suddenly comes that much easier.

  The only soundproof door in the castle—this was it. Hidden close the entrance to the dungeon in a hallway that led to nowhere. After a single moment’s hesitation, Alessia opened the door, expecting to be greeted by the same smell of putrid illness she had grown accustomed in her laboratory. This chamber was nothing like her laboratory. There was no sickness here.

  And there the assassin was, bound to a chair, watching Alessia enter the room with a blank face. Two silent inquisitors stood at his sides, silently observing the princess. She wondered if this man had felt anything when he took the lives of her siblings. Shocked, she realized she didn’t know how the assassin had done it. Had he used poison? A blade? Well, she was here to find answers, and by all that is holy, answers she would get.

  “My name is Alessia Vas Nerian,” Alessia found herself saying. “Tell me, murderer of my family, what possessed you to perform a deed so disgusting? Why would any man take the life of another man, let alone a child, unprovoked?”

  The assassin remained silent. He didn’t seem to react to Alessia’s voice. Surely, for a man to have traveled this far, he possessed the knowledge of the Common tongue? Assassins were highly capable, highly trained people. They knew languages and customs of the nation their targets perfectly. They had to, or they wouldn’t be able to imprint themselves into the daily life of their victim. This attack had to have been plotted for a long time. But now the question was: by who? The Nubian Empire?

  “It is useless, your highness.”

  Alessia felt her heart jump through her ribcage. She had been sure they were the only people in the room. She exhaled deeply, calming her racing heart. “Hello, High Inquisitor Everny. Still fond of hiding, I see,” Alessia said without turning. “Would you like to tell me why you think my line of inquiry futile?”

  The man walked into the view and bowed. He seemed delighted for some reason. To a someone out of the royal court, Everny might have seemed like an ordinary man; there was nothing special about the way he looked. A man of average height, handsome enough, but not striking. He seemed like an ordinary, likeable man, while the truth was anything but. There was nothing about the way he looked that made him seem like the cruel, efficient torturer that he was.

  And that was the reason he frightened Alessia so.

  “Observe the patient more closely, your highness. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

  Alessia frowned, fighting hard to make sure her fear of the man did not show on the outside. This man fed on fear, and she would not give him the pleasure. She turned back to the assassin. For a man serving the Nubian empire, the man looked nothing like she would expect. Then again, how efficient could an assassin be if he didn’t fit in with his victims? No, if the guards of the castle had spotted this man, they probably wouldn’t have looked at him twice, thinking him a servant of some little-known lordling. Still, there was something about the way he held his mouth shut, as if he was in great pain.

  “He has no tongue, has he?”

  The man seemed surprised. “But my lady! You truly are as observant as you are pretty. It is an honor and a pleasure to have someone with your brains and looks to assist me during these treacherous times.”

  “Are you flirting with me, Everny? At a time like this?” Alessia said, appalled.

  The man gasped. “I would never. I was merely trying to be polite—and sincere, my lady.”

  Alessia bit her tongue, but decided it was futile to scold the man. He enjoyed games and Alessia didn’t feel like playing. She turned back to the assassin, hiding her face from the Inquisitor. “I think you are badly mistaken, High Inquisitor.”

  “My lady?”

  “I am not here to assist. I am here to command. On behalf of my father.” She emphasized her point with a long, exaggerated pause to make her message sink in. She wanted the man to know that she had the power here. Whatever she decided was to be done with the assassin, she would have the authority of the King behind her words. Her word was absolute here. Here, he was the puppet, and she held the strings.

  “What have you learned so far?” Alessia said with a commanding tone.

  Everny bowed his head in compliance. “As you so excellently deduced, my lady, the man has no tongue. When Captain Severan caught the man, as a last act of retaliation, he bit his tongue. Thankfully, we were able to save his life. Sadly, this also makes our line of inquiry rather challenging, indeed, for he cannot confess.”

 
Everny ordered his two underlings to force the man’s mouth open. The assassin retaliated, trying to bite off their fingers, but he couldn’t fight against their strong grips. And just as Everny had claimed, the man had no tongue. Only a bloodied stump remained. Thankfully, it seemed like the wound had mostly coagulated. The assassin wouldn’t likely die of blood loss any time soon.

  “We found the assassin one floor below the north tower, hanging outside the window.”

  “You found him where?”

  “You heard correctly, my lady. Somehow, he had climbed the entirety of the tower, taking advantage of a poorly-secured window, a floor below where your family dined. The guards discovered handmade footholds embedded into the stone. It must’ve token him ages to get up there. He dispatched the two guards stationed at the door, and barged into the dining hall, where he attacked the royal family with the help of a second assassin that must have followed him. Your father, luckily, was spared.”

  “So, they were stabbed to death?” Alessia said numbly.

  “Stabbed and poisoned I’m afraid, my lady. Their blades were coated with a deadly, swift-acting poison. It is nasty stuff, I must tell you. The men the blade cut died in mere minutes.”

  Alessia frowned. “Highly-skilled assassins then. Ruthless. Efficient. Well-funded.”

  The assassin’s eyes seem to sparkle at her words.

  So, the man understands our language. Good, I can use that.

  “Do you know why the assassins wanted my brothers dead?”

  “To weaken our country? Retaliation? Take your pick. Still, we were lucky that the King was unharmed—as were you, my lady. Lucky indeed for you to be so late for the dinner. Lucky indeed….”

  Again, the man’s words implied more than he said. Did he suspect she had something to do with the attack? Preposterous.

  “Well, it seems like you have spent far too much time in this dungeon of yours, Everny.”