Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne) (8 page)

“
Isn’t it more
dangerous to meet somewhere else
?” Jemma asked when Brenna told her to make
sure she and Beldyn talked somewhere private.

“
There’s nowhere safe
to talk in the castle. Not even Beldyn’s quarters, assuming you could get there
alone with him
,” Brenna said. “
No. He must come to you. He should be
able to get out of the castle unseen and he won’t be hurt if he’s caught. Not
when he’s to be crowned King in a few days. Besides, you won’t be allowed to
take your knife when you see him and I can’t contact you without it.
”

“
All right
,” Jemma
said. “
I’ll make sure he knows that you want to talk to him yourself
.”

“
Thank you
,” Brenna
replied. “
Don’t worry about the time of day or night. As soon as you and
Beldyn are together you need to contact me
.”

Brenna lifted her hands
from the old steel weapons and slumped down in bed. Very lightly she’d drawn on
Kane’s strength, just enough to let her complete her conversation. He put their
weapons away and came back to bed, frowning.

“You need to take the help
that’s offered,” he said as he sat back down pulled her to him.

She sighed. “But you have
your own work to do.”

“Yes, but none of it
matters if you exhaust yourself.” Kane leaned over and blew out the lamp.
“There’s still a few hours before dawn, try to get some sleep.”

Duke Thorold eyed the line
of merchants, noting the fine silks and wools. He reached out a hand to caress
a bolt of wool in a rich shade of green, deciding it would make a very fine
cloak for him. The young woman who carried the wool stopped in front of him,
her eyes on the floor as he enjoyed feeling the fine texture beneath his
fingers.

“Who made this cloth,
girl?” he asked. When she lifted her eyes to him a flicker of fear crossed her
face. Thorold smiled.

“My father made it my Lord
Duke,” the girl stammered. “It’s made from the fall shearing far north in
Fallad.”

“Hmm, it’s very fine
quality. Does your father have more?” Thorold decided he rather liked the way
the girl’s long brown hair fell into her eyes when she ducked her head. She wasn’t
a traditional beauty but she had a certain fresh quality that he could appreciate.

“We’ve a little of the
wool left, my Lord, but shipments have been unreliable this summer.”

Thorold looked at the girl
through narrowed eyes for a moment before waving her on. He doubted she was
bright enough to understand that the trade routes were disrupted because of the
church of the One-God. Idly, he wondered if she was bright enough to see the advantage
of a dalliance with him.

The procession of goods
continued and Thorold smiled with approval at the delicate glass and finely
worked silver that came next. It was good to have proof that the guilds
understood the situation. He’d counted on it of course - after all they were only
ever looking to make a profit. Why would they care who sat on the throne as
long as they benefited? He smiled at Guild Master Brunger, who had followed the
last of the goods into the hall.

“Guild Master you have
outdone yourself, I think,” Thorold said.

Brunger stopped and bowed
low before him. The man’s daughter, a pretty young woman, curtsied before she
rose and met his gaze. She was prettier thatn the weaver but he remembered that
she’d danced with his son a few times. Had Beldyn been doing more than dancing
with the wench? Ah well, soon enough Beldyn would be betrothed and he’d have to
put aside any mistresses. Which reminded him - he must make sure his son hadn’t
left a trail of bastards that could cause trouble later.

“It’s a momentous
occasion,” Brunger said, smiling grandly. “The guilds are honoured to play our
own small part. You will let me know if there is anything you’d like for your
own personal use, won’t you?”

Thorold smiled and his
eyes flicked to the young woman with the wool. She was approaching Beldyn now,
her head bent over her burden.

“I’ll be sure to, Guild
Master,” Thorold said letting his gaze rest on the man’s daughter before he met
the other man’s eyes.

Thorold scanned the room
as Brunger went over a detailed list of every item the guilds had gifted him.
Once Beldyn was formally crowned he would have anything he wanted, including
the Guild Master’s daughter. But the other girl, the weaver, he saw no need to
wait for her.

When the Guild Master finished
speaking Thorold waved him off and went to join his son. He frowned - Beldyn was
pale. He supposed it could be from being forced to stay inside for fittings of
formal clothing. A new king needed a fine wardrobe, after all, but he did look a
little wan and tired. It would not do to have him faint during his coronation.
Perhaps he’d release the boy from his duties for the rest of the day. Yes, that
was it. A little rest would ensure that his son was ready for the strain of the
next few days.

Brenna looked around and
smiled. It was perfect. She could already see where the infirmary would be set
up and there were some excellent spaces for teaching. She’d spoken to the
highest ranking priest, Cleric Azel, a practical man older even than Gwylym. He’d
been more than a little relieved when she’d outlined her proposal. There were
less than half a dozen priests living here, he’d said, and they were too old
and frail to properly look after themselves.

It made Brenna angry and more
than a little sad, to know that the church had all but abandoned these men. The
priests who had gone to Kingsreach should be back right after the coronation
but that meant over four weeks of struggle for those who were left behind.

Brenna promised the best
of care for the elderly residents - they could take their meals with the
healers and with an infirmary operating, a little more laundry and cleaning
wouldn’t be a burden. The priests would move to one small area of their
quarters and let the healers use the rest of the space as they saw fit.

“Cleric Azel, you realize
that many of the women follow the old gods?” she asked.

The elderly man had just shown
her their food stores. There were dried beans and cheese, along with fruits and
vegetables from the fall harvest, but they had no meat left at all.

“Yes I do, Mistress
Brenna. I also understand that you are training healers in preparation for
war.”

Brenna looked up at him in
surprise and he smiled.

“I’m an old man but my
mind works just fine.” He sighed and looked around. “There was a time when it
was assumed the church would help the poor and ill regardless of their beliefs,
but that sentiment seems to be in the past. In the last dozen years I’ve seen
the church become an instrument of intolerance and I’ll say to you that I am
glad to remain in Fallad.” He smiled sadly. “And I’m glad to have this building
being used to aid and teach the people in the city.  Long ago, when I first
became a cleric, those were tasks the church of the One-God felt were its duty
to perform. Now come, I’ll show you where we keep the extra linens.”

Kane smiled when Gwylym
stopped a man who was carrying a load of wood and pointed him across the field.
Organizing the men had been surprisingly easy. Once they’d heard that they were
building shelters for their families, they’d all been eager to get to work.
Dasid had found a few who had experience building houses and barns and the rest
were diligently following orders. As he’d thought, it was a good way to get the
men used to the hierarchy of command

“We’ve had some good
news,” Dasid said.

Kane lifted his end of a
stack of planks. He and another man followed Gwylym’s directions and carted the
wood towards a partially framed house.

“We’ve just had a
messenger,” Dasid said. “Sergeant Murdoch and his men from the training school
will be here by dark.”

Kane looked up at the sun
high in the late afternoon sky. “Do we still have room to house them?”  He set
his end of the stack of wood down and stepped back out of the way.

“Yes. There are still some
bunks in Ewart’s barracks,” Dasid said. “And some of the men will be staying close
to the forge. The messenger indicated a larger force than we’d expected.”

Dasid looked around at the
field and Kane followed his gaze. Small tents dotted the far end but they were
barely enough to house the more than two thousand men who had volunteered.

“Do you know how many
more?” he asked Dasid.

“Sounds like almost double.
More than five hundred trained men are arriving.”

Kane nodded, pleased.
Trained men could be deployed. “We can send some of the experienced men to replace
those holding the ferry crossing. I expect Thorold to try to take it again, but
not until after the coronation. It would also be good to find out what our old
friend Westley Stobert is up to.”

“You still think he’s a
threat?” Dasid smiled.

“By this time he’s
realized that Thorold has cut him loose,” Kane said. “That could make him
desperate.” Dasid nodded and Kane grinned. “And I am very glad that Sergeant
Murdoch is almost here. Babysitting two thousand raw recruits is now his task.”

It had taken only a few hours for any
ill refugees to be settled in the church. Brenna walked from room to room,
checking to make sure that each patient was comfortable and that each healer
had the correct herbs and healing potions. Neemah had gone to help Mother Lyran
clean out her shop and they were in the process of moving her considerable supplies
here. Brenna poked her head into another room and smiled when she recognized
the woman standing there.

“Mistress Ventris, isn’t
it?” Brenna walked into the room. It was what she was starting to think of as basic
quarters for a priest - a small cot, a single wooden chair and a small table
that held a wash basin. There were no rugs or mats on the stone floor but the
space was neat and clean.

“I hope your baby is
well?” Brenna asked.

“Mistress Trewen, I was
hopin’ to see ye,” Mistress Ventris loosely held a broom. “My child is fine,
she’s off being fussed over in the kitchen. I’m just helpin’ to get this room
ready for anyone as needs it.” She smiled. “I’ll be heading to see my babe as
soon as this room is clean.”

Brenna looked around the
room. “It looks clean enough to me.”

“Well, I suppose it might
be. After sleeping in the alley for a few days I don’t think anything can be
clean enough,” Mistress Ventris said and sighed.

“Here, I’m heading to the
kitchen myself, why don’t you come with me?” Brenna took the broom from her and
led her out the door. “I would love to see your little girl.”

five

Brenna contentedly
watched the bustle in the kitchen. Mother Lyran was a bit of a terror, though
she always had a smile on her face - and the woman’s ability to know what everyone
was up to was astounding. She’d already warned about a pot that was about to
boil over and told a woman to watch her step on the wet floor.

Besides the healers, eight
in all, there were another ten women like Mistress Ventris who had volunteered
in order to be helpful. Along with the women there were children, of course, more
than a dozen.

Brenna had again thanked
Cleric Azel for being so welcoming but he’d shaken his head and smiled widely.
He felt years younger already, he’d said, and couldn’t remember when there had
been so much life and laughter within these walls.

Brenna’s worries about the
cleric and Mother Lyran had proved to be groundless. The two of them had
greeted each other warmly and ever since they’d been on the best of terms,
despite the fact that one was a priest of the One-God and the other followed
the old gods.

As she entered the dining
hall Brenna’s her knife tingled. Smiling at the thought of Kane contacting her
she gripped her knife and reached out.

“
Brenna, are you there
?”

It was Jemma, not Kane. And
she’d contacted her sooner than Brenna had dared hope. She sat down in a chair
near the entrance to the hall and nervously placed her knife on her lap.

“
I’m here Jemma, is
Beldyn with you
?” Brenna held her breath. They still had time to make
things right.

“
Yes, but he wants to
talk to you directly and I’m not sure how to do that
,” Jemma replied.

“
Are you somewhere safe
?”
Brenna asked.

“
As safe as we can be
,”
Jemma said.

“Good. I should be able to
contact Beldyn through you and your knife but I’ll need help
,
” Brenna said. “
I’ll get
Kane
and then contact you then. I should only be a few minutes
.”

Brenna broke contact with
Jemma and immediately sent Kane a message to come to her. Once he confirmed
that he was on his way, she went in search of Neemah. Having Kane beside her
boosted her power when she contacted Yowan and Marcus Brunger - she expected it
to work the same with Jemma and Beldyn.

“Neemah,” Brenna said as
she entered the kitchen. “Come with me, please. I need you to do something for
me.” She took hold of the other woman’s arm and walked her down the hall. “Kane
will be here in a few minutes. I need you to show him where I am.” 

Brenna entered the unoccupied
room that Mistress Ventris had just cleaned. “But after Kane comes I need you
to keep anyone else away.”

Neemah nodded before she left
to watch for Kane. Brenna sat down on the bed to wait, her unsheathed knife in
front of her.

Brenna followed Kane’s
progress as he hurried through the streets towards the church. He had Dasid with
him - she could sense the other man’s borrowed sword. She’d quickly checked on Jemma
but had resisted the urge to reach out to Kane while he was on his way. She wanted
to conserve all of her energy for her attempt to contact Beldyn.

As with Yowan, she hoped that
her and Beldyn’s shared blood would help make the contact easy, but she was
worried. If she couldn’t talk to him, if the connection wasn’t clear enough,
they might lose him. And that thought caused sensations of dread and despair that
threatened to overwhelm her. She heard boots on the polished stone of the hall
and Kane came through the door.

“Beldyn’s with Jemma
still?” he asked. He unsheathed his sword, placed it on the bed beside her and
sat down

“Yes. Jemma said Beldyn
was certain he hadn’t been followed.” She looked up at Dasid. “I may need you
as well. Though your sword is mismatched I think it has attuned itself enough
to you over the last few weeks.”

Dasid placed his sword on
the bed alongside Kane’s before pulling the chair over to the bed and sitting
down.

“Neemah, please close the
door and bar it. We cannot be disturbed.” She looked up and met the other
woman’s wary eyes. “You’re welcome to stay and watch.” Brenna smiled ruefully.
“There won’t be much to see I’m afraid. We’re contacting a friend in
Kingsreach.”

Neemah hesitated for a
moment before she closed the door, slid the bar across and leaned back against it. 

“Let’s start,” Brenna said.
She took a deep breath and laid her hand on her knife and Kane’s sword. Kane touched
both his and Dasid’s swords - Dasid completed the circle by touching his sword
and Brenna’s knife. She felt the surge in her energy as she reached out to
Jemma.

“
Jemma, we’re ready
,”
she said. “
Have Beldyn hold onto your knife
.”

“
Like this
?” someone
said.

Brenna remembered that
voice. It was older now, and deeper, but it still sounded like the Beldyn she’d
known.

“
Beldyn, hello. Are you
are well?
”

“
Brenna, is that really
you? Who’s with you
?”

There was distrust and
alarm in his questions and she quickly replied. “
Friends. I need them to
help me reach you. Their names are Kane Rowse and Dasid Addems
.”

There was a brief pause
before Beldyn answered. “
From the Kingsguard. Yes, I’ve heard of both of you
,”
Beldyn said. “
Most of the men still hold you in high regard
.”

“
They’re part of the
Brotherhood. Jemma told you about the Brotherhood didn’t she
?” Brenna
asked.

“
Yes. She said you were
the one who is to set things right again
.”

“
Do you think things
need to be set right
?” Brenna held her breath, waiting for his answer. If
he didn’t see the need, he wouldn’t be willing to help them. Brenna did not
want Beldyn as her enemy.

“
Yes
,” he said finally. “
More
things than just me becoming king are wrong. My father
,” he paused for a
moment. “
My father has done some terrible things
.”

“
Yes. He allowed
the
High Bishop torture Neal Ravershaw
,” Brenna said. “
We – the Brotherhood
- rescued him
.”

“
You did? I hoped
someone would since I couldn’t
.” Beldyn’s tone was bitter. “
That must be
why my father was so angry
.” He paused. “
It was right before King
Mattias died, wasn’t it? He received some messages that made him furious
.”

Brenna could feel her energy waning
but she needed more time with Beldyn - she didn’t yet know if he would help or
hinder their cause. “
Beldyn, if you know about the Brotherhood, then you
know what I’m supposed to become
.”

“
You’re to rule as
queen
.”

For the first time since
they were children she heard Beldyn laugh.

“
If you want it, I
won’t stand in your way
.” Then his tone turned serious. “
But I’m not
sure I can agree to anyone killing my father. As terrible as he is, he is still
my own flesh and blood
.”

“
As he is mine
,”
Brenna said.

“
Brenna, someone’s here
.”
Jemma sounded afraid. “
They’re pounding on the door – they say they’re the
Kingsguard. They’re coming into the shop!
”

“
But they can’t have
followed me, they can’t.
” Beldyn sounded anxious.

“
Jemma, where are you
,”
Brenna asked. “
You said you were safe. Are you
?”

“
Safe, there’s no real safe
place in Kingsreach anymore
,” Jemma said and Brenna could feel the girl’s fear.
“
We’re upstairs in my shop but the Guard is inside, downstairs, and they’re
calling me by name
!”’

“
That’s my father
,”
Beldyn said. “
What’s he doing here
?”

 Brenna’s heart stuttered.
All was lost if Thorold found Jemma and Beldyn together. Had they followed
Beldyn?

“
Oh no
,” Jemma
said. “
Marcus warned me after the gifting. He said Duke Thorold was looking
at both me and Carolie and that I should take care
.”

“
What do you mean he
was looking at you
?” Beldyn asked.

Brenna gripped her knife tight
against the force of his anger.

“
They are the same age
as my mother when he first bedded her
,” Brenna said gently. “
You know
what he’s like Beldyn
.”

“
But not with people I
know, people I
…” Beldyn broke off.

“
Care about,”
Brenna
finished.
“He would be worse if he knew you had people you cared about
,”
she said sadly. She felt Beldyn’s agreement – and his fury - through their
link. “
Take a deep breath. I need you and Jemma to be calm and very still.
I’m going to try something. Get somewhere near the wall or under a table,
somewhere out of the way where you won’t be tripped over
.” She turned her
attention to Kane and Dasid.

“
I’m not even sure I
can do this but if I can I’ll need to draw from you both
.” She felt Kane’s
resolve through the old steel.  

“Take what you need,”
Kane said. “
May the
gods aid us.”

“Jemma,”
Brenna called
.
“Are you out of the
way
?”

Jemma replied that they
were hunched in a corner, half under the worktable. Brenna took a deep breath and
recited the words to the invisibility spell. Gently she drew energy from Kane
and
pushed
the spell across the link to Jemma and Beldyn.

Brenna looked up - the colors of
the room were muted and she could no longer see Kane sitting beside her. Dasid
was still visible where he sat on the chair, hunched over the weapons on the
bed. Again she
pushed
the spell across the link. She drew more power
from Kane before she gently tapped into Dasid’s strength. His eyes widened as
she siphoned energy from him - soon he too was invisible. She heard a sound and
glanced over at Neemah, who was staring their way, her eyes wide and one hand
covering her mouth.

“We’re still here,
Neemah,” Dasid assured her. “You just can’t see us.”

“
Jemma, what’s happened
?”
Brenna called.

“
Please help
,”
Jemma called. “
They’re coming up the stairs now.
”

There was panic in the
girl’s voice and Brenna prayed that the spell was working.

“
Jemma, listen to me,
this is very important. Can you see Beldyn? Do colors look muted to you
?”

“
I can’t see Jemma
,”
Beldyn said. “
But I can feel her right beside me. What’s happened
?”

“
Jemma can you see
Beldyn? No? Thank the gods
.” Relieved, Brenna sucked in a shuddering breath.
“
I’ve spelled you invisible. I don’t know how long I can hold it but you
both need to be very quiet and very still
.” Brenna paused to repeat the
spell and push it towards the two, out along the connection through old steel. “
You
both must keep holding onto the knife. Don’t let go
.” It was her only link
to them, if they let go of it her spell wouldn’t reach them.

“
We’re really invisible
?”
Jemma asked.

She sounded so afraid - Brenna
closed her eyes. This had to work, it had to.

“
Yes
,” Brenna replied
with more confidence than she felt. She looked at the empty spaces where she
knew Kane and Dasid sat. “
Just stay calm and quiet. They’ll leave soon
.”
They had to leave soon. Brenna didn’t know how long she could hold this even using
Kane and Dasid’s energy.

Duke Thorold wandered
around the shop while his men checked the storage areas and the upstairs. The
lamps were still lit so the wench couldn’t have gone far.

“Guard, are you sure
there’s no back way out of here?” he asked the Kingsguard who stood at
attention near the front door.

“My men have found none on
this floor, my Lord, but there may be one on the second floor.”

“See that you check
carefully.” Thorold said. “No, I’ll look myself.” He started up the stairs.

Finding out where the little
weaver lived and that she was alone in her shop had been simple. It seemed her
father had been out of Kingsreach when the edict had been proclaimed and had
chosen not to return.  No doubt she would be ready for some company, he thought
as he reached the top floor. The single room upstairs contained two beds, a work
table and chair and a wardrobe. There was yet another lit lamp, but no sign of
the girl.

“If there’s another way
out I want to know about it,” he said.

Two Kingsguard looked
under the bed and inside the wardrobe.