Scrivener's Tale (37 page)

‘Lead on,' she said, and the royal quartet eased its way onto the main path that would lead them into Rittylworth Monastery, where a dowager awaited.

No-one noticed the two riders, with their horses' hooves bound in linens, steal up onto the rise behind them.

Cassien and Hamelyn departed Orkyld within moments of emerging from Wevyr's house. Cassien had toyed with the idea of seeing Vivienne once more, but it had been awkward and curiously painful to leave her that morning and it would do neither of them any good to linger on what had occurred between them. If their paths were meant to cross again, they would.

Wevyr's revelation about the dragon and Ham's subsequent statement about the ‘Triad' and then his fainting were baffling. He still had no idea why Fynch had bled into the metal, but it was obviously an important element for what Fynch believed was necessary for Cassien to keep Florentyna safe and to help destroy the demon. All Wevyr had been able to say was that Fynch had insisted, that it was critical to the role of the weapons … but they remained clueless to why it was necessary.

He glanced at the boy riding alongside. Ham appeared fully recovered now and had woken from his stupor full of apology and surprise at his collapse. He couldn't recall fainting, but he had not forgotten what he'd claimed and remained as baffled as Cassien as to what it all meant.

‘Nothing more has surfaced,' Ham said, aware of Cassien's study of him, ‘in case you're wondering.'

Cassien sighed. ‘I was. You saw three people in your vision. But my confusion is that you said you saw into the crucible. How can that be when you were looking through a peephole in the wall?'

Ham nodded. ‘I know. I've been trying to work that out myself. I wasn't dreaming, I know that much. What I'd seen had been blocked from me until now; now I can remember it vividly. One moment I was staring at Master Fynch and Master Wevyr, the next I was looking into the crucible.' He shrugged. ‘I know that doesn't make sense.'

‘It makes it easier if you accept that magic is involved.'

Ham cast Cassien a worried look. ‘I didn't want to be the one to say it,' he admitted.

‘There's no other way of looking at this. As it is, I have had to accept that you can hear my sword talking when no-one else can even hear it moving. It is just the sword?'

Ham nodded. ‘The other blades do make noises but nothing like the sword's range of sounds.'

Cassien shrugged. ‘So, we're now both going forward on the strength of a man's word, that man being impossibly old and familiar with people and ways and events from previous centuries. More magic. He put blood into my sword because he believes I'm going to need whatever magic the blade is imbued with, through the bleeding presumably.'

‘The magic of the dragon?' Ham cut in. ‘Royalty?'

‘Who are the three?'

Ham shook his head. ‘I don't know. Cassien, what is your role? You said you're going forward on the strength of Master Fynch's word. What has he asked of you? Perhaps that might tell us more about the three.'

It was time. Hamelyn already knew too much, and besides, he was involved — Ham's vision, his hearing of the sword and his deliberately meeting Cassien were all being orchestrated, but why?

Cassien nodded. ‘I'm going to tell you everything that's happened to me to this moment and perhaps together we can make some sense of it.'

‘Where are we going by the way?'

‘To Pearlis,' he replied.

If Ham was surprised he didn't show it; for someone so young he was impressively composed, Cassien thought.

‘Then we need to make a decision now whether we skirt the woodland and head south to the capital via Rothwell, or we bear east toward Rittylworth, Renkyn and down through the foothills,' Ham advised.

‘I don't mind; whichever is fastest. What do you suggest?'

‘There will be more travellers on the easterly route, but via Rothwell is definitely a less direct route. And going east, there's a monastery at Rittylworth that people talk about as being very good to travellers. We can get food for ourselves and our horses, probably a place for a short rest.'

Cassien nodded. ‘The horses are our priority. How long to Rittylworth?'

‘We often get people in Orkyld travelling up that way. It's a few hours riding, and Renkyn is not far from Rittylworth. I gather it's a direct route from Renkyn into the capital. The best part of a day's ride probably.'

Cassien gave him a smile of gratitude. ‘Whatever magic pushed you into my path, Ham, I'm glad we met. Your wealth of knowledge never fails to astonish.'

‘One more thing I should probably mention,' the boy said, frowning. ‘It's only just occurred to me as I've been prodding at that memory of the vision.'

Cassien looked at him expectantly.

Ham gave a crooked grin. ‘The Triad. It's definitely three males.'

‘Is that important?' Cassien queried, his mind racing to what it might mean.

‘I can't say,' Ham replied, ‘but what is interesting is that I think one of them in that crucible vision was a boy.'

Cassien's reins went slack when he turned to regard Ham with a look of surprise.

The boy shrugged. ‘I'm just telling you what I saw.'

‘Before you passed out you said the Triad was forming.'

‘Yes, but I don't know what I meant by it.'

Cassien stared into the distance as his thoughts gathered some solidity. ‘You were sent to find me. We were strangers yet here we are travelling together.'

Ham nodded, frowning. ‘Perhaps what you tell me about your life will prompt something more for me. It's this way,' he said, pointing, ‘to Rittylworth.'

‘Let's go. My tale will help pass the journey,' Cassien said and they veered east toward the monastery just as their queen was leaving the hamlet of Dryden Vale for the same destination.

The monks tending the fields nearby waved to the quartet as they rode their horses slowly up the road leading to the main courtyard of the monastery. Florentyna smiled as she lifted her hand, enjoying the anonymity and admiring the monks' toil on the hard earth, still untilled from the winter gone; with thaw almost finished they were preparing to nourish the soil.

‘What do they grow here?' she asked absently.

‘What don't they grow, majesty, is more to the point,' Felyx replied. ‘Rittylworth is self-sufficient and it also provides generously for the less fortunate in the surrounding hamlets. Brother Hoolyn is a firm believer in the high monastic way, whereas some leaders of the monastery in the recent past had allowed the old rules to slacken.'

‘Don't expect rich pickings for a midday meal, you mean?' Florentyna jested.

‘A broth if you're fortunate, majesty, especially as they have no idea that the most important guest they could imagine is strolling her horse up their path.'

‘I haven't felt such freedom in many moons.' The senior soldier laughed. ‘You know, Felyx,' Florentyna mused, ‘I'm really enjoying seeing you so relaxed as well. I can't remember when I last saw you laugh.'

He shifted in his saddle to regard her sheepishly. ‘Yes, majesty, forgive me. I have certainly been a grouchy soul of late. Being out here amongst the real life of Morgravia has —'

Felyx never finished his sentence. The arrow took him through the back of the neck. Florentyna watched with horror as the arrowhead exploded through Felyx's throat, felling him as he grinned at her. The remaining soldiers reacted swiftly, flinging themselves from their horses towards her. She felt herself being thrown back as the sound of another arrow whizzed from afar to land harmlessly in the field just beyond.

Yells erupted and monks came running as a third arrow sang its horrible song through the air.

One of the guards held her down. ‘Don't move!' he growled, forgetting all protocol. ‘Erle? Erle?'

Erle lay dead with an arrow in his back, they soon realised.

Without further discussion, the remaining soldier dragged Florentyna back to her feet but kept his huge frame covering her. Monks had arrived, looking at them aghast.

‘What has happened here?' one of them said uselessly.

‘Behind the horse,' the soldier growled to the queen, ignoring those clustering around them. ‘Use it for cover.'

‘I understand,' she said, not sure where her calm was coming from.

‘Right, on my mark, we move. Carefully.' She nodded, knowing she looked fearful but he gave her a reassuring nod. ‘I shall get you there safely, your majesty, even if it means taking a full quiver of arrows in my body.' And with little pause, he said, ‘Now.'

With monks' cassocks fluttering around the horse, which also hid Florentyna, the soldier she knew to be called Brom led her slowly but steadily up the path. No more arrows landed, but two good men lay in their wake.

Brother Hoolyn had come to see what the commotion was about.

‘Men are dead, these people are being attacked,' one of the elder monks exclaimed.

Others nodded mutely, pointing to the bodies. Hoolyn, shocked, but acting quickly and decisively, ushered them into the cover of the cloisters. Without tarrying for questions, he hurried them swiftly through corridors, up stairways and along tiny passages until they were high in the gods of the new bell tower of Rittylworth Monastery.

The older man looked at them both with incomprehension, but as they were breathing hard, he waited a moment or two for each of them to catch their breath.

Finally, he asked the inevitable. ‘Now tell me, who has brought these deaths to a peaceful house of Shar?'

They both shook their heads mutely. Brom spoke first. ‘Brother, we have no idea who has attacked. We are as shocked as you. Those were my fellow soldiers killed. My friends.'

‘Soldiers? Shar's breath. Who are you?'

Florentyna pulled her hood down. ‘Brother Hoolyn, forgive us bringing fear to the monastery. Brom tells you the truth. We have no idea who has attacked us. But to answer your question, I am Florentyna.' She gave a sad shrug. ‘The queen.'

He stared at her in astonishment. ‘Queen Florentyna,' he repeated as if he hadn't heard right. ‘Of Morgravia?' he qualified.

‘I'm afraid so, Brother,' she admitted with a wan half-smile.

He put a hand against his chest, as though his heart had skipped a beat. ‘And we weren't told?'

‘I have come to see the dowager.'

‘Why the secrecy?' he demanded, forgetting himself.

‘It had to be so. Again, forgive me,' Florentyna said, ignoring his improper tone.

‘Wait, how can I be sure you are her majesty?' Hoolyn queried, looking between them cautiously.

Brom seemed as though he was ready to knock the man senseless, but Florentyna gave him a glance of caution. ‘Of course.' She reached beneath her cloak and drew out the chain she wore around her neck, from which hung her father's ring. It bore the dragon insignia of the royal crest of Morgravia. She was supposed to wear the ring, but it was an entirely impractical size and shape for a woman's hand; the chain had been cast in matching gold and she could still wear it at all times.

Hoolyn leaned in to stare at the ring and gave a gasp of fresh fear as he bowed low. ‘Your majesty, please forgive me. I don't know that you are safe, however. We must assess the situation.' He kept staring at her as though he wanted to pinch himself.

She touched his arm and smiled as she looked back to her companion. ‘Brom, we must see to our friends immediately. What if they appear dead, but perhaps are only wounded? Felyx …' She gave a sound of soft anguish. ‘We were laughing …' She gathered her wits, knowing she mustn't lose any control now. Florentyna took a deep breath and looked at the head monk. ‘We have travelled in complete secret, Brother Hoolyn, so someone has clearly been following us, or has been told where to find us.'

‘Who knew you were coming?' he asked.

‘Brom, anyone else other than Felyx and Erle from your side?'

He shook his head. ‘No, majesty. Felyx swore us to secrecy. We weren't even allowed to give any clue that we were leaving the barracks. He gave orders for us to do some chores that took us away from the palace. Others think we've gone to check on some new horses that the royal stables have purchased.'

‘Yes, I knew he'd be careful. So that leaves only my side. The only person who knows I was departing the palace was Burrage and I trust him with my life.'

‘Felyx wouldn't —' Brom began.

‘No, absolutely, he wouldn't. I have complete faith in him.'

‘Your majesty,' Hoolyn interrupted, ‘if I may, right now I'd suggest we worry about keeping you safe rather than who is behind this. Brom, is it?' he said to her companion.

‘It is,' Brom replied.

‘Well, none of us can protect our queen as well as you can. This tower is hard to reach and arguably the safest spot.'

‘We have good vision from here too,' Brom agreed, prowling around the four window openings.

Hoolyn nodded. ‘Please, if you would, stay here with her majesty, and I will go to assess the situation.'

They waited impatiently as he sped off.

‘Brom?'

‘They're both dead, majesty. Don't hold any hope.'

She swallowed. Poor Felyx. ‘How many do you think?'

‘It felt like an army at the time but it would only take a couple of men with the vantage of high ground.'

‘Were they just highwaymen, do you think, a random attack on a noble party?'

His mouth twisted as he thought about this, but not for very long. ‘I doubt it. They were too accurate. Good archers. Well trained. No doubt excellent weapons for that range.'

She knew he was right, but not for any of those reasons. ‘The arrow that killed Felyx was meant for me. If he'd not leaned forward in his saddle at that moment, the arrowhead would have been in my eye, not his throat.'