The Destiny of Amalah (50 page)

The three men made their way to the Empress’s study and Michael knocked on the door and she invited them in. The three men entered and bowed their heads’.

‘Any news of Gaerwen?’ the Empress asked.

‘Yes Empress, unfortunately it is not good,’ Michael said, as he walked towards her.

‘Tell me.’

‘Gaerwen was in the north east tower and at some point in time, she seems to have fallen down the stairs.’

‘How is she?’

‘I am afraid she died Empress,’ Michael said in a low voice.

‘Died? How?’ she said as she crumpled down into the chair.

‘She broke her neck. It was a very nasty fall Empress.’

‘So she has been there for two nights?’ Amara said in a low voice, truly horrified by the thought.

‘I’m afraid so.’

‘The guard found her this morning,’ Garrick added. ‘I am so sorry Empress. I know how much Gaerwen meant to you.’

‘She meant a lot to us as well,’ Kalon added

Amara couldn’t speak, she wanted to but her body and her mind were stunned and she went into shock. She stared into space and felt the lump in her throat form and the tears welled up in her eyes before they streamed down her face.

‘She…..’ was all that she could muster, before she continued to stare into space.

‘I am truly sorry Empress,’ Kalon said, looking at Amara with much sympathy.

Garrick made his excuses and left with Kalon, and Michael went to the side of the Empress, he placed his hand on her shoulder and left it there.

‘She’s gone Michael,’ she said tearfully.

‘I know and I am truly sorry.’

‘I don’t know… I… I mean.’

‘Hush Empress, I understand,’ he said, kneeling down and looking into her eyes. He took hold of both of her hands and held them in his. ‘I know that you are in pain Empress and I am here for you.’

Amara looked at Michael and her eyes welled up again and the tears fell down her face and Michael wiped them away.

‘Why did she die?’ she asked through a strained and cracked voice. ‘Why do they all die?’

‘I cannot say Empress,’ Michael said humbly.

‘Nor can I,’ she replied sadly. ‘Tell me what is happening with Gaerwen now?’

‘Garrick is making arrangements for her. Try not to worry; he will take care of everything.’

‘I’m sure he will.’

‘Kalon has gone to find Ellora to tell her about Gaerwen.’

‘Poor Ellora.’

‘She is in good hands with Kalon.’

‘I know.’

‘Can I get you anything Empress?’

‘No thank you Michael, but please, I need some time alone.’

‘Of course;’ he said as he stood up. He placed his hand on her shoulder once again and looked at her. ‘If there is anything you need do not hesitate.’

‘Thank you.’

Michael left the study and went in search of Garrick to help him make the arrangements for Gaerwen. He thought of Amara and her pain and it hurt him deeply to see her like that, and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hold her.

Michael then thought of Raynor, Thaddeus and Dariel and his heart grew heavy when he realised he would have to relay the news of the death of their dear friend. Michael went and found Garrick and they made arrangements together and went in search of their friends.

The days passed by and on a cold morning in Amalah City, the funeral for Gaerwen took place. It was a small affair, attended by her close friends but no family, as they had all already passed on. Ellora spent most of the day with Kalon, and Amara spent the rest of the day alone as she had requested. Every now and then, Ellora, or Michael or Garrick would check in on her and when they were satisfied that she was as well as could be expected, they left her to her own devices.

Amara went to the room where Gaerwen had been teaching her and she sat thinking. She thought about Gaerwen, the woman she was, what she had taught her and what she meant to her. She thought about what Gaerwen had said and done over the last year, the necklace, the teachings and her plea to keep them a secret and the warning that something may happen to her and then a thought crossed Amara’s mind: “Did Gaerwen really fall down the stairs?” and, “What was she doing in the north east tower?” Amara stood up quickly and raced to find Garrick and Häkan and when she found them, she came straight to the point.

‘I want you to question every single member of the palace and find out what they were doing the night Gaerwen died,’ she commanded and Häkan and Garrick exchanged worried glances. ‘Find out where they were and who they were with and if they saw Gaerwen at any time that day.’

‘May I ask why Empress?’ Garrick said, taken aback by Amara’s request.

‘Yes you may, but you may not repeat what I say beyond this room. Not to Kalon, or Rakan, or Ellora or anyone else – do you understand me?’

‘Yes,’ Häkan said simply.

Garrick was uneasy but he nodded: ‘You have my word,’ he replied.

‘Garrick you say you found Gaerwen at the bottom of the stairs in the north east tower?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well I am not sure any longer that she fell, in fact I am beginning to think that someone had a hand in her death.’

‘Why do you say that Empress?’ Häkan asked.

‘Because over the last year; Gaerwen had a feeling of foreboding; a feeling that she would not elaborate on. She told me she was troubled but would not tell me why. She swore me to secrecy regarding other matters and she told me that if anything were to happen to her that I was to remember that she loved me.’

‘And you have no idea what troubled her?’

‘I always thought it was something but now, I am thinking it was some one,’ she said, not wanting to name the Guard Commander’s son.

‘The question is…’ Garrick began.

‘If it was someone, did they know that Gaerwen knew about them?’ Amara said finishing Garrick’s sentence.

‘Indeed,’ said Häkan.

‘I wonder if Gaerwen knew that they knew. I am sure she did, for she spoke of what should happen if something should happen to her.’

‘If indeed it was someone that deeply troubled Gaerwen, then I can only wonder why; what did they do, or what did she see or uncover? Häkan asked.

‘Only Gaerwen knows that,’ Garrick said solemnly.

‘The question is what do
we do
?’ Häkan asked.

‘Firstly investigate as I ask,’ said Amara; ‘but do not go into detail. Simply tell the guard and staff that I wish to know what Gaerwen was doing in the north east tower and how she came to suffer such an injury. The only other person I wish to know about this is Michael and I will tell him.’

‘Another question arises in my mind,’ Garrick said.

‘What question?’

‘What does this person want and why?’

Amara stared blankly at Garrick. Rakan came to mind but she did not want to attack Garrick’s son. She did not want to hurt Garrick and she did not want to make any accusations – not without proof. ‘I do not know Garrick, I honestly do not know,’ she said gravely.

The three of them dispersed and the next day, Amara spoke with Michael while Häkan and Garrick spoke with members of the guard and the palace. The questioning brought them no nearer to any answers and for the next two days they continued their questioning which appeared to be in vain. Most of the answers were the same:

‘I was working in the kitchen or the stables or another area in the palace.’

Some were not working on that fateful day and only two of the staff had seen Gaerwen that day, walking along the east corridor; a guard and a servant.

‘Yes I remember,’ the guard said. ‘I saw your son first sir Second Captain, Rakan Lord and then a few moments later, I saw Gaerwen.’

Häkan and Garrick looked at each other and a thousand thoughts went through Garrick’s mind.

‘Are you sure it was Rakan?’ Häkan asked.

‘Yes I am sure sir, I remember vividly.’

‘What do you remember?’ Garrick asked.

‘Your son, the Second Captain, as I was coming through the door, he was reaching it and when I got to the rear end, I saw Gaerwen walking in the same direction as him.’

‘Did you see anything else?’ Häkan asked.

‘No I just saw the two of them and I greeted them both and went on my way.’

‘Thank you Guardsman,’ Häkan said. ‘You are excused now.’

‘Thank you sir,’ the guardsman said, before he stood up and left the two commanders alone in the room.

‘It does not mean anything,’ Häkan said, trying to reassure his friend.

‘I hope not,’ Garrick replied.

‘Rakan was walking ahead of Gaerwen he may not have even seen her.’

‘This is true, but Gaerwen was walking behind Rakan, she may have seen him.’

‘So?’

‘She may have been following him.’

‘Why on earth…?’ Häkan asked Garrick but then it dawned on him and he simply replied: ‘Oh, surely you don’t think…’

‘I don’t think anything Häkan, but I cannot ignore anything, even if it is in anyway to do with my son, you know this.’

‘Yes I do,’ Häkan said patting his friend on the shoulder.

The two men continued to question the guard in the palace and then Rakan came in to answer to the two guard commanders and his father. Häkan did most of the questioning and Garrick simply watched his son intently.

‘Do you remember the night we are talking about? The night before we found Gaerwen’s body.’

‘Yes.’

‘So please tell us where you were that night and whether or not you saw Gaerwen that day.’

‘Of course, I arrived at the palace with Kalon in the morning and for the rest of the day I worked. In the evening I took dinner with Rufus and then later I walked from the south building to the north building via the east passing through the north east tower.’

‘Did you see anyone?’

‘Only a guard as I was going through the north east tower.’

‘Where were you going?’ Garrick asked.

‘To the guard’s barracks, to say hello to Lieutenant Lancey.’

‘Did you?’

‘No, he was not there.’

‘Did you see anyone else?’

‘No it was very quiet.’

‘What did you do when Lieutenant Lancey was not there?’

‘I made my way back to the south building the same way I came and then went to the court yard and waited for my horse.’

‘Did you see anyone?’

‘The horse hand.’

‘I mean on your journey back to the south building?’

‘No.’

‘Very well Rakan, thank you.’

Rakan stood up saluted thanked Häkan and his father and left the two men alone in the room.

‘I think he is telling the truth,’ Häkan said.

‘As do I.’ Garrick agreed.

‘His passing through the north east tower was pure coincidence and in no way related to Gaerwen.’

‘The question does remain though, what happed to Gaerwen?’

‘I don’t know, someone may have caused her harm – or she may simply have been a victim of a very unfortunate and tragic accident.’

‘We will never know.’

‘Still I think we should be extra vigilant from now on.’

‘Agreed.’

‘There could be a killer among us.’

‘Again! I surely hope not,’ Garrick said dejectedly.

They never did find out what happened to Gaerwen, Häkan and Garrick explored every avenue and still, it came to nothing and after a while, things returned to a semblance of normality. Amara grieved for Gaerwen, as did Ellora and Gaerwen’s close friends and after a while, Amara seemed to begin to recover from her loss and life continued in the palace at the same hectic pace and Amalah and the nations continued to prosper.

Kalon and Ellora grew more in love as the time passed and eventually, Kalon all but lived at the palace with Ellora. The two of them grew closer each day as they shared their lives and lived the good life. Kalon was well regarded in the guard and he began to make other friends outside his close knit group.

Drew Taylor, who was a Lieutenant, had often worked closely with Kalon and the two men had become firm friends. They would regularly drink ale together in the officers mess room and converse and laugh for a few hours, or until one would leave for the night and on one of those nights the two young men came on to the subject of Gaerwen and discussed her at length.

‘I remember afterwards when the commanders questioned me about the night but luckily for me I had been in my barrack all night.’

‘You share with Lancey right.’

‘Yes, that’s right, but Lancey wasn’t there, he had extra duties, no it was just me alone in the barrack with no one to talk to: can you imagine how boring that was?’

‘Why didn’t you leave the barrack?’

‘Because I had a stinking head cold, I couldn’t move even if I had wanted to and besides, I didn’t think anyone would thank me if I gave it to them.’