The Queen's Curse (3 page)

‘I really have to go now
,’ she said.

‘Yeah, you can’t keep the
queen waiting. It’s the first door to your left. Just wait there. She is always on time and you still have some; or shall I tell her guard you are already here?’

‘No!’ she said a little too loud
ly and blushed when she saw the sudden distress on his face. ‘I mean … I’d rather wait. The last thing I want is to upset her by being too eager and early.’

‘Very thoughtful of you
,’ he replied in a calm voice. ‘See you later then.’ and he took a step to the right, so she could pass him. She smiled at him and walked on towards her goal. She didn’t have to look back to know that Barkor was still watching her until she disappeared round the corner.

So far so good. Quite handy to have friends in the castle. Now comes the hardest part; the
personal guard shouldn’t be too far away from the queen.

The walls were old and brown and normally Tirsa would have
wondered what those walls might have seen throughout the centuries, if they had eyes, but not now, not today.

She came to
a door with letters written on it. It read; Personal Meeting Chamber. She looked back to see if Barkor was still watching her, but he was out of her view. Hastily she went on.

There were no windows and the corridor was only poor
ly lit by torches placed on both walls. She noticed several other golden doors to her left and right, but ignored them.

At
the end of the hallway she noticed two men standing rigid before a steep staircase.
The staircase towards the Tower of the Queen!
she heard herself saying in her mind and hoped she was right. It had to be; why would they stand there otherwise? The Tower itself was forbidden to every knight and commander, for it held the queen’s bedroom and entry was only allowed when she asked for you.

This wing contained the
queen’s personal quarters. Behind the golden doors there was a music chamber, an arts chamber and even a library.

She
almost froze where she stood.

Let’s hope they are just as easy to persuade as Barkor. And she said a silent prayer.

Her eye caught a faded torch, which she quickly grabbed and hid behind her back. She stepped forward and the guard saw her looming figure coming. Immediately one of them shouted, ‘Halt, who is approaching?’

‘Commander Lathabris of the Seventh Company
,’ she responded professionally in a secure steady voice. They stood their ground while one held a flaming torch near to her face. She noticed them nodding at one another when they saw her shoulder pads. ‘Commander … who let you in? You do not have an audience.’ These men also had an agenda in their head it seemed.

‘I have come to replace Commander Distoas of the Second Company. He was unable to come.’

These two men were young and strongly built, and with clever faces, she noticed with dismay. One of them shook his head calmly with cold suspicious eyes. ‘That appointment is cancelled. Yesterday we received a message that King Zoltas himself will come to speak with the queen in private.’

‘Yes, and yesterday I personally told Commander Distoas his appointment wa
s cancelled until further notice,’ the other guard added. ‘So, Commander, with all due respect, I don’t understand what you are doing here.’

She felt herself turn crimson
and tried to think quickly. ‘Simply because one of the commanders has to accompany the meeting in cases like these. So I’m replacing him.’

His pale blue eyes
got colder when he said, ‘Miss, believe me, I know all the rules there are to know around here and unless we’re told about this I have to deny you access.’

She knew when she was beaten and she tightened her grip on the torch.

They must have seen the panic in her eyes for one of them pointed to her arms, ‘Hang on, show me your hands!’ Just as he was about to grab her arm she thumped him hard in his face with her improvised weapon. He collapsed.

The other one drew
his sword and said firmly, ‘Drop that immediately and raise your arms above your head!’ But she was faster again; she thrust into his stomach with all her weight knocking the sword out of his hand with her torch. It was enough to make him fall back against the wall. He stumbled and she caught him in the groin with her knee and struck the back of his head with her torch.. He passed out.

She had to catch her breath
for a moment – she felt out of shape – before recovering and running up the small stairs towards the Tower Room. When she finally reached the emerald door she had a vision of the face of her little brother. It was for his life she imperilled her career and her life.
Justice will be done!

Tirsa flung open the door, which surprisingly wasn’t locked, and again realized in that moment she was acting foolishly. What was she thinking, without so much as knocking? But there was no chance she could face to wait any longer, or for no answer.

‘Wh
ere are you?’ she almost yelled, looking around the bedroom with a bewildered gaze.

The
renowned Queen Artride was sitting directly opposite her, on a broad windowsill by a large opened oval window. She was a young woman, pale and veiled with long waving black hair like the night itself. She looked up from a letter she had been reading. There was no fright in her impressive midnight blue eyes; just calm curiosity when she saw the wild young knight with her green flashing eyes, like knives, staring defiantly directly into hers, holding her gaze steadily. No one normally dared. Tirsa froze on the spot and was struck instantly by the stunning beauty of the queen as they gazed at one another wordlessly. She felt the anger fade. Time itself seemed to have faded ... And then it continued; in a matter of seconds she saw a sudden change in the queen: fear, concern. She was stretching her hands out towards Tirsa as if to prevent something from happening behind …opening her mouth … It was too late for Tirsa to turn around and look behind her. Darkness closed over her mind like the dark manes of the queen.

CHAPTER
2

Death is not a punishment

for wrongdoing and life

not the reward for good.

Tanith
Lee

Muted angry voices sounded in the distance in her throbbing ears. ‘…to hit her! She was about to tell me something urgent and if you had not hit her unconscious I would have known what it was by now!’

‘But Your Highness, she knocked down four guards to get here and
–’

‘Proof enough then that it must be important, Jaromir!’

Tirsa tried to listen to the two voices; one male and the other female, through her pounding headache, which wasn’t easy. It was as if the darkness pulled her back every time she tried. Somehow, she had to fight that, although it was tempting to just give in to it.

‘It might have been an attack on your life, Your Highness.’

‘One of my own commanders? My father – rest his soul – knighted everyone personally, are you saying you doubt his judgment?’

She heard Jaromir holding his breath ruefully. ‘No, of course not, Your Highness.’

A silence followed by footsteps coming her way. The woman’s voice sounded very close now. It was a pleasant vivid voice and warm despite her words. Tirsa wagered she was a good singer.

‘She does not have a sword on her and no other hidden weapons, I have checked that.’
She had?

‘I’ve heard she is very skilled in mortal combat,’ Jaromir started. ‘Obviously she must be mad for breaking into the castle like this; for surely she knows the consequences. Therefore caring little for her own life she must have come for yours. Clearly, she is an assassin. I advise you strongly to tie her up in case she wakes up.’ When she did not respond he continued, ‘My Lady, it is hard to trust anyone these days. Surely you must know that, even in our crime free country.’

‘I did not ask for your opinion, or your advice.’

Tirsa liked the way she responded to that annoying man. She had a feeling that the woman was examining her somehow; she thought she even felt a warm hand on her forehead briefly. It felt soothing. It brought her a little closer to the light again. She tasted blood in her mouth.

‘We have to do something about those guards; better training, better protection and most definitely a much better lock on the castle door, Your Highness,’ he raged while Tirsa heard him pacing the room back and forth.

‘If I cannot trust my own army anymore …’ her voice sounded dubious and absent.

‘Times are changing. If your army is plotting against you, we will have to see to that. I start the investigation of course. We could arrange for spies and –’

She sighed. ‘We will discuss that later. I will query this one first, but … I doubt she came to take my life.’
The anger she showed me when she came storming through that door I recognize all too well … She came to ask for help; she came to ask for freedom. How could she explain that to her guard? ‘You are dismissed.’

‘But Your Highness, what if –’

‘That is all, Jaromir,’ she demanded without looking at him. She did not have to. He knew when to obey.

‘As you wish, my Lady.’

Tirsa heard hurrying feet, then a door opening and closing.

She could hear her sigh again more closely and the ruffling of a dress, and as the woman sat down, Tirsa felt herself moving to one side a little.

‘You can open your eyes now.’

Tirsa felt a little exposed as she did not really believe she could lift her heavy eyelids, even if she wanted to. When she tried; everything seemed a blur and the vague face before her eyes was bouncing up and down; as if she was on a ship on a stormy sea. It was not the first time she had been knocked out in her career, and
she had been drunk a few times; which felt a little like this, without the pain. She could not seem to think at all. Tirsa shut her eyes again with a small moan.

‘It’s alright. I know you can hear me, just try it slowly. Try to focus your eyes on one thing first.’ Her voice sounded courteous and kind
, and her warm hand seemed to give her new strength and energy through her forehead. It seemed to help to fight the pain.

Tirsa did as she was told; she focused on the eyes of the mysterious woman. It worked; her face no longer bounced before her; it even seemed familiar, but then again it was not a face you saw every day. It was unearthly divine; with those intelligent slightly slant
ed midnight ocean blue eyes; as if they understood all, and her scarlet wonderful mouth, which curled up in a faint smile. There was compassion in her face and something sad and wise at the same time. It was like looking into the face of love and life itself. Every worry seemed to slip away from Tirsa, like getting rid of an overweight chain mail after a long hard day. Feeling bare, light and flowing, she continued to stare at that divine beauty without any thought, any worry. If she wanted she could lose herself completely, right now …

Tirsa felt a tear slowly rolling down her cheek, which took her out of her dream state; as if that drop of soul water did not belong to her. All of a sudden she was feeling so much that she was weeping soundlessly. Weeping for the fact she had awakened finally; after months of living without seeing; without noticing things around her, without emotions, just doing her job in order to forget her pain and loss, avoiding any contact, any thoughts,
and any feelings. Now she was not thinking either, only feeling; allowing herself to truly feel again, something she had blocked out for so long.

If she hadn’t just moments ago heard that discussion before, she would have thought she was on the
other side and this was a goddess. That wouldn’t have surprised her at all. She didn’t really lead a safe life, especially over the last couple of years; she had been quite careless.

At that exact moment she was aware of who she was again; and most of all where she was
, and that this unearthly enchanting woman wasn’t just any woman, but the Queen of Ceartas herself. Being Tirsa’s country as well, she was therefore her queen. She quickly wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.

This was the first time she
had seen Artride at such a close proximity. Too often, she was away on a mission for the land with her company to have cared for what she looked like; if she cared at all for Royalty; which she did not.

S
he forced herself to look around and discovered she was indeed lying in a bed; moreover the bed of Queen Artride! She had indeed found her bedroom. She had made it all the way, but not without casualty, and touching her head she felt a wrapped bandage. A dull ache came from within her skull; at the back where she had been hit.

Slowly her thoughts came back and the veil was lifting. Again, she remembered the reason why she was here and she tried to sit up, opening her mouth to speak; but alas found no words when she looked
upon that deceiving face again.

‘You were hit on the back of your head by one of my guards, wait
,’ Artride said and she placed her hands on the spot. Tirsa could feel the pain subsiding.
How does she do that?

‘There, that feels better, does it not?’

Tirsa wondered if she had bandaged her head as well. It didn’t seem possible, did it? A queen nursing a wounded knight!

She nodded and hastily clutched her head. Nodding hurt! Queen Artride smiled a warm comforting smile. ‘Try not to move your head too much, just lie down again and rest some more.’ It was impossible to disobey
, and why would she want to?

Tirsa lay back on the warm soft sheets, feeling puzzled.

She seems so nice. But how can she be a nice person and responsible for so many deaths? That does not make sense at all!

‘I don’t reaaall
–’, she tried with a thick tongue. It appeared she had bitten her tongue somewhere along the line. Her words did not make sense either.

‘Do not try to talk. We will converse later
,’ she said, gesturing her to stay in the bed. Artride got up and whilst she was walking to the door, Tirsa observed her. The queen wore a long purple velvet dress with white laces and a dark blue girdle around her waist. There was something about her that just made you forget about everything else. As if she was the centre of everything; she certainly had that air about her.

I am bewitched! We all are.

‘No wait!’ she suddenly managed to say and she was surprised by the clarity and force of her own voice. The queen turned around and looked just as surprised at her.

‘Please.’ She added a bit awkwardly.

Queen Artride slowly walked back, and on her way she picked up a jug and poured some water in a glass, which she gave to Tirsa, settling herself on the bed again. Artride was curious enough to hear what she had to say.

She carefully took a few sips and quietly asked, ‘How long was I out?’

‘The whole morning; a couple of hours.’

Tirsa closed her eyes in distress. I might just as well have waited for that appointment after all! She cursed herself.

The Queen observed her calmly with a slightly tilted head, waiting patiently for her to talk. There were unmistakable signs of grief on her young face; Artride saw the same when she stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

Tirsa tried to avoid her penetrating
, curious eyes. Instead, she looked at her own hands; fingers interlaced, lying in her lap.

‘I am sorry for bursting in like that. I
… didn’t know what else to do … your Highness.’ Thank the heavens for remembering she was talking to a queen.

‘Well, I certainly hope you have a good reason for that error Commander. You do owe me a very cogent explanation. You could be fired for this and you should be aware that you will be punished.’ And she added
more softly, ‘That is the law.’ And she turned her face away so she couldn’t see her eyes, as if she regretted this decision, but remained cool.

Tirsa met her eyes after a moment and felt weak. It was not that she was afraid of her own well
-being, but thought again about her only concern now.

‘What was your reason to endanger yourself so?’

She swallowed hard and her voice quavered a little while she answered; looking at her hands again.

‘It’s my little brother, you see. You must have heard about him. Twelve he is. He probably came to pay me a visit when your guards imprisoned him and for what?’ She looked up and saw the
queen opening her mouth slightly in shock.

‘Breaking a branch from an old dying tree! Because of your ancient laws, older than the tree
, he will be hanged in three weeks time. Hanged!’ Her voice rose while she spoke and her face turned crimson from anger. She could feel a knot building up in her throat, as she tried to keep her eyes dry and head cool.

The
queen tightened her face, dropping her head low and then glancing out of the window, ashamed, and as if she was waiting for some form of rescue.

For she knew perfectly well what Tirsa was talking about; although
not realising it had been Tirsa’s brother. She sympathetically responded, facing her again, ‘Yes, it has come to my attention, naturally. I even talked to your brother. He did break off a dead branch indeed; not a live one,’ she ironically added, and rolled her eyes. ‘Unfortunately that tree was the Holy Oak on the castle square. The tree is dying, but still it’s not allowed for anyone except Royalty to even as much as touch it.’ She suddenly smiled sadly. ‘Heavy penalties are a result according to the Law Book. Your brother explained to me that he wanted to design a flute. He couldn’t have known he’d put himself in danger. However, according to the law; he should have, for at the time he was in Ceartas where everyone is supposed to know the law, basically. And the penalties,’ she added softly.

‘But certainly you cannot expect a child to know the law! A child!’ Tirsa forgot all about politeness regarding the
queen for a moment. ‘I am begging you to make an exception for children, please …!’

Artride did not seem to mind her talking to her that way. She was upset herself. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were watery
, avoiding Tirsa’s.

‘According to the
book you reach adulthood at twelve in Ceartas, that counts for everyone, even visitors breaking a law,’ she said solemnly. ‘So we cannot consider him a child anymore; even if he is. You do not know how anything would gratify me more than doing something about changing the law, however …’ she lowered her face in shame, a strand of black hair covering her face.

‘My Lady?’ Tirsa asked questionably. The
queen glanced again at the Commander of the seventh company and while she faced her with dignity she calmly shook her head, ‘I cannot.’ The words were out before she knew it.
Why I am telling her this? It will only cause her more grief.

Tirsa shook her head in astonishment. She didn’t care if it hurt. ‘What do you mean, you cannot? You always have the last word in a penalty. Everyone knows that.’
That is why most despise you.

‘It is the law
,’ she repeated, unaffected.