Thorn Boy and Other Dreams of Dark Desire (11 page)

The hour
for breakfast had nearly passed, and no guards had arrived to drag
me off into custody. Perhaps Akaten had appealed to Alofel on my
behalf. Perhaps they were waiting to see what
I’d
do. After all, Alofel would have been aware
I had my allies at court. I half expected Porfarryah to show her
face, but she did not. I even harboured a small, sickening desire
for Akaten to come to me, but even as I longed for it, I knew I was
destined to be disappointed.

I could go to
one of my friends on the Council and speak to them in confidence. I
could make provisions for an exile I could bear. If I made a
dignified retreat, Alofel would be unlikely to oppose it, because
to do so would attract more attention to the situation. Yes, this
would be the safest course. I knew exactly from whom I could expect
sympathy and aid. But these things would not give me what I desired
most: revenge. I resolved, in my unfamiliar agony, to take a
risk.

I donned my
smartest, blackest clothes and brushed my hair until it gleamed
like jet. I put earrings of obsidian into my ears, and brushed the
skin around my eyes with a kiss of charcoal. My mirror showed me
the image of an aloof young man of glacial beauty. I was a black
and white creature; even my lips were without colour, and my eyes
were the darkest grey. It was as I desired.

Once my
preparations were finished, I called for Wezling and ordered him to
precede me to the women’s quarters. Only servants were about at
that hour, but I was conscious of the way they avoided my eyes as I
approached. Once I had passed they would look back at me and
whisper.

Wezling hopped
around outside the swan-relief doors to the concubines’ apartments,
but I did not pause. Surprised, he jumped ahead of me. ‘Excuse me,
sir, but where are we going? You said the women’s quarters...’

‘
Of the
queen,’ I answered.

He said
nothing more.

Guards stood
on duty before Mallory’s chambers, as they did before Alofel’s, but
her quarters were more modest and were not approached by a flight
of steps. This area of the palace was very feminine, light and
airy. There were no impending grey stones, no heavy banners of
dark, funereal colours, but gauzy cream curtains, and tiles of
polished white marble. Pretty green birds sang and fluttered in
enormous cages that hung from the ceiling. The incense here was of
mimosa, jasmine and rose.

Wezling bowed
to the guards and requested that the queen’s steward be summoned.
After a few minutes, a tall youth in saffron livery presented
himself before us. Orlando. He was entirely a creature of Mallory’s
and despised me utterly. I, after all, was the favourite of the
king, while he was relegated to the service of the queen. No doubt
he thought enough of himself to believe he was more worthy of
Alofel’s attention than I. I disliked his small, full lips, and the
indistinct colour of his hair, although by many his looks were
considered incomparable. He glanced at Wezling and beyond him. His
mouth turned down into a sneer when he saw me standing there upon
the rose-coloured carpet, a spectre in black. He did not bother to
address my servant.

‘
What do
you want?’

‘
Good
morning, Orlando. Be so kind as to tell the queen I wish to speak
with her.’

He laughed in
incredulity. ‘What? Do you really think she will oblige you?’

I refused to
return his rudeness; my voice was mild. ‘Yes. When she hears what I
have to say.’

‘
Which
is?’

‘
That is
my business and Queen Mallory’s. I will not discuss it with her
underlings.’

Orlando flared
his nostrils. ‘You needn’t think that just because you’ve lost the
king’s favour, you can come sniffing round here, hoping Her Majesty
will take pity on you. She won’t. You’re finished, Darien, and not
before time.’

I sighed
patiently. ‘Orlando, I have no interest in your opinions. Tell the
queen I am here, and that I must speak to her. It is for her
benefit as much as mine. And let me tell you now, if you continue
to be obstructive, to the point where the queen does not learn the
information I have to give her, she will not look kindly upon you
at all.’

He hesitated a
moment, and I could almost see his dim brain trying to invent some
new insults. Clearly, none were forthcoming, because he dismissed
me from his attention and stalked back into the royal apartments. I
looked at Wezling’s mortified face and smiled gently. I felt my
power coming back to me. It filled the fibres of my body with
crimson fire.

I knew that
the queen would not be able to resist finding out what I had to
say, although she did keep me waiting outside her quarters for over
an hour. She sent no-one to invite me into the reception chamber,
where I might have waited in more comfort. Still, these affronts
did not bother me. I understood why she felt I deserved them.

Eventually,
Orlando reappeared and ordered me inside. ‘You’re lucky,’ he said.
‘She’s curious.’

I smiled
politely and followed him into the queen’s morning room. She sat
beneath the window at her breakfast table, being fussed over by a
gang of maids and boy-servants. She had clearly come recently from
her bath, because she wore only a belted gown, and the room reeked
of lilac-scented body powder. I realised this was the closest I had
ever come to her. Mallory was an imposing sight; very tall, and
although not in the slightest given to fat, a statuesque and
heavy-boned creature. Her heavy ash-blond hair fell over her
shoulders and curled down into the ripe cleavage of her
powder-spotted bosom. She wore no make-up, other than a scrawl of
black over each plucked eyebrow. Her lips, like mine, were
unusually pale.

‘
Well,
well,’ she drawled as I entered the room. ‘What have we here? A
little black imp, I believe!’ All her menials tittered at the
joke.

I bowed low.
‘Thank you for granting me an audience, Your Majesty. I would speak
to you alone.’

Mallory lifted
a huge strawberry from a porcelain dish before her, dipped it into
an avalanche of white sugar heaped in a bowl nearby, and popped it
into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully as she looked at me. ‘I
wonder what you could have to tell me that I might find
interesting.’

‘
It
concerns a matter of mutual anxiety.’

She smiled and
took another strawberry, twirling it in her fingers before her
lips. ‘But, Darien, I don’t feel anxious,’ she said and bit into
the fruit.

‘
I would
very much like to speak to you in private.’

She stared at
me, chewing. Her gaze was inscrutable, although I could tell she
was delighted I was there. She swallowed, and for a few moments,
glanced around herself scornfully, as if appraising her staff, who
all gawped at her like eager puppies. Then, she sniffed. ‘Very
well. Out. All of you! Scamper off now!’

Once they had
all departed in a flustered and disgruntled throng, I bowed again.
‘Thank you, Your Majesty.’

Mallory raised
a hand at me dismissively. ‘Oh, don’t come that with me. We both
know where we stand. Now, I suppose you want my help because Alofel
is glutting himself on Mewtish meat.’

I told her
then what had happened the previous night.

When I had
finished speaking, she twitched her nose and drew her finger
through the sugar, licked it. ‘I can’t understand why you think I
might have the slightest interest in your plight, or even what I
could do about it. It has long been ground into me I have no
influence over my husband’s carnal affairs.’

‘
I am
not looking for help,’ I replied, ‘but a partner.’

Mallory
laughed fiercely. ‘What?’ Sobering, she shook her head. ‘Oh,
Darien, Darien, I believe I might be dreaming. Do not take me for a
fool.’

‘
That is
the last thing I would ever take you for,’ I said. ‘I never
have.’

‘
Flattery now, eh?’ She took another fruit, nibbled it
thoughtfully, pointed at me with it. ‘Let us face facts. You have
been a thorn in my mattress for years. You strut around as if you
were his wife, not I. You and that slut, Porfarryah. If you are in
pain now, I applaud it.’

‘
Your
Majesty, I enact my role in this palace as you enact yours. I
understand your vexation, but the way things are is really not my
fault.’

‘
Perhaps
not, but you’re the one asking for my aid, not Alofel. I have to
admit, I’m aghast you have the impertinence to present yourself
here. Has love brought you to this grovelling state, sweet
Darien?’

‘
Not
love,’ I said. ‘Something you understand, I think.
Revenge.’

Mallory
laughed again. ‘It makes no difference to me whether you or the
Mewt wave your backsides in Alofel’s face. I have no desire to help
you or conspire with you. Whatever happens, my life will still be
littered with impudent strumpets.’

I dared not
feel defeated. ‘Your Majesty, the presence of the Mewt is a threat
to all. Much as it seems distasteful to you, we should close ranks
over this interloper, otherwise we could all be out in the
cold.’

Mallory raised
an eyebrow. ‘Really? Explain.’

I sauntered to
her table and she watched in silence as I helped myself to a
strawberry. ‘You know as well as I how Akaten was regarded in Mewt.
As Alofel’s favourite, he may well wheedle similar favours here. If
I am a thorn in your mattress, he will be a cage of briars around
you.’ I paused and chewed the strawberry. ‘Alofel loves Akaten.
That is common knowledge. Love makes people stupid. They desire to
please.’

Mallory shook
her head. ‘Alofel is a creature of tradition. He would not dare to
make too many changes. He would be opposed.’

I took a deep
breath. ‘Naturally, and it would damage him in the eyes of the
court. Perhaps we have a duty to address this situation. Look, I
could have approached members of the Council about this, but
despite our mutual feelings, I came to you. Why? Because I know
this is your territory. You are the only person in this
establishment capable of dealing with the Mewt.’

Mallory
regarded me keenly for a while. ‘Well, these are words I never
expected to hear.’ She rolled a strawberry around in the sugar.
‘Maybe, just maybe, I could be of assistance. However, I will not
come from this empty-handed.’

‘
I would
not expect you to. What are your terms?’

‘
As you
have implied, you have friends among the Councillors. You must
speak to them. Before this matter can proceed any further, I want
your promise that you will arrange for your council seat to be
passed to me.’

It took some
effort to conceal my surprise. ‘That may be difficult, Your
Majesty.’

‘
Oh
well. You may leave, then. The matter is closed.’

‘
There
would have to be a vote.’

‘
I know.
But for your allies, my friends would have swayed the vote a long
time ago.’

I realised
then she had been waiting for a moment such as this. In her
patience, some instinct had advised her it would come. Once I was
dismissed from Alofel’s side, my seat would be lost in any case. I
had nothing to lose. ‘Very well. I will do as you ask.’

‘
Good.
Do it now, and return to me with news. Then we shall
talk.’

It was not an
easy task. Some of the councillors were extremely wary of Mallory;
a queen who showed more interest in affairs of state than was
considered demure. I had to remind my council friends of favours I
had granted them, words whispered to the king that had advanced
their various, personal causes. One particular duke, Ferdinand,
spoke plainly that morning.

‘
Darien,
yours was ever a thin pole to balance upon. Now you have fallen.
What use are you to any of us now? I admire and respect you, but
for my own safety I should stand back and observe as you bleed and
struggle with your broken bones.’

‘
I know
too much,’ I answered. ‘You won’t let the fall cripple
me.’

I saw him mull
over, then, the things I had done for him in the past, and how the
details of his affairs, brought to light, would cause him
discomfort.

‘
You are
Cossic,’ I said in a kinder tone. ‘Surely you would prefer Mallory
beside you on the council rather than Akaten?’

‘
That
would not happen!’ he said.

I shrugged.
‘Akaten will not help you. He does not understand the machinery of
the court. Mallory as an ally, however, could be of use.’

Ferdinand
shook his head. ‘You want blood, don’t you,’ he said.

I smiled. ‘I
have been treated badly, betrayed and used. Blood is the least I
desire.’

By noon, I had
persuaded all but two of my allies to vote for Mallory. It was the
majority she needed. In truth, I think most of the councillors
realised that as they would be losing me, they might as well
attempt to woo the queen. I knew she wouldn’t be as amenable as I
had been, and was forced to exaggerate a little concerning this,
but if they paid whatever price she demanded, they might still claw
back some clandestine influence over the king.

The next time
I presented myself at Mallory’s door, I was allowed entrance
immediately. She saw me once more in her salon, now dressed in a
robe of soft, heather-coloured silk.I gave her a list of names,
beside which I had secured some signatures. The next time the
council met, they would have to vote in someone to replace me. Now,
that would be Mallory. Alofel might not like it, but he’d be aware
his position was delicate at present and would not put up a
fight.