A Charge of Valor (23 page)

Thor marched quickly through the lower city of Silesia, accompanied by the MacGils—Kendrick, Reece, and Godfrey, the three brothers united again—and by Srog, Brom, Atme and several other soldiers. He held the Destiny Sword at his side, and the small group of men fell in beside him as they led him towards the hiding place of their mother, the former Queen.

Kendrick had filled Thor in on the events that had transpired since he’d left, and Thor ran them all through his mind. Andronicus’ invasion; the destruction of King’s Court; the Silesian siege. Gwen’s becoming queen…. The only thing Kendrick hadn’t yet told him was the one question he wanted answered most: what had happened to Gwendolyn?

When Thor asked Kendrick and Godfrey, they had each lowered their eyes and looked away. They would not tell him. When he’d asked why, they wouldn’t say. And when he had asked where she was, all they said was that the last they had seen her, she had been in hiding in the lower city, and that she was rumored to have escaped. To where, they did not know. They had said that the former Queen knew, and Thor had insisted that they lead him to her at once.

The fact that they would not answer him left a weight in Thor’s chest. By their expressions, he sensed something bad had happened to her, and he needed to know what it was. He felt overwhelmed with guilt for not having been here, at her side, through all of this. He just needed, desperately, to know that she was alive, that she was safe, and well. Only then would he rest at ease.

They marched through the lower castle, littered with the corpses of Empire soldiers who had been slaughtered by the freed Silesians after Thor had repelled the invaders. They hurried up the palace steps, and marched down corridors, Kendrick and Srog leading the way, until they reached the Queen’s chamber. They all stopped before the door, now guarded by Silesian soldiers, and paused as the soldiers made way, then headed inside.

The Queen stood at the window, dressed in all black, looking mournful, more aged than Thor had ever seen her. She slowly turned and faced them, expressionless, stern.

As Thor examined her, he wondered. Here he stood, wielding the Destiny Sword. Did that mean that he, Thor, was a MacGil? Did that mean that the woman standing before him was his mother?

The thought of it sent a shudder through him. He knew how much she hated him. Was the reason why somehow connected to his lineage?

The Queen’s eyes immediately fell to the sword in Thor’s hands, and they widened in surprise.

“
I need answers,” Thor said to her, firm, in a rush. “I need to see Gwendolyn, right away. Where is she? Is she safe? What is all this mystery surrounding her?”

The Queen turned and looked at the others standing around Thor, then cleared her throat.

“
All of you, leave us,” she said.

The entourage filtered out of the room, except for Kendrick, Reece and Godfrey, who exchanged a confused look.

“
What is it that you have to say to Thor that you cannot say in front of your own three sons?” Godfrey asked.

The Queen shook her head.

“
It is not for your ears,” she said firmly. “Leave us now.”

The three of them slowly turned and walked out, closing the door behind them.

Thor and the Queen stood there, alone, facing each other. Thor’s heart pounded even more as he stood opposite her, wondering what awful calamity might have befallen Gwen.

Thor could stand it no more: he rushed towards her, and cried: “Answer me! Where is she? Is she alive?”

The Queen nodded somberly.

“
She is alive, yes.”

Thor’s heart flooded with relief. That was all he needed to here.

“
Where is she?” he pressed.

“
Far from here,” she answered. “She has fled to the Tower of Refuge. In the farthest southern reaches of the Ring.”

Thor looked back, puzzled.

“
The Tower of Refuge?” he asked.

“
It is a place for those recovering from calamity. For those who decide to take an oath and remove themselves from this world.”

Thor stepped forward and grabbed the Queen’s wrist in frustration.

“
No more riddles! Tell me!” he yelled, his voice echoing off the walls.

The Queen lowered her eyes, and Thor could see that they were wet. She breathed deeply.

“
Gwendolyn was attacked,” she said flatly. “Raped. By Andronicus’s men.”

At her words, Thor loosened his grip, his mouth open wide in shock, his breath stopped in his chest. He stood there, and his entire body went cold. He could hardly breathe.

“
She is not the Gwendolyn you once knew,” she said. “She is embittered. Hardened of spirit and of soul. She lives. But her spirit does not.”

Thor stood there, his mind reeling, dizzy from the news. He wanted to stab himself with his sword in his own heart, so overwhelmed with guilt for not being there to spare her.

“
She pines for you,” the queen said. “But she believes that because of what happened to her, you won’t care for her anymore.”

Thor reddened.

“
That is ridiculous,” he said. “Of course I do. I care for her just as much. Even more so. Why would that change my feelings for her? What kind of man do you think I am?”

“
I told her,” the Queen said. “But she would not believe it.”

Thor shook his head.

“
My love for her is as strong as it ever was. Even stronger.”

“
But you were not here to tell her that with your own words, were you?” the Queen asked. “So she has gone. To enter the Tower.”

“
Then I will go and find her!” Thor said, preparing to leave.

“
She will not listen,” the Queen said. “Those who enter the Tower never leave. I fear Gwendolyn is lost to you.”

“
Nothing
is ever lost,” Thor said. “You are a defeated woman. A widow. A pessimist. I am young and strong. My love for her will bring her back.”

The Queen smiled wryly.

“
And you are an optimist,” she countered. “And naïve. You don’t understand a woman’s perspective.”

“
I don’t need to,” Thor separate “I know Gwendolyn. And I know who I am. And I know what we have. We can transcend all of this. This doesn’t mean a thing.”

Thor did not want to hear any more of this embittered woman’s rants; he turned and prepared to leave the room—when suddenly something occurred to him, and he turned back to face the Queen.

“
Why don’t you want me to be with Gwendolyn?” he pressed.

At first she stared back at him blankly, but then she looked away.

Thor stepped forward, needing to know. He knew there was something she was hiding from him.

“
The Sword,” he pressed, feeling it throbbing in his palm. “Legend holds that only a MacGil can wield it.”

She refused to look at him, and he sensed he was getting closer to the truth.

“
Is that it? Is that why you don’t want me near her? Am I a MacGil? Was MacGil my father? Is Gwendolyn my sister?”

The Queen looked directly at him, then finally, turned away.

Thor stepped forward, at the end of his rope.

“
ANSWER ME!” he yelled, swirling with so many mixed emotions.

The queen slowly looked up, silent.

“
Is King MacGil my father?” Thor repeated slowly, desperate to know.

She stared at him, her eyes hollow and cold.

“
No,” she finally said, flatly.

Thor froze, caught off guard. He had not expected that response. He was deeply relieved to hear that he was not related to Gwendolyn, which he had feared ever since he had been able to wield the Sword. He sensed that, finally, he was learning the truth.

“
Then who is?” he pressed.

She looked away.

“
He is my father, whoever he is. I have a right to know. Please. Tell me,” he pleaded softly, exhausted.

She stared at him long and hard, and finally, she uttered one word that made Thor’s knees weak, and would change his life forever: