Against the Reign (9 page)

“The dungeon, yes.” Liam rises and extends a hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“The dungeon. You should see your brother and know he’s okay.”

“We have to wait for Ward.”

“It’ll take him awhile to get back. We’ll slip down to the dungeons and say hello and come back.” Liam helps me up while I struggle with the mental dilemma. But I guess he’s right; it will take Ward a while to find Hob and get him a carriage and return. I take Liam’s hand.

“Let’s go. But we have to hurry. I don’t want to leave Ward behind.”

Eighteen

We slip through the castle easily, but the dungeon is under heavy guard. With no reasonable way to get past them, Liam takes my hand and marches to the key keeper.

“I need to see the prisoner,” he demands firmly. It’s the first time I’ve seen him talk like a king would and I feel something in me warm considerably. I hope no one can see me blush in the light from the lanterns.

“King Ulric has strict orders over this prisoner,” the key keeper says.

“As I well know. But as my new wife is a relation of the prisoner, and as she is worried for his health, she is denying me an agreeable wedding night until she has seen him alive and well. Will you stand in my way, Sir, knowing well that I am to be crowned in a short time as your king?” Liam says with a straight face, his eyes narrowing slightly. The guard glances back at me. I’m trying hard not to shake my head at Liam’s ridiculous excuse, but to back him up, I fold my arms across my chest and put my nose in the air. To my surprise, it works.

“Fine, but be quick about it. If King Ulric gets wind of this, it’ll be my head.” The guard unlocks the door and lets us in. He leads us down a dark, damp corridor and unlocks another door with a small barred window on it.

“Go on, then. I’ll wait,” Liam says curtly to me. I understand; he’ll stay with the guard and make sure he doesn’t eavesdrop. I throw him an evil look as I walk by to thank him.

The inside of the dungeon cell is dimly lit with a lantern. My foot nudges some dishes on the floor, but they’re empty. There’s a figure lying in the dark ahead of me. When I enter the glow of the light and Vian can see me, he jumps up.

“Ginny!” he exclaims in a harsh whisper, throwing his arms around me. I hug him fiercely and will myself not to cry.

“Are you okay? Have they hurt you?” I cup his face in my hands. He takes them in his own and squeezes them.

“I’m fine. I put up a fight at first, but when they threatened your life I quit. I didn’t want them to hurt you because of me,” he says.

“Have you eaten?” I think of the feast upstairs and burn with anger that I didn’t bring something for him.

He motions to the dishes. “They’ve been feeding me well. I’m okay. What’s happening? Are we going home?”

My heart sinks. “No, we’re not. Not yet.” I fill him in on the marriage contract and why I’m here. I don’t tell him our suspicions; the guard is too close.

“Ginny, you’re married!” he says in disbelief, but with a grin.

“Kind of,” I say.

“Whatever happens, you know I support you. I’ll do whatever you want me to.”

There’s a light tapping on the door; my time is running out. I push away the frantic feeling that I don’t want to leave him and grip his shoulders.

“What I want you to do is to live, Vian. At any cost, you stay alive! Get back to Newrock as soon as they release you and regroup with the court. War may be on the horizon, but I want you to stay out of the fighting. Please, Vian, for me, you have to live!” My voice chokes. I throw back the slit of the dress and pull out my dagger. “Here.” I press it in his hands. “Hide this on yourself. Protect yourself if you must. I will do everything I can to make sure you get out of here.” I turn to leave, not wanting to draw out our goodbye.

“But what about you, Ginny? Are you okay?” he asks. I turn back to him. His brown eyes search me and again I see the little boy with the quivering lip. I can’t answer, but I hurry over and pull him into another embrace.

Then I walk away.

Nineteen

We go back to Liam’s room and check the window; Ward isn’t there. We both take a seat by the window to wait, but this time in silence. I can’t talk and Liam seems to understand. More than just make me sad, the visit with Vian has renewed my resolve to live, at least until I can see that Vian is home and safe. Yet the possibility of that happening seems low.

Our only hope is that message getting to Newrock, and I’m leaving it in the hands of a beggar.

At some point my thoughts become muddled and I jerk awake; my head is resting on Liam’s shoulder. I fly to the window. Panic makes my hands tremble as I shake Liam awake.

“What is it?” he asks.

“The sky is getting lighter! It’s morning, and Ward isn’t here!” I’m desperately searching through the dim light to see if maybe he’s hiding somewhere down below. Liam joins me.

“You told him if he couldn’t find Hob to go back to Newrock himself. For all we know, Hob didn’t stay in the town. Or he passed out somewhere and Ward couldn’t find him. This town is large and easy to get lost in. I know.”

“You’re probably right. Either way, as long as the message got to Newrock, we’ll be okay. But we should be ready.” I stand and stretch out my aching joints. Liam unties the rope and gathers it up to hide it. He grabs his belt and fastens it back on. I realize I gave my dagger away and have no weapon. I tell him.

“We’ll try to get you something before we leave. We’ll have to be armed, since we don’t know if anyone will reach us before the time comes. If we’re right about the attack.” Liam and I both jump when there’s a knock at the door. He calls out to ask who it is.

“His Majesty requests your presence in the Great Hall. As soon as you’re ready to depart.” Comes the voice from the other side.

“The sun barely awakens and he’s ready for me to hand over my kingdom,” I say quietly.

“No sense in wasting time. We should go.” Liam escorts me from the room to the bower and leaves me there while he goes to change; we’re still in the clothes from the wedding. In the closet, I find a woman’s clothes and I change into a dress I can travel in. It’s a little long on me, meant for someone taller, but it’ll do.  As I sift through the garments in the closet, I find a traveling cloak, brilliant emerald-green with the crest of Etigan on it. I stare at it for a moment. Green and silver, with a fierce lion holding an emerald in its mouth. My first thought is to throw it to the ground and stomp on it.

I am Newrock, through and through.

But I understand the significance of using the cloak. I have to sign over my kingdom and my right as queen. If we live through our trip, I’ll be queened as one of Etigan, and I need to show my support for this new kingdom. I put the cloak on. I clumsily fix my hair and crown, hoping it will appear as if I had help. Then I arrange the bed so it looks as though someone is sleeping there to cover for Ward. Liam knocks on the door and I call him in.

He studies me silently for almost a minute. I finally have to ask, “What are you looking at?”

He steps closer to adjust the clip at the neck of the cloak. “Has anyone ever told you that you look beautiful in green?”

“Only the future king of Etigan,” I reply. Using the clip to hold me steady, Liam leans in and presses his lips to my mouth. It catches me off guard; in a reflex action my hand flies to my leg, but, of course, there’s nothing there. Instead, his hand catches mine and he holds it against his chest, allowing me to feel his heart which is beating rapidly. He pulls away from the kiss, but keeps my hand firmly pressed against his chest.

“I will keep you safe, whatever happens,” he promises quietly. In an attempt to defuse the awkwardness of the moment, I grin.

“You underestimate me, then?”

“I just mean…”

“I know what you meant,” I say, then add, “you big buffoon.”

It brings a smile to his face, the one I recognize from the nights in the alley. He opens his mouth to speak again, but a knock on the door interrupts us. Before opening the door, I fold up my wedding dress and stuff it into a pocket of the traveling cloak; I want it close to me. Guards line the hallway to escort us to King Ulric. Somehow, as we step from the room, I don’t think I’m going to have a chance to get a weapon.

I’m glad to see food prepared, even though it’s much earlier than I would normally eat. I need the strength. I don’t hesitate to fill myself, unsure when my next meal will be, though it’s difficult to push away thoughts of Vian eating alone in that dark cell. Once we’re done, Ferrant appears with parchments.

“He was my father’s second best man,” I whisper to Liam. His eyes widen.

“Ferrant is from Newrock?”

“He betrayed us. He was working for your uncle.”

“Then you may be right about my uncle and your parents. I didn’t know he had an insider there. And one so highly ranked.” Liam frowns deeply.

“If Ferrant suspected our kingdom was going to fall, he may have switched sides to save his own neck,” I suggest. Liam nods slowly in deep thought.

King Ulric begins the ceremony, if it could be called that, by making a brief speech to the members of his court and army that have gathered. The contract is unrolled before me so I can read it before I sign. There, printed in ink, the parchment that will take everything from me. I read it quickly to verify that it states the releasing of my brother and it does. But I still don’t trust Ulric or his promises. I’m sure he can see it in my eyes when I look at him.

“Now, to sign the contract. With this done, you may both go and enjoy yourselves for a time. I will watch over things here until you return. Then, I can retire peacefully, and take care of my wife. Your beloved mother, Liam.” Ulric smiles genially at Liam and I instinctively put a hand on Liam’s in case he’s tempted to attack. His hand is clenched, but he doesn’t react. Ulric looks around us and frowns. “Virginia, your maid is missing.”

“She has taken quite ill. I must leave her behind to be attended by the physician,” I say calmly.

“I will provide you a maid to wait on you in the meantime. It is the least I can do. Now we should finish this.” Ulric dips a quill in ink and hands it to me.

I position my hand over the parchment. It’s only a manner of signing for it to be done. My hand is sweating. I put the tip to rest on the parchment and see the ink stain the page. My fingers tremble. I glance up at Ulric; his smile is kind, but behind his eyes, he’s throwing threats at me like daggers. I choke back hot, angry tears and see my father’s disappointed face in my head. Liam touches the small of my back and I swallow hard.

I sign the parchment. Virginia, Queen of Newrock, has signed.

Newrock no longer exists.

It’s Liam that removes and hands over my crown, and replaces it with one designated for a princess. I’m grateful he does, because I’m suddenly too weak to lift it. My hands fall to my sides useless. I feel stripped and naked. I try pulling the cloak around me to warm the feeling, but when I see the green color, it chokes me like hands around my neck, and I want to rip it off. To my relief, Liam escorts me away quickly.

King Ulric follows to see us off. I note Lextus is among the six horses pulling our carriage and I’m sickened at the sight. A valiant stallion pushed into a group of geldings like a servant. Just one more way Ulric disgraces our kingdom. I take a moment to meet Ulric’s eyes before getting into the carriage. His nod to me screams, “I win!”

I take a seat in the carriage and am quickly joined by the maid Ulric has provided me. Liam sits across from us. Guards flank the carriage on horseback to escort us on our trip.

To make sure we can’t escape when the time comes.

Twenty

With the addition of the maid in the carriage, we really can’t talk to each other. Instead, my thoughts just wander around my mind and make me nervous. We didn’t have a chance to grab a weapon before we were hurried away, leaving me completely unarmed in the face of an attack.

I also begin to think about the message I sent. I’m afraid even if they did get the message they won’t make it. They don’t have enough time to get here. Our chance of making it through the day alive is looking pretty slim. I look out the window to count the guards. There are two in the driver’s seat, two on either side, two in the rear. Eight guards. And we have one sword.

One hour turns to two. Then three. The trip is uneventful and the carriage ride is making me tired. But I know I can’t let my guard down. Still, I lean my head back against the carriage and rest my eyes for a moment. The carriage bumps something, perhaps a rock in the road, and I open my eyes with the jolt. The curtain is just slightly pulled back, enough I can see out with one eye, and in that moment my heart stops.

The two guards I can see are putting capes around their armor. Maroon capes with Windem’s seal.

The carriage slows considerably and I shoot a look at Liam, hoping he understands. He leans back and peeks out his own window, his hand then falling to the hilt of his sword. My mind is racing, trying to come up with some way we could possibly get out of this predicament. Still, I’m also trying to sort out what I just saw. They put on Windem’s capes. Windem isn’t attacking us; Etigan’s guards are, under Windem’s colors. Anyone who happened by us would think Windem is attacking us, and that’s what Ulric wants.

I just happen to look over in time to see the maid pull out a long dagger as she lunges across the carriage at Liam. I spring from my seat with a scream and grab her wrists, pushing her away from him and pinning her down on the other side. Liam wrenches the dagger from her grip as I struggle to hold her down. The carriage has stopped. The door flies open and hands pull Liam from the carriage. I’m distracted by the sight and the maid kicks me backwards with her feet; I stumble sideways and fall out the carriage door, landing hard on the packed earth of the road. I’m met with the sound of dueling blades and am flooded with relief to see Liam still alive and fighting. The dagger he took from the maid is lying next to me, but when I try to grab it, a gloved hand beats me to it. I’m hoisted to my feet and the blade goes to my throat. Instantly, the fighting ceases. As my vision clears, I see Liam with sword in hand, surrounded. He stopped fighting because I’m now being threatened.

“Let her go!” he barks, his voice coming out with that commanding presence to it.

“Drop your sword!” comes the reply from one of the men still on horseback. Liam doesn’t hesitate despite me yelling at him not to. My cry pushes the blade deeper onto my skin to the point it stings. A soldier kicks Liam’s sword away and we’re doomed.

I wonder if this is how my parents felt. Trapped and helpless.

As we stand there, I see the maid standing a few feet behind us. I throw a look at her that I hope strikes fear into her heart, but know that it doesn’t. We’re about to die; why should she fear me?

“Who sent you to do this to us?” Liam asks loudly, apparently stalling for time. I figure it’s a good plan, since I’m out of ideas and the blade on my neck is cold.

“That’s none of your business,” says the man on horseback.

“It is my business if someone has sent you to kill me and my wife!” Liam responds. “How much are you being paid to act out this heinous crime of killing the future king and queen?”

“We’re being paid in security,” another says.

“In other words, when Ulric remains king you move up in the ranks, is that it?” I ask. The arms holding me tighten and I see Liam flinch.

“Shut up!” the horseman yells to the second. They’ve said too much already. But if we can only keep them talking!

“Whatever Ulric has promised you is a lie!” I shout, despite the tightening of the grip on me. “He’ll use you for his purposes then abandon you or worse!”

“We never said we take our orders from the king! No more questions!” Horseman raises his sword.

“What is it you want?” I ask quickly. “If we live and Liam is made king he can grant you what you want. But you’ll have to swear your allegiance to him now.”

“We won’t swear our allegiance to anyone! The threat of war threatens the stability of the kingdoms. If things progress as planned, only one may be left standing!” one of the other foot soldiers says.

“So you’ll hold out until only one is left? Then fall on their mercy to take you in,” Liam says.

“Or build up our own kingdom like the original knights did,” the second soldier says.

“In the meantime, we carry out our orders! Enough talking!” Horseman raises his sword and brings it down to meet the unarmed Liam. It doesn’t get that far, though, because an arrow suddenly pierces his chest and he falls from his horse to the ground. All eyes turn to see where it came from.

The brown and silver colors of Newrock bring a whole new meaning to the word relief. A band of swordsmen and archers charge into battle, and Liam and I are forgotten as Etigan’s soldiers take on the new threat. But I’m not going to run away from this fight. Taking the sword the fallen horseman dropped, I follow Liam into the fighting just in time to deflect a sword that is aimed at his chest. Liam spins around me and takes the man down. Beside us, the carriage driver attempts to flee the scene. Liam takes after him and I’m going to follow when I spot the maid running for the woods. I chase after her instead, surprised when I see she has also gathered a fallen sword. She swings at my head, a good swing, but she’s obviously not a trained sword fighter. We meet blades only a few times before I manage to knock it from her hand. Without it, she surrenders easily.

As I push the maid back to the carriage, I see that the fighting has reached an end. The ambush leaves Etigan’s soldiers littering the ground, while Newrock suffers only one loss and only minor injuries. I leave the maid with the carriage driver and turn to find Liam. He’s with the Newrock captain and I gasp when I see his shirt is stained red.

“What happened?” I ask, running to him.

“Just a flesh wound, it’s nothing,” he says quickly. The captain has torn a hole in the sleeve and is examining the wound.

“It’ll be alright. We’ll wash it up and cover it,” the captain says.

“Who did it?” I ask. Liam’s eyes fall behind me to the carriage driver and I descend on him.

“What were your orders?” I demand, my blade in his face.

“We were to kill you both and burn you down with the carriage. Your crowns would be returned to King Ulric as proof of the deed done.”

“Were you all to return?” I ask.

“No. Only one of us with the crowns. We would tell King Ulric in front of the court and the people that Windem had attacked yet again.”

“And then Ulric can blame Windem for everything and start a war,” I finish.

“The war is already starting. Windem is pushing Kensar to join them in an effort to snuff Etigan out,” the driver says.

“Why?” Liam asks.

“Etigan has been sending spies into parts of Windem, trying to infiltrate their castle walls. Ulric wants to know what’s going on there. Windem has caught many of our spies, though, and their patience with Etigan’s tricks is wearing thin,” the driver says.

“Hence, Etigan’s bad reputation,” Liam groans.

“So Ulric wants Newrock’s power to join his so he has a chance. But why kill my parents? Why didn’t he ask for our help?” I say.

“Would your father have helped us?” Liam says incredulously, and I realize he’s right. Since Etigan conquered Descrete and reduced the original five kingdoms to four, everyone has been against them. No one would have come to their aid; actually my father probably would have joined in with Windem and Kensar.

“So where were the rest of you headed then?” I ask the driver.

“After we sent back your crowns, the rest of us were to continue on to Nevlam. We were to meet with a messenger there with news about the activities on our southern border.”

I look over at the captain of the band of Newrock. “What are your wishes, my queen?” he says with a bow.

I smile sadly. “I’m no longer your queen, remember? I belong to Etigan now.”

“Your courage and sacrifice in the name of Prince Vian has endeared you to us, Your Majesty. You will always have a place in our hearts.” He bows again and I feel myself blushing heatedly. I can see his words reflected in the eyes of the other soldiers that stand with him.

“What is your name, Sir?” I ask.

“Borin, Your Majesty,” he says.

“Borin, do you know if Vian was released?”

“We left very early. I have no way of knowing. When we received your message, we were camped right across the river along the border of Newrock. Rayner felt it best if we stayed close in case something like this came up. And he wanted to be close to Etigan for Vian’s release. As soon as he got your message he sent us along to help you. But he knew you would want him there waiting for your brother,” Borin says.

“Yes, he’s right. I suppose Ward is waiting with him, then?” I say.

“Ward, Your Majesty?” Borin looks confused.

“My servant who accompanied me in woman’s clothing. I sent him with the message,” I say.

“We received the message via a beggar named Hob. He arrived in a carriage and said you promised him a seat at the head table with you for his meals,” Borin says.

My first thought is to laugh at Hob the Beggar’s ridiculous request. To sit at the head of the table at mealtimes and be fed like a king. He got the message through; he won’t be denied his order. But my laugh turns quickly to a choking gasp. I grip Liam’s arm and can see the same feeling reflected in his eyes. But I have to say it out loud.

“If Ward found and sent Hob with the message, why didn’t he return?”

“Maybe he lost his way, Ginny. He’s probably hiding out in the town somewhere, hoping no one will see him wearing a dress.” Liam’s attempt to make light of the situation falls flat.

“We have to get back to town, Liam! I have to see that Vian is released and we have to find Ward.” I grip Liam’s coat, unable to hide the panic rising in my throat. “I got Ward into this! It’s my fault if he’s in trouble! Ward and Vian, Liam, please! I can’t lose them both!”