Duty: a novel of Rhynan (16 page)

“The cook,” she supplied.

I nodded. “Tell the cook that you are now my personal
servant, accountable directly and only to me.”

“She won’t believe me.”

“If she doesn’t, bring her with you when you complete
your first task. I need you to find my husband’s personal servant,
Master Jarvin.”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I know who he is.”

“Good. Ask him courteously to attend me in my
chamber. I wish to speak to him. Then report to me in my chamber. I
will have many more tasks for you to accomplish before the
evening.”

“Are you going to be eating in the great hall, you
and the children?”

“Now that you mention it, I don’t think we
shall.”

“Then I shall order trays brought up.” She turned and
bounded a few steps, but then stopped and spun to face me again.
“If that is what you wish.”

The mixture of excitement and barely maintained
humility on her face made me want to laugh, but that would have
been cruel. I smiled instead.

“Yes, that would be perfect, Tatin.”

She curtseyed quickly before leaping into a run in
the direction of the kitchen.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

My chamber door was still locked when I reached it. I
knocked. Anise readily unlocked it after she verified my identity.
Her brow creased at the sight of my face.

“What is wrong?”

“We must leave at twilight.” I crossed to the chest
where I stashed my travel gear, but she beat me there and stopped
my hand from raising the lid.

“I am not about to drag my grandson on the road again
without good reason.”

I closed my eyes and drew a deep breath. “I would not
ask you to do it without reason. However, someone wishes to take
him from you. Rolendis, that woman in the passage, is the former
Lord Irvaine’s widow. She carries his child and is involved in a
plot to claim the title for her child instead of your son.”

“How?”

“Sir Jorndar promised her the title in exchange for
freeing him.”

Anise turned pale. I had thought nothing would shake
her.

“Sir Jorndar is here?”

I nodded and opened my mouth to ask what hold he had
on her but was stalled by a sharp knock on the door. The sound
disturbed the children. Elise woke with a cry of fear. Darnay
rolled to his feet, shedding his covering as he drew his wooden
sword.

Anise moved to quiet the children and I answered the
door.

Three surprised faces greeted me on the other
side.

“You wished to speak with me?” Jarvin’s features
regained his usual impassive expression as though I summoned him
every day, but his eyes questioned me. I couldn’t read the
particulars in his gaze, though.

“Yes, I do, Jarvin. Please step inside. I will be
with you momentarily.”

As he stepped past me into the room, the cook finally
recovered her shock that I had personally opened the door and found
her tongue.

“My lady, Tatin here has informed me that your
ladyship has promoted her to personal attendant to your
person.”

I hadn’t heard it called that before, but it sounded
about right for the position I intended her to fill.

“That is true.”

“She has a reputation below stairs, my lady, for
being insolent.”

“I have seen the evidence myself.”

“She tends to forget the niceties I strive to drill
into her.”

“I know.”

The woman peered at me. Her eyes narrowed in her wide
face. “We have many more qualified girls who would be happy to
serve you, my lady. I can provide someone much more suitable
immediately. I am not saying she isn’t a good lass, just rough. In
a few years, perhaps, she might be ready, but—”

I cut her off with a slight raise of my hand.

“As I explained to Tatin before she accepted the
position, she has some qualities that I value more than
respectfulness, humility, or knowing her place. I will teach her
the niceties she should know, but for now I will take her with her
rough edges.”

The cook’s ruddy face broke into a wide smile. “Oh
good, my lady.”

“This pleases you?”

“Oh, yes, Tatin is my baby sister’s youngest, my
lady. She is a good one at heart, but many can’t get past that
prideful streak in her to see it.” She nodded toward Tatin, who
stood silently by turning red as a pickled beet. “I just wanted to
make sure you wanted her, tongue and all.”

“I do.”

Tatin met my gaze with relief, and I smiled at
her.

Cook curtseyed and made to return to her kitchen, but
I stopped her. “Cook, if you need a replacement set of hands,
please speak to Horacian. Tell him I said you can replace Tatin
with a girl of your choice.”

“Thank you, my lady.” The woman’s smile lifted her
cheeks into balls. She strode off down the passage obviously intent
on returning to her domain and overseeing the pending meal.

Tatin slipped past me with a murmured appreciation,
her behavior far different than the bold child of before. I knew
her brashness would return soon.

“What are you about, Lady Brielle?” Jarvin asked the
moment the door closed.

I locked it before answering him.

“Rolendis is plotting to release Jorndar tonight. I
have been—” I halted when I encountered Darnay’s wide gaze. I tried
again. “A certain prize…” I lay my hand on my chest. “…was offered
as incentive for the men of the vargar guard to assist.”

“Surely not our men!” Jarvin’s horror blanched his
face.

“No. I warned Captain Parrian that a prison break was
planned for tonight, but there is little he can do beyond what he
is already doing. I certainly don’t expect him to arrange a
personal guard for me, Anise, and the children.” A single glance at
the two youngsters listening earnestly to my words made it clear
that I couldn’t speak of the plot against King Mendal yet. Such a
secret was too grave to trust to such young ones.

“What do you intend do? How can I help?” Jarvin
asked.

“If Anise is willing, I propose we all leave tonight
at twilight as quietly and secretly as possible.”

“I can arrange for horses to be ready, but
where?”

“Is there a postern gate somewhere?”

“I haven’t discovered one yet,” Jarvin admitted.

Tatin waved her hand at me. “I know where you could
get out. The gate is in the garden, from when the gardens served as
the kennel. There is a tunnel that you can crawl through. Though I
don’t think you could fit through, Master Jarvin, with your limp
and all.”

“Don’t you mind me.” He frowned. “I can get out just
fine on my own.” He turned to me. “But what about supplies and
gear? I can’t go gathering up food and such without drawing some
attention.”

“That is where I hoped Tatin would come in
handy.”

The girl nearly glowed with pleasure. “I can get you
food stuffs, right enough. Breads, cheeses, wine, ale, you name it,
I will get it.”

“I will make a list.”

“No.” Anise laid a hand on my arm. “I will make a
list. I suspect I know more about such things than you.”

“Then you will come?”

Her dark eyes scanned my face. “Aye, we will come. If
Jorndar gains control of the vargar, the children and I are in just
as much danger as you.”

“Rolendis doesn’t know you are Tomas’ mother.”

“But Jorndar does and he will be ruthless in his
revenge.”

What did Tomas do to spark such hate?
The
question burned on my tongue, but Jarvin’s voice made it impossible
to ask, yet.

“Will you need a wagon for the children? I am not
sure I can manage one, but if necessary, we might be able to
procure one on the way.”

“No.” Anise rested a hand on Elise’s head. The
thoughts behind her eyes clearly did not concentrate entirely on
the current crisis. “The children can ride with the adults, Darnay
with me and Elise with Lady Irvaine.”

“Brielle,” I said.

She looked at me and focused for the first time since
I spoke of Rolendis’ plans for me.

“My name is Brielle. I would be honored if you would
call me by it.” I waited with tense hope.

“Of course.” She smiled warmly. “I will pack the
children. We don’t need everything we brought. Can you write?” she
asked Tatin.

The girl shook her head.

“Read?”

“Some.”

“Good. Jarvin?” Anise turned to Tomas’ man
expectantly.

“I can write the list for you.”

“But I can’t read well.” Tatin glanced from Anise to
Jarvin in confusion.

“You can memorize it; the list is to keep us
organized.” Anise patted Tatin’s hand.

“I will teach you to read, Tatin,” I assured her,
“when all of this is over.” Another thought gripped me. “Do you
have family or a place you can go far from here, someplace
safe?”

She shook her head. “Do you think he will come after
me?”

“I think if he believes he can get to us through you,
Jorndar will do what is necessary to get the information from
you.”

My mind scrambled to find an option. I didn’t know
many people this far from the village. The cost of growing up
isolated was everyone I knew well lived in my village. Then I
remembered Moriah. “You can go to Rathenridge’s estate. Moriah
offered me shelter. She will shelter you in my name until we
return.”

“You are going to return?”

“I doubt Lord Irvaine is going to let Jorndar claim
Kyrenton. Without the food in the vargar’s storage barns, my
village, or what is left of it, will starve.” I swallowed back the
sob that suddenly pressed at my throat. So much changed so swiftly.
Kurios, I want to go home.

Anise’s hand squeezed my shoulder gently. “Tomas will
return, Tatin. My son never forgets his responsibilities. He will
do his duty and fight for the people of Kyrenton.”

Taking solace in Anise’s faith in Tomas, I turned my
focus to packing amid the frenzy around me. Within an hour, we made
our plans, packed, and ate. Anise, the children, and I all caught
what sleep we could. Tatin promised to wake us in time to slip out
to meet Jarvin on the other side of the garden wall.

Leaving the vargar proved disconcertingly easy. The
passages were empty and the shadows thick.

Tatin led us into the garden and pointed out the
hole. The top of the entrance lay four inches below the topsoil and
behind a barren rosebush. I dug with my hands while Anise helped
the children into their heaviest clothing to protect them on our
journey. Finally, I unearthed a wooden cover. The gap beneath
dropped roughly four feet down and spanned only three feet from the
wall before disappearing underneath. The wooden square easily
shifted when I shoved at it. It would be adequate for us to crawl
through one at a time. There was no way to know whether or not the
other side was clear or buried as this one had been.

I consulted Anise.

“It is there. We can each fit, but I cannot see the
other end. It could be buried like this one.”

“Let me try it.” Darnay scrambled forward and, before
I could stop him, disappeared inside the tunnel. Within moments, he
emerged. Black mud caked his knees and hands. “It is clear.”

Anise handed him the three packs of supplies before
lifting Elise down to join him. The children moved farther into the
tunnel as she climbed down to join them. She paused at the opening,
waiting for me. I motioned her on before turning to Tatin.

“You are clear on what you need to do?” The covered
lantern offered very little light, but I caught her nod.

“I will hide the tunnel opening and depart before
your absence is discovered.”

“You have the directions Master Jarvin gave you?”

She tapped her temple. “I will be fine, my lady.”

I envied her confidence. Perhaps I had watched too
many harvests fail, argued in vain with my cousin too many times,
only to listen to village children cry themselves to sleep with
hunger gnawing at their bellies. Too often I could only rage at my
own inability to change the situation for the better.

Kurios is just.
I reminded myself.
He has a
purpose. Orwin will receive his due.
Although I clung to the
truth, I could not muster even a small share of optimism to match
Tatin’s innocent buoyancy.

“I will send for you when I return.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“For what?”

“For trusting me.”

She waited until I crawled a few feet into the tunnel
before replacing the cover. The fall of the dirt against the
grating made my heart race. I hated enclosed spaces. Ever since the
night I spent in the root cellar, locked in by Orwin, I avoided any
place remotely resembling it. The musty stench of earth and
moisture smothered me. I shuffled forward, feeling along the damp
stone away from the sound of shifting dirt.

“My lady?” Anise’s whispered query echoed.

“Coming.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The snow appeared a few hours after the last sign of
Kyrenton melted into the inky darkness behind us. Lacey flakes the
size of one of my fingertips drifted through the trees. The
children enjoyed the sight. Elise, who rode with me, reveled in
watching them dance as they fell. She caught them on her mittens
and laughed as they dusted her sleeves and the blanket wrapped
about her legs.

The flakes came sporadically at first, appearing when
we passed through breaks in the trees. Then the snow fell heavy,
wet, and fast. Limbs above the trail began to creak beneath the
burden. The occasional crack of a branch giving way in the distance
disrupted the muted stillness of the waiting forest.

The tense silence broken by falling boughs kept us
all on edge. But Kurios was gracious and none fell on us or in our
path.

I congratulated Jarvin on his choice of mounts for
our journey. The horses barely flicked an ear at the abrupt noises
and the tension of their riders.