Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne) (30 page)

It was futile, he knew. Someone was
probably already on their way out of the city with this news but he had to at
least try. And there were too many in the square to kill, his son was correct
about that. He’d have to make the ceremony invalid. But how, that was the
question. He’d spent a great deal of time and effort ensuring that it
was
legitimate. It would not be easy to undo that. Thorold heard a sound from a
corner and turned to see his youngest son, Liam, crouched low, sobbing.

“Come here lad,” he said. Hesitantly
the boy stood up and came over to him. “Sit down.” He patted the pew beside
him. “Don’t worry, you’ll be the heir, soon, I promise.”

“But I don’t want it, really. I
don’t want Beldyn to be mad at me.”

“I’d worry about having me mad at
you Liam,” Thorold said. The boy rubbed a hand across his tear-streaked face.
“Now, we’ve had some excitement but you need to get back home. I think there
are some pies set aside for tonight.” As well as a feast to celebrate the naming
of the heir, Thorold thought sourly. Well, let this boy have it all, if he
wanted it. He’d keep him closer than he’d kept Beldyn. His ambitions had
quickly settled on his young shoulders. Thorold stood and steered Liam to the
door and their waiting carriage.

seventeen

Brenna eyed her companions and then
looked ruefully down at her own garb. She was clean at least. They all were,
but none of them were dressed for dining with a king. She brushed her hand
across the uneven stitching of her vest. She was poor with a needle, despite
her healing skills, and the tear she’d mended was still quite visible.

“Let’s hope King Mannel decides
we’re worth more than our clothing,” she said. “At least Wils and Dasid look
the part.” Both wore uniforms, the gray she’d chosen as her colour, the colour
of the Brotherhood, but both uniforms showed the hard wear they’d seen during
their journey.

“Well lass, like as not King Mannel
will see beyond what yer wearing,” Pater said. “Me, I’d just as soon stay here.
I never dined with a king afore this and I can’t say I want to now.”

“But you need to be there. I need King
Mannel to understand that my support is deep. Not only do I have Ewart and
Avery but I have regular folk on my side as well.”

“All right,” Pater said. “But I’m
there to watch and eat, that’s all. Don’t expect me to make any fancy speeches
or such.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Brenna gave
Pater a quick hug then took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

Brenna led the way through the
darkening streets. It was early yet, but this far north the days were already
short and it was fully dark by the time they reached the large wooden doors
that led into the castle.

“Brenna Trewen to see King Mannel,”
Dasid said to the guards on duty. One of the guards ducked through a smaller
door. He returned after a moment and nodded to the other guard, who opened the
large doors. Inside, an elderly man dressed in heavy, black, woolen clothes
stood and bowed to them.

“I am King Mannel’s seneschal,
Orpe. His Majesty and Princess Evlan are waiting for you in the small reception
room. Please follow me.”

The castle in Whitehaven was
smaller than the one in Kingsreach, Brenna thought as they trailed Orpe down a
short hallway, past three closed doors. But the woodworking was of a much
better quality. They passed through a set of doors that were ornately carved
with hunting scenes. Brenna stopped and trailed her hand over a large wolf
battling with half a dozen hunters.

“King Mannel’s namesake,” Orpe
said.

“Of course,” Dasid said. “The White
Wolf of the north.”

“Not many outside of Langemore have
heard that,” Orpe said.

“I spent some time along the
borders as a Kingsguard,” Dasid replied.

They went along one last corridor before
Orpe stopped in front of another set of double doors. The scene that spanned the
two doors showed a banner waving above a crown.

“Another wolf,” Brenna said,
pointing to the image in the right top corner of the banner.

 Orpe swung one door open and gestured
to the four of them. Dasid stepped through the door first.

“Please come in,” a voice said.

King Mannel sat on a large settee near
the front of the room. Evlan occupied a chair across a low table from him, her
hands folded in her lap.

“Your Majesty,” Brenna said with a
quick nod. “May I present my companions? Dasid Addems, Wils and Pater, this is
King Mannel and his daughter Princess Evlan. Your Majesty, I thank you for
inviting us to dine with you.”

“You’re most welcome, Queen Brenna.
I am intrigued by you, to say the least,” Mannel said. “Please sit down. Evlan,
pour some tea for our guests please?”

“Now,” Mannel said once tea had
been poured. “Did I hear correctly? Is this man Dasid Addems, second in command
of the Kingsguard?”

“That’s true your Majesty,” Dasid
said. “But as you can see, I no longer wear the blue of the Kingsguard.”

“And who does the gray belong to?
Queen Brenna?”

“Yes. And the Brotherhood of the
Throne,” Dasid replied

Mannel’s tea cup rattled in its
saucer and Brenna stared at him.

“Have you heard of the Brotherhood,
your Majesty?” Brenna asked.

“It’s an old story, one my father
learned from his father and so on for generations. Is it true then?”

“It’s true,” Dasid assured him.

“Have you family ties with Ewart of
Fallad, your Majesty?” Brenna asked. Mannel nodded and she smiled. “I thought
so. He said much the same thing when he heard about the Brotherhood. It makes
sense that two lands so close would have such ties between them.”

“There have been marriages between
mine and Duke Ewart’s families, although it has been many generations since we
had such a close connection.” Mannel looked over at his daughter as he said
this and Brenna recalled Ewart’s declaration that he had been approached as a
suitable match for Evlan.

“And so you, Dasid Addems are a
member of the Brotherhood of the Throne,” Mannel said. “And I suppose Wils and
Pater here are as well?”  The other two men nodded and Mannel continued. “That makes
Brenna the one prophesied. I’m even more intrigued by you. Why don’t we retire
to dine? We can continue our discussion after we’ve eaten. Evlan?”

Mannel stood and took Evlan’s arm
and proceeded to a small door at the back of the room. A guard opened the door
and they stepped through, leaving Brenna and her men to follow.

“
He seems very unconcerned about
our weapons
,” Brenna sent to Dasid. Then she was hit by call so strong that
she almost lost her balance.

“
Brenna, Brenna, answer me. Are
you there
?”

Pater put a hand on her arm,
steadying her.

“
Kane. Are you all right
?”

“
Yes, but I have news that can’t
wait. Beldyn has named you his heir
.”

“Beldyn?” she said aloud. “He did
what?”

“
He named you his heir
,”
Kane repeated. “
In front of a crowd and Duke Thorold and the High Bishop. Instead
of naming his younger brother, he named you. Now he’s in grave danger. We’re
going to try to get him to safety as soon as possible
.”

“
Yes, save him. Please Kane
.”

“
We’ll do our best but he must
have known
the consequences
.”

“
I don’t want him sacrificing
himself for me
.”

“
I think he did it for the
people of Soule. He knows what his father has planned for them and wants to stop
it. He’ll make a great leader one day.
”

“
If he lives that long
,”
Brenna said. “
Be careful. I’ll contact you later
.” She dropped the
connection and found herself facing Dasid, Wils and Pater.

“That was Kane,” she said. “Beldyn
has named me his heir.”  Brenna heard a soft gasp and turned and met Evlan’s
eyes.

“If what you say is true then
Thorold is all but defeated,” King Mannel said when Brenna repeated Kane’s
message. “And though there is no proof I’m of a mind to believe you.”

“Thorold is now more desperate and dangerous
than ever,” Brenna said. “He will not give up, not after working so many years
to get control of the throne.”

“But the boy has declared an heir
publicly and according to your laws,” Mannel said. “There isn’t much that can
be done.”

“Not legally, no,” Dasid said. “But
we have no reason to believe Duke Thorold will hold to the laws.”

“I’m sure Beldyn’s been handed over
to the High Bishop already,” Brenna said. Her heart sank at the thought of the
treatment Beldyn was in for. Thorold would be furious, more furious than even
she’d made him. He would make Beldyn pay. “There isn’t much time. If you’ll
excuse me for a few minutes there are people I must communicate this to.”
Mannel nodded and she looked at Dasid. “Please keep our host company until I
return. I’ll be as quick as possible.”

Brenna left the room. As the doors
closed behind her, she spied Orpe hovering near the exit.

“Orpe, would you be kind enough to
find a quiet room for me?” Brenna said.

The seneschal bowed and gestured to
her to follow him.

“This room should be comfortable
enough,” he said. He picked up a lamp from a table beside a single door, opened
the door, and ushered her in. He walked around the small room and lit three
other waiting lamps.

“Do you need anything, tea perhaps
or a glass of wine or brandy?” he asked.

Brenna shook her head. “Thank you,
no,” she said.

He bowed and left the room.

Sighing, she took a seat on a small
settee and placed her knife on the table in front of her. There was no fire in
the grate and the room had a slight chill but she wouldn’t be here for very long.
Who to tell first, Brenna thought and then knew she had to try to contact as
many people in Kingsreach as she could. With her mental map of Soule in place
she gathered her energy, touched her knife and reached out with her power.

The lights of all the Brothers lay
before her. She easily picked out Kane but passed over him. She sensed Guild
Master Brunger but no matter strongly she called him he didn’t answer. She’d never
been able to contact him by herself but she needed to get a message to him
tonight and she didn’t want to risk Kane and Eryl. She searched light after
light, touching all the old steel she saw but none of it was familiar. Finally,
in a small corner of what she thought was Thieves Quarter, she sensed old steel
that she recognized.

“
Martyn, is that you
?” she
called and felt his surprise. “
Please Martyn it’s Brenna. I need to talk to
you
.”

“
Brenna
?” he replied
tentatively. “
Is that really you? How are you doing this?
”

“
I’m contacting you through the
old steel. Grab hold of your knife Martyn, then I’ll be clearer
.”

“
Like this
?” His question
was much stronger.

“
That’s right, that helps. I
need to know if you’re somewhere safe
.”

“
Yes, I’m staying at my Uncle
Pater’s.
” His voice broke and Brenna gasped, horrified that she hadn’t
gotten word to him, somehow, that his uncle was safe. “
He’s got a little
place off an alley
. He was rounded up a few weeks ago, but my ma and me
need the money so I’m doing the work
.” How could she have forgotten Pater’s
family?

“
Martyn, I’m truly sorry. I
should have had gotten word to you. Pater is safe. He’s with me.
”

“
Uncle Pater’s all right?
Brenna, are you sure? I can’t tell my ma if it’s not true.
”

“
Duke Thorold was sending him
and some others to King Mannel
,” Brenna said. “
We were able to ambush
them and release the prisoners.”  
She could feel the lad’s joy through the
old steel. “
Martyn, I’ll get a message to you from him later, but right now
I need you to do something for me. I need you to find Carolie’s father, Guild
Master Brunger. Tonight, if it’s safe
.”

“
It’s safe enough for the likes
of me
,” Martyn said. “
Is this to do with King Beldyn naming you his heir
?”

“
Yes. I need you to find Marcus so
I can talk to him. Can you do that
?”

“
I’ll go now
,” Martyn said. “
How
do I get in touch with you again
?”

“
Keep your knife on you and I’ll
contact you later tonight
,” Brenna replied. She hoped King Mannel would not
be too insulted but dinner would have to be fast - she had much to do tonight.

She contacted Kane and let him know
that Martyn was going to find the Guild Master. Next she reached out for
another of her training partners.

“
Jemma, it’s Brenna
,” she
said. It took only a few moments for her to relay Beldyn’s actions but then she
had to calm the poor girl down before she was able to give her message. “
We’re
doing everything we can to get him to safety
,” Brenna promised. “
But
please tell Ewart. Ask him to send an official response to Duke Thorold
accepting me as heir to the throne of Soule. Thorold needs to know that he
can’t ignore this
.”

She repeated the tale to Yowan,
asking Avery to also advise Thorold that she accepted Brenna as heir.

Finally, Brenna strapped her knife
back around her waist. She stifled a yawn as she stood up. She was exhausted
but she had couldn’t delay her meal with King Mannel any longer. She opened the
door to the hall and Orpe was at her side instantly, leading her back to the
king’s private dining room.

“I apologize for my absence your
Majesty, Princess Evlan,” Brenna said. She bowed formally before being led to a
seat at the King’s left.

Evlan sat across from her with Dasid
and Wils beside the Princess. Pater smiled from his seat on her left. She
clutched his hand and squeezed it. She’d tell him she’d spoken to Martyn later,
in private.

“That’s all right Brenna Trewen,”
Mannel said. “Dasid has been enlightening me on your rather unusual
background.”