A Mother's Secrets

by Tuppence Van de Vaarst

  He nodded, and she felt another surge of relief. She had been worried she would need to argue her case.

  “Thank you. If I happen upon any more information, I shall be sure to let you know,” she managed a smile. “You can simply say it came from one of your informants.”

  He chuckled. “Indeed. Your information may prove invaluable.”

  She nodded, then frowned at a sudden thought. “How are you tutoring the prince with your extra duties? I thought he took up most of your time.”

  Dannan cleared his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Since the boy just turned seven, it has been deemed more appropriate that he has several tutors now. I am no longer one of them.”

  She raised an eyebrow but didn’t press any further. Whose decree had that been? The King’s, before he fell ill, or Lord Auriel’s? And was it because of something Dannan had done, or because of these new extra duties? She restrained herself from asking any of those questions. Dannan was already doing her a favor. She would not press his rare good nature. Instead, she rose to her feet. “Thank you very much, Lord Dannan. I’ll see you in the council session.”

  **********

  Vinet blinked as she got out of the carriage to see Pellalindra moving swiftly towards her. Why wasn’t Pellalindra already in the council chamber? Had she been waiting for her?

  She smiled at her, still confused. “Lady Pellalindra?”

  Pellalindra drew her into the castle and ushered her into a small, private parlor. “Lady Vinet, we must speak, urgently.”

  Vinet frowned. “What is the matter?”

  “Have you had a visit from Lord Conn?” Pellalindra demanded. Her eyes were dark.

  Vinet’s eyes widened. “Yes.” She waited for Pellalindra to continue before volunteering any more information.

  Pellalindra bit her lip. Darkness flashed in her eyes again, and Vinet realized that Pellalindra was afraid. “What did he want from you?”

  Vinet carefully weighed her words. “He wanted to talk to a woman I have in my employ; the former mistress of Lord General Torainn,” she said. She grimaced. “He said he wanted to ascertain Torainn’s location, but he was lying.”

  Pellalindra gestured for Vinet to continue.

  “He already knew where Torainn was,” Vinet said, her lips tightening at the memory. “He wanted to verify the truth of the story Torainn told him. The existence of a mistress was not part of Torainn’s tale.”

  Pellalindra started pacing. “That’s all? Nothing else?”

  Vinet hesitated, remembering Conn’s suspicions about Lord Auriel, remembering the threat of civil war. “He said that Torainn was plotting against your husband,” she finally said.

  Grief flashed across Pellalindra’s face. “Not just my husband. Me, and my daughter,” she said, her voice strained.

  Vinet gasped. “Whatever for?” she demanded.

  Pellalindra’s voice shook. “Because… because Torainn wants Lord Auriel’s wife and child to suffer the same fate as his own.”

  Lady Kianna. Vinet closed her eyes, remembering the events of Pellalindra’s wedding. Her guilt for her own responsibility in those events threatened to close her throat.

  She swallowed and forced her emotions away. Pellalindra and her daughter were the ones at threat. “Tell your husband,” she said, throwing caution to the wind. Whatever her own suspicions of Lord Auriel, they were nothing compared to an active threat against an infant child. “He had resources, and the ear of the king. He’ll protect you.”

  Pellalindra looked down. “But the king is so ill.”

  What does that matter? He was never involved in ruling anyway. Vinet did not allow that thought to show on her face.

  A quiet knock on the door heralded the entry of a servant. He bowed low to the two noble ladies. “Pardon me, my ladies, but the king has summoned the Council to an audience.”

  Vinet exchanged a startled look with Pellalindra. “He’s recovered?” she asked.

  The servant nodded. “Yes, my lady. He demands your presence most urgently.”

  Vinet blinked. In the nearly three years, she’d been on the Council she hadn’t once seen King Andreas, a recluse since his beloved queen’s death. And then his illness on top of that. What could possibly make him want to participate in politics now, so soon after recovery?

  “The king is recovered!” Pellalindra exclaimed. “We must go at once.” She took Vinet’s arm and led her through the palace. “We will speak more of this later, Lady Vinet,” she said. “After we ascertain how well the king truly is. It’s been so long since any of us have seen him. I wonder if he’s changed. My husband spends a great deal of time with him, naturally, but he hasn’t told me much.”

  Vinet ignored the chatter as she tried to remember all the protocols for talking to royalty. She hadn’t had to use any of them for some time. In fact, the only time she’d seen the king had been upon her officially swearing fealty as Lady of Ninaeva.

  Maybe that was why she had felt no concern for the king’s illness, and the only reason she cared about Torainn’s plot was the threat of civil war, a war which would wreak havoc across the land and cause great suffering for commoner and noble alike. The king certainly hadn’t done anything to ensure her loyalty.

  In part due to these thoughts, she kept her face impassive as they entered the audience chamber. Dannan, Conn, and Kamian were already there. Ellil and Alexander were still missing.

  Vinet straightened as she saw the King sitting on the throne, looking as regal as she remembered when she’d sworn fealty. Lord Auriel stood at his right hand and slightly behind, exactly as a steward should. Around the hall, placed inconspicuously, were figures armored in black, members of the king’s private guard.

  She and Pellalindra approached the throne side by side. When they were fifteen paces from it, they both dropped into a curtsy, but did not bow their heads. Vinet kept her eyes fixed on the king.

  “Lady Pellalindra! I am delighted to see you, my dear. And my greetings to you as well, Lady Vinet. I hear you’ve gone and married. Congratulations.” The king spoke.

  Vinet inclined her head in thanks as she rose, not trusting herself to speak.

  Pellalindra had no such reservations. “You are most kind, your majesty.”

  “Nonsense,” the king said affably. “You are an old friend, and your services deserve recognition. Now, who else are we waiting for?” He leaned agreeably toward Lord Auriel.

  Vinet was the only one close enough to notice Pellalindra stiffen in response to the king’s words. What services had she provided the king in the past that she didn’t want mentioned in front of the Council?

  Lord Auriel shook his head. “No one, your majesty.”

  The king narrowed his head. “But surely there were seven members on the Council?”

  “High Priest Ellil has gone north to investigate matters there,” Lord Auriel said smoothly. “And General Alexander has been delayed in Lokrian.”

  So that was why Lord Auriel had been more active in Council matters of late. Since the Lord of the Council was busy, he had stepped in. Vinet recognized his willingness to serve as a good thing, but old suspicions gnawed at her.

  The king nodded. “Very well.” He looked around at them. “I hear things are a mess in my kingdom, councilors.”

  Vinet sensed everyone in the room stiffen. She was certain everyone was remembering the fate of the first council. Their heads had been nailed to the city gate for months, a stark reminder of the fate of traitors.

  The king looked at each of them in turn, staring in everyone’s eyes. Kamian dropped his immediately, Pellalindra nodded coolly, and Dannan bowed his head after a long moment. Conn flushed, but held his gaze.

  He looked at Vinet last. Oddly enough, she sensed no judgment in his gaze as he looked at her, only curiosity. She met his gaze without flinching, and she swore she saw a slight smile of approval before he turned away.

  “A mess,” he repeated, addressing them all again. “A war that threatens
to engulf the entire southeast and spread north, and a phantom in the north who kills with impunity, so that the entire northeast falls into disarray. What steps have you taken to combat them?”

  Vinet felt a sharp surge of relief that she had ordered what Ninaevan guard she could spare to join the fight against Mount Halon. Pellalindra and Kamian had done the same. Dannan didn’t have troops or holdings to speak of, but Conn…Conn had contributed nothing.

  None of the others seemed inclined to answer the king. Vinet cursed her own impatience as she spoke up.

  “The Lord of the Council, General Alexander is helping the war effort personally by managing the supply lines,” she said. “All of the nobility who volunteered have supplied their own private guards to augment the Regulars. We have kept the coffers full and the army fed and supplied. We have made an alliance with the Faithful, who have proven their worth many times over in this war. Currently, we are waiting for our Generals to tell us their needs.”

  The king’s face remained impassive as she continued. “As to the north, High Priest Ellil volunteered to investigate rumors of cultists, but we have not yet heard from him. The phantom you speak of has only just been identified as the former Lord General Torainn.”

  She ignored the muffled exclamation from Conn and the smothered gasp from Pellalindra. She continued to address the king. “We are only waiting on the high priest’s word or return to give orders for action there.”

  The king met her gaze for a long moment. She felt as if she were being measured. She didn’t dare drop her eyes.

  Finally, he nodded. “Satisfactory,” he said.

  She allowed herself to relax just a tiny bit.

  The king nodded again. “Your answer makes up for your marriage, it seems. I am not pleased that I have not met this man you’ve taken as your husband.”

  She dropped a slight curtsy. “I will present him to you whenever your majesty is agreeable.”

  “And you’ve changed your name to his. What is your title now?”

  Where was this going? Still, she dared not refuse to answer. “Lady Vinet et-Alim of Ninaeva.”

  The king seemed to consider that. “Lady et-Alim. An interesting name, at least.” He fell silent. Vinet could almost feel the other councilors’ thankfulness that they hadn’t been the ones to speak up.

  The king nodded decisively. “Then, Lady et-Alim, I appoint you acting Lady of the Council in General Alexander’s absence. Guide the kingdom to success in these things that trouble us.”

  Vinet blinked in shock. That had been the last thing she’d expected. She glanced at the other councilors. They seemed as surprised as she.

  She curtsied again. “I will do my best to serve Saemar, your majesty.”

  “Saemar and your king,” he said sternly.

  She bowed her head, her memory flashing back to when Conn had reminded her of her duty to her king. Surely, he was remembering her answer as well.

  She was saved from answering by the arrival of a page. The boy went straight to Lord Auriel, who received the scroll with a nod of thanks. After reading it, he leaned sideways and whispered in the king’s ear.

  The king turned to stare at Lord Auriel, then turned to fix his gaze back on Vinet. She froze, holding her breath a moment before she dared breathe again.

  “It seems you will be called upon to exercise your duties immediately, Lady et-Alim. There is a messenger who desires to speak to the Lord of the Council. You will go in his place.”

  She curtsied without replying, feeling a profound relief that she would be able to escape the king’s presence. She had not remembered him being so intense.

  She followed the page out of the hall before demanding an explanation. “Who is the messenger?”

  The page looked up at her. “They carried him in. All hurt and moaning. He asked for the Lord of the Council. That’s all he’ll say.”

  “Who?” she demanded of the poor child.

  His eyes widened at her sharp tone. “The high priest, my lady.”

  **********

  She stopped as she entered the small room. It was mostly bare of furniture, just a few chairs and a bed. An attendant stood at the bedside, bending over the man lying there. He certainly wore the robes of the high priest, but if Vinet hadn’t known it was him, she wouldn’t have recognized him.

  She stepped forward quietly, so as not to startle him. The attendant glanced up at her and frowned. “Who are you?”

  She opened her mouth to answer, but Ellil groaned and stirred. Vinet smothered a gasp of horror. His face was bruised and swollen, and his neck was covered in bandages. That wasn’t his only injury, either. His right arm was splinted, as was his leg. He blinked up at her. “Vinet?” he rasped.

  She moved to his side, heedless of the attendant. “It’s me,” she acknowledged. “Alexander isn’t here. I’m to listen in his place.”

  He didn’t bother to argue. His left hand reached out to grab hers. “Warn… the others,” he rasped. “Lord… Artosbern… dead. Lord Tiber… attacked. Slaughtered…” he coughed.

  “Lord Tiber?” Vinet asked. “The one who asked us to disinherit Lord Artosbern?”

  “The… same,” Ellil coughed again. “He… not the worst, though…”

  She braced herself, though she already had a fair idea of what the worst was.

  “The… the phantom…”

  “Darkmane,” she said.

  Ellil nodded. “Only… Mazda kept me alive…”

  Somehow, she didn’t doubt that Ellil spoke the truth. She squeezed his hand. “I’ll warn the others,” she said. “Darkmane has gone too far this time. He must be stopped.”

  Ellil nodded and sighed back in his chair. “He leads… cultists,” he whispered. “From the south. And elves. Your… tear and thorns…”

  “The Unfaithful,” she whispered.

  Ellil relaxed, his eyes starting to close. “Stop him…”

  “We will,” she promised.

  Ellil sighed and relaxed, his eyes fluttering. She watched, worried, as the attendant shoved his way forward, checking his pulse.

  “Will he live?” she asked in a soft voice.

  The attendant didn’t even glance at her. “He will. Provided he’s given enough rest and time to recover. And that this phantom he keeps babbling about didn’t do anything to him. Mazda knows I don’t have any experience with dark magics.”

  She felt her lips tighten. The only person she knew with experience with dark magics was AeresThonEsia. “Did anyone else from his party survive?”

  The attendant shrugged. “Two guards dragged him in here, half-dead themselves. Others have the charge of them.”

  Vinet knew she wasn’t going to get any more out of the surly attendant. “Thank you,” she said, before retreating to the corridor.

  She was in deep thought the entire way to the Council chamber. She had promised they’d take steps to resolve the Darkmane problem, but how? Lord Auriel had called it a wild goose chase before, and all that had happened was the loss of good men.

  She looked around as she entered the council chamber. Everyone was there, the king having ended the audience. Something had gone dreadfully wrong though, if she was any judge. Pellalindra looked horrified, Kamian shocked, Dannan and Conn grim. All of them looked at her as she entered.

  “What did the messenger say?” Dannan demanded as soon as she entered.

  Carefully, she made her way to her usual seat. No use claiming the power of Lady of the Council yet. “It was High Priest Ellil,” she said. “He’s returned, badly wounded. Lord Tiber attacked Lord Artosbern II and slaughtered the garrison. Then the castle was overrun by Darkmane’s forces.” She took a breath. “Darkmane leads a force of cultists from the south, combined with Unfaithful.”

  If anything, Dannan looked even more grim.

  “What’s this about Darkmane being Torainn?” Conn demanded.

  She glanced at him, then back to Dannan. Dannan took the hint.

  “It’s true,” he said harsh
ly. “My informants confirm it. I was going to tell everyone today.”

  “A bit late for Lord Artosbern,” Kamian said, his voice dry. He still looked shocked about something, but he was recovering.

  Vinet looked around. “What happened?” she asked warily.

  It was Pellalindra who answered. “Another messenger arrived after you left,” she said. “The southeast line broke and the enemy got through to Lokrian. General Alexander’s been killed.”

  Alexander… Vinet caught her breath. The kind old man, the one who’d asked her to look after his grandchildren, dead? She grabbed the table, her hands shaking slightly. “Mazda guide him on his next journey,” she whispered. Did he have a premonition? How else could he have known to ask me to take care of his grandchildren?

  She hardened her heart to the grief. The battle lines. Pellalindra said they’d broken. “How far did they get?” she demanded. “How much of the south has been overrun?”

  Pellalindra shook her head helplessly. “The troops are holding them again just beyond Lokrian. But no one knows for how long.”

  Vinet looked around. “Well, then someone needs to find out who and what and where, and the best person for that is Lord General Lairan. Does anyone know how to contact him?”

  Conn nodded dumbly. “We’ve already sent a messenger.”

  “Well, good,” Vinet sighed. She looked around. There was something else.

  “What else happened?” she asked, dreading the answer.

  “The king was not pleased to hear the news,” Pellalindra said quietly. “He went into a bit of a rage, in fact. Yelled at all of us, then stormed out. Shortly after that all the knights were assembled, and the king and his troops rode off.”

  Vinet’s heart missed a beat. “South?” she demanded.

  Pellalindra nodded.

  Vinet stared at the other council members, seeing her dismay mirrored on their faces. Their king had gone south. South, to where evil creatures threatened to destroy their land. South, to danger and war.

  “Mazda protect him,” she whispered.

  Chapter 19: The King