A Princess of Sorts

by Wilma van Wyngaarden

  Scylla gave her a skeptical glance. “I am not very interested in food. However, having no food at all while I was in the forest did not suit me either... And on another subject entirely, shall I ever again see the needlework I left at the hunting lodge? It was almost complete. I am bitter about it!”

  “Your loom and the other things from your old room will be brought in this morning,” said Minda. “I look forward to seeing your work. The flag was well received by the Council last night.”

  “I have not been informed yet about the cat. Or how much damage has been done to my gardens!”

  “I was told the cat seems to be fine, and food and water have been placed at the other end for it. Only one of the garden boxes was knocked over. As soon as possible, the soldiers will bring them down to your roof garden here, but the wall must be stabilized first.”

  “Hmmm. Well, maybe,” said Scylla. “I wonder if the beehives were disturbed... I hope not!”

  “The beehives may have to remain where they are, as the roof garden is not large enough to contain beehives as well as us.”

  There were sounds of activity outside the door, then a knock. Minda opened the door, admitting several members of the kitchen staff carrying covered dishes, which they took to the table and quickly laid out.

  “I believe this is our breakfast feast... enough for the entire Queen’s Guard,” said Scylla. “Whatever is left, we will share with them!”

  ***

  River had been studying the dead men’s actions in her mind, over and over, since she had watched them return to life. She curled up in her nest in the willow tree and wondered about it. She climbed back into the tree from where she had watched and spun the scene in her mind’s eye. In a thicket near the road, she spent the afternoon watching to see if either of the priests passed by.

  The bearded one in the long dirty robes had made the lightning and had flung it – it hit the wall and the wall broke, sending stones tumbling down.

  Once or twice she wondered if it had been a dream. But the wall was still scorched, and the rocks still scattered below. And the village had been abuzz with rumors – although only the sergeant on guard had actually seen the strange incident (“...and I,” River thought, but told no one), the other soldiers had talked. Almost everyone had gone to inspect and exclaim over the damaged wall.

  When she skulked through the market in the early morning she heard the rumors fly.

  “... dabbling in ancient magic... the priests are sorcerers!... came back to life and tried to destroy the castle... not the end of it, mark my words...! The Goddess won’t like it...”

  The Goddess won’t like it, River repeated to herself silently. She liked that. But would the Goddess stop it from happening again?

  “The priests are dead!... oh, but not all of them... there’s some still in the castle cells, the young ones... the queen won’t let them out... let us hope they cannot escape by magic...!” a young mother had worried, clasping her baby tightly to her as she shopped for food at a farmer’s stall.

  “Thank the Goddess the evil priests are dead! The Goddess didn’t like it – now the priests are dead...” said others.

  What was evil? What was magic? River knew, as did all the village children – both feral and those who had real homes, that the priests were to be avoided at all costs. Some children had disappeared – grabbed, it was whispered, by the priests or their servants. River was on alert for cold and unfriendly eyes that watched and waited. Caution came naturally to her, as did the instinct to flit through the night on silent little feet and hide... evading predators of any type.

  Evil, she surmised, was made up of threat, fear, and danger. Evil was found in someone who wanted to destroy. It could be felt. She knew that because she had developed an innate sense of danger – a feeling for threat, for when to run or hide or become small and silent.

  But what was magic?

  | Chapter 14 |

  Later that morning, as Minda had promised, Scylla’s belongings were transported from her old rooms to the queen’s quarters. Her locked box, trunk, and small loom were moved into the alcove, which took up what little extra space there was. She had first moved the trellet’s basket to a safe spot elsewhere, then moved it back once her belongings were settled in place. After his early morning twitters, he had not moved or squeaked again.

  Scylla spent the morning sitting on the side of her bed, sorting through the trunk. Minda had gone out, saying she would be in the reception rooms on the ground floor, interviewing maids. Sorrell either lay on her bed or walked around the roof garden as her broken ribs made sitting uncomfortable.

  Leon seemed happy enough. He sometimes whined for his dead mother, and often asked for Coltic, but was easily entertained by the soldiers or playing on the roof garden with Axit. His bed had been moved to one of the former ladies’ rooms, and he and Axit now occupied it. Minda had also taken over one of the other rooms, and Sorrell had picked another to which she would eventually move.

  ***

  In the afternoon, Chancellor Mako dropped in for a visit, finding Scylla and Sorrell attended by Axit, with Prince Leon napping on Sorrell’s bed. Sorrell was inspecting clothing that Minda had put aside for her and Leon while Scylla, now sitting in her chair, was matching threads to fabrics. She had moved the chair closer to the window for better light.

  “Chancellor! Have you any news?”

  “Good news – at least for us. Renold’s men have reported a shed that caught fire during the night, some miles from the castle. A farmer smelled the smoke and sent the soldiers across the fields to look at it this morning. They’ve found what they believe are the burnt bodies of the two priests in the ruins.”

  “Well, that is a relief,” said Scylla.

  “We surmise they took shelter in the shed, started a fire for warmth or food and burned down the building. There was a scrap of cloth left that appears to be from one of their robes.”

  “Hopefully that’s the end of them.”

  “We hope it is,” Mako said. “Our troops will continue patrols throughout the realm. The lords have all sent messages that they are in agreement with the state of emergency that’s been proclaimed, and will double their efforts to supply a rotation of soldiers for Rellant’s army. I sent a description of your addition to the flag and no one has objected to it. We have also assigned some skilled men to work on the immediate rebuilding of the cracked wall – we are discussing the need for a tower at that corner. Coltic has located the king’s stonemasons who will lead the construction.”

  “I hope my ankle will improve soon. I would like to view the damaged corner.”

  Mako looked a little startled. “I can provide a chair litter to transport you, Princess, if you want to see the damage. Will tomorrow morning suit?”

  She nodded.

  “Excellent!” he exclaimed and took a turn about the room. “Well, I must go see to another matter – I have a meeting with the castle steward and our secretary-treasurer for a full accounting of Rellant’s assets and treasury. I will be back tonight for dinner with the Council... I understand Orwen Miller will be here. His advice will be very interesting!”

  “It will,” said Scylla. “Meanwhile, we wonder whether your wife will expect rooms in the castle, seeing as your time will be spent here. If so, Minda will need to know.”

  Mako did not answer immediately. His expression turned a little sheepish. “No... no, Lady Dara will not require rooms. In fact, we live separately.”

  “Is that why she was not pleased when you and your soldiers turned up at Espritt Keep?” enquired Scylla.

  He shrugged. “Partly... although if I had sent notice, she would have been less annoyed.” His gaze roamed around the room. “I admit that the failure of our marriage was my fault. We were happy at first... However, I became bored with living at the Keep and came back to the King’s Guard. It is my preferred way of life, but my wife would not join me. She wishes only to live at the Keep and, in fact, has found comfort elsewhere.” />
  “Oh?”

  “She is much happier with my cousin Rosson who runs the Keep farms.”

  “Have you already divorced?” Scylla asked.

  “She has requested a divorce more than once, and now demands it. I was preparing to ask the king to make a judgment on that, and I have already signed my interests at the Keep over to Lady Dara and my cousin Rosson.”

  “Well, I suppose someone else will now make that judgment?”

  “I suspect that would be you, Princess, as I do not believe I can do it myself.”

  “Well, look into it, Chancellor.”

  “Yes... with no king, and no longer a bevy of priests about the court, I am not quite sure... I will speak to the castle steward and the secretary-treasurer. Maybe there is some protocol to divorce that I am not aware of. I have not heard of anyone else divorcing recently.”

  “I have no knowledge on the subject. Perhaps Minda has.”

  “I’m sure it is written somewhere.” He shrugged. “Well, I have plenty to occupy myself in other directions! I must go.”

  “Before you go... May I ask if it is revenge or ambition that drives you to contemplate the possibility of infiltrating Gryor, Chancellor?”

  He stopped, looking out the window for a moment. Then he turned his glance to her. “When I determine that for certain, Princess, I will answer your question!”

  With a quick nod, he was gone.

  “What do you think it is, Princess?” asked Sorrell when he had gone. She compared two rather similar court dresses in the light from the window, held up by Axit.

  “I suspect it is both,” Scylla yawned. “Mako is loyal to Rellant, but now there is no king to fritter away his days, we may see our chancellor shape the realm much differently.”

  “Will you stop him?”

  “Oh, no,” Scylla answered. “It may be surprising – even to myself! – but I find his ambition so much more interesting than my father’s carousing and foolhardiness. Also, his ambition makes up for my total lack thereof. Think how little would get done if it were all left up to me! I would only garden and do needlework. Or possibly take up weaving. I wonder how long it will be before I can no longer avoid some necessary queen-ish tasks? The flag took only one afternoon.”

  “Well, I suppose you need some time to recover. You cannot continue to do absolutely nothing for the kingdom, however... Speaking of queenliness, or the lack... I believe Queen Maris’s actions contributed to the court’s decline, do you not?”

  “Oh, very much so! She was both silly and vicious, and obviously, I do not mourn her.”

  “She contributed to all that was wanting in the court. The king was well-liked, even loved, but...”

  “But he was not wise in some ways,” Scylla agreed. “However, I’m glad to have had his protection, as I’m sure the queen would have rid herself of me long ago if she had dared!”

  “And now, here you sit with all her court dresses and her excessive collection of pretty things! Hold up this robe, Axit... how luxurious it is! Do you care for this, Princess?”

  “I will wear nothing of hers,” said Scylla. “For one thing, she was much larger than I. You’re closer in size – take as much of it as you want.”

  “Perhaps Captain Coltic can sell the rest, along with the king’s wine,” suggested Sorrell. They both snickered.

  Axit did not snicker. “Some of the more ordinary stuff can be sold at the village market,” she said. “Clothing... trinkets and the like. My cousins have a stall.”

  “Oh? Well, you may suggest as much to Minda,” said Scylla. “She has been taking inventory of the more expensive things such as jewelry and may have plans of how to dispose of it all. I do not see any point in storing it. It will be ruined by mice or dampness.”

  Prince Leon woke up with a sudden wail from his nap on Sorrell’s bed.

  “What’s the matter with him?”

  “He always cries when he wakes up, Princess. I believe he misses his mother.”

  “Well, it is only a few days,” Scylla conceded. “What was that?”

  “It sounded like the trellet,” said Axit. “Maybe the twig’s wail disturbed him.”

  “The twig... ah, yes,” Scylla said slowly. “Another example of my father’s lack of wisdom. Well, it is what it is.” She got up from the chair, leaning on her swordstick cane, and limped into the alcove to check on the trellet. With the trunk and the other things having been brought in, there was little space left.

  She squeezed past the boxes to the far corner and peered into the basket. In the dim light, the bundle of sticks that was Keet did not look any different. Or was that a gleam from one of his beady little eyes?

  “Are you awake, Keet?”

  “... I am dying! I am dying...” came a faint response.

  Scylla waited for more, but that was it. Even the tiny gleam had gone.

  “Keet! Keet!” After a few minutes, she gave up and returned to the other room.

  “Is he awake?” asked Sorrell. Now that Leon was up, she lay down gingerly on her bed for a rest.

  “He said he is dying, but I cannot tell whether he is now alive or not.”

  “It would be best to return him to the woods,” Axit said, over Leon’s sad wails. “Those creatures cannot survive except in deep forest.”

  “Perhaps the soldiers can take him back to the forest behind Bart’s smithy,” Scylla pondered. “I may suggest it to Mako.” But could she trust them to take the creature back? Despite Keet’s nasty personality, she could not just toss him to the winds. I owe him my life, she thought.

  “I wonder if we should have the healer back – the second one,” she said. “I will suggest it to Minda if nothing has changed by tomorrow.”

  “Here is Minda now,” said Axit, as the door opened. Minda ushered in a pair of young girls and brought them over to curtsy to Scylla.

  “Queen Scylla, these will be your new ladies-in-waiting,” she said. “This is Sara and Linya. Sara is a daughter of Lord Freehall of Freehall Keep to the east, and Linya is a cousin of Orwen’s, from Morrow Keep. They are looking forward to their new duties, starting in a few days. They will stay in your former chambers.”

  “I see,” said Scylla with some reserve. But now she was queen, she had no further use for the cramped rooms in the far corridor.

  “Their first job will be to bring any remaining things from those rooms here for you and Sorrell to sort out,” Minda continued pleasantly.

  Scylla inspected the two. They were both young – younger than Scylla herself. The fresh-faced pair stared back at her with awe, both eyeing her asymmetrical hairstyle – which was unfettered today – with curiosity. Sara was tall and rawboned, with reddish hair tied back in a knot; the other was small and slim with her dark hair in a long braid. They were both wearing well-made dresses, probably their best for their interview with Minda.

  Leon burst into a fresh round of wails.

  “You may also be asked to help with Prince Leon,” said Minda.

  They both nodded, looking with much more sympathy at the little boy than they had at Scylla.

  “Excellent, Minda,” said Scylla. “Welcome, ladies.”

  “I will return later, after I have given Sara and Linya a tour of the castle apartments.” They curtsied again and followed Minda out.

  “Do you plan to be nice to them, Princess?” asked Sorrell.

  “As long as they are not too irritating. At least they do not appear to be something the late queen would have sent in.”

  “No,” agreed Sorrell. “Let us hope they are better than that. I was the worst of them, remember.”

  “You certainly were, thank the Goddess. I think Maris tossed you into my room in the hope we would fight to the death! Do not mind us, Axit,” she said to the girl, who wore a look of bewilderment. “You were not at the court when the late queen ruled it. She would not have liked you at all... you may take that as a compliment.”

  “Yes, Queen Scylla,” said Axit, humoring her much as she
humored little Prince Leon. “Excuse me while I take the prince away to give him a bath.”

  Scylla waved her off. Peace and quiet descended upon the room. She settled herself more comfortably in the chair, her foot elevated. There was time for a nap before the kitchen started sending in the next round of food, she hoped, closing her eyes.

  Sometime later she woke with a start to the smell of fresh bread and other goodies. Minda was standing at the table, laying out food on plates, and Axit had taken Leon out onto the roof garden to play before dinner. Sorrell was still lying down.

  “Ah, Princess,” said Minda. “Did you have a good nap?”

  “I suppose.” Scylla yawned and stretched. She was stiff, thirsty, and sorry she hadn’t lain down on her bed to rest. “Is there any tea to be found amongst yon feast?”

  “Of course!” Minda poured a cup and brought it over with a plate of food assembled from the pre-dinner spread.

  Scylla waved that off with a scowl. “I will wait for dinner. A person – even a queen! – who barely moves from bed to chair and back again does not need to eat at two-hour intervals!”

  “Of course,” said Minda again. “How foolish of me!” Her eyes met Scylla’s blandly.

  “I shall become fat just from the proximity to all this food!” Scylla snapped. “Where are the chancellor and the captains? We shall have to increase the size of the War Council just to eat up all the food the kitchen brings in!”

  “Do not worry,” Minda said. “Last night the men were happy to take the leftovers back to their quarters. There are plenty of appetites there to consume the excess. Also, my husband will be arriving soon and he will be pleased with tonight’s feast... our cook at home can be quite lazy when I’m away.”

  “Oh!” said Scylla, recalling that Minda had left her own home to take charge of the castle after the recent upheaval. “Of course! I hope he will enjoy the dinner – and the pre-dinner, if he arrives in time – and I hope he will not take you home with him!”

  “Not yet,” Minda reassured her. “Things are not yet settled here and remember... the War Council consults over dinner every night.”