Sovereign Sieged

by Sarah E. Burr

  While she’d been at the carrier house, securing one of the falcons, Jax had instructed Uma to arrange for Sir Olavo to join them. After the attack on her life, the Tandorian had been transferred to his cell, as she’d not had the energy to question him further while knowing George was in peril. The morose prisoner stood beside the Captain’s mount, wringing his shackled hands. Clearly, he had no idea what was going on. Two members of the Ducal Guard occupied the remaining two horses. George had selected two of his most trusted officers for the voyage, and Jax recognized them from being frequently at the Captain’s side.

  “Duchess, you may remember Lieutenants Wynn Holmes and Ansel Shores.” George motioned toward the two men, heads dipped reverently from their saddles.

  Jax smiled and nodded in return. “Thank you for joining us on this morning’s jaunt.” Certain that George had not revealed the full extent of her plot to the two soldiers, Jax deliberately kept her comments about the purpose of their ride vague.

  “We ensured Sir Olavo was removed from his cell without any of the palace staff being made aware, Your Grace,” Wynn replied, his voice hearty and warm.

  “Lady Uma made certain of that.” Ansel’s grin seemed infectious among the group.

  Uma blushed before brushing the comment aside. “Do we need to see to anything else before we depart, Your Grace?”

  Jax surveyed the group with a critical eye. Despite the determined expression cut into George’s features, she noticed how much his shoulders slumped from the pain in his side. He was more of a detriment to her safety in this state, but she prayed to the Virtues that Wynn and Ansel could guard them all. Both men had double swords strapped to their backs, with a bow and stocked quiver within reach. With their slow pace, due to Sir Olavo being on foot and George’s injuries, it would take them most of the morning to make it to Galensmore. With one last look at George, she sighed. I know I am risking a lot by taking him with me, but the thought of leaving him behind scares me more. He’d always been her protector, for as long as she could remember. Just knowing he was close eased her fears. Even if George could not wield a sword in his current state, just his presence alone felt like protection enough.

  In answer to Uma, Jax hoisted herself up onto her beloved midnight stallion, Mortimer, and nudged the majestic beast with her booted heels. “Let us ride.”

  Their pace pleasantly surprised Jax. It wasn’t long before Olavo began to complain about following George’s horse, so Ansel threw the whining man over the back of his mount, allowing the group to move at a much faster speed. Jax kept a constant eye on the Captain, whose jaw clenched tighter with every step his mount took. She couldn’t imagine his discomfort. Several times during the journey, she caught Master Charles passing small vials to his charge, the contents of which George eagerly gulped down their contents. Whatever pain relief they offered seemed fleeting, but George voiced no complaints.

  Uma and Vita were the ones who set the group’s pace, as neither lady boasted much confidence atop a horse. Jax, who’d practically grown up on horseback, teased her friends, keeping the mood light, but made a promise to herself that she would train the young women in the months ahead. If the realm plunged into war, Jax would ride out with her army and supervise the fighting from the battlefield, meaning her lady-in-waiting and her lady’s maid would need to tend to her from the war tents. Jax couldn’t ask her friends to ride to battle with her if she wasn’t confident they could ride away from the fighting, should the need arise.

  A symphony of chattering woodland creatures floated on the light breeze of the morning, leaving Jax with a sense of elusive peace as they rode. As dire as her reasons for fleeing her home might be, the serenity of their forest path soothed her frayed nerves, allowing her calm and collected approach to problem solving to return.

  Midmorning rays of sunlight sparkled off a formidable limestone wall up ahead, signaling the group had almost reached their destination.

  Jax caught Uma, Sabine, and Vita marveling at the sight, the tops of the estate’s impenetrable barrier peaking above the trees. “Galensmore is one of the few, albeit small, fortresses outside of the palace in Saphire,” she informed them. “It was once home to my grandfather’s sister and her family.” Jax’s grandfather, who had been Duke of Saphire during his time, had constructed and bequeathed Galensmore to his sister upon her marriage to a Saphirian Earl. They had lived there happily for many years with their four children, but tragically fell victim to a plague that ravaged the nation when Jax’s father was just a boy. Heartbroken by her death, Jax’s grandfather let the estate fall into disrepair. Only when Jax’s father assumed the throne did he restore the manor as a private homestead for the Xavier bloodline.

  Sabine’s eyes twinkled with wonder. “It’s quite impressive. Who could imagine that such a strong defense could be so beautiful?”

  She probably found the sight reminiscent of the gnarled, chiseled fortress she’d grown up in back in Pettraud, Jax thought.

  “The barrier wall is nearly twenty feet tall and nine feet thick,” George explained through gritted teeth, beads of perspiration swimming down his face. Master Charles’s latest tincture seemed to be wearing off.

  Uma gripped her reins, her knuckles white. “I’m more worried about what’s on the other side of that rock,” she muttered, casting a wary glance Jax’s way. “How do we know Galensmore’s inhabitants are not our enemies?”

  Jax urged Mortimer forward with her heels once more. “Despite its size, Galensmore is currently occupied by an incredibly small household. Lord Brunovaris, of course, has made his home here. Carriena, as well.” A lazy grin at the memory of her spunky, witty friend from her Academy days spread across her face. The former Crown Princess was now a professor at their alma mater. “When I bequeathed Galensmore to Lord Brunovaris, I also personally assigned his household staff. I appointed Sir Bernard Hoftstead as Lord Chamberlain, to manage Brunovaris’s finances and oversee the estate, since we all know how well Isla DeLacqua turned out under Lord Brunovaris’s leadership.”

  A snicker fluttered out of her friends. The former Duke had bled the island duchy’s treasury dry and nearly caused a civil war because of it. Not to mention added a bounty on his and his daughter’s heads to pay his numerous debts.

  “Why does the name Hoftstead sound familiar?” Uma’s nose wrinkled with vague recollection.

  Jax tossed a stray lock of hair out of her face. “He graduated from the Academy a few years before I did.”

  Uma’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s right! He tutored you, Carriena, and—” she gulped away the final name on her lips, shame rising to her cheeks, “…in economics your first two years, right?”

  Nodding, Jax tried to ignore the fiery roar of rage clawing its way up her chest. She hated that the mere thought of Lady Aranelda, who had once been like a sister to her, still caused her such internal agony. Some of her fondest memories of her youth had been at the Academy, and having Arnie mar them now felt like further betrayal. “Indeed,” Jax continued, pushing her emotions aside, “Bernard was one of the brightest economic minds the Academy had seen in decades. I couldn’t believe my luck when he actually accepted the role of Lord Chamberlain.” She managed a giggle. “After all, he’s really nothing more than Lord Brunovaris’s babysitter these days.”

  “Well,” Vita snorted, “if he gets to spend his time managing one of the most esteemed estates in Saphire, he’s likely willing to be a martyr for the cause.”

  Vita’s knowledge about the noble houses in the duchy impressed Jax, but then again, the young woman had grown up noble born, and thus knew much more about the nobility of the realm than the average lady’s maid upon entry into service.

  “You’ve heard of Galensmore before?” Jax raised an eyebrow, as Vita had not previously mentioned she was familiar with the estate.

  Momentarily floundering as her horse cleared a fallen tree, Vita steadied herself in the saddle. “Indeed, Duquessa.” She brushed back her disheveled dark hair. “The neighb
oring vineyard modeled their main house after Galensmore. My father was fit to be tied.”

  “Really?” This was news to Jax. She didn’t realize there was another likeness of her ancestral home in the realm.

  Nodding, Vita continued. “He was appalled the Viscount who owned the land would allow such a thing. ‘Each noble home bears its own soul,’ he used to say.” She imitated her father in a gravelly voice. As Uma, Charles, and Jax laughed at her impersonation, a wistful expression enveloped Vita’s face. “He wagered the vineyard would be bankrupt within one season, since it couldn’t even manage to find its own unique place in the world.” Her golden eyes darkened. “My father was right. It was one of the first to collapse before you stepped in to save us all from Duke Savant’s pigheadedness.”

  Even before the tension over common-born rights broke out, Duke Savant had problems of his own with Jax. Due to some mishandled finances, the duchy’s treasury could not support the vineyards in the region that had been ravaged by drought. To save themselves from bankruptcy, the noble lords of the nation had made pleas elsewhere in the realm, and Jax had answered, much to Duke Savant’s humiliation. He’d been a poisonous thorn in her side ever since.

  “You mentioned assigning a small household to tend to Lord Brunovaris.” Uma pulled her mount up alongside Jax and Mortimer. “Just how small?”

  “Besides Bernard and Lord Brunovaris, there’s a cook, a valet, and a steward,” Jax summarized. “All have served my father for many years, so they’ve proven their loyalty to Saphire.”

  Uma still looked wary. “Will Lady Carriena be there?”

  “I’m not sure, actually.” Jax slowed the group’s pace as massive iron gates filled their view. “It would be wonderful to see her, but her teaching schedule at the Academy may prevent it.”

  “Wait. Are we staying here?” Sabine glanced from Uma to Vita to Jax, who all shared a guilty, knowing look.

  With a small smile, Jax nodded. “Considering last night’s events, I felt it best to relocate for our protection. I’m sorry I won’t be able to show you more of Saphire for the time being, Sabine.”

  While the young woman’s expression momentarily dulled, she quickly recovered with a bright smile. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Duchess. I’m having the adventure of a lifetime, on the run from assassins!”

  Appreciating her humorous approach, Jax laughed despite the threat looming over them. “Well, when you put it like that, maybe I should offer all my visitors the same experience.” She sobered as she addressed Wynn and Ansel. “I apologize if Captain Solomon did not inform you that this would be an extended assignment. I am not sure how long we’ll remain within the confines of Galensmore. The Ducal Guard has been tasked with interviewing and investigating every member of the palace staff, so once their inquiry concludes, I pray we can return home.”

  The lieutenants bowed their heads in unison. “We are here to serve, Your Grace,” Wynn said, answering for both of them.

  Ansel lifted the curved, golden horn that hung from his waist, trumpeting their arrival to the guards stationed behind the gates of Galensmore.

  The horses skittered about as the massive doors shuddered open, sending tremors through the earthy ground. Through the slim crack in the entryway, a broad-shouldered figure emerged, covered in regal armor.

  The warrior bowed before saluting Captain Solomon. “Your Grace, we welcome you to Galensmore. We’ve been expecting you since your falcon arrived.”

  “Corporal Highriver, it is good to see you. I take it country life is treating you well?” Jax gracefully slipped off the back of her steed and welcomed the man with a warm embrace. Corporal Archibald Highriver had long served the Xavier family and had been one of George’s commanding officers when he first entered the service. Highriver had been on track to become Captain of the Ducal Guard, but a bandit attack had claimed his right arm, which had been his sword-wielding hand. Refusing the post of Captain when it had been offered to him years ago, he instead became one of the leading tacticians in the Saphirian army. Jax had assigned him to oversee the twenty members of the Ducal Guard stationed at Galensmore for his brilliant understanding of siege warfare.

  “Indeed, Duchess, the fresh air does me good.” With a beaming smile, he stepped back, his amber gaze darting to those still on horseback. “A lot better than what city life has apparently done to young Captain Solomon here.” A formidable man in his mid-fifties, Highriver still seemed to view George as the sixteen-year-old boy who’d entered the service and not the thirty-seven-year-old commander he’d become.

  George mustered a smirk from his saddle. “I can see how good the Virtues have been to you based on the size of your stomach.” He eyed the corporal’s rather round middle.

  Highriver laughed, clapping a hand on his belly. “I’ll admit, I’ve gone a bit soft. Ellamae has spoiled us all with her fine cooking.”

  Hearing the name of the culinary mastermind, Jax heaved a dramatic sigh. “There are days I regret sending her away to tend to another table. Her smoked venison holds a special place in my heart.”

  “Then you’ll be delighted to hear,” Highriver began, his chest expanding, “that as soon as we figured out you were coming, Ellamae sent one of my scouts to procure a deer for tonight’s feast.”

  “I can hardly wait.” Jax glanced up at the top of the barrier, the midmorning sun glinting off the gleaming helmets of two soldiers stationed nearby. “I’m glad to see everyone is on alert. I’m afraid this isn’t a simple visit to the countryside.”

  Highriver’s expression darkened as he stroked his long, silver beard with his left hand. “I guessed as much when the crowned falcon arrived with no note. I’ve put every available man on watch, and the barrier is monitored round-the-clock.” He held out his arm for her to take. “You will be safe here, Duchess.”

  His burly presence reassured her. “Captain Solomon and I will bring you up to speed on the goings on in the realm once we’ve settled in.”

  His bushy eyebrows wiggled with intrigue. “Then you do plan to stay for a time?”

  She nodded. “Was Lord Brunovaris made aware of my impending arrival?”

  Highriver scoffed. “We tried, Your Grace, but the wonderful charge you so graciously bestowed on me does not deem it fit to rise from his chambers before noontime.”

  Glancing at the sun, Jax reckoned they had a few hours before the disgraced Duke awakened from his slumber. “Perhaps his absence is for the best at the moment.” With a cryptic expression, Jax grabbed the reins of Mortimer and led him through the estate’s gate. Ansel and Wynn had both dropped from their mounts, dragging a weary Sir Olavo behind them. Vita and Uma, too, scrambled off their saddles, relieved to once more stand on firm ground.

  Once the group had cleared the gate, Sabine, Uma, and Vita let loose collective sighs of amazement. A path stretching nearly a third of a mile cut through a lush, grassy field riddled with the last of the summer wildflowers. Without any trees, brambles, or boulders to mar the field, it seemed almost endless as it spread out across the estate’s property. In the distance, as the path faded out of view, a large, stately home settled proudly against the lush land. It had been over two decades since Jax had visited Galensmore. The last time, she’d come along with her father as he surveyed the final stages of the manor’s restoration. The three-story building constructed of sandstone and redwood still looked as glorious as it had that day so long ago.

  Jax listened to Highriver’s detailed report on the estate’s security measures while they all strolled up the lengthy pathway. She commended herself for selecting the right man for the job, but Jax knew that should Saphirian soldiers be required to take the battlefield after the War Council, Corporal Highriver’s quiet country life at Galensmore would be upended. A man of his military prowess would be needed to end the war swiftly.

  As they neared the wide steps leading up to the wraparound veranda that encompassed the first floor of the manor, Wynn cleared his throat. “If Ansel and I can secure the p
risoner with Corporal Highriver and his men, we will see that the horses are watered and fed.”

  In answer, Highriver reached out with his left hand and grabbed the chain Wynn used to drag Olavo. “Oh, I can’t wait to hear why the Duchess has a royal courtier in tow.” With a tug, the Corporal forced Olavo to stumble forward, nearly plummeting to his knees.

  Jax restrained the man’s arm. “If you would treat Sir Olavo here with as much respect as you can muster for a prisoner, I’d appreciate it.” She lowered her voice so that only Highriver could hear her warning. “He is Duchess Tandora’s private secretary. I need him to be willing to talk.”

  With guiding hands from Charles and Sabine, George slid off his horse, landing with a grunt at the foot of the manor’s steps. “I will accompany the Corporal whilst he secures Olavo’s lodgings.”

  Highriver snorted, his beard blowing in the forceful breeze. “I think it best that you are situated in the parlor, Captain. You look like you might fall over.”

  To add insult to injury, George stumbled as he stepped forward to protest. Charles, already at his charge’s side, wrapped an arm around the pale-faced Captain. “I agree. You’re exerting yourself too much,” Charles said, straining a bit under the Captain’s muscular weight.

  Jax ached for the pain etched into her friend’s face, knowing how it killed him to be seen this weak and helpless. “I am the one who requires a bit of rest.” She added a haughty sniff to her words for effect. “I’m not sure why you all are fawning over Captain Solomon.”

  Her feigned arrogance dissolved the tension surrounding the group. George flashed her a grateful smile, relieved to have the focus off of him and his wound.

  Taking the lead, Corporal Highriver lumbered up the stairs with Olavo begrudgingly following. However, before the officer could lift his one remaining hand to the door handle, it swung inward.