Unleashed Fury (BloodRunes: Book 1)

by Laura R Cole

CHAPTER 9

  Layna was kept very busy the next few days as Jezebel had received an invitation to attend the coronation ceremony for the newly appointed King Nathair. She had ordered that all new dresses be made for her stay at the palace. Of course, each had to be made in several different colors so that no matter what color the other courtiers would be wearing, Jezebel would be ready with an appropriate outfit. Therefore, in addition to the normal upkeep of the manor, Layna and the other servants were frantically running around in a desperate attempt to keep up with their mistress's ever-increasing demands. Every time they felt like they had caught up, Jezebel would think of something else that needed to be prepared, only to change her mind once it was done.

  Gryffon had been more subdued since their conversation, and other than a few stolen moments to exchange pleasantries, she had been mostly unable to see him. Though she knew that it was for the best, Layna missed him and couldn’t deny that she had been disappointed when she had learned that he would be attending the coronation with Jezebel.

  After what seemed like an eternity of running around to keep up with all of her demands, Jezebel and her party were finally off. As the carriages pulled away, Layna let out a sigh of relief and looked forward to a quiet manor. She sent a silent 'good luck' to the unlucky entourage that had been chosen to accompany them, and headed back inside.

  That night, the servants gathered for their own celebration, and to gossip about the new King. Aaron attended with Katrina and seemed quite happy to dote on her, which amused Layna to no end. When Aaron wasn’t looking, she gave Katrina a smile and a wink, and the girl beamed back at her. Both greeted Layna warmly as she made her way over to them and Katrina handed her a mug of cider wine, which she took gratefully.

  “Good thing I like tea enough to make up herbs I need for one on the spot,” she whispered to Layna, poking her in the ribs good-naturedly. While Katrina had found the time to run squealing into Layna’s room to tell her the news that she had finally spoken with Aaron amidst all of the rushing around for Jezebel, apparently the conversation about why he had asked her what herbs she would need had only recently come up.

  “You’re welcome.” Layna smiled and stuck out her tongue at her. Obviously the conversation had ended well.

  They all huddled around the fireplace in the kitchen where the cook was making sweet pies for them. Layna listened idly to the conversations around her, chewing slowly on her pie, and savoring the flavor.

  She caught Gryffon's name from the corner where Katrina and Aaron had migrated to sit with their heads together, and she directed a question to them. “What happened with Gryffon?”

  Katrina looked startled as she looked up at Layna. “Wow, good ears. I was saying that for some reason today Jezebel felt the need to tell me that she thought that Gryffon had stolen something from her. She claimed to have such amazing faith in us that she just knew it couldn't possibly be a servant who had taken it.”

  Aaron snorted. “The day she gives any of us a sliver of respect when it doesn't satisfy some ulterior motive of hers is the day I'll eat my own boot.”

  Layna nodded in agreement, but Katrina suddenly looked worried. “You don't think she was trying to get me to confess to having taken it, do you?”

  Layna shook her head. “She's probably just complaining about Gryffon when he didn't do anything. It seems to be a favorite pastime for her.”

  Aaron interposed, “Maybe he really did take it.”

  Layna shot back, slightly more nastily than she had meant, “Gryffon wouldn't do something like that; she's just a filthy liar.” Aaron looked taken-aback by her conviction and gave her a strange look.

  “We all know that most of what comes out of the lady's mouth is a lie, I'm sure it's nothing,” soothed Katrina. Layna fell silent, listening to the rest of the stream of conversation and avoiding making eye contact with Aaron.

  “I've heard that the new King Nathair is making all sorts of improvements to the system already, and he's not even coronated yet,” said one of the gardeners.

  The cook interceded, “Not that any improvements that they make are likely to improve our lives any.” He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment before adding, “Although, if they caused Lady I'm-too-good-for-everything to dine somewhere else more frequently, my life at least would get that much better.”

  They all laughed at this comment. This nickname for Jezebel was only safe to use when she and Devon were well away from the manor, but all the servants delighted in it. Luckily, such an important event at the palace was almost certain to keep them detained, so the servants could relax and vent their frustrations during that time.

  Layna hadn't heard much about what King Nathair was doing except what she had happened to have picked up from conversations between Jezebel and her friends or her father. King Edward had died in a hunting accident, and it sickened Layna that Jezebel and her friends had seized upon the opportunity to gossip about it rather than mourn him. Since he did not have an heir, the throne was left empty upon his death, and the Council had been forced to choose the next-in-line. They had decided that King Nathair was a distant relative of the royal family and therefore considered him worthy enough of bearing the title.

  Layna wasn't sure that she accepted the logic of naming someone King based on relations alone, but at least he supposedly was a good leader in his own right. Layna deduced from the snippets of conversation that the other servants were having that the King was busily proposing new laws. He was trying to give farmers tax-breaks; giving them the option of trading horses and oxen for back taxes. He wanted to fund some rather big projects like erecting buildings for improved food storage and wanted to re-open some of the ore mines which had been abandoned. Jezebel's father had made an off-hand comment about the improvements sounding an awful lot like war preparations. Layna felt a chill.

  Jezebel's father was nothing like the woman. Jezebel was the epitome of evil as far as Layna was concerned, self-centered and completely dispassionate about anyone but herself. She was a very smart woman, but her arrogance was her greatest weakness. She seemed to be in her own fantasy world where she felt as though she could do anything she wanted, and no one could do anything about it because she was better than them all. This delusion seemed to make her less daunting as she tended to go about exacting her revenge in such a way that would only have worked if she really was the center of the universe as she had so convinced herself.

  Jezebel's father, on the other hand, was a very smart man and unlike his daughter, his thoughts were also based in reality. His combination of intelligence and shrewdness made him even more dangerous to those who crossed him. But despite the unyielding force he was to most people, he fell for Jezebel's 'woe-is-me' attitude every time. He usually gave in and bought her whatever new item she simply had to have. Like the new carriage she so desperately needed because the old one was too squeaky - and besides, Daddy, the neighbors have one just like it. Or when she had needed new curtains for the library because the color didn't compliment her eyes.

  Layna had noted that the conversations Jezebel had with her father tended to bring out a new Jezebel, a Jezebel whose world was entirely against her and only her father's money could fix it. Perhaps it was simply that love is blind. She was, after all, his daughter. Nevertheless, Layna was left dumbfounded by how glibly he bought her stories. Maybe he knew she was lying, but chose to ignore it, simply giving her what she wanted in hopes that maybe this time it would make her happy.

  Layna wondered about their whole relationship. She had once overheard him shouting at Jezebel through the closed library door raving, “How could I have raised such a stupid daughter?!” Layna did not know what the rest of the conversation had been about as she had absented herself immediately, for fear of both their furious rages, but had almost felt bad for the woman in that instant. She couldn’t imagine her own parents ever saying anything so hurtful.

  Layna
hoped that in the King's new improvements, he took a good look at the officials in the city and had the heart to care why their robes were adorned with gold while innocent people were punished. Layna didn't have much hope that yet another noble in power would care for the plight of the common people, but it was a nice thought. People like Jezebel's father were allowed to flourish because the system was so corrupt. If you had enough money, you could just about guarantee any outcome you pleased. It was what made it so dangerous to work for someone like Jezebel. She had the money through her father to get what she wanted, and the temper to ruin someone's life on a whim.

  When Layna had first come to the city, she had imagined that it would be a more glamorous life than that on her family's farm. After all, Naoham was the capital of Gelendan, something interesting was bound to happen here. Her father had been very upset with her for even mentioning that she might leave and had not spoken a word to her for three whole days. He had eventually come around after much prodding from her ever-patient and coaxing mother, and grudgingly decided to let her go and try her hand at the big city life since it was what she really wanted to do. They were good, loving parents. Neither of them would ever have called her stupid as Jezebel's father had done - Layna had just found life with them smothering and simply had to get away.

  She had packed up what few belongings she could call her own, and made her way to the big city. There, she had been directed by the guards at the gatehouse to a job agency where they matched people who were hiring with those looking for work. Layna had been completely out of her element and embarrassed when the clerk had asked her what she was applying for and she realized that she didn't have an answer. When the job appeared for the maid in Jezebel's household, she had jumped at the chance, despite her misgivings about her new mistress.

  In spite of the downsides of working for Jezebel, Layna had managed to save some money and her dreams of becoming something on her own were still intact. She refused to go back home without making something of herself or she would never be able to live with her father's endless 'I told you so's'. Besides, if she went back he'd probably end up marrying her off to some boring old farmer and then she'd just be miserable for the rest of her life. Her parents were always so worried about her, and never wanted her to do anything where she might get hurt. But in her mind, that wasn’t living. At least here it was somewhat exciting. She was in the midst of things, and though she rarely heard the whole story, she got tantalizing little snatches of court intrigue that fascinated her.

  Layna let her thoughts drift back to the conversation around her and chuckled to herself as her own thoughts had nearly mirrored those of the current speaker, Katrina. She was asking if anyone had heard any of the new gossip about the nobles, their constant source of entertainment. Who was seen with whom. How relationships were going. Who and what was in style. It was such a silly little gossip train, but Layna couldn't help herself. She got sucked into it with the rest of them.

  “I heard that Lady Renee may have actually found a suitor recently,” she chimed in and explained as a flurry of excitement broke out at this juicy news.

  When they had exhausted all avenues of who-knew-what in the lives of the nobility, Layna found herself stifling a yawn. She excused herself and squeezed past the gardener and stable boy, playfully batting at the hand of the former, which strayed puckishly towards her.

  She paused just outside the door when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to find that Aaron had followed her out. “Watch yourself,” he warned her.

  “Excuse me?” she asked him.

  “I may have been out of line the other day when I accused the lord of only using you. But all this joking and laughter,” he waved his hand, indicating the party, “about the evilness of Jezebel is really not very funny. Servants actually do go missing and I’d hate to see you among them.”

  Layna's face grew hot. “There's nothing going on with me and-”

  “-You don't need to convince me. It's none of my business.” He glanced back into the kitchen and smiled at Katrina who waved back at him. Then he turned his attention back to Layna. “But I don't think it’s just a matter of a broken heart anymore. If Jezebel found out…” he drifted off, giving her a meaningful look, “I promise this is the last time I’ll bring it up, but please, just watch yourself.”

  Layna nodded soberly, and gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks. Now, go enjoy yourself.” Aaron reentered the party, and Layna made her way to bed, idly thinking that she missed Gryffon's company despite Aaron’s warning. A strange pang of jealously twisted her stomach for a moment, thinking of them both at the palace, but she shook it off sheepishly. Why in the world would I feel such a thing about Gryffon anyway? I simply enjoy his company. We’re just friends. In the back of her mind she knew that she didn't believe her own reasoning for a second, but she was too tired to argue with herself. She sank into the blankets gratefully; letting her body warm the chilled fabric until her cozy nest embraced her in sleep.