Evangeline nodded. “I’m sorry.” Glais went back to staring ahead, and after a moment she rose from her seat beside him on the beds' edge and returned to the window.
Glais allowed a comfortable silence to settle between them before he brought up a new topic. The history he had just shared with her was sure to play on Evangeline’s mind considerably, and she would look at it from angles he had never imagined or thought possible. Evangeline was starting to overthink every reaction lately, and Glais grew worried with her imaginative thinking and what it could make of stories such as the one he had just told her.
“Have you reached a decision concerning your brother?” Glais asked. It seemed to be the only safe topic they had, although there was very little to say about it. Evangeline knew the only two acceptable outcomes for her to choose between. Glais could offer her no further information then what she already knew although she appreciated having him to speak with about the matter.
“When he first came to Braykith, I swore to keep him safe. I never could swear to keep him happy.” That had never once entered her mind now, and it seemed impossible for Evangeline and her brother to find peace. The best she could do would be to offer Darius a solution that would allow him to live. “Being forced to cultivate his land will ultimately bring about his downfall. He has only been instructed on how to rule by Barret.”
“That should have taught him some life skills,” Glais offered.
Evangeline shook her head. “No. Barret never gave Darius the skills to make his own decisions. Barret would never have believed his son was capable of such things. He had worked hard for the lands we had, and the growing reputation after the war. Barret would not want that lost. Darius was groomed to rely on the wiser words of others to keep Crimah safe. Now that there is no Crimah or wise words for him to call for council, Darius cannot be a master on his own.” Evangeline shook her head, strengthening her resolve. “I will answer to the second choice.”
Glais nodded. “Will he be good at it?” he asked, and the hopeful tilt of his voice made Evangeline laugh softly. He smiled. He had not heard that sound come from her lips in such a long time.
“He knows how to fight if that is your concern.” Evangeline smiled further. “But it is the only option where I am certain he will be fed and clothed. Darius will find his own way of agreeing with this, and hopefully, it will not come to scold me in the future.”
“I will treat him well,” Glais promised and all Evangeline could do was a nod.
CHAPTER NINE
E vangeline had believed when the time came for her to speak with Quintus regarding her brother’s future, it would be a private affair. Instead, Quintus called a royal attendance at the throne room. Evangeline was formally asked to come, and of course, her brother was present, but she had never imagined seeing so many of the Kingdom’s generals in a single meeting before. The last time she had seen these faces together was her wedding, and she barely understood their reference then. For the simple exchange of her brother’s current conditions to those Evangeline had chosen, it seemed quite absurd.
She said nothing about her feelings, quickly remembering her role with this many men in the room. Braykith had no time for women, and especially those who acted irrationally or improper. Looking around the chamber, it was not hard to see that simply being here appeared to upset many of them, and their confusion only added to her doubts to the whole affair. Glais had seemed convinced his father would hold up any bargain she decided to commit to. She had trusted his convictions on Quintus’ character, but now Evangeline was less sure of his intentions. It seemed more likely that he would pronounce beheading for Darius and be done with it. Surely no one here besides herself and Glais would argue against that statement.
Darius was led to the throne room by a single guard. His hands were chained together with manacles, but his stance was firm. Evangeline tried not to focus on what bound him and marked Darius as a prisoner, and instead was trying to see if he had been hurt in any way during his time held within the castle. While he was dressed in borrowed clothing, she did notice it was not the usual Braykith Black colour that covered him. A smirk tugged on her lips as Evangeline realised there was no red colouring was permitted to comfort him either.
Darius stood in a simple blue outfit, the cut immaculate and well pressed even though it could not have been made just for him. Someone had washed his hair and carefully dried it, so his natural curls could sit in elegant coils rather than the mess Darius usually endured for himself. Evangeline smiled, remembering how her mother would sit and restructure the curls one by one when they were children, and never complaining when he returned to her at the end of the day without a single coil in place.
He appeared more like her kid brother than ever before. They shared a look now across the room, the memory and humour sliding from her face as their eyes met. There were no words to say or gestures to offer in greeting. Quintus entered the meeting room, and Glais came in silently behind his father. Dressed so similar, he appeared more like a shadow to the king than as his own man. Evangeline watched as Glais paused at his father’s side before finally taking his place beside her. Glais had no words of greeting, or even a false comfort to give her hope. Instead, he took her hand and waited.
Quintus sat on the throne, Kyleigh at his side, and together they mirrored how Glais and Evangeline stood before them, side by side. Evangeline felt the need to speak in the silence, feeling a weight on her shoulders as if every person here was waiting for her to say something. However, it seemed improper, and when Quintus finally stood, she was glad that she had kept her silence.
“We have gathered for two reasons today.” Silence filled the space, and Quintus took a moment to let it sit before he filled it once more with his voice, “The first should be quick. Lady Evangeline, what is your decision?” Quintus asked.
Evangeline looked around the room, clearing her throat gently before she did her best to look at Quintus before answering, “My decision is that my brother will stay here as Glais’ squire.” Evangeline felt the mutterings around her rise, but she said nothing, and soon it quickly came to a close when Quintus did not argue against her.
“Glais, are you still willing to take the responsibility of Darius as your squire?” The two men looked at each other, and while Evangeline knew Quintus had dealt out the punishment for going against his father so openly, there was still heat between them. Glais would fight for Darius, for her brother, if he needed to. Glais knew why his father was asking him once more before making the decision final. Quintus was hoping that Glais would fold under the weight of the situation, and the still healing marks in his skin were a strong motivator to do what Quintus demanded. Glais would stay by his word.
“I do Father. I have every reason to believe he will be an asset to this Kingdom.” Glais had reminded his father during the initial meetings that once there had been a tentative agreement to marry his sister off to Darius. Surely there was a reason for that. Quintus had been just as quick to counter with the reminder that the deal was never struck, but he did admit that the betrothal had been considered. That reminder was silently sitting there between them still, creating a ripple of tension that could not be broken. As a leader, it was important that Quintus would have to obey his own laws in all matters. If Crimah was an asset good enough for marriage, then he needed to see those opportunities still.
Quintus nodded. “As you wish.” He waved his hand limply in Darius’ direction. The guard at his side undid the metal that encircled his wrists. Darius was motioned to remain where he was, and Evangeline struggled to obey that order. She needed to speak to Darius and explain the situation to him, and the motivations behind her decision. She was fidgeting so much that she almost missed Quintus and his second announcement, and the valid reason why he had called this meeting together today.
Darius was such a small matter on the grand scale, and he did not need this audience to witness how he handled the former earl’s son. Quintus just needed people to see
Darius now, be reminded of the world and the threat set against them. A threat which had claimed his youngest son’s life and many of his good men. “Now on to further complications, I must announce that we are planning a strike against Crimah Manor.”
Evangeline gasped but covered her mouth to keep from speaking her objections further. Darius seemed unmoved by the announcement. Glais reminded silent and stoic at her side. Evangeline looked up at him and knew this was not news to him. Glais had been made aware of this, and he had not shared it with her. For how long he had known she could only guess.
“My spies have returned to me with a full report of Crimah and its current conditions. It appears the rebels have made the manor their temporary home. They have kept all livestock, including our horses, and seem to believe that no one will come to complain.” Quintus smirked, and one or two of the men appeared to chuckle at the notion. Evangeline stayed silent. “My goals are simple. There are no longer any citizens of Crimah remaining in the province proper.”
“What of the priest?” Darius interrupted, getting hard stares back in response from almost all eyes in the room. “I do not want anything bad to happen to our Priest.” He added quietly, seeming to shrink right before Evangeline’s eyes.
“It seems that the leader of the rebellion has done away with him already. I am sorry.” Quintus did not seem sorry, and he rushed to continue with his plan. It seemed rude interrupts were a family trait within Crimah. “It is time we send a real message to these rebels. For far too long, this rebellion has taken our land’s heart, and it is imperative that we stop this momentum before it becomes out of control.” He hushed his men as several protests came up at once.
“We will ride to Crimah,” Quintus proclaimed loudly over the murmurs and brought all noise to silence. “And we destroy all who live there and anything that remains standing. We will take our horses and lay to rest the men and women we have already lost to this plague.” Evangeline watched as the men around her started to rally with the promise of brutality in their near future. She shivered at the obvious bloodlust and wondered if the Braykith curse affected more than the king and his son.
She had never witnessed so many men throw their support for vengeance behind a single cause, and it chilled her as Quintus encouraged it further. “They have taken our peace and our men. They have threatened our crops and lay waste to the livestock. No more, and no longer, can we only bear witness? They stole my son from me, and for these reasons, they will be met with our fury.”
***
Evangeline paced the sitting rooms of her chamber as Glais watched her. She had come back here as quickly as she was able and Glais had been forced to follow in her wake. She seemed unable to find words at first but once she started ranting she did not stop. “He means to destroy Crimah.” She said again, but Glais could only offer the same advice.
“He cannot appear weak. The rebels are not our only problems.” Glais reminded her, but it seemed that his answers did nothing to her mood unless he agreed with her.
“He will take all my childhood memories and destroy them. He will break the house of worship, and the manor which has stood for generations. Your father means to ruin all that remains of what I once was.” She cried out in frustration, and Glais went to her, carefully judging before he tried to embrace her.
“You said your farewells to Crimah a long time ago.” He said, and Evangeline frowned at him.
“And so that makes this ok? Barret denounced me as his, banned me from ever returning and clearly had favour for Darius, so I should allow this evil to happen?” She demanded, and Glais sighed in response, “You do not understand what this is like.”
“I know you never imagined it would be quite this absolute, but there is nothing to be done. We must pick the battles we face as best we can. Your brother lives safely in the castle, and you are alive and well. Those are two battles where we have succeeded.”
“At what cost?” Evangeline demanded, but there was no answer to be given. “Darius will still die, and your father would have succeeded in doing the things my father accused him of.”
Glais frowned. “Darius will do fine.”
“He has never seen a real battle. We are at a supposed time of peace. All Darius knows is the understanding of conflicts, not how to survive them.” She looked up at him, panic causing her to stay silent for a moment. “And what of you?” she finally managed the words but could not follow through on anything else because her body refused to co-operate at that moment. Evangeline felt a justified panic rise.
“I will not be going to battle with Father.” He said, and Evangeline looked up at him suddenly with wide eyes. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, and he managed not to be swayed by that stunning look of surprise in her eyes.
“I thought…” she trailed off in mid-thought.
“With Baxter gone, it is too dangerous for Father to lose his heir. I will remain here and take care of Braykith in his absence. Should the rebels see me present and out in the open, I will become a target. They have shown already that there is no mercy for the blood of the King.” Glais released Evangeline, and she sat heavily in the seat nearby.
“I suppose that is something to consider,” she murmured.
“There are many things to consider and not much time to do so. There are eyes within this castle Evangeline, and we must act quickly if we mean to strike a surprise attack against the rebellion.” He reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and surprisingly Evangeline did not shy away from his touch. “I need to go. The war room will be waiting for me.”
“Glais, wait.” Evangeline stood, but the door closed in response. She sighed and wrapped her coat tighter around herself although she felt no chill. She turned suddenly to the feeling of being watched.
Sable cringed in the corner after being seen. “I am sorry Eva for scaring you and witnessing your… fight.” She struggled to vocalise correctly what she had just seen. Evangeline and Glais had returned to the room, and without even seeing her, had started a to and fro argument that bounced back and forth and yet no conclusion was found. Sable could not leave when she could gather such valuable information for Christof. So, she had disappeared into her surroundings and was glad when no one was any wiser.
Evangeline nodded softly, clearing her throat as she still struggled with how much to tell Sable about her life. She did not want to force Sable into an uncomfortable situation, although it seemed that Evangeline had been doing that quite a bit recently. “You will come to witness many fights.” She sighed and tried to pull herself back together now she was aware that Sable was in the room. She tried to think if she had said anything about the curse, but she was sure that her rants were restricted to only the impending war and Darius’ welfare. “The real thing you must never do is share those details with others.” Evangeline tried to remain calm, but very quickly she replayed the argument in her mind but could not think of much that could allude to the real terror of Braykith. Evangeline must take more care in how she handled herself around Sable.
“I never would,” Sable promised. “Can I get you some tea, or maybe just some water?”
Evangeline shook her head. “No. No, I am fine.” She uncrossed her arms and looked back to the door. “Glais and I are complicated, and this news of war against the rebellion in my home is hard for me to stand still on. I am losing more than I ever imagined, and those things I gain…” Evangeline paused. “I do not have much left to lose.”
Sable remained cautious because she was uncertain about her role here as Evangeline’s friend but wanting to collect all the information she could in the hope of warning Christof. “He is a strong looking man. I am sure the prince knows how to use that sword he carries.”
Evangeline felt herself nodding, but it wasn’t the truth. “I never fear Glais dying because I am close to certain that it will never come to pass. Before we were wed, I prayed to Xado and begged him for a release from this promise. And that salvation never came, and so the marri
age came to pass without divine intervention. If Xado did not see fit to leave me without a husband then, I could not see the God’s finding an excuse for it now.” It was the best way she could speak of the curse and the longevity of Glais’ natural life without really telling Sable the truth. Evangeline sighed. “Excuse me; it has been a long day.” She apologised for the outburst.
Sable was in shock at the admission, unable to proceed but it did not matter because Evangeline went on. “I am sure all wives believe their husband will never die at war. And while most of them are wrong, I have a greater feeling that I am right. The torment of this arrangement will continue until the last of my days. It is not pretty Sable.” Evangeline said, seeing the look of surprise on her friends’ face. A small smile teased her lips, but Evangeline faltered to maintain it. “But it is true.”
“If it was such a terrible thing, why didn’t you leave?” Sable asked.
Evangeline shook her head at the question. “It was never that simple. I could never leave. Like my brother now, I had nowhere to go.” Evangeline stumbled over her words, but the emotions of the day were catching up, and Evangeline had so few people to confide in. Sable stared at her with wide innocent eyes, and Evangeline was glad to have a friend who could give her a reaction. Finally, Evangeline admitted that Sable had seen enough and was due an explanation for some of what she had witnessed.
“My father made it very clear to me Sable that he had given me to his friend as a show of companionship and continued joined forces. I was in no position to change that. So many of us children are pawns to our parent’s desires, and we do with that as best we can.” She shrugged. “In all truthfulness, I should feel honoured and valuable given my station and now my marriage, but I know I will never find pride in being Glais’ wife. I doubt…” Evangeline stopped, and this time she did not continue with her train of thought. She could not voice her feelings for Thomas to Sable. Not yet, even though she had seen enough.
The Ones Who Serve Page 10
