Tor sidled up to Tibia. “Nicely handled, your Majesty. Pretend you trust those you know to be in league with the Duke and they willingly reveal their accomplices. I would not have thought of that.”
Captain Kelly arrived, seeking orders, and was sent with a company of men to arrest all of the servants in the blue room. The Queen’s ex-personal maid had had plenty of time to round up all of the traitors among the servants and Janine was leading the remaining few loyal ones out of the room. Tibia noticed that Lady Kira, too, had left the room, along with everyone who had been breakfasting with the Duke. There were still a large number of people in the dining room that neither side had claimed. Queen Tibia was unsure how to determine exactly where their loyalties lay, but before she could ask Tor’s advice, she was disturbed by the sound of fighting in the corridor; the soldiers had stormed the palace.
Kelly ran into the room, breathing hard. “There are too many of them, your Majesty. We are outmanned ten to one. We need to get you to a place of safety.”
Tibia shook her head. “Get me to the balcony,” she commanded. “I will address my people.” Kelly looked at her doubtfully, but obeyed her command.
Bellak ran up to her. “You may need my help,” he advised and followed her out of the room and into the battle filled corridor. Somehow Kelly and his men managed to manoeuvre the two of them between groups of fighting men without anyone receiving any injuries. They frantically burst through some large doors and found themselves on the formal balcony from which, throughout history, previous Queens had addressed their soldiers, inspiring them with words filled with hope and pride before they departed to the front line of whatever war was being fought at the time. Tibia had never before had the need to do this, but felt that it may be the only way she could stop the fighting.
She looked down at the men fighting below her, horrified at the scene of carnage that assaulted her eyes. She tried calling out to them, but her voice was drowned out by the clash of steel against steel and the screams of dying men.
“Allow me, your Majesty,” Bellak said and quickly cast a spell. The loud boom that thundered through the palace brought a temporary cease to hostilities. Before they could recommence, Tibia started speaking, her voice ringing out loud and clear for all to hear.
“Soldiers, Guards, drop your weapons and listen to me. I am your Queen and you will obey me. The Duke is a traitor to me and to our country and, therefore, to you as well. He has been deposed and I am taking my rightful place as ruler of this proud and noble country.”
She continued speaking, barely pausing for breath, reminding all of the fighting men that they had taken vows to serve and protect her, not the Duke, and that their loyalty to the man, although misplaced, was to be admired. Not once did she say that the soldiers were in the wrong or that they would be punished for attacking the palace.
“That ought to do it,” General Lemell said to Commander Galloway before the Queen had finished her speech. They were still drinking tea in his office, ignoring the frantic banging on the door that had been occurring at irregular intervals. They both stood up and buttoned up their jackets. Lemell unlocked his door, causing the young soldier who had frantically been trying to get his attention to fall into the room.
“Orders sir?” he asked, picking himself up off the floor.
“You heard the Queen. We are, and have always been, here to protect and obey her. Step to it and tell every Captain you meet that if I hear of any of them disobeying her Majesty’s orders they will be court-martialled.”
“Yes General,” the young man stammered and ran out of the room, passing on the message to everyone he saw.
Lemell turned to Galloway. “Come my friend. I think we should present ourselves to the Queen.”
“I could not agree more.”
As the Commander and the General made their way from Lemell’s office to the palace, they were pleased to see that no fighting had resumed. Soldier and guard alike had shocked looks on their faces. They were unsure about what was happening or what they were supposed to do. Lemell and Galloway nodded reassuringly to every man as they walked by, receiving salutes and grateful smiles as swords were wiped clean before being resheathed.
Tibia had finished her speech by the time the two men arrived at the balcony, both bowing low and expressing their loyalty and that of their men.
“That went a lot easier than expected,” Kelly whispered to Bellak, who nodded his agreement.
Two days after the ‘coup’, the small packets of token resistance by platoons loyal to the Duke had been quashed and General Lemell, with the help of Commander Galloway, was finishing off the plans to sweep through the country, removing all of the men who had illegally taken control from their female relatives. They had not explained exactly what they had meant by ‘remove’ and Tibia felt it was best not to ask. Except in the capital, Captains reported directly to their local Lady, or Lord in some cases, instead of their immediate military superior, meaning their loyalty would not be to the Queen, so a lot of resistance was expected. Peace would eventually be restored and the balance of power returned to the females, but it would only be accomplished through a lot of bloodshed and Tibia was wise enough to know when to leave things to those who know best. Her instructions had been to get the result she wanted through any means necessary and she had great faith that the two men would accomplish this for her with as little loss of life as was physically possible.
Having temporarily handed the fate of her country over to the military, she turned her attention to more local affairs, namely the Duke and his followers. Of those singled out as traitors, all of the servants and most of the nobles admitted to breaking the law in various ways, but all insisted that it was on the Duke’s instructions and that they had been assured that the laws were in the process of being changed. They willingly signed confessions and provided Tibia with enough evidence against the Duke to find him guilty of treason a hundred times over. None had been executed, happily accepting permanent banishment as their only punishment.
Very few had protested their innocence and of those that admitted their guilt, the majority blamed the Duke for their actions. This included Tibia’s Aunt, the Dukes wife, who was the first to offer evidence against the Duke, claiming she was terrified of him and obeyed his every command for fear of physical injury. She did her best to convince Tibia that she did everything within her power to protect the Queen and lessen her husband’s impact on the land, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Tibia announced that she was too close to the Duke to be considered anything other than his accomplice and had her publically hanged.
All of the Queen’s advisors, Tibia’s personal maid and Lady Kira were among those who denied any wrong doing, insisting the Duke never exceeded his power and did everything in the best interests of the Queen and the kingdom. Along with the few other nobles who voiced this opinion, they were quickly given public trials and convicted. Many of the local people gave evidence against them, including the local magistrates, who had documents outlining many crimes that the Duke had ordered them to ignore. Tibia stayed away from the trials, stating that the people had been hurt by the Duke’s actions a lot more than she had so the people had the right to decide the fate of the betrayers. They were all burned at the stake.
The Duke himself was not subjected to the same indignity. He had been effectively running the country for too many years to not be given the same rights as any deposed ruler. The formal trial would be held privately in the palace and the time had finally arrived.
The doors to the throne room were opened, revealing Tibia, looking every bit the Queen she truly was, sitting on her throne, ready to hold an audience. It was not the sight of the Queen, however, that made Sam stare, but the two giant cats sitting on either side of her. “Now I understand what Kelly meant,” she whispered to Brin, remembering the Captain’s warning about the animals. They looked like normal domestic tabby cats, only bigger, much bigger. “I was expecting giant tigers or lions or pumas even, not moggies tha
t are bigger than elephants.”
“What is an elephant?” the elf whispered back. “Come to think of it, what is a moggie?”
“Never mind.”
They were all ushered into the room and told where to sit. Their presence had been requested as official observers, in case any supporters of the Duke protested against the proceedings happening privately rather than publicly. They had all been provided with accommodation within the palace and Bellak, Dal and Seth had moved from the servants’ quarters to guest rooms adjacent to Tor and Cirren’s suite. Looking around, Sam noticed that she was not the only one throwing nervous glances towards the felines. A low rumbling filled the room as one of them began to purr. Tibia stretched out a hand and absent-mindedly began to caress the animal behind its ear, causing the volume of the purring to increase. Whether the throne was mounted on a dais in order for the cats to fit beside it without towering over the Queen or if it was just to make it look more impressive, Sam was not sure. She found herself looking at the chains around the animals’ necks, the other end of which was held by Tibia’s spare hand. They looked far too thin to prevent the cats attacking if they so desired and were probably just for show.
“I wonder if they eat people,” she murmured.
“Maybe we should feed the Duke to them and find out,” Brin replied, trying desperately to keep a straight face and failing.
A cold silence filled the room as Kelly called out loudly, “Bring in the accused.”
Duke Gravelle strode into the room, dressed in his finest clothes and completely untethered. Half way between the doors and the throne he stopped and regarded the Queen, his eyes full of menace.
“You have no right to try me in this manner,” he snarled. “I am not a criminal and you do not have the authority to treat me as one.”
Tibia remained calm. “As Queen I have the right to treat you however I see fit. You are charged with treason. How do you plead?”
The duke ignored the question. “Where is my wife? The law clearly states that I have the right to have her by my side if you insist on continuing with this farce.”
Tibia rose slowly to her feet. “She was tried and found guilty. By my command, she was hanged by the neck in the public square and her body placed in an unmarked grave.”
The Duke was visibly shocked. He knew the Queen had sent his wife for trial and she had been found guilty, but he had not been informed of her execution and was stunned that Tibia was taking full responsibility for the decision. He had been expecting her to hide behind protocol or the dictates of law, no matter what punishment had been handed down.
“You had no right to do that. As her husband, I was entitled to act in her defence.”
Tibia regarded him coldly. “You keep talking about rights. Another part of my education that you seem to have forgotten is the rules of law of this country. The man who advised you is the same man who tutored me, at your request, so either I have been taught incorrectly or I have acted as the law dictates I may. Which is it?” The Duke looked about to reply, but Tibia forestalled him. “I suggest you think very carefully before answering. As you took it upon yourself to organise my education and appoint my advisors, you are legally responsible for the accuracy of everything any of my tutors told me.”
The Duke stared at the Queen, his mouth opening and closing involuntarily. “One other thing you should know,” she continued. “My so called ‘advisors’ have all signed sworn testimonies stating that they always steered me in the direction you told them to, for the good of the country of course, and my tutors only taught me what you approved. Not only has my education been lacking, it has also been inaccurate. Were you aware, for example, that as Queen not only am I permitted out of the capital, but it is common for ruling monarchs to regularly visit the entire country they rule, as well as paying and receiving state visits to members of other royal families. Now why, I wonder, was I always told that a Queen is not permitted, for safety reasons, to leave the city?”
“You bitch,” the Duke sneered. “I did everything within my power to protect you and this country and you are throwing it all back in my face. You are taking the word of these foreigners over your own people who have served you loyally for many years.”
Tibia’s gaze left the Duke and fell upon Tor and Cirren. “While I admit that it was the visiting Remeny Princes and their friends that first brought the truth about your running of the country and your attempts to slowly take control away from me to my attention, it is our countries most loyal subjects that I have listened to most. You would, of course, agree that the loyalty of both Commander Galloway and General Lemell is beyond question.”
The Duke paled. He had been relying on the army to defend him rather than the Queen. The confidence that had filled him when he first entered the throne room drained out of him. If even Lemell had turned against him, then he stood very little chance of leaving the room alive.
“You little slut,” he screamed as rage consumed him. “You are not fit to run this country. It will go to ruin without me and my advisors behind you. You are just a play Queen with no real power.”
Tibia appeared to freeze, except for her eyes, which burned with fire. “No real power?” she said slowly and deliberately. “My personal maid and Lady Kira may disagree with you. I had the power to have them burned at the stake.”
This hit a nerve with the Duke. He had never really cared about his wife, having only married her to gain a position of power, but Lady Kira was a different matter. Unknown to anyone in the palace, Lady Kira was not only his niece, but also the only person in the world that he truly loved. Hate consumed him, burning all reason from his mind.
“I will make you choke on those words,” he screamed and ran towards the throne, his arms outstretched and his hands in the perfect position to slip around her neck and throttle her.
Tibia showed no reaction, other than to release her hold on the chains that held her cats in place. She had already instructed the guards that, should the Duke become violent, they were to do nothing. They all stood, ready to defend her if she gave permission, concern for her safety clearly written on every one of their faces. Tor, too, was nervously rubbing the hilt of his sword, as was Patrick. Brin had been ordered to leave his bow in his room, but Sam noticed one of his hands automatically go to his back, where his quiver usually lay, while the other groped where the bow should have been. Samson was on his feet, heckles raised and teeth bared.
There was no need for intervention from any of them. As soon as the Duke was close enough, both cats leapt from the dais, one landing just in front of the Duke, the other behind, cutting off his only escape route.
Terror overcame him. “Call them off,” he begged. Tibia ignored him. The feline in the front swung its paw at him, sending him sprawling to the ground. It had not extended its claws so, other than being winded, the Duke was not hurt. He pulled himself to his feet. “Someone throw me a sword,” he called out, desperately looking from face to face, but seeing only hostility.
“I strongly suggest you do not try to run,” Tibia called to him. “We all know how cats love to play with mice before eating them.”
The Duke panicked and ran past the other cat, only to be caught by its swinging tail. He stood up once more and the two giant cats began to circle him. He was frozen to the spot, unable to take his eyes off them, oblivious to the wet patch that appeared at the front of his trousers as he lost control of his bladder.
He saw a gap and took it, not realising that the cats had intentionally left it for him. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed a game so much and intended to make it last as long as they could. One of them pounced, pinning the Duke to the floor with its paw. With a powerful stroke, it sent him sliding along the marble towards the other one, which extended its claws and gently lowered them towards the whimpering man. It did not, however, touch him, choosing to stop within a whisker’s width of his throat. Then it withdrew its claws and battered the Duke back to its mate.
Tibia had
seen enough. “Stop,” she called out, causing both cats to look at her. The one which now had the duke pinned under a paw, meowed softly, as though asking a question. When the Queen did not respond, it bowed its head, opened its massive jaws and closed around the Duke’s leg. He screamed in agony. The second cat bounded over, not wanting to miss out on the tasty meal, and took hold of the other leg. Sam was not the only one to avert her eyes as the two cats fought over their prize, but even holding her hands over her ears did not prevent her hearing the sickening sound of the Duke’s legs being pulled from his body.
When she finally gained the courage to open her eyes, she looked around her. Most people still had their eyes averted. Those who hadn’t, looked extremely pale and the sound of someone vomiting could be heard on the other side of the room. She looked at the two felines, who had returned to their mistress’s side and was pleased to see that no evidence of the death remained, though the smug look on the cat’s faces as they licked their lips sent a cold shiver down her back.
Chapter 27
Nobody slept well that night; visions of what they had seen and heard in the throne room haunted them, even when they were awake. They had all been honoured when they were invited to act as witnesses to the Duke’s trial, but now they wished they had been unable to attend.
Nobody questioned whether Tibia should have called her cats off earlier or prevented them from killing the Duke. He had decided his own fate by attacking the Queen and the felines had been merely defending their mistress. While the method they used may seem a little extreme to some, they were simply acting on their instincts; instincts which humans had no right to interfere with. This knowledge did not make anyone feel any better.
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