“I think it would be best if this confession did not leave this room just yet,” Adair suggested, to which Drummond and I nodded.
There was no way I would sentence Berwin to be executed for playing a small part in a larger plan. I wouldn’t allow anyone to be executed ever again.
Perhaps that would finally stop my dreams from being haunted by Alasdair and his execution.
The killing of his subjects had allowed King Ferchar to rule by fear and he had earned himself quite the reputation for it.
If I had any reputation at all, I wanted it to be for the exact opposite.
“We will need someone new down in the stables,” I mumbled.
“I think we will need many new servants before long, my Queen,” Adair sighed.
The weather was suitably dramatic the day the gifted fairy and Laird Brochan arrived at the castle. It had been pouring since the night before and so they arrived soaked to the bone and splattered with mud.
The servant I sent to fetch them only gave them a few moments to change before insisting that they followed him down to the meeting hall.
We wanted to give the impression that I was a ruthless Queen. One who would happily ruin the lives of humans, simply to gain servants. William stood protectively to one side of my chair and Adair to the other.
“Excited to see your brother again?” I teased to distract myself from my nerves.
“Excited to see the look on his face when he realises that you are not your father,” Adair replied with a smirk.
Although we had a plan to give them both a false sense of security, hear them confess to their crimes and then arrest them. I couldn’t stop myself from being nervous.
We had no idea how powerful this gifted fairy was. Maybe he would be able to summon changelings with his magic and attack us.
Maybe he could somehow kill the changelings he had created in the past, like that girl identical to Nieve. I fidgeted as we waited in silence, listening to the wind howling and the rain battering off the windows.
Without waiting to be summoned, the door opened with such force that it bounced off the stone wall and swung back. Narrowly missing hitting Laird Brochan and the gifted fairy in the face.
It took every ounce of strength I possessed not to laugh.
“My Queen, I have returned,” Laird Brochan cried joyfully, as if returning to a lover after years apart.
“I see that,” I answered coolly. “Is this the gifted fairy?”
“Yes, this is Darach,” he gestured to the fairy beside him.
Perhaps because I knew of his gifts, and the horrible things he had done in the past, I thought that he was the ugliest fairy I had ever seen in my life.
There was nothing particularly odd about him, though he had long skinny fingers which I was fully prepared to kick away should they try to touch me.
Knowing that this fairy was the reason every human in the castle was taken from their homes, and had caused the deaths of so many changelings, was almost enough to make me reconsider my thoughts on execution.
“My Queen,” he croaked in a voice that sent shivers of disgust down my spine.
“I want to see demonstration of your gift,” I demanded, feeling uncomfortably rude at being so abrupt.
The two of them seemed used to this kind of rudeness and didn’t look at all phased.
“I am unable create a new changeling without a human life to copy,” he croaked. “If you have a young human nearby then I can give you a demonstration.”
“So, you are unable to create changelings from here in Culhuinn?”
“Yes, my Queen,” he admitted, much to my relief.
I felt my confidence grow at his admission. Our plan was going to work.
“If we are given some time to travel down to the human kingdoms we can retrieve many human servants for you,” the Laird hurried to assure me.
“Do you work alone?” I questioned.
“My Queen, I have been generous in offering my assistance to Darach as he goes on these missions. I have also provided many fairies over the years, to help collect the humans.”
“Why have you had to provide many? Is it dangerous down south?”
“No, Darach is careful to work his magic during the night so that the humans never see him. The companions I have provided have often been... weak. Many have had to be disposed of.”
“You killed them?” I barely managed to hide my revulsion.
“Yes of course, they cannot be trusted to keep our secret. A gift such as Darach’s must be hidden, protected.”
“Of course,” I agreed.
Hidden from the world and never used again.
The pounding rain outside filled the silence as I thought for a moment. Laird Brochan and Darach waiting for me to reveal my plans to acquire a whole new population of human servants.
“Do neither of you feel any sympathy towards the human families, whose lives you destroy?” I asked.
It was amusing to watch their faces change from smug and eager to bewildered. Never in my life had I felt so powerful.
“Sympathy?” Darach muttered.
It was as if he had never heard of such an emotion.
“My Queen, those humans, they aren’t the same as you and me,” Laird Brochan attempted to explain, as if speaking to a child.
And so, the two of them sealed their fate.
I would not execute them. I swore not to become a ruler like King Ferchar. However, they would never be free again. Both were old, older than the King had been, and so would spend the last few remaining years of their lives in prison.
Clearly neither felt any remorse for their actions and I doubted that a command from me would stop them from stealing more babies.
“Have you announced an heir yet?” I asked, knowing Laird Brochan had but one son, Tomas.
“No, my Queen I am still young,” he spluttered, I had to fight the urge to smile.
It looked as if the Laird was not at all ready to grow old and meet the Others.
“Perfect.” I said and, with a clap of my hands, the guards who had silently entered the room behind them moved forward to restrain them.
“The creation of changelings is hereby banned in Culhuinn and, as the two of you are the only ones able to do so, you shall be spending a long time in prison.”
“I am a Laird!” he shouted, trying to wriggle away from the guards to no avail.
“Do not fret, a new Laird will ensure that your village and farms thrive under his watch,” I said with a smile. “Tomas will be allowed to remain.”
“You can’t arrest us for creating changelings. It is a gift from the Others themselves!” Darach protested.
“No?” I paused thoughtfully, “then I arrest you for murdering the countless fairies in your employment.”
With that, they were taken down to the prison. I pitied the guards who would have to deal with their demands and complaints.
“Remind me to give the guards dealing with them a raised wage. They definitely aren’t receiving enough coin to make that a worthwhile job.”
“I’ll let Drummond know,” Adair smirked.
I felt thrilled as I left the room with William at my side. We had successfully tricked Laird Brochan and prevented the creation of any new changelings.
It upset me to think of all the changelings, weak and dying, throughout the human kingdoms, but I had no way to save them. All I could do was prevent it from ever happening again.
By now a messenger would be well on her way to William’s brother, who would inform him that he was needed here at the castle.
Urraig was well liked and famous across Culhuinn, after doing well in the few games the King allowed to be held. There was a chance some would hate me for replacing their Laird, but Adair assured me that very few people held any love for Laird Brochan.
“This is going well for the two of you,” I joked to William and Adair. “New jobs and the chance to change your brothers’ lives forever.”
“Queen Freya!” A voice called and I
turned to see a skinny human boy, bright red and panting like he had ran the entire length of the castle. “I have a message for you. The leader of the humans is waiting for you in the main hall.”
“Leader?” I asked, since when did they have a leader? And more importantly, why did they want to speak with me?
“Yes, Queen Freya. Chosen by us humans to lead us, she wants to meet with you,” the boy said before running off again.
“They are so serious about wanting freedom that they now have a leader?” I questioned as we hurried through the castle to the main hall.
“It’s not very surprising. The way King Ferchar treated them was disgusting. No wonder they want to go,” William commented, looking troubled.
I felt dread pool in my stomach with every step we took.
I was embarrassed to realise that I could barely think of any of the human’s names. I could only picture their faces. Knowing them as the ones who washed the clothes, served the food, tended the garden.
Had I really spoken to them so little that I could name no more than a handful?
I paused outside the doors and took a deep breath to steady myself. I was the Queen now. I had to be able to deal with these things. I had no choice.
Before I could change my mind, and run back to my chambers to hide, I pushed the door open and entered.
My heart almost stopped when I saw who stood inside.
“Nieve?”
I was sat by the fire, watching the flames flicker and dance, when there was a knock at my door. I could not stop myself from flinching at the noise. It had been two days since the humans had arrived in Norbroch and I was still afraid.
I had spent the last few days watching from the windows, wondering if at any moment I would see King Ferchar charging towards our castle with an army. Tormod had sent out extra guards to watch the border, but so far none of them had reported any activity from Culhuinn.
“Enter,” I called.
I knew who it would be, and what they would ask, before the door even opened.
“Shall I send someone down to the cells with food tonight?” Tormod asked once again.
Just like every time he asked me, I did not even consider it. Why should I feed the two humans that King Ferchar sent north to torment me?
If he wanted them fed and pampered, he should have kept them down south in Culhuinn.
“Not tonight Tormod,” I replied, not bothering to turn around and see the disappointment on his face.
Three days after the humans arrived, a messenger arrived with news that Aelwen and her family would be returning later that afternoon. I sent Tormod, and a few of his most trusted guards, out to meet them and was spared another full day of his complaining about the humans. Why he was so eager to help the two humans sent to torment us I had no idea.
As happy as I was to escape his disapproving gaze, I found myself missing his company. I wandered the halls for a while before returning to my cold stone throne to await Aelwen’s return. My hands clenched painfully to try and stop them from shaking.
I did not care about how the meeting with the wulver went. They were peaceful people, unlikely to ever start a war. I knew she would not have had any problems. Any issues they did encounter would have been quickly resolved after pleasant conversation and a nice meal.
The day crept by torturously slow as I sat, waiting for Tormod and Aelwen to return. With nothing to distract me, I spent the day battling against my own mind. Refusing to be pulled back down into my memories of Lachlann so soon.
When the doors at the end of the hall did finally open, I sprang from my seat and hurried down the steps and towards Aelwen.
She still wore her thick woollen riding cloak which made me smile. Clearly she had come straight to me, rather than returning to her rooms first.
I noticed Tormod slip in behind her and signal for the guards who had followed me all day to leave the room, he too was still dressed for riding.
We met in the middle of the hall and, rather than embrace each other as I had expected, Aelwen struck me hard across the face.
The hall was silent as I stared at her in shock, unable to hide how betrayed, and small, I felt.
I blinked furiously, trying to dispel the tears that the stinging pain brought and turned on my heel to hurry away from her.
Her hand around my arm stopped me.
“Let go.” I hissed, attempting to wrench my arm out of her grip.
As a mother of three she had experience wrangling squirming fairies and refused to let me free.
“What in the name of the Others have you done?” she demanded, grabbing onto my other arm and forcing me to face her.
“Me? You are the one storming in here after weeks apart and striking me for no good reason.”
“No good reason?” she shouted, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Tell me you are not attempting to starve two humans to death.”
“I...” as I went to correct her I felt my stomach sink. “They are prisoners,” I reasoned.
“It has been decades since Norbroch last held prisoners, and even longer still since they were sentenced to die without a trial. Have you lost your mind?” she was shouting again by the time she finished.
The burning on the left side of my face, and her accusations, made the tears I had been fighting since the two humans walked into our hall spill over.
My breath hitched in a sob and at once her expression softened.
Releasing my arms from her unbreakable grip she pulled me close, wrapping her arms around me.
“He sent them,” I wept, whilst she hushed me and rubbed my back soothingly.
My cheek ached, where it was pressed against her shoulder, but I did not bother to move away. I felt something inside of me calm and heal the longer she held me close.
Before she could shout, or comfort, me further the door, which led down to the cells, burst open and a frantic guard hurried through.
“The prisoner... You better... He’s shouting...” the guard gasped out in between breaths.
Whatever was happening down in the cell had scared him so badly he had run all the way up here, desperate for help.
Tormod was shoving the guard out of the way and running down the stairs before the fairy had even finished telling us what was happening. Aelwen grabbed my hand and then we too hurried down the stairs and along to the cells.
I tried to dig my heels in and stop her from dragging me along, but her grip was like iron.
“You did this, and so you must face it,” she said, her face softening as more tears escaped. “I won’t leave you alone with them.”
As we approached the cells we could hear shouting and I felt dizzier the closer we got to the humans and the unknown threat.
What if the humans attacked us? What if they killed Tormod? Killed Aelwen?
When we arrived, it was clear that the human man was attempting to break the door from inside. He was shouting and screaming at the top of his lungs. Pounding and kicking on the door as hard as he could.
I squeezed Aelwen’s hand tighter to try and find some strength.
“Open the door,” she demanded, and Tormod moved forward to do so. Barking instructions for his fellow guards to be ready, should the human attempt to attack.
He pounded on the outside of the door which made it go quiet inside.
“I am opening the door,” he shouted before doing so.
I braced myself for an attack which never came. I did not have a chance to feel relieved as Aelwen moved to stand beside Tormod, dragging me with her. Inside the cell, the red-haired human was cradling the unconscious girl in his bleeding hands. He was crying unashamedly and I was almost floored by my guilt.
It was like suddenly breaking free from an enchantment as I realised what I had done. The two of them were dirty and shivering from the cold. The girl was deathly pale and the man didn’t look much better.
“Please,” he cried. “She’ll die if she doesn’t eat. I beg you. Kill me. Let her go.”
&
nbsp; I had to cover my mouth with my free hand to stifle my sob.
For a decade, I had hated King Ferchar for what he did to me. What he did to the humans under his rule.
Then, when the first humans in a decade entered Norbroch, I locked away and starved them close to death.
I had never seen a more pitiful sight in my life and it was entirely my fault. I was a monster.
My head swam as I thought of what Lachlann would say if he knew what I had done. He would hate me. He should hate me.
Through my tears, I noticed Tormod attempt to take the girl from the man. This only made him cry harder so he stopped. We were all at a loss about what to do, all of us except Aelwen.
“Come,” she said reaching towards him, her voice gentle as if speaking to one of her children. “Let’s get you both some food.”
“Food?” he mumbled, to which she nodded.
Tormod gestured for the other guards to leave, it was clear that the humans posed us no threat.
I was the threat.
After much coaxing from Aelwen, he left the cell carrying the girl. We slowly made our way up the stairs and into the healing wing of the castle, Aelwen squeezing my hand again as we passed Lachlann’s room.
The human’s arms were shaking from hunger, and the weight of the girl in his arms, but he would not allow Tormod to take her. Instead Tormod ended up gently pushing and guiding the human as he stumbled and staggered to the room.
I watched guiltily from the doorway as Aelwen and one of the healers helped the man lay the girl down on one of the beds. Immediately the healer began using her gift to help heal the girl of all the hurt I had caused. Aelwen helped him onto the bed beside her gently tending to his injured hands.
Neither of them looked at me, but still my guilt rose and rose until I was sure it would suffocate me.
“My Queen,” Tormod said, rousing me from my thoughts and gently pushing me to the side. Allowing a servant from the kitchens to hurry in with a thin watery soup.
“I did this.”
“No, the King did this,” Tormod said fiercely. “He knew what he was doing when he sent those two humans into Norbroch. He knew how you would react to seeing them.”
The Changeling's Journey Page 23
