by Jess Schira
Charlotte made a motion with one hand and a servant stepped out of the shadows and hurried to the side of the bed. She offered Saika a some water.
Saika slurped one greedy mouthful after another. Water had never tasted better. “Thank you.”
Charlotte stood at the foot of the bed and while the girl returned the water jug to the table before she spoke. She addressed the servant first. “Thank you, Elizabeth. You may take your leave.”
The Queen waited until the door to the bed chamber swung shut behind the thin faced chamber maid before she turned back to Saika. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment and considered Saika, studying her with the same intensity she examined the flowers she loved growing. After a moment, her expression cleared and she covered the short distance separating her from Saika's bed and settled lightly on the side of the mattress. Charlotte reached for Saika, lightly touching the girl’s stomach and feeling the thick bandages under the linen night rail.
“I think you should consider yourself fortunate.”
Saika didn’t have medical training, but she what she did know about wounds and infection intensified the ache in her stomach. Legs and arms could be removed when they began to turn green, the location of her own wounds made such an action impossible. If her injuries grew infected, she’d face a long and painful experience before death finally claimed her.
“Fortunate is not what I feel at the moment.’
Charlotte’s mouth thinned and irritation flickered through her eyes. She straightened her shoulders and forced her anger away. “By the good and amazing Grace of God, the physician who was in Queen’s Lodge on the same day you choose to turn a knife on yourself spent a large portion of his youth in Egypt where he learned all sorts of interesting techniques that seem to have made him one of the most successful doctors I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. In addition to making sure you were stitched up nice and tight before your life force left your body. Instead of calling for leeches, he requested honey which I’m told he spread liberally over the wound. I’ve never heard of such a thing, and asked him about this practice. He claims that his mentors believed the honey has special properties that prevent the wound from festering. He feels this method is more effective than leeches and bleeding.”
“Why did he work so hard to save my life when it’s bound to end shortly? Is King George so determined to see me parted from my head that he insisted I be healed?”
Queen Charlotte bit the inside of her cheeks and took several deep breaths. This young woman tried her patience.
“I wonder if the doctor knows of any medicines that would be of assistance when the mind has become damaged.” Charlotte shook her head. Her gaze locked with Saika’s eyes. “I pray those days are behind me and I never have cause to become reacquainted with the frailty of the human mind.”
She paused and took a moment to a wrinkle from her skirt.
“I have been led to believe you are Catholic.” Charlotte said the word without any heat or censure.
Saika wondered where the questions was leading. The life of a Catholic in this city was not easy and Saika could not help thinking that but for religion, the Stuarts would be occupying the thrown rather than the Hanoverians.
Charlotte's thin lips lifted into a small, sad smile. “I merely ask because if my memory serves me correctly, your bible is very clear regarding the matter of taking your own life. The act of suicide makes it impossible for you to receive last rites which means your soul will forever be condemned to Hell. Am I correct?”
“Yes, your Highness,” Saika murmured.
Charlotte's head tipped to one side and she studied Saika with curious eyes. “So why did you try to take your own life?”
“My family is Catholic and I suppose, in a fashion, I am as well, but until we moved from Ireland to England, I spent nearly every waking moment with my Grandfather and over time, his beliefs became my own.”
The Queen’s brows drifted toward her hairline. “And these beliefs led you to taking a knife to your own stomach and slicing it open?”
Saika took a deep breath. The motion pulled her stiches and her wounded stomach to scream a protest. “I was raised to be a samurai warrior. Honor is important.”
“I understand the importance of honor, but to kill oneself, I fear I cannot condone or even begin to understand such an extreme act. I must tell you, based on what you’ve told me, I feel that the world your Grandfather lived in, the one he taught you to believe in, is quite barbaric.” There was no misunderstanding the Queen’s tone. Each word rang with disapproval.
Saika dropped her gaze and remained silent. Arguing wouldn’t do her any good at this point. Her future was very dim indeed. She sensed she was going to be very closely watched and there would be no choice for her to gain access to another knife she could use to complete the task she’d started.
Her soul was damned.
The queen took a very deep breath. “This discussion has lasted long enough. There’s another matter I wish to address.”
Saika lifted her gaze and waited for the queen to continue.
“From what I have learned from Sebastian and yourself, I can only conclude your grandfather must have been a truly horrible person.”
“He was a wonderful man.”
“You were raised like a boy. It was indecent. How the rest of your family could have condoned such action is beyond my comprehension.”
Saika opened her mouth to protest but Queen Charlotte interrupted.
“Nor can I imagine the horrors you must have been dealing with over the past few days. A lesser woman would have bent from the strain, but I imagine she would have shattered into a million pieces and no one would have been able to put her together again. And yet,” Charlotte rocked back and her brows drew together. “Not only did you not shatter from the pressure, but the way you handled yourself, and the situation was enough to earn Sebastian's admiration, and I can assure you, that's not an easy feat to accomplish.”
Saika was at a loss for words.
Charlotte did not suffer from the malady. “Though I'm not sure he'll ever recover from the shock of seeing you draw a knife through your belly. Twice”
Saika was tired of the Queen. Every single part of her body hurt, her soul was damned, and lack of sleep had turned her brain to mush.
Her eyes fluttered shut and she sank back against the pillow, to tired and miserable to fight the fatigue.
Her eyes snapped open and she stared at Queen Charlotte.
“Why did the doctor work so hard to save my life?”
Charlotte's eyes rounded with shock. “How could he do anything else?”
“You should have let me bleed out. It’s what I wanted.”
“That might have been what you wished, but I could not let your life end in such a manner.”
“Why not?”
“You are a remarkable woman. To allow you to bleed to death on the floor would truly be an unforgivable crime.”
“Instead I'll be fed and cared for until I'm deemed strong enough to be brought to the scaffolding where I'll be labeled a traitor and my head will be removed.”
Charlotte chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I find I'm forced to agree with you, the situation you just outlined is quite bleak indeed, and if I thought it was what my future held, I might consider drastic measure, though I would hope I could find a better solution, or at the very least, a less painful choice.”
“It truly was the best solution.”
“My husband and I understand and sympathize the grim situation you were placed in, it's impossible to turn a blind eye to the fact you were serious about assassinating him.”
Saika sank back against the pillows and closed her eyes.
“We agree that as long as the ... organization that tried to force you into murdering my husband is at large, his life remains in danger, and after a great deal of discussion it was determined that until that particular threat has been identified and dealt with, the most logical solution available to us i
s to suspend your sentencing.”
Saika thought she was hearing things. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Charlotte reached out and cupped Saika's cheek. “Dear girl, I don't see how this is so hard to understand. As long as you agree to use your considerable talents and work with us to locate this threat and neutralize them, no judgments will be made regarding your future. Of course, one of the only reasons we're able to offer you this deal is because very few people know what has happened here. If word was to get out, George might be forced to rescind his decision. Do you understand?”
“I think so.”
Charlotte's smile widened. “Good. Plans have been made to secure your loyalty.”
Saika's eyes narrowed. The older woman's tone caused her nerves to buzz.
“What plans?” Suspicion made her words heavy. Queen's Charlotte's smile widened.
“Oh, you'll find out soon enough. I'm quite excited, though I suppose you won't be as pleased with them as I am, though I would think that anything would be preferable to a trip to the scaffold, don't you agree?”
Saika wasn't so sure. Though she couldn't think of anything that would be worse than losing her head to the axeman, she didn't trust the way Charlotte's eyes sparkled. If her stomach didn't ache so badly, she'd be on her feet, ready to run.
Charlotte turned and crossed the room. She paused at the door and turned back to Saika. “I should tell you arrangements have been made for guards to watch this room and make sure you don't leave it. Though from what Sebastian has told me, I suspect they wouldn't be able to keep you hear if you wanted to free yourself so I hope that you find your injuries sufficiently grievous enough to keep you in bed.”
Before Saika could respond, Queen Charlotte slipped out of the room and shut the door firmly closed behind her.
From Moonlight to Mayhem
Chapter Twenty
There must have been something in the water.
Saika reached the conclusion as she drifted out of the deepest sleep she had ever experienced. She’d been tired before Queen Charlotte’s servant girl had helped her drink, but after consuming the water, she had succumbed to sleep almost before the Queen closed the door.
The only explanation was that sleeping herbs had been added to the water.
The sound of hinges groaning under the heavy weight of the same door as it swung open helped Saika shake off the last remnants of sleep.
She opened her eyes just as a plain faced maid, the same one who had had helped Saika drink several hours ago, entered the room. She was accompanied by a tall, barrel chested man who carried a heavy bag and wore a somber expression.
The maid hovered near the door while the man moved towards Saika.
“Miss Donavon.” His voice was softer than she expected a man of his size to possess. He smiled and the gesture made him look ten years younger. “I’m pleased to see you are awake. I fully expected to conduct my examination while you slept.”
Realization dawned. “You’re the doctor who stitched my wounds.”
The doctor nodded and settled on the side of the bed. “I am, and I must tell you I was horrified to learn the manner in which you acquired the injuries.”
He pulled at Saika’s gown until he exposed her heavily bandaged stomach.
Saika stared at the ceiling and struggled to push her embarrassment aside by holding on to her irritation. “I wish you had left me alone.”
The doctor shot her a baleful look. His mouth flattened in a disapproving line. “I believe that when I come across a young woman bleeding on the floor because she slashed her stomach open, her wishes no longer matter.”
“I had my reasons.”
“Is that so?” His tone suggested her reasons didn’t concern him. He turned his attention to her stomach. “It’s still early in the healing process, but I don’t see any signs of infection which is good, the honey appears to be working.”
He covered Saika and stood. He stared down at her. “I realize you are angry with me, but I see no reason your feelings should prevent me from giving your some advice. You have been offered a second chance, I suggest you take advantage of it.”
He turned and hurried from the room before she could answer.
The servant woman offered Saika a small, sympathetic smile before she followed the doctor and closed the door behind her.
Saika glared at the door and wondered how she had managed to lose control of her life. It seemed like everyone else was making all the decision for her, a situation she resented.
After a few minutes the anger gave way to sleepiness and Saika fell into another deep sleep.
********
The creaking hinges alerted Saika of another guest. Saika opened her eyes and glanced towards the door.
Queen Charlotte, along with a small army of maids marched into the room.
The Queen stopped at the foot of Saika’s bed and crossed her arms over her chest. “You look much better than you did earlier when I paid you a visit. On that occasion, you were drooling. It was not attractive.”
Saika blinked sleep from her eyes and returned the queen’s bold stare. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. The last time I saw you, we argued.”
The light in Queen Charlotte’s eyes danced. “It was because of that argument, as well as your fractious nature when the doctor examined your wounds, which are quite severe, that the doctor recommended herbs be used to keep you asleep as long as possible. Every few hours someone comes into the room and pours another dose down your throat. I checked on your frequently while you rested. Now that your wounds are starting to heal and they appear to be free of infection, the doctor felt it was safe to allow you to wake.”
Feeling disoriented, Saika looked at the window, but the heavy curtain made it impossible to tell what time of the day it was. “How long was I drugged?”
“A few days.”
“Days?” That explained why her mind refused to work and her muscles felt like they were made out of water.
A wide smile spread across the Queen’s face. She looked gleeful as she turned to the maids she’d brought into the room with her. “Mrs. Moore, I think you should help Miss Donovan break her fast.”
A florid faced woman with graying hair stepped away from her position near the queen. She carried a tray to the side of the bed and handed Saika a piece of plan bread. “It isn’t much, Miss.” The woman explained. “No one thought you should eat a great deal until your wounds have had an opportunity to heal a bit more, but the toast will help you keep your strength up.”
“Mrs. Moore has a great deal of experience nursing people back to health. She’s one of the wisest women I have ever been acquainted with. I have learned to trust her opinion as much as I trust my own doctors. Queen Charlotte turned to the rest of the servants and clapped her hands together. “Now it is up to the rest of your to make sure Miss Donavon is ready. And do please hurry. We haven’t much time.”
The way the women descended on Saika reminded her of the way a flock of ducks reacted when a crust of bread was thrown into their midst. She found herself caught in the middle of flurry of activity from which there was no way to extract herself. One girl dragged a comb through her hair, removing the tangles and mats with painful tugs that made Saika wince. Another layered makeup on Saika’s face whilst she was between bites of toast and sips of hot, strong tea. Queen Charlotte paced from one side of the bed to the other, offering her opinion on every single detail.
Once the meager breakfast was gone, Saika was hoisted out of bed and dressed in a simple but lovely gown while two young girls changed her bedding. Just as Saika’s knees started to buckle, she was placed back in the bed. A few moments later, her hair was pinned up in a fashionable style and the servants backed away from the bed. They glanced at the queen in an open attempt to gauge how she felt about the work they’d completed.
Queen Charlotte shifted closer to the bed and studied each aspect of Saika’s appearance. No one spoke.
“Ladi
es,” Queen Charlotte finally said after what felt like several long minutes had passed. “You have done a wonderful job. Miss Donavon is beautiful.”
Saika reached up and patted the side of her head and let her fingers explore the complicated hairstyle. Her skin felt strange and tight beneath the heavy layer of powder that covered it. “What is all this about? It seems like a great deal of effort to put forth when I am about to be executed.”
Queen Charlotte moved to a small table on one side of the room and straightened the items adorning it. “I suppose it I should have told you about the decision that had been made, but I feared the information might make you bolt, despite the seriousness of your injuries.”
The queen’s light tone was laced with a seriousness that sent and unexpected shiver racing down the length of Saika’s spine. She swallowed and kept her face devoid of emotion, just like she’d been trained to do. “What decision?”
Charlotte turned. She tipped her head to one side and studied Saika. “Sebastian told me of your talent for making sure your face never reveals your inner most thoughts or feelings, no matter what the situation. He found this trait maddening. At the time, I thought he was exaggerating, but it’s clear he was not. He is correct, it is a remarkable gift.”
Her words distracted Saika’s thoughts from their path.
“Sebastian spoke of me?” If he and the queen had a discussion about Saika, perhaps it was possible he had not been found guilty of her crimes.
The queen’s gaze sharpened. “Yes, he did.”
“I find it difficult to believe much of what he had to say would have been positive.”
“He holds you in very high regard.” Charlotte smiled as stunned amazement floated across Saika’s formally frozen face. “Granted, he didn’t use those words, but you know how men never say what they really mean and constantly fail to realize how most women have a knack for understanding the meaning that lies beneath the words. He finds you very attractive and he admires your intelligence and bravery.”
Saika laced her fingers together and wondered how she was supposed to respond.
