by S. J. West
Fallon shot up from his chair and turned to three of the Queen’s guards who had escorted us to the festivities.
“Close every exit to the palace! Now!” he barked at them. The guards scattered in an organized fashion, each knowing his duty. The remaining two closed in around me for added protection.
Absent mindedly, I began to wring my hands in uncertainty, fearing for Dena’s life. Gabriel walked over and stood in front of me shaking his head ever so slightly. His message was crystal clear. The Queen wouldn’t allow her emotions to get the best of her in a moment like this, even if her daughter had just been abducted, or worse.
Inara came to stand at my side.
“We’ll find her Em,” she said, placing a comforting hand at the small of my back. “I’m sure everything is all right.” Her words were meant to reassure me but she couldn’t keep the uncertainty of her own statement out of her voice.
I forced my shoulders back and swallowed all my fear. I felt Inara’s hand drop from my waist. We were both duty bound to at least appear like things were under control, even if they weren’t. Now wasn’t the time to allow emotions to get the better of us.
“Marshall,” I said in a more controlled voice than I expected to hear issue from my mouth. I turned my head to look at Fallon. He watched me expectantly. “Bring me the master of ceremonies and the woman who took Dena to the ring. I would like to have a word with them about the disappearance of my daughter.”
“Yes, your majesty,” Fallon bowed to me at the waist, not showing an ounce of hesitation in my request.
“Oh, and if you can find him, I would also like Thomas Gaines present.”
Fallon looked to the remaining two guards. “Escort the Queen to her study while I look for these people. Don’t stop for anyone or anything.”
Aleksander stood and held out a steady arm for me to take, for which I was thankful.
“She will get there safely,” Aleksander assured Fallon.
Fallon nodded once, knowing I would indeed be protected. He quickly strode off to find the people I had asked to speak with.
The walk back into the palace became a blur of motion and voices. I heard many people ask where the princess was and question if her disappearance was part of the show. I wanted to yell for them to all hush their inane chatter but knew that wouldn’t be a very prudent reaction from a Queen. I kept my head held high and face expressionless even though my heart felt like it had just been stolen out of my chest, leaving a raw gaping hole of nothingness in its place.
Once we reached my study, Aleksander turned to my two guards and his own two.
“Why don’t you all join the search for Dena on the grounds? The Queen is perfectly safe now that she’s inside the palace.”
All four nodded and quickly dispersed. I had no idea why we didn’t need them anymore but I did know I wanted them out looking for Dena more than I wanted them hovering over me. I went and sat in the chair behind my desk. Aleksander and Inara sat in the wing back chairs in front of me and Gabriel stood pacing agitatedly beside me.
“So,” Aleksander said to the three of us. “Does anyone have any ideas on what just happened?”
“I would assume someone wants leverage over the Queen,” Gabriel surmised, as he ceased his nervous pacing to stand beside my desk.
“But who?” Inara questioned. “Who would be so cold hearted to abduct a child to get what they want?”
I had an idea on who would do such a thing but I needed proof before I made my theory known.
As the others discussed different tactics to find Dena, I waited patiently for the one person I was sure would know the answer to my daughter’s whereabouts.
My daughter.
It was the first time I had ever thought of Dena in that way. I didn’t feel any guilt about it. It was the way the Queen had wanted me to feel towards Dena and I was sure some of Emma’s love for her daughter still lingered within me somehow. Proof that even death can’t extinguish a mother’s eternal love for her child.
Not long afterwards, Fallon strolled determinedly into my office with all three of the people I had asked him to find.
“Your majesty,” the master of ceremonies frantically rushed up to the front of my desk. “I beg for your forgiveness.” He knelt on his knees in supplication looking up at me with eyes pleading for mercy. Drops of nervous sweat ran profusely down his face.
I stood and looked down at the man. Aleksander and Inara came to stand on either side of me each casting withering gaze at the two circus performers. Thomas strolled over to Gabriel’s side.
“And just what should you be forgiven for?” I asked the man still bent down on his knees. “Were you a willing accomplice in the disappearance of my daughter, sir?”
“Absolutely not, your majesty!” He was quick to say, standing to his feet. “No, your majesty,” he said more calmly, regaining some semblance of control over his fear. “I would never harm any child, much less the princess.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “I was merely apologizing for not being more cautious in who I hired to perform this evening. I had no idea what he was planning to do. He came highly recommended from another circus troupe.”
“I assume you are speaking of the man who portrayed the phoenix during the act this evening?”
“Yes, your grace,” the man said, visibly relieved suspicion was no longer directed towards him. “He said he could perform a bit of magic to give the princess a birthday she would never forget. I just had no idea…”
I looked over at Fallon. “Did you find any signs of this man?”
“No, he isn’t on the palace grounds.” I could tell by the way Fallon’s jaw tensed he was doing his best to keep his temper in check over that small failure.
“He’s most likely wherever my daughter and her nanny are,” I replied. I looked at the female acrobat who was crying hysterically by this point.
“I suppose you have no idea what happened?” I asked her, already knowing the answer.
“No, my Queen,” she said wiping at the trail of tears coursing down her cheeks, taking away most of the white paint covering her face. “I promise you, I would never do anything to hurt the princess. I was simply following my instructions for the show.”
I looked at them both and knew neither of them had the answers I needed.
“Let them return to their people,” I said to Fallon.
Those around me seemed shocked by my order but did not question it.
The two circus performers quickly made their way out of my study unhindered in their hasty retreat.
It wasn’t until the door was closed behind them that Inara demanded, “How could you just let them go? They probably know a hell of a lot more than their admitting to.”
I looked at her and shook my head. “No, I seriously doubt either of them knows anything that will help us.”
Only then did I turn my full attention on Thomas.
“I think Thomas might have more information for us than either of them could ever possibly dream up.”
Thomas played his part well. He was calm in the face of my accusation, but I knew in my heart it was just a ruse to help deflect suspicion away from him.
“Me, your majesty?” He said with just the right amount of astonishment. “I assure you I know nothing more than you yourself do.”
It was like I could see right through to his core. He knew what I needed to know, but whether or not he would admit it freely was another question.
“Where is my daughter?” I asked him point blank.
“I’m as clueless as anyone,” he said, arms opened wide proclaiming his innocence, trying to act sincere. “I promise you if I knew where she was I would tell your majesty.”
“That may be true,” I admitted. “But you know who took her and so do I.”
Thomas stared at me mutely, trying hard not to show his surprise in hearing my statement. It was all the confirmation I needed. Thomas had been the one who wanted Dena to participate in the show that evening. His r
eaction to Gabriel’s suggestion that I not meet with the leader of the Plague-bringers was also fresh in my memory. The pieces fit but would Thomas admit to his treachery freely?
“Where is Adam Bellas?” I asked him.
“W-w-why would I know where he is?” Thomas stammered. He dropped his gaze from mine and quickly looked at the door to the study as if he were judging whether or not he could make the short distance before someone could stop him.
“Who is this Adam Bellas and why would he want to abduct my niece?” Aleksander questioned, completely lost by the turn of the conversation.
“He’s leader of a group who call themselves the Plague-bringers,” Gabriel answered before turning his gaze to me. “Do you really think they would go to such extremes?”
“I think they’ve become desperate enough to do what they must to be heard,” I answered, never taking my eyes off of Thomas. I noticed Fallon slowly make his way to Thomas’ side in case the later tried to attempt a quick escape. Apparently Fallon sensed what I did: Thomas knew the truth.
“Thomas,” I said in a controlled voice, finding it increasingly difficult to not let my anger rule my actions. “Where can I find Adam Bellas?”
“I don’t know, your majesty,” he replied, keeping his eyes averted to the floor.
“Thomas!” I slapped my hand hard against the lacquered desktop, causing most everyone in the room to jump and finally bringing Thomas’ eyes back to mine. “If you lie to me one more time, I will personally take you to the front of this castle and hang you for your treacherous actions. I’ll leave your remains there to rot as a warning to anyone else who might be considering treason against me and my family! Your wife and your children and anyone else I can find related to you will be thrown out into the streets without a penny to their names. Now, either tell me what I want to know or by God I will make sure anyone who has ever loved you will pay dearly for the association.”
A white hot rage filled the emptiness where my heart should have been. I would do just what I promised without any regrets. I knew Thomas held the key to Dena’s safe return and I wasn’t about to let him walk off the palace grounds alive without telling me everything he knew.
The ensuing silence in the room was almost deafening. I didn’t take my eyes off of Thomas but knew the others around me were in a state of shock. Whether it was because of Thomas’ betrayal or my threats, I couldn’t be sure.
“You are mistaken, your majesty,” Thomas replied in a voice which lacked his previous conviction.
Before I knew it, Fallon had Thomas lying across my desk face down with one of his hands around Thomas’ neck and the other holding the point of a dagger to the side of the other man’s throat.
“If you don’t tell us what we need to know, I’ll slit your throat from ear to ear,” Fallon growled.
“I swear!” Thomas pleaded hysterically. “I don’t know anything! Please, you have to believe me!”
“You know,” Aleksander said in a casual voice as he walked over to the other side of the desk, drawing out the sword hanging at his side from its sheath. “If this were Chromis, I would have already had this man’s hand cut off for lying.”
Aleksander looked at me with a definite twinkle of mischief in his eyes and I understood his ploy. I decided to play along.
“Then by all means,” I said with a flourish of my arm over Thomas’ prostrate body, “please show us the proper way to deal with traitors, Aleksander.”
Fallon sheathed his dagger at this side and grabbed one of Thomas’ arms by the elbow, forcing the man to stretch his arm out high above his head on the desk
“Now hold him steady,” Aleksander said lifting his sword over his head with both hands. “I haven’t sharpened this sword in a while so we may have to saw through what isn’t cut with this first swing.”
Thomas’ eyes went wild as he tried to thrash against Fallon to get away. He begged me for mercy but all I wanted to do was make him pay for his treachery.
Aleksander let out a guttural sound like he was putting all of his weight into the swing as the blade of his sword swung down towards Thomas’ wrist.
“I don’t know where he took her!” Thomas yelled just as Aleksander’s sword broke through his skin.
Thomas stared horrified at the joining of metal with his blood, but quickly relaxed when he realized Aleksander had only sliced through the upper layer of his skin causing no permanent damage.
“I don’t know where he took her and that is the truth,” he said in a voice filled with defeat and perhaps shame for being so weak. “I had no idea he planned to kidnap her.” Thomas’ voice was almost a whine now. “He just said he was going to do something to force you into finally having a meeting with him. That’s all. I swear it.”
“And it didn’t occur to you that my daughter’s life might be in danger?” I asked, unable to keep incredulity from drenching every word.
“No,” the word fell from Thomas’ mouth in a whisper.
Fallon stood up, yanking Thomas by the collar of his coat to his feet.
“Adam’s always been a man who just wants peace and an answer to the plagues. If I had any idea he planned to abduct the princess…” Thomas became chocked by emotion. I knew it was genuine but was beyond the point of caring.
“Was it his idea to have Dena participate in the show this evening?” Gabriel asked.
Thomas nodded. “I was simply supposed to make sure the Queen let her daughter play along.”
“Thomas,” I said, feeling tired all of a sudden. “You’re a man of reason and order. What in the world did you think was going to happen to my daughter?”
“I didn’t think he would kidnap her!” He protested hotly. “I just thought it would be some sort of demonstration. You have to believe me, your majesty. I would never do anything to harm the princess.”
I raised a shaky hand to my brow and closed my eyes trying to temper the anger I felt so I could think clearly.
“You know Bellas better than any of us,” I finally said, lowering my hand and forcing myself to look at Thomas once again. “What do you think his next move will be?”
Thomas took a moment to compose himself before speaking. I was sure he knew his life and the well being of his family depended on how well he cooperated.
“I would have to presume he intends to make you speak with him before giving Dena back to you,” he answered. “That’s all he’s ever wanted, just a moment of your time to discuss the cause behind the plagues.”
I slowly lowered myself back down into my chair.
“Then I suppose all we can do is wait,” I sighed, seeing no other course of action that wouldn’t endanger Dena’s life.
“We should go to this Bellas’ home,” Fallon said, not willing to give up so easily. “I’ll find a way to make him return Dena without you having to give in to any of his demands.”
“I seriously doubt he’s there Marshall,” I said.
“No, he probably isn’t,” Fallon agreed. “But his family might be. An eye for an eye, Emma.”
“No,” I replied feeling drained of energy. “I don’t want to anger him any further. He has Dena, so he has the upper hand for the moment. We will not stoop to his level.”
Fallon’s shoulders slumped slightly, knowing I was right, but not liking my orders to stand down. He was a soldier, used to action and resolving conflicts quickly at the point of a sword.
I looked at Thomas but only found myself feeling an uncontrollable urge to beat him into a fleshy pulp.
“Marshall, take Thomas out of here before I do something I might later regret.”
Fallon grabbed Thomas roughly by the arm and practically drug him out the study door. Fallon returned to the study a few minutes later to wait with us. If Bellas wanted a meeting with me, he would most certainly have to contact me to make arrangements.
Almost half an hour passed before there was an impatient knock resounding on the other side of the study door.
Gabriel answered it.
> “We’ve come to give counsel to the Queen,” I heard the deep timber of a concerned male voice say.
When I looked past Fallon, I could see two men and two women. I only recognized one of them, Isabelle Granger, the Royal Sage from the College who cast a spell on the Queen’s voice during her coronation speech. She looked almost the same as she did then except her pitch black hair now had veins of white streaming through it.
“And here come the politicians,” Inara whispered beside me.
“Who are they?” Aleksander asked. I was grateful for his inquisitiveness because I needed to know the same information.
“Well, the handsome man with graying hair in front is Thaddeus Irondale, Chief Minister of Parliament. He also has the distinguished pleasure of being my father,” Inara said full of pride. “The short, rotund pinched faced woman to his left is Constance Wright, head of the black party and a constant thorn in my father’s side. The tall blonde man is Samuel Able head of the white party. The other woman is Isabelle Granger, the Royal Sage.”
Gabriel stood away from the entrance and let the four newcomers walk into the study. They stood together in front of my desk.
“Your majesty,” Thaddeus Irondale bowed to me at the waist; the other three followed his lead. “We came to see if you needed our assistance and to find out if you know what has happened to the princess.”
“Adam Bellas has her,” I told them, not seeing any reason to keep it secret from them. “We’re waiting for him to contact us to see what he wants in exchange for Dena’s safe return.”
“Adam Bellas?” Constance squeaked, like the name was poison on her tongue. “The leader of those Plague-bringer fanatics? You’re not seriously thinking about giving into what he wants are you?”
“He has my daughter, madam. What else would you suggest?” I could immediately tell I wasn’t going to get along very well with Constance Wright. I could envision us having many more arguments during the years to come.
“Parliament has a strict policy of not giving into threats against the crown,” Samuel Able piped in, not wanting to be outdone by his counterpart. “If you do what he says now, who knows how many other people and disgruntled groups will follow suit. You cannot show any weakness, your majesty, or you’ll end up giving every discontented faction out there carte blanche to commit violent acts against the royal family to further their agendas.”
