The Chosen

by K. J. Nessly

  — but once you rest I’m sure you’ll thank me in the morning.” He turned to address the two serving women. “Lady Kathryn will be staying with us. Help her bathe and dress before sending her down to supper.” He looked over at Kathryn. “Choose a dress that is more befitting of her station.”

  “How dare you!” Kathryn seethed as the two women attempted to draw her inside.

  “Please, milady,” the younger of the two maids whispered when they had no luck bringing her inside. “He’ll beat us if you don’t come with us.”

  Kathryn looked at the young woman. The young maid was hardly older than herself and looked genuinely afraid of her lord and master. Stifling a curse, Kathryn allowed herself to be dragged inside.

  The two women led her through a maze of corridors and long halls until they stepped inside a large room.

  “I’ll see to your bath,” the older woman wheezed as she hurried back out the door.

  Kathryn remained standing stiffly in the center of the room as the younger maid hurried to a closet filled with gorgeous gowns.

  She pulled out gown after gown. From what Kathryn could tell they were all ridiculously adorned and looked extremely heavy. With all those meters of fabric, she wouldn’t be able to fight efficiently if the two women managed to stuff her into one of the dresses.

  Servants began filing in and filling the marble soaking tub in the adjoining room.

  “Is milady ready for her bath?” the older woman asked stiffly once the tub was full.

  Kathryn narrowed her eyes at her. “I’ll take the bath, but I’ll bathe myself.”

  Both serving women looked at her, horrified expressions on their faces. ‘But…but that is not how it is done.”

  “I have bathed myself my entire life,” Kathryn informed them, “even when I reside with Princess Jasmine I bathe myself.” Except for those first few times, she thought wistfully, remembering Arianna’s gentle touch.

  “But Lord Tanner—

  “I will deal with Lord Tanner, now leave me!” Kathryn put the full force of a demanding noblewoman’s tone behind her words.

  The two women scurried away, busying themselves laying out gowns and jewelry.

  Kathryn sighed as she lowered herself into the steaming water. At least she had won that particular battle, she wasn’t sure how many more she was going to win. As soon as dinner was over she was coming back up here and escaping. She didn’t know how she’d do it, but she was going to.

  After scrubbing herself raw she stepped from the tub and dried herself. The younger maid had already lain out clean undergarments and Kathryn quickly put them on. Her thoughts momentarily flew to David and the rest of the Dragons. When she hadn’t returned on Nénar, they would start to worry and would eventually break out into panic when she didn’t take her shift tomorrow. It would take at least five days to walk back, or at least to travel in a way that Lord Tanner couldn’t track or observe her. Perhaps she could steal a horse…but no. Lord Tanner probably had them trained to stampede if someone other than himself tried to mount…something a lot of nobles were doing nowadays. It was supposed to be an anti-thief measure, one that was going to make her escape twice as hard as it should have been.

  She momentarily considered sending the Dragons some sort of message, but how would she get it to them and what would she say: Help, I’ve been kidnapped? It was hardly the type of message for an independent, self-sufficient, Guardian to send.

  No. She could figure a way out of this on her own. She didn’t need anyone’s help. She just had to make sure she did it in a way that didn’t lead Lord Tanner to suspect she was a Guardian. Despite the gravity of her situation she would never break the cardinal rule of her order—protect your identity at all costs, even at the cost of your life.

  The younger serving maid held up a deep purple gown with gold trim. It made the gown she’d worn to the first jousting tournament at the Queen’s birthday tournay look like a homespun rag.

  “No,” Kathryn said flatly.

  “But it would look wonderful on you!” The girl protested.

  “I don’t want to look wonderful for Lord Tanner.”

  “Please Milady, if you won’t do it for the master, than do it for us. For he’ll have our necks if you don’t,” the serving girl pleaded.

  “Oh, shut your trap!” the older woman hissed as she rushed over and began running a comb roughly through Kathryn’s hair. “The Lady doesn’t want to hear about our problems.”

  In truth, Kathryn very much did want to hear about their problems, any insight into Tanner’s ruling methods would aid her escape, but a noblewoman would not so she held her tongue. Finally she nodded and allowed herself to be laced into the purple dress.

  The older woman styled her hair in an elaborate style that already had her head aching from the weight and pricks of the pins.

  She refused any jewelry, threating to rip it off her body and hurl it into the wall if they attempted to put any on her, and slowly made her way downstairs to the dining hall.

  Chapter 34

  Kathryn was escorted by one of the servants and Lord Tanner rose as she entered the dining hall.

  “Much better,” he commented as she stood at the far end of the table.

  She glared at him, refusing to say anything.

  “Come now, Lady Kathryn,” he said as he motioned to a servant to hold out a chair for her. “You aren’t still mad at me, are you?”

  Kathryn fought down a sudden urge to strangle him. “Oh, I’m no longer mad, Lord Tanner,” she replied icily. “I’m furious with you.”

  He chuckled. “I love a woman with spirit.” Before Kathryn could respond he motioned to her, “please sit down.”

  The servant holding her chair looked to her with pleading eyes and for his sake she acquiesced.

  “You are mad if you think you can keep me here against my will.”

  “And where would you go?” he laughed. “Darkness has fallen and there isn’t a town or village for leagues.”

  “Let me assure you when I say I would rather walk all night than spend one night here with you,” she returned frostily.

  “Tut, tut,” he tsked. “You aren’t a very grateful guest.”

  “Quite right,” she agreed as the servants brought out wine. “I’m an unwilling guest.”

  “I’m sure if you give me a chance you would find me quite charming,” he replied with the best smile he could fashion and spoken in a tone that was so popular with the kingdom’s elite.

  Kathryn calculated in her mind the nuances of placing an arrow between the small gap separating his two front teeth. “I seriously doubt it,” she returned.

  By now the wine steward and waiting servants were observing the banter with interest as this young woman stood her ground. Their eyes followed the debate much like a pfilour exchange between two contestants in a bloudar match.

  “Princess Lillian found my company to be quite entertaining.”

  “Obviously Princess Lillian hasn’t spent much time around cads.”

  He laughed. “Is that what you think I am, Lady Kathryn? A cad?”

  “I have no doubt of it.”

  “Tell me,” he said, leaning forward as if waiting to hear the final chapter of a gripping suspense story. “Is this another trick Princess Jasmine taught you? To identify miscreants and evil-doers?” There was humor in his eyes, but Kathryn found no humor in any of it.

  She huffed. “Realizing that you are a blackguard hardly takes any skill,” she informed him. “And no, Princess Jasmine didn’t teach me how to identify one—I taught myself.”

  “Ah,” he said as he leaned back in his chair, his wineglass in hand. “A self-sufficient woman, I admire that.”

  “I learned to be self-sufficient when I was young, Lord Tanner. It’s a habit that’s hard to break.”

  “Yes,” he mused quietly. “So I’ve noticed.”

  “You will return me in the morning.” She purposefully phrased it as a demand and not a question.

&
nbsp; “We’ll see.”

  “You’ll see?” she began furiously while standing and knocking her chair backwards to the floor with a resounding clatter that seemed to echo in the large room.

  He cut her off. “Would you care to dance, Lady Kathryn?”

  “What? No, I would not!” she exclaimed hotly. Every muscle in her body was taught and her fists were balled so tightly they began to lose color. “Now will you or will you not return me to the village in the morning?”

  “We’ll see,” he reiterated. “It would hardly do to send you back to the village if the weather isn’t cooperating. After all, what would the people say if their new governor sent a Lady away in the rain.”

  Kathryn’s fury subsided slightly in the light of this new information. She frowned. “I thought Lord Merlae was the Governor of this province.”

  Tanner waved his hand, “He was. I was only recently assigned. Lord Merlae has serious health issues that impede his ability to govern.”

  Won’t David be interested to hear this, Kathryn thought. That is, if I ever get back.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to dance, milady?” he asked mildly. “My musicians are some of the best in the kingdom.”

  “I hate dancing.” Well, not really. Just with you.

  “You seemed to enjoy yourself at the Queen’s ball.”

  “If that was your conclusion, then you can’t read me very well at all. Prince Derek and the king himself noticed and commented on my lack of enthusiasm for the waltzes.”

  “Ah, but that is only one form of dance,” he replied smoothly. “There are many others.”

  Kathryn was ready to wrench the life out of him and drown everyone else in the castle with the foul water from the moat, “Lord Tanner—

  “I would prefer it if we could dispense with the titles,” he told her as he sipped his wine. “I hate the formality they represent.”

  “What a pity for you,” she replied sarcastically, “I shall be addressing you by your title for the remainder of my stay and you shall address me by mine.”

  Lord Tanner nodded to a tall and gangly servant who promptly set Kathryn’s chair back in order. She turned and the servant glanced a brief look with fear in his eyes. She relented and sat down abruptly.

  “You are a very demanding woman,” he commented as the servants brought forth their supper.

  “Merely keeping everything in its proper order,” she replied angrily.

  She saw rage flicker through his eyes and felt a twinge of unease before he stood abruptly. “Proper order?” he demanded angrily. “I’ll show you proper order.” Whirling he brought out a small dagger that had been concealed on his right arm and thrust it into the side of the unfortunate server who had been placing his master’s supper on the table. The poor servant let out a mangled gasp, his eyes mirroring the disbelief in his mind. He collapsed to the floor, taking the tray of food with him. The clatter of the metal dishes on the stone floor echoed ominously in the room.

  Without a glance towards the injured man, Lord Tanner snapped his fingers and two new servants appeared instantly. “Clean up the mess…and bring me a new napkin.”

  Horrified by what she had just seen, Kathryn leapt to her feet. “What have you done?” she cried in dismay. She watched in shock as the unfortunate server was hurriedly carried downstairs by the remainder of the servants.

  “Do not concern yourself with his fate, he’s a mere servant,” Lord Tanner replied coldly as he retook his seat.

  Kathryn tore her eyes away from the archway that the unconscious server had been taken through. “Merely a servant?” she asked letting cold fury seep into her words. “You killed an innocent man because he was merely a servant?”

  Lord Tanner waved his hand at her. “Sit down, Lady Kathryn. You can rest assured I didn’t kill him.” He gave her a cruel smile. “The physician employed by this castle has become proficient in sewing up knife wounds. In a few days he will be back to serving.”

  Kathryn felt sick with horror and disgust. There was no possible way she was going to spend another minute in the presence of Lord Tanner. She looked around for any possible escape routes, only to find them all guarded by at least two fully armed knights.

  “Don’t try it,” Lord Tanner warned casually as he took a sip of his soup.

  “Don’t try what?” she demanded.

  “You’re thinking of trying to run,” he told her calmly as he dapped at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “I wouldn’t try it. I have every entrance guarded by exceptional guards who would render you unconscious before you could try to leave.”

  Unsure of what to do, Kathryn stood in a quandary. She desperately wanted to teach Lord Tanner a lesson or two, but couldn’t do so without bringing down the wrath of his guards—it didn’t matter how good a swordsman or archer she was, she couldn’t take them all.

  “Sit down,” Lord Tanner commanded.

  Slowly, she lowered herself back into her seat. “You are a tyrant,” she bit out.

  His cruel laugh echoed throughout the hall. “Really? And here I thought I was nothing but a local Governor doing his bit for the kingdom.”

  “What do you want with me?” she asked stiffly.

  He looked up. “You haven’t touched your supper,” he said nodding towards her plate. “Eat, it will make you feel better.”

  “After what I just witnessed, nothing could make me feel better!” she exclaimed.

  His eyes turned cold. “Eat,” he commanded, “or I will be forced to do it again…and again until you do eat.”

  She looked at him, numbed. Not even the Blackwoods had demonstrated such cold ruthlessness. “You would attack another servant simply because your atrocities make me too sick to eat?”

  He tore a piece of bread in half and buttered it. “Perhaps you haven’t noticed, Lady Kathryn. I like to have my way.”

  Slowly she picked up her fork and began to pick at the roasted quail on her plate. She had no appetite but did not wish a replay of his earlier wrath.

  He watched her for a few seconds before nodding, “good,” and turning back to his own meal.

  They ate in silence for the remainder of the meal. Lord Tanner ate heartily, often calling for more wine. Kathryn ate only enough to appease him, barely touching her own drink.

  Finally the dishes had been cleared and the servants were getting ready to bring out dessert. Lord Tanner called for another glass of wine and settled back in his chair. “It is a pity,” he said gazing at her. “That you did not wear any jewelry with that gown.”

  Kathryn refused to speak to him, choosing to take a sip from her wine goblet. She had never learned to like the taste of wine and tonight was no exception to her preference. Whatever was being served had a bitter taste that held no appeal whatsoever.

  “Still angry at me?”

  Kathryn’s patience wore thin. “What do you think, Lord Tanner?” she exclaimed angrily, “You kidnap me, hold me here against my will, decide what I will wear, stab servants in my presence, and then pretend nothing’s wrong! What possible reason could I have to be angry with you?”

  “So,” he said slowly, swirling his wine. “You do not approve of my actions towards my servants.”

  “Your actions are inhumane and deplorable. No servant should ever be treated the way you treat yours.”

  The servants returned with their dessert, a sweet cake with a berry filling. They quickly cut the cake, served it, and hurried out of the room for fear of being the next to have a knife shoved into their sides.

  “I find it interesting,” Lord Tanner continued. “That you would have such feelings for servants.”

  “It helps that I was a slave until I was ten,” she replied sarcastically, surprising herself with the ease that declaration was made.

  He paused mid-sip. “Really?” he asked in amazement. “I did not know that.”

  “Not many people do.” Kathryn was beginning to feel unwell. Her stomach was dancing and her head hurt.

  “Tel
l me Lady Kathryn,” he said slowly. “What hand contained the concealed dagger?”

  She frowned at him. “Your right hand. But what does that have to do with anything?” she asked.

  “Perhaps nothing, perhaps everything.”

  “Do you enjoy speaking in riddles?”

  “I find it keeps me alert.”

  “Well, I find it extremely vexing.”

  “I have it on good authority that women enjoy being vexed,” he replied taking a bite of his dessert.

  “Not this woman,” she returned coldly.

  “Do you enjoy being a Guardian?”

  Kathryn jerked. There’s no possible way he could know! “What?”

  He downed the rest of his wine. “You correctly identified which arm the concealed weapon came from and it wasn’t a guess. No other person, except a Guardian, has ever correctly identified the arm.”

  “I have very good eyes,” she assured him. “And why would you suppose that only someone with a Guardian’s skill could identify which arm you pulled your knife? Any trained knight in the kingdom could identify which hand it was. It seems a rather puerile standard to me. Besides, Guardians guard their identities with their lives. How would you know that the man who identified the arm was a Guardian?”

  “There are some who, let’s just say, are less discreet about what they say in public than others. And while you are correct that any trained knight in the kingdom could determine which hand I used, you are not a knight.”

  Kathryn was struggling to keep her panic from showing. If Lord Tanner did indeed discover for certain that she was a Guardian—she didn’t want to think about the consequences. “I was raised in a situation where my observation skills determined whether or not I was punished,” she told him icily. “After I became the ward of Princess Jasmine she had the Royal Guard instruct me in basic swordplay and archery so that I would never suffer as a slave again. And if I was a Guardian, trust me when I say this, you would not be sitting so smugly in your chair right now.”

  He stood and shrugged, “Perhaps what you say is true, but it could also be true that you know that if your identity is discovered you will be forced to retire and go into hiding.”