The Gathering Storm

by Robin Bridges

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

 

  The palace of the grand duke and grand duchess Serge was beautiful. A brilliant brick-red on the outside, it had been bought by the grand duke as a wedding present for his bride. On Prince Danilo's arm, I followed my parents and my brother up the elegant grand staircase to the ball room. My father and brother treated the crown prince cordially enough, though I could feel they were still wary of him. My father was willing to place his trust in the tsar's judgment. I wondered if the empress could see the Montenegrins for what they truly were with her faerie sight. Did she approve of the tsar's friendship with King Nikola?

  The crown prince's sisters were not in attendance, as they were journeying back to Cetinje in the morning to be with their sister the princess Zorka and her new baby.

  Although it was nowhere near as large as the one at the Winter Palace, or even the one at Anichkov, the ball room was very beautiful. The pale blue walls were decorated with plaster angels and scroll work, and huge arched mirrors along the walls created the illusion of an even larger space. The room sparkled with the light from several chandeliers.

  I stood at the entrance, waiting with dread as the dance master announced us. "His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Danilo Petrovic-Njegos of Montenegro, with his fiancee, Duchess Katerina Alexandrovna von Oldenburg. " I saw the grand duchess Elizabeth standing with her sister, Princess Alix, who smiled shyly at me. My father spoke with Alix's father, Grand Duke Ludvig of Hesse, and Alix's brother Prince Ernest.

  The crown prince left me with a kiss on the hand, saying, "I will return shortly, my love. I must go and speak with the grand dukes Serge and Pavel. "

  "You look beautiful, dear," Grand Duchess Elizabeth said to me. "The faint blush of love blooms on your face. "

  This only caused me to blush more. It was not love that bloomed on my face, but shame. And misery. I wanted more than anything to run away to another country where the Vladiki would never find me.

  The orchestra struck up the imperial theme as the empress arrived with her children. I was surprised to see the tsar arriving as well. Everyone knew he detested balls, but this one was being given by his favorite brother and sister-in-law. He must have felt honor-bound to make an appearance. We bowed low as the members of the imperial family swept into the room. The tsar wore his dress regimentals, with the empress, on his arm, wearing an ice-blue gown. The tsarevitch followed him, looking just as handsome, and then the grand duke George escorted his sister, the grand duchess Xenia, who wore a gown of white heavily embroidered in silver. The youngest Romanov children were still too young to attend even family balls. The tsar and the empress led the first dance as the tsarevitch and his siblings made their way to where we were standing.

  "Aunt Elizabeth," the tsarevitch said, smiling. "It would give me great pleasure if you would honor me with the first dance. " The grand duchess curtsied, her hand placed over her heart dramatically. "I'd love to, Your Imperial Highness, but I have promised that dance to my husband. "

  The tsarevitch's eyes twinkled. "Then I must humbly ask Princess Alix for the pleasure. "

  The princess blushed, embarrassed by his gall antry. "Of course, Your Imperial Highness. " She took his hand as he led her onto the floor.

  The grand duchess Xenia smiled at me and whispered something to her brother the grand duke George. "Ooh, there is Sandro!" she said excitedly, and ran off after her Romanov cousin.

  The grand duke George bowed politely to me. "Your Highness, would you honor me with the first dance?"

  He must have had some information to tell me. Something about Count Chermenensky or about the princess Cantacuzene. I couldn't turn the tsar's son down, and yet I could not dance with anyone other than my fiance-

  who showed up precisely at the wrong moment.

  "Are you ready to dance, my love?" the crown prince said, placing his arm around my waist possessively.

  Anger flashed in the grand duke's eyes. And something else I could not place. He bowed curtly, to both me and the crown prince, before turning around and walking away. My heart ripped. I realized I actually wanted to dance with the grand duke. Not with Danilo.

  Prince Danilo swept me onto the dance floor for the last strains of the mazurka. I let him twirl me around and around, not paying attention to anything but the music. As I was dancing in his arms, I realized that I had fall en in love with someone else. Someone who most likely hated me more than anyone else in the world did. I felt miserable.

  "Are you happy, my love?" the crown prince asked, looking down at me.

  The mazurka ended, and we clapped politely before the orchestra started up a polonaise.

  "Of course," I said, not even attempting to smile. How had I ended up in this nightmare? There was no way I could speak privately with the grand duke anymore if I was engaged to the crown prince. I could not believe how utterly miserable that made me feel.

  As we danced around the room to the polonaise, I saw the grand duke dancing with Princess Erzsebet. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.

  Jealousy? What a strange feeling. I did not want the grand duke holding any girl in his arms but me.

  I wished Dariya were there. I needed to explain to her that the engagement was back on until I could find a way to protect my family from the Montenegrins. And from Princess Cantacuzene. My aunt had chosen to spend the evening at Miechen's Dark Court dinner party instead, taking my uncle and my cousin with her. I hoped Dariya would learn more news of Cantacuzene at the Vladimirichi Palace.

  When it was time for dinner, Prince Danilo led me to our table. We sat with my parents and brother, along with Princess Alix's father and brother.

  The food was delicious: roast duck and salmon aspic, followed by leg of lamb and a wonderful salad of beets and beans. My brother and Prince Ernest got along well, trading jokes and stories of an officer's life. Prince Ludvig asked Papa about his correspondence with Dr. Pasteur and wanted to know if Papa had ever met Dr. Koch, the German bacteriologist.

  "No, but I have read his work," Papa said. "brilliant job he did with the tubercle bacil us. "

  "Indeed. Now if he could only discover a way to cure it!" Prince Ludvig replied.

  Maman kept up a lively conversation with Danilo, asking him about the wedding traditions of his country. I wanted to choke on my salad. Still, I was glad she was talking. I did not feel chatty that evening at all.

  Danilo had noticed, for he bent low and whispered in my ear, "What is wrong, my love? You seem a million miles away tonight. "

  "Just tired. " I tried to perk up when the impeccably dressed servants whisked away our dinner plates and returned with orange and strawberry sorbets. I sighed, knowing the night would soon be over and I could go home.

  I glanced at the table where the imperial family sat. Grand Duke George was staring at me, a frown etched between his eyebrows. He was not enjoying the evening either. Rescue me, I thought with another sigh. Why can't you be my knight in shining armor?

  His blue eyes narrowed, and he whispered something to his sister. The grand duchess giggled and nodded.

  The empress and the tsar rose from their table shortly afterward with their host and hostess. This signaled that it was time to return to the ball room and the dancing.

  I took Danilo's arm, and then the grand duchess Xenia was beside me, pulling on my other arm. "Duchess Katerina, would you please join Princess Alix and me in the drawing room for a game of cards? We don't wish to participate in the contredanse, and we desperately need one more player. " She smiled at the crown prince and batted her eyelashes. "Your Highness will not mind if I steal her away from you? Princess Alix has left poor Nicky as well, but we are determined to sit out the next dance and rest our stomachs. You may have Katerina back for the quadril e. " Prince Danilo could not resist the grand duchess's smile. "I cannot refuse you, Your Imperial Highness," he said with a pompous bow. He kissed my hand, saying, "Enjoy your game, my love. " The grand duchess grinned and lin
ked her arm with mine, leading me toward the golden drawing room. It was a dazzling room, with its golden walls and gold-leafed furniture.

  "I did not know that Princess Alix enjoyed cards," I said.

  "She detests them," the grand duchess whispered gleefully. "You will see!"

  In the drawing room, it was not Princess Alix waiting, but the grand duke George. Grand Duchess Xenia gave me a push into the room. "I am going to show the princess and Aunt Elizabeth how to play tarock in the sitting room next door. We do not need a fourth person just yet," she said, winking at her brother.

  The grand duke and I were left alone. "Why do you need to be rescued?" he asked me finally.

  I had forgotten he could read my thoughts. I blushed. I had never felt so vulnerable before. "Please forgive me. If I had remembered . . . " The grand duke took my hands in his, gently. It sent delicious shivers up my arms. "Katerina, I cannot read all of your thoughts. Especially when your mind is racing a million miles a minute, like it is now. " He stared into my eyes, looking unsure about something. "But I heard your message across the dining room loud and clear. Tell me what has happened. I thought you'd broken your engagement with the crown prince. "

  "I thought I had too. I mean, we . . . " How much could I tell the grand duke?

  Not that the crown prince had threatened my brother. It had occurred to me that the grand duke was a member of the Order as well. Which meant his life was also in danger. "We had a long discussion, and . . . "

  "What about your dreams of medical school? Will your crown prince allow this?" The grand duke looked skeptical. "The Montenegrins are dangerous, Katerina, even if King Nikola is a friend of my father's. You should think long and hard before all ying your family with theirs. " I tried to cloud my mind, which was not too hard to do, actually, as confused as I was feeling at the moment. I shook my head. "I will be happy with the crown prince. " It killed me to say it, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

  "Do you need to be rescued or not?" he asked.

  I wanted to run away with him right then and there. I wanted him to protect me from the Vladiki. But I knew he could not. And I could not see him get hurt. If the grand duke died, it would kill me. "No," I said finally.

  "Katerina," the grand duke whispered, still holding my hands. "Who are you trying to protect?"

  Who was I protecting? Who was I hurting? "Everyone," I whispered back.

  The grand duke's eyes grew cold, and he let go. "Fine, Duchess. Keep

  your dark secrets, and let yourself be seduced by the crown prince. It will be the death of you. "

  He turned around and walked away. I had never felt so alone before.

  I did not want to go back to the ball room. I was not ready to see Prince Danilo just yet. I wandered down the hallway toward the glass garden. The grand duchess Elizabeth had a magical touch with flowers. Orchids and roses and angels' trumpets bloomed with wild abandon. The air was heavy with their fragrances. I could have stayed in there all night, listening to the babbling fountain. But I noticed a door leading outside into the courtyard, so I pulled my wrap around me and stepped out into chilly night air.

  I had been wrong. It was not a courtyard, but a tiny patio that looked out into the wooded patch along the still frozen Fontanka River. It was a silent night, and I loved the cold. I walked a little bit away from the lights of the house so I could look up and see the starlit black sky. I hugged myself, wishing hopelessly for a happy ending.

  A branch rustled in the stand of trees, startling me. My heart began to pound. Silly girl, I told myself. It is only the wind. Or perhaps a fox, hunting at night. Another branch snapped, and I fought the surge of panic rising in my chest. I had strolled too far away from the house to run without tripping in my ridiculous ball gown.

  Slowly, I backed away from the stand of trees. Another noise, closer to me this time. And then a whimper: "Mis-tresss . . . "

  "Count Chermenensky?" I whispered. What was he doing here outside the grand duke and grand duchess's palace?

  "Mis-tresss . . . " I heard him stumbling through the thicket of dried and dead branches. "Hide . . . I have been hiding. . . . "

  "You've done well," I told him. "And you need to stay hidden, for your own safety. Do you need me to get you anything?"

  He kept to the shadows of the woods. "Hungry . . . ," he whimpered. He sniffed the air. Perhaps he could smell the leftovers from the feast, which the cooks would sell to the poor at the end of the ball.

  "I can get you something warm to eat. Wait here. " I started to head back to the house. I hoped I would be able to sneak into the kitchens and come outside again without anyone seeing me.

  "Wait . . . Mis-tresss . . . "

  "I shal return shortly, Your Excel ency. Let me bring you something to eat. "

  "Hungry . . . "

  "You need to stay in the woods and hide. "

  "Hide . . . "

  The kitchens were in a smaller building apart from the main palace. The back door was open, and I could hear the servants cleaning up and preparing to sell the leftovers. I opened my purse, finding a few rubles that Papa had given me. "Do you have any of the duck left?" I asked one of the servant women, a ruddy-faced peasant, who looked at me suspiciously.

  "No duck. We have plenty of lamb, though," she said. I paid a dear price for it, probably more than they would sell it for to the poor, but I didn't mind. I wasn't sure if that would fill an undead count's belly, so I also purchased a baked potato and some pastries. She wrapped the food in a cloth napkin and handed it to me.

  "Thank you," I said, and hurried back to the wooded area, where I hoped the count had stayed hidden. I had no idea if revenants even ate real food.

  Perhaps there was a chapter in A Necromancer's Companion on their care and feeding. I hoped a warm meal would at least keep the count from gnawing on his own arm.

  "Count Chermenensky?" I whispered, not really wanting to wander into the trees to search for him. "Your Excel ency?"

  A rustle of the dry branches answered me. "Count Chermenensky!" I whispered. "I have some food for you. "

  The rustling grew louder. And then someone lurched out of the trees. It was not Count Chermenensky. With a low growl, he grabbed for me, knocking the napkin of food out of my hand.

  "Mis-tresss!" That was the count, and he came running out of the woods at my attacker. I could not see who the other creature was, but he growled and whined like the count. I realized it was another of the undead knights of the Order. One who did not call me mistress.

  The two struggled, not fighting over the food as I'd half expected, but fighting over me. If I had been a smart girl, I would have run back into the palace. But terror had me paralyzed. I did not want Count Chermenensky to get hurt by the other creature.

  "Stop it!" I cried. "Leave him alone!" There was nothing I could pick up to throw at them or hit the other one with. It was like watching two wild dogs fight, bloody and vicious. I knew it would be dangerous for me to try to separate them. Still, I felt astonishingly useless.

  With a snarl, the other knight tore into the count's shoulder. He howled out, and I knew the poor creature could still feel pain. He ripped at the other knight's face, tearing a bit of his already rotting skin away. I bit back a scream. I couldn't look anymore.

  Suddenly, I heard a loud crack of gunfire over my head. I dropped down to the snow. The creatures did not stop fighting. "Cease!" a loud voice boomed. It was the grand duke, sounding more like his father than I'd ever noticed before. His revolver was aimed straight at the undead soldiers.