by S R Nulton
I sighed. “Then I suppose it’s time to head down.”
When we reached the door, there was quite a crowd waiting. It was decided, however I should be the one to open the door, as I was already marked. Once we wedged it open, I took the lantern from James’ hand and let him go first. He was better at close quarters combat than I was and none of the dwarves were willing to go down first. They knew I was safe.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I unshuttered the lantern and looked around. At first, nothing seemed unusual. It was just a large, open room with a stone table in the center. Then I took a step and nearly tripped on something rather round.
I looked down and gasped, jumping back to the stairs.
“What? What is it?” James asked, turning toward me. I didn’t answer, just pointed at the floor. He crouched and looked at what I’d already recognized. “Bones. Toes, I think.”
The rest of the group clambered down the stairs to see what the commotion was. When they saw it, everyone got very quiet.
Mama was the only one willing to ask the big question. “Where are the rest?”
It was a very good question because countless women had been lured down to this basement and no bodies had ever come out. We spread out and looked around the room. Lorith found a hallway that was hidden in shadow and had six rooms attached to it.
“Nothing overly important right now. You’ll have to go through it eventually though,” he told us.
No one asked though. Not after we found another door on the opposite side of the room. This one was full of bones.
We stared at it in horror.
“That’s a lot more than the gallery shows,” I choked out.
Mama nodded, tears streaming down her face. I knew she felt a strange sort of camaraderie with each of those women. She was supposed to join them, after all.
Craftis pulled her close and rubbed her back before addressing the rest of us.
“Four of you, go find a place and start digging. It will be a mass grave, but it’s better than them being stored in a root cellar. The rest of you, start picking up bones. We’re not leaving them here.”
Everyone nodded and quickly went about their tasks. The thing about dwarves is that they have a wonderful affinity with earth, even if they aren’t magicians. They will always find it easier to work with than any other race, so the grave was dug very quickly. They’d even chosen a beautiful resting place for those poor women. It was just on the edge of the forest, overlooking the flower gardens. Their lives had been short and painful. They might not care anymore where they lay, but they deserved to be surrounded by beauty when people came to visit them, and they would. I would make sure of it. The people of Fretche would know of their sacrifice and of the lives that had been lost because of the evil of one man.
They would learn so that it might never happen again.
By the time noon rolled around, the basement had been emptied. My former guards had arranged the bones while they laid them to rest. It was a unique pattern that looped round and round in an endless knot and reminded me of a flower. We would have just buried them as full skeletons but most of the bones hadn’t been connected anymore, so we had to improvise a little. Very little, actually. The concept of designing a pattern with bones was an old one among the dwarves, specifically during their more violent eras.
When a war is fought in a cave, there are times when part of the tunnel collapses and the battle is literally lost. The dwarf nations had a desire to honor those lost by repurposing their bones, making something beautiful out of something tragic. The only difference here was that instead of displaying them in extensive catacombs like dwarves tended to do, these bodies were being used to create a piece of art that no one would see.
Once the bones had been laid to rest, we worked together to cover them, which took another hour. Then the dwarves rolled a large stone in and placed it over the top of the grave. They carved it with the same pattern that they’d laid the bones in and simply marked it ‘The Queens of Fretche’.
“Thank you,” I whispered to my guards as they wished me well and left, one-by-one.
Mama walked up to the stone and placed her hand on it before whispering something that my ears just barely caught. “Sleep well, sisters. You will be avenged.”
~
It had been three days since we cleaned out the basement. My father was due to arrive that afternoon, around the same time a dwarf contingent would arrive as back up.
There were many things I could have been doing to prepare, most of them useless considering how anxious I felt, but I decided that there was something more important to do.
Cuddle with my fiancé. And for a man with so little body fat, he was very comfortable to use as a mattress.
“How are you?” James asked, his voice rumbling under my cheek.
The solarium was surprisingly warm considering how chilly it was outside. I’d pulled James in there after breakfast, deciding that we needed cuddle time before I had to face my father again.
“I’m terrified,” I finally admitted. “He’s every nightmare I’ve ever had bundled into one man. He never treated me like his child, just like a burden. Mama tried to hide it from me, but I found his journal from when I was born. He wrote that he regretted ever sleeping with my mother. He’d started feeling lonely, I guess, and wanted someone that would stay with him. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a boy. I guess that a little girl wasn’t a useful thing when you wanted an heir and a partner in crime.”
James sighed. “That’s not the way it is usually. Well, actually, I can’t say that. I’ve heard nobles complain about things like that, but most fathers are just thrilled at a healthy baby.”
“I know, but that’s the way it was here. I wasn’t wanted, but he didn’t want to kill me right off because I might be worthwhile later on. For a while he was seriously considering selling me to one of his pawns, but figured that might give the man aspirations.”
His breath gently ruffled my hair as he sighed. “You’re family is so different from mine. I have two sisters. They are young and silly and so loved. Mother was fine with just having boys, but Father always wanted a little girl to dote on. He said that Mother was too beautiful to not have her own heir. He created a holiday on Alyssa’s birthday to honor daughters.”
James grinned before continuing. “You should have seen him when he found out Mother was pregnant with Sissy. He was positive that she was a girl and he couldn’t believe his luck at getting two daughters. He also congratulated Mother at having their children in the correct order so that there were plenty of big brothers to scare the suitors away. He even gave her a special necklace to commemorate her brilliance and called it ‘The Intelligent Wife’. Mother was so embarrassed that she nearly had it melted down but she said it was too beautiful. Then she commissioned a set of armor and called it ’The Idiot Father.’ It’s his favorite armor.”
I giggled, trying to imagine any father acting so excited to have a girl. I just couldn’t see it. It was a funny image, though, a king leaping about the palace because he was having a second daughter. And I loved the way that my future in-laws teased each other. It gave me hope that I would avoid having as empty a marriage as my mama did.
“What about you? How would you feel about having a daughter.” I bit my lip, shocked that I’d ask such a thing, but it sort of just fell out!
A short laugh shook his chest again. “Ha! I don’t know. I’ve seen my sisters grown up and they make absolutely no sense to me. They love clothes and the color pink and dancing around and giggling… And I hated it for so long, but I was their big brother. That was my job. Now though… I think I understand what my father meant.”
I sat up slightly so I could look him in the eye. He just smiled at me.
“I think that if I could have a beautiful little girl with eyes and a spirit just like her mama, well, I’d probably be the happiest man in the world. And if her mama saw fit to give me another little girl, I wouldn’t mind one bit. In fact, I’d love th
em both just as much as I love their mother.”
I knew I was blushing, but I couldn’t stop the silly grin that crossed my face. I leaned in and kissed him deeply before pulling back and searching his crystalline eyes again. “Just so long as any boy we have take after you. Bored drawl and everything.”
He scoffed once before we collapsed in laughter.
“James,” I began when we calmed a bit. “I-I love you too.”
“You don’t have to say it. Not if you aren’t sure.” He searched my eyes, looking for something.
“I do though. I think I have for a while, but it definitely started when you saved me from that apple. You showed too much relief not to care about me. No one but Mama ever cared that much. I suddenly realized that I could give you my heart and you would be careful with it because you’d already given me yours.”
He smiled and leaned up to kiss me.
…Which got very awkward, very quickly…
Apparently neither of us had noticed that Mama and the captain had come in until she cleared her throat and made us jump apart.
“I know I never really got engaged, but I’m pretty certain that this is an inappropriate position to find you in,” Mama drawled.
My blush was back with a vengeance, but I still took my time sitting up properly. James just shook his head at me and pulled himself up as well. My recalcitrance seemed to amuse and please him in equal measure.
Well, he better get used to it, because I doubt I’ll ever change.
“Apologies, ma’am. We were just enjoying the lull before the storm.” James pulled me close again as soon as he was settled, despite the clear reprimand we’d received. It was at that point that I realized my fiancé was actually quite rebellious. His bored attitude was more than just a defense, it was his way of acting out and annoying those around him. For some reason, that just made me want to smile.
Mama just shook her head. “Just remember you two that you want a long engagement. Unless you want a significantly shorter engagement, I suggest you be more careful about personal space and alone time. I don’t think you’re ready to take care of a baby and a country.”
I sighed, knowing she was right. “Understood. Why did you come in here though?”
“Well, it looks like my people need an explicit invitation to enter the castle, so I’m sending the boys to go give it to them. Dwarves are fastidious about those sorts of things, you know.”
Both men began to protest, but she just held up a hand and silenced them.
I want to be like her when I grow up! I had to fight off a giggle at the thought. It was true though, and had been since I’d first met her.
“No arguing. You knew that you couldn’t be here when the king arrives. It would tip him off immediately. This way you have something to do so that you don’t have to stand around worrying.”
Craftis rolled his eyes. “Do you really think that being sent away will keep us from worrying?”
“No, but it will give you something productive to do so you don’t go half-crazy. I’ve done that and it isn’t all that fun. Except when you can annoy others or have mangos specially shipped in for you. I might have to have some relapses if it means more mangos.”
No one chose to comment on the importing of tropical fruit. Instead, they tried to argue about her orders. Finally, they were forced to leave. She’d reminded them that the longer they argued the less likely they were to be back when we needed them.
“You handled that rather well,” I told her as we headed for the basement. It was best to be down there together when Father arrived because it was less likely that he’d try to separate us.
“Thank you. It’s easier to deal with them than the servants. Then again, they aren’t being paid to hate me, so there is that.”
I snorted. “Can you imagine someone trying to pay your captain to hate you? He’d skewer them in a blink.”
She bit her lip and nodded. “True. Although… if they insulted me first, he might draw it out a little. He reminds me a bit of a cat sometimes.”
It was an oddly accurate statement. He was completely likable and gentle as long as he wanted to be. When he didn’t, you very much feared for your life. And I could easily imagine him playing with someone before killing them.
“Why are we drawn to dangerous men?” I wondered aloud. “You’ve got the captain of the Fey palace guard twisted around your finger and I have the sarcastic second prince of Alenia engaged to me. I mean, he’s not as dangerous as the captain, but he knows just the right thing to cut someone down to size and knows more about politics than I ever thought was possible. Which might be more terrifying than if he were bloodthirsty, come to think of it.”
Mama chuckled. “Because, little light, normal men wouldn’t be able to deal with us.”
Ding! Ding! Ding!
She blinked and her face grew pale. That was the mirror, trying to get our attention.
“He’s here.”
CHAPTER 13: GIVING YOU A REASON TO FEAR AGING
CAILLTE LYNN
It was a bit frustrating when I realized that my husband wasn’t actually there yet. The mirror had been set to alert me when he was officially on the property. Apparently, that meant the outer reaches. The mirror wanted to make sure that we were given enough time to prepare… and then some. He was on the property, but it would still take a few minutes for him to actually arrive at the castle and a few more for him to find his way into the basement.
“Why do stories always skip over all the waiting that happens when you’re doing something dangerous?” Snow asked me as she paced. She’d never been good at waiting for things. Too active.
I snorted as I leaned against the wall. “Because that would make for a boring story. Imagine, would you want to read about every nervous thought that went through the character’s head while they waited or would you like a quick paragraph about waiting and then get straight to the action? That’s why so many books seem to have an entire story happen over a weekend. Real life is too slow for most people.”
“So, what, you’re saying if this was a story, our conversation would be skipped over? Maybe Father would have appeared as soon as we opened the door last night?”
I shrugged. “Probably. And this conversation would be considered breaking the fourth wall, which books aren’t supposed to do. You also wouldn’t have had a chance to talk to James and cuddle on the couch this morning. Life is more than just the action sequences in a story. It’s the little moments in between, the ones that show who you are when you aren’t being watched, that matter. Without those, who are you, really?”
“So you finally come down here and decide to have an existential conversation with your dead daughter? How typical. You’ve never done things the right way.”
I jumped and turned to face the stairway. The king was finally there, standing in the door and glaring at us. And complaining about our conversation. How typical. Nothing I do is right as far as he’s concerned. Although he does have a point this time. I do tend to muck things up for him by reacting oddly.
“I’m not dead. Who told you that?” Snow moved to my side and took hold of my hand, making it impossible for him to tell who was marked and who wasn’t.
That seemed to be the wrong question, judging by his clenched jaw and flaring nostrils. Then he moved into the light.
Skies! Look at his face! He looks like he’s a hundred now! I thought as he tottered down the stairs. And he really did look ancient. He had lost most of his hair and what was left was pure white. His hawk-like nose had grown significantly since I saw him last, as had his ears, but it seemed that he had shrunk. A stiff breeze could have knocked him over and he was stooping so much that he was nearly Snow’s height! In fact, the only thing that hadn’t changed was that ridiculous blue beard. It was just as colorful as ever but it looked more garish and ridiculous than before.
When his hair was black, it was so much less jarring.
“That idiot Bekins clearly didn’t know what he was doing. The
corset and comb he procured for me must have been defective, but poisoned apples? I have no idea why he ever thought those would work. You’ve never cared much for fashion and everyone knows to check for poisons! But I let it go because he swore it would work. He even disguised himself as an old woman to make it work. And you made him believe it too. Glass coffins. What nonsense!
“Then, to get him to betray me at the end… how did you pull that off? It doesn’t matter now, I suppose. I found his body, you know. Such a waste of a perfectly cultivated resource. I’ll have to go find another street-rat to take over his job. At least those are easy to come by.”
I blinked. “You mean, you raised Bekins? You trained him to be like that?” I’d read a little bit about it in his journals, but the man was always sparse with details. It hadn’t occurred to me that Bekins had been an actual child when he was brought in. Everyone was referred to as a ‘child’ after a while.
Blue Beard scoffed. “Of course I did. Do you think that it’s easy to find someone willing to do whatever you tell him to and loyal to only you? No. It was a stroke of genius to pay for my own assassination. Capturing him as he attempted to kill me instantly put him under my control. It also meant he already had a number of useful skills and no morals whatsoever.”
“So that’s why he hated me,” Snow mumbled.
“No. He hated you because you usurped what he thought was his rightful place. The fool seemed to think I cared about him, that he was my heir. As if I would ever leave anything to him. He was lucky I extended his life like I did. Now I have to go find another one and waste years training him. Then again, I would have gotten rid of him myself if I’d known he’d failed at killing you, child. You were so much easier to deal with before I gave you a stepmother to cling to. So many mistakes. I should have drowned you as soon as I found out you were a girl. But no, I thought you might be worth keeping around and this is the thanks I get! You run around the country, stirring a rebellion.
