The Kingdom Thief (Sitnalta Series Book 2)

by Alisse Lee Goldenberg

  Sitnalta swallowed back tears. Aud’s words had struck a chord within her. It might help her to deal with everything to speak with someone not directly affected. She crossed the room and put her candle down on the small table beside her bed. She climbed up onto her mattress and sat down beside Aud. She allowed Aud to put her arm around her and pull her close. She savoured the contact for a moment before speaking.

  “You asked me earlier today if I loved Navor,” Sitnalta said. “I do. But it’s complicated.”

  Aud gave her a minute to find her words, but Sitnalta didn’t say anything further.

  “He doesn’t have feelings for another. Does he?” Aud prompted.

  “Of course not!” Sitnalta exclaimed. “It’s just...”

  “Just what?”

  Sitnalta took a deep breath and held it before exhaling slowly. “Do you remember Najort?” she asked.

  “How could I not?” Aud reached up and began stroking the Princess’s hair.

  “Well, before he died, he was holding the coin. He wished me my happiness.” Sitnalta felt the familiar tightness in her chest as she remembered that night in the forest.

  “What are you trying to say?” Aud asked.

  “That wish had some unforeseen consequences,” Sitnalta continued. “I am happy. Or at least I was before Wilhelm became King. But what I’m talking about is the fact that Najort was reborn. He isn’t really dead. Before that wish, there was no Prince Navor. You see, Navor is Najort.”

  “Are you certain?” Aud asked. She turned to look Sitnalta in the eye. Her heart broke at the pain she saw there.

  “Kralc confirmed it,” the Princess said. “But it gets worse.”

  “How?”

  “Kralc said that the best way to end everything that has happened with Wilhelm is to destroy the coin. But if he does that, all wishes will be undone. That means...”

  “Navor will be lost to us,” Aud finished for her. She closed her eyes so that Sitnalta would not see the sadness there. “But if all wishes are undone, wouldn’t that leave us in the same predicament that you were afraid of?”

  “Yes. But that would also leave the world a safer place. Kralc fears the coin falling into the wrong hands again.”

  “This is such a mess,” Aud said. She turned to Sitnalta. “Do you love him because he’s Najort?”

  “No!” Sitnalta cried out. “The similarities that exist made it easy for us to become friends. However, Navor is very clearly his own person. His memories and his experiences as the Prince have given him his own personality. I came to terms with the fact that I lost Najort a while ago. It still hurts, but he’s gone and I can’t really change that. I just know that I can’t lose Navor too.”

  “I understand,” Aud said. It pained her to see that Sitnalta had had to have grown up so quickly. “It’s hard to lose someone you love. Somehow knowing it will happen makes it worse. But there’s still hope. Right?”

  “Kralc says he’s researching ways to get around it.”

  “We can’t give up. We need to cling to that.”

  Sitnalta reached her arms around Aud and enveloped her in a tight hug. “I will,” she assured her. “I will cling to that with all I have.”

  “As will I,” Aud replied as she returned the hug.

  * * *

  Aud slipped back into her room, and slid between the sheets. She felt Gerald stir and reach his arm around her pulling her close.

  “Is everything okay?” Gerald asked. “You said you wanted tea, and you were gone for quite a long time. I was beginning to worry.”

  “I saw Sitnalta sneaking out of her room and went to wait for her.”

  “What happened?” Gerald asked.

  “She finally opened up to me. Oh Gerald, it’s such a mess.” Aud reached up and rubbed her eyes. She stifled a yawn. “Apparently, the night Najort died he made a wish. That wish resulted in his soul being reborn as Prince Navor.”

  Gerald’s eyes flew open. All thought of sleep vanished at his wife’s words. “What did you just say?”

  “Navor is Najort,” Aud repeated. “Sitnalta’s been having nightmares about this. She’s quite confused. She fears that if Kralc destroys the coin...”

  “Navor will have never existed, or he will just die,” Gerald grimly finished for her.

  “Exactly,” Aud snuggled herself closer to Gerald, letting the warmth of his body relax her. “I highly doubt that either of them have told Parven and Kika about any of this.”

  “I hope not,” Gerald said.

  Aud turned her head to try to look her husband in the eye. “Why not?”

  “I wouldn’t want to know if I were in their position,” he explained. “Could you imagine being told that your son wasn’t your son?”

  “But he is their son,” Aud shot back. “They love him. I can see that in the way they look at him. It’s the very same look I give Sitnalta. It’s the look of someone who has raised a child from birth. They are a family in every sense of the word. It shouldn’t matter that he was put there by magic. He is going through something very difficult. He should have his parents’ support.”

  “I see your point,” Gerald said with a sigh. He placed a kiss on Aud’s temple. “But I would hate to see the pain this will cause. Regardless of how I know they feel about Navor, to hear such news will cause pain and confusion. I don’t doubt that they will come to the same conclusion you did, but it will take time. Time we may not have.”

  “I know that,” Aud replied. “Yet, I still feel they deserve to know the truth.”

  “I know,” Gerald said. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” Aud said with a smile.

  “You are far wiser than I will ever be.”

  “I know,” Aud’s smile grew wider. She felt lucky to have found such a partner for her life. “Now let’s get some sleep.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The Captain

  Frederic leaned against the ship’s gunwale and looked out at the night sky. He had been trying so hard to seem strong and unmoving in his desire to do King Wilhelm’s bidding. He knew the men needed to see him as unquestioning in the face of the King’s orders. Very few of them wanted to be there, doing this unsavoury task. Yet, so many of them were in the position he was in: he had a wife and a young child to think of. If he dared to defy his monarch, he would no longer be around to protect them. A small part of him felt he was a coward for thinking this way, but he told this part that he was merely being a father and a husband. If he didn’t put his family first, who would? So here he was, looking out to the stars and praying that Gerald and his family would forgive him.

  One of his men called out that they would drop anchor on the far side of the island before daybreak. They would go to shore using the dinghies, landing on a small, deserted stretch of beach they had found. They had very little risk in being seen that way. From there, they could make their way to Parven’s castle on foot.

  Frederic turned to his man on deck and nodded his understanding before turning and going to his cabin, ostensibly to get a good night’s rest before the morning’s endeavours. Yet he knew that sleep would be a long ways away for him, and if he dreamed, he knew he’d hate what he’d see.

  * * *

  Breakfast found Sitnalta stumbling into the dining hall feeling embarrassed by how late she was. Everyone was already sitting around the table, Gerald and Aud regarding Prince Navor with a new sense of wonder. She could see amazed questions written plainly in their eyes as they spoke with him. His parents seemed to sense something odd was afoot, and they turned to her questioningly. She sheepishly shrugged and took her seat, setting to the task of filling her plate with fruit and pastries. She took a steaming mug of tea and started to drink. The talk she had had with Aud the night before had done her a world of good. She felt as if she were facing the day with a newfound sense of vigour. It was as if she were her true self for the first time in a long while. She looked up at her family and smiled
.

  Aud looked across the table at the Princess, and felt such relief and joy at her relaxed demeanour. She knew that the talk they had had was a necessary one, and she was gratified to see its effect on her. The Queen could see that King Parven and Queen Kika were confused about all that was happening around her, and it pained her to see it. She knew that the truth would hurt them both deeply, but she was still convinced that it would benefit them all if they knew. She frowned and felt Gerald place his hand on her knee. She turned to him and saw him shake his head. Aud sighed, hating the position she was in. She would keep her mouth shut. If anyone told her friends the truth, it should be Navor. This was his story to tell his parents and she would respect that.

  One of King Parven’s men entered the room and went to speak with him. Gerald watched with interest as he murmured a message into his king’s ear. Parven frowned and dismissed him.

  “I’m afraid I am needed,” Parven said as he rose from the table.

  “Is anything the matter?” Gerald asked.

  “A ship has been spotted anchored off the shore of one of our beaches. It does not look like a fishing vessel, and we know of no one who has any business in the area. It’s probably nothing to be overly concerned about, but nonetheless, I need to look into it.” Parven answered. The news worried him greatly, but he didn’t want to needlessly scare his son and the Princess.

  “Of course,” Gerald said. He knew exactly what Parven was doing. He had done the same several times over as King. He feared that Parven was entirely justified in his concern, but played it as if he agreed that there was nothing to fear. He looked up and gave his friend a meaningful gaze.

  King Parven nodded at Gerald in understanding and excused himself from the room to go attend to the matter. King Gerald watched him go feeling a twinge of guilt for bringing all this trouble into his friend’s home. He knew that it wasn’t truly his fault, but if it weren’t for his keeping the coin at his home, or for his request that Parven keep Sitnalta safe, his friend would still be living in peace with no fear for his wife and son.

  Breakfast ended in silence and Queen Kika asked Aud to join her for some embroidery in her salon. Aud accepted the invitation and asked Sitnalta to join them.

  “I’d love to, but I am no good at embroidery. I’m sure I’ll ruin anything I touch,” Sitnalta said with a rueful smile.

  Aud laughed. “I know it’s not your favourite activity, but even if you just join us for a spot of lively conversation, I’d enjoy it.”

  “As would I,” Queen Kika added.

  “Then I would love to,” Sitnalta said.

  The three of them walked together out of the hall in the direction of the salon, leaving Gerald alone with Navor.

  “So,” Navor began. “I take it from your expression at seeing me this morning that you know.”

  “It’s true then,” Gerald said.

  “Yes. I have all of his memories. Kralc confirmed it. And yet...”

  “You feel as if you are just Navor,” Gerald finished.

  “I am. I like being Navor. I like having a family. I like having friends. I like...”

  “You like being with Sitnalta.”

  Navor blushed a deep scarlet. “It’s more than that,” he admitted.

  “You love her.”

  “Yes,” Navor said. He felt a sense of wonder that he was able to say it so readily. “I do.”

  Gerald nodded. “It goes without saying that I trust you not to hurt her,” he said. “I admired Najort greatly. He was courageous and kind. I remember you almost from birth. I was here as a guest when you were presented to the kingdom as the Crown Prince. You were always a brave and compassionate child. Although, admittedly, I’m not sure if any of that was real.”

  “It was real to me,” Navor said quietly. “And for me, that’s what counts. My parents, King Parven and Queen Kika, love me and I love them dearly. As far as I’m concerned, that’s all that really matters. I am Prince Navor. The fact that I was once Najort does make up a part of my character. I will agree with that. It’s true. However, that’s not all there is to me. I am also very much the man in front of you right now.”

  Gerald listened to Navor speak. He let him finish and went over his words. “You have indeed grown into a fine young man,” he said. “In fact, you are the very sort of young man that I always envisioned for my Princess.”

  Navor grinned. “Thank you,” he said.

  “But,” the old King pressed on. “I believe that you should tell your parents everything about what is going on right now. I once thought otherwise, yet seeing the pain and worry this coin is causing, I feel that they should be brought into the fold.”

  “When you say everything, do you mean...?”

  “Everything,” Gerald insisted. “You say that they are your parents. You love them. They love you. That is all that counts. If that is the case with you, why should it be any different with them? They share all the same memories as you. They love you as their son. They deserve to know the truth, if only to help you as best they can.”

  Navor nodded in agreement. “I hear you. Yet, I dread the conversation.” He knew that King Gerald was right. He remembered all the times the King of Sarrin had come to visit him and his family as he had grown up. He had always liked and trusted him, and thought of him as a kindly uncle.

  “I don’t doubt that,” Gerald said. “If you want, I will be there to guide you through it.”

  “I should like that,” Navor said. “Thank you.”

  * * *

  Frederic led his men through the trees. They had landed on the shore with no trouble, unloading their gear from their dinghies and walking up the beach in full armour. They had seen the trail leading up from the sand through the rows of palm trees, but Frederic had told them that it was best to steer clear of it. He had his maps, and he devised a route that kept them away from public places. Their work was best done in secret. It would compromise their position if King Parven were alerted to their presence.

  Frederic walked at the front, pushing all doubts from his mind. He had taken note of the beauty of his surroundings, and he desperately wished he had been visiting Parven’s kingdom under vastly different circumstances. He found the heat and humidity were unsuited for the armour and woollen breeches he had on, and it was causing him to move slower than he was accustomed to. Yet, he would not complain.

  They had been walking for hours. He had allowed the men several breaks in order to drink, and to rest. He knew that they might face a fight when they reached the castle, and it would not do to lead a host of overheated and dehydrated men into battle. Frederic raised a hand and directed his men to stop. He pulled out his map to consult it and spoke to his second in command, a young man named Jess. He had once worked as a stable boy under King Supmylo.

  “The back gate of the castle is just over the ridge,” Frederic said. “I need you to ensure the men are ready.”

  “I will,” Jess replied. He paused and looked his captain in the eye. “Sir, I need to know...that is...may I speak frankly?”

  Frederic nodded.

  “Is this a suicide mission? We have thirty men, and they have a castle. We only have what King Wilhelm gave us as information as to which rooms we should be hitting. Is this punishment for allowing the prisoners to escape?”

  Frederic grimaced. Jess was far from stupid in seeing what was clear about their situation. Frederic had thought that Wilhelm saw this as a win-win situation. If Frederic succeeded, he had his prisoners back in his clutches, as well as the Princess. If he failed, Wilhelm was down a captain that had failed him in the past.

  “I won’t lie to you, Jess,” Frederic said. “The King was far from happy with our failure. If we do not succeed in our mission, he will have lost a group of men that had failed him twice. Yet, think on this: he will also have lost his fastest ship and some men that had nothing to do with the jailbreak. How is that sensible?”

  Jess pondered his captain’s wo
rds. “Thank you, Sir. I will ready the men.”

  Frederic waited until he was told his men were prepared, then he gave the word and they surged ahead.

  * * *

  Sitnalta tried and failed to work on the embroidery in front of her. She hadn’t initially planned on even attempting anything, yet Queen Kika had suggested she give it one last shot. Now she sat, her fingers cramping, and her picture of flowers looking far more like an ugly snarl of knots.

  “This is impossible!” Sitnalta exclaimed as she tossed her work off her lap with a petulant pout.

  “You need patience,” Aud said with a sympathetic look. “You need small stitches, and slow work. You can’t just breeze through it and expect a picture to magically appear. Anything worthwhile takes time.”

  “It’s ridiculous. I’ll never learn,” Sitnalta grumbled.

  Queen Kika laughed. “My dear, when you learned to ride a horse, did you learn to gallop before you learned to walk?”

  “Of course not!” Sitnalta huffed.

  “Then why should embroidery be any different? Take things slow. One stitch at a time.” Kika reached down and pulled a new embroidery hoop from the basket and handed it to the Princess. “Try a new one. Slow and steady. One stitch at a time.”

  Sitnalta took the offered hoop. She threaded a needle and gingerly pushed it through the fabric. She followed the design pricked through and went one stitch at a time. She made sure things were pulled all the way through before continuing and soon developed a rhythm. She worked with patience and looked up to see Aud smiling warmly at her.

  “I’m doing it!” Sitnalta felt a rush of pride as she looked at her work. It appeared wobbly, and her design was far from perfect, but it was hers.

  “It’s lovely,” Aud assured her.

  Sitnalta grinned in response and turned her attention back to her hoop. A sudden knock on the door startled her causing her to snarl her thread. She swore under her breath prompting Aud to give her a reproving look.