Pigsty Princess

by Nancy S. Brandt

Laughing, he set to work helping her clean up from the mid-day meal.

  The door to the cottage slammed against the side wall as Rianaer and Mirit hurried in.

  “Mother,” Rian cried. “You’d better come. The King’s Guard are in the village, searching for Father.”

  “What?” Adindira threw down her cleaning rag and wiped her hands on her skirt as she hurried toward the door.

  “I’ll go.” Orlando tried to stop her, but she pulled away from him.

  “You can’t. They’ll arrest you, too.”

  Regardless, he followed as his sister and nephews ran down the dirt road that lead from their house to the edge of the Village of Talla. Dira and the boys continued on to the center square where many townspeople had gathered, apparently at the command of the head of the King’s Guard, who stood, sword drawn, on a raised platform.

  Orlando ducked through the door to a shop run by a rebel-friendly merchant, who, without a word, tossed him a hooded cloak. Orlando threw it on and went back out to disappear into the crowd surrounding the square.

  “People of Talla,” called the knight draped in the gold and silver cloak of the King’s Guard. “Your neighbor, Elnys, has been charged with treason.”

  Elnys was dragged to the platform, chains on his wrists. Somewhere to Orlando’s right, he heard Dira scream as she rushed to her husband’s side. Another guard grabbed her, holding her in a tight grip until she stopped struggling.

  The knight continued, “This man has been accused of attacking the royal caravan as it traveled from Aldlake to Byspell this past week. It will be easier on your entire village if his accomplices step forward voluntarily. Otherwise, we will start searching houses and questioning everyone.”

  “He’s innocent,” Dira cried. “Please. My husband is not a rebel.”

  “If this is true, name the guilty men,” the knight said, turning toward her. “We know they came from this village. Anyone who refuses to cooperate will be similarly arrested.”

  A murmur went through the crowd, and Orlando looked around at the faces of his neighbors and friends. Many, if not all, of them knew who the rebels were, if they weren’t part of the band themselves. He trusted most of the people of his village, but with the threat of arrest hanging over them, would they still be willing to keep the secrets?

  After a tense moment of silence, a female voice called out, “I know where their camp is.”

  Orlando cringed. He knew the voice. Emmarine, owner of a restaurant in the center of Talla that catered to the nobility, was not a friend of the rebels, but she and he had a history. Would she turn Elnys in to the Guards?

  “Come here,” the leader of the King’s Guard said, and Emmarine moved through an opening in the crowd as those friends of the rebels stepped aside. Several spit in her path, but she showed no notice of it.

  “You are the restaurant owner,” the guard said as she approached. “What do you know of the camp?”

  “It’s to the north, just past the deserted farm,” Emmarine said, holding her head high. She referred to one of the decoy camps Orlando had his men set up just for situations like this.

  Surely she had to know her actions would have consequences. He wouldn’t have to say anything to his supporters, either. The town would make sure she was shunned even more than she was already, siding with the King and the nobles.

  However, he didn’t have time to think about that now. He had to get to the forest and let his people know what had happened.

  ****

  “We need to move,” Orlando cried as he jumped off his horse outside the entrance to the rebels’ cave hideout.

  Two of the rebels, the ones who had evidently pulled sentry duty, disappeared into the cave, and seconds later, the rest of the men followed them back out.

  Without any further instructions, the men who had been staying in the cave gathered their belongings and camouflaged the entrance so even Orlando would have trouble finding it if he were merely moving through the forest. Most of them then disappeared among the trees.

  A few of the men grabbed horses and followed Orlando as he made his way carefully to a decoy camping area at the edge of the forest.

  “The King’s Guard arrested Elnys,” he explained.

  “How did Dira take it?” Niklaus said.

  Orlando sighed. “What do you think? She’s terrified. The guards are scouring the village for any other members of the rebel band. We need to move the camp. Emmarine thinks she knows where our hideout is, but she only gave them directions to one of the decoy sites.”

  “That gives us some time to get the families hidden farther into the caves,” Nik said.

  “Right. I’ll get started on rescue plans. You go check on some of the other sites and make sure they look convincing.”

  “Of course. We’ll catch up with you later.”

  Orlando watched them ride away with a heavy heart. It had been his idea to set up decoy camp sites around the forest, in places that appeared fairly secure but could be found with a little effort. Only a handful of rebels he trusted completely knew about the caves where the men stored their gear and which had a few places where people could stay for an extended period of time if need be.

  He himself had been sleeping in the caves for a couple of weeks, staying out of town as much as possible. Another family, whose father and husband had been caught poaching too near the palace, also lived there. They were waiting for Orlando and the rebels to set up a way to rescue the man and get them all out of the district.

  When the other men were out of sight, he went to the chamber he’d commandeered for himself and lit the lantern. Elnys’s arrest was a transparent ploy on the part of the King to make someone pay for the attack on the caravan. It didn’t matter who it was, as long as Jonathan could show his power. The First Law of Valborough meant as soon as the people thought he wasn’t strong enough anymore, they would force him off the throne for someone else.

  Orlando knew it was just a matter of time before Jonathan left the throne. Kings came and went. Usually that was because they died, but sometimes because they were overthrown.

  The First Law of Valborough made the rulers of this country different from the ones around them. It meant the Virtuous King or Queen was generally stronger than their counterparts around the world, but it also meant someone outside the royal family could take the throne if he or she were willing to challenge the current monarch.

  That was a risky play because the penalty for losing a challenge was instant execution, a consequence Jonathan had instituted within a year of taking the throne. If someone wanted to step up and claim to be stronger than the King, he had to be absolutely certain he’d win, and that was nearly impossible because no one knew what the challenge would entail until it was offered.

  So far, no one had been willing to do such a thing, but if the rumors of Jonathan’s deterioration were true, that might change. It was possible someone would step forward in the near future.

  Orlando wanted to know who that someone else would be. It wouldn’t help the people if Jonathan’s successor was as bad as or, Elements Forbid, worse than he was.

  He sat at the makeshift desk and pulled out his copy of Valborough Book of Nobility. Somewhere in this book was a Sensitive that could replace King Jonathan and improve the lives of the people.

  ****

  Mariana made sure she was dressed as modestly as she could without appearing she was taking vows of celibacy. Her father had asked to see her when she was feeling up to it, and she wanted him to see her as his little girl, not the rebellious young woman she’d tried to be.

  Perhaps if he saw her as his little girl, he wouldn’t have the heart to marry her off to a man old enough to be her grandfather.

  Just as Jessamae put the finishing touches on the Progenna’s hair, the Queen entered the dressing room.

  “You look lovely, Mariana,” the Queen said, waving the maid away. Jess bowed and exited the room, closing the door behind her.

  “Don’t you think that
dress is too young?” Mariana’s mother continued, walking to stand beside the Progenna and fingering the lace at the hem of the short puffed sleeve. “You are an adult of almost twenty years and have been officially presented to society. Don’t you think you might want to dress that way?”

  Mariana’s heart pounded as she pulled on the elbow-length gloves that would keep her hands covered while in the presence of her father. Her mother was right that she needn’t do this anymore given her age and especially the way she had dressed for the Fealty Dinner, but she said nothing in reply.

  The Queen smiled, but it was a formal, polite smile, such as she used for visiting dignitaries she didn’t like much, and Mariana could feel her heart breaking to know her mother used it for her.

  “I suppose, given your inappropriate behavior at dinner, this dress is more fitting to your emotional age.” The Queen left Mariana’s quarters. Without looking back, she said, “Your father is in the library with his guest. It would not be good to keep them waiting.”

  A cold sweat broke out all over Mariana’s body as she understood the guest had to be the Sahdeer of Valentine, which could only mean some kind of agreement had been reached. Was it too late? Would her father force her to marry that ugly man?

  She stopped to grab an ornate pink lace fan from the collection arranged on a side table. This fan had been a gift from her father the day after her disastrous appointment with Tester Kylan on her twelfth birthday. He’d given it to her to remind her she was still a child and there was still a chance her Sensitivities would manifest.

  It was a small item, but it might make him remember her as a child. Surely, no father would want his little girl to share a bed with a man who had outlived three wives already, and certainly not one who was as repulsive as the Sahdeer.

  “Mariana.”

  The Queen’s voice, from the top of the Grand Staircase, pulled Mariana out of her introspection. She had to go to her father now. Making him wait would do nothing to endear her to him.

  “Coming, Mother.” Mariana hurried down the hall.

  The Queen led her down the stairs and stopped in front of the library door, glancing at her daughter.

  “Remember, you are the Progenna of Valborough, and you have a duty to this kingdom. You will do as your father…your King commands.”

  Mariana opened her mouth to agree automatically, but without speaking she closed her lips. How could she blithely agree to what she knew was expected? She would be dooming herself to a life devoid of any true happiness and, certainly, one without love. She gave the Queen a small smile, mimicked her mother’s dignified stance, and lifted her chin. “I understand my duty, Your Majesty.”

  Something flickered in the Queen’s eyes, but after barely a heartbeat, she nodded and turned back to the door. She knocked once, then they entered the library.

  “How are you feeling?” King Jonathan asked as Mariana and her mother approached the desk where he stood. He came around and hugged both of them. Mariana realized he hugged her for a second longer than strictly necessary. Maybe her wardrobe had the desired effect.

  After the King returned to his place on the other side of the desk, Mariana and the Queen sat on a stiff, uncomfortable padded bench in front of him.

  Pir Leo hovered in a far corner of the room, pretending to be checking out a section of the King’s library. Mariana tried to ignore him but his presence filled the room with a cloying, uncomfortable essence, like hot humid air after a summer thunderstorm.

  “I’m feeling better, Father,” Mariana said.

  “I’m glad to hear it.” He sat down again at his desk. “I assume your mother told you why I wanted to see you.”

  Mariana glanced at her mother then back to her father. “She actually didn’t, but I assume it has something to do with my behavior at dinner the other night.” She lowered her eyes as though to apologize for embarrassing the family. Then, she opened the fan and waved it at her face to cool her blush of humiliation.

  The King cleared his throat, a sure sign she’d caught him off guard. She bit her lip behind the fan.

  “Ah, yes,” he said, finding some papers on the desk that needed straightening. “It was, of course, um, unfortunate you were ill, and I suppose…” His voice trailed off.

  “You were dressed completely inappropriately for a Prin…a Progenna of the royal family,” Mariana’s mother supplied. “However, while we were taken aback by your decision to appear at the dinner in that way, it has reminded the King and myself you are no longer a child in the schoolroom. It is time some arrangements were made for your future.”

  “Exactly. You are no longer a child, Mariana, and as such, it is time to think about finding you a husband.”

  “But, Father.” She allowed a touch of pout to creep into her voice. When Mariana had been a little girl, she’d always been able to charm her father into giving her an extra treat after dinner by opening her eyes wide and raising the pitch of her voice slightly. “Ursula is two years older than I am, and she isn’t married yet. I would feel so awful if I fell in love and found a husband before she did.”

  “Well, that isn’t something you need to worry about anymore. George Evan, Margrave of Selwyn, has asked my permission to court your sister with an eye toward marriage. I’m surprised she didn’t tell you.”

  Mariana said nothing. She couldn’t admit Ursula had told her everything, nor did she feel right lying to her father.

  “The Margrave and Ursula will be married next summer, right before the start of the Autumn Social Season,” the Queen said. “That way she will have her own home in which to entertain the nobility next year.”

  “And everyone will be eager to attend those events and hold their own in her honor.” Mariana understood how Valborough society functioned. By arranging things this way, her mother had guaranteed Ursula, and by extension, the entire royal family, including the King, would be celebrated for the whole season.

  “I am happy for my sister,” she said, smiling at her parents. They exchanged glances and her Father cleared his throat.

  “Ursula isn’t the only one who has had a marriage offer,” the King said. “Did you know you have an admirer as well?”

  “Admirer?” Mariana was quite aware of the Sahdeer of Valentine who was seated in a far corner of the office, reading a book. He seemed to be unaware of the conversation, but she was sure he knew exactly what was happening at the King’s desk.

  “That can’t be a surprise to you,” Mariana’s father said. “You have had your share of dance partners at any of the balls since your official introduction into society.”

  “Yes, Father, but no one has graced me with more than one dance at any party.” She hoped her father wouldn’t remember Darius. They had danced together twice at the Queen’s birthday party. It wasn’t enough to start the gossip about their relationship, but it had made their circle more aware of them as a possibility.

  “That isn’t entirely true,” the Queen said, “but we are not here to talk about the Heir Presumptive of the Margrave of Sasoin.”

  The King scowled. “I thought the Margrave took his family back to the capital last week. Did you and young Darius have an understanding?”

  “Of course not, Father.” Mariana dropped her eyes again. “I would never agree to something like that without getting your permission first.”

  “As it should be,” the Queen said. “Your father will decide who is appropriate to court his daughter.”

  The King said, “As it turns out, I have been talking to someone who is interested in marrying you.”

  Mariana’s heart sank. She had to find a way to stop this discussion before it went any further. “Even given my Insensitivity?”

  Pir Leo cleared his throat. As far away as he was, the sound was faint, but Mariana knew he was reacting to her question, meaning he could hear everything that was being said on this side of the room.

  “Your lack of Elemental Abilities is not an issue in this case,” the King said.

  �
�Father, how can that be? Magical power is what royal marriages are based on.”

  Her parents exchanged another glance, but this time her mother responded. “This would not exactly be a royal marriage, now would it? Neither you nor any offspring you have would have any chance of taking the throne. Fortunately, the gentleman in question doesn’t have much in the way of Sensitivities either. His wealth comes from other areas.” She said this as though it was something vulgar. “He is willing to marry you even with your…deficiencies.”

  Sweat broke out on Mariana’s forehead and her heart pounded against her ribs. Was it possible both of her parents were eager for her to marry Pir Leo because he was the only one who wanted her?

  “I do have a question, Father.”

  “Of course. You want to know who the man is.” He raised his head, smiling as though he had found exactly what she wanted for her birthday and was about to surprise her with it.

  “I think I know who it is, but does it matter?”

  “Mariana,” the Queen exclaimed. “What do you mean by that?”

  Mariana raised her eyebrows. “Mother, you yourself told me my duty is to the kingdom. I will marry whoever the King deems fit, and I have no say in the matter.”

  “Oh, my dear,” the King said, starting to come around the desk toward her. “I would…”

  “Jonathan,” the Queen said, drawing him up short. “She is of age. She showed us last night she is an adult, so it is time for her to step up and do what is right for Valborough. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  Mariana watched as her parents exchanged glances. The King had chosen Ramone’s wife and Liliana’s husband. In both of those cases, however, the couples had known each other since they were children, and it was always expected they would wed. That their abilities were compatible was a happy coincidence, but they had never questioned the matches.

  In Ursula’s case, if she and George Evan did announce their engagement, it was a similar situation. George Evan had been to the palace many times since they were all children. While her father might not have arranged the pairing while the parties were in diapers, it was still not a surprise to anyone.