by Colt, K. J.
A tall, spindly man appeared from a side door. He looked me up and down, then pointed a bony finger at me. ‘Follow me.’ He curled his finger.
The man’s movements were graceful yet controlled as he led me down a marble passageway. His black robe trailed behind him, and I made sure not to step on it. In the marble halls, we turned right, then left, then right again.
We climbed a narrow spiral staircase and emerged onto a balcony overlooking a magnificent gallery. We passed castle workers and soldiers, who chatted in small groups. As I approached, their conversation stopped until we passed, and then resumed again in whispers.
‘Heard ‘bout this. Borrelia girl, healer. Think they’re
‘ere ‘cause the girl don’t want to go to Meligna.’
‘Don’t blame her with the things I’ve heard about that witch city.’
‘Yeah, but she’s a witch too, ain’t she?’
‘There’s already some in the castle, right? Nothing bad happens, does it? See, she’s just a girl.’
‘Long as she’s far away from my bed when I sleep,
I’m a happy man.’
I tried not to let the conversation affect me, and added it to the evidence of the ignorance of the Senyan people. My people. I sighed.
‘In here.’ The spindly man unlocked a door.
I walked into the room he indicated. ‘Where’s everyone else?’
‘A separation is in place until the trial commences at three tomorrow. A maid will attend to you shortly. Make requests of her.’ He pulled the door closed and locked me in.
I tried the handle twice and gave up. There was a large window at the back of the room with tall panels that I tried to open, but it didn’t budge.
The green grass at the back of the castle seemed to stretch on forever. In the distance, I spied a wall that defined the boundary.
With no chance of escape, I slid to the floor, hugged my legs to my chest, and stared at the opulent decorations of the room. Everything was trimmed with silver, blue, and green. The large mahogany bed seemed small in the expansive space that also contained a table, two chairs, and a magnificent hearth decorated with marble stone and framed by two golden lion statues. Above it, a collection of books caught my eye, and I stood to look closer. I could not reach them and considered pulling up a chair. I eyed the door and decided against it.
A silver goblet sat on a table next to a crystal bottle containing some brown fermented drink. I went over and poured a cup before sitting on the bed to sip on the sweet liquid. My tattered grey dress contrasted against the intricately woven silk sheets, which made me feel out of place.
Someone rapped on the door, but before I could answer, keys jingled and the lock turned. A neatly dressed lady with white hair and a pretty smile entered. Upon seeing her pale, ghostly hair, I drew a breath. Her eyes weren’t golden but brown, so she wasn’t a healer.
Then I remembered Mother’s teaching me about the Bivinians, who lived south of Senya. They had white hair and fair skin.
‘My warmest greetings to you, miss,’ she said.
In the hallway, a guard looked the maid up and down before closing the door behind her and re-locking it.
‘Well met,’ I said.
‘I am Anaya. I bring you new clothes for your meeting with the king.’ As she took in the state of my attire, her face twitched. ‘Judging by your appearance, I suspect you haven’t been taught how to address a king before. We will practice.’ The maid spoke clearly and calmly and had the elegance often ascribed to the Bivinian people. ‘A sweet thing like you cannot think on an empty stomach, and the long journey from the north must have left you hungry. Are you also tired?’ ‘No,’ I answered stubbornly.
‘Yet that long trip in the prisoner carriage must have tightened your every muscle. You decide on food’—she passed me a piece of paper with writing on it—‘and I’ll draw your bath.’
She hummed while opening two thick doors that I had thought were part of the wall. A fibrous rope hung in the middle of a dazzling white marble room framed with hand-carved skirting. Natural light filtered through coloured windows, casting patterns on the opposite wall.
‘It’s pretty, isn’t it?’ she said, smiling. The maid pulled the rope, and hot water drizzled into a marble tub from a spout in the wall. It seemed like magic.
Mother would love this.
I read the menu the maid had given me but could not make out all the words. As I stared at the confusing writing, she produced a piece of string and measured around my waist, chest, feet, and across my shoulders.
‘Did you decide on food?’ she asked.
‘I-I can’t read it all.’
She smiled sweetly and took the piece of paper.
‘Would bread, eggs, sausages, and pig please you?’ My stomach rumbled, and I put my hand on it.
She laughed. ‘And some honey tea?’
I gave her a small smile. ‘Yes, please.’
Anaya went back to the bathroom and pulled the piece of rope again. The water stopped. ‘There are towels in that closet.’ She pointed at a grand armoire. ‘I’ll be back with your clothes and food soon.’ As she passed me, she stopped to grasp a section of my hair. ‘Your hair is fair like mine.’ She brought her chin up proudly and smiled. ‘But you are not Bivinian.’
And she left. The lock turned, and I removed my dress and stepped into the bath. I sank into the warm water, and my thoughts dissolved in my pleasure.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
A WHILE LATER, MY BODY hummed with peace. The maid returned with a dress made of delicate white lace and blue velvet, and blue silk shoes to match. She also brought me the promised honeyed tea and a generous meal. After I dressed, I gobbled down my breakfast and felt suddenly drowsy.
‘Before you fall asleep, let me teach you some castle etiquette. Observe me.’ She held her head high and took two steps forward. ‘When you enter the court, you must curtsy once. Like this,’ she said, grabbing the sides of her dress and holding them up as she sank towards the floor, lowering her eyes. The movement was fluid and graceful. ‘You must look at the floor. It is a sign of trust, for when you cannot see your opponent, you are vulnerable to him.’
I knew well how vulnerable it felt to not be able to see.
She continued, ‘The guards will stop you before you get to the throne. There, you curtsy again. Then, you hold the king’s gaze and say, “Your Majesty.” The king will ask you to swear to your honesty. You will then say,
“I swear,” and move to the side. Understand?’
‘I think so.’
‘Now, you try it. Go into the bathroom and pretend
I’m the king.’
I went into the bathroom, and Anaya shut the doors for me. I waited.
‘Now,’ she said.
I pushed the doors aside and curtsied once, remembering to hold my dress, but I almost wobbled off balance as my knees bent awkwardly. The maid smiled, revealing a perfect set of white teeth.
I walked over to her, held her gaze, and curtsied again, saying, ‘Your Majesty.’
‘Do you swear never to lie to me or this court?’
‘I swear,’ I said, keeping my eyes locked on hers.
She nodded and clapped. ‘Very good for your first time. Rest now. We will rehearse again tomorrow.’
She left, and I practiced bending my knees a few more times. Bored of the rehearsing, I went to the window and stared across the grounds. The sun peaked in the sky, and I felt that every moment passing brought me one step closer to the trial. My stomach grumbled with my distress, so I took deep breaths trying to settle it. I climbed into bed and sank into the buttery pillow covers. The softness lulled me to sleep.
Later that evening, the door opened and a well-groomed man entered. He wore a strange shirt with large sleeves and an extraordinarily ruffled collar.
‘Adenine,’ he said, pausing to inspect my eyes.
‘Yes?’
The man cleared his throat. ‘I am Morrog, one of the king’s main ad
visors.’ He closed the door and sat at the room’s small banquet table. He gestured to the opposite seat.
Cautiously, I crossed the room to join him.
He smiled warmly. ‘It has been a while since I’ve met with a healer girl.’
‘I thought the king kept healer girls in the castle.’
The man’s smile remained stuck to his face. ‘They reside in separate quarters, which means I never have the pleasure of their company.’
I couldn’t help doubting the girls’ safety with any man. ‘I have never met a king’s advisor.’
He chuckled. ‘Don’t trust us. Don’t ever trust us.’ He shuffled in his seat, and a lock of hair fell across his forehead. He tucked it back into place. ‘I’m here to discuss the court session tomorrow.’
‘Please. How are Klawdia and Jemely? How is
Emala?’
He frowned. ‘I’m not at liberty to impart information about your friends. I abide by an ethical code that I will not break. We can’t have you all conspiring and coming up with even more elaborate lies, can we?’
I put my hand on the table and sighed. ‘We’re not lying.’
‘No?’ He smirked.
‘No,’ I said firmly. ‘Is the king a good man?’
Morrog leaned back in his chair, and lines crinkled at the corners of his eyes. ‘He keeps the wolves from the door.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means he does what he can to keep the peace between the Queens and us.’
‘Even if that means doing the wrong thing?’
The man laughed. ‘A moral king is a dead king. A king protects the many, not the few.’
‘What if the king wants a healing, though? Would he use the girls who live here for his own benefit?’
Morrog frowned. ‘Those are impertinent and reckless questions, young lady. The king does the best he can.’
‘So the king doesn’t lay with the healer girls, but what if lots of people in Senya need a healing? Like if the Death Plague broke out again. What happens to those people if the only willing healers live in Meligna?’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘It’s happened before so it could happen again.’
He brought the tips of his fingers together and pressed them against his lips. ‘The Queens have promised to send healers for any illness outbreaks.’
I raised my eyebrows. ‘And you believe them?’
His eyes flicked up to mine. ‘Careful. You’re showing your small town heritage.’ He smiled wryly. ‘Simple folk have simple thoughts, yet our relationship with the Queens has a complex history. Your townsfolk, Borrelia, was in the line of battle when the last war happened. Never forget that the healers love Senya as much as we, and they rebelled for a reason. They may not be our allies, but they are not our enemies, either.’
‘But they have all the power.’
He grinned and leaned forward. ‘Mostly, they do.’
My stomach sank, and I was almost certain the king would order me to go with Healer Euka. If healers had all the control, then I didn’t see how the king could make a fair decision.
‘That is not why I am here. Tomorrow you will give testimony to the events that brought you to court. While I advise you to tell the truth, even the truth can sound good or bad depending on how you say it.’ I frowned.
‘I’ll give you an example.’ He traced his fingertips along his jaw. ‘Hmm, so let’s imagine you say, “I hate that man.” Simple, right? But when you talk passionately, people doubt that you are telling the truth. Instead of expressing feelings and personal preferences, just give the proofs or evidence. For instance you might say instead, “That man has constantly belittled me, hurt me, and bullied me. It’s difficult to like a person like that.” Can you see how that’s different?’
‘Yes. So I should say what people do, not how I feel about them?’
‘Precisely. That’s the most important thing to remember.’ He scratched his nose. ‘Also, you will be questioned, accusations will be directed at you, and through all this you must remain calm. Be in control of your feelings, and be confident. Take time before you answer. The way you phrase your responses will be evidence in itself that your account can be depended on.’
‘Will Jemely and Klawdia get this same advice?’
He stood. ‘Of course. You should get some sleep.’ He regarded my eyes again, sniffed and then left.
I considered our conversation. Don’t get upset. Talk about behaviour. Talk about evidence and proof. I could do that. I passed the time reciting exactly what I would say and how I would say it. It seemed to be the only thing left in my control.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
COURT DAY ARRIVED. MY NERVOUSNESS consumed my appetite, so I ate nothing for breakfast and could not still my mind or my body. I paced around my room, stopping only to calculate the position of the sun in the sky, which seemed to be playing tricks with my head. When Anaya entered, I welcomed her presence as a much needed distraction. She helped me dress, fixed my hair, and gave me words of encouragement that faded soon after she’d left.
At half past two, Morrog showed up at my door with two soldiers wearing short red capes. He sensed my unease and said that in speaking the truth, I should fear nothing.
‘A nervous man is a guilty man,’ he added.
For all his wisdom, that idiom lacked common sense. I was nervous and I wasn’t guilty of anything. Klawdia’s fate troubled me, as did Jemely’s. I was sure she would be more severely punished because she was a maid and had no sway with money or power. Emala’s account of her father might help to soften the appearance of callousness in what my friends had done to protect me.
We left my room, and I hardly noticed my surroundings as we walked towards the king’s court. I felt dizzy. The walls seemed to close in on me, and I was relieved when we came to an open vestibule.
‘This is the waiting room. The royal court is beyond those doors,’ Morrog said.
The king’s seal was painted in silver across the width of the doors. On the ceiling, murals depicted men battling beasts, and golden-eyed healers standing behind them comforting the injured. Velvet curtains ran the length of the gold-leaf walls. Wealthy men and women gathered around me, but I stayed focused on the courtroom behind the walls, where I would meet the king. Finally, two royal guards emerged.
‘Adenine of Borrelia,’ Morrog announced to the two men.
They waved us in and Morrog escorted me into an even bigger room.
My resolve dwindled with each step that brought me closer to the king. I didn’t dare look at him. A large group gathered around stone steps leading to a raised platform where the throne sat. The silence felt thick and suffocating, and I searched for familiar faces. Only three gazed back at me: Klawdia, Jemely, and Healer Euka.
Mayor Vawdon and Emala kept their eyes to the floor.
Morrog bowed and walked ahead.
Taking his cue, I curtsied, angled myself towards the throne, and curtsied again. My legs trembled, and I prayed they would not buckle. My body felt as if it were floating, and intimidated by the strange eyes on me, I stared at my odd, silken slippers.
As I reached the throne, two guards stopped me. I curtsied while looking up to the man who sat in the dazzling, gem-encrusted seat. The jewels reflected natural light trickling through a glass dome in the ceiling. A marble gazebo sheltered the throne, adding to the king’s magnificence. Vines crept along the pillars and bloomed with large white flowers.
The king stared down at me, his arms spread wide as if he knew he could crush me with a single thought. When I met his gaze, the hairs on my neck stood on end, and I marvelled at his youth. Although he had taken the throne many years previous, his skin remained smooth and untouched by the elements.
‘Your Majesty,’ I said.
‘Do you swear to tell only the truth to me and to this court?’
I swallowed. ‘I swear.’ I held his stare so firmly that I worried his eyes would burn a hole in my
soul.
Finally, he glanced to the side, releasing his hold on me. I took a breath.
‘Stand aside.’ He flicked his fingers at me.
I moved a pace to my left. Morrog and another man stepped forward. The second man had long hair tied at the back of his head, and he stood tall and slender. The king whispered something to him, and he walked forward to address the room.
‘Klawdia of Ruxdor, come forth.’ He swept his hand from left to right.
I watched my friend take several steps forward and stop before the throne. Her hair frayed in their plaits, and her clothes were ripped. A fresh cut above her eye still oozed, and I wondered if she’d tried to escape. Dirt smudged her face, yet her eyes sparkled with her untameable soul.
‘Do you swear to tell only the truth to me and to this court?’ the king asked.
‘I swear,’ she said through gritted teeth.
The king regarded her for a moment. ‘I have been told by Captain Festral that you threatened the mayor and his daughter’s life. You also attacked Healer Euka twice and killed some of her men. You requested an audience with me, and here we are. State your reasons.’ The king narrowed his eyes. ‘They had better be convincing.’
Klawdia straightened. ‘Your Majesty, you know my history with the Meligna Healers. You knew the nature of my contract with the Queens. This girl’s mother’—she looked over at me—‘asked me to protect her daughter.’
‘And where did you meet her mother?’
‘In Borrelia. The girl lived with her. I once told you I went to Borrelia to retrieve a healer baby and that I could not carry out my mission. That is the girl.’
The king glanced at me in astonishment for a moment before returning his eyes to the Ruxdorian warrior. ‘I thought this girl lived with her aunt.’
‘I apologise, Your Majesty,’ Captain Festral said. ‘I should have updated you with the new information. Apparently, the healer girl, Adenine’—he nodded my way—‘has always lived with her mother, Capacia.’
