“Will you be arriving by buggy?”
“So many questions! Are you planning on joining me? I suppose I could arrange an elaborate mask for you, although I am almost certain that someone will notice your presence Princess.”
That was what she was hoping for, since Arze would almost certainly be attending. All she needed to do was get close enough to mentally connect with him, while also remaining hidden from sight.
“You’re right, it would be far too dangerous for me to attend such an event. However, I was curious if you could do me a favor.”
“You need only ask.” He smiled back cunningly.
Chapter Thirty Three
Amri
It had been another long day of lessons, followed by tense meals with the King-Regent and his retinue. By the time Amri was excused from dinner she was ready for bed. She never would have imagined before, that doing so little could be so exhausting. Thankfully her evenings after dinner were free for her to rest and recuperate from the day’s activities. As she hurried down the halls of the castle back to her room, she decided that she would soak in the bathtub again. As much as she hated to admit it.
She opened the door to her room and found Eva waiting on one of the couches. She leapt to her feet as she saw Amri and grabbed a lantern that waited on a nearby table as she hurried over to her.
“There you are. I want to show you something.”
“What?” Amri blinked in confusion as Eva grabbed her hand and led her back into the hall.
“Just follow me ok.” Then she paused and looked back at Amri. “You need to be sneaky; we might be going somewhere we’re not allowed to be.”
Amri’s lips twitched into an excited smile at the concept. “About time.”
Eva smiled back. “I thought you would be the type. Come on.”
The pair moved quickly but with purpose as they walked through the public halls. None of the Human or Na’tyr soldiers that passed, paid them any mind as they went. They went deeper than Amri had been so far in the castle and eventually came to a door that was locked.
“Wait what? This isn’t normally locked.” Eva frowned. “I guess, we can try again tomorrow.”
“Hold on.” Amri winked and reached into the folds of the red dress she had been made to wear that day.
She pulled out her emergency lockpicks that she always kept on her person and moved to the door. Eva seemed equal parts surprised and delighted then moved to watch the halls for approaching soldiers while Amri got to work. The lock was surprisingly easier than Amri had expected for a castle and before long it clicked open.
“You’re just full of surprises.” Eva laughed as she opened the door and led Amri through. “We have to be careful; this area is off limits.”
The halls ahead were pitch black and Amri realized why Eva had been carrying a lantern with her. They moved as stealthily as they could by the dim light of the lantern. It was the first moment that Amri felt like herself since arriving in the castle. She was at home in the shadows of places that she wasn’t allowed in, with the threat of danger all around her.
They moved even deeper into the castle and Amri wondered just how big the place actually was. The halls showed years of neglect with only a thin trail of disturbed dust down the center. The walls were lined with dusty red and gold tapestries with a symbol of a flaming arrow shooting through a golden crown on them, in addition to portraits of wealthy looking noble Humans.
“What is this place?” Amri asked as she drank in the forgotten corridor.
“Not sure, other than it’s off limits.” Eva shrugged as they continued. “I got bored during my year and started exploring the castle, then I got really bored and explored down here. There are a bunch of rooms that are untouched. I think this is all stuff from before the King-Regent arrived. This is it.” She opened a door and the two hurried inside.
The room beyond was long, with random walls that stood in the center. Every surface was covered in beautiful art framed in heavy and elaborate frames. In addition to the hung art, stacks of covered canvas rested against the walls in huge piles. Everything was thick with dust and it kicked up as Eva led Amri deeper into the forgotten gallery.
Amri tried to catch a glimpse of the many majestic art pieces as she followed in the light of Eva’s lantern. Each piece she looked upon stunned her with its creative beauty. Of the art of the walls many were of scenic landscapes, but some had captured small moments of beauty, like water pouring into a glass or a flower when it first blooms. Most of the art that rested on the floor was covered by heavy canvas, but of that which was exposed, Amri saw more portraits of well-dressed nobles through the ages. She wondered why the area had been closed off, and why the King-Regent had allowed such masterful artwork to be so neglected.
They came to the end of the hall where the largest of the stored art was kept. Eva directed Amri’s attention to one of the bigger pieces. It leaned heavily against the wall in a massive frame. As she got close enough to see the image preserved on the canvas, Amri was reminded of the massive portrait of the Queen she had seen in the main hall. This one was of a handsome couple standing side by side in elegant golds and reds. Amri felt a shiver go down her spine as she looked upon the couple. They seemed happy, with arms linked together lovingly.
Eva walked right up to the painting and held her lantern up high exposing the fine details of the art. “There that’s what I wanted you to see.”
Amri squinted up at the piece. “See what?”
“On the King’s hip look.” Eva pointed with her other hand. “That’s your dagger isn’t it?”
Amri stepped closer and sucked in a shocked breath. Resting within a pair of ornate sheaths, on the hips of the man, were a pair of daggers which looked all too familiar. She shook her head at the impossibility of it. Even still, she felt compelled to look closer at the painting. The artists had been careful to seal even the smallest of details upon the canvas and it was hard to deny the likeness.
“When I saw it under your pillow the other day, I thought I recognized it.” Eva remarked as she eyed the painting. “I should have asked you to grab it so we could be sure.”
Wordlessly Amri reached under the layers of her skirt and pulled one of her daggers from its scrappy scabbard to compare. Eva beamed with mischievous delight and brought the lantern in closer. The pair looked between the artist’s rendering and the real dagger. The more Amri compared the two, the more she felt a dread settle in the pit of her stomach.
“That’s not possible.” Amri said out loud as she took a step back.
“Are you sure? It looks exactly the same to me.” Eva frowned. She opened the door of her lantern to release more light and set it down on the ground. “All of the Kings in these old paintings have those daggers, maybe one of these smaller pieces will have a better view of it.”
Eva moved to look through a stack of discarded smaller portraits, while Amri continued to stare up at the couple in the massive painting. Her grip tightened around the hilt of her dagger as her eyes lingered on the faces of the couple. It couldn’t be them. She searched for something to prove her right, to banish the sickening feeling that was washing over her. Her breathing had become ragged and she looked away only to have her eyes fall upon a smaller painting of the couple. It was a less official looking painting, and the daggers, nor their crowns, were present. Amri moved towards it and gasped as she noticed the baby cradled between their arms in the smaller portrait. She fell to her knees before the canvas and felt tears threaten to escape down her cheeks. It didn’t make sense, it wasn’t possible.
Amri faintly heard the sound of a door open further down the gallery and a voice called out into the darkness. Eva silently grabbed the lantern and ran to grab Amri.
“Get up! Someone’s here!” She whispered forcefully as she pulled on Amri.
“I can hear you.” The voice called from
the opposite end of the gallery. As it moved, its own light pierced the darkness as it sought the intruders. “This area is off limits.”
“Lady Kirra!” Eva whispered as she gave a mighty tug and pulled Amri to her feet.
Amri hardly registered the world around her and barely reacted as she was made to stand. Her eyes remained locked with the couple on the smaller painting, they felt familiar in an uncanny sort of way, yet she dared not admit why that was. She was being pulled across the room to another door when she and Eva were doused in a blanket of light from another lantern.
Eva froze and turned to face their pursuer. “Mr. Darwood! I… I can explain!”
“It had better be good.” Mr. Darwood approached the pair with a scowl but froze as he saw the dagger in Amri’s hand. The colour faded from his skin and his eyes grew wide. “Where did you get that?”
Amri looked down at the dagger in her hands. A flood of memories from the night she lost her parents bombarded her. They had been frustrated and desperate to do something as they argued in their small hovel of a home. Uncle Seamus had tried to distract her with a rudimentary toy he had made with some sticks and string. Her parents then left, even as Uncle Seamus begged them not to. Amri had no idea that it was the last time that she would see her parents, that it would be the last time her mother would kiss her on the cheek, or her father would tell her goodnight. They likely didn’t know either. It had only felt like minutes later when Uncle Seamus hurried her into the bedroom and into the hidden cubby under her parents’ bed. She remembered feeling confused as he sealed the opening above her and the utter terror as she heard the shouting of soldiers and the clang of steel on steel. She had waited for hours with tears down her face, as the smell of iron filled the room, and someone tossed the furniture around without a care. She had cried silently while she waited for Uncle Seamus to open the cubby again and for her parents to come home.
She remembered the moment when she realized that neither was going to happen. Amri had crawled out of the cubby and had stared into the dead eyes of Uncle Seamus, his blood had stained the floorboards red. Inside the cubby with her had been a series of documents all rolled up tight with a red ribbon and a pair of ornate daggers.
Amri looked up at Mr. Darwood with a shudder as the vivid memory passed through her and she answered with a waver to her voice. “They belonged to my parents.”
Mr. Darwood’s lower lip quivered as he looked between her, the dagger in her hand and the grand portrait behind her. He took a tentative step forward and whispered in a low voice. “Amri?”
She swallowed at the name that no one in the castle could possibly know and nodded. Her tears were only barely held back. Eva looked between the pair utterly confused and blinked in surprise as Mr. Darwood dropped his lantern on the ground and gave Amri a warm, tear filled embrace. Amri’s own tears nearly escaped at Mr. Darwood’s emotional display, she didn’t know what any of it meant and was terrified to think too deeply on the possibilities.
“You’re safe. I always wanted to believe that you were safe, but... it had been years.” He pulled away and looked questioningly into her eyes. “Where are you parents?”
That was the question that broke her, and tears slipped past her stoic defenses. “They’re…”
She choked on the word. The old man read the expression on her face and let his own tears free. He bowed his head in mourning and Amri took the moment to compose herself as she struggled in denial of the facts.
“Lady Kirra? Mr. Darwood?” Eva asked tentatively from the sideline.
“No, not Lady Kirra. She is Princess… no...” Mr. Darwood shook his head. “Queen Amri Vasarian, the last living heir to the throne of Esper.” He stood back and surveyed Amri as he spoke the title, a proud smile on his face. “I thought I had recognized you… you look so much like your mother.”
“No… That’s not who I am.” Amri shook her head, fearful of what was being said. “I’m not… a Queen… I’m not a noble. I’m a nobody.”
“That cannot be true.” Mr. Darwood’s brow knitted together. “You have the name of King Holden and Queen Reema’s only child, and you’re the right age. You resemble them too much for it to be a coincidence and you have in your possession one of the royal daggers. An artifact that I know for a fact that the King and Queen took with them when they fled.” He nodded and got down on one knee, his head bowed. “I, Cornelle Darwood, pledge my life to you Queen Amri, as I had your father and mother before you. I vow to serve you to the best of my abilities and defend your name and honor to my very last breath. I am yours to command. Long live Esper and long live the rightful Queen, Amri Vasarian.”
“Don’t call me that.” Amri took a panicked step back. “Please stand up.”
At her command Mr. Darwood stood with a sympathetic frown. “You didn’t know?”
Amri shook her head. “I am not a Queen… Queens are evil, and nobles are monsters… this isn’t me.”
“I am so sorry that this world has trained you to believe that, but I assure you, not all of them are.” Mr. Darwood cupped his hands together as he looked up at the portrait behind Amri. “Your mother and father would have been one of the finest royals that Esper had seen in years, of that I am certain. Your mother had a fire in her. She desired greatly to narrow the ever-widening gap between the nobility and the common folk, despite being noble born herself. And your father was the kindest man that I had ever known. When he was a young Prince, he would give the servants of the castle gifts and always thank them for their work, much to the chagrin of your grandfather. His kindness only grew from there.” He chuckled lightly under his breath and then a look of dread crossed his face. “As ironic as it is that fate has returned you home, you could not be in a more dangerous place.”
“Queen Amri?” Eva asked curiously.
“Just Amri.” She replied with a cringe at the title.
“If this is real… then you’re our salvation.” Eva blinked at the realization. “You’re the true Queen of Esper, you could kick the King-Regent out of here and take Esper back!”
“Eva, your enthusiasm is admirable, but we must be cautious.” Mr. Darwood crossed his arms behind his back. “If any of those loyal to the King-Regent, or the King-Regent himself, suspect that the true heir has returned, she will be executed without a doubt. Even without their suspicion all it would take is a single misstep and the King-Regent could have you executed.” He sighed. “I will do all that I can to protect you my Queen, but you must resist antagonizing the King-Regent as you have been.”
“Me too!” Eva stepped forward with a nod. “If you’re really the true Queen of Esper then I vow to serve you and all that stuff that Mr. Darwood said before.”
“I…” Amri wanted to continue denying it, but the evidence around her was too much to ignore.
She wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered her parents. The argument they had the last night that they were alive, had been about doing something. Her mother had grown tired of watching the Queen ruin everything and she needed to make a stand. Her father had wanted to stay in hiding and had promised that when the time was right, they would do something. But, when riots in the street broke out her mother had been set on joining them, her father had followed.
She blinked back tears. “Who was Uncle Seamus?”
“Uncle?” Mr. Darwood smiled warmly. “Their royal bodyguard, Sir Seamus Ashburn, sworn to protect the royal family until his very last breath. I assume that he did?”
Amri nodded and an anger began to boil in her veins. Her expression moved from sadness to fury and her hands balled up tight. “The Queen murdered him, she murdered them all!” She looked up at the large portrait of who she knew as fact to be her parents and brushed away her tears. Where the massive portrait should have been hung, was now a portrait of the Queen, sneering over the people subjected to her cruelty. “The King-Regent toys with people’s lives… my people
’s lives.” She swallowed as she felt her shoulders suddenly burdened with a greater responsibility than just sealing the Chaos Gate. “They both need to be stopped.”
Mr. Darwood moved to stand beside her with his proud smile back on his face. “I concur, my Queen. But with the country as it is, I do not know what allies, if any, you have. Our focus for now should be on you surviving your year as the King-Regent’s… pet.” He shuddered. “As pleased as I am that you have returned, I loathe that it is in this manner.”
“Even if she survives the year, it’s no guarantee that the King-Regent will let her go.” Eva frowned and held up her own iron band. “It hasn’t happened since I came here, and I doubt that the rumor of it ever happening is even true.”
“You are correct Eva.” Mr. Darwood bowed his head and Amri noticed a similar iron band hidden beneath his sleeve. “All of those who come to the castle do not leave it. But for the future of Esper and its Queen, we need to find a way to break these bonds.”
“Please don’t call me Queen.” Amri cringed. “I… it is so hard to accept that this is real, but… I can’t deny it… those are my parents. Even if I only remember seeing them in rags, I can’t pretend that I don’t recognize them. Even still…” She closed her eyes. “I’m… I’m not ready to be called… I don’t feel like nobility, I grew up on the streets of Verta. I slept in dirty alleyways and ate scraps from people’s garbage. I learned to steal to survive, I am more of a criminal than a Queen.”
“It is for the best that we continue to call you Lady Kirra for now anyway.” Mr. Darwood rested a hand on her shoulder sympathetically.
“I have friends on the outside, I’m sure that they’re trying to figure out a way to help me as we speak.” Miri was likely losing her mind at the disappearance of one of the chosen.
“That is something to consider.” Mr. Darwood nodded and removed his hand. “From my past research I have found that one must wield magic to remove the bands. Something we Humans are incapable of. But I will search for another way. I have been serving as the castle’s head butler, even before the King-Regent stole the throne, I have sources I can turn to.”
Sunken Wind Page 34
