Will nods along as Millard talks, taking in every word, he doesn’t want to be caught out.
“But she lived. I need to know if she’s going to cause me a problem. I need to know where she is. I want to enjoy being King. I want to reign in peace. And though I let her go earlier, I find that I cannot rest, I cannot relax, I am uneasy. Have I got a problem, Will? Is she going to hunt me down, like she said? Put my head on a spike? Let the birds feast on my beautiful face?”
This is a trick. There is no right answer that Will can give here.
“Your Grace.” He bows low. “I cannot speak for Everleigh. I am her close friend, but I serve at your pleasure. She has disappeared; I am sure she knows the castle cannot be safe for her. Your Grace, she is your sister, but you are wise enough to want to protect yourself as well. No one would blame you.”
Millard paces again before stopping abruptly right in front of Will. He moves closer, uncomfortably close. “You say what I want to hear. But is it what you really think?” Closer again, peering at Will’s face, trying to see a lie. “How much of a fool are you?”
“I am a fool through and through, but the fool is often the most honest of men. All I say is true.”
Millard steps back, seemingly mollified. “And you do not know where she is? If I asked you to lead me to her, so I could put her safely with our sister in the tower, would you take me?”
“If I knew where she was I would help you. I would rather she was locked up than hurt in any way.”
“I know that is true. If I find out that you have played me false, Will the fool, you will find that a fool cannot laugh in every situation.”
Will bows low again. “Your Grace.”
Millard looks at Wolf and nods at him. Will watches him leave. Millard hasn’t said a word, so this is a pre-planned move. Will feels uneasy. His ordeal is by no means over.
“When you said that I am wise, you were so right. I must know for sure whose loyalties are mine and who still serve my sister. After I have spoken to you I will speak to her handmaiden as well. You two are closest to her; it hasn’t escaped me. Would you like a drink while you wait?”
Wait for what? Will wants to ask, but instead shakes his head. His stomach is twisting now, and he wouldn’t be able to drink anything without spilling it or being sick.
The silence is thick, and Will tries to calm his breathing, tries to think of Everleigh and Lanorie and how, together, they will crown Everleigh and live happily ever after.
The doors bang open and Wolf is walking towards them, with one of the King’s men, Brett, struggling to hold on to the fool. Will’s father.
Will’s father, whose given name is Eldrin but who is only ever referred to as the fool, is upset. He is an affable man, full of silliness and fun, who has never been poorly treated in all his time at the castle. “Unhand me, Wolf man.”
Millard nods at Wolf and Brett, who let the fool go. He straightens up, pulling at his funny clothes until he is as smart as a fool can look. He drops into a low bow, the bells on his clothes giving him a musical accompaniment, which would be comical if Will wasn’t feeling so sick.
“Your Grace. Is this a lark? Tell me it is.”
The hurt on his face makes Will tremble, but he doesn’t make a move to reach his father’s side; Millard killed his own brother earlier today without a heartbeat of hesitation. Will knows he will kill him if he needs to. As would Wolf, as would Brett, or any of the guards scattered around the room.
“Fool. I do apologise. I do, but I must know how loyal my new subjects are to me. I hate to use you, but...” Millard shrugs.
The fool looks at his son, his child by fate, and nods his head, just the tiniest movement. It speaks volumes to Will. He nods back.
Millard paces around, reaches for a goblet, takes a deep slug before turning back to them.
“Tell me again, Will. Do you know where Everleigh is?”
Will shakes his head, forcing his words out. “I do not.”
Wolf slips his dagger from its holder and brings it to the fool’s neck.
“Where is she?”
Will takes a deep breath, apologising in his head to his beloved father, no fool at all, and speaks his lie again. “I do not know.”
Millard nods to Wolf who gently pricks the fool’s flesh. A trickle of blood rolls down his neck, staining his skin.
“Where?”
“I do not know.”
Millard nods to Wolf once more, and, after several beats of hesitation, he pushes the fool away from him, to the floor. The fool clutches the wound on his neck, tiny but still bleeding. Will wants to drop down beside him but stays upright.
“I believe you,” Millard says. “And as you know so little, you truly are a fool. Your father can retire from his duties, he was my father’s fool, not mine. You will be mine and I expect you to make me laugh. Always.”
Ginata
WE SIT ON THE ISLAND for what seems like hours, but I know from the sun, isn’t long at all. My heart wants to break for this young girl, not so much younger than me that I could be her mother, but young enough that I feel maternal towards her. She has been cosseted all her life, looked after and mollycoddled. She cannot look after herself and yet she will have to.
I think my idea that she should go to my cottage is a good one. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. I don’t think she’s safe to even stay a night here. Who knows how long Millard will be happy to let her live. Who knows with this changeable, difficult, spoiled child of a King?
Della can look after her to a certain extent, but she will have to wash and dress herself; how ridiculous that she cannot even do that. I have lived a long time on my own, since my parents died, and I enjoy my self-sufficiency, love my independence. This princess has no idea. Food is brought to her, her bed is warmed for her, she is managed in everything she does.
I need to get her back to Halfreda’s and I need to get her cleaned up and then we need to move her. If I send her on her way with a few sleeping draughts, some potions to pep her up, maybe Della can keep her safe and well until Millard’s coronation.
It’s not long.
The courtyard is relatively quiet, and we sneak back to Halfreda’s rooms easily. Will is back, brooding in front of the fire.
When he sees Everleigh he bursts out crying, something I’ve never seen him do. Everleigh runs to hug him and I think it’s good for her to have to take care of him; it will help her come out of the fugue she’s been in today.
“What happened? What did he do?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Between sobs Will manages to tell us about his father and the threat to his life, about Millard’s questioning of him and his new role as the fool.
“You are safe. You are safe. You are safe.” She whispers it like a mantra, and I realise again how much she has lost in such a short space of time.
They hug, and I busy myself in Halfreda’s bathroom, getting some water from the jugs on to the fire to ready a bath for Everleigh. The last one she will have for a while. She has blood on her clothes and her hair is matted. She will feel better if she looks better and she can be on her way.
I realise that I have quickly slipped into Halfreda’s role of caretaker, caregiver. I am quietly taking charge of this little band of people and I do care about them. I have been alone for a long time, with enough friends – Della, Finn, Halfreda – that I never felt alone. It’s never been an issue; I like my own company.
I feel responsible now for these three youngsters, four if you count Addyson.
There’s a knock at the door and I go through so that Everleigh and Will can hide.
“Everleigh!”
Even I recognise Addyson’s voice, but I am not quick enough to stop Everleigh rushing to answer the door. It might be a trap, is what I’m worrying, but she runs to the door and lets her in. Only her.
Addyson is dressed in Lanorie’s clothes and I cannot help but smile. I would never have thought it of Lanorie, after spilling Everleigh’s secret
and her stupid stunt of trying to kill herself. She hasn’t struck me as clever enough or loyal enough or nice enough.
Maybe she is trying to atone for all that has happened. She’s done a good job.
Everleigh is beaming. “How?” Even as she asks the question, I see her come to the same realisation as I did. And she laughs. “She took your place?”
Will has turned almost green. “He will kill her.”
I hadn’t thought of that, but of course he will. If Millard finds out about the deception, he will be furious. He won’t worry about killing some little handmaiden, when he was happy to kill his brother, to kill Halfreda, to kill Archer. I mustn’t forget in the quiet aftermath of such an awful day what he is capable of, my new King, my new master. A chill runs through me.
“We’ll get her out.” Everleigh puts her hand on his arm, looking right into his eyes. “We’ll get her out. I’ll make sure of it.”
I cannot think how, but she is right. We have to help her; we have to rescue her. She cannot let Lanorie die for her sacrifice, the same as she didn’t let Will.
Everleigh holds Addyson tightly, and I can tell she doesn’t want to let her go. They are both crying. “Did Wolf hurt you?” Everleigh’s voice is harsh. We all feel the same about Wolf. I remember him leaning nonchalantly outside my little cottage waiting for Macsen. Macsen wouldn’t have known that he had been betrayed. Not a loyal man or a good man. Serving the King happily for now but could he trust him? I know I won’t. If I have anything to do with him. I’m now living in a state of high alert, keeping my wits about me will keep me alive.
“A little, but only when he tied me up and pulled me about. He wasn’t cruel.”
“This has to end. Today.” Everleigh’s voice is hard and I move towards her. I need to get them moving. I need to keep them both safe. We must get them to my cottage before too long. The sun is starting to set, the dusk creeping in.
Everleigh hugs Addyson tight to her again, and then sits her in front of the fire; I can see her shivering, but I don’t think it’s from the cold. Poor baby is probably petrified. I go to fetch her a little something to help her from Halfreda’s bottles and jars.
“Do we have food?” Everleigh is asking. It’s an age since we ate breakfast, too much has happened to think about food, but suddenly my stomach rumbles like thunder.
Will shakes his head. “I’ll go and get some.”
“Be careful.”
“I think I’ve faced the worst for now.”
He slips out of the room.
“We need to get you both away from here.” My voice is quiet; I don’t want to frighten Addyson. “He has forgotten about you, but he will remember. He’ll kill you both.”
Everleigh shakes her head. “Not if I kill him first.”
5
“NO!” GINATA’S VOICE is sharper than she intends and Addyson whimpers.
“Ginata, I have to try.”
“Trying will get you killed. You don’t try to kill a madman like your brother. If you’re going to try you better be damn sure you’ll succeed, or he will kill you. You can’t have a doubt. He will not keep you alive for love, or loyalty, or sibling nostalgia. You must know it.”
Everleigh nods; she knows it, but since she has come back from the island, since she pushed the people she loved into the water, a tightening has been forming around her stomach. She can barely breathe for the knowledge that the man who did this, the man who killed her brother, Halfreda, Archer, is laughing, joking, eating and drinking, full of merriment at his newfound Kingship at so many other’s expense. She cannot live while he lives. She cannot rest. She must do this.
Fury will help her win this. She is sure.
Will slips back into the room. They hadn’t even locked it after him.
Ginata puts a hand to her heart. “See! We have gotten sloppy just in the last ten minutes. He will kill us all if he finds us here. Eat something quickly and we’ll get you away.”
Will, unaware of Everleigh’s declaration of murderous intent, passes around bread, cheese and some sweet honey cakes. Ginata brings a jug of ale and some cups.
Ginata talks while she eats. “We need to get the two of you away from here. My neighbour, Della, and her brother will look after you. I don’t think Millard would think to look for you there. Will, you can go and ask Cook where they keep the clothes for the servants – not the livery – just the most basic of slips and dresses. I’ve got water warming for a bath. We need to rush but if we can get you both cleaned up and dressed and out of here, Will and I will get to tonight’s feast and Millard will be none the wiser.”
Will is nodding while he eats, pleased that someone else is taking control. Pleased that Everleigh and Addyson will be safe, but still worried about Lanorie. “What about Lanorie?” he asks. “We can’t just leave her in the tower.”
Ginata shrugs. “I really don’t know. I know we need to get her out of there, but I’m not sure how. I need time to think.”
“She is probably safe for tonight, at least,” Everleigh says as she wanders over to Halfreda’s work space, nibbling on a honey cake; she needs a weapon if she’s going to kill her brother and she knows Halfreda kept a sharp knife for cutting plants for her potions.
“I agree,” Ginata says; Will looks unsure. “He will be making merry; he believes Addyson is safely locked up. He won’t visit her tonight.”
Everleigh finds the knife in a drawer, bone handled, with a viciously serrated edge. She slips it in to the folds of her cloak, ready to take away with her. If she can kill her brother, tonight, she can rescue Lanorie and take her crown. If she has her way, her brother won’t even get to wake up one morning as King.
Will goes to fetch clothes and Ginata helps the two girls wash and dry. With great care, Everleigh unpins the brooch from her beautiful dress that she should have been crowned in, and when Will brings the clothes they will wear when they escape, she pins it to the plain and slightly shabby uniform, just under the hem, where no one will see it.
Wrapped in cloaks they sit together in front of the fire. “I’m so scared,” Addyson whispers.
Everleigh takes her hand. “Me too.”
She must fix this. Addyson may be the cursed princess, but she has never been frightened for her life until today. She has lost both of her parents, felt the hatred off her father because of her awful curse, lived with other people’s fear and suspicions for eleven years, almost twelve. Everleigh has to protect her.
Ginata brushes and plaits Everleigh’s hair first and then does the same for Addyson.
“How do we look?” Everleigh asks, when Ginata’s done. She doesn’t look like a princess or a Queen but that is what they want.
“Will, you stay here, I’ll take them to my cottage. I can introduce them to my neighbours. They’ll keep an eye on you both.”
The longer they are at the castle, the more likely it is that they will be found.
Will hugs Everleigh tightly and then hugs Addyson too. “Be safe. I’ll come down to see you tomorrow.”
Everleigh nods. She has never slept a night outside of the castle her whole life long. She feels stripped of everything that makes her, her. Her clothes, her family, friends.
Everleigh is no more and someone needs to pay.
“Ginata, could I have a few sleeping draughts, please. I’m not sure how we’ll sleep tonight.”
Ginata fetches half a dozen vials and then they quietly slip away.
The walk to the cottage is eventless, which is what they all wanted, needed. “At least you will be at peace here, no need to fear every knock at the door. The whole village knows by now that I have moved to the castle, so you won’t have anyone looking for a love potion.”
“Good.” Everleigh smiles. Maybe a few hour’s peace will help focus her mind and heart on what she needs to do. Kill her brother and rescue Lanorie. “What are your neighbours called?”
“Della and Finn. Brother and sister.”
“And they’re nice?”
“Wonderful.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know...”
Ginata opens the little cottage up, and leaves the front door wedged open. “Get some fresh air in here.”
She opens the window and starts setting a fire.
Everleigh looks around. The cottage is tiny, but clean and tidy. Most of Ginata’s things have been moved, so the shelves are all but empty – there are a few bottles and vials, a big copper-bottomed pan – and the place looks bare. But Everleigh can see that it would have been comfy and cosy. As the flames in the fire start to lick upwards she can imagine how nice it would have been for Ginata living here. No stress, no worries, no duty. Answerable only to herself.
Free.
“It’s lovely, Ginata. Really. Thank you.”
Ginata smiles and hugs Everleigh and then Addyson. They sit on the only two chairs there and Ginata pokes at the fire, stoking the flames.
“I’ll go and tell Della that you’re here and explain things.”
Ginata leaves them alone and Everleigh reaches for Addyson’s hand. “I’m so sorry. For everything. For father. For pretending I was dead. I had to. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t risk you knowing. Risk Macsen hurting you.”
“I hate our brothers. I’m glad Macsen is dead.”
“Addyson!”
“They never loved me like you loved me. Father never loved me either. How can I mourn a father when I never really had one?”
Everleigh’s heart breaks at the words. She thought she had felt so much pain on this day that she could feel no more. That she would be numb, immune from it. But Addyson’s words have hurt her once again.
Her father had been a wonderful father to her, Macsen and Millard. She knows he wasn’t fair on Addyson; it’s why she has always felt so maternal towards her.
Seize the Crown Page 4
