by Beth Wangler
He finally got the book away from his face just in time to see the courtyard ground rushing up.
Chapter 19
H e should leave. The king was dead, she had been crowned queen, all was right in the kingdom. Now it was time for him to obey his promise to himself and leave the Princess to find happiness with Jeremy.
Yet Brandon could not bring himself to do it. It wasn’t the abundant, delicious food that kept him there, or the finery of his surroundings. It wasn’t being actually clean and in new clothes that fit, sleeping on a real mattress, or even having a solid roof over his head every night. There was no denying it. He simply could not physically bring himself to leave her. He felt like a horse on an invisible tether, and Elaine was the peg at the other end.
It was not as if he was always in her presence. He usually tried to avoid her, or so he told himself. When he wandered the halls in hopes of catching a glimpse of her, he ignored the inconsistency in his lack of reasoning. He was disgusted with himself, but he knew the truth. Brandon was trapped by the foolish hope that she might love him, too.
The garden was about as far away as he could go without feeling the inexorable pull of her gravity drawing him back. Right now, he hated himself, hated his weakness that prevented him equally from speaking his heart to her and from departing immediately as he ought to. Things were going well; but if he stayed, undoubtedly they would not remain that way for long. With these thoughts plaguing him, Brandon retreated to the garden, where he wandered the hedges.
These bushes were planted and pruned to form a sort of maze that provided peaceful solitude for those who would seek respite from the pressures of castle life. Along the paths were thin beds and pots of sweet-smelling, colorful flowers, with benches and fountains scattered tastefully throughout.
There Brandon wandered, lost in thought. He did not hear the voices he was approaching until they were clearly audible, just on the other side of the hedge. He stopped short then–he knew those voices well.
“What did you want to talk about, Jer?” Elaine was asking.
“It’s…Lainy, we’ve known each other almost our whole lives, right? We can speak freely with each other, can’t we?” Jeremy asked.
“Of course,” Elaine gave him permission.
“Thank you. Perhaps you know this already, but I cannot live any longer without saying it. Elaine, I’ve loved you for years,” Jeremy confessed.
“Oh, Jer,” Elaine responded–and Brandon waited no longer to eavesdrop. At once, the tether that bound him to Elaine was broken. Jeremy was proposing marriage, he could tell, and Elaine would surely accept.
With a firm, steady gait, the former hunter strode out of the garden and to his room. There he grabbed his old, familiar pack, which he never had unpacked, and made his way to the stable for his horse. In minutes, it was saddled and he was mounted, heading out of the city. At the gate, he paused and looked back, allowing himself one moment to mourn the loss of his first love.
Then he set his face forward. He had lingered too long. Now he was ready to find Claire and begin a new life, far from what could have been.
Chapter 20
O h, Jer,” Elaine looked at him with so much affection, but not the right kind of love.
“Hear me out, Lain,” he begged, standing in front of her. “I think I already know your answer, but I have to ask anyways. Is there—could there ever be—any chance that you might love me enough to be my wife?”
Elaine looked at him with sorrow that her words would hurt him. He knew her answer before she spoke. “Jer, I–”
He interrupted her with half a smile. “You think of me only as a brother, right?” he guessed.
She bit her lip and nodded. “And, there’s…there’s someone else,” she blushed, taking great interest in the rose bush by the side of the path.
“The hunter,” he said, matter-of-fact.
“How did you…?”
“Oh, it’s pretty easy for me to read you,” he answered her unfinished question. They resumed walking, and he put an arm around her shoulders in a brotherly gesture. “You have my blessing, too. You’ll be good for each other.”
“Jer,” she protested. “You talk like we’re engaged. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he’s been…distant. Ever since I…you know…was insane, he’s been like a complete stranger, like we didn’t fight together, defeat a troll together–like we never almost confessed our love on his deathbed.”
That last bit took him by surprise. He knew something had happened between them before he found Elaine, but it sounded more serious than he had guessed. “I think he needs a good punch in the head,” Jeremy offered.
He grinned when he succeeded in eliciting a laugh from her. “No, don’t do that,” she said, before only half-joking, “If anyone’s going to punch him, it will be me.”
They talked for an hour, turning to matters of state, until it was time for the meal.
The hunter was missing from the table. “Greg,” Elaine asked one of the servants, an older man who had served her father before King Eric’s arrival, “could you please let Brandon know the meal is ready?” There was a note of worry in her voice.
The servant shifted uncomfortably. “I–forgive me, your Majesty. I thought you knew?”
Elaine went completely still. “Knew what?”
Greg cleared his throat. “Knew that Mr. Founder left the castle an hour ago. He did not look like he would be returning.”
Elaine looked so pale, Jeremy feared she would faint. He laid his hand over hers, which gripped the tablecloth like it was her lifeline. “Breathe, Lain,” he prompted in concern.
She did start breathing again, but tears started rolling down her face.
“Where did he go?” Jeremy asked Greg.
“I’m afraid I don’t know, sir,” he replied.
“Please send our best trackers after him,” Jeremy asked. “He is important to our queen, and she never got to give him his reward for saving her life.”
“Yes, of course,” Greg agreed, hastening to do just that.
Jeremy did his best to comfort Elaine, but she was still mainly unresponsive, in shock.
When night fell, Greg led in four men of different ages. They bowed to the queen, and one stepped forward to give a report.
“Your Highness,” he said nervously, “we searched all around the city and on every path, but we could find no trail of the man you sent us after.”
Jeremy could have smacked himself for being so stupid. Of course, the best hunter would make sure he did not leave a traceable trail anywhere he went. He thanked the men and did his best to deal with Elaine, but he was worried for her. “Elaine, say something,” he begged.
She looked at him slowly, focusing on his face with difficulty. “There is nothing to say,” her voice was dull. “Life goes on. I have a country to lead.”
It physically hurt him to watch her raise herself up with as much effort as if she had aged fifty years in one day and walk out of the throne room with stooped shoulders and a bowed head as if she were an old woman whose life had been wretched, rather than a queen.
Chapter 21
M ay this land always draw its strength from the purity and fortitude of its rulers’ hearts.”
Every day for the first year of her rule, the Magician’s blessing played over in her head. Her heart was pure–she could see by the new life growing all around her–but fortitude was another matter. Elaine tried to be as strong as she could, but she knew it would not be long until she broke. She was daily around more people than she had ever seen in her life, yet she felt unshakably alone and could not escape a deep sense of bereavement she could only guess was explained by Brandon’s sudden departure.
“He is just a boy; get over him,” she rebuked herself. The next minute, though, when she heard a horse outside the window, she managed to push herself up from her chair and hurry, as fast as her weak limbs would allow, to look out with desperate hope that it was he.
It never was. Sh
e was tired, more tired than she ever remembered being, and sleep did nothing to help.
“My Queen?” a servant addressed her.
She forced herself to smile as kindly as possible. “Yes, Sara?”
“There are visitors that just arrived,” the servant informed her. “A prince from Treakstand and his entourage. They say they have come to pay their respects.”
Duty. It was the one thing, other than love for her people, which kept her going.
“Thank you. Would you please–never mind.” She had almost slipped and asked her to notify Jeremy. Her heart sank even further remembering him. Seven months before, he had taken her aside and told her he needed to leave for a time. She still could not entirely figure out why he needed to leave; he had spoken in such generalizations that she had barely figured out he was saying good-bye. She was truly alone among people she scarcely knew.
She met the Prince of Treakstand on her throne, her first experience with foreign relations. “Prince Rhett of Treakstand,” he was announced.
They spoke of diplomatic nothings until supper, and enjoyed a rather awkward meal of polite small talk. When he asked Elaine to walk with him afterwards, she agreed only because her advisers counseled her to establish alliances with her neighbors. They wandered the castle grounds aimlessly until he expressed an interest in the hedge maze.
“Now that we are alone,” Prince Rhett began when they were inside the maze, “allow me to expound upon the real reason for my visit. Let me put your situation frankly: You are a young, inexperienced girl who suddenly took control of a country no one had turned an eye to for a decade, because it was worthless. Under your rule, it has suddenly become like a different country, one which the kings around you will find very attractive. I spoke just recently with the Prince Regent of Castelonia, and he is already speaking of what he would do with Clachan if it were his.”
“Thank you for warning me,” Elaine said, her brow furrowed as she considered what she could do to protect her people.
Rhett laughed. “You’re welcome–but I did not finish. Clachan is in no state to defend against an invasion from its weakest neighbor. Everyone knows this, and you, a pipsqueak of a queen, are a laughingstock to them. I come to give you council. The only way to protect yourself is by a move that will make a bold statement to the onlookers. Guard your throne by making an alliance through marriage to a powerful state. Not only will this put a man in charge and so gain you respect, but others will think twice about throwing their troops against your walls when they know there will be swift retribution. Align yourself with Treakstand, and Clachan will stand secure.”
Her mind was reeling. It was only with great self-control that Elaine kept her mouth from gaping open. Had he just proposed an alliance, or marriage? It sounded as if he were asking her to sell herself to him, to blindly hand her country over to a man she had known three hours. “Are you asking me to marry you?” she clarified.
He looked at her as if she were dimwitted. “Of course. What did you think I was doing?”
“You cannot be serious.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t even know you,” she protested, taking a step away from him. “Marriage…it isn’t just a contract between governments. You can’t expect me to enter into it so lightly, without…” She trailed off.
He scoffed at her. “Without love? My, you are naive. Open your eyes, sweetheart. You’re royalty. Love has nothing to do with it. Love is for peasants and paupers.”
She started shaking her head and could not stop. That had to be a lie. She could not survive life without love.
Without Brandon.
She almost choked, but she spun around so Rhett could not see her start to cry. “You have to go,” she ordered, although the weight of her command was lessened by the weakness of her voice. She did not wait for him to obey, but sought a way out of the hedges that were evidently cursed to be the site of unfortunate marriage proposals.
“I only asked you out of courtesy,” Rhett yelled after her. “You’ll regret this! You’ve made yourself an enemy today, little queen, and your people will pay for it!”
She knew he was right. Someone, now probably Treakstand, would attack Clachan soon, her people would suffer, and it would be entirely her fault. Realizing that, Elaine felt her heart’s strength snap. She collapsed on the castle’s steps, barely able to breathe, no strength left in her.
Chapter 22
B randon had found Claire immediately. He had hardened his heart in order to leave Elaine and had to keep it that way for her safety, but when he saw his sister, he could not help being glad. If he hadn’t been hardening himself, though, he would have wept with joy: Claire actually recognized him for the first time since she was eight.
“Brandon,” she cried out when she saw him, and her young face lit up with joy. She almost knocked him over with her hug.
They took up residence near the family that had watched her for five years. Brandon did his best to adapt to raising a thirteen-year-old girl and adopting a sedentary lifestyle. He started an apprenticeship with the local weaver and had a knack for the more intricate weaving patterns. To him, following the complex paths of the threads was like following trails in the wild.
Everything was going well.
Then one day the sun rose weak. A light mist fell all morning and turned into a steady, gentle snowfall by evening. Everyone in the town looked at the sky with concern and spoke in hushed voices.
His master dismissed him for home early that day. “Go home and say a prayer,” he said quietly. “Something must be wrong with our queen.”
Fear as cold as an icicle pierced Brandon to the core. Of course. There was something wrong with the land; it must stem from something wrong with its ruler.
At home, he could not stop pacing to the window every couple of minutes to see if the weather had changed. “You’re going to wear a hole in the ground,” Claire teased him.
“Be quiet,” Brandon snapped at her. He was too worried to notice his tone.
Claire paused her knitting and looked up at her brother with sad eyes. “Brandon, it’s not like you to be mean,” she said with hurt. “Why–”
A look of realization dawned on her face. “Oh. When King… when the evil king was in charge and I was…you know,” she could not bring herself to speak of the five years of nightmare she had lived, “did you–do you know the queen?”
Brandon gave her a tortured look that was answer enough.
His sister got up and gave him a hug. “Brandon, I’m so sorry,” she said sincerely. “Maybe she’s just sick or something. I’m sure she’ll be okay.”
As he was brushing her off–he had to stay strong–there was a loud pounding at the door, completely incongruent with the quiet of the day. He marched over and tore it open with more force than necessary to silence the knocker, only to find the last person he expected.
“You,” he said in shock.
“Hello, Brandon,” Jeremy said, inviting himself in. “See, I finally learned your name.”
“About time,” Brandon grunted.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m here,” Jeremy ignored his rude comment. “We need to talk. May I?” He gestured to a chair and looked between Brandon and Claire.
Brandon still could not fully process what was happening, but Claire spoke up. “Of course.” She moved toward the table and pushed its contents to one side. “Make yourself comfortable.”
She and Jeremy sat, but Brandon remained standing. His sister and Jeremy looked at him, then looked at each other. Brandon refused to give in to their pressure. Jeremy was not welcome. He would not show him courtesy.
“Actually,” Jeremy continued, “now that I think about it, there isn’t much for us to talk about. It’s simple, really. I’m taking you back to the castle.” He did not say, “Back to Elaine,” but they both knew what he meant.
“No.” Brandon crossed his arms.
Jeremy leaned back in his chair and sighed. “Why not? It�
�s obvious that you love her, and she loves you. She needs you.”
“No,” Brandon repeated. “She can’t. She needs you, not me. And I can’t come. I have to stay away, to protect her.” Where was his flask? He needed a drink to get through this. He started rummaging in the cupboards for his alcohol.
“That makes no sense,” Jeremy said. “How can you protect her if you’re not with her?”
“Everyone I love gets hurt or ends up dead,” he yelled, angry that Jeremy kept pushing, that something was wrong with Elaine, that Claire had so easily guessed what he was thinking, that he was helpless to do anything, and that, on top of it all, he could not find any liquor in the house.
The other two were startled into momentary silence. Then Claire ventured, “I’m okay.”
“For now,” Brandon said ominously, “and you weren’t.”
“So you really aren’t going to come?” Jeremy asked.
“I’m not coming,” Brandon agreed, looking behind the flour bin.
He heard Jeremy sigh and stand up. “I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but you leave me no choice.”
Then everything went black.
Chapter 23
T his new life took the strangest turns. After five years of dark insanity, which still gave Claire nightmares to think of, she had awoken to reality and found herself with people she did not know. They had told her Brandon would come for her any day. He hadn’t come, though, hadn’t come for weeks.
Brandon was so different than before, much more private and unresponsive. Claire worried about how much he drank but decided he probably had lived through as many horrors as she had these past years, only his were real. So she decided to give him time to heal, to adjust back to good life.
