Bloodstone - Power of Youth (Book 3) (11 page)

“The weather is turning warm and you are getting better with that foreign sword,” Lieutenant Rallen said.

“I agree,” Anchor said. In the distance he noticed a bird flying towards the keep from the south. “I have to leave you to your warmth, Lieutenant. I think I have something to do” He ran down the steps and towards the bird coop adjacent to the stables. Anchor wanted to see what message a bird from the Red Kingdom might carry.

He hustled his way to the coop and retrieved the message before anyone had an opportunity to check the bird. He carefully removed the message addressed to Travelwell.

“Duke’s demise soon. Prepare to open gates to friends.”

The bird keeper could be along at any time and count birds. He couldn’t afford for the message to reach Travelwell. Anchor twisted the bird’s neck and put the body under his coat. He walked to the jakes and tossed the bird down into the fetid depths.

He hadn’t expected an assassination attempt against Duke Jellas and sought out Sergeant Lunkin. The man sat in the kitchen talking to one of the scullery maids.

“Lunkin, I need a word,” Anchor said and pulled the man out of the kitchen.

“A bird from the south flew in with this message. You need to send this along to the Duke immediately.”

Lunkin’s eyebrows rose as he read the message and saw Travelwell’s name on the other side. “The time has nearly come,” the sergeant said.

Anchor nodded his head. “The ‘time’ will occur when Travelwell’s ‘friends’ arrive.” He would soon be testing out his hard-won skill with a sword as soon as that message had been sent from birds that Hesting had left in the village. Lunkin and he had already established a plan with Lt. Rallen. Rallen and Anchor would neutralize the officers and Lunkin would establish a loyal chain of command among the rankers.

He watched Lunkin run over the bridge and into River Red before he returned to the sparring ground for his afternoon workout. He fought off the temptation to ride to Crackledown. Anchor would have to rely on the Duke to avert his assassination and the recapture of Sallia.

~~~

Chapter Thirteen

~

“Y
ou are much too forward, Morio,”
Sallia said. She pushed his hands off of her arms.

“But I love you.”

Sallia laughed. “You love yourself much, much more.” Crackledown presented so many facets, but Morio’s attentions were well-intentioned on his part, but not welcome.

Duke Jellas entered the family sitting room. Sunlight streamed in, but didn’t reach the duke. He spoke from shadows and Sallia felt exposed as he talked. She classified her relationship with the duke as cordial, but the man seemed to be constantly pre-occupied.

“Morio. I have received a bird from Valetan. Lotto is returning to Gensler and will meet you in ten days at Harveston with your pack of rogues. You will need to leave presently with your band of misfit rangers.”

“But the princess and I…  ”

The Duke walked into the light. His stern expression would have put fear into Sallia had it been directed at her. “There is no ‘princess and I’. There is the princess, here and there is you, on the way to Harveston. Go now.”

Morio left the room and nearly slammed the door.

Duke Jellas laughed. “Naughty boy. He always was my first wife’s favorite. I’m sure you can see why. Women are often enamored of rogues.”   The duke colored. “Oh. I didn’t mean you, your highness.”

Sallia had to smile, if only to communicate that she did understand what he meant. “You don’t have to worry about me enamored about that one. He’s a nice man, but not for me.”

The duke relaxed and sat down behind a desk. “Sit, my dear. How do you fare at Crackledown? We haven’t really talked for weeks.”

“I miss the Red Kingdom. I miss Unca, my father’s wizard.” Even though it was well into summer, Sallia worried about Unca. “The Red Kingdom lies dormant in this winter of usurpation. I don’t know when the political spring will arrive, but I yearn for it. Until then, I am happy here as much as I could be except for one place.”

“How poetically put, and where is that?”

“Unca had a holding close to Sally’s Corners. The northern boundary extended into the hills and might have even bordered Gensler. I…” Sallia stopped for a moment to sort through a flood of thoughts and emotions tied up to her experiences with Willow and Unca. “I learned much while I stayed there. Lessons that most princesses never learn.” She had to look out of the window to avert Duke Jellas’s gaze.

“And I’d take you to wherever that is myself, if I could dear princess, but you fled from there and its no longer safe. Perhaps once you’ve taken back your throne.”

“Perhaps.” Sallia said, thinking of much more that a single word reply. How could she go back? If the duke restored her to the throne, how could a queen live in Unca’s house? No. She’d probably never return, no matter what happened, and the prospect saddened her. She took a deep breath and held back a sob or two. “And in the meantime, I’m under your charming protection, Duke.”

“As long as you wish. Now, I’ve also just received a dispatch from South Keep. Your friend, Anchor serves me there.”

“Anchor?” Sallia said. “Oh, the man who helped Lotto.”

“Yes. He has just sent me a warning about unrest in the keep and that disturbance is related to imminent issues I face at Crackledown.”

“Dangers?”

“Indeed. I had a specific reason for this chat. All may seem idyllic in the castle, but we are as burdened with politics as I’m sure you were at Foxhome. I’m afraid that your safety might be compromised, after all.”

“Duke Histron—” Sallia said.

“And I have my own challenges, although I won’t let them progress too much further. I have taken the precaution of installing another bell pull in your chambers on the opposite side of the fireplace. It is the red one, for the Red Kingdom, I suppose.” The duke gave her the ghost of a smile. “It rings my personal guard. If anything untoward happens in your rooms, please use it to summon help. I’d also carry a knife or other weapon on your person at all times in the keep.”

“Are you under siege?” Sallia said, glancing out the window. Her feelings of security had just vanished, replaced by a hollow fear.

“In a sense, but I won’t allow it to continue for more than a week or two. I am serious in this request, Princess Sallia. There are those who are not loyal to me in the castle and I work so that matters will be presently resolved. In the meantime, humor me and do as I suggest. Of course, a suggestion only.”

“I will do as you say, Duke. With Morio goes my escort into town and perhaps it’s a good time to catch up with my reading. I can do that in my rooms.” If the crisis were only a few weeks, Sallia would be happy to comply with the duke’s wishes. She wondered if the disloyal subject meant Eberlo, the chamberlain. Sallia didn’t like the man. She remembered those words in Everwet about Duke Histron’s man running Gensler. It wasn’t true, but Eberlo had much responsibility within the duchy. She recalled that the commanding officer at the keep where Anchor had gone was ‘his man’. Could Anchor be in the same danger? She hoped not. She hardly knew Anchor, but wished him well.

The duke rose from his seat and bowed to Sallia. “Is there a book from this room that you’d like to read? Pick what you’d like and I’ll personally escort you to your rooms.”

~

Despite the thick walls of Crackledown, Sallia slept fitfully in the warmth of the room. The fire had been made too large. She threw off her covers and tried to snuggle her pillows for more comfort. The moon let in a shard of light and the room made sounds that now shattered all attempts at sleep.

She frowned and tried to lie as still as possible unsuccessfully commanding her mind to wander into dreams. A creaking sent a shiver down her spine. Could someone be entering her sitting room? She reached under a pillow and pulled out a long dagger, left unsheathed beneath the silken cloth. Sallia clutched the knife in her hand, startled when it reflected the moon’s light. She quickly put it to her side. The intruder might see the shining as well. She lay back with her eyes wide open trying to will her body still.

She heard a whisper of something sliding along the carpet in her room. The assassin had closed within feet of her. She nearly cried out as moonlight painted the shape of a figure, darkly dressed, slowly moving towards her bed. Sallia held the knife steady at her side. She refused to be captured and yearned for this trial to end quickly. She squinted her eyes so that it might appear she slept.

Suddenly a waft of ale and garlic assaulted her nose. Her eyes flew open and she thrust her knife deep into the intruder’s stomach. A strong odor assaulted her sense of smell as a pad of cloth struck a glancing blow to her forehead as it dropped to the bed. She grabbed the handle of her knife with her other hand and ripped up until the ribcage stopped her own assault.

“Bitch princess,” were the last words of the assassin as she sensed the man fall on top of her. A different stench filled the air and she felt the warmth of the man’s internal fluids empty onto her body. Now she could scream and scream she did as she cast off the assassin and ran to pull the red cord.

Within moments, torches and a lantern illuminated the grisly scene. Sallia scrabbled against the wall, as the impact of her deed slammed into her mind ripping unbidden emotions from their hiding places. She began to cry as women hurried into the room and began to wipe away the blood and worse.

More torches entered the room with Duke Jellas. His own robes were stained with the same red color as her nightgown.

“Assassins in the night. They visited my rooms as well. My men and I killed all six. Only one?” the duke said, dryly. His bloodshot eyes spoke of anger in the middle of the night. Duke Jellas nearly swayed on his feet. Sallia thankfully sat.

“This man was no assassin, Lord. He carried a potion to knock her out. The princess thwarted an abduction.

“Thank the gods, I killed him.” Sallia said, shivering. Anger began to dry up the tears. “I’m glad I did. Others have fought for me. The time had come for me to fight for myself.”

“You performed admirably. Quite as well as my tiny horde,” the duke said. He looked down at Sallia’s assailant. “I know this man.” He nodded to three of the soldiers. “This is man is part of Eberlo’s guard. Take twenty men and bring Eberlo along with any loyal to him to me into the assembly room. I will issue quick judgment against those who would take up arms against me.”

“May I come?” Sallia said. She rose and a lady in waiting threw a robe around her. “I will not sleep again this night.”

“As you wish. Might I suggest a change of clothes?” The duke left the room. Guards removed the body only to be replaced by servants who began to wash the carpet and strip the bed linens.

“May I help you?” Duke Jellas’s wife said, opening Sallia’s wardrobe.

Sallia merely nodded and took the offered clothing and left her bedroom to change her bloody clothes in the adjoining bath room.

~

The castle seemed cold now, after the rush of activity that woke it up. Sallia walked to the assembly room attended by four guards. As she entered, thirty or more turned their heads and bowed as she passed. Duke Jellas waved her to a seat next to his. He sat in the center of a long table. A pitcher with two goblets was all that sat on the table’s surface.

“Eberlo will arrive shortly. They caught him in the tunnels.”

Sallia’s heart skipped. She abhorred secret passages that were no longer secret.

“Unlike your father’s, mine were closely watched,” the duke said. “Thanks to Anchor’s message, they might not have been.”

Anchor had worked to save them both. Good for him, thought Sallia. She would have to thank the enigmatic man, once again. Perhaps she could write him a letter. Her mother had told her that men liked letters. Her lips nearly curled into a wistful smile at the memory, but her thoughts were interrupted when the Court filled up with angry men. Some were trussed up.

“Eberlo. Your scheming will end tonight.”

The traitor’s silver hair and elegant appearance reminded her of Unca, but the scowl in a face twisted with hate would never adorn the wizard’s countenance. “Who of my men turned?” Eberlo demanded.

“As fate would have it, an alert agent of mine intercepted a bird from the Red Kingdom at South Keep. I had my own coop in the village and the message came directly into my possession and not yours.” Jellas threw the missive on the table. “That little paper sealed your doom. All I needed was a shred of proof. Your hired thugs were no match for my men and me. I believe that Princess Sallia’s abductor’s name was Wister? She personally took care of him.” The duke nodded his head to Sallia. She could only shudder as he did so.

“Wister is your man and here are your more of your men tied up around you. I suppose you were all ready to ride off with Princess Sallia? Wait. You were only to see her off.” The duke nodded at Eberlo’s expression. “Then with me assassinated, you would have taken over until one of my sons had returned. Perhaps accidents planned? Did Histron offer his support? Or Peleor, the Dark Lord’s wizard on Besseth?

“It matters not. Eberlo, you, and those with you, are hereby sentenced to hang within the hour. I care not what happens to your families. I will not tolerate your relations to remain in Gensler. They will be escorted to the southern border, but you will not see them again. Take them out.” Duke Jellas nodded to his Captain of the Guard and the Court emptied out.

“Wine, my dear princess?” the duke poured wine in both goblets. He drained his and filled it up again and took a deep breath. His judgment had affected him more than he showed. Sallia drank deeply, but did not finish hers.

“Wister entered through a door in the wall. I forgot about a secret entrance into your sitting room. It has since been secured. You might wish to carry a weapon for a few days longer. My men will purge Eberlo’s sympathizers from the castle and that might still take some time.”

“What about South Keep?” she said.

“We will see what Anchor is made of. I am of the opinion that Duke Happly thinks to take over the keep to preserve his domain’s southern flank. We won’t have long to wait. A day or two for events to transpire and few days for a bird to reach Crackledown.”

~~~