Dark Lord (17 page)

“What Roman alliance?”
Alyntine
asked.

“The alliance with Markus
Honeybone
Agrippa, her intended,” Nefertiti explained.
“He lives in Rome, but he has ties to the
Honeybone
family of
Flourda
.
That would make him very valuable.”

“I am afraid the ceremony cannot take place as long as she is in our custody,”
Alyntine
said.
“
She cannot leave
Flourda
.
She has been charged with a serious crime.”

“And if she is found guilty, what happens to her then?” Nefertiti asked.

Alyntine’s
expression grew grave.
“
That depends upon the punishment.
The evidence will be forwarded to the Queen and she will decid
e her guilt.
The normal punishment is
to serve
an indenture for a period of ten years
, although if the Queen is merciful she may request that a heavy fine be paid in its place.
Since she is a lady, she will be given the option to restore her honor by a
bloodmatch
.”

In a
bloodmatch
, the accused individual battled in an arena against half a dozen eunuchs.
If he or she survived, she was able to reclaim her honor.
Typically, the accused was injured and
covered with
his or
her
own
blood
by the time the battle was over.
Sometimes, the accused lost a limb or an eye
.
Any injuries sustained were considered payment in full for the crimes
committed.
Briella
knew that she wouldn’t survive any battle with the eunuchs.
The eunuchs were trained warriors and she had no fighting skills.

“If you are found guilty,
Briella
, you must accept the
bloodmatch
to reclaim your honor.
To refuse would bring shame on the house of Avenal,” Nefertiti said.

“You know that I would die,”
Briella
said.

“Then do so with honor,” Nefertiti said.
“It is time for you to demonstrate your strength and courage, to finally be a warrior worthy of the Avenal name.”

“I am no warrior,”
Briella
said.

“If she does not accept the
bloodmatch
, she will serve an indenture of at least ten years,”
Alyntine
said.

“That’s outrageous!” Nefertiti exclaimed.
“I cannot expect Markus to wait ten years for
Briella
.
His father would never allow it and
Briella’s
chances of a good
match would be ruined.
Besides, I am certain of my sister’s innocence.”

“I have evidence against her, including these signed statements made by Lady
Samantha
,
Lady Valencia
, and Lady
Harlotta
.”
Alyntine
handed the documents to Nefertiti to peruse.

Briella
did not know why
Samantha and Valencia
would make false statements about her
, but it wasn’t a huge surprise that
Harlotta
was involved
.
Nefertiti read the papers and then glared at her.

“
I trust
Harlotta
with my very life, so she is a highly credible witness
,” Nefertiti said.
“
These ladies would not make such statements unless they were valid.
However, a
formal apology from
Briella
should suffice to make amends.
”

“I’m afraid an apology would be insufficient at this point,”
Alyntine
said.
“Let us complete th
e
hearing to conclude this matter.
Bring forth the witnesses.”

Harlotta
, Samantha, and Valencia entered the room a few minutes later.
Alyntine
read their signed statements and asked them to confirm the statements were made in good faith.

“I swear that everything written there is the truth,”
Harlotta
said.
“Lady
Briella
cast slurs upon
the Langley name in a vicious attempt to turn us against the Queen.
She spread horrible lies with
an intent
to incite rebellion among the masses.
I fear she is a supporter of the Anarchist Movement.”

Briella
was aghast that
Harlotta
would resort to outright lies to destroy her and she had no idea why the woman would target her to this level.
This went beyond mere dislike.
“Why are you lying,
Harlotta
?
What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so?”

“
Harlotta
tells the truth,” Valencia said.
“Samantha and I heard those very words fall from
Briella’s
mouth, and I must admit that
she was so convincing that for a moment, I lost my love for the Queen.”

As the people in the room gasped in outrage,
Briella
gave Valencia a look that promised retribution.
She didn’t know how she would succeed, but the bitch would pay.
“You are all lying bitches.”
She turned toward
Alyntine
.
“Everyone knows that I do not have political interests or leanings, so why would I be involved in any conspiracy against the Queen?
Just think about it and you will realize that it makes no sense.”

“You have been less than civil toward Lord Langley,”
Alyntine
replied.

“I have not!”

“Did you not on several occasions ask him to leave the harem?”
Alyntine
asked.

Her interest in Devereux had nothing to do with politics, but she couldn’t explain her feelings to
Alyntine
.
The situation was too complicated and confusing.
“I may have
done so, but it had nothing to do with his being a Langley.”

Nefertiti scowled at her.
“You had no right to interfere with one of my harem lords.
I can only assume that his dissatisfaction and unhappiness in my home is the result of your machinations, and because of you, the male has been unable to perform his duties to me.”

The male couldn’t perform his duties to Nefertiti because she was an ugly bald monster of a woman that most males found repellent.
“I have been nothing but cordial to Lord Langley.”

Alyntine
allowed
Briella
to say some words in her defense.
Although she made an earnest effort to convince them of her innocence, she knew the deck was stacked against her.

“I have to say that the evidence is damning,”
Alyntine
said.
“I have no doubt that she will be found guilty.
I will present
this evidence to the Queen and I will return shortly with her judgment.
You should assist
Briella
with her preparation for the
bloodmatch
.”

Just when
Briella
thought things could not possibly get worse for her, more shit happened.
It was ridiculous to think she could prepare herself for a
bloodmatch
in a few days, especially since she was out of shape and out of practice.
She wouldn’t be abl
e to defeat the eunuch soldiers even
if they were blindfolded.
It was hopeless.
Nefertiti dismissed them once
Alyntine
left.
The Countess ordered her to spend the next two days in the training room under the tutelage of one of the eunuch soldiers.
She was then summarily dismissed.

Chapter 10:
Decisions

Briella
left the room and
wandered down the hall.
Up ahead, she could hear the voices of
Harlotta
, Valencia, and Samantha.
They were talking about her, of course, and laughing about her plight.
The bored noblewomen had nothing better to do than entertain themselves with the misery of others.
Not all
Flourdan
noblewomen were that heartless, but Nefertiti tended to attract those who were similar in personality to herself.
Decent folk never wished to visit Avenal.

“
Briella
will never make it through the
bloodmatch
,” Valencia said.
“She will surely die in the ring.
At
Assheton
, she was such an incredibly weak swordswoman that none dared arm her with a weapon.
She would only end up hurting herself with it.”

Harlotta
giggled.
“You should have seen her here.
The Countess forced Valor
and I to take her to battle and
Briella
was such a coward that she fled into the woods!
I do not think she has ever drawn blood by weapon or hand.
However
will
she defeat Avenal’s expertly trained eunuchs?
Perhaps the Countess will order them to go easy on her and she’ll come through with only a missing arm or eye.”