EPIC: Fourteen Books of Fantasy (68 page)

The trip was long and painful. The top and sides of the carriages were sealed and sturdy. But the grooves in the floor did little to keep out the cold night air, and when we crossed streams, water splashed up onto our feet.

Jemely, Klawdia, and I met eyes several times during the trip, each of us desperate to talk to the other. Jemely even tried once or twice, but the guard threatened to shove his foot in her mouth and she quietened.

A dark feeling came over me as I imagined standing in front of the king. I did not fear for my own life, but for Klawdia’s and Jemely’s.

My legs, back, and bottom were throbbing by the time we arrived in Juxon City. The shadows of night were gone, and everything glowed in the morning rays. Juxon City Castle stood tall and proud. Spiralling towers framed each corner and small stain-glassed windows decorated the walls. At the bottom, large arched windows were evenly spaced, and thick vines crept between the cracks in the stone. It was the biggest structure I’d ever seen.

My eyes were heavy and my head foggy. Sleep had proved impossible in the rickety cart. Jemely groaned as she climbed out of the carriage behind me, and I knew she felt the same aches and pains. Klawdia looked as strong as ever. She jumped to the ground, her boots crunching on the ground.

‘Right, you two with me,’ a soldier said to Jemely and me. He pointed at Klawdia. ‘And you go with him.’ He gestured at a giant of a man obviously hired to escort the most capable criminals.

Klawdia looked vulnerable without her leather armour, which they’d taken from her. Her remaining attire consisted only of a cotton shirt, woollen leggings, and brown boots with torn fastenings. I wondered if she concealed a weapon. Jemely watched the blue-eyed warrior with a hopeless expression; we both knew Klawdia’s fate would be worse than ours.

Klawdia’s escort seemed menacing, but I suspected that even he would be no match for his captive. She winked at me as he led her away, and her attempt to make light of the situation only made me feel gloomier. I watched until her red hair disappeared behind a building.

Jemely and I were required to wait. I turned around to take in more of the castle gardens. They were covered with trees, dandelions, and every flower I could imagine. Red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, and pink were separated by green and brown. Ladies and noblemen strolled about the grounds, some purposefully, others less so. One man read scrolls under a tree with drooping branches. The trees were green, and long ago, Mrs. Moferbury had told me that trees that didn’t die in the winter were called evergreens.

I shivered at seeing small patches of melting snow nestled in grassland rivets. Overhead, the clouds were fat and foggy. I felt a prickle of cold on my forearm, and I wiped at it. When more prickles touched my skin, I realised it had begun to snow. The white flakes drifted through the air, catching rays of the morning sun. It was a breathtaking sight.

To my right, Healer Euka, Mayor Vawdon, and Emala disembarked from their carriage. I smiled at Emala, but she didn’t seem to notice. A brightly dressed man kept a serious expression as he talked with them.

‘You all right?’ Jemely asked, touching my arm.

‘Yes,’ I lied.

In the distance, among the dense trees, children chased each other. A group of deer bounded away from the wild children, startling rabbits that had been feeding on nearby shoots. White tails flashed as smaller animals scattered. And then I saw my first peacock. I marvelled at the true richness of its greens and blues. I jumped when the bird shrieked, a dreadful sound.

Captain Festral commanded one of his men to take Jemely away. The soldier twisted her arm to her back and pushed her in the same direction Klawdia had gone. Healer Euka, Mayor Vawdon, and Emala were escorted through the enormous castle entranceway. I watched Emala walking, her shoulders drooped and her braided hair draped at the sides of her head. I worried about her. If the king believed Healer Euka, then Mayor Vawdon’s punishment might be serious, and Emala could lose her father.

I struggled to think of something to say, some way to lie that would save everyone. Perhaps my words would hold more weight because of my gifts, even though I didn’t feel they should. Why should the king care anyway? My healing talent was just an article of trade to him. He would do anything to keep the peace between North and South. And so he should.

A soldier shook me from my thoughts. I looked up at him. His face was rough, his skin dry, and his eyes reflected that absence that I was beginning to think all soldiers had—detached, uncaring, just following orders. He pointed towards castle. They were keeping me separate from everyone. His armour clanged as we walked inside.

The long entranceway contained portraits of kings and queens. Painted men and women stared at me with thoughtful gazes. I felt judged, unworthy to be before them, as if I should feel a burden to the kingdom purely by my existence.

A tall, spindly man appeared from a side door. He looked me up and down, then pointed a bony finger at me. ‘Follow me.’ He curled his finger.

The man’s movements were graceful yet controlled as he led me down a marble passageway. His black robe trailed behind him, and I made sure not to step on it. In the marble halls, we turned right, then left, then right again. We climbed a narrow spiral staircase and emerged onto a balcony overlooking a magnificent gallery. We passed castle workers and soldiers, who chatted in small groups. As I approached, their conversation stopped until we passed and then resumed again in whispers.

‘Heard ‘bout this. Borrelia girl, healer. Think they ‘ere ‘cause the girl don’t want to go to Meligna.’

‘Don’t blame her with the things I’ve heard about that witch city.’

‘Yeah, but she’s a witch too, ain’t she?’

‘There’s already some in the castle right? Nothing bad happens, does it? See, she’s just a girl.’

‘Long as she’s far away from my bed when I sleep, I’m a happy man.’

I tried not to let the conversation affect me and added it to the evidence of the ignorance of the Senyan people.
My people.
I sighed.

‘In here.’ The spindly man unlocked a door.

I walked into the room he indicated. ‘Where’s everyone else?’

‘You’ll be kept detached until the trial commences at three tomorrow. A maid will be by shortly. If you need anything, just ask her.’ He pulled the door closed and locked me in.

I tried the handle twice and gave up. I ran to the large window and pulled at it, but the frames were bonded together. I looked out over the castle grounds that seemed to stretch on and on. In the distance, a large wall defined the boundary.

With no chance of escape, I slid to the floor, hugged my legs to my chest, and stared at the opulent decorations of the room. Everything was trimmed with silver, blue, and green. The large mahogany bed seemed small in the expansive space that also contained a table, two chairs, and a magnificent hearth decorated with marble stone and framed by two golden lion statues. Above it, a collection of books caught my eye, and I stood to look closer. I could not reach them and considered pulling up a chair. I eyed the door and decided against it.

A silver goblet sat on a table next to a crystal bottle containing some brown fermented drink. I went over and poured a cup. I sat on the bed, sipping the sweet drink, and noticed how my tattered grey dress contrasted against the intricately woven silk sheets. I was receiving special treatment because I was a healer.

Someone rapped on the door. Before I could answer, keys jingled, and the lock turned. A neatly dressed lady with white hair and a pretty smile entered. Upon seeing her pale hair, I looked to her eyes. They were brown. Not a healer. Then I remembered Mother’s teaching me about the Bivinia people who lived south of Senya. They had white hair and fair skin.

‘My warmest greetings to you, miss,’ she said.

In the hallway, a guard looked the maid up and down before closing the door behind her and re-locking it.

‘Hello,’ I said.

‘My name is Anaya. I’m here to bring you new clothes for your meeting with the king.’ As she took in the state of my clothes her face twitched. ‘I suspect you haven’t been taught how to address a king before. I will teach you tomorrow.’ The maid spoke clearly and calmly and had the elegance often ascribed to the Bivinian people. ‘A sweet thing like you should not be forced to think on an empty stomach. You must be hungry from your trip. Are you tired too?’

‘No,’ I answered stubbornly.

‘That long trip in the prisoner carriage must have tightened your every muscle. You decide on food—’ She passed me a piece of paper with writing on it. ‘—and I’ll draw your bath.’

She hummed while opening two thick doors that I had thought were part of the wall. A fibrous rope hung in the middle of a dazzling white marble room framed with hand-carved skirting. Natural light filtered through coloured windows, casting patterns on the opposite wall.

‘It’s pretty isn’t it?’ she said, smiling. The maid pulled the rope, and hot water drizzled into a marble tub from a spout in the wall. It seemed like magic.
Mother would love this
.

I read the menu the maid had given me but could not make out all the words. As I stared at the confusing writing, she produced a piece of string and measured around my waist, chest, feet, and body.

‘Did you decide on food?’ she asked.

‘I-I can’t read it all.’

She smiled sweetly and took the piece of paper. ‘Would bread, eggs, sausages, and bacon please you?’

My stomach rumbled, and I put my hand on it.

She laughed. ‘And some honey tea?’

I gave her a small smile. ‘Yes, please.’

Anaya went back to the bathroom and pulled the piece of rope again. The water stopped. ‘There are towels in that closet.’ She pointed at a grand armoire. ‘I’ll be back with your clothes and food soon.’ As she passed me, she stopped to grasp a section of my hair. ‘Our hair is the same colour.’ She pointed at her head. ‘But you are not Bivinian.’

And she left. The lock turned, and I removed my dress and stepped into the bath. I sank into the warm water, and my thoughts dissolved in my pleasure.

Chapter XXXII

A
N
HOUR
LATER
,
THE
MAID
returned with a dress made of delicate white lace and blue velvet, and blue silk shoes to match. She also brought me the promised honeyed tea and a generous meal. After I dressed, I gobbled down my breakfast and felt suddenly drowsy.

‘Before you fall asleep, let me teach you some castle etiquette. Observe me.’ She held her head high and took two steps forward. ‘When you enter the court, you must curtsy once. Like this,’ she said, grabbing the sides of her dress and holding them up as she sank towards the floor, lowering her eyes. The movement was fluid and graceful. ‘You
must
look at the floor. It is a sign of trust, for when you can not see your opponent, you are vulnerable to him.’

I knew well how vulnerable it felt to not be able to see.

She continued, ‘The guards will stop you before you get to the throne. There, you curtsy again. Then, you hold the king’s gaze and say, ‘Your Majesty.’ The king will ask you to swear to your honesty. You will then say, “I swear,” and move to the side. Understand?’

‘I think so.’

‘Now, you try it. Go into the bathroom and pretend
I’m
the king.’

I went into the bathroom, and Anaya shut the doors for me. I waited.

‘Now,’ she said.

I pushed the doors aside and curtsied once, remembering to hold my dress, but I almost wobbled off balance as my knees bent awkwardly. The maid smiled, revealing a perfect set of white teeth.

I walked over to her, held her gaze and curtsied again, saying, ‘Your Majesty.’

‘Do you swear never to lie to me or this court?’

‘I swear,’ I said, keeping my eyes locked on hers.

She nodded and clapped. ‘Very good for your first time. Rest now. We will rehearse again tomorrow.’

She left, and I practiced bending my knees a few more times. Bored of the rehearsing I went to the window and stared across the grounds. The sun peaked in the sky, and I felt that every moment passing brought me one step closer to the trial. My stomach grumbled with my distress, so I took deep breaths trying to settle it. I climbed into bed and sank into the buttery pillow beres and coverings. The softness lulled me to sleep.