Gods Of Blood And Fire (Book 1) (15 page)

Chapter 7

R
aygan sat in her bed propped up in a sea of pillows. Isabella had combed out her hair; it flowed down shoulders like a lustrous brown river. Her features however were another matter. Raygan’s eyes and lips were still swollen and her whole face was black and blue. Her once small nose was bulbous and crooked and much too large for her face. The girl’s jaw was also crooked and hurt badly. The once beautiful Princess of Bandara was gone, replaced by a hideous monster. At least that’s how Raygan saw it. She hadn’t left her room in days and could not bear to look in a mirror. The swelling around her eyes from the beating had gone down enough that she could see.

There would be no one to help her now. All she had left was Isabella. Even now the girl sat by her side waiting for her next request. Bella had been amazing doing the work of several servants and caring for her injuries on top of that.

Raygan remembered her father picking the sick girl up off the road during one of their coach rides through the country. Raygan had thought nothing of her father’s act of kindness until she saw how pretty Isabella was. Her looks were why Raygan had offered her a job serving as one of her handmaidens.

She never would have guessed the Celonian girl was such a wonderful worker. If she wasn’t a servant, Raygan might even call the pretty handmaiden her friend. She watched as the girl began to tidy up her room without even being asked. It wasn’t hard to see Isabella was tired. Raygan hated to ask any more of the poor girl today but she had no one else. It was hard for the Princess to speak everything had to be said with her teeth clenched. Her broken jaw made it very hard to form words, but Bella could seem to understand every word she spoke.

“Isabella, I want you to do something for me.”

“Anything, milady”

“Go into town and find the best healer in the city and bring him to me. I will not have that dolt Selmac attend me anymore.”

“I will go right away, milady.”

“I have to get up, there are things I need to do.” Raygan scooted to the edge of her bed and tried to rise. Her head started to hurt worse and she was having trouble breathing as sharp pain shot down her side. She lay back on the bed trying to keep from getting sick.

“Stay still, milady, you should not try to get up yet.”

“I have to get better soon, Father can’t lay in state forever I want him to have a wonderful funeral, Bella. He was so good to me he must have a magnificent service. One that is so grandiose that no one will ever forget it. It’s the very least I could do for him. Besides Cain can’t be trusted to tend to it properly, so I have to handle it. Father would have wanted that.” The tears began to fall again. Isabella handed her a silk handkerchief to dry them.

“Where should I look for a healer, milady?”

Raygan wiped her eyes and did her best to clear her throat. “Go to the Great Market, I’m sure you can find one there. Ask around the people will know who’s best. Then bring the healer back here quick as you can.” The young girl turned and bowed to her Princess and walked out closing the door quietly.

Raygan wanted to get better so she could bury her father, but that wasn’t the only reason. She was afraid now of what her brother might do. He was mad, she had seen it in his eyes that night. If Cain intended to kill her, the least she could do was meet her fate like a Princess of Bandara standing on her own two feet with perfect hair.

The new high council of Bandara had been in meetings for the last three days. Cain’s head ached from lack of sleep, there were so many things to do so many decisions to make.

General Voths had been relieved of his command and almost all of the old council his father put in place had been dismissed. Now the council consisted of men who were loyal to the throne and wanted the return of a monarchy that favored the aristocracy of Bandara.

Cain had also signed a royal decree proclaiming Braxton Bluff to be Bandara’s first Grand Duchy and William Blackthorn to be its first duke, the titles and lands were to be hereditary. Lord Talorn Blackthorn was made general of all the armies of Bandara. Though his father had been given the title of duke and the city of Braxton Bluff and surrounding lands named a Duchy, Talorn was still Lord of southern Bandara and first seat on the royal council.

Duke Blackthorn had volunteered to stay on to help the council with the transition until the new King had established himself. The other three high Lords of Bandara Galen Bradford, Tobias Fox, and Stuart Kaspar had been appointed to the council and had their lands increased.

Bishop Lyfair had stayed on the council due to the fact William Blackthorn had told Cain no one knew more about the domestic workings of the Kingdom than Lyfair, and the Church could also be very helpful quelling the commoners if they became unruly.

All other nobles had been told to return to their individual land holdings and the new King would deal with them individually in time. Cain was pleased with the choices he made. The new high council was men who supported the new King and his vision for Bandara’s future. The council was not as large but Duke Blackthorn said a smaller council meant fewer arguments.

The duke’s experience had been invaluable in the last few days. Cain was just glad the meetings were over for now. He needed some sleep desperately. Duke Blackthorn stopped him as the meeting adjourned. “You’re doing a fine job, Majesty. I think the Kingdom is finally in good hands.”

Cain’s face reddened a tad with pride. “Thank you, Lord Blackthorn, that pleases me greatly coming from a man like you.”

The older man put his hand on the new King’s shoulder, “If I can be of any help, Majesty just ask. I believe my son would like to speak with you now.”

William lowered his voice and winked. “I think it has to do with your sister.”

Cain nodded, the last thing he wanted to think about was Raygan. He hadn’t had the courage to go and see his sister yet and he really didn’t want to discuss her with Talorn, but he had little choice. He had promised her to the knight and he would fulfill his end of the bargain. He shook Duke Blackthorn’s hand and excused himself. Cain caught the eye of his new general across the room and motioned for Talorn to meet him in the King’s private office across from the council chambers.

“Majesty, may I have a word?” Bishop Lyfair called out as he was heading through the door.

“I have a meeting with Talorn Bishop. What is it?”

“I wanted to know when you would like to have the coronation ceremony Highness. You must be ordained by the Church before you are truly King of Bandara.”

“It will just have to wait, I’m far too busy to bother with it now.”

The Bishop frowned. “But Majesty the Church can’t recognize you until you are properly crowned. Until then, you’re not the true ruler of Bandara in the Eyes of God.”

Cain smiled. “I assure you eminence, only I rule in Bandara.” Cain gave the Bishop a condescending pat on the shoulder and walked away.

“As you wish, Prince Cain,” Lyfair said under his breath.

The council hall had emptied except for William Blackthorn and Bishop Lyfair. The Bishop walked over to his co-conspirator after his unsatisfying discussion with the young Prince. “What is it now, Father? I have a great deal to do today.”

Lyfair looked around then moved closer to Duke Blackthorn and lowered his voice. “You seem very sure that the … incident with the King will go unchallenged.”

“Who’s going to challenge it, Father?”

Lyfair lowered his voice to a whisper now. “I have been thinking the healer Averton perhaps, and there were two of the King’s guard there also. They didn’t see, but they may have heard or suspect what happened.”

“Didn’t you hear, Father? Averton fell from a window in the palace library two days ago. Tragic, I told the staff not to bother anyone with the details since the palace has had enough turmoil and bad news this week.” Blackthorn pushed his chair into the huge table and picked up his cloak. “As for the two guards, they are now on their way to the Bluff. I asked the King if they could take a message there for me as well as the King’s decrees on my new titles and the deeds to the lands Talorn and I have recently acquired.” He leaned close to the Bishop’s ear. “I don’t think those two will be leaving the Bluff, not alive anyway.” Lyfair could only step back and look at the new duke.

The Bishop was shocked by how glib the man was about murder. “God help you, William.”

“He already has, Father, he already has.

Cain sat down at the desk in the King’s office. He would have to change the décor in here, there were too many reminders of his father. He didn’t want anything around that made people remember the weak old man. It was just an irritation he would have to put up with for now. Talorn had followed him in and closed the door.

His general sat down in a chair opposite him. Cain looked at him, “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“Do you remember Morgan Galnic?”

“I do,” the King said. “He was one of the boys that attended riding class with us all those years ago. We spent the summer pretending we were knights. I remember it well. Why?”

“I thought he would be a good choice as a junior officer. I helped him train for the last tournament. He is from a noble family and he’s a good man. I thought of giving him a commission.”

Cain put his feet on his father’s old desk and looked at the ceiling. “Well, Morgan won’t be available to aid you, Talorn. He and his family were among some of the nobles that questioned my right to rule right after father died. They came to the palace and complained that Raygan had been named successor and they supported Father’s insane decree. So I had the whole lot imprisoned. Morgan was among the dissidents. You’ll just have to find someone else.”

“Oh, I didn’t know,” Talorn said hanging his head.

Cain put his feet back on the floor and looked at his friend knowingly. “Was there something else?”

“Have you talked to her yet?”

“No, I haven’t and I don’t intend to anytime soon. If you want to tell her about your impending nuptials, you tell her. If you hadn’t noticed, I have been a little busy.”

Talorn shook his head. “I know you have been occupied with state business, Majesty, and I would talk to her. I just think it should come from her brother the King, besides she ordered me not to come back to see her.”

Cain stood. “Why do you listen to her? I think you are afraid of a tiny fifteen-year-old girl.”

“I am not afraid of anything, Majesty, I just think you should be the one to break the news.”

Cain folded his arms and smiled. “It’s not like she can say no. She will marry who I choose, it’s her duty.”

“I don’t think she will take it well coming from me,” Talorn said.

Cain laughed. “And you think she will be more accepting if I tell her? I nearly killed her a few days ago.” The two men looked at each other and smiled. Both realized neither wanted to talk to the Princess.

“My pardon, Majesty, I must admit I’m a bit nervous, you know my history with women.”

Cain smirked. “You have no history with women. Look Talorn, I know Raygan, whoever tells her she won’t take it well. We need a neutral party to break the news and absorb her initial fury, make no mistake there will be a tantrum. Then after she calms down, you can speak with her about it. Why you want to marry her in the first place is what I would like to know, the girl is a selfish tart.”

“Majesty, please stop insulting her. At least in front of me, I beg you. I have loved Raygan for a long time I just … well you know I have a hard time talking to women. Once we’re together though I think she will come around she’s still young and…” Talorn saw Cain grinning at him. The knight stopped talking, realizing he had been speaking his thoughts.

The new King shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. “I know you must love the little beast, just remember I warned you. Now try to think of someone we can get to telling her.”

Both men sat in silence for a moment. A big smile spread across Cain’s face. “I know just the man for the job.” Cain walked over and jerked open the door. The servants had begun cleaning up the council room across the hall. Cain pointed at one of the men as he walked into the hallway. “You come here.” The young man hurried over to his King.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

Cain looked at Talorn with a grin on his face “Go find Bishop Lyfair and tell him I want to see him.”

Bishop Lyfair’s eyes darted back and forth as he passed down the empty hallway toward the Princess’s quarters. Cain had taken all her servants and guards away. He said it was because Raygan might conspire with them. The real reason was he did not want anyone to see what he had done to her.

The empty hallway was ominous and made the Bishop uneasy. The eerie corridor made him think of the deranged duke and consider the deplorable pact he had made with him. William Blackthorn was a madman that he could do nothing about. He had heartlessly beaten and smothered King Aaron. Now he had all but said he killed everyone else that was in the vicinity of the murder that night.

He wasn’t worried that Blackthorn may try to kill him, there was no need. He was just as guilty as if he had killed the King himself. He had stood by and watched. If they were found out, he would hang right alongside Blackthorn. He had begun to have nightmares about it, dreadful nightmares, he had gotten very little sleep the last few days. Lyfair was an intelligent man, he knew it was his guilt that was causing them. Being sent to talk with the Princess and his nightmares were his penance. God had a way of making people suffer for their sins.