Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne) (23 page)

BOOK: Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne)
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Thorold
had
never deluded himself into thinking that he wanted the throne for his heirs. Siring
a dynasty would certainly ensure his place in history but what did he care
about what people thought of him? What was important to him was the power he
was able to wield. Right now it was absolute and he meant to keep it that way.
Beldyn had been a convenient way to access the authority of the throne but he
wasn’t needed to keep it. Not needed at all. Thorold had another son and he himself
could always marry again and father more children. Ridding himself of his wife
would be far simpler than ridding himself of Beldyn, although even that wasn’t
impossible. As long as one of his offspring was the heir, he didn’t care which
one.

The carriage slowed to a stop and
the driver dismounted and opened the door. Thorold stepped out and wrinkled his
nose at the smell of stale urine and peat smoke. Such an unsavory part of town,
he thought as Beldyn exited the carriage. It would be no loss if some of them
starved over the winter. A welcome cleansing, really.

“Captain Barton,” Thorold said.
“There’s no need to be quiet. Announce our presence.”

Thorold
waited with Beldyn, surrounded by guards, as Barton entered the inn. A few
minutes later he returned dragging a large man in a food-encrusted apron. Thorold sneered as the man was brought before him.

“This is the innkeep, my Lord, your
Majesty,” Barton said. “We questioned him a few days ago of course but he was
not especially forthcoming. We were hoping his friends would come back to save
him but no-one’s been seen.”

“Your so-called friends have
abandoned you, have they?” Thorold stepped closer to the innkeep. “I guess they
… Pah.” The innkeep spat at him and he felt the trickle of spittle on his face.
Thorold’s hand connected with the innkeep’s face and the man dropped to his
knees. “Captain, control your prisoner!” Thorold took a cloth from his vest and
wiped his face. He threw the cloth at the innkeep as the man struggled to his feet.

“You will tell me who was staying
at your inn,” Thorold said. He nodded and a second guard stepped forward and
hit the innkeep even harder. Blood trickled from the man’s mouth. Thorold glanced over at Beldyn to gauge his reaction.

“Beldyn, I assume you don’t want
this man to suffer. At least not if he’s innocent, like the girl.”

Beldyn’s lips tightened but he
didn’t say anything.

“Then the only conclusion I can
make is that you know that this man is guilty. Captain, deliver him to the High
Bishop. Tell him that there’s no reason for him to spare any methods of
interrogation.”

Beldyn looked away and Thorold
smiled.

“Ye can do whatever ye want t’ me,”
the innkeep shouted, glaring up at him. “It won’t change nothin’. You need t’
be watchin’ yer back, Duke Thorold, that’s my advice t’ ye.”

“Captain, get him out of here,” Thorold said. He was aware of a few curtains twitching in windows along the street. “He’s
gone mad.”

“I ain’t mad, ye’ll see. She’ll
come, the queen will, ye’ll see.”

“Queen, what queen are you talking
about old man?” Thorold felt his anger rise. When the innkeep continued
shouting, furious, Thorold kicked him in the mouth. “If you mean that brat who
calls herself my granddaughter, she’s no threat to me. She can’t even get back
into town, let alone threaten me.”

“A lot you know about it.” The
innkeep spat blood onto the ground. “She been in town a few times, her and her
man. The Quarter’s got one of its own lookin’ out fer us, a queen who’s got
more power than you do.”

Thorold
aimed another kick at the man’s head. The blow landed solidly with a sickening
crunch and the man fell onto the cobbled street.
How dare he talk about the
witch like that?
He toed the innkeep’s head and it rolled limply to the
side. She would not beat him, she could not.

Barton crouched beside the innkeep.
“He’s dead, my Lord,” he said.

“He admitted to harboring those who
are plotting treason. You all heard it,” Thorold said, looking at the guards
who ringed the scene. “Leave the body as a warning.” He turned toward the
carriage but stopped when he heard Beldyn’s laughter.

“You can’t even best one old
innkeep,” Beldyn said.

Thorold raised his arm, ready to
strike him.

“You might not want to be seen
hitting your king in anger,” his son said to him, all the laughter gone from
his voice. “I doubt even your loyal guards would be comfortable with that.”

Thorold lowered his arm, seething
with rage. He grabbed one of the carriage torches, strode over to the inn, yanked
the door open and tossed the burning torch inside. He slammed the door shut and
walked slowly back to face his son.

“Now others will suffer for your
actions,” he said quietly and climbed into the carriage. “I suggest we be off,
Captain. This part of town may be rather uncomfortable in a few moments.”

Flames flickered through the
windows of the inn and Thorold smiled. His enemies would find no safe haven
here if they came back again. His eyes narrowed when Beldyn climbed into the
carriage. His son seemed to think he had some power. A short visit with the
High Bishop would no doubt be help to set him straight but Beldyn was correct.
He could not be seen as the cause of any harm to his king - at least for now. He
needed a plan to be in place before Beldyn could be disposed of. Thorold took one look back as they drove away. The roof of the inn had caught fire and the
neighbors were finally emerging onto the street.

thirteen

 

 

Kane watched from the shadows as
the carriage drove off. He hadn’t been able to hear the conversation but it had
not been to Thorold’s liking. Beldyn had been angry, that had been apparent in
the way he stood and Thorold had obviously threatened to hit him. It was probably
time to get Beldyn to safety, although without a safe haven himself Kane wasn’t
sure what help he could give to Beldyn. He could be sent to Fallad, he
supposed, or perhaps even Aruntun. Thorold would never be able to get to his
son if he was there.

Kane slipped into the small crowd
that had gathered and pushed his way to the front. He leaned over the body of
the Crooked Dog’s innkeep and sighed. Reaching down, he closed the man’s eyes
and tried to straighten his arms and legs.

“He wouldn’t have wanted to live
without the Dog,” Kane heard a familiar voice say beside him.

“Eryl, I’m glad to see you,” Kane
replied, his voice low. “Unfortunately this was the better alternative for him.
I think Thorold was sending him to the High Bishop.”

“Ah, so he provoked him,” Eryl
said. “He said so little that I often wondered what he knew. I’m going to miss
both him and the Dog.” Eryl nodded to the inn which was now completely engulfed
in flames. “But they’ll be remembered as true to the Quarter.”

“The Quarter looks after its own,”
Kane murmured. “What now?”

“My lads are getting bucket lines going.
Barrels of water have been hidden all around the neighbourhood. We’ll let the
Dog burn and hopefully save the rest. Come on, we need to let them take him.”
Eryl nodded and a group of men gently grabbed the body of the innkeep and
hoisted him off the ground. The crowd parted to let the men and their burden
pass. Eryl grabbed Kane’s arm and tugged him in the opposite direction.

“Barrels are stored this way,” Eryl
said.

 

It took them well into the night
and they lost two other buildings, but eventually the people of Thieves Quarter
were able to put out the fire. Kane and Eryl left Larkly and Millen in charge
of the final clean up and headed off to the Sheaf.

“You think Mistress Mundy will
allow me in?” Eryl asked. “She never did like me.”

“She’s coming around some,” Kane
said, trying to clear some grit from one of his eyes. “She told me a few times
already.”

 Kane led the way through the back
gate to the Sheaf. He stopped when he saw the yard alight with the glow from
the windows of the tavern.

“Wait here,” he said to Eryl and
crept up to the side of the inn.

“You might want to remember at
times like this that I am a thief,” Eryl whispered from his side. “I’m more
skilled at this type of work than you. Besides, I’m more expendable.” Kane was
so surprised that when Eryl pushed him to the ground he stayed there. 

In a few minutes Eryl was back at
his side.

“It seems that the fire has brought
the Quarter back out,” Eryl said. “The talk inside is of not letting Duke
Thorold or the High Bishop ruin them any more. I’m not sure we want these men
full of drink and out on the streets.”

“No, it could cause trouble,” Kane
said. “Can you find a safe place for me to stay for a few days? I think I can
calm this crowd down but I don’t want so many people knowing I’m staying here. Some
of them will talk, no matter what.” Eryl frowned at him and he continued. “They
won’t do it maliciously, Eryl, but they’ll talk. Someone will boast that he
knows what’s going on because he heard it from my own lips. And they’ll say it in
front of the wrong people. That will be dangerous for me. For you too.”

“You think you can get these men
under control?”

“I spent years managing men and as
my uncle always said, there isn’t a group of men more dangerous or unruly than a
squad of half-trained soldiers,” Kane said. “I can talk sense into them.
Besides, I think it’s time we showed our hand and let the people know they
aren’t on their own.” Kane remembered how grateful Mistress Mundy had been when
he’d confirmed that Brenna was the chosen queen. Thorold could take a lot of
things from the people of Kingsreach but one of the most powerful things he’d
taken was hope. Kane could give it back to them.

 

Kane stood calmly at the front of
the tavern room. He’d asked Mistress Mundy to start watering down the ale an
hour ago and though she disliked sullying her reputation as an honest innkeep, she’d
done it. She’d also set out what food she had - cold meat, cheese and bread.
The forty or so men who were crammed onto every chair and stool were a little
more subdued by the time she took the empty platters back to the kitchen.

Kane stepped forward and waited. As
men noticed him the room slowly quieted. On last customer was shushed by a
neighbour.

“Citizens of Kingsreach,” Kane
said. “Thieves Quarter has been threatened tonight. The rest of Kingsreach will
be next and after that all of Soule will be in danger.” It was dead quiet now and
Kane walked to the middle of the room.

“My name is Kane Rowse. I was the
Captain of the Kingsguard, as was my uncle before me and his father before him.
Six generations of Rowse’s guarded the king and his subjects. Six generations
upheld the laws. Six generations were proud to serve, and die, for our king and
our country. But no longer. Duke Thorold has twisted the crown, twisted the
laws, and twisted the church to suit his own ends. I refuse to serve him.” Men
muttered their agreement and Kane paused until the room was silent again.

“Now a prophecy is in motion,” he
said. “A prophecy foretold over two thousand years ago and forgotten by all but
those who have sworn to uphold it. I am one of those who have so sworn. My
family and the Brotherhood of the Throne have waited for over two thousand
years for this prophecy.

“A queen has been crowned in
Fallad. A queen who has the support of the Duke of Fallad and the Duchess of
Aruntun. A queen who wants all those who live in Soule to live free and safe
from harm, whether the threat be from outside or inside the country.”

“What’s this queen going to care
about those like us,” came a shout from the back. “None of them cared afore.”

“I can’t say she likes every single
one of you,” Kane said. He shook his head and smiled. “But it’s quite possible
she knows you. Queen Brenna Trewen is better known to you as the thief and
healer Brenna Lightfingers.”

“I don’t believe it,” a man shouted
from a corner. “Asides, she’s been dead for over a year. Killed right in this
inn.”

“A healer was killed here,” Kane
said. “But it wasn’t Brenna. We needed the church to believe that they had
killed her, but both Eryl Fentin and Mistress Mundy know the truth. Mistress
Mundy?”

“What he says is true,” the woman
said. A rumble of questions drowned her out.

“Let her speak,” said a man near the
front. “I trust her, she’s one of our own.”

“I was with Brenna in the kitchen right
after the other lass was killed,” Mistress Mundy said. “And it was Captain
Rowse who helped Brenna get away and hide. I only found out she was named queen
myself a few days ago when Kane Rowse come to the Sheaf on the run from Duke
Thorold. He’d been staying at the Crooked Dog.” When she said that all heads
swiveled to stare at Kane and he felt the mood change from suspicion to hope.

“The rumors been true then,” said
the man at the front. “The Dog was the headquarters for a group fighting the
Duke.” Kane simply nodded.

“I’ll swear to that,” Eryl said. “Now
the innkeep’s been killed by Duke Thorold and the Dog’s been burned to the
ground.”

Kane stepped forward. “But we won’t
let that stop us. As we saw from tonight Duke Thorold is dangerous.” Kane
smiled. “But so are we. And we countered him effectively. We lost only a few
buildings in the Quarter to fire, and no-one else died.”

“What about the innkeep?”

“He understood the risks he was
taking and accepted them,” Kane said. “He felt that saving the Quarter and the
city from Thorold was worth his life. I say it’s up to us to make sure we don’t
squander his sacrifice. To do that we need to win in the end. And that means
that every move is calculated, every success builds into another, bigger win.
That does not mean we run out and storm the castle and make Duke Thorold aware
that there is a real resistance. We don’t want him to set every building on
fire, which he will if he feels we are a threat.”

Kane paused and looked around the
room. Men stared back at him, many nodding in solemn, sober agreement.

“I ask that you go back to your
homes, back to your families, back to your lives,” Kane continued quietly. “But
know that change is in motion. And we need you to be prepared - leave
Kingsreach if you can or stockpile food before winter.” He glanced over at
Eryl. “And if Eryl asks for something from you, do your best to help him. He
knows what and who to trust. Thorold cannot hold out against us if we hold
together.” 

 

“Well done, Kane,” Eryl said as
they headed back to the kitchen.

The tavern had quickly emptied once
Kane had finished speaking. A few had stayed behind to ask questions and Kane
had let Eryl answer most of them - he wanted to reinforce Eryl’s authority.

“Thanks. I could use a real drink
now, though. I believe Mistress Mundy keeps a fine brandy in the kitchen. If we
ask nicely she may share with us.”

Mistress Mundy was more than happy
to pour them each a glass of brandy. Kane sipped his slowly going over his speech
and the reaction to it.

“Do you think that’s done it?” he
asked Eryl

“I thought you were just going to
calm them down and keep them from causing more trouble tonight,” Eryl said.
“Instead you’ve given them a sense of purpose and hope.” Eryl raised his glass
in salute. “Yes, you’ve done it. By noon tomorrow everyone in the Quarter will
have heard about this. Brenna is one of ours and the Quarter takes care of its
own. They’ll stand behind us, all of them.”

 “Good,” Kane finished his brandy
and stood. “We need to get out of here. I hope you have someplace close for us
to hide. It’s almost light and I don’t want to be caught on the streets after
dawn. Let me just grab my few things and thank Mistress Mundy.”

 

Kane trailed Eryl through the
streets of Thieves Quarter. They kept to alleys and yards, once even sneaking
through an abandoned house. Eventually they arrived at a run-down stable that
looked like it hadn’t been used for horses in decades. Eryl led him into a
small room that was attached to it.

“It’s not much but it’s as safe as
anything in the Quarter,” Eryl said as he pushed open the door. “Me and the
lads have been keepin’ this place stocked for years now, in case we ever needed
it.”

“This will do,” Kane said as he
entered the small room. The raw wood had grayed with time and the single pallet
looked flat and worn. A chair was pulled up at a long low table and a small
bench sat against one wall. Two full lamps and a flint sat on the table. “Who
else knows about it?”

“Just me, Larkly, Millen and
Brenna.” Kane raised an eyebrow and Eryl continued. “Was Brenna’s idea - she
found the place.” Eryl grinned. “She caught Millen planning to meet a woman
here once and near tore his head off. Neither him nor Larkly attempted that again.”

“Even since Brenna’s been gone?”

“Now they know she’s a witch?” Eryl
shook his head. “They’re even more afraid of her. Figure she can read their
minds or something. Here,” Eryl picked a blanket up off the pallet and shook it
out. “Your choice, floor or bed.”

“I’ll take the floor,” Kane took
the blanket. At least it seemed reasonably clean. “Or maybe the chair.” He
pulled the chair up to the bench, sat down and stretched his feet out onto the
bench. He unbuttoned his borrowed vest and drew the blanket over him. Then his
training kicked in and he fell asleep.

 

Brenna leaned back on the wagon
seat trying not to slide forward. She should be walking, she was more than
capable, but both Dasid and Pater insisted she stay on the wagon. She would
have ignored them except that Dasid said she could contact Kane tonight if she
conserved her energy and drew some of his. And Brenna desperately wanted to
talk to Kane, to hear him tell her that he was safe.

The feeling she’d had that she’d
missed telling Kane something important had intensified and then – suddenly -
disappeared last night. What if there’d been a disaster - one she could have,
should
have
, prevented? What if that had put Kane in danger?  She needed to talk
to him.  

“Brenna.” Dasid rode up to her, a
serious look on his face. “The forward scout has come back. We have company on
the trail heading this way. In about three hours they’ll be on us.”

“Wagons?’ Brenna asked.

“No. It’s Thorold’s militia. About
twenty men on horseback. I’ve sent another scout to find a place to stop and
hide if possible - otherwise we’ll need to turn around. The clearing where we camped
last night will do but it we’ll be hard pressed to get that far. Brenna.” Dasid
peered at her intently. “I need to know if you are recovered enough to hide the
whole group, wagon included.”

BOOK: Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne)
13.84Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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