Queen (Brotherhood of the Throne) (32 page)

“That sounds like him,” Eryl said
grimly. “I’ve warned the Quarter. Every man woman and child is on alert.”

Kane looked over at Eryl in
surprise.

“I told you,” Eryl said. “The
Quarter looks after its own. Brenna is one of us and by naming her his heir,
Beldyn became one of us today too.”

“How many people?”

“Many have left but I’d say there
are at least two thousand people ready to help. Not trained, mind you, but
smart and determined.” Eryl grinned. “And with no love for Duke Thorold or the
Guard. Especially now.”

“Has something happened?”

Eryl sat down and rubbed at his
chin. “The Guard have been all over the Quarter searching for anyone with even
the most remote acquaintance with Brenna.” He shook his head and looked down at
his hands. “Someone talked.” He looked up. “Mistress Took was taken from her
bed this morning.”

“Mistress Took?” Kane asked.

“She owned a laundry that Brenna used.”

“Did she even know Brenna?”

 “That didn’t matter to the Guard.
They took her to the church. A group of witch haters was there.” Eryl looked
away again. “The Guard let them have her. I’m told it took them over an hour to
kill her.”

He hadn’t
planned on telling Brenna but she sensed something was wrong.

“
The
woman who ran the laundry
,” he said when she pressed him. “
Mistress Took
was taken by the Guard and killed
.” He hoped she didn’t want more details
about her death - he didn’t want to tell her that a mob had killed a woman
because Brenna had frequented her business.

“
Because
of me
?” Brenna asked. Her anguish coursed through the old steel. “
But I barely
knew her
.” Brenna paused. “
First Mistress Dudding and now Mistress Took.
We have to stop this
!”

Kane’s
sword glowed and it felt hot under his hand. 

“
And
that’s what we’ll do
,” Kane said. The light from his sword faded. “
First
we’ll save Beldyn.
”

“
You’re
right
,” Brenna agreed. “
Saving Beldyn will be a major defeat to Thorold.
”

“
And it
might make him angry enough to make a mistake
,” Kane said.

It was almost dawn by the time they
had a plan. It was a slow process since Kane had to wait while Brenna talked to
the others. He found himself dozing off at times, his hands wrapped around both
his sword and his knife, waiting for Brenna’s call.

Eventually they all agreed and gratefully
Kane stretched out in the chair, his feet up on the bench. Gaskain, Ewart and
Jemma would be leaving for Kingsreach this morning, as soon as the mounted
troops could be ready.

Gaskain promised to bring at least
one hundred and fifty seasoned men and Kane trusted him on that. They should be
within striking distance of the city by the afternoon on the second day. Three
hundred foot soldiers would follow but they were at least four days away. If the
rescue of Beldyn turned into a full-scale battle with the Kingsguard at least
they would have reinforcements on their way. Kane was comfortable with that. Their
one hundred and fifty experienced men could hold off a larger force of poorly
trained Kingsguard long enough for the foot soldiers to arrive.

Kane shook his head. The Kingsguard
had become such a sorry fighting force so quickly that even
he
discounted them. But not very many were left from his days as captain - more
than half of the men on their way in Brenna’s colours had been under his
command in the Kingsguard.

Kane tossed Eryl the last of the cheese.

“Two days, Eryl, just two more days
of hiding,” he said. “How many will take the safe passage to Fallad?” Marcus
Brunger was to gather as many merchants and their wagons as possible. Kane
wanted every person from the Quarter to have the opportunity to leave
Kingsreach now rather than risk starvation this winter.

“Can’t say. Folk here don’t like
armies any more than they like the Guard,” Eryl said. “My guess is that you’ll
get women and children but many of the men will stay behind. These folk don’t
have much, but they want to keep what they do have.”

Kane nodded. “Anyone who wants to leave
will be welcome.” He’d be especially relieved to help women and children escape
the fate Thorold had in store for them. Thorold only wanted men for his army,
would only feed men. The rest he’d let starve.

It was dawn before Brenna finally
contacted Yowan. He was groggy but he listened to her request with a promise to
forward it on. Dasid had left her room a few minutes ago - she hadn’t needed
him for her talk with Yowan and they all needed as much sleep as they could
grab.

Sighing, she slipped out of her
clothes and lay down on her bed. The morning noises of the inn and the street around
it reminded her of Thieves Quarter and her room at Mistress Dudding’s. She
closed her eyes in sadness. Mistress Dudding had taken Brenna in at a time when
she’d had few friends. She was dead because of it. And now Mistress Took was
dead as well. Was her death a warning or simply an outcome of Thorold’s
frustration and rage that his path to power wasn’t as smooth as he’d planned?  Did
it matter? The woman was dead and others she barely knew were at risk as well. But
Kane was right. The way to keep them safe was to defeat Thorold. Exhausted,
Brenna rolled over and tried to sleep.

eighteen

A bright light shining in her eyes woke
her and she opened her eyes and blinked. The sun slanted in past the top of the
curtain to fall across her face. Brenna reached over and opened the curtain wider
to let the sun shine in on her fully. Stretching, she eased out of the bed and dressed.

By the angle of the sun it looked
to be late afternoon. Her stomach rumbled as she left her room. She tapped
quietly on the door across the hall in case Pater, Wils or Dasid were still
about but there was no answer. After a short wait she headed downstairs.

At this time of day the tavern was
almost empty. She peeked into the kitchen, wondering if her companions might be
there. A single youth sat at a work table, peeling potatoes. He looked up and
shook his head at her, indicating that there was no meal to be had at this time
of day.

The market in any town was always
easy to find, Brenna thought as she followed a laden cart through the narrow
cobbled streets. It took her past what looked like a library and Brenna made a
note to investigate if she had time. She’d love to add new remedies to her pack
and this far north there would be different healing herbs.

The cart pulled into a square and
Brenna stopped to look around. The market was crowded on this cool autumn day -
stalls and carts displayed bright orange and yellow squashes, shiny, red apples
and purple and red-skinned potatoes. She passed the vegetables and stopped
briefly at a stall that sold strips of salted fish and pots of tiny fish
pickled in brine. She sniffed and looked around. There, that cart. She headed
over to it. Fish pies wrapped in parchment steamed over red hot coals. She
quickly bought one and walked towards an empty patch of street, taking a big
bite as she went.

“What are ye doing here, Brenna?” a
voice said close to her ear and she turned.

“Finding something to eat,” Brenna
said around her mouthful of food. Pater nodded as she chewed and swallowed. “I
woke up late and the kitchen at the Whale was closed until supper. How about
you?”

“Me, I miss my old cart’s all. The
fruits and vegetables here are a bit further along seeing as they’re so far
north but they look like they got some good crops in.” Pater steered her to a
cart full of bundles of strange, dried plants. “This here’s seaweed. I heard
about it afore but no merchant ever brought me any.” He fingered a bundle.
“It’s salty, like, but would make a fine addition to a stew I think. Be especially
good in the winter when ye can’t get other greens.”

“I guess it would be,” Brenna said.
She popped the last of her fish pie in her mouth. “Are you going to buy some?”

“Me?” Pater sighed. “No, but I’ll
keep it in mind fer when we get home and I can get my cart back on the street.
Might get Martyn to travel here though, to see what other foods they have that
the Quarter might like.”

“I’m sure he’d like that. He’s a
good lad, Martyn. I told you he’s helping me contact Guild Master Brunger?”

“Yes, he
is
a good lad,”
Pater said. “And real close to his ma. Helps her a lot.”

“Let me know if you want me to tell
him anything,” Brenna said.

“Nah, you know me. I don’t talk
much. If I get all chatty Martyn won’t likely believe it’s me.”

“All right,” Brenna said. She’d
tell Martyn that his uncle said hello, anyway. He’d like that, she thought.

They spent a few more minutes in
the market. Brenna bought and ate an apple before they wandered back to the
White Whale. Wils and Dasid were in the tavern and Brenna and Pater joined
them. For a few hours she felt as thought they were just friends sharing a jug
of ale. Dasid told stories of when he’d been posted to the border and Pater
talked about all the odd foods he’d eaten that had come from Langemore. No one
talked about Duke Thorold, or Beldyn or Brenna being Queen. But then Dasid gave
a signal and they headed back to Brenna’s room to help with Beldyn’s rescue and
the fight to save Soule.

“
Gaskain says they’re ready
,”
Brenna told him.

Kane motioned to Eryl, who nodded
and slipped out the door. One hundred and fifty men of Brenna’s army, more than
half of them mounted, waited just beyond the city along with Gaskain and Duke
Ewart.

“
Please check in with Martyn
,”
Kane said and he felt Brenna’s absence as she focused her attention elsewhere.

“
The High Bishop is still in the
church
,” she said.

“
Then we’ll have to deal with
him
.”

Martyn had been watching the High
Bishop all day. Just after his noon meal Valden had entered the church. If he
stayed inside until the sun went down he’d find himself at the wrong end of
Kane’s sword. As long as it didn’t complicate Beldyn’s rescue, Kane looked
forward to that.

“
Tell Gaskain to give Eryl an hour
before he sends the foot soldiers to the gate
,” Kane said. “
Have him
keep mounted troops back. They can move in quickly once the Kingsguard realize
their mistake
.” Kane waited while Brenna relayed his instructions to
Gaskain. Being able to co-ordinate with his split forces was a huge advantage -
one he doubted Thorold would be able to overcome.

“
Gaskain will be ready
,” she
said.

“
All right. I’m off. I’ll
contact you once I’m in position
.” Kane dropped his hand from his sword
hilt and flipped his cloak over the weapon to hide it. With one last pat at the
beard, he eased out the door. He looked up and nodded in satisfaction. The sun
was starting to sink below the tops of the buildings. The rescue would happen
at dusk when most people around the church would have retired to their homes
for the night.

Kane navigated the alleys through
the Quarter, heading towards the church. He heard shouting and he smiled. When
he emerged onto a street near the edge of Thieves Quarter he saw the mob. It was
small still, but Eryl had promised that it would be large enough and noisy
enough to attract the attention of the Kingsguard. Once the mob was big enough
Eryl would head it in the direction of the castle. The people in the crowd would
spread out and block the streets, trapping the Kingsguard on the castle side,
away from the church.  In the few minutes that Kane stood watching it, the mob
seemed to double in size.

“To the castle!” Eryl shouted. “That’s
where they’ve stored the food!”

The crowd echoed his words. “To the
castle, to the food!”

The mob surged forward, following
Eryl’s raised hand. Kane followed them, staying at the back as the crowd
swarmed through the streets. He dropped back when they passed a street that led
directly to the church. A few minutes later he stopped - the church of the
One-God in plain view in front of him. He gripped his sword and called to
Brenna.

“
I’m at the church. Let me know
where Martyn is
,” he said. A short time later she replied with quick
directions and he retraced his path and approached the church by a different
route.

“Kane, I’m here,” a voice
whispered.

He walked slowly towards it,
scanning the streets and the square in front of the church. He couldn’t see anyone
- no guards, no priests, not witch hunters. He ducked and slid under a wagon, crawling
until he was even with Martyn.

“Anything unusual?” he asked the lad.

“No. A few priests have been and
gone, that’s all.” Martyn said. “Ain’t seen any Kingsguard at all.”

“Good,” Kane said. “Go find Eryl.” He
grasped the lad’s shoulder briefly.

Martyn inched out from under the
cart and then he was gone, leaving Kane to watch the church. Another half hour,
he thought, studying the shadow of the church as it crept toward him across the
square. As dusk deepened two priests stepped out of the church. They lit the lamps
that flanked the doors before they slipped back in, closing the doors behind
them.

“
Brenna
?
” Kane
called. “
Where are Gaskain and his troops
?”

“
They’re about fifteen minutes
away
,” she said. “
They’ve just passed Marcus at the trade gate
.”

“
Good. I’m going into the church
.”
Kane checked the square again before he eased himself out from under the wagon.
He settled his cloak around his sword and headed slowly to the church, stooping
as if walking was painful.

Kane pushed one large door open and
he was face to face with a young man dressed in the long robes of a priest.

“Good evening father,” he said to
the priest, who nodded and stepped aside, allowing Kane to pass.

Kane kept his head down as he skirted
past the man. The priest’s robe hitched and then slid over something before it
hung straight to the floor. Kane selected a pew close to the back of the church
and crept along it until he was in the middle of the row. He sat down and placed
a hand on his sword.

“
I’m in the church
,” he
called to Brenna. “
At least one priest at the door is wearing a weapon
.”

“
I’ll let Gaskain know
,”
Brenna replied.

 He counted four more priests who
he thought were carrying swords. They were all young and stood at attention as
they scanned the worshippers. Three older priests were bowed in prayer, their
eyes on the floor in front of them.

Kane bent his head to wait. Brenna
would contact him once she’d heard from Martyn and Eryl. A few more worshippers
left the church and Kane started to worry. Had Martyn been able to reach Eryl? 
He slipped his hand to his sword pommel.

“
Brenna
,” he called. “
Any
word from Martyn
?”

“
None
,” she replied. “
Should
we be concerned
?”

“
I’m not sure
,” Kane said,
but something felt wrong. “
I can’t wait any longer. Where’s Gaskain
?”

“
Gaskain has surrounded the
square
,” Brenna said. “
He’s ready to start the assault on the church
.”

 “
Good
,” Kane said, thinking
hard. “
We’ll have to assume that the Guard have caught up with the mob. Barton
can’t have more than one hundred and fifty men on duty. Let’s assume another
two hundred and fifty in the barracks
.” They had to hope that Thorold and Barton would commit as many men as possible to quelling the “riot”. It would
be harder to pull the Guard away once they were embroiled in a conflict.

 “
Should we give Eryl and Martyn
a few more minutes
? Brenna asked.

Kane heard the worry in her tone
but there was nothing he could say to ease her concern. He bent his head lower in
prayer, although he called on Jik rather than the One-God. “
No. I have no
more time. Gaskain could be discovered at any moment. Give him the signal
.”

In a few minutes he heard the
sounds of running feet on the cobblestones outside the church. The doors were
flung open and Kane saw the gray uniforms of Gaskain’s men as they entered the
church. Two priests drew swords and were quickly cut down. Kane left his pew
and hurried towards the door that led below to the High Bishop’s rooms. He
grabbed at the door just as a priest slipped through it, attempting to shut the
door after him.

“You watch the door, I’ll get more
help,” Kane said and stepped past the priest. As he’d hoped the man responded
to his orders and Kane raced down the stairs.

“The church is under attack!” he
called out. A priest stood at the bottom of the stairs and Kane grabbed his
robe. “Father, you must help. There’s only one priest holding the door against
them. He sent me to get help and warn the High Bishop.”

The sound of splintering wood
echoed down the stairwell and the priest looked up, startled. There was a shout
from the top of the stairs and the priest turned wide eyes to him and pointed
to a room down the hall.

“The High Bishop is in there. Save
him,” the priest said before he dashed up the stairs.

Kane flicked his cloak over the pommel
of his sword to make sure it was hidden. He loped down the hall way pounding on
two doors and shouting for help along the way. Three priests came out of the
rooms and then hurried up the hall towards the sounds of fighting. Then Kane
was in front of the final door. He raised his fist to pound on the wood but the
door opened and a Kingsguard glared at him, his sword drawn.

“What do you want?”

“The church is under attack,” Kane
said. “I was told to warn the High Bishop.”

The expression on the Guard’s face
went from annoyance to surprise when he heard the sounds of shouting that trailed
down the hall from the stairs. When the Kingsguard turned Kane tried to slip
past him and into the room.

“Where are you going?” the Guard
asked. He clamped a hand on Kane’s arm and closed the door with his other hand.

“High Bishop,” the Guard said. “There
appears to be fighting on the stairs and this man warns of an attack. I’ll take
one other Guard to investigate.”