Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) (24 page)

He looked frightened.

***

Thea paced the solarium. This was really going to happen. Aland was really going to send Ulric to his death.

Most of her sisters were in the solarium with her. No one felt like talking. Thea couldn’t pry the memory of Ulric’s face from her mind. She knew, with great certainty, that if he were allowed to die, his face would be the last thing she thought of when she, herself, went to the grave.

How had it come to this? All she wanted was to marry Casimir. When her father thwarted that, she was rightfully upset. How could Catrin put this all on her? Thea had behaved in a fashion that any would see as normal. No one wanted to be separated from the person they loved.

Why was she marked like this? Since this had begun, Thea had been willing to bear the brunt of the responsibility. She had angered a witch. She had not done exactly as the witch had commanded. She had brought a curse down upon them all. Her actions caused Archibald’s death. Her actions put her father’s responses into play.

But when she looked at it logically, she had not done anything all that bad. Her reactions were not out the range of acceptable. She could be faulted for not just closing off her feelings for Casimir when her father made the way of duty clear. Even with that, she was not abnormal. She’d been taken by surprise, and one couldn’t just end feelings because one’s father told them things were different. As rational as this all sounded, none of it took into account the horrid guilt she felt at all times. The way that neither she nor her sisters could eat, or sleep normally.

Catrin’s behavior had been over the top from the moment they met. Why? That was the glaring question. Why? She made disparaging remarks about Aland, so that must be where it started.

It was time to demand that her parents tell her the truth about Catrin. Without speaking to any of her sisters, she left their chambers. She would bet her father and mother were in their sitting room. After the scene in the reception room, she’d want refuge were she them.

She knocked on the door. As expected, Tomas opened it, and stood back to allow her to enter. Her parents were sitting in the chairs near the window rather than at the table.

“Thea. Come in.” Aland’s voice was low.

“Father, Mother.”

“If you’ve come to berate me, please save it.” Aland held up a hand. “I find that I have heard enough for an hour, at least.”

“No, Father, if you understand why others would wish to take you task for this, I have no need to add my voice.”

“Do not speak to your king or your father in such a flippant manner,” he growled.

“I think the time for niceties is past, don’t you?” She put her hands on her hips. “But as I said, I am not here to berate you. I have a question for you and Mother.”

Both her parents looked up at her. “Really? Well, you may ask.” Aland leaned on his hand, waiting.

“I spoke with Mother in the garden the other day. I kept meaning to ask you, but circumstances being what they are, have not done so. What can you tell me about a princess named Catrin?”

Thea did not at all expect the reaction she saw. Ceridwen gasped. Her father dropped his hand and sat up, his face angry, and turning red.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“I overheard someone in the gardens one morning. Saying something about Princess Catrin, and –”

Aland cut her off. “Who was it? That name is not to be mentioned here!” He pounded his fist on the arm of his chair. The action made Thea and her mother jump.

“I don’t remember. I remember that the other person shushed the first speaker instantly, but I noted it. As I mentioned, I wanted to ask you about it earlier, but other things have intervened.” She shrugged. She needed to tread carefully, so as not to expose her own knowledge of Catrin. She was sure Catrin would be delighted to let a chandelier fall on Aland’s head.

“Catrin was a princess from a neighboring land,” Ceridwen said with a look at Aland. “She was most unhappy with many aspects of her life, and because if it, her father removed her from the court and public life. I told you all this, Thea.” It seemed to Thea that her mother was repeating this for her father’s sake rather than hers.

“What kingdom?” Thea asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ceridwen was unexpectedly firm. “To be taken from society as she was is nothing but a sadness. We need not perpetuate it by dredging it up. The kingdom recovered from the loss of the heir. The king passed the kingdom to a close male heir, and the throne was kept safe. That is all that matters.”

“What? Where is the scandal in that?” Thea couldn’t understand. “Why would courtiers shush one another?”

“My father felt for the king deeply. He refused to allow gossip surrounding the man or his poor daughter to light in our court. I have kept to that rule. It is kindness to not bring up old wounds,” Aland said.

Thea could see that he’d relaxed from when she’d first asked.

“Is that the only reason you came here? To ask me of an idle report you overheard in the gardens?” Aland looked at her carefully.

“I would hope that some arrangement could be agreed upon regarding Ulric,” Thea said lightly.

“It has been. The one he and I agreed to.” Now Aland was short with her again.

“Then no, I have nothing else to say. I thank you for your time.” Thea dropped a curtsy and left quickly. As she walked back to her chambers, she thought over what they had said. More importantly, what they had not said.

Her parents were afraid to have Catrin mentioned. They knew there was something bad about her. But what?

She stopped in the corridor. With Ulric condemned, she felt certain she’d see Catrin tonight. This opportunity was just the sort of thing Catrin loved—gloating, taunting Thea, engaging her guilt and making her feel wretched. She’d ask her then.

For the first time since this whole dancing at night affair had begun, Thea was looking forward to it. She just hoped Catrin would be there.

***

Thea took a breath as she and her sisters entered the great hall. She was nervous, and her hands felt sweaty. Her cheeks also felt flushed, although when she’d looked in her glass, she was pale.

She took her place at her father’s side. He was flanked by her and her mother. On her other side sat Sebastian. Ulric and Casimir sat to the left of Ceridwen. She was able to meet Casimir’s eye, and she could see the same worry in him that she felt.

Well, here we all are. All the players lined up neatly in a row
, she thought. Up until this moment, she’d just been trying to go along, to not anger Catrin, to not make things any worse. But all of this, on the heels of the death of Archibald, changed her. She knew that no matter what she did would be wrong in Catrin’s eyes. The situation could not be won.

So it was time to just do what was best for her, her sisters, and her family. To minimize the damage Catrin would be happy to inflict. Tonight that meant she had to try to save Ulric without telling anyone anything that would get them killed. Catrin always harped on the fact that she could change rules on a whim. Catrin also had a grudging admiration for her. She needed to be the princess her father taught her to be and capitalize on that. Up until now, she’d been passive, letting the actions of others determine her course.

Well, no more. She took her seat between her father and Sebastian. Their greetings seemed distracted. Understandable. She herself was greatly distracted. She looked around.

Her father had ordered fewer candles. The room was a little darker and more solemn. It fit the mood. People talked quietly, and many openly watched the head table. The quieter tone was appropriate for the coming events.

Dinner passed in a blur. She kept thinking about the right way to say what she wanted to say without angering her father. He would not appreciate her openly challenging him. However, she could publicly claim that her womanly senses could not let Ulric walk the scaffold steps without, at the very least, trying to put a halt to the insanity. Her father would know it for the ruse it was, but if he was so concerned about her, her sisters, the kingdom, et cetera, he should appreciate the effort she was making.

Such a thought was unlikely to save her in the immediate future. Best to just take a few more deep breaths and get to it. She stood and walked quickly from her place at the head table. Rounding it, she ignored the whispered questions of her sisters.

“Thea!” Sebastian spoke more loudly, less concerned with being discreet. She ignored him as well. Reaching the open space in front of the head table where her parents sat, she stopped and dropped the deepest curtsy of her life. And waited.

The noise level of the hall rose for a moment as people asked what she was about. She stayed down, head lowered, forcing herself to remain completely still. Gradually, even the whispers behind her stopped and the hall itself was quiet.

“Daughter, you may rise.”

Oh, he was angry. She could hear it in the controlled manner of his speech. She lifted her head and met his gaze. He kept his face neutral. But his eyes were angry. Aland didn’t take well to surprises. Her eyes flicked to her mother. Ceridwen looked upset briefly and then quashed it.

“Thank you, Father. I stand before you to beg your indulgence.”

“You may ask, Thea.”

“I am struck with the immense honor that has been paid to me and to all my sisters. That you would care so much for all of us that you would allow brave men to discover the mystery that plagues your cobbler and your court.” A small ripple of laughter followed her words. She didn’t want to make light of the situation, but she knew that humor would keep things from getting too heated. Hopefully.

“Do you find the sacrifice that’s been made for you something to mock or jeer?” Aland raised his brows.

He wasn’t going to make this easy on her. “Not at all, Father. I know the risks involved on many fronts. I am merely complimenting you on being open with the risks. Further, I deeply appreciate the Prince Ulric being willing to take those risks. When a man is willing to give his life for the honor of a lady, it’s imperative that sacrifice be acknowledged. Ulric, on behalf of my sisters and myself, I thank you.”  She turned and faced Ulric, and curtsied deeply, almost reverently, again.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Ulric said quietly.

He probably doesn’t want to get involved in this
, she thought. She had to suppress a smile. She lifted her head and smiled at him then faced her father again.

“With such a great show of honor from all parties, I can do no less. I ask you, Father, to spare the life of Prince Ulric. He is a brave man, and worthy of your benevolence.” The thought that he would die tomorrow forced tears from her. She’d normally wipe them away, but she let them fall down her face, only dabbing at them gently when they’d reached her jaw.     

She stopped speaking. As she’d anticipated, her words caused a babble of voices behind her. She didn’t try and contain them. She just waited, watching her father carefully. In the meantime, more tears fell. She couldn’t help it.

He broke off looking at her, and gazed around the hall. “Your sense of duty and insistence on acknowledging the honor that Prince Ulric has paid you does you credit, daughter. I am glad that you understand what is at stake.”

“I am glad to hear it.” She jumped in before he could speak again. “I do not think that Prince Ulric needs to pay the ultimate price. I think the fact that he was willing to do so says so much for him that indulgence is something he’s earned.”

Aland held up a hand. “We appreciate your compassion for the Prince Ulric. Like you, we are also struck by the willingness of a prince to stand for the honor of our daughters. However, Ulric and I made an agreement not five nights ago, here in this very hall. Witnessed by all present. We both gave our word as surety the terms of the agreement would be met.”

He rose quickly, pulling Ceridwen up with him. “I respect your request, but I cannot allow for it. Ulric and I have made a bargain. Tomorrow we shall finish the terms.” He looked around the hall, a stern expression on his face.

Thea held back from screaming at him. A man’s life for this? She opened her mouth but Aland held up a hand again. “Thank you, Thea, for speaking for Ulric. We honor you for it. Now, however, with what lies ahead, we will retire. As should all of you.” He gave Thea a look that promised this was not over, and led Ceridwen out of the room.

Thea couldn’t believe it. She only just remembered to curtsy as he walked in the opposite direction from where she stood. He clapped Ulric on the back as he left. Ulric himself looked dazed. Before he could move, several guards surrounded him. Thea could see more guards doing the same to the men who’d been with him earlier.

The noise in the hall following the king’s words was deafening. In spite of his out of hand dismissal, she would not give in. She hurried towards the side door he’d left from.

“Father, may I walk with you?” She nearly shouted.

Aland stopped. He didn’t turn around, just stopped. The guards around him halted abruptly. They had to work not to run into either the king or the queen.

“Of course, Thea. You are always welcome to join me.”

“Thank you, Father.” Thea inhaled deeply so that she didn’t sound as though she’d been racing, although she’d run to catch up to him.