Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) (25 page)

He nodded. As they walked towards the royal chambers, he didn’t speak. Thea could almost feel his anger, and she resolved she would not buckle under it. Her father could not hurt her more than Catrin already had, she realized. She nearly came to a halt herself as the enormity of that realization hit her.

              Her father had loomed in her life for as long as she could remember. No one wanted to anger him, because his anger was legendary. He was sharp and quick-witted. To get on his bad side meant not only dealing with his anger, but also his scathing tongue. Nobody ever enjoyed standing up to him.

How did he expect her to be an effective ruler when he’d taught her to allow the anger of one person to control her? Such thoughts made her feel off-kilter and unsteady.

They reached the sitting room, and he nearly took the door off the hinges as he strode in.

“Out,” he said to Tomas and the guards.

Everyone hurried, Tomas closing the door quietly behind him.

Aland had his back to her and her mother. He didn’t speak. Suddenly, Thea was angry.

“Father, I am ashamed.”

“As you should be, Thea!” He rounded on her. He didn’t yell, but his anger was apparent.

She didn’t raise her voice. “Not of myself, Father. Of you.”

Ceridwen gasped.

Aland yelled, “You dare to speak to your father, your king, in such a fashion?”

“I do. Do you not tell your subjects that they can speak openly with you? It’s not true, of course, but you tout it as something you hold true to. I am speaking openly with you.” It was hard when he glared so, but she kept her head up, her eyes on him, and her voice steady. Really, what could he do that would harm her more than Catrin?

“You are always welcome to speak openly with me. I have never stopped you. I will, however, insist that you utilize some manners and decorum and not make our private disagreement public. You did not honor that this evening.”

“I had no choice. If you are going to be so pig headed as to go through with this, you can withstand someone openly challenging your decision.” Thea didn’t know where her courage came from.

“Did you have too much wine this evening, daughter? I cannot see why you would speak so carelessly otherwise.” She could see that Aland was working to calm himself.

“This would probably be better discussed in the morning,” Ceridwen put in. “When tempers are not so high, perhaps.”

“No, Mother. I apologize if I am rude, but this must be said. Father, you will really put a man to death because he cannot find out what happens to our slippers? Do you not hear how ridiculous that sounds?”

Suddenly the rage left Aland. Thea could see that his shoulders sagged. “Do you really think I want to put that poor boy to death? Do you know me so little?”

“I thought I knew you well. Your actions cause me to question that, Father. I have never known you to withhold mercy.”

Aland inhaled. “May the Lord spare me from daughters!” He threw up his hands and walked towards the window.

“Nothing is going to help. You have twelve, and in spite of your roaring, you’ve raised them to be like you.”

Aland didn’t turn around. “Why did you not speak of this with me when we met this morning?”

Thea shrugged, even though Aland couldn’t see her. “You were ready for me to do so. Nothing I could have said would have made an impact. Additionally, that was not why I came. When I considered what you’d said, I felt that making my request publically would be better. For all of us.”

At this, Aland did turn around. “How so, daughter? Please enlighten me to your strategy.”

Ceridwen sat down. Thea met her eyes and held her gaze while she spoke. “Father, what do you think will happen when Ulric takes the scaffold tomorrow?”

Aland narrowed his eyes. “You mean why am I going through with it? I’ll tell you, but you are not off the hook. I thought I made this clear prior, but as you are so concerned,” Thea could hear the sarcasm in his tone, “allow me to share again. I made a request to the kingdom and indeed, to the world at large, to discover what was going on with my daughters. Now on the surface that might seem unwise. However, I’ve learned it’s better to take a potential problem and be open about it from the beginning. Thus, I lessen any stain that some might cast upon all of you. But I must make both the reward and the cost high. Succeed, and one might be a king. Fail, and one will end where we all do. It’s that simple, Thea. You and your sisters are worth dying over, and you need to be viewed as such. There will be scandal attached to you. It’s inevitable. But me allowing a man to die for you makes all of you more valuable than the scandal. You could,” he said, “end all of this and just tell me why your slippers are worn.”

“I cannot tell you one single thing,” Thea snapped. “I am unsure why you don’t listen, other than you have become so accustomed to hearing what you want that you feel if you just keep badgering me, I’ll do the same and give in. What you do not hear is that I can’t. I cannot tell you anything. If you are killing Ulric to drive home that point, then I cannot stop you. But I will tell you nothing, because there is nothing I can tell you.”

“You have said as much. Tell me why you felt asking me in hall tonight was the best thing.”

“You have made much of the honor of you and Ulric, correct?” Thea waited for him to nod. “You are worried about scandal regarding us as well, correct?” He nodded again. “I share your concern. We will be known as the princesses who let men die for slippers. I felt that if I appealed to your compassion publically it would allow you to show mercy and not lose any honor. As well, it would show that my sisters and I are not so heartless as to let a man go to his death without a whimper of protest.”

To her surprise, Aland smiled. “The tears were a masterful touch.”

Thea flared at him. “They were genuine, Father! While I find Ulric far too dramatic and silly, I don’t wish for his death. He’s a good man.”

“I am not negating your feelings, Thea. I am merely saying that the tears enhanced what it was you were trying to do.”

“You are very cynical.” To her horror, she felt the tears again. She’d cried more in the past two months than she had in her entire life. She brushed them away.

“One does not hold onto a throne in a vigorous kingdom without understanding the idea of performing well. It would appear you understand it also, although perhaps have not embraced it as of yet.” He glanced at Ceridwen, who made a sound suspiciously like a smothered laugh.

“Then I hope not to, if one can dismiss a man’s life.”

“I do not dismiss his life. I just cannot spare it, Thea. We made a bargain. He was unable to meet the terms from his side. It’s that simple. I will not castigate you in front of the court, Thea. I will let people know that I appreciate the compassion driving you to stand up to your king. It’s a good trait for a leader.”

“You’re going to kill him.” Her voice was flat.

“I have no choice. I have stated that you and your sisters are worthy of such a sacrifice. If I do not maintain that assertion, your value is decreased. Forever. It’s not just you, Thea. Your sisters still have to make matches. There are plenty of daughters looking for husbands. If I allow you to be devalued, they will suffer for it. I am not at fault here! I am doing what I can to improve a situation I did not create, nor do I understand.”

“I am sorry, Father. We will not come to terms on this. I think you can show mercy. You do not feel you can. Men follow mercy and compassion more readily than they do that which they fear. You yourself taught me that. It is a shame that you cannot live by it.”

Without waiting for him to respond, or dismiss her, she strode to the door and walked out. She heard both her parents call her, but she ignored them and increased her pace. She didn’t want to go round with him anymore. They were both entrenched in their positions. Neither would bend.

She hoped she could get back to her chambers before her sisters came in. Hopefully, they had lingered in hall. Then she could hide in bed until it was time to go below.

She could only pray that her conversation with Catrin would go better, if indeed it happened at all.

***

She made it back before her sisters. Tossing off her gown, she slid into bed and pulled the bedclothes up over her head. Given her luck lately, she was surprised. She half expected the roof to fall in because something had gone the way she wanted.

When they came in, she could hear them talking. Mirabelle must have been close to her, because she heard her say, “Oh! Let’s be quiet. I think Thea’s sleeping.”

She heard them walk away from her bed. That was good. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. Once she knew no one was near her, she pulled down the covers and lay on her back. She wanted to sleep badly, but it wouldn’t come. Her mind felt as though she were on a horse in a never-ending race.

Her sisters began to drift in to lie down before it was time to go below. Thea pretended sleep again. She closed her eyes and thought of Catrin. Doing so seemed to bring an appearance. She might as well tempt the old dragon.

A maidservant came in and lit candles for the lady-in-waiting. Thea rolled in her bed, watching the girl. She couldn’t be more than twelve or thirteen, and looked frightened. To be expected, she supposed. She saw the girl scurry out, and a lady-in-waiting come in, and sit, and she rolled over and went back to sleep.

***

Thea got up, and lighting a candle from one near the maid, she went and dressed. Without thinking, she stomped her feet as she moved back and forth in front of the maid. The snores continued.

Thea woke her sisters. Serafina was the first up.

“Thea, why didn’t you tell us you were going to confront Father? What did he say after you left hall?”

“Oh, the usual. Our honor, his honor, Ulric’s honor. A word couldn’t be broken. My compassion was nice. He didn’t yell as much as I expected, however.”

“I was very proud of you.” Serafina smiled.

“Did the rest of you stay after we left?” Thea asked.

“We did. Adelaide tried to lead us out, but everyone swarmed like mad bees, asking questions. You were much admired.”

“I didn’t do it to be admired. I want Ulric to live.”

“I’m sorry,” Celestria said, coming to stand near Thea. “I wish Father had gone along with your request.”

“We both do,” Thea said. “Well, I am not defeated. I am hoping that we see Catrin tonight.”

“You mean you,” Esmay said. “I have yet to see her.”

“Count your blessings, I never come out better than I started with her. Ever.” Thea said grimly. “She’s maddening.”

“What will you say?” Isobel asked. For the first time in ages, her words were not laced with animosity.

“I don’t know yet. But I am not going to let Ulric go without a fight.”

“Have you formed a tendre for him?” Emaline asked as she passed.

“Heavens, no! I might turn to him and brain him with a platter if I were married to him,” Thea said, laughing. “But it’s not a reason for him to die.” Her laughter faded. “I am sorry, sisters. I can’t believe I am joking about such things.”

“I think, sometimes, if you cannot find a light, the darkness can overwhelm you,” said Sybbl.

Thea noticed that everyone had crowded around Serafina’s bed. “We need to get ready. Come, sisters. Let’s see if we can beard the dragon in her den.”

They hurried away. In short order, everyone filed down the stairway.

Thea smiled, and made the appropriate comment when Roderick spoke to her. She had no clue what she said. It didn’t matter. Roderick wouldn’t care. If she said something out of turn, he’d smile and smooth it over.

After dancing with him for a few songs, she asked him, “Is it possible to step outside for some fresh air?” In all the time they’d been coming down here, she’d not been outside the ballroom.

“Of course!” Roderick beamed at her. “Right this way. I do apologize if I have overtaxed you this evening.”

“Not at all, Roderick. I just find it crowded this evening.”

He looked around with a fond expression. “It is, isn’t it? The Lady’s balls are always well attended.”

Thea looked around. She saw her sisters and their partners, but as always she didn’t see anyone else. Yet the way the princes led her sisters, it was obvious they danced around others. The scope of the magic made her shudder.

“You are cold, my lady!” Roderick had noticed. “After the heat of the ballroom, it’s to be expected. Let me fetch you a shawl.” He hurried away. Thea walked out onto the balcony. The ballroom overlooked the end of the shore where they landed. She could see the opposite shore with its glittering forests in the distance. Everything looked lovely.

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” Catrin glided up beside her. Thea hadn’t heard her approach.

“The beauty is only on the surface as it comes from you,” Thea responded.

“Now, now, Thea. Let’s not start with the insults. I know you want to speak to me.”

“How do you know?” She really wanted to know what Catrin would say, if she would share how she knew.

“Your father has condemned poor, hapless Ulric to die. Your dinnertime pleas did not sway his decision. Of course you are angry with me.”