The Royals

Chapter 9

Maarcus leaned against the wall. All his bluster escaped in a whuff of breath. 'I've known that girl since she was an infant. Her father had a premonition, nothing more than a feeling really. He feared a coming war and with good reason.' He looked past the prince to something only he could see. 'Henry, he left her care to me if anything should happen to his near kin. I've failed both him and myself.' His voice cracked. 'Most of all I've let down Ceeley.'

'Do you want to go find her?'

'Out of the question. You need me here.'

'If I gave you leave?'

'You yourself just said we can't allow our personal concerns to take priority. No, I belong here.'

'Doing what? Teaching me poor technique? Your grandfather could do me more good shouting from the next room.'

The other blushed

'Listen, Maarcus, you've got a skill. I know you detest skulking about, but I could use you out there. Just this morning, I received news of trolls heading toward The Cliffs.'

'If that's so, then I'm one of the Seven Sisters.'

'I agree. Then again…' Henry spoke in earnest now. I can't imagine how it's possible to stage a troop movement in this weather, but I'd like someone reliable to verify or deny the rumors. If they're true, we've got to act before they reach us. We're too vulnerable here. No one is prepared.'

'Are you sure this isn't chasing after shadows?'

'No, no I'm not. I'll tell you this, however. I can smell the witch is up to something. My skin crawls with it. We need to have someone who can quickly ferret out her plans and live long enough to pass along what he's learned. You're my best hope, Maarcus. If using Ceeley as your cover allows you to actually find the child in the process, no one will be more pleased than I.'

'I might be useful at that.'

'You'll need to go soon if we hope to learn anything in time to prepare our defenses.'

Last of the four to arrive at their private noonday meal as usual, Walther noted a shift in seating since yesterday. Now Henry claimed the head which had been vacant. Kate sat to one side and Maarcus the other. Despite the changes, a funeral wake would have been more lively. Everyone silently picked at the food, examining it for signs of poison and tossing out anything suspect. With Ceeley so much on his mind, Walther wasn't inclined to improve their spirits.

'Why didn't you alert us sooner?' Maarcus asked before Walther had settled into his chair.

'Why didn't you check in on her once in a while! Walther blasted back.

'Shut up, both of you. Accusations don't help.' Kate's pained voice broke through the bickering. We're having the entire castle searched. We'll find Ceeley.'

Walther glared at Maarcus but held his tongue. The Shoreman did the same.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Please' She motioned to the sideboard laden with stale bread and more of the morning's stew.

Walther rose to serve himself. Are you sure it's safe?'

The prince speared a bit of potato. 'I scooped it from the common pot myself.'

Kate laughed in spite of the dire situation. 'I'll wager that got them talking.'

'No worse than the murdered cook.'

Walther looked down at his food. What little appetite he'd had fled. Nonetheless, the dwarf forced himself to swallow the tasteless broth.

'Maybe we should just give over the kitchen to the refugees,' Maarcus said. Though his bowl was full, his spoon and fork still lay clean on the table.

'And poison them!' Kate was appalled.

'No, that's not what I meant. I was thinking someone should be eating this and they might as well since they're on such short rations already.'

Walther dropped his spoon. 'That's it!'

'What? You've decided to give up food?'

'No, that's where Ceeley went! She wanted someone to play with and I promised I'd ask about it. When I found her gone, I completely forgot.'

'Walther, are you saying she's gone out to look for other children?'

The dwarf nodded at the princess. 'I'm sure of it. We spoke about the refugees just yesterday. Their leader, Lyda? I hear she keeps a record of all the comings and goings there. She'll know where Ceeley is.'

The prince looked stricken. 'I received word this morning that Lyda was called away on an urgent mission. The place is in complete turmoil, with different factions arguing over who's best suited to claim her role.'

'Any more good news?' Kate asked.

'Someone broke into the store room during last night's storm. We caught the traitor, but not before some of his fellows made off with several barrels of flour. We can all expect the soup to get thinner.'

'Thanks for that cheery bit, Maarcus.'

'Ceeley was probably outside during the st-' 'No, I won't hear it.' Kate cut him off. 'We will find her and she will be fine.' She clipped each word precisely and no one wanted to argue with her.

Henry went to the sideboard for a second serving, then returned to his place. Walther and Kate followed him. Finally Maarcus picked up his spoon and began to eat.

Walther shut out his worries and used all his concen tration to keep the soup down. Silence was so thick he nearly dropped his spoon when the prince spoke.

'I've been thinking we could use better reconnaissance, so I've asked Maarcus to go out on an assignment for me.'

Maarcus pushed away his meal with obvious relief. 'Grandfather confirmed your report of a massive group of trolls moving our way. A mercenary by the name of Wanton Tom brought the news this morning.'

'Wanton Tom, huh? I wonder what he's doing here?"

'You know him, Kate?' the prince asked.

'Never really met him, but he's gathered something of a reputation over the years. You remember, Henry. He's the one who travels with a dragon. Has a daughter who briefly attempted your rescue…'

'Yes, right, of course.' Henry was tight-lipped.

Walther wondered again why the young mage had risked her life to help an uncrowned prince, then aban doned him in the midst of battle. It seemed that she and the prince himself were the only ones who would ever know.

'Maarcus, you might want to talk with this man before you leave.'

The Shoreman nodded.

'I'd like to go as well,' the princess announced.

'By all means, see what you can find out from him.'

Kate shook her head. 'That, too, but I mean I want to go with Maarcus.'

Absolutely not!'

'What's the matter? Can't bear my company?'

'It's not safe."

'As if poisoning is. If it comes to it, I'd prefer to die at the end of a blade. Anyway,' Kate continued. 'I can't stay here."

'Now don't start that again.' The wrinkles formed in Henry's brow. 'If I can bear the transformation from lap-dragon to prince, you can certainly manage

"That's not it. Abadan and I…'

'Again? I thought you were going to apologize."

The princess gripped her fork like a weapon. 'So did I. Apparently I remind him of someone else, someone he doesn't like.' The prince's frown deepened. 'That's ridiculous. You're the one he's been seeking for more than a generation.'

'I don't think he's altogether pleased with what he found. I'd like to go,' she repeated.

Maarcus said, 'Go or stay, let's get back to the topic. Trolls have been sighted at least twice and it seems they're coming in our direction.' He spoke with assurance, in his element now. I need to leave directly, today if possible. You'll tell any who notice that I'm looking for Ceeley.'

'We,' Kate stressed, 'we need to leave soon.'

'Kate . . .' Maarcus turned to the prince for help.

'She's never listened to me. You're on your own here. Besides, I think you'll have better odds of surviving together."

'Maarcus, this is what I'm good at.' A trace of her old confidence shone through.

'Sneaking around you mean.'

'If you want to put it that way, yes.'

They're like soldiers, Walther realized. Both the Shore man and the princess needed to be moving. The waiting was sapping their strength more than the poor food and bad weather. The dwarf spoke up. 'I agree that it makes sense for Kate to go. The elfwitch is behind this and we need to know what it is. She'll be able to detect things you can't, Maarcus.'

'If you're alluding to my lack of talent with things magical, I've survived perfectly well without it this long.'

'Maarcus, Walther is right. My sister can cover your back with her understanding of the enemy as well as with a sword. I depended on it for years.' The prince's honesty seemed to convince the Shoreman where simple logic could not. 'As you I wish. We travel together.'

'Thank you,' Prince Henry answered sincerely.

To Walther, the man's skill and style appeared very kingly indeed.

Tom felt like an i***t. Grosik wasn't helping- gung-ho to drop Ginni at Abadan's feet one minute and all but unwilling to come within firing range of the capital in the next.

The mercenary sat at their pleasure, awaiting the chance to repeat his story for the very princeling Ginni had tried to rescue. Tom kept his mind on his empty belly and sore feet. Better to think about commonplace body gripes than worry over his daughter or give in to his rising impatience.

'The Old Grouch could've at least tried to find a more hospitable trail to set me down,' he grumbled to the empty room.

Finally a whole crowd arrived to stuff themselves into the tiny room. Seeing Maarcus the Sixth and the magician for the second time in one day lessened his surprise at their decline. It wasn't just that they were both a little more grey and wrinkled. It was the trace of defeat creeping into the physician's posture and the look of suspicion that replaced the air of command in Abadan's gaze.

By contrast, the prince moved like a man meant to rule. Apparently he'd shed his doubts along with the elven robe when they battled with the elfwitch. He led the others into the room and took up position where he could see the door. The younger Maarcus followed his grandfather. The eternal Shoreman's chip remained fixed on his shoulder but his smile held less cockiness than Tom remembered. Loss comes to us all, Tom thought.

The way the woman carried herself, she seemed the perfect mate for Maarcus. At first Tom thought her no more than that until he caught how closely her features mirrored those of the prince. She'd be the mercenary turned princess then. Tom would bet she kept at least one knife hidden in her clothing. Plainly she preferred her former profession over the current calling.

The last of the group was a dwarf. The man's shock white hair suggested someone much older, yet the dwarf's walk and skin both held the springiness of youth. Ginni would have been able to uncover this one's role, but Tom settled for knowing better than to dismiss anyone so soon in the game. He nodded a respectful greeting to the dwarf, just as he had with the others.

No one bothered to make introductions.

'My advisors tell me you've seen something I should know about.'