The Royals

Chapter 5

Roslin's murder had freed stray thoughts and random wisps of sorcery without giving them order. It was as if she never expected Ginni to control them as if she had assumed she herself would always command her daughter's muscle, wits, and magic. Ginni needed someone else to look into her mind and guide her through all the forgotten bits magically locked inside. Someone else must teach Ginni which notions were her own.

Until she understood her mother's legacy and bowed it to her own will, she could not put herself in the hands of any man. Thus, she had faced into the wind and begun her descent down the mountain with only stars and her own magic to light her way.

Now the afternoon shadows grew long. Ginni must move or risk dying from the cold. The proud (some said 'stubborn') daughter of a powerful mage and an extraordinary mercenary resumed her urgent journey. She would travel through the deepsnows of the high mountain pass as quickly as she could until she reached the one place Grosik had wished to avoid because the witches had rejected her mother for her rebelliousness. It seemed to make no sense, but she was compelled to go to the valley which protected the Tower of the Forty-nine Mages.

Walther was still trying to get the horseback riding kinks out of his neck when he settled Ceeley in the main hall and hobbled in to join the royal twins and Maarcus for lunch.

All three had pushed away their food as if distance could make it more palatable. Then the dwarf noticed the physician's man standing at attention in the corner. 'Something wrong?'

'Nothing fasting won't cure,' the prince said.

'Henry!' his sister admonished.

'What would you have me do? Jump up and down, hollering "assassin" for all the palace to hear?'

The servant blushed.

'Not your fault,' he told the man. 'Under the circum stances, a little ruckus was a good thing.' He turned to Maarcus. 'We're losing too many who are loyal to us. Kate's chambermaid, your valet, now the cook. It's time we do something about these pretenders.'

'We could always go back to being mercenaries,' Kate suggested. It was safer when we only worried about protecting other people from assassination.' Henry locked eyes with her for a moment. 'Yes, well was all he said but the dwarf would swear it meant more. 'Too bad you missed the first course, Walther,' the prince explained. He waved at the full plate. 'It was laced with an unusual spice.

' 'Poison?'

The prince nodded.

'And the cook?' the dwarf asked.

'He sure isn't sleeping with an extra smile in his neck,' the Shoreman snapped.

'Maarcus! No need to shout at Walther.'

'Why wasn't he here?".

'Don't be ridiculous. Why weren't your grandfather and the magician here?

'Sorry, Walther.' The Shoreman's apology was immedi ate and seemed sincere.

The dwarf tipped his head in acknowledgment, but he wasn't altogether ready to forgive him. His temper was too hot for a man come of age in such dangerous times.

'I feel responsible,'

Maarcus said, by way of defending his rudeness. This happened on my watch. I've known the cook since childhood and knew he was incorruptible. I got lazy and forgot that others wouldn't consider his loyalty to their benefit.'

'Maarcus, no one blames you for this-'Kate started.

'I do.'

'Henry!'

'It's not personal, Kate. His oversight endangered us all equally. The prince offered a sad smile, then he added, 'And I doubt Maarcus is looking for an untimely retirement from his current duties any more than we are.' He paused, his grim look holding their attention. 'But Kate, Maarcus is right. He should have expected this sort of thing and taken steps to avoid it.'

The Shoreman stood and bowed formally as he spoke to the floor. 'Prince, I've failed you. I give my life into your hands.'

A shocked silence fell over the room.

Henry glared at Maarcus while the others gaped at the prince.

Voices shouted over clanging dishes in the adjoining hall. Time hung suspended inside the small room and no one moved.

He is the reigning prince, Walther thought. He could sacrifice the man if he chose.

Finally, Henry slapped the man on the back. 'Oh, get up. Now you're being ridiculous. I'm merely pointing out the stakes. We are all too casual with our safeguards. The physician and Abadan cannot carry on the fight without us.'

Red-faced with shame, Maarcus returned to his seat.

Walther felt a new respect for Prince Henry. Just as the dwarf's own encounter with the elfwitch had aged him, so had the prince's. Alvaria had destroyed their reckless wanderlust; they had become more settled, more directed in their actions. In contrast, Kate and Maarcus still approached the elfwitch's onslaught as if it a were minor skirmish to be thrown off whenever they chose.

'The prince is right,' Walther said. 'It's time we formed a plan.'

'Any ideas?' Henry asked, but no one answered.

Ceeley wasn't one to wait on grown-ups. These days, they were all too busy fighting the war to remember their promises. First she thought she might follow Uncle Walther to the private dining-hall. She could see how Aunt Kately and Uncle Maarcs were faring without her, and help Uncle Walther make her case for a new playmate at the same time. Then loud shouts coming from that end of the hallway changed her mind. She just wasn't in the mood for arguing. It made her stomach hurt.

She decided right then to bundle up and go visit the new people herself. The guard tipped his plumed helmet to her and saw her out. She started to tell him where she was bound and reconsidered. After all, his job was scrutinizing arriving strangers, not worrying over the departure of a familiar child. Anyway, she'd be back before anyone knew she was gone.

The wind hit her square in the face, but she concentrated on finding someone her age to play with. She wouldn't even mind if it was a boy maybe, or someone older or younger - just as long as they were nice.

The snow was so deep that it was a struggle for Ceeley to get across. She thought of the drifts, taller than an adult dwarf, and shuddered. Her short legs and stout body were no match for that. She kept to the main path, well marked by brightly colored sticks.

Halfway there, alone under a steel-grey sky threatening yet another storm, she belatedly wished she'd remembered to put on snowshoes. She tsked at herself. Daddy'd always said her 'pulsiveness would get her in trouble one day.

Her leg was stuck again. She lifted with all her strength but only managed to lose her balance and fall back into the bank. Ceeley felt completely drained. Her way seemed lost between the harsh white and darkening grey. "You were right, Daddy. I'm sorry. You were right.' She repeated it over and over as if it were a mantra, the words slowing to match a mournful rhythm. Tears streamed into the cloth covering her face.

"'Ere now, what's the matter? Do you need 'elp?'

Ceeley looked up, but didn't recognize the speaker. He seemed tall, but nearly everyone seemed tall to her. She should have been afraid, but she had mostly stopped being scared after the battle of the elfwitch.

The man bent down, pulled her out of the snow and brushed her off. Much warmer now, she realized how cold she must have been and wondered what might have happened to her if he hadn't come along.

'Tell me, child. What calls you out when it's freezin' like this and a storm's comin'?' His voice was kind, but he held her arm as if he wouldn't let go until she gave him an answer.

'I didn't mean to sneak out. It was an accident. I couldn't help myself.' The words came unbidden. She didn't know if she meant now or her misbehavior months ago in her home village. 'And now I'm the only one left-'cept for Uncle Walther. But I'm really all by myself a lot of the time. Oh, I am so sorry. So sorry.' She broke off in sobs.

'Go with the Lady, child. Lyda will see to you.' The man turned her around and she realized the entrance lay just ahead of her. She looked back but no one was there.

A woman opened the door before Ceeley knocked. She smiled and the girl knew she was home. "Mama,' Ceeley breathed, though the woman wasn't her mother, wasn't even a dwarf.

'Daughter,' the woman answered and bent to take her into her arms. She lifted Ceeley up.

Over her newfound mother's shoulders, Ceeley saw a soft glow that had to be a trick of the dim lamps.

'Who is it, Lyda?' a man called.

'Our daughter, Willam,' she answered. The one we've always wanted, and here she is alone on our doorstep.' The man tried to look stern and failed. He said, 'I'll check to be sure no one's lookin' for her. What's your name, 'oney?'

'Celia Sailclan, but my friends call me Ceeley.'

'A pleasure, Miss Sailclan. Welcome.' A gust of wind banged the door against the wall and he stepped forward to close and bolt the door.

Lyda turned to follow his movements. 'Storm's kickin' up.' His eyes grew wide. 'She was outside!"

Ceeley felt Lyda's nod.

'By the Sis-' he cut off in mid-oath. 'The Sisters must be watchin' over 'er.'

'They are indeed,' Lyda answered with complete assur ance. They are indeed.'

Abadan entered the study chamber, with more than the usual banging. He slammed a heavy book down on the table he'd claimed as his teaching podium. Empty-handed, he thudded the door closed and let the newly installed wooden bar crash into place.

You're both here. Good.

' As if this were unusual, Kate thought. She bit her lip to keep from muttering aloud.

The magician stood with his back to them, flipping the stiff pages of his tome. 'Ah, here it is.' He bent closer and began to read silently. Kate fidgeted. She shuffled her feet. She leaned for ward in her chair, and back. She put first one elbow on the tabletop, then the other, and finally both.

She worried over her brother. He seemed odder and odder with each passing day. They were all nervous about the battle they knew must come. Yet Henry's behavior grew more and more grave, as if the carefree Mut had never existed. Beside her, Walther was the picture of the calm acolyte awaiting his master's bidding. Abadan's imperious manner was common enough for him, but the princess couldn't see why he needed it. When he faced away from them more often than not, she could only think he did not really wish to pass along his knowledge.

She closed her eyes and pretended patience.

'Finally, Kate, you understand.'

She straightened abruptly. Had he been waiting on her? She would not ask and he said no more on the subject. 'Let's see how you've done.'

Abadan scraped at the poultice on Kate's arm, examining it and her arm in the process. 'Good enough for an appren tice healer,' he grunted. 'You've done this before.'

'You know I have. Guarding against assassins can take many forms.' She strove to keep her voice even. The need for apology from the morning session hung heavy between them.

'Arrogant girl,' he muttered. 'From me you will learn to do it properly.' He took apart the poultice. 'Now begin again. The herb paste must be of thick enough consistency to stay together. The poultice needs heat to work. Where is your wet cloth to set on top and keep the warmth in? Why have you not placed the poultice in suitable gauze so that it can be freshened more easily?'

He snapped the questions off, giving her no time to answer. Kate looked down at the crumbled mess he'd made of her work rather than into his face. She'd grant that he had his point, but she wished he'd make some effort to leaven his harsh criticism.

Slowly she slid a look to Walther, who was busily rebuilding his own poultice. Beneath his full white beard, his face was red to the ears.

When Abadan returned to his magics on the high counter behind them, Kate tapped the table gently to get Walther's attention. The startled dwarf jumped. 'Sorry,' she mouthed when he refocused on her. 'Don't fret so,' she whispered. 'Yours will be fine. It's just me."

At that the magician leaned over to study the dwarf's labor. Fine, Walther. You listen well."

Abadan shot another glare at Kate. 'How is your nettle tincture progressing?'

'Three more days by my count and I will be ready to separate the fluid from the herbs.'

He frowned for no reason that Kate could discern. She put her hand beneath the table and tightened it into a fist then relaxed. Tightened and relaxed until she barely heard him say, 'It will have to do.'

What difference could this lesson make with everyone across the Ash Kingdom trapped beneath mounds of snow? Kate's hand stopped in mid-flex. Abadan did not speak lightly. There was purpose behind his words. 'Has some thing happened?