“Look at all those poor people, crowding to get past the outer gates.”
“Poor indeed. Wouldn’t want to be in their shoes. But I don’t want them inside the gates, either!”
“I’m sick of them…”
Four noblemen stood on the balcony. Each one of them was dressed in remarkable silken suits with high collars. The smart clothes and jewellery indicated their noble status and the slick and neat hairstyles their youth. All of their beards were clean-shaven, which meant in Scoldia’s culture they were not yet married. All four of them looked down on the city from the castle’s tower. The capital city of Scoldia had its gates wide open, welcoming their age-long enemies into the cities; The Mooruvians.
One of them, Melio, brought a magnifying monocle to his right eye. “From what I see, they are indeed pathetic. Starved, sick… and either child or woman,” he said the latter with disgust. “Every tenth is a man, and every tenth of a tenth has an actual weapon on him.” Melio, like Gurdbe, had a keen eye for the forces. After all, the two of them were sons to the lord commander of Scoldia’s Army. They had different mothers, though.
Lucio, the youngest but also the fattest of them sighed after finishing the drink. He raised his empty glass, signalling the servant girl to bring him a new one. “I fear the sickness they may bring”, he murmured. As he talked, his cheeks bounced. “Maybe that’s their plan? Usher sickness and disease into the gates of our great city before sending a real army at us?” Lucio raised his dull eyes. He looked as if he was on the brink of the greatest discovery up to date. He was also the stupidest among the four of them.
“Oh, please,” Melio waved with his hand as if to shoo off a fly. “The Mooruvians have their own share of troubles. This war has decimated their people. The last thing they would want to do now is invade others, while their own cities burn and fall.
“Oh…” Lucio nodded his head slowly. His cheeks followed the motion shortly after. A young girl walked over to them, holding a tall glass on a tray. “My lord.”
Lucio took the glass happily, but he frowned when he took a sip. “What’s this?!” he turned to the servant girl. “I want Summer-wine from Lescia. Not this piss… what’s this?”
“Your father, Lord Renly Plumm was kind enough to offer his own wine to satiate the court’s needs, my lord.” The servant girl stood motionless, waiting for another question.
“Argh… You all are welcome, then!” Lucio looked at his peers, before returning his gaze to the servant girl. “But what about the Summer-wine?”
“Terribly sorry, my lord, but Her Majesty, Queen Ferra ordered us to save what’s left of Summer-wine for the winter.”
Lucio’s face reddened. But after hearing the name of the queen, he calmed quickly. Her name had such an effect. “Oh… I see.”
“Trade routes to Lescia are still way too dangerous for merchants”, Wayne Derri said. He was the tallest of the group, and, while being of the lowest status among them, he wore the best clothes in the court. Apart from his father, Lord Leroy Derri, the Head of Treasury, that is. The Derris were known for their constantly increasing wealth, and they weren’t above proudly showing off. Wayne’s gaze was always looking somewhere else as if the sudden inflow of Mooruvians didn’t concern him. “Not only are our granary reserves low, but we have even more hungry mouths to feed now. Her Majesty, our noble queen, really is noble and kind.” When he said it, he looked at Gurdbe. Just a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but a hint too much. Gurdbe remained expressionless. There were eyes and ears everywhere in the court. From the invisible servants to the literal bricks in the wall. Wayne’s cockiness will be the end of him, Gurdbe thought. And I hope I’ll be there to see it.
“Oh, yes, Her Majesty, our queen is the best we could have asked for,” Lucio repeated, gulping down the wine. As usual, the sarcasm went right over his head, which wasn’t really hard, regarding just how tall and smart he really was.
“What do you think, Gurdbe?” Melio asked, taking the monocle down from his eye. “You are unusually silent for an event like this.” He got the father’s green eyes, while Gurdbe got the brownish useless eyes from his mother. Why does he look like Father so much? He doesn’t deserve it!
Gurdbe coughed, trying to look as if he was lost in his thoughts. Melio was trying to provoke him, to lure him into a mistake. Everyone here was playing the game, except Lucio, who wasn’t even aware of its existence.
“All I think is that her Majesty, our queen really is the most worthy of us all. None of us would allow them,” Gurdbe gestured at the people in front of the gates, miles below them, “Inside the city walls. All of us would rather watch them starve to death, there’s no point in denying it.”
Melio looked at him. His face was a mask, perfectly calm as to hide any emotions. “Yes, we’d all agree, but why do you think she did it? Why risk so much by helping our enemy?” Nobody knew what and why the queen did anything, but yet, Melio wanted to know Gurdbe’s opinion. Not the real one, of course, you couldn’t speak openly and plainly in the company of others, Gurdbe knew that much. Nowhere in the court was safe, especially after the queen came into power.
Gurdbe shrugged. There was safety in being oblivious and dumb. Lucio was the prime example of that. “Couldn’t say, really. But I do trust in Her Majesty, our queen’s decision wholeheartedly!” Gurdbe glanced at the servant girl, but her face was mask-like as well. You never knew who was a spy at the court, and thus, you were never really safe.
Melio frowned. It was the first time that day he displayed any emotion. “I couldn’t agree more…” he added, but his eyes said something else. His half-brother wanted to know what really was on Gurdbe’s mind. You’ll have to beg first, my dear brother Gurdbe thought, smiling. Despite that he, in reality, didn’t have a clue about the reasoning behind the queen’s decisions, he knew the worth of such information. A tad of knowledge on the court was more expensive than barrels of Summer-wine from Lescia. As long as his half-brother suspected Gurdbe knew something, he had the upper edge. And it felt good.
A man, dressed similarly to the servant girl, stepped onto the balcony. “Her Majesty, Queen Ferra Tolledia of Scoldia, shall receive her admirers and guests shortly. Your presence is requested, my lords.”
The four noblemen looked at each other. Melio didn’t show it, but Gurdbe knew he was excited to witness the play that was going to take place in a few moments. Wayne looked calm and composed as well, but he was eager to check what the envoy from Mooruvia brought to their city. Gurdbe thought that much, at least. Lucio… well, Lucio was Lucio, still looking reminiscently at his half-drunk glass of wine.
“Shell we, my lords?” Wayne said, leisurely walking towards the door that led back into the castle. The others shortly followed, throwing glances at each other, but none dared to say anything.
The main hall of the royal court was a long and wide room, cast in striking colours by mosaic windows from the side walls and the roof. The roof was elevated, mostly covered in thick rose and light blue glass panels. It was supported by two rows of marble white columns, decorated with purple roses, the crest of the royal family. Besides the large throne on one side, elevated by a pedestal, the whole room lacked any furniture, but still, members of the court and other nobles littered the room, allowing only for a small passage from the entrance to the throne. Guards with polearms kept everyone in line, but the people were excited and chattering.
A slim and pale feminine figure sat on the throne, holding a tall glass of Summer-wine with one hand while the other was hanging down. The Queen Ferra Tolledia sat with her legs crossed, allowing her dress to be curled upwards just enough to show her pale skin and intricate lace to anybody brave and stupid enough to look. The queen wasn’t a young woman but she still held onto the beauty and charm of one. Despite the Scoldia’s strict codex all nobility had to follow, the queen allowed herself to be more sly and teasing. A large golden pendant rested on her throat, while the royal gold tiara adored her blonde head. Next to the throne was a small stool with two large cushions on it. An old woman sat on it, holding onto her walking staff for balance. The king’s augur, Orella, was an old woman, with only a few strands of white hair covering her spotted head. Two grey bandages were covering her eyes, but the woman had her head lifted as if she were looking towards the doors. Nobody liked the augur, but tradition required her to be present at each major event concerning the royal family, especially now, when the king was bedridden. While everyone knew the queen despised the augur, she still had her witness at every council meeting. Was it done in order to promote the queen’s false fondness of tradition or due to the sheer usefulness of the augur, Gurdbe couldn’t tell.
Two royal guards stood on each of the queen’s sides, surrounded by the members of her small council. Talin Orion, the lord commander of the royal army and a long-standing member of the council, glanced at his two sons, Gurdbe and Melio, as they came into the main hall. His eyes were unforgivingly green, saying Be useful.
The four young noblemen came into the room, with Melio leading the group, and Lucio panting and trailing behind. Thanks to their high status, they received places relatively close to the throne. It was so easy to look at the queen from there, but Gurdbe restrained himself. Everyone else was also looking anywhere else but at the queen, and he should too. After the tumult of the restless nobles had quieted down a bit, the announcer who stood near the large tall doors opposing the throne, cleared his throat.
“His excellence, the Third Prince of Mooruvia, Theor Gustav Selthik the ninth, and his royal envoy!”
Compared to the beauty and grandeur of the Scoldia’s nobility, the Mooruvian envoy took after peasants more than anything else. Yet, despite their torn clothes, once beautiful enough to parry those of Scolida’s origin, they walked with their chin held high. The Mooruvians were short people, with broad and crafty arms and darker skin palettes. They all had long hair, both male and female, and it was usually tied into braids that reached well over the shoulders.
The head of the envoy, Prince Theor, walked proudly and confidently. His dusty cloak resembled the colours of Mooruvia, blue and grey, though they weren’t as striking as before. A dozen more followed behind, most likely the remaining nobility that managed to flee war and destruction in their country. There were two women trailing behind him, both wearing white dresses that were torn around the ankles. One had her dark hair tied in a bun while a couple of strands reached her hips, while the other had long red hair covering her back. Then came a row of men, all old and tired, and finally, at the end of the envoy, four Mooruvian footmen came. While they were unarmed (Gurdbe’s father saw to it immediately), they still looked menacing.
The prince came as close to the throne as the pedestal allowed it. Then, with stubbornness in his eyes, he looked directly at the queen. However, after a moment of defiance that a rare few noticed, he knelt and looked at the ground.
“I stand forever in your debt, Your Majesty,” he murmured in a thick Mooruvuian accent, just loud enough for the queen to hear. The rest of the envoy knelt as well.
The augur lifted her hand, and the queen leaned towards her to hear her whispers. After a moment, the queen scoffed. She stood up, allowing her dress to fall graciously and gave the glass of Summer-wine to one of the council members. She descended the stairs from the throne slowly, enjoying the view of a kneeling Mooruvian prince.
“My, my,” she said, her melodic voice filling the room. “You are welcome, my dear Theo.” She offered her hand to Theor. “Stand, my adversary. There is no need for you to kneel anymore.”
Looking relieved, Theor stood, but he didn’t accept the queen’s hand.
The queen continued. “As promised before, our gates will accept each and every Mooruvian seeking shelter, as long as they agree to give up their weapons and most valuable possessions.”
“If she’s hoping for the Mooruvians to give her a Moonlight Stone, I’m sure they’d rather die,” Wayne whispered to Melio, to which Melio slowly nodded. “The Mooruvian king will never trade Moonlight Stones for the lives of a handful of refugees.”
Melio nodded again. “I’d agree with you, but this past couple of years have proved most fascinating. I’ve accepted the fact that everything is possible,” Melio glanced at Gurdbe, grinning.
Theor, looking as if a stake was being driven into his behind, nodded. “Then the whole of Mooruvia is grateful for your mercy and kindness.” The proud prince looked into the queen’s eyes. “Enemies cannot become friends overnight, but this is an unprecedented step towards the relationship of our two nations. Shall I live to see my home and my family again, I promise your actions will not be forgotten.”
Wayne looked pleased. “Even without their stones, I am sure Mooruvians have brought all kinds of surprises.”
“Scraps and junk, nothing more, my dear Wayne, scraps and junk.” Gurdbe sighed. He still wasn’t getting the purpose of it all.
“As fitting to your status, you and your servants shall gain residence at the castle, while the rest of your people are to be placed in the Willows. My council members have made sure there are ample housing units. As for the rations from our granaries, we can set aside barely a meal a day for your people. The war has stretched us thin. Your people won’t be satisfied, but they will be alive. Do you accept these terms?”
“Yes. I accept them.” Theor’s voice sounded sad.
“Why isn’t he happy?” Lucio whispered to Gurdbe. “He just managed to save his people from certain death, so, why isn’t he cheerful?”
“Sometimes, an honest death is better than a deceitful smile,” Gurdbe whispered, hoping the murmur of the crowd around him overpowered his words.
Lucio looked at him, thoughtful. “Oh…” was everything he let out.
“By the laws of hospitality and our tradition,” the queen continued. “Your people will be respected and treated amiably, as long as they obey Scoldia’s laws. Should they disobey, they will be judged by my commanders and submitted to any kind of punishment as they see fit. Do you accept these terms?”
Theor was silent for a second. “Yes… Yes, I accept.”
“Then it is settled!” The queen said happily, clapping her hands. “I’m sure all of you are tired of your… travels. Please, feel at home. My servants shall answer to your needs. After you have refreshed yourself, I will be expecting a visit from my new friend. We have quite a lot to discuss.”
The Mooruvian prince sighed. He looked at Queen Ferra. After a moment of intense stare, he knelt once more. The queen smiled. “You are excused,” she said before climbing back to her throne. Gurdbe looked at the Mooruvian prince. An emotion of sadness and grief was displayed on his face. Never before had Gurdbe felt empathy towards Scoldia’s age-long enemies. Being at the mercy of Queen Ferra wasn’t an envious position.
Shortly after the Mooruvian envoy was dealt with, the queen retreated to her private chambers, just behind the throne hall. The crowd dispersed, and Gurdbe went his own way, leaving his peers. The first move of the game had been played, and, while Gurdbe didn’t know its intended end, he knew his role. Being aware and cautious of the many spies in the court was a thing he quickly learned… after becoming one himself. The royal castle had numerous hidden passages and shortcuts, sometimes barely large enough for a man to crawl. Wiping dust off his suit was the thing he hated the most, but watching people be themselves and unmasked, unaware of Gurdbe’s gaze, was a delight. The Mooruvian nobility, or what was left of them from their journey through the chasms, were situated in the East Tower. Instead of going through the main gateway, Gurdbe walked into the servant’s hall. From there, after he made sure he wasn’t being watched, he uncovered the secret trapdoor and descended into a narrow basement, illuminating his way only with his small lantern. It was said that Mooruvians learned how to capture the power of thunder in a jar with the help of their so-called Moonlight Stones. They used these jars to illuminate their homes. Who knows what else they used their stones for? Squinting at the lantern’s wavering light, Gurdbe wished he had one of those jars in his hands.
Going sideways, Gurdbe entered a hallway that surrounded the rooms in the tower. He felt around for stairs cut into the stone before he started climbing. Judging by the scraps of information he managed to gather, the Mooruvian prince was to be given a large bedroom on the third floor. After climbing, he slipped into another narrow passage, walking until he reached the wall of the bedroom. Standing on his toes, Gurdbe reached for a small lever built into the wall and pressed it.
Without a sound, a small part of the wall itself shifted by a bit, allowing a ray of light to reach him. Squinting, Gurdbe looked, seeing the insides of the bedroom itself. The room was empty, apart from a guard who was standing motionlessly next to the door. The Mooruvian prince must have gone to the queen.
Gurdbe continued moving alongside the wall. After twenty steps he knew he was directly behind a safe. The room had two, one built into the wall, while the other was separate. He felt around a small hole in the wall until a silent click was heard. A hole opened, just wide enough for his hand to pass through. The safe was, as he expected, empty, apart from a few bags of coins. No documents or Moonlight Stones. Silently closing the door, he continued on to the next safe. It was a small box made of thick iron slabs, seemingly impenetrable. It was all a ruse, of course. If someone was looking below the safe at that moment, they would see Gurdbe’s hand slowly reach from a hole in the ground into the safe. The secret mechanism worked perfectly, allowing unnoticed and silent access into the safe.
Crouching below the floor, Gurdbe felt around the safe. He found lots and lots more coins and written checks. All useless to him. After wiggling his hands a bit more, trying to stay as quiet as possible so as not to alert the guard, Gurdbe found a stack of papers that piqued his interest. Gently, he pulled it back into the floor and closed the hole in the safe and the floor. It looked like nothing had happened. Gurdbe was smiling. The queen would love this.
#
Melio was pacing around the common room, trying to calm himself. The cigar he was smoking was on an ashtray, slowly burning out. It let out a strong, but unfamiliar scent. Since the trade had nearly died out, they had to rely on local tobacco. They were in a tower which belonged to his father, Talin Orion. Lucio and Wayne were here, but his half-brother, Gurdbe, was missing. One of his father’s servants was standing by the door, silent and seemingly invisible.
“He isn’t coming, Melio” Wayne was sitting on an armchair, toying with his own cigar. Lucio was there as well, dipping his fifth lemon biscuit into a large glass of sweetened milk. His munching was making Melio even more frustrated. “He isn’t the type of man who is late,” Wayne continued, putting the cigar back in an ashtray. “And, besides, what has gotten into you? I’ve never seen you quite restless as now.”
I need my brother. I need to know which side he had chosen. Melio’s mind was rampant. I need to know what move he had made. He was already past the phase of concealing his emotions. He looked at Wayne, who was smiling. You ignorant idiot, he thought. Melio took a seat. Three armchairs were occupied. One was vacant.
“Maybe… the appearance of Mooruvians has upset him,” Lucio took a bite of a milk-soaked biscuit. “Although they matter little. Actually, they don’t matter at all!” He gulped down the milk. A residue of honey was left on the bottom of the glass.
Wayne slowly nodded. Then he looked at Melio, expecting an answer. After not getting one, he sighed and picked up his cigar. “Can you at least tell us why you called us here, or should we wait indefinitely for your brother?” His smirk returned as his gaze went to one of the paintings on the wall.
Melio clasped his hands. He was sweating. Where is fucking Gurdbe?! Melio looked at Lucio, who was, somehow, perfectly calm and serene. “Is it time?” Melio asked.
Confused, Wayne looked at Melio. Then at Lucio. The fat man sighed and looked at his pocket watch. “Umm… in about…now!” Lucio smirked. His smile looked off.
Someone barged into the room. Melio and Wayne jumped on their feet. Five guards ran inside. They surrounded the noblemen. One of them tackled the servant, forcing him onto the ground.
“Wha-what is this?” Wayne’s nervous voice was overpowered by the tumult of the guards. “What is the meaning of this?!” Some of the strength returned to his voice.
One of the guards bowed. “My Lord,” he said and offered a parchment… to Lucio.
“Huh? You? What is the meaning of this, Lucio?! Tell me!” Wayne tried to move, but one of the guards pushed him back onto the armchair.
Lucio smirked. “No matter how large, fat people can sometimes be the hardest to see.” He looked at pale Wayne. “Oh, why the long face, my friend? You should be happy. In a few hours, you will get the promotion of your lifetime. You are going to become the Head of Scoldia’s Treasury!”
Shocked Wayne looked at Melio. His eyes were begging for an explanation. Melio just looked at the ground.
“Come one, Melio. We got some urgent business to attend to. I would kill for a glass of Summer-wine right now.”
#
Talin Orion sighed. “The silver is in high demand ever since Vallasca fell,” Gurdbe’s father said, “And we are sitting on a silver mine. Our people don’t want to venture into the chasms nowadays. The prince said they managed to pass through the chasms and survive. This is a perfect opportunity to make Scoldia the main producer of silver once more.” Talin scratched his balding head. They were in the queen’s chamber. The sudden appearance of Mooruvians troubled him more than he’d hoped. Did the queen bring them here?
“Impossible,” Lord Renly Plumm objected. He leaned back into his chair. “Them crossing the chasms and surviving was a mere fluke. If we were to send the Mooruvians to mine for us, they would either simply die to the things that lurk below, or, even worse, they’d run off with our silver.”
“We can’t exercise control down there. We’d just be killing our guards as well. Whatever we do, it ends in us losing money. It’s better to go with the original plan,” Lord Leroy Derri murmured. He was the only council member standing in the room. “Poison their water supply with mercury. In a couple of years, we will be rid of them. A dead Mooruvian is a good Mooruvian!”
“What, so the rest could retaliate and attack us later? For killing their people?” Talin slammed his fist on the table. He felt a vein pulsating on his forehead.
“Later?” Lord Derri scoffed. “There won’t be a later. Mooruvians are slowly dying out. If Sueresi don’t finish them off, then the Duchess of Alsbeck will! And-and even if they somehow emerge victorious, what could they prove?”
“So, much about the hospitality,” the queen laughed. “Is that how we treat our guests now?”
The council members looked at each other confused. “If I may be allowed to ask, Your Majesty, what would you want to do with them?” Talin asked.
“Oh, I have my plans, my dear council members…” the queen looked at her nails. They were painted bright blue. “But first, let’s see what my spider has brought us.” She chuckled.
Talin raised his eyebrow. However, before he could speak, the wardrobe right of the queen screeched, seemingly moving on its own. A small hole in the wall appeared, and through it, Gurdbe Orion walked into the room.
“Your Majesty”, Gurdbe knelt in front of the queen. Then he stood up and brushed the dust from his shoulders. He glanced at his father quickly. Talin grabbed the arms of his chair to calm himself. “I bring you this,” Gurdbe pulled a small piece of parchment from his sleeve, “A copy of the documents which are currently held inside the safe in the prince’s room.”
“My spider has been diligent,” The queen took the paper with two fingers. She didn’t bother unrolling it, at least for now. “Tell us, what did you learn?” The queen smiled, as a wolf would smile at a sheep.
Gurdbe bowed again and retreated to the table where the council members were sitting. “Five envoys of Mooruvian civilians left the capital before the siege happened.” He started speaking. He was trying not to look at his father. “One envoy, led by the Third Prince Theor, chose the route through the chasms. They were supposed to emerge at the Sylia Delta, but I presume they got lost. How they managed to emerge at Scoldia’s gates, I do not know.”
“That is nothing new to us.” Lord Renly Plumm added, looking down at Gurdbe. “The prince-“
“They lost a hundred and seventy-two people at the chasms,” Gurdbe continued, cutting Lord Renly off. “Some to hunger, some to sickness. Most died to the things that lurk below. However, after spending a week down in the chasms, they stumbled on a safer route, I think. Or… someone helped them. The letters I’ve read don’t mention much about this.”
“Someone… helped them? Down in the chasms?” Derri asked, looking confused. “A human being?”
Gurdbe shrugged. “I have my fair share of ideas, but nothing backed by the letters.”
The augur chuckled in the background. Talin would often forget that she was there. Always present, yet silent as a mouse. “I told you, Ferra! My eyes might be closed forever, but I can smell the stench of magic. There is a witch among them!”
“Nonsense!” Talin Orion shouted. Not a witch! Anything but another witch… “Mooruvians are known to despise anything related to Vallasca. They would rather kill a witch than listen to her!”
“They were in the chasms, though.” Lord Derri murmured. He looked at Talin. “They were as desperate as they could be down there. Bloody hell, it’s the chasms we’re talking about!”
“I still don’t believe it!” Talin stubbornly said. A witch can ruin everything. Our plan…
“Neither do I,” The queen said. Everyone got quiet when she spoke. The sly smile disappeared from her face, giving its place to a serious frown. The queen looked more threatening now, Talin realised. “I can recognize a witch when I see one,” the queen said.
Nobody replied. Gurdbe nervously shifted. “There’s more,” he said after a slight pause. “Before emerging to the surface, the Mooruvians hid some of their possessions in the chasms.”
“Any Moonlight stones?” Lord Derri jumped.
“Thirty-two.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, sharing glances. “Together with all kinds of treasures from their homeland and books that contain their culture,” Gurdbe added.
“Getting our hands on those Stones could change everything.” Lord Ray Meriott said, the fourth member of the council. Talin knew him as a man of few words, but great actions. After the queen, he was his biggest threat.
“Each and every one of them would rather die than give them the location of the stash,” Lord Derri said. There was a hint of despair in his voice.
“Some time spent at the dungeons could fix that,” the queen said. She smiled again.
The augur hit her staff onto the floor below. Everyone was quiet. “Spider,” she said in a frail voice. “What about the witch? Did you sniff her out?”
“She can’t be that important,” the queen added. But then she looked at Gurdbe, waiting for a reply.
“Judging by the names in the documents I found, and the names of those who had died in the chasms, there is one person that stands out.”
The queen raised an eyebrow.
Gurdbe continued. “The woman with the red hair. She stood directly behind the prince when they came into the hall.”
The queen looked at Lord Meriott. “Do we know her name?” She asked.
Lord Meriott pulled out a small notebook. “Not a single woman of red hair was admitted to the East Tower.”
“Now when I think of it, red hair isn’t common among the Mooruvians…” Lord Renly spoke. He raised his eyebrow looking at Lord Derri.
The augur chuckled. The queen looked at her angrily. “Have you managed to find her, spider?”
Gurdbe nodded. “I found her in the libraries, Your Majesty, but I couldn’t uncover her name.”
“What was she doing there?” The queen stood up and started pacing around nervously. Talin had never seen her nervous like this before.
“Reading… books, Your Majesty. She was reading books on alchemy, potion making, and the classification of monsters.”
Silence filled the room again. “She’s no Mooruvian, I am sure of that.” Lord Renly whispered. He looked at the other council members. Worrisome silence fell onto the council.
“Should we-“ Lord Derri tried to speak, but the queen raised her hand.
“Out…” The queen spoke, softly at first. “Out, everyone!”
The people hurried to pick up their things and leave. “Thievery isn’t honourable,” Talin whispered to his son.
“Life isn’t honourable!” Gurdbe replied. There was pride in his voice that made Talin even angrier. He grabbed his son’s arm.
“Did Melio speak to you?” Talin asked, hoping that there was enough time.
“M-Melio?” Gurdbe raised his confused gaze. Then he jerked his arm, setting it free.
“Spider!” the queen called out. “You stay.”
A smirk appeared on Gurdbe’s face. Talin watched his son walk over to the queen. He made a choice. Surprisingly, Talin felt a hint of sadness as he walked out of the room
#
Mel closed the book she was reading and sighed. She looked at the title. The Etymology and Categorisation of Werewolves by Sir Eustace Cronningham. She pushed the large book away. It was useless. Sir Eustace was useless.
Something moved in the room. She lifted her gaze. Mel looked around the reading room of the library. Nobody was there and she was alone, apart from a few monks reading holy texts. However, sometimes she felt as if the very walls had eyes. This was her first time in Scoldia, but, based on what she had heard, she expected more about it. Instead, what she found was a bunch of bootlicking nobles manipulated by a witch, who somehow managed to seduce the king. While a city being governed by a witch was pretty worrying, she had bigger concerns. In a couple of nights the full Moon would appear-
Something moved in the room once more. However, this time Mel sat still. She acted as if she was reading the book again. The walls here seemed to have eyes. Was she recognized by her sister? If she knew what was happening in Scoldia, she wouldn’t have brought the lost Mooruvians here. In the chasms, they would at least get a quick death. Here, who knows what was in store for them.
The walls creaked again. There you are, little mouse, she thought as she flipped a page. She could pull him from the walls, but this way she had an advantage. They were onto her, and Mel doubted her sister wished her any good. Besides, the library had far too many ears and eyes.
She stood up and returned the books. She learned everything she could from Scoldia’s libraries. As if trying to look unbothered, she returned to the common rooms in the East Tower. She wore typical Mooruvian clothes, so she easily fit in, despite her red hair. The spell she cast onto the Mooruvians still worked. She was practically invisible to them. Despite saving these bastards from certain death, she couldn’t risk exposing her nature to them.
Mel sat at the table and accepted the food she was offered. She hoped the mouse was still in the walls, eyeing her. The Mooruvians would act kindly towards her, but if you were to ask them later about Mel, they wouldn’t be able to remember the thing. That’s how the spell worked. However, nothing was permanent, and she had to act fast.
She stood up and went up the tower, away from the Mooruvians. Their prince was down, surrounded by his unarmed guards so she hoped she would be alone upstairs. Alone with the spy. She stepped onto a balcony, looking down on the city. Scoldia was a city built in layers, all leaning on high mountains that were above the chasms. The castle was surrounded by five tall towers, all connected by bridges. The castle looked like a hand reaching out towards the stars. When Vallasca fell, its consequences were felt here. Half of the city was destroyed in a sudden eruption of the mountains, but Scoldians quickly recovered. However, while the elite lived enjoyable and prosperous lives, the common people below suffered. The war was tearing the country, and it had reached this place as well. A part of her cared for the people. A part of Mel wanted to do something to save them. The other part did not.
She returned back into the hallway. She took off her silver earrings and the necklace. She let them fall to the ground. Like a sudden breeze of wind, her senses came back. “Oh, my” she chuckled. She looked at the wall. There he was. Her mouse. Crouching behind a painting, looking at her through a small crack.
“You can come out now, little mouse,” Mel said. She saw how the man got confused and terrified for a moment. And yet, he didn’t flinch. “A brave little mouse, aren’t you? Do you want me to pull you out myself, or…”
The spy moved. He was crawling back. “Oh, dear” Mel sighed. She walked towards him. The space he was in must have been so tight that he couldn’t move faster than a snail.
Mel placed her hand on a brick in the wall. On the other side of the wall, the man trembled. She uttered a word and a glyph of fire appeared on the brick. After a moment, the man started screaming.
#
Gurdbe was panting, holding a towel drenched in icy water on his chest. The fire had burned through the silk and cotton, leaving a worrisome burn on his chest.
“Stop whimpering. You’ll live.” The red-haired witch was practically pulling him by the arm. “Is this the right way to your queen?” She asked. Somehow, the witch knew each time Gurdbe would lie. So, he gave up on it. They were walking through the passageways that led to the queen’s room. No matter what happened, he would die, either by the witch or by his queen. Confused and in pain, he let the witch lead him.
“Which way now?” She asked. A flame was burning on her palm, illuminating the passageway, and yet, it didn’t seem it hurt her.
“There-there is a button, a lever… there” Gurdbe pointed at it. The witch tossed him in that direction. He fell on his knees, whimpering when he accidentally touched his chest. “Pull it, then!”
Gurdbe looked at the small lever. The queen must have noticed them by now. She must have been aware.
He pulled the lever. A piece of stone wall in front of the screeched for a moment, before moving outwards, letting light into the passageway. The witch grabbed Gurdbe’s hand and stepped out.
The sudden light blinded Gurdbe. Then the witch let go of his hand and he collapsed, panting. The room was empty, apart from a round table. The Queen, Ferra Tolledia, sat in one of the chairs. She held a tall glass of Summer-wine. She was smiling.
“Your little mouse has got on my nerves… sister.” The witch said.
Gurdbe looked at the queen. So, it is true, he thought. The queen is a witch. That was an idea Gurdbe was terrified even to think about.
“He has done his part quite well. And I prefer to call him Spider. He is so small, so meaningless, and so easy to squash…” The queen placed the glass of wine on the table and waved her hand. As if heavy shackles and weights fell onto Gurdbe, changing him to the ground. He couldn’t move any limb, only his neck. “What…”
“But he is my spider!” The queen cut him off. “So, tell me, please, what is a witch doing in my court, unbeknownst to me? And above all else, posing as a Mooruvian?” The queen stood up. Her elegant dress fell down, accentuating the curves of her tall and slim body.
“I am just passing by. I have no interest in your work here.” The witch replied. She started pacing around the room, looking around.
“Just passing by? I’ve killed the last sister who was just passing by. The rules of the Coven are clear…”
“Do you intend to kill me?” The witch smiled. Then her hands caught on fire. “You are welcome to try.”
If the queen was intimidated, she hid it perfectly. “Oh, a witch and a sorcerer? You’re quite a diligent woman then.” The queen went around the table and sat on it. “Perhaps I won’t kill you. Perhaps it would be a challenge for me. Perhaps. But give me a reason to believe you. Why did you bring the Mooruvians to me? What motive did you have?!”
The fire vanished and the witch’s hand returned to normal. “I have my own share of problems to look after. I won’t be staying here a day longer. As for the Mooruvians, well… I simply felt sad for them. Travelling through chasms is a fast way to travel, albeit a dangerous one. They would have died if I had let them be.”
“And yet you brought them to my city?”
“I didn’t know one of my sisters was in charge here. Kill them if you like, I don’t care. Had they known a witch was helping them travel through the chasms, they would turn on me.”
“No… I don’t think I will. They can still prove useful. Not all livestock needs to be butchered, no?” The queen covered her mouth and chuckled. The red-haired witch looked at her. A hint of shock appeared on her face. “But as for you, I want you out of my castle, out of my city. You can only bring trouble to me.”
The witch’s brow furrowed. “I can leave at once if you really want me to. But I’d rather take a bath first. These secret passageways of yours are incredibly dirty.”
The queen chuckled. “Humour won’t save you. It won’t make me like you. I want to see your back as you leave my castle immediately. I give you my word nobody will lift a hand to stop you.”
“A word? A witch’s word. Can’t even wipe my ass with it.” The witch said, but she turned around. She looked at Gurdbe once. Her eyes showed disgust. Then she left the room.
The queen sighed. “You,” she said, looking at Gurdbe. “Stand up!” Just like that, the weight seemed to be lifted off him. Grunting, Gurdbe stood up. “With me,” the queen said as she headed out of the door.
Queen Ferra Tolledia stood next to her throne, watching the witch walk down the hallway towards the exit. Gurdbe was trailing behind her. Augur was on her chair next to the throne. She suddenly lifted her head.
One of the side doors opened and Lord Meriott walked into the hallway. Two guards followed him. They were dragging Prince Theor in chains. He was covered in cuts and bruises. “Not now…” the queen whispered when she saw them. Gurdbe looked at the prince in chains. They were taking him to the dungeons. Meriott was on his way to extract the information. Then Gurdbe looked at the witch. She wasn’t walking away anymore. She was standing in place, looking at the prince in chains.
“You can leave now. This does not concern you!” The queen shouted at the witch. Meriott stopped and urged his guards to do the same.
“What… is she?” The augur whispered. The old woman stood up. She started walking towards the witch.
“Shut up, not now!” The queen snapped. Gurdbe felt dizzy. The witch was still looking at the prince. Why isn’t she walking away? She promised…
“A man recently taught me what being human means,” the witch said. She then turned to the queen. “What do you want to do with them? With the people I have brought to you?”
“It’s none of your business!” the queen said. She looked at Lord Meriott. He understood the panic in her eyes. He turned to one of the guards and whispered something.
“You…” the witch continued talking, slowly nearing the chained prince, “You called them livestock. You are not going to kill them, you are going to do something far worse…”
The prince lifted his head. One of his eyes was swollen, but with the other, he saw the witch. A tear appeared. “Save… us…” he whimpered.
“Now!” The queen shouted. “Kill her!”
The guards drew their swords and jumped on the witch. She didn’t flinch. She looked at a man running towards her. He caught fire. Completely engulfed, he fell onto the ground. He didn’t even scream. The others stopped in their tracks but met the same fate. Their screams echoed in the hall, however, bouncing back and forth.
Meriott was the only one who stood between the prince and the witch. He pulled out a silver dagger and lifted a cross pendant.
“Stay ba-“
His head flew off his neck and landed a few feet away. A line of blood painted the witch’s face.
The queen stopped in her tracks. Gurdbe saw fear in her eyes.
“You want to sacrifice them,” the witch said, reaching the prince. She knelt and touched his shackles. They unlocked and fell to the ground. “On the next full Moon. A sacrifice to-“
“J-join me, sister!” the queen shouted, but Gurdbe felt anxiety in her voice. It wasn’t a firm and menacing voice anymore.
“Do you not see who she is?” the augur asked the queen.
“We all see she’s a witch!” Gurdbe snapped.
The augur laughed. “I don’t have eyes, but you’re the blind one here, Ferra!”
The queen looked at the augur. “What-what do you mean?”
“She is no witch, she is no sorcerer,” the augur spat onto the floor. “Look at her! She’s the whore of Vallasca!”
The queen paled. “Impossible…”
Gurdbe looked at the witch confusingly. The prince had crawled away from her. She was standing in a place, looking at her hands. Her very hair seemed to be on fire, shining stronger than the torches on the walls. Fiery lines appeared below her, moving in curves. They formed some kind of a glyph. The lines lengthen, scratching the surface of the marble floor. The pillar closest to the witch cracked. The glass above her shattered. A rain of glass fell onto the ground, cutting the prince and dead men.
“You have no idea what you’re doing,” the witch said. “I can’t let that happen again.”
#
Gurdbe was in fact the handsome brother, Melio realized. He got the jawline from his mother. And his eyes were beautiful… Melio looked at his brother. Gurdbe lay on the floor of what was left of the main hall. A large piece of stone crushed his legs and stomach. A puddle of dry blood surrounded him.
Soldiers ran through what was left of the main hallway. Colours from Orion and Plumm’s personal guards could be seen. A few men that belonged to Merriot were on the ground, dead as well. The South Tower was still holding out, defending, but it was only a matter of time before they surrendered. After all, they had Derri’s son. Lucio had Wayne.
Melio looked around. Nothing was left of the throne. Augur was gone as well, only her staff survived. A few paces from Gurdbe, an old woman was on the ground, horribly twisted, with broken limbs. She was unfamiliar to Melio, although a golden tiara rested on her head.
“Shame.”
Melio turned, noticing his father standing next to him. He didn’t hear Talin come. “My son. Gurdbe.” Talin spoke with despair. “His mother insisted on the name. It was from her language. I forgot what it meant.”
Having said that, Talin walked away. No tear was shed. Oh, Gurdbe… Melio knelt and closed his brother’s eyes. Talin didn’t want to say what happened at the council meeting. Maybe he didn’t know.
Melio stood up and walked away from the body. A part of the wall had fallen, leaving a large hole in it. Melio walked over the debris and large stone chunks. Stars shone brightly on the night sky. Below, fires engulfed their city. The capital of Scoldia was burning.
Some steps away, Melio noticed someone in the bushes. A woman looked back at him. Probably a fleeing servant, Melio thought. The woman put on a hood, covering her red hair, and disappeared into the woods.
