Warrior King, page 36
“Many of our Temple Knights were relatively new to the order, and few of those who’d served for years had any battle experience. If it hadn’t been for our constant drills, many would’ve fled, but training can only go so far. What we did today gave them a sense of what a real battle feels like, minus the casualties.”
“It wasn’t completely safe,” replied Ludwig. “I hear a few sustained minor wounds, mostly twisted ankles, although we did have one of our newer knights manage to unhorse himself, resulting in a damaged hip. Without Temple Captain Teresa, the poor fellow would’ve been crippled for life.”
“That’s a risk in any type of training. Even practice swords can do damage, and I’ve seen plenty of Temple Knights receive kicks from their horses. You learned to use a sword at a young age. Did you never get hurt by your trainer?”
He chuckled. “Kurt hit me more times than I care to admit, though thankfully, never seriously. You?”
“From training, no, though during my time in Arnsfeld, Danica and I were set upon by agents of the empire. I ended up taking a crossbow bolt to my left bicep that very nearly killed me.”
“It must have nicked an artery,” said Ludwig, “but you appear to have fully recovered.”
“I was lucky Danica was there. She got me to a mage named Orlina Day, who healed me.”
“Let me guess, a Life Mage?”
“No,” replied Charlaine, “an Earth Mage, but thankfully, she knew a lot about the healing nature of herbs and such. It used to ache on occasion, but I got accustomed to it.”
“I’m surprised Temple Captain Teresa hasn’t healed you.”
“She did. After I jumped from the Antonine’s gate tower. Surprisingly, I miss it. It had a way of reminding me that I’m not indestructible.”
“Wise words,” said Ludwig, “though I think I’ll refrain from injuring myself to remain humble.”
She grinned. “Then how will you prevent your ego from growing too large?”
“I have two generals and a wife to remind me of my proper place. Mind you, I’m not complaining. A king should never forget that he’s only a man and, as such, set a good example for his nobles. Far too many rulers come to believe they’re infallible, or they surround themselves with sycophants, both actions that only result in failure.”
“And if someone were to look back on your life, decades from now, how would you like to be remembered?”
“That’s an interesting question, one I don’t think I’ve been asked before.” Ludwig contemplated her words. “I suppose I’d be happiest knowing I left Hadenfeld better off than before I began my rule.”
36
Ill Winds
Winter 1109 SR
The snow crunched under Charlotte’s feet as she walked through the park. The guards maintained a respectful distance, a Temple Knight on either side and four Royal Guardsmen behind, ready to rush in and assist should their presence be required.
“It’s a brisk day today,” said Gita. “Though a tad milder than I would’ve thought for this time of year.”
“You should be thankful you don’t live in Reinwick,” replied the queen. “The winters up there are frigid.”
“Is it that far north?”
“A substantial distance, but it juts out into the Great Northern Sea, a place that’s said to get too cold to freeze.”
Gita chuckled. “Is that even possible?”
“The rivers and streams freeze, but the sea doesn’t. Scholars purport it’s because of the salt in the water, but I prefer to think of it as a living thing.”
“A living sea?”
“It is, in a sense,” said Charlotte. “You might say it flows in the veins of northerners, or at least their trade routes. For that reason alone, we should all be thankful it doesn’t freeze.”
“Has this always been the case?”
“So far as I know. There are sporadic accounts of large chunks of ice floating in the far north, but few people venture there, for obvious reasons.”
“Do you think you’ll ever return for a visit?”
“We hope to, once the threat of Halvaria has passed. I’d like to give Frederick a sense of how I grew up. Speaking of my son, we should be moving along. I don’t want to miss his lesson.” Charlotte turned to a Temple Knight. “What time is it, Sister?”
“Almost noon, judging by the sun, Majesty.”
“Then I think we should make our way to the stables. Frederick will be worried sick that I’m not there to watch him.”
“He’s become an accomplished rider,” replied Gita, “and at only ten years of age. You must be proud.”
“I’m ecstatic, but he’s still a few months shy of his tenth birthday. Today, I told him that if he receives the approval from the riding master, he can begin instruction in the art of fighting from horseback.”
“Trust me,” said Gita, “I understand completely. Kenley’s been going on for ages about how he and Frederick will put the other students to shame. I told him he should be humbler, but you know how children can be.”
“It’s difficult, watching them grow up,” said Charlotte. “The years seem to fly by at the blink of an eye. The next thing we know, they’ll be young men.”
“Not quite yet. We still have a few years left to enjoy them.”
A yell came from behind. Charlotte and Gita both turned to see a man running towards them, waving his hands around, screaming something. Sergeant Reiner ordered his men to subdue the stranger.
“They’re coming!” the man yelled just before he disappeared from sight as a guard tackled him. Moments later, he was lying on the ground with a knee pressed firmly into his back, his arms pinned behind him. The other guards held drawn swords, while the Temple Knights placed themselves between the queen and her would-be attacker.
Charlotte stared at the fellow, who was dressed in the clothes of a commoner, though clearly one with means. “Who are you?” she asked.
“M-m-my name is Luther Berhaus.”
“I know who you are,” she replied. The fellow’s mouth hung open in disbelief.
“You do?” he said.
“Yes. You and your companions plotted against the Throne. Were it up to me, the lot of you would’ve been thrown into the dungeons, but luckily for you, the king has a sense of justice.”
“I never intended to hurt the Crown, Majesty. I had no choice; you must believe me.”
“Shall I have him taken away?” asked Sergeant Reiner.
Charlotte stepped closer, then knelt to see the man’s face. “You said they were coming; to whom do you refer?”
“The Halvarian Empire.”
“And you know this how, precisely?”
“Please, I beg of you; save me and I will reveal all I know.”
“Take him to the keep,” ordered the queen, “and let the king know what has transpired here. He’ll want to hear this man’s tale, as will I, but I shan’t miss my son’s lesson for a traitorous villain like this.”
“Yes, Majesty.” Reiner gave the order, and two of his men lifted Berhaus from the ground and marched him off.
“That was interesting,” said Gita. “What do you suppose he means when he said the empire is coming. Surely they’re not here in Hadenfeld already?”
“I hardly think a Halvarian Legion is at our border, if that’s what you’re thinking, although we can’t dismiss the possibility that there is some plot afoot to weaken our rule.”
“You mean assassins?”
“That would be my guess, but then again, I’m not an expert in such matters.”
“Should we cancel Prince Frederick’s lesson?”
“Doing so demonstrates we’re at the mercy of these traitors. We’ll increase the number of Royal Guards, to be safe, but I’m not going to give them the satisfaction of scaring us into seclusion.”
“Well said,” replied Gita, “but we really should be on our way, not because of this interruption, but because if we don’t get there soon, you’ll miss everything.”
* * *
Ludwig stared at the prisoner who’d been forced to his knees before the crown. The man’s hands were manacled, as were his legs, and guards stood on either side, weapons drawn. Charlotte and Gita came through a side door into the great hall.
“Ah, ladies,” said the king. “So glad you could make it. How was the lesson?”
“Frederick flew through it with full honours,” replied the queen. “I see our new visitor has put in an appearance.” She crossed the room, ignoring Berhaus and taking her seat on her throne. Gita stood on one side, watching with great interest.
“Has he said anything yet?” asked Charlotte.
“Nothing save for the occasional whimper. I thought it best to await your arrival before asking any questions.” His gaze met that of Gita’s. “I sent Gustavo to find Merrick as well, although he’s likely to be a while yet.”
“I think he’d insist you not wait for him, Majesty.”
Ludwig’s gaze swivelled back to Berhaus. “On his feet, if you please. I would look him in the eye when we speak.”
The guards hauled the prisoner up to his feet but held on to his arms with a firm grip.
“You have a lot of explaining to do,” said Ludwig.
To his credit, the man did not flinch, meeting the king’s gaze with a remarkable calmness.
“I regret my actions, Majesty, as I’m certain the others do, though I know them not.”
“Then how do you know there were others?”
“My correspondence with the woman in charge indicated as much, although she never named them.”
“Let’s start at the beginning of all this, shall we? You are a successful merchant, one who has built a business that has been both rewarding and profitable. How did you become embroiled in a plot against the Crown?”
“Some years ago, I had a… Well, let’s call it a dalliance with a young lady. Mistress Shozarin somehow got wind of it and used it to blackmail me. My wife’s family invested heavily in my business, and any controversy could’ve resulted in them demanding repayment.”
“But you have plenty of coins,” said Ludwig. “Why not simply pay off your blackmailer?”
“I did, and for several months, I thought that was the end of it, but then she threatened again to expose me unless I did her one last favour. It wasn’t much. All I needed to do was deliver a charm to a member of the Royal Household. A charm, I might add, meant to remedy the queen’s… condition.”
“Can you describe this charm?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Berhaus. “A glass vial containing a glowing green liquid that came with a note indicating it was a magic charm to calm the mind.”
“Do you still have this note?”
“I do not. I burned it, along with all the letters I received from Loralai Shozarin, as per her orders.”
“And how did this vial come into your possession?”
“Delivered by a Temple Knight, of all people. I didn’t get his name, but he wore the grey tunic of the Cunars.”
“Did you ever meet this Loralai Shozarin?” asked the queen.
“No, Majesty. Not in person, although she wrote to me often.”
“How often?”
“I received letters at least once a month. The tone of her correspondence started off friendly, but as time wore on, she became more… What’s the word?”
“Demanding?”
“More insistent than demanding. She was careful with her words, crafting them with great precision; I was utterly under her spell.”
“But she was blackmailing you.”
“That came later.”
“I asked you to start at the beginning,” said Ludwig, “yet now you’re telling me the blackmail came later. How do I know you’re not making this up as you go?”
“My apologies, sire. I first heard from her when she wrote to me about purchasing a shadowbark desk. Now, I don’t make things like that myself. However, I have connections that allow me to acquire exotic items of that nature, so I began making enquiries on her behalf. As time went by, we continued to correspond, and while I’m ashamed to admit it now, I found myself enthralled at the thought of meeting her.”
“Let me guess,” said Charlotte. “This search for a desk led you to the woman with whom you had your dalliance?”
“I’m ashamed to admit it did.”
“You were lured into a trap of your own making.”
“I realize I made a mistake in bedding the woman, but what trap are you referring to?”
“I would’ve thought it obvious. The woman was sent to seduce you so Loralai Shozarin could use it against you. It was apparently quite effective, considering the result, and the stupid smirk on your face when you mention her. What was this woman’s name? The one you slept with?”
“Marget, Marget Harford, but she disappeared shortly after our moment of passion.”
“And you didn’t think that suspicious?” said Ludwig. “You mentioned receiving the vial. Have you had any interaction with anyone else since?”
Berhaus dropped his head and stared at the floor, mumbling something.
“Speak up, man, or I’ll have you beheaded where you stand!”
“Nothing more than simple tasks to watch and report on certain people. Then I received a letter this morning, sire, commanding me to go and kill the queen.”
“Which you promptly set off to do, from the sounds of it.”
“I did, but when I got there, I knew I couldn’t go through with it.”
“How did you know where I was?” asked Charlotte.
“Loralai told me in her letter where to find you.”
“I find that most interesting, considering I only decided on that course of action this morning.”
“Loralai must be here, in Harlingen,” said Gita, “and someone within the queen’s confidence is in her employ.”
The door opened, and Gustavo returned, along with Lord Merrick.
“Ah, just in time,” said Ludwig. “Captain, I need you to gather all the queen’s maids and detain them immediately.”
“Yes, sire.” Gustavo immediately left to do the king’s bidding.
“Sorry I’m late,” said Merrick, “but there’s been a string of murders, more people from that list.”
“How many more?”
“All but one.” Merrick stopped, noting the presence of the prisoner. “Luther Berhaus, I presume?”
“The very same,” replied Ludwig. “He informs us that he was sent to kill the queen, and we’ve reached the opinion that one of Charlotte’s servants has been passing information to Loralai Shozarin.”
“How do we identify the guilty party?”
“We can narrow it down considerably,” said Charlotte. “My trip to the park today was a last-moment decision. Gita and I were intending to go riding, but I changed my mind, so we went walking instead.”
“That’s right,” said Gita. “There were, if I recall, three maids present. The guards were there as usual, but you sent Melinda to fetch a warm cloak while Selenia helped you with your boots. I can’t remember who the third one was, but she was stowing your riding cloak, as you were concerned it was too long for walking and would drag on the ground.”
“It was Elsie,” said Charlotte.
He closed his eyes, willing himself into a calmer state. The betrayal felt fresh and deeply personal, a wound exposed and painful.
“You indicated they were coming,” said Charlotte, directing her words to the prisoner. “Are you referring to your attempt on me, or is the kingdom in danger? And while you’re at it, can you explain to us why you think the empire is coming?”
“Once I heard about the queen’s illness, I took a greater interest in discovering just who, exactly, Loralai was. Over the years, there’ve been subtle hints that led me to believe she was not from the Petty Kingdoms. I tried to find out more about where she lived, but she was very guarded in her correspondence.”
“It wasn’t until I saw the queen in the park that all the pieces fell into place. She is beloved by all; who could possibly wish her harm but the Halvarians? The chaos resulting from her death would only play into their hands, and I couldn’t be part of that.”
“Have you anything further to add?” asked Ludwig.
“No, Majesty.”
“Then we shall wait while the good captain gathers our suspects.”
“Actually,” said Charlotte, “if you don’t mind, I have one more question.”
“By all means,” replied Ludwig.
She moved up to stand before the prisoner and stared at him. “How long ago was the original enquiry from Loralai Shozarin?”
“It was, if I recall correctly, the summer of oh-six.”
Gustavo returned, his men escorting ten women.
“Just those three,” said the queen, pointing. “The rest may be excused.”
The captain lined up the maids, watching them closely. Charlotte moved to stand in front of them, looking each in the eyes. Melinda and Selenia both looked down, but Elsie stared back.
“It was you, wasn’t it?” said the queen.
A sly smirk creased the corners of the woman’s mouth. “Congratulations, you made the right choice. How did you know?”
“You undertook your service here roughly the same time as our friend here began corresponding with Mistress Loralai.”
“Clever.”
“Where is Loralai Shozarin?” demanded Ludwig.
Charlotte backed up a couple of steps. “This is Loralai Shozarin.”
“You’re too clever for your own good,” replied Elsie, then strange words issued from her mouth as she raised her hands up, light playing over her fingers.
Gustavo thrust with his sword, a swift attack that sank deep into the woman’s chest, causing her to collapse to the floor in an expanding pool of blood.
“My apologies,” he said. “I only wanted to wound her.”
“Don’t apologize for doing your job,” said Ludwig. “The queen is safe, which is all that matters. Someone fetch Kandam. Perhaps he can help.”
Guards rushed to find the healer, but by the time he arrived, it was too late. Loralai Shozarin had taken her last breath. Then, her features began to change, including her height, but her face underwent the most remarkable alteration, for the woman who stared back in death was a stranger.
