Annatrice of Cayborne (22 page)

Above Annatrice, on the highest level, Marianne had looked out upon the horror unfurling before her eyes and had rushed into the dormitory to raise her children from their slumber. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and paused, a curious look came over her features as Annatrice smashed through the mental barriers and began her work. Turning, Marianne instead shuffled to the door to her chambers and slid across the iron bolt just as the door rocked with the weight of a shoulders charge from the other side. Skipping back into the dormitory, the girls were waking and were clearly terrified as the sounds of battle raged in the halls.

“Annatrice is here!” Marianne cried out, her voice excited but also panicked.

“Come!” Marianne said ushering the ladies into the bath chamber where another door could be locked. The girls were confused, some cried in the commotion.

Annatrice ran past Deo Canthi who still stood still, statuesque. He did not know what to do as his soldiers ran riot. He had lost control and now lost the trust of his most powerful ally. Annatrice bound up the spiral stairs towards Marianne's chambers where she could hear a lot of shouting and banging. When she reached the top, she saw a group of three soldiers bursting through the outer door, their bloodied swords drawn.

“No!” Annatrice screamed drawing their attention. They stood and stared at her, they were not from her group. These were Drayk's warriors, and they reeked of violence and aggression. Taking her for one of the castle occupants, toothy grins appeared on their faces as it dawn on them that there were spoils to be had.

“This one is mine!” One of them growled, much to the dismay of the others who looked at him with a sense of competition. Annatrice felt their intentions and pulled her dagger from her jacket.

“Ooh!” The soldiers laughed as they brandished their own blades which were four times the length.

“I am Annatrice of Cayborne!” She exclaimed, hoping that the soldiers had been well briefed. The soldiers looked at each other as in a whispered conference, the name was familiar but Annatrice felt that it mattered little. Annatrice felt no compunction for pandering to such brutish behaviour, ally or not. With that she  thrust the dagger tip into the her leg and the soldiers stood like statues their faces hung from their skulls as if their brains had been addled with the Nerwarna fruit. Annatrice limped past the three men as their arms swung from their shoulders like mountain apes and rushed into Marianne's chambers calling out to her beloved nanny. Marianne ventured out from the bathroom and on seeing her prodigal child flung her arms around her and swung her about in the tightest and fondest of grips.

“I have come to set you all free!” Annatrice exclaimed as the emotion of the moment got the better of her.

“Tragian is dead?” Marianne inquired with a sense of foreboding.

“He is.” Annatrice replied. Marianne nodded and sighed. For twenty years she had been in his service, she could hardly remember a time before that.

“Then you have returned to take your rightful place on the throne...Queen Annatrice of Araman?” Marianne smiled, a tear of joy welled in her eye as the braver of the ladies emerged to see the return of their cherished sister.

“No, Marianne. I cannot rule, it is not my destiny.” Annatrice shied away from any thought of more responsibility, she could barely cope with the load that she bore already.

“But you are the true heir to the kingdom, if not you who else?” Marianne suddenly wondered with whom she rode with and who had breached the castle walls.

“King Deo Canthi of Suleyman shall rule. He is a wise King and shall unite our realms once more, as it should be.” Marianne looked sceptical.

“Oh, who am I to care about such things, I am overjoyed that you have come back to us!” Marianne invited her ladies out from the safety of the bath chamber and they surrounded their friend with tears of joy and gladness that their master's reign of misery was at an end.

Watching on from the chamber door, a lone figure stood, observing and listening with keen interest. Charleroux ran his fingers through his moustache, stifling a satisfied grin as he took great pleasure in being party to Annatrice's most guarded secret.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

The light of the day brought an end to the fighting, overwhelmed if not in numbers but by the shock attack, those of Tragian's guard that lived through the night surrendered themselves to Drayk's soldiers. In no position to defend themselves, most of Tragian's courtiers, officials and the servant families that live within the castle walls were spared although it was clear that Drayk's soldiers held little back in the attack.

Relieved to have taken the castle and be in a very advantageous position, Drayk's heavy handedness was once again over looked by Deo Canthi who took the prize of which he had dreamed of for so many years. Sitting upon Tragian's opulent chair, the remaining castle occupants were herded into the court and briefed as to the King's intentions. Some of Tragian's men were still outspoken and denounced Deo Canthi's right to rule. They were in no position to bargain and were quickly silenced. Deo Canthi's spokesman stood high above them and read from scrolls which had been so carefully pre-prepared in such event.

With so much going on, Annatrice had kept out of the way and had watched the castle gates closed and sealed by Deo Canthi's soldiers from Marianne's window. She wallowed in a tide of mixed feelings and unexpected emotions as the realisation set in that her vengeance fulfilled, there was little else to continue driving her forward in life.

The morning passed and no one from Deo Canthi's service sought her out. It seemed that now she had fulfilled her end of the bargain, she was no longer required. She understood that the King had much to do yet a fleeting glimpse of some gratitude did not seem too much to ask.

As Annatrice sat around her old dining table, the usual tray of breakfast delights absent, there was an unusual atmosphere about the place. The ladies who had grown up with the routine of the day were restless and cautious about what the future held for them. Annatrice bought them their freedom but had also maybe cost them their place in such a privileged position. Uncertainty and apprehension was rife around the long well worn table and small talk was scarce.

There was a knock on the door, or what was left of it as it hung off its hinges and Charleroux poked his head around the opening. Annatrice acknowledged his presence and bid him enter.

“I wondered if Annatrice had but a moment.”

Annatrice stood and walked out into the hall to speak with her husband.

“I am glad to see you are well.” She said with genuine feeling. There had been times where it seemed that they might not see the light of day again.

“Yes. I am thanks to you of course.” Charleroux was his usual charming self.

“It would seem that our casualties were light.” he continued.

“And the same can be said of Tragian's soldiers?” She inquired knowing the answer already.

“I fear not. A small number remain under guard.”

“Drayk betrayed my trust once again. It was a senseless slaughter.” Annatrice was bitter and her rage was written across her face.

“It is not of Drayk or Deo Canthi that I wish to speak with you about, it is of something a little more...delicate.” Annatrice's wounds were still fresh and they offered enough ammunition to fire a number of useful volleys of interrogative mind-play. Annatrice squinted, her pupils grew and Charleroux knew the tell tale signs of her invasive techniques.

“Yes...search my thoughts; they will reveal a secret that you know so well.” Charleroux was smug and it took only moments for Annatrice to know why.

“Well, well. How devious you have become, like a scurrying rat upon the kitchen floor. You have found your piece of cheese and now you seek to take more than the small bite that you have a right to?”

Annatrice sneered at the overpowering look of satisfaction upon Charleroux's face.

“You see, I am wed to the rightful Queen of Araman, it was a delightful surprise when I discovered it but now I am at a loss what to do with this great nugget of knowledge. What say you?”

Annatrice could feel the confidence flowing through his body, the feeling of arrogant presumption.

“You believe that a piece of paper somehow gives you the right to assume power of a nation?”

Charleroux laughed.

“A mere piece of paper it is not. T'is written in law.”

Annatrice prepared her most cutting of words.

“It is not of paper that King's are made, it is of wisdom, valour and mercy. You are no more a King than the next greed obsessed noble who believes he has a great unfulfilled destiny.”

Charleroux turned away and paced around the hallway, running his fingers down an ornately painted shield mounted upon the stone wall.

“It is not perhaps within my grasp to rule, I grant thee that much, but how favourable will your new King be knowing that you are wandering across his lands with the right to usurp him at any given time? You see, it matters not how loyal a servant, when your place in history is threatened by the truth...there will be little credence given to mercy!”

Annatrice clenched her fist, if Charleroux were a little closer, she could lash out and smash his smug face with all her might.

“Do as you want. You generally do.” Annatrice tried to play her hand with a certain nonchalance but Charleroux knew he had her exactly where he wanted her. Annatrice walked away back into Marianne's chambers and her husband was left pondering the possibilities and the financially beneficial outcomes.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Annatrice stood on the castle ramparts looking out across the familiar view, Karick clearly visible on this most clear of days. She watched as yet more soldiers arrived, all Suleyman. The castle gates were open and closed more frequently than Charleroux's mouth that early evening. Nobles from all corners of Araman were riding forth to bargain with the new King for their piece of the pie. Those who had already made their arrangements sought to clarify their gains, those who had initially opposed Deo Canthi were either recently deceased or had heard the news and travelled with all haste to offer their servitude. All in all, it was a coup which was almost over before it had begun and it was all thanks to a tiny dark haired girl who had seen to it that her own kingdom was placed into the hands of a capable other.

The King had yet to leave the bustling court and as night began to fall, Annatrice became more eager to be reassured that Marianne and her ladies would find the very best care and opportunity to either leave if they wished, or to stay under no obligations to marry the next noble who clicked his fingers at them. As for her own future, that was still very much undecided. There was a certain pull towards serving the King in his new role, she was not so naïve to realise that her powers would be of great aid to him however, it was solitude that she sought at this time. Space to be free of expectation for a while, to be away from the endless politics of nobility and the savageness of war. The less savoury characters at the King's side were probably enough on their own to want away. Drayk's spider-like fingers were everywhere and his influence inescapable.

As no one had taken the time to direct her, Annatrice returned to her old place in the ladies dormitory and despite being used to rather more opulent conditions now, her old bed felt good so much more enhanced by the warmth and love of the people she shared her chamber with.

Annatrice slept soundly that evening, secure in the knowledge that she had achieved all that she had initially tasked herself to do. It was only now down to negotiation with Deo Canthi to get the best possible outcome for her friends. When she was stirred late the next morning, it was by a Kings aide who nervously prodded at the young girl.

“My Lady, the King requests your conference.” The young man looked anxious; it was not often he was asked to wake up a sorceress who crippled an entire garrison of soldiers.

Annatrice clothed herself and her waking was noticed by the other girls who were all up and about but had chosen to let her sleep after her toils. Marianne addressed her on the way out.

“Off to see the King?” She inquired a comforting smile upon her face.

“Yes. I shall negotiate a beautiful estate for your very own.” Annatrice said her cheeks with some colour in them once more.

“He owes you far more than that! Take care my love.” Marianne called out as Annatrice made her way out and along the hallway.

Sauntering her way down to the court, she passed many of the castle staff that had once served her. They tipped their hats or curtsied as she passed, she offered delighted waves in return. She was pleased that they were offered the chance to continue service to the new King.

When Annatrice was allowed access to the court, the chamber where she had once defied a King and met her husband Charleroux, she was surprised to see it almost empty. The negotiations had been suspended and now the imposing hulk of Deo Canthi sat prominently upon the gilded throne at the centre of the room. Beside him stood the strutting peacock Charleroux and on the other side, the tall lean figure of Petrus, Deo Canthi's most aloof eldest son. Annatrice instantly felt the situation to be unusual, but she was sleepy and she was not able to make the most of her powers.

“Come in brave Annatrice, I am delighted to see you, please...” The King beckoned her over to stand before him. Charleroux sloped off and sat in the corner, crossing his legs in anticipation. Petrus stood upright and rigid, his anxiety was evident.