Once Upon A Time (Historical Romance) (30 page)

Jilliana wondered how she could face her people when her heart was breaking.

32

Melesant's black eyes were pinpoints and her hands were claw like as she grabbed Netta and flung her against the wall. The maid crumpled to the floor and Cassandra dropped down, protecting her with her body.

"Do not touch her again, Mother!" she said threateningly. "I will not allow it. None of this is her doing."

Melesant was taken aback. Cassandra had never shown such spirit. She had not thought she was capable of it.

"You are no daughter of mine, if you side with my enemies," Melesant said with a snarl.

Cassandra helped Netta stand. "I have never been anything to you. I was my father's daughter and you killed him. I was my brother's sister and you killed him. You are the betrayer, Mother. You have even made a prisoner of your grandchild, though you have not seen her since the day of her birth."

Like a caged animal caught in a trap, Melesant raged at her daughter's duplicity. "Quickly, fetch the guards," she told Escobar, who had discovered the deception. "Jilliana may still be stopped."

"She is safe from your clutches, Mother. She left the island three days ago."

"Enough, Cassandra! I will have you placed in chains if you continue to defy me."

"Will you have the whole world placed in chains, Mother? All your enemies will come against you now, you know. I can almost feel pity for you."

"Ingrate!" Melesant cried. "I gave you birth and you have no feelings for me. I should have locked you away, but no, I trusted you. That is a mistake I will not repeat."

"You did not trust me so much as you thought me incapable of deceiving you."

Melesant did not deny Cassandra's accusation.

"I have remained in this chamber three days and nights to allow Jilliana time to escape. The simpering smile of your new lover engaged your attention, or you would have known that something was amiss."

For a moment Melesant was speechless. Her daughter had never defied her, and she had certainly not spoken to her with such contempt. "I am warning you, Cassandra, do not continue."

"What will you do, Mother, lock me in the dungeon?" Cassandra withdrew her jeweled dagger and tossed it on the floor. "You once gave me this, and now I give you leave to use it on me if you dare. You took my brother's life, now take mine!"

Melesant glared at her daughter. "I leave the knife so you can use it on yourself. Your flesh will rot on your bones before you leave this room."

She turned to the guards. "Take the Talshamarian woman below and throw her in the dungeon with her countrymen. As for my daughter, she will remain here alone, until she's had time to think about her actions."

"I am sorry, Netta," Cassandra said, as two men roughly led the maid away. "I'll pray for your safety."

Melesant was watching her daughter with a strange expression on her face. "You would do better to pray for yourself. Ask me to free you, and I may consider it," she said.

Cassandra raised her head. "I would never ask anything of you. You killed any feelings I had for you when you killed my brother."

"How come you by this haughty manner?"

"It is nothing you would understand. It's called honor, Mother. It is putting another's welfare before your own. I learned it from Jilliana."

Melesant sneered. "You might as well enter a nunnery. I have no use for you, and from this day forward, I shall take no interest in your future."

"You never have, Mother."

Melesant left the room and ordered the door locked behind her. Her children had been a disappointment to her, and Jilliana had escaped. Well, she was not beaten. She had the baby, and as long as the child was under her care, she still wielded the power.

It was still dark when Jilliana began to dress herself. Fine gowns and trappings had once more been provided for her by her generous people. This was the day she had long awaited. Soon she would step onto the soil of her beloved Talshamar, and in honor of the occasion, she wore a shimmering white silk gown and golden surcoat.

When she appeared on deck, rough-faced sailors dropped to their knees, paying homage to their young queen. Many gazed at her adoringly.

Sir Edward bowed to her and offered her his arm. "Never has a queen been more worthy," he said with feeling.

Jilliana looked out upon the sea and thought of Eleanor, who had hatched the plan to smuggle her out of Falcon Bruine. So many people had helped her, and at great risk to themselves.

She must not fail them. She must not!

The minutes that passed seemed like hours. Jilliana breathlessly waited for the mist to part so she could catch her first glimpse of Talshamar.

In the last week, it was as if they had left winter behind and sailed into spring with warm, sun-kissed skies.

An invigorating breeze touched her cheek, and she closed her eyes, feeling excitement stir within her.

"There, Your Majesty," Sir Edward pointed out, "see where the sun has burned away the mist?"

She was speechless as she saw the green land shimmering like a fiery emerald. Gentle waves touched the shore and stately palm trees weaved in the soft tropical breeze.

Jilliana felt a lump forming in her throat, and she could not speak. When the ship drew closer to land, she could see a multitude of people waving and calling her name.

She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that she would not disappoint those who depended on her.

"Are we not getting too close to land?" Jilliana asked, noticing the figures were growing larger; she could almost see their features.

"Your Majesty," Sir Edward said, "Talshamar is blessed with deep harbors, therefore our ships are able to dock at the piers you see there. It is only moments before we drop anchor and lower the gangplank."

"Then I shall go below and fetch my cape."

"Allow me to get it for you."

She shook her head. "I will need this time to compose myself."

Sir Edward watched her move gracefully across the deck, feeling pride in her. He spoke to the captain, who also watched the queen. "This is a glorious day for Talshamar."

Jilliana flung the crimson cape about her shoulders and fastened it at her neck with a diamond clasp. Her hand shook as she reached for the ceremonial crown of Talshamar that Cardinal Failsham had requested she wear on her arrival.

It was a circlet of gold open-work, adorned with clusters of sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds. Atop the crown were four
fleurs-de-lis
and a diamond orb set with huge stones. The arch of the crown was decorated with doves carrying olive branches in their beaks. It was magnificent!

Jilliana felt unworthy to wear the crown that was last worn by her mother, nevertheless she placed it on her head, feeling the weight of it go all the way to her heart.

"I have come home, Mother. I pray the daughter will be worthy of the mother."

She heard the anchor clanging and the sound of the gangplank groaning into place. Taking a deep breath, she moved out of the cabin.

When she reappeared on deck, a poignant silence fell over the waiting crowd. The sight that greeted her took her breath away. As far as the eye could see, there was a magnitude of people.

A calm settled over her and she no longer felt tense. These were her subjects. She had been born and trained to govern them, and she would strive every day of her life to rule them forthrightly and with compassion, as her mother had.

A beaming Cardinal Failsham moved up the gangplank to take her hand. Jilliana could not help but notice that he was limping. She was sad to see that he had aged since last they had met.

There was deep feeling in his voice when he spoke to her. "Welcome home, Your Majesty." He held out his arm. "We should not keep the people waiting. Many of them have been here for a week. Yesterday, when fishing boats sighted your sails, the crowd began to swell. The consequence you see before you."

"Shall we go?" she asked, placing her hand on his arm and descending the gangplank.

Jilliana could not know the sight she presented in her royal robe of crimson velvet. The crown glittered on her ebony head, and her face was so lovely that she brought gasps from the crowd.

Her older subjects, who remembered her mother, exclaimed that it was like Queen Phelisiana had returned to them.

Jilliana smiled as she was led to the waiting horses, while her subjects dropped to their knees to pay homage to her.

"God save the queen. Long live Queen Jilliana!" they chanted in unison.

She was mounted on a high-stepping palfrey with a gleaming white coat. She was soon joined by high-ranking lords and their ladies. Sir Edward rode to her left and Cardinal Failsham to her right. Amid great splendor, the solemn procession made its way toward the castle.

There was jubilance in the air, and people were laughing and crying at the same time. At last Talshamar had a queen!

All along the way, women threw flower petals in their path. Jilliana caught sight of an old man, his face wrinkled, his hands gnarled, with tears rolling down his cheeks.

At one point, a child broke away from her mother and ran toward Jilliana with a bouquet of crumpled flowers clasped in her hand. Jilliana halted her mount lest the child be trampled, while her mother and father ran forward, scolding her for bothering the queen.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," the mother apologized. "It's just that she has been so excited about your coming. She has talked of nothing else for days. I will see that she is properly punished."

Jilliana smiled into the troubled little face. "You will not punish this child. What is her name?"

"M ... Mary Hawkins," her mother replied.

"Mary, how would you like to ride as far as that bridge with me?"

The child's eyes rounded with wonder. "Oh, please, Your Majesty."

"Place her upon my horse," Jilliana told the father. "And walk beside us so she won't be frightened."

The mother looked startled, but the father scooped up his daughter and placed her in front of the queen.

The child laughed up at Jilliana as they continued their journey. There was an uproar from the crowd, who loved the gesture.

"That is what your mother would have done," the cardinal said reminiscently. "She loved the people and they loved her."

As Jilliana held the small child, she thought of her own daughter and her heart ached. When they reached the bridge, she handed Mary back to her father. Removing a golden cord from her cape, she tied it about the child's head.

"Thank you for riding with me, Mary."

The child startled everyone when she reached forward and kissed Jilliana on the cheek. "I love you," she said.

Jilliana laughed and turned to the child's mother. "Mistress Hawkins, when Mary reaches her seventh year, bring her to me and I will see to her education. Do not forget."

"We will remember," said the father, bowing his head, and feeling deeply honored that the queen should take an interest in his daughter. Wisely, the mother looked deeper and saw the sadness in the queen's eyes and knew that she was grieving for her dead husband.

As they rode away from the sea, Jilliana noticed the rolling farmlands and woodlands where Sir Edward told her there was an abundance of game. They passed great orchards, gardens, and dense wooded areas, as well as neatly kept farmhouses, and green valleys where sheep and cattle grazed.

There were fields of golden grain along the roadway, and Jilliana watched women carrying crocks of milk, and happy children herding geese. It was a peaceful scene and one that made her heart swell with pride.

"Your Majesty," Cardinal Failsham told her, "Talshamar produces one of the world's finest wines for export. Another export is fine-grade marble from quarries in the mountains. The castle itself is built of our own pink granite. You will find no finer castle anywhere."

By now they had reached the castle, and Jilliana was inclined to agree with him. Nothing could have prepared her for the magnificent structure that spread out before her like a precious jewel. From her vantage point, Jilliana could see seven wide reflecting pools mirroring the great turrets, projecting towers and keeps.

"It is quite unlike the cheerless strongholds of England and France," the cardinal continued with pride. "You will appreciate the gracefully carved archways and windows that open to the north to reveal a breathtaking view of the ocean beyond. And if you take a deep breath, you will smell the fragrance of orange and lemon blossoms."

Jilliana was feeling too many emotions to speak. She looked at the colorful flowers spilling over the high walls of the castle. As they entered the inner courtyard, the servants who had been going about their assigned tasks stopped and bowed until Jilliana passed.

Sir Edward helped Jilliana dismount, and she walked up the wide steps to the castle.

She was home at last.

33

Jilliana had never imagined anything as lovely as her home. She walked across marble floors that were polished so brightly she could see her reflection. On the white stonewalls hung priceless tapestries and thick velvet coverings.

She could better understand why Talshamar was so coveted by its neighbors. There was wealth here, and wealth meant power and strength.

When Cardinal Failsham escorted her into the huge antechamber, Jilliana found it filled with nobles and their ladies awaiting her arrival. Each was presented to her by Cardinal Failsham, and she greeted them graciously, making a mental note of each name and face.

After Jilliana thanked them for their loyalty to her while she was in exile, the cardinal dismissed them so the queen could retire to her chamber before the evening festivities.

But Jilliana was too excited to rest. This was her home and she wanted to see every cranny, so Cardinal Failsham became her willing guide.

Candles too numerous to count gleamed through the open portals. Coming from the chapel somewhere nearby, she could hear the melodic sounds of monks saying vespers.

In the gardens, she walked past musical fountains and tall sculptures that had been carved by masterful hands. She had lived here as an infant, yet nothing was familiar to her.

At last they reached her mother's study, and the cardinal stepped back so she could enter before him. Jilliana stood in the middle of the room, turning in a circle. She had never seen so many books—they lined the walls on three sides. Seeing a portrait, she moved toward it, her steps measured, her eyes on the face of her mother. Except for the golden hair, it was like looking at an image of herself.

Her mother was dressed as a huntress, draped in gossamer with bow and arrow poised. One bare foot rested upon the Golden Orb of Talshamar, and the other was atop a coiled snake. The words beneath the portrait read
Before dishonor, death
.

"No one has used this room since your mother. It was kept cleaned and aired, but it is just as she left it for you."

"I would like to be alone, if you don't mind."

He nodded. "I understand. I shall see you at the celebration banquet tonight then, Your Majesty."

After the cardinal had departed, Jilliana stood silently looking at the face of her mother, who appeared regal and unapproachable until you looked into her eyes, which were soft and almost innocent. When this portrait was painted, her mother could not have been much older than Jilliana herself. There was a dull ache inside her because she could not remember the woman who had given her life.

The scent of some unidentified flowers filtered in on the afternoon breeze as Jilliana moved to her mother's desk and sat down. She gingerly ran her hand over the smooth surface. Her mother had been the last person to sit at this desk. It was a moment so touching that it brought tears to Jilliana's eyes.

Carefully, she opened a drawer and found a ledger where her mother had kept account of her daily appointments, each meticulous entry done in her own hand.

With a sigh, Jilliana closed the book, knowing she would read it at a later time.

When she left the queen's study, Lady Darby, one of the women she had met earlier, was waiting for her.

"Your Majesty, I had the pleasure of being your grandmother's, and later your mother's, Lady of the Robes. I would be honored to serve you in that capacity until you appoint someone of your own choosing."

Jilliana smiled at her, knowing that because of the woman's advanced age it would be a difficult task for her. Still, she could see by the shine in Lady Darby's eyes that she was eager to help.

"Thank you. Later, I will want to hear about my mother and grandmother. I am sure you knew them very well."

The older woman chuckled. "I can even tell you about your own antics when you were a babe." Her eyes softened. "We all adored you."

Jilliana looked regretful. "I can remember nothing about that time, Lady Darby."

A huge four-poster bed with blue velvet hangings trimmed in gold dominated the queen's bedchamber. Soft rugs were scattered on polished floors. As Jilliana looked at the bed, she turned wistfully to Lady Darby.

"Have I time to rest before dressing for the banquet?"

The woman nodded decisively. "Of course you do. You are the queen." Her eyes twinkled. "Therefore, the banquet cannot begin without you."

She helped Jilliana undress and pulled the covers aside so Jilliana could climb into bed. Hardly had her head hit the downy pillows when she fell asleep.

*                                          *                                          *

The evening was warm and balmy. Musicians played in the gallery while the chamberlain greeted new arrivals and presented them to the queen. It was almost a relief to Jilliana when the dining room doors were thrown open and they left the Great Hall.

Seated at the high table, Jilliana was glad that Eleanor had meticulously trained her in her duties. Dressed in shimmering silver, she presided over the banquet with a watchful eye to everyone's comfort.

Dining was a formal affair in Talshamar. The Grand Master of the castle, bearing his staff of office, led an elaborate procession of servants bearing covered dishes.

The tables were laid with richly embroidered cloth, which reached the floor on all sides. Hands were washed from golden bowls with scented rosewater and dried on crisp linen.

Every dish was tasted before being presented to the queen, a ritual that made her smile. She could imagine no one on Talshamar who would wish her harm. Cupbearers carried napkins on the shoulder while serving the queen's table, but placed them on the arm when they moved to the lower tables.

Jilliana talked and laughed at witticisms and presented the face of merriment to delude those who did not know her. But Sir Edward was not fooled by her lighthearted performance. He recognized the pain in her eyes, and he knew that she was thinking of her daughter. Once their eyes met, and he gave her an encouraging nod.

After the last course had been served—there had been fourteen courses—Jilliana stood, allowing the others to do the same.

"I will ask you to excuse me since I have matters that need my attention. Continue enjoying the entertainment." She spoke hurriedly to Cardinal Failsham. "Accompany me. I have something of import to discuss with you."

He followed her out of the room, and when they reached her study, she turned to him, her eyes troubled.

"Your Eminence, I have much to learn, and I have many questions without answers. I need your wise counsel."

He held the armchair for her and she sat down, looking even more troubled.

"I stand ready to help you in any way I can, Your Majesty."

"You know about my daughter."

"I do. Sir Edward told me, and I told the other lords."

"I. .. How would the people feel about—" She looked at him with agony in her eyes. "How can I ask them to go to war with Falcon Bruine?"

He sat down himself, as if to stand was an effort, and she noticed again how frail he was. He was quiet for so long that she thought he would admonish her for speaking of war.

At last, he raised clear eyes to her. "You are the queen. If you ask them to go to war, they will follow you without question."

"But have 1 that right?"

"You alone have the right to declare war."

"I fear for my daughter. It was difficult to leave her with that woman, even though I had no choice at the time. Queen Melesant's mind is not stable, and I do not know what she might do. Besides, I have a responsibility to those I left behind and I shall not rest until they are free."

"Then you must war against her?"

"I have a plan, but if it does not work, I may have to ask men to fight for me. I hesitate to send men into battle when they might lose their lives."

He shook his head. "When you are the ruler of a country, you must make many decisions that will cost lives."

"Wars cost money."

"Talshamar is a wealthy country and continues to prosper. The treasury is filled to overflowing."

The cardinal was being so noncommittal when she so needed his advice. Why was he being so evasive?

"Can we win a war against Falcon Bruine?" Jilliana asked.

"We will have the advantage, Your Majesty, since we have many ships and they have few."

"But they have soldiers that have been trained in warfare, and Talshamar has not been to war since my mother fought King Henry—and lost."

"Your armies are capable. I would not hesitate to pit them against any force in the world."

"Again, I ask you if it would be wrong to declare war?"

"Let us put it to the people and allow them to have a voice. We will begin with your guests." With trembling hands, he gripped the side of the chair and stood. "Shall we ask them?"

She nodded and they walked together to the Great Hall, where they could hear the sounds of merriment.

The cardinal stopped her before they entered. "A word of advice, Your Majesty. Do not ask them. Tell them. I believe you may be amazed at their reaction. Have you forgotten that the little princess is your heir and their future queen?"

"It seems so much to ask of them when they do not even know me."

He chuckled. "They know you, and have followed your progress through the years. They were never told that you were residing at Our Lady of Sorrow, but they gathered outside the castle gates once a year, on your birthday, anxiously waiting to hear how you were faring. They would want to know everything I could tell them, from the time you first learned to ride, to the time you left the convent, then when you married Prince Ruyen."

And all that time she had thought she was alone. Jilliana's heart was softened even more for the people she had been born to rule. "I never knew anyone cared."

They entered the chamber, and as soon as everyone realized that Jilliana was among them, they fell silent. She walked to the middle of the room and began to speak.

"I have made a decision that will affect every Talshamarian man, woman, and child. As you all know, Queen Melesant holds my daughter captive. I will try to free her by diplomatic means, but if that fails, 1 will be forced to declare war on Falcon Bruine to secure her release."

The men rushed forward, cheering her decision, and the women nodded their heads emphatically.

"We will bring home the little princess," one of them was heard to say. There was a murmuring of agreement.

"We will never allow an outsider to take one of ours away from us. We fight to the death!"

Jilliana caught Cardinal Failsham's eye and he smiled.

"1 will ask that my barons attend me tomorrow morning," Jilliana said, "so we can plan our strategy. If there are any who are not present tonight, see that they are informed about the council."

She was about to withdraw when she saw Sir Edward standing alone, seemingly downcast, and she realized that his rank would not allow him to be included. He had certainly proven himself fearless and daring, and although he was young, she trusted him, and he was just the man she wanted in command of her troops.

"Sir Edward," Jilliana said, "because of your devotion and bravery, I hereby grant you the title of baron. I will be placing you in command of my army and will also bestow upon you the rank of general. I call upon all present to acknowledge my baron, Lord Markem."

He looked disbelieving, but his eyes shone with pride and he was immediately surrounded by those who congratulated him. Jilliana withdrew. What was to come next would be difficult, but it was necessary.

She asked Cardinal Failsham to return with her to the study. Once she was there, she stood at the window, where her mother must have stood many times. Even though there was no moon and it was pitch black, she continued to stare into the night.

At last, she turned to Cardinal Failsham. "I have decided to enact a law that will have far-reaching consequences. It is the only way I can see to defeat Queen Melesant and free my daughter from her grasp."

"I cannot think what would bring that about short of war."

"I will draw up a decree that will prohibit a woman from ever ruling Talshamar after me."

The cardinal stared at her in astonishment. "Surely you understand the consequences of such an action? You would be without an heir, and at risk from Philip of France."

"I have considered that, but it is the only way to ensure my daughter's safety."

"When do I leave?"

She looked bewildered. "You?"

"Of course. We have no ambassador to Falcon Bruine, and I am the obvious one to carry the dispatch to Queen Melesant."

She looked at his sunken cheeks and his stooped shoulders and her heart ached for him. "You have done so much for Talshamar. I want to lighten your burdens, not add to them."

"I am growing old, and would like nothing better than to live out my life in peace. But I served your mother, and I'll serve you until I am no longer needed."