The Queen (7 page)

Luana looked to her mother and saw how the
once bright glow that had radiated out of her was dwindling.
“Mother, what is wrong?”

“We are only allowed a little time away from
afterlife,” she whispered. “It would appear my time is up for
now.”

“No!” Luana cried. “There is still so much I
need to know. So many things I want to ask you.”

“Rydel, you must teach her,” Lyra said
weakly. “Teach her how to control her magic. How to use it to
protect herself, to protect her people.”

Slowly, Lyra sank into the pool and was
gone. Baylin and Rydel held tight to Luana as she cried out,
reaching for her mother. All that remained was the glowing pool
with its surface smooth as ice.

Baylin pulled Luana into his arms. “It will
be all right.”

“Luana,” Rydel said. “Faylen and I will
teach you to use your gifts. Lyra wanted you to be able to protect
yourself and defeat your enemy. When Mirstone arrives, they will
wish they had stayed in their castle.”

The previous night’s events took their toll
on Baylin. He hardly slept after he watched King Rydel take Luana
under his wing and start training her. He could hardly believe his
eyes when he watched a tiny ball of light materialize in the palm
of her hand.

However, there was no time to think on those
things. At present, he sat in the war room discussing the battle
strategies Grasmere could put into play based on the new
information of Kardell being involved in the invasion.

“General Baltair, what do you have to
report?” asked Baylin.

“Last night we sent birds to both Ranhold
and Strathen, calling for aid,” said the general. “We should know
soon enough if they are with us.”

“That’s not good enough,” boomed Baylin.
“Send envoys at once! There is not a moment to waste. They are
either with us or against us; they won’t get the chance to weigh
their options.”

“Quite right.” General Baltair stood and
bowed. “Your Grace.” He then walked from the room to fulfill
Baylin’s command.

“What news have we of the troll hordes?”
Baylin asked, pulling out a map. “After the battle in Mirstone,
many were slaughtered. However, I fear we have missed something. A
passage, a path of escape many of them may have taken.”

“There have been very little sign of trolls
in Grasmere, Your Grace,” said General Cormag. “A few random cases
of small clusters, but nothing to cause concern. I’m certain your
triumph at Mirstone caused their numbers to dwindle. They are no
longer a real danger to us.”

“We would be naïve to think them not a
threat anymore,” Ferric said. “They are not intelligent creatures,
but they are skilled at hiding. The mountain ranges and forests
have given them plenty of chance to evade us over the years.”

“Ferric is right,” said another general.
“The battle at Mirstone showed us just how thick their numbers had
become. Was it not just a few months before their invasion when we
thought their numbers were so limited?”

“With war upon us, we cannot afford the men
to scout out the troll hordes,” said General Cormag. “There is no
proof of the trolls being a threat. What few survived are busy
licking their wounds and scrounging around in rock and dirt for
food. Our forces must concentrate on Mirstone and Kardell.”

“Perhaps,” Baylin said. “However, if
Mirstone attacks from the west and Kardell from the south, we would
be ripe for the picking should the trolls decide to hit us from the
mountains of the north and forests of the east. We would be
surrounded.

“What options do we have, Your Grace?” asked
General Cormag.

“Our duty is to the people. We must make
sure they are safe so we can concentrate our efforts on keeping any
threats that present themselves back,” Baylin said.

“What are your thoughts?” whispered Ferric,
looking at the map in front of the Prince.

“The safest place for the people of Grasmere
is inside the castle,” Baylin said.

“Inside the castle?” called out several of
the other generals.

“Yes,” Baylin barked. “These people rely on
us to protect them. They serve the Kingdom knowing their King will
keep them safe. How can we sit here in the castle out of harm’s way
while this threat is so close?”

“But, Your Grace,” said General Cormag,
“certainly you can see that all the people of the Kingdom will not
fit comfortably in the castle.”

“No, you are right, I imagine none of us
will be comfortable,” Baylin sighed.

The general smiled to himself and sat back
in his chair, basking in his small victory.

“However, I’m less worried about their
comfort than I am about their lives,” Baylin said. “We will make
immediate preparations to have everyone in the Kingdom moved to the
tunnels within the mountain.”

The room erupted with mumbles and
whispers.

“Enough!” boomed Baylin, slamming his fist
down on the large oak table. “I have given you my decision and it
will be done!” He looked at his friend Ferric for reassurance.

“Your Grace,” Ferric stood. “It would honor
me if you would allow me to immediately start the
preparations.”

“Yes, very good,” Baylin said, his heart
swelling with thanks and pride. “Please take as many of the
housemaids and stewards as you need to get things moving.”

Ferric bowed and hurried from the room with
several stewards in tow.

“Your Grace,” said General Cormag. “I
certainly mean no disrespect. I have served under your father a
large portion of my life. I would hope I could be some help to you
in your reign. However, I’m afraid there is something we must
address with this course of action.”

“What, Cormag?” Baylin snarled, infuriated
that the old man continued to question his judgement.

“The harvest,” the general said. “If all the
villagers are residing in the castle, who will tend to the harvest?
Without it, we will all starve before winter begins. We will
already have to ration without our usual shipments of fruits and
nuts from Mirstone and Kardell.”

“And if Ranhold or Strathen side with
Mirstone, we will be in even more trouble,” voiced another
general.

The harvest
. Baylin grimaced, staring
at a map of the Kingdom.
I didn’t think of that.
Grasmere
was the northernmost Kingdom in Wintervale and had extremely harsh
winters. They relied, not only on their own harvest, but the
supplies they received from the other four Kingdoms in the
realm.

“We will have to push the harvest up,”
Baylin said. “We will bring in all the villagers who are
unessential to the harvest. The elderly. Mothers with young
children. Everyone else will help in the fields.”

For the first time that evening the room
grew quiet. Baylin contemplated the upcoming celebration his mother
was preparing for Luana and the baby. He knew all within the
Kingdom were looking forward to it.
We must cancel the
celebration. That food is far too precious now.

Baylin turned to a steward who was standing
by the door, awaiting orders. “Young man, go to see Queen Valasca
at once. Tell her I have commanded the celebration of the heir to
be canceled. Tell her all the food and provisions that will not
spoil are to be stored. Perishables are to go to feed the families
who will be coming into the castle shortly.”

“Your Grace.” The boy bowed and left the
room.

The Prince turned back to the room, the men
awaiting his command. “In addition to the villagers, all working
within the castle will also be put to work in the fields. If
they’re not busy defending the Kingdom, they will be working the
harvest.”

“Your Grace!” cried General Cormag. “You
can’t possibly mean to have the stewards, handmaids and kitchen
staff leave their duties and work the fields.”

“That’s exactly what I mean,” said Baylin.
“The fate of the entire Kingdom now relies on those willing to
fight to live.”

After Baylin canceled the celebration, Luana
was given the task of helping Queen Valasca make arrangements to
move the villagers into the castle. She was certain it was Baylin’s
way of having someone near Luana at all times in case she happened
to be in danger. She didn’t mind it. She enjoyed spending time with
the Queen.

Luana carried the baby while she walked
through the Great Hall with Baylin’s mother. The baby’s nurse was
close behind, waiting in case she was needed.

Though the servants tried to remain
distracted by their tasks, many could not avert their eyes as Luana
glided through the room. Some looked disapproving, others seemed
merely curious.

“With the celebration canceled, how will we
announce the baby’s name?” Luana asked as they walked the Hall.
“Baylin insisted I not whisper a word before the celebration.”

“It’s not canceled, not really,” Valasca
said. “Merely postponed. We can hold an official coronation once
this nasty business with Mirstone ends.”

If it ends.
Luana feared for the fate
of her son should Grasmere fail. “So we just continue calling him
the baby
until then? I mean no disrespect, but the Battle of
Embers raged for nearly twenty years. I think continuing to call
him my baby as a grown man would hurt his pride.”

“Oh my dear!” The Queen laughed loudly, her
shoulders shaking as she tried to keep her composure. “I believe
you’re right! I’m sure the battle will be over swiftly though. You
needn’t worry.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Luana said. “Our
main focus should be the people, and all this food will go a long
way in providing for them.”

“Yes. We will store the food for winter,”
Valasca said. “Provisions that cannot be stored will be fed to the
families as they come to the castle.”

“When are they bringing the families in?”
Luana asked, looking at the numerous maids and stewards carrying
items out of the hall.

“They have begun already,” the Queen said.
She placed a hand on Luana’s shoulder. “You’re thinking of your
family, aren’t you, dearest?”

Luana blushed. “I know I’m not allowed
to…”

Baylin’s mother laughed. “Luana, haven’t you
learned you’re changing all the rules? Of course we will make
special arrangements for your family.”

My family? My family lied to me. Are they
really even my family anymore?
Luana thought about finding out
she was elven, and how her parents never even hinted she was
different.
Except for Baylin, no one in the Kingdom knows I am
elven. What will happen when they discover the truth?

“Are you feeling well, my dear?” Valasca
asked, brow furrowed.

“I’m sorry, yes,” Luana replied. “It would
mean a great deal to see my family again.”

Luana noticed many of the servants who had
been staring at her had gone back to their work—all but a maid
standing a few steps away. Luana recognized her as one of the maids
who was often seen working with Master Keon. The young girl stared
at Luana, her gaze falling on the baby.

She acted timid, almost embarrassed by her
curiosity when Luana’s gaze met hers. “Apologies, milady.” The maid
went back to gathering up some plates off the table.

“Oh, please don’t apol—” Luana took a step,
reaching her hand out and touching the girl on the arm.

As her fingers brushed the young maid, Luana
felt as though the room was beginning to slowly spin. She
swayed.

Valasca took the baby from Luana’s arms and
placed a hand on her shoulder. “Dearest, what is it?”

“I’m… I’m not sure. I just felt…” Luana
swayed again and reached out, gripping the maid’s arm to steady
herself.

As her hand tightened, she felt as though
she was being pulled through a tight, dark tunnel. She began to see
the girl’s thoughts and memories.

She was in a room, looking out the window
down to the road. There were Grasmere men outside on horseback. A
few of the men were sitting down for a game of dice.

She started when a knock came on the door.
She opened it to see Lord Cadman standing there in front of her. He
wore black, boiled-leather trousers and tunic, with a dark cape
falling down his back.

“
You came!” she exclaimed, wrapping her
arms around him and crushing his mouth with her own. He lifted her,
stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him while they
kissed.

“
You doubted me?” he asked, taking off
his muddy cape and throwing it over an old chair.

“
I worried you wouldn’t be able to get
away,” she said. “There are so many guards.”

“
Oh, but every man has a price,” Cadman
said, pulling the girl tight into his arms. “Plus, I pleaded with
them that I wanted to feel the touch of warm flesh against mine one
last time before this war began. I believe that is something any
man can understand.”

“
Oh, you’re a devil, aren’t you!” she
giggled, pretending to pull away from him.

“
My dear, sweet Johanna,” said Lord
Cadman, kissing her gently on the lips. “You are doing so well for
me.”

“
Oh Cadman,” Johanna giggled, running her
finger down his chest. “I did just as you asked. I put three drops
in each time Master Keon has me mix the King’s evening calming
tea.”

“
You were so clever to think of the tea,”
Cadman cooed. “I was having such a hard time figuring out how to
get it through his royal tasters.”

“
You know I’d do anything for you,” she
murmured against his lips, pulling on the laces of his trousers to
loosen them.

“
Well, I need you to do a little more for
me, my dear,” Cadman said, pulling out a vial of blue liquid. The
vial bore a triangular mark; in its center a dragon’s head engulfed
in flame.

She took the vial and looked at its blue
color in the candlelight. “Is this something new?”