For The Kingdom: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Meetings and Musings

 

Four weeks passed, bringing with them icy rain that left the roads a muddy, slushy mess. Cayla glared out of the rain-smeared window from the Princess's Chamber. Even though nothing strange had happened in the castle for the last twenty-eight days, Cayla could still not accept that the danger had passed. King Sebastian's murderer was free, and it seemed to Cayla that she was the only one bothered by this.

 

"Cayla, we've been through this," her friend Nanette had exclaimed in exasperation one week before. "I know it's hard for you to accept Alice's death, but—"

"She didn't do it, Nanette," Cayla had snapped fiercely.

"You know I know that," Nanette had sighed. "I'm just saying that nothing has happened. If there was a murderer lurking the halls, don't you think he would have done something by now?"

"But what Gerda said makes sense!"

"You're listening to Gerda now?" Nanette had shook her head in mock disappointment. "Good Lord, Cayla, you are desperate."

"I'm serious!" Cayla had fumed and Nanette had stopped smiling. "Who would want King Sebastian dead?"

"Criminals?" Nanette had shrugged. "Or Sir Salir? It was settled long ago that he would rule if King Sebastian or Queen Amara weren't able to—if Princess Avona was still too young, that is."

"I thought of him first, too," Cayla had agreed. "I would think that at some point an advisor would get tired of advising and want to start doing. But—"

"But he doesn't seem the type to go about poisoning people," Nanette had finished dully for her.

Cayla had nodded.

"Did you see him when it was announced that the queen had died? He looked so shocked."

"He could be a good actor," Nanette had suggested.

"No one's that good," Cayal had stated. "He looked like a ghost. Like a shell."

"Okay, scratch him off then." Nanette had waved her arm as if slashing a name off an invisible list. "Who else? A knight?"

 

Cayla snorted irritably as the memory faded, glaring at the rain-washed courtyard below. A knight. Cayla did not enjoy the knights' company. A group of knights in particular were a bit too quick to pull out their daggers for Cayla's liking. King Sebastian and Queen Amara had often been displeased with this small group, but Sir Illius Molick, the Captain of the Knights, had always assured them that he had them under control. They were volatile. Violent.

It wasn't hard for Cayla to believe that a knight from that group had poisoned the king and blamed it on Alice. The question was, which one?

Sir Adrian Bayard was a hot head. Cayla doubted he would have the finesse for slipping  poison in a goblet. He seemed too attracted to his own fists. But Sir Alexander Vinsus on the other hand … Cayla could easily see him plotting this murder. He was steely, cold, and as slick as a snake. Cayla often chose to travel down different corridors to keep from walking past him.

Cayla snorted again, turning from the window. She and the rest of the servants had heard rumors that the "difficult" group of knights had been quietly planning a revolt, but none of the rumors had been substantial enough to be taken seriously, especially with King Sebastian on the throne. But if the knights were going to rebel … if they had been behind King Sebastian's death, then they would show it, wouldn't they? Cayla tried to remember how the knights had been behaving over these past few weeks. Bayard had been strutting about the place like he owned it, but he always strutted. And yes, Vinsus had been more open in his aggression toward the poor and the servants … had sneered and grabbed his sword a bit more than usual. And Cayla had seen an increase in whispered conversations between these knights. Just yesterday she had seen Vinsus and Sir Anon Haskin talking in undertones, but Anon wasn't a troublemaker. He was one of the few knights Cayla felt comfortable around.

Wanting to turn her thoughts to something else, Cayla picked up the letter that had arrived earlier that day. Two old friends were in the city … she'd need to pay them a visit, or at least write back.

Princess Avona suddenly screamed shrilly, shattering Cayla's thoughts quite effectively. Tossing the letter to one side, she rushed to her, cooing and rocking her gently, but for all the good she did, she might as well have just ignored her.

"Goodness, the child isn't too pleased, is she?"

Cayla spun around. Salir Romore stood in the doorway, looking slightly amused at the ear-shattering pitch the princess had reached.

"Would it pain you if I joined you?"

Cayla blinked dumbly before hastily curtseying as best she could with the wriggling princess in her arms. She still hadn't gotten used to the fact that Salir Romore, King Sebastian's quiet advisor, was now ruler of Lenzar.

"Of course, Your Highness," Cayla replied over Princess Avona's yells. "Shh! Darling, shh!"

"Perhaps she is not fond of my company?" mused Salir with a good-humored smile as Princess Avona screeched particularly loudly.

"No!" Cayla denied, still desperately trying to quiet her. "That's ridiculous, Your Highness!"

"Either way, I think I will return when she is calmer—asleep perhaps …" He turned to go.

"No, please! Your Highness, do stay. Look, she's quieting."

And in fact the princess's yells had dwindled to a small, pathetic whine, her face as red as a cherry.

Salir smiled, but then the glow from his smile dulled and it seemed suddenly to Cayla that his young face looked much older.

"I have not yet spoken to you of Alice Spindle's death," he said quietly, "and I apologize for that."

The room was suddenly much colder.

"Thank you," said Cayla jerkily.

"I was told you were friends with her."

Cayla nodded, looking firmly at a chair's legs. She wished he would leave … why had she called him back? She felt as if something large was jammed in her throat, keeping her from swallowing.

"I want you to know that I am here for you," Salir said softly. "If you need to speak to anyone … just know that I am here."

Cayla nodded again, her jaw clenched tightly. When she did not reply, Salir slowly walked toward the door.

"Sir!"

Salir stopped and half turned, looking at her over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"I-I don't think Alice murdered King Sebastian," Cayla said in a rush, frightened at her own daring. "I think she was set up … by someone in the castle."

Salir's eyebrows rose.

"And what made you form this theory?" he asked in surprise. "All evidence pointed to her poisoning His Majesty's goblet."

"I know, sir, I know." Cayla shook her head, her eyes shut. "But I trust my instincts. Odd things have happened—the queen's accident—"

"You believe that was not an accident?"

Cayla hesitated before replying.

"I do."

"I see." Salir looked around the room. His eyes momentarily rested on Princes Avona who still fidgeted in Cayla's arms. "I will do all I can to help put your mind at ease." With a curt nod, he went out the door, closing it softly behind him.

Cayla stood still, eyes fixed on the newly closed door, for quite some time until Princess Avona suddenly grabbed hold of one of her locks of hair and yanked. Gently scolding, Cayla returned the princess to her crib, but her mind was only partly on the giggling baby. The other part was wondering if Salir Romore would try to find out if Alice had been framed.

 

To Be Continued…

Copyright M.L. LeGette

 

Author's Note:

Expect the rest of Chapter 2 next week!

For The Kingdom is availble on Amazon.com, mllegette.com, and Kindle.