Queen of Sorrows--Part Three, Chapter Two

[Evie]

Previous chapter: https://rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3483.0.html


Chapter Two

June 16, 1465
Rhemuth Castle
The King's Apartment
Late Night

Upon their arrival in the Library Annex, Queen Miranda of Orsal and Tralia lost no time in bringing her two companions through the warded doorway and out of the Royal Library. Given the late hour, Gwynedd's King would almost certainly have retired for the night. Given the news she brought with her, she was unwilling to wait until morning to deliver it, nor did she think he would want her to. A coup in Orsal and Tralia wouldn't simply affect herself and her family, after all, it threatened to destabilize the entire region.

She was startled to find Sebastian Arilan–Sir Sebastian, it appeared, judging by the white belt he wore now–guarding the entrance to the King's Apartment. He looked equally surprised to see her in Rhemuth with an unknown woman and boy.

"Your Majesty," Sir Sebastian greeted her with a deep bow, a slight hint of wariness creeping into his eyes. She couldn't very well blame him; the last time they'd spoken to each other, she was conveying his brother's body home for burial.

"Good evening, Sir Sebastian," Miranda replied. "We need to see the King. It's a matter of utmost urgency."

"I'm afraid the King and Queen aren't within at the moment," he said, "nor might they be for a while. An urgent matter has come up in the Kingdom of Joux, and the King has called an emergency Council to help him decide how we should respond."

"An urgent matter in Joux?!" Miranda wondered if there might be some possible connection, although why Lord Davorin might have sought allies in Joux, of all places, she couldn't quite fathom. "I'm here because my husband the Hort has been murdered and there is a coup in progress in Horthánthy, and possibly at the palace in Orsalis as well. The rebels have either taken my children by now or are in the process of attempting to do so. I couldn't get to them...." Miranda's eyes misted over, and it took her a moment to recover her voice. "Please, Sebastian, I need to see Colin now!"

Sebastian turned pale. "There's been a coup in Orsal and Tralia also?" He deliberated for the briefest of moments, his focus turning inward to send out a swift Mind-Call. "I'll escort you to the Council Chamber at once, Your Majesty. Just give Oisin a moment to relieve me." Glancing at her companions, he asked, "Shall I find accommodations for your guests once I've brought you to the King?"

Miranda pondered the question. They would likely need accommodations, at least overnight, until she could work out some way to safely get back home that wouldn't just have Colin clapping her in one of the cells in the Keep for her own safety if he were to suspect her intent. Not that she could imagine being able to fall asleep, but Dmitri at least looked on the verge of exhaustion. "Yes, please. The King may wish to speak to Lady Marija as well, but it would be very helpful for us to have beds waiting after the Council meeting, especially for young Dmitri here."

The main door to the King's apartment opened, and a young man peered out, still adjusting the final buckle on his hastily-donned brigandine--not the standard attire for a household guard, but given that the squire hadn't kept her waiting just to change into the more conventional armor and household colors for that duty, Miranda gave him a nod of acknowledgement and approval nonetheless. As the youth straightened from his quick and nervous bow, Sebastian handed him his polearm with murmured thanks and escorted the unexpected visitors to the King's Council Chamber.

#

June 16, 1465
Rhemuth Castle
The King's Council Chamber
Nearly midnight

King Nicholas looked up as the door to his Council Chamber opened unexpectedly. Even more unexpectedly, Sir Sebastian entered, his features unusually grim. "Your Majesty," Sebastian said, "Her Majesty of Orsal and Tralia and one of her ladies-in-waiting are here with news from Horthánthy that you may wish to hear immediately, especially as it might touch on matters you've convened this Council for."

The King, recovering from his momentary surprise, nodded. "Have fauldstools brought in for the ladies." Upon spotting the young lad standing uncertainly behind the beautiful blonde who had accompanied his sister, he added, "And for the boy, although he should be sleeping at this hour. Have rooms been prepared for them yet?"

"Not yet, Sire," his former squire answered. "Due to the urgency of Queen Miranda's news, we came here at once."

His Queen stood, vacating the seat by his side. "If you can spare me, I'll go make the necessary arrangements with our chamberlain and then return, assuming the Council meeting hasn't adjourned in the meantime." Looking at the woman who accompanied Miranda, she asked, "Would you prefer for me to bring your son with me, or have a pallet brought in for him to sleep on while you are here?"

The boy clutched his mother's hand, his face lifted to hers in mute appeal. "The pallet, if it is not too much trouble, Your Majesty," the lovely blonde said, her Gwyneddan exotically accented but fluent enough to be easily understood. "I'm afraid my son has been through quite a lot tonight. I would not have him alone in a strange place and fearful until I am able to join him. Though...." She turned troubled eyes towards Miranda. "There will perhaps be matters that must be discussed that young ears should not hear until there is a better time and way to explain them. Even though his knowledge of your tongue is still very basic, his wits are very keen." She favored her son with a proud smile.

"I am certain Dmitri will fall asleep in just a matter of moments," said Miranda, "once he has a comfortable pallet to lie on, and perhaps a posset or a few gentle strokes on the brow to help soothe him." She smiled at the other woman's son, whose upturned face, Nicholas suddenly realized, bore a striking resemblance to the Hort's. He concealed his surprised reaction, knowing the resemblance might simply be coincidental.

The Queen of Gwynedd left. While they waited, King Nicholas, still unsure of why his sister had suddenly appeared in Rhemuth, but catching Sebastian's hint that whatever news she brought with her was likely somehow interconnected with the news they had just received from Camber, caught his younger brother's eye and gave him a nod. "While we are waiting, Camber can sum up the news he brought to Our attention upon his return from Joux half an hour ago."

Camber, his inner agitation betrayed only by a slight tightness in his jaw and a twitch in one cheek, nodded at the ladies as Sebastian returned with two extra fauldstools, a manservant following close behind him with a feather mattress which he lay in a corner of the room behind the two visiting women. The prince waited until the boy was settled onto the pallet and a light blanket tucked over him, Miranda briefly stroking his brow in a gesture he recognized as an unspoken command to sleep, before beginning his summary.

"Queen Alixa and I, along with her entourage, have been in Joux for her monthly Ruling Council meeting. The Ruling Council have been serving as Regents for that Kingdom in the months since King Renier's incapacitation last September. While she was closeted with the Council, Duke Matej of Bočna, who is the Tralian co-leader of the Ruling Council, received an urgent message that there had been an attempt on the life of his brother-in-law, Count Réhon-Rogan von Horthy of Nouveau-Richemont, earlier that day. Duke Matej and the other Tralian council members returned to Tralia at once, both to secure their own lands and so the Duke could call up his men to go to the Count's aid."

The blonde cast a startled glance towards Miranda, leaning over to whisper something to her. Miranda glanced back at her, then added for everyone's benefit, "Lady Marija's country home is within the Duchy of Bočna, which neighbors Comte Réhon-Rogan's lands. And the Comte is second in line to the Hortic Throne, the only legitimate-born heir after my infant son, Létald." Directing her gaze at Camber, she added, "You say there was an attempt. Did it succeed?"

He shook his head. "Fortunately, it did not, or at least he managed to escape from Nouveau-Richemont. As far as we know, he has managed to evade capture thus far. He was forced to flee across the Beldour River into Furstánán, or at least that is what the courier surmised. The Count's family-by-marriage is from Furstánán, and the journey across the border into Beldouria from Nouveau-Richemont is not a long one, at least if he managed to evade the patrols of mercenaries looking for him."

"Mercenaries?!" exclaimed Miranda. "Not Lord Davorin's men?"

Nicholas raised his eyebrows at that question, but remained in silent speculation as he watched the exchange. He was aware of who Lord Davorin was. Lord Geoffrey had long since made him aware of the amount of power the Hort had allowed his Lord Chief Chamberlain to wield at his courts of Horthánthy and Orsalis.

"They were wearing the badges and livery of the Corps Phénix," said Camber, "though that's not to say they couldn't have been hired by Lord Davorin, despite the Corps being mostly Jouvian in origin. Is there a reason you suspect Lord Davorin in particular of the assassination attempt?" he asked.

Miranda, with a quick glance down at Lady Marija's son to ensure he was fully asleep, launched into a quick summary of why she had arrived so unexpectedly in Rhemuth. "I awakened from a sound sleep earlier tonight just in time to sense my husband the Hort's dying moments, followed immediately afterwards by his assassin attempting to gain entry to my bedchamber through the connecting passage between our rooms. Fortunately I have been suspecting the possibility of a coup for some time; therefore, that entrance was securely warded to prevent entry by anyone besides Adémar. By the time I managed to realize what was happening and alert my household, the usurper's loyalists were already at my apartment door, attempting to breach it, though fortunately my guard room is right inside the main entrance." Her voice was mostly steady, only a slight shakiness betraying the fear she had felt in those moments, but her eyes filled with tears as she continued. "The children–my own three, the Earl of Marley's daughter's infant son, and the Earl of Transha's daughter's son–were in the Royal Nursery. There was no time for anyone in my apartment to get to them, but fortunately Lady Genevieve and Father Emrys were quartered there, and I was able to send them a warning via Mind-Speech to barricade those rooms as well. My ladies urged me to flee here to get word to you of what was happening and send back assistance." She glanced at Lady Marija. "Three years ago, Lady Marija made me aware of a portal just outside of my apartment, accessible from within it by a hidden door. She isn't Deryni herself, but her cousin Lady Anna is also one of my ladies. Anna helped us escape to Marija's dacha so we could retrieve Dmitri, then I brought them through to Coroth." She blushed. "Forgive me, but it was closer. I've informed Duke Joscelin of what has happened, and he said his fleet has been standing in readiness for such a contingency based on information provided to you last month by Lord Geoffrey." She glanced at the Chief Intelligencer, who had been listening quietly, his expression grave. "For which I am grateful, although a little advance warning to my husband would have been appreciated as well."

"For what it's worth, he did attempt to warn The Hort that there might be some treachery afoot," said Nicholas. "The warning fell on deaf ears, apparently."

"Is Dmitri the child Lord Davorin attempted to assassinate?" asked Lord Geoffrey, speaking up for the first time since Miranda's arrival. "My son Jourdain told me that was one of the reasons you suspected Davorin might be planning a coup."

Nicholas noticed the startled look that Lady Marija gave towards her Queen, though he didn't know whether she was surprised by Miranda having some prior suspicion of Lord Davorin's actions, or if it was just the disclosure that Jourdain Arilan had shared his suspicions with Lord Geoffrey that had caught her off guard. If Jourdain had customarily been posted at the entrance to the Queen's Apartment, then Lady Marija had doubtless come to know him fairly well without ever suspecting he was working in Miranda's service as an intelligencer.

Miranda gave her lady-in-waiting an apologetic look before answering. "Yes. Either Lord Davorin or Lady Jesaminda–his daughter–were my chief suspects in that poisoning, which unfortunately succeeded in killing Dmitri's sister. Dmitri, as Adémar's natural-born son, is also in the line of succession ahead of Lord Davorin, since Davorin is both illegitimate and more distantly related to my late husband. I believe they shared a grandsire. Davorin would need at least Réhon-Rogan out of the way in order to claim Létald's regency, but to claim the throne for himself, he would need Létald and Dmitri dead also." Miranda blinked away furious tears. "At least I am praying it is simply the regency that Lord Davorin is after. If he has killed my son...." She gripped the edge of the table, fighting for composure. "I want Davorin's treasonous head on a pike, and Jesaminda's as well if she conspired with him on this, which is much more likely than not. I'll need ships and armed men."

Nicholas rubbed at his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "As it happens, We were about to send couriers to Our southern ports to alert our admirals there to deploy their fleets." He looked up briefly as his Queen quietly slipped back into the Council chamber and took her seat beside him. "Camber, tell Miranda the other news you brought from Joux."

Camber took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. "Just as Queen Alixa and her ladies were retiring for the night, we received word that somehow, despite supposedly being incapacitated for months, King Renier has managed to escape from his bedchamber at the top of the King's Tower in the Palais de Trebaçeaux. No one has seen any sign of him since shortly after he was fed this evening. The members of the Ruling Council who still remain in Trebaçeaux suspect that he must have been assisted by a group of loyalists whose aim is to return him to power in Joux."

Miranda frowned. "That's oddly coincidental timing. I can understand how an assassination attempt on Réhon-Rogan fits in with a coup and regicide in Horthánthy, but how would it benefit Lord Davorin to assist in King Renier's escape? Or...did Renier somehow assist Lord Davorin, and if so, why? Davorin is no more keen on the idea of giving Joux full sovereignty than Adémar was, especially with Renier in control."

"Maybe one of Renier's loyalists worked out a deal?" Camber speculated. "'We'll let you hire our mercs if you allow Joux more autonomy once we get Renier back into power,' or something along those lines? Though even that makes little sense. At best, Renier would only be...." His voice trailed off as he considered the idea.  "He'd be a figurehead, given his physical infirmities. A puppet king, with someone else pulling the strings. Maybe the deal, if there was one, was more along the lines of 'I'll help you if you confirm my right to rule after Renier once you're the Hort, or at least the Regent of Orsal and Tralia." Camber's lips tightened. "If there's even a possibility that's what the agreement was, Alixa needs to be warned as soon as possible. I'll need to head back to Trebaçeaux tonight."

"Agreed," said Nicholas. "In light of this new information, it would be best for her and the rest of her entourage to return here as soon as possible. You said that Healer Berthelot and the two Jouvian lords in her retinue are all visiting their estates tonight?"

"They are," Camber confirmed, "but they are supposed to rejoin her and her ladies at first light tomorrow. As soon as everyone has returned to the Palais, we will head back here. Alixa will be none too happy at the thought of leaving Joux in the middle of a crisis, I should warn you, but a change of regime in Tralia to a potentially unfriendly power makes it much less certain that a new Hort will confirm her as Renier's Héritière at all, and much more likely that she could be in harm's way. "

"All right. In that case, here is what We propose," said Nicholas. "Our Duke of Corwyn is already en route to the Île d'Orsal and Orsalis with his fleet. The closest of Our ports to the Île besides Coroth are Evering and Trevas, which only have a small number of ships each, but they can be sent in as back-up if needed. Southbourne Harbour certainly has a large enough fleet to send to Trebaçeaux and the coast of Joux. We believe the Thuria River is deep enough near the mouth of it that Our caravels can also venture a reasonable distance upriver if need be, if it should turn out that We need to send any troops into either Joux or Tralia, although the Jouvians in particular are not likely to be at all happy about a fleet of Gwyneddan ships sailing up and down their coastline, much less attempting to dock, this soon after us being at war with each other. Still, if Renier's goal is to escape the Kingdom unnoticed, We might at least be able to interfere in such an attempt." He pondered the matter further. "We can also have some of the ships at Nyford and Kilchon sent eastwards to Southbourne and Coroth, just to ensure neither harbour is left completely defenseless from a naval attack in the meantime. The more pressing problem would be mustering foot soldiers. If a large number will be needed at short notice for any ground action, there are a few professional companies We can call upon, but given that the Kingdom is still trying to recover from last year's war, none of them are up to full strength, and neither is Our Treasury." He glanced at Geoffrey. "Instead of overt military action, a more covert approach might be needed. While a show of military strength would make the point that We intend to defend our allies–both the Dowager Queen of Orsal and Tralia and the Dowager Queen Alixa who is the rightful Héritière of Joux–actively committing Our armies to take action on land in either realm might give the impression that We intend to take advantage of the current instability to invade and conquer, not merely to lend support to Our allies. Though since the Duke of Bočna has left Joux and returned to Tralia in response to the attack on Réhon-Rogan, we can offer him the assistance of some of our troops to help him deal with the mercenaries in that region, and once that threat is contained, hopefully by then Count Réhon-Rogan will have returned with other assistance and they can unite to retake the capital cities. But as for dealing with the immediate threats in Horthánthy and Trebaçeaux, a few men with the proper training might be able to work more effectively if they were to slip into those cities without calling any attention to themselves."

Geoffrey looked somewhat dubious. "I know a few men who are fluent enough in either Tralian or Jouvian to pass themselves off as a local, or at least as a well-traveled merchant. Fewer, if they need to be reasonably fluent in both tongues. Again, another problem would be getting them into the locations where they might need to go as quickly as they are likely to be needed, and also getting them back out again, especially if you mean for them to infiltrate any of the palace compounds." He pondered the problem, looking unhappy. "I could go. Lord Davorin knows me, unfortunately, but there are ways around that."

Miranda remembered a detail she had forgotten to mention earlier. "Joss might be at Horthánthy already," she informed them. "He said something before we left about having an idea that might get him and a few select men to Horthánthy a few hours ahead of his fleet."

Nicholas stared at her in alarm. "The Duke of Corwyn, my King's Champion, was planning on heading into an enemy-occupied palace in the middle of the bloody night with only a few hand-picked men as back-up for the next several hours?! Bloody hell, 'Randa! Why?!"

"Because my children–your nieces Rezza and Silvé, and your nephew Létald, the rightful Hort of Orsal and Tralia as of an hour or two ago–are still there, Colin! As I ought to be, and still plan to be just as soon as I am able to get back there."

"You want to return to a palace where your husband's assassin just tried to capture and perhaps kill you? Over my dead body!" the King exclaimed.

"Do not tempt me!" the Dowager Queen his sister snarled in reply.

#

June 16, 1465
The Palace at Horthánthy
The Queen's Apartment
An hour earlier

The Queen's personal guard had put up a valiant defense, but they were too few in number for the force of mercenaries Lord Davorin had sent in to subdue them. Several lay dead, and the survivors had been captured and bound by the time Lord Davorin himself turned up to witness the capture of Adémar's Queen for himself. She was too dangerous a woman to be allowed to survive, which was a pity. Had she been a little more malleable, he would have been highly tempted to keep her for himself, for she was very beautiful and he had long envied Adémar the pleasure of bedding her, even though just a few months previously he had finally gotten around to remarrying, and his new wife had just quickened with a son so recently that her body had not yet had time to thicken with the bearing of him.

Granted, his marriage had been kept very secret thus far, the nuptials known only to himself, his daughter, and obviously the bride herself. The priest who had officiated in the exchange of vows could be counted upon to keep his silence now that he was dead, although Davorin had been careful to preserve the record book in which the exchange of vows had been noted just in case it should ever need to be produced as proof of his heirs' legitimacy or destroyed should he wish to marry elsewhere. In the unlikely event that Queen Miranda would be amenable to retaining her position as the Hortic Queen as his consort, he could repudiate the earlier match easily enough. But that was extremely unlikely to happen. She would certainly insist on upholding her tiny Létald's claim to the throne, never mind that the brat would not be able to rule Orsal and Tralia on his own for the next decade and a half, if he could even manage to survive that long. Davorin certainly did not intend for him to, once his own grip on the reins of power was secure! And besides all that, Jesaminda would be livid if Miranda continued on as the Hortic Consort, and he wished to keep the peace with his daughter. She could be a willful bitch, so life was simpler that way. And at least Jesaminda had no problem with his remarriage to her friend Mirna. Mirna understood the situation and would know her place. She might eventually be his Queen, but Jesaminda would remain the true power behind the throne, second only to himself. Mirna had no objection to this arrangement, so long as it afforded her all the pretty gowns, flashy jewels, festive feasts, and ballroom dances that she craved. She would still be known to all as the Hortic Queen, no longer simply a junior lady-in-waiting, even if he didn't intend to give her any actual power beyond managing her own personal household. He had no objection to supplying his bride with such simple luxuries, especially if she proved fruitful and gave him more sons in the future. She was not unintelligent–any sons bred from her ought to have decent enough minds–she was simply shallow. Davorin could live with that.

The mercenaries saluted as he strode past them, one pulling a guard's corpse out of the way. Some fresh-faced youth from Danoc, if he remembered correctly. The dragged body trailed a smear of blood across the fine silk carpet, bringing a frown to Davorin's features as he barked an order to lift the bodies out of the way rather than dragging them. That silk carpet pile would need to be laundered carefully; hand-knotted R'Kassi carpets were damn expensive!

Jesaminda was already there, he saw, one hand fastidiously gathering up her skirt hem, keeping it slightly off the floor to avoid dragging it through the gore. "Where is Queen Miranda?" he asked her.

"She escaped," she muttered in low, furious tones. "And I'll bet I know how." Behind her, he saw two of his hirelings, one with his knee on the back of a struggling lady-in-waiting who lay face-down on the floor while the other bound her wrists and ankles.

"Is that Lady Anna?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm pretty sure she helped the Queen and Lady Marija escape through the Portal, as well as a few other ladies before your mercs managed to get past their guards. I doubt she's taken them any further than Marija's dacha, though, and I know where that is."

"Which other ladies are missing?"

"Ailis, Katja, Jadviga, Svetlana, Eva. Though I think Anna returned in hopes of bringing out more of them." She kicked at the bound girl in a fit of pique. "Stupid cow!"

"They're not important," Davorin reassured her. "We'll catch up with them soon enough, and Anna will come to regret her actions when she's swinging from the end of a rope. It's Miranda and Marija we need to get back. They suspect too much. Fortunately I still have a unit of the Corps Phénix near Marija's dacha, since her lands are very close to Réhon-Rogan's. I'll send a courier after them and have them send some of the men straight there. I had intended on having them eliminate Marija's son anyway, so they may as well do the same with the Queen's ladies.

"Not Miranda as well?" Jesaminda asked, temper flaring in her eyes. "And I want Marija dead also!"

He shrugged. "Marija is expendable, so yes, her also. I still need Miranda alive for the moment, if possible, but don't worry, she'll join her husband soon enough. Where are the remaining ladies?"

"In the Queen's bedchamber. They had tried to barricade themselves inside the Queen's chapel." Jesaminda smiled. "I sent a few of your mercs in through the secret door in the back of the storage closet. Silly fools, if they thought they would be granted sanctuary! I had them dragged out and bound, and held in the Bitch Queen's chamber until you got here and could tell them how you wish to dispose of them." She glanced back at the two mercs who had finished binding Anna's wrists and ankles and were similarly dragging them between her towards Queen Miranda's bedchamber. "You might wish to knock before you enter, just for courtesy's sake," Jesaminda added with a laugh. "I didn't tell your mercs that they could enjoy themselves with Miranda's ladies, but I didn't tell them they couldn't either, and you must admit, they're a comely lot. Mostly selected by Adémar, of course. He always had an eye for the pretty ladies."

#

June 17, 1465
The Port of Horthánthy
A wine merchant's cellar
Shortly after midnight

"You can use my portal as you wish, Your Grace, but I want no part in this," stammered the wine merchant. "My loyalties are with the Hort, or if it's true that he's been murdered, with the young Prince and the Queen Mother, but all the same, if Lord Davorin finds out I've helped you, it will be my head in a noose if he catches me!"

"I see no reason to involve you further," Duke Joscelin assured the frightened man. "If you wish, I can blur your memories of tonight's conversation so if anyone asks, you'll truly believe we never spoke with each other tonight. You wouldn't have any memories of our being here or using your portal. Would that make you feel safer?"

"Yes, my lord," the merchant replied. As Joss reached out his hand to do as he promised, the man took a sudden step back. "Wait!" A cascade of emotions played across his features. "If you gain entry to the palace and manage to rescue the little princesses and the baby Hort, I imagine you mean to kill Lord Davorin as well?"

Joss studied the man for a long moment, wondering if he could be trusted with the truth. "Optimally, yes," he finally confirmed.

The merchant took a deep, shuddery breath. "All right. In that case, before you go mucking around with my memories, let me show you a way you might be able to get inside the Palace walls."


Next chapter: https://rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,3486.0.html

[tmcd]

A merchant of luxuries, subject to tariffs and fees, knowing secret ways in and out? How could that be possible?!

Sorry, sarcasm burst forth.

[Evie]

A merchant of luxuries subject to tariffs and fees knowing secret ways in and out? How could that possible be?!

Sorry, sarcasm burst forth.

At least he's mostly partially law-abiding when it suits him! 

[Jerusha]

Can we put Lord Davorin and Jessaminda's heads on pikes, PLEASE?

[Evie]

Can we put Lord Davorin and Jessaminda's heads on pikes, PLEASE?

Now? Oh, my sweet summer child, they're just getting started. 

[revanne]

I imagine when two Haldanes start snarling at each other everyone else runs for cover.

[Evie]

I imagine when two Haldanes start snarling at each other everyone else runs for cover.

That would probably be advisable.