A/N: I think I mentioned that most of the story was already written, but now I'm doing some major changes to it. I'm still going to try to update every week! It's just going to be more challenging than I thought... Anyway, all of the major players have been introduced by now, and we're back in Belisaere.
Attack
A teenaged girl made her way between the tables, balancing four mugs of ale on a tray. She kept her head down as she placed the mugs on the table in the corner, avoiding eye contact with the four northern barbarians seated there. As she moved to leave, one of the barbarians grabbed her wrist. She whirled around, heart pounding, and nearly dropped the tray. The young barbarian said something to her in his guttural language, but she shook her head. She could not understand.
One of his companions leaned forward. "He wants to know how old you are," the second barbarian translated.
The girl glanced at the first barbarian, who offered her a smile. She ignored him and addressed his friend. "Sixteen." Then she wrenched her arm from his grip and walked away as quickly as she could without breaking into a run.
In the back room, a woman glanced up from the pot of stew bubbling over the fire. Her eyes narrowed shrewdly. "All right, Jyss?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, mother. Just some northerners. There are more of them coming into the city every day." She placed some bread and cheese on her tray and went out again.
A figure came barrelling through the door, and Jyss really did drop her tray this time. Furs – long hair – another barbarian. He spotted the others at the corner table and yelled at them in their guttural language. From his manner, something was very wrong. And anything wrong with the barbarians was right for the Kingdom. The four others sprang from their seats, grabbed their weapons, and dashed out of the inn without even paying for their drinks. Good riddance.
As the girl bent down to clear the bread and cheese from the floor, a merchant seated nearby excitedly told her companions, "That man said some ships were spotted entering the bay!"
The girl's hand slipped and the tray clattered to the floor a second time. Ships entering the bay? Two years ago the barbarians had overrun Belisaere and occupied the Palace, and the surviving Prince and the Royal Guard had fled by sea. Had he finally returned to take back Belisaere? She ran to the back room to tell her parents.
"Captain Finessa and I discussed the placement of our patrols with the Abhorsen."
Jyss feigned deafness as she bustled around the King's bedchamber, pretending not to listen to the Chancellor making his report. As she had soon discovered, the King spend most of his time within the large network of rooms that made up his personal accommodations. Perhaps once a day he agreed to sit on his throne for necessary matters, but the rest of the time was spent brooding alone, isolated from the rest of the Kingdom.
"We do not know if Ensign Madran will succeed in infiltrating the encampment, but the best we can do now is keep an eye on rebel movements. The Abhorsen and Captain Finessa organized a new system of patrolling to do just that. I have the details, if you would like to read them."
Jyss glanced at Chancellor Oraz, who was holding a roll of parchment. The King, seated by the fire in a cushioned chair, did not look up. Ever since their arrival Rothain had avoided the Abhorsen and his niece. The two tall, pale, black-haired individuals made Jyss slightly nervous too, but the one time she and the Chancellor had tried to get the King to meet them had been disastrous: the walls of the small conference room were still scorched black. From then on the Chancellor, Captain, and Abhorsen met in the King's absence, with the Chancellor making formal reports afterwards. Between the three of them they were managing to keep everything running, and perhaps with the Abhorsen the Kingdom would hold together.
Frankly, Jyss was relieved that Chancellor Oraz was on their side. She liked him. They both had difficult jobs, and he was always quiet and calm and patient with her. She finished rearranging the books on the writing-desk, then poured a glass of water, mixing in some powder to make a soothing tonic. "Here you are, Majesty," she murmured, bringing forward the drink.
Rothain glanced up at her, and inwardly she shivered at the glassy look in his eyes. Those eyes never gave any warning, and there was no telling when the King's temper would flare up. But the diamond of protection dissolved, and she handed him the glass. He drained it.
Jyss stood with her hands behind her back, looking around the room. She had noticed that there were no portraits of the Queen. The other Corporals had told her that the King had removed them from the Palace after her trial and execution for adultery. Jyss supposed that the King did not want to be reminded of her, but there was still the famous painting at the museum in Belisaere. Even Jyss had seen it during a visit last year, and she thought the Queen had looked like a very nice lady – not at all like an adulteress.
King Rothain held out the empty glass and she took it from him. She noticed that the collar of his over-robe was twisted, and automatically reached out and straightened it with gentle fingers.
A strange look came over the King's face, and suddenly he was clutching his head and groaning in pain. He rocked forward, and Jyss and the Chancellor moved fast to catch him before he toppled to the floor. They lowered him gently onto the carpet where he lay. His body started to shake. Jyss' mouth went dry. What was happening? "Careful!" the Chancellor warned, and Jyss managed to duck a flailing limb.
"What's wrong with him?" she yelled, panicking.
"It's all right, it's all right," the Chancellor reassured her, struggling to pin down the King's legs. "One of his attacks. It'll pass soon. Help me hold him!"
Somehow Jyss managed to restrain King Rothain's arms, trying not to look at him. The sight of that pale and clammy face with the eyes rolled back was enough to give her the chills. Soon the convulsions subsided enough for her and the Chancellor to sit back, panting. The King lay on his side, the occasional tremble running through his thin frame.
Jyss absently rubbed at her bruised elbow. "Is it over?" she whispered.
"Yes." The Chancellor's grey hair was standing on end, and his face was red and perspiring. "These attacks are not very common. Usually they are preceded by severe headaches, but this one came on rather suddenly." He smoothed back the King's damp curls with an oddly fatherly gesture. "I will fetch some medicine to help him have a restful sleep. Stay with him while I am gone."
"Couldn't we – er – send someone for help?" asked Jyss, not wanting to be left alone.
Chancellor Oraz shook his head. "It's important that nobody sees him like this." He got slowly to his feet, straightened his robes, and smoothed down his hair. "You had better cast a diamond of protection. If he wakes up without one, he's liable to have another fit." And with that he left the room.
Jyss stared down at the pallid young man, amazed that this was the most powerful person in the Kingdom. She carefully cast a diamond of protection around both herself and the King, crouching at his side but fearful of touching him.
Although she was still nervous about being left alone with a madman, Jyss knew that she was adjusting to her duties as the King's aide. It would be a long time before she could find her way around the Palace, but the other guards were friendly and willing to help her out. There was a Junior Officer's parlour for her use, but due to lack of free time she had not seen it yet. Her superior officer Commander Sonchia was quite strict, but given the nature of Jyss' duties she did not see the older woman very often. Jyss had also met Captain Finessa, the woman who had replaced Betrys at the start of the rebellion. The Captain had seemed stressed during the few occasions Jyss had seen her, but the young Corporal could understand that.
A gentle knock sounded on the door, and Jyss sprang to her feet as a kindly-looking old woman carrying a tray entered the room. A servant. "Hello, dear," said the woman, eyes crinkling. "The Chancellor sent me."
"Oh. Right." Jyss let her hand relax from its grip on her sword. She gestured at the King, who was sprawled on the rich carpet. "I suppose you've seen this before?"
The woman placed her tray on a side table, clucking her tongue. "Yes, I'm sorry to say. Only a few of us, of course. The Court Doctor was sent to Ancelstierre, so those of us with some skill at healing do what we can." She selecting a large green bottle from her tray, uncorked it, and sniffed the contents.
"That's very kind of you," Jyss observed.
The servant gave a modest smile. "It's an honour, really. The King is the last surviving member of the Family, poor dear. His parents, siblings, and cousins were all killed during the Barbarian Invasion." She picked up the bottle, a towel, and a bowl of steaming water. "But the King is still young, and there is hope for recovery. Could you take down the diamond, please?"
Jyss blinked. "Oh, of course." Blushing at her forgetfulness, a well-aimed spell shattered the northern mark and the diamond went out.
As the old woman moved past Jyss, the young guard got a funny feeling in the base of her gut. A feeling that something bad was going to happen. "Wait," she said, reaching for the servant's arm.
The old woman spun around and flung the bowl of scalding water into her face. Jyss yelled in surprise and pain, and felt something slam into her body like a thousand icy knives. She was blasted full across the room, crashed into the wall, and slid down to the floor. Jyss gasped, completely winded, and wiped her smarting eyes. Her body ached all over from the magical attack, and she couldn't help reflecting that the King's protection spell had probably saved her from serious injury, if not death.
The King! Her vision was blurry, but Jyss could see the old woman crouched over Rothain – with a knife in her hand.
Somehow she staggered to her feet, clinging onto a wall-hanging for support. "Stop!" she shouted, and the old woman looked up. That was all the time Jyss needed to throw herself at the servant, knocking them both to the ground. The knife went skidding away across the floor.
Another sharp spell caused Jyss to recoil in pain and the old woman stood, grabbing the green glass bottle by the neck and smashing it on the back of a chair. Kneeling on the rich carpet, Jyss kept her eyes on the broken bottle as she cast about for something she could use to defend her King, and herself. Her wandering hand bumped into a footstool, and without a second though she snatched it up with both hands and threw it at the woman. The servant shrieked as she was knocked down yet again, but soon she was up, her knife held triumphantly aloft. With an exultant scream the old woman lunged for Rothain, who was lying prone and unprotected on the floor.
Without thinking Jyss flung up her arms and shouted a stream of Charter marks. There was a deep booming sound that shook the room, and the spell radiated from her hands like liquid fire. It engulfed the old woman, burning her, killing her instantly. Jyss lowered her hands which were blistered and smarting from the spell she had cast. By Rothain's side lay the servant's charred remains, still clutching the knife.
The door banged open and several guards ran in, stopping short at the scene. Jyss was vaguely aware of gasps and muffled oaths. She could very well imagine what they thought upon seeing her and the King in the midst of the wreckage, with a steaming pile of ash and bone.
The touch of a hand on her shoulder made Jyss flinch, but it was the Chancellor. He looked deeply shaken. When he spoke, however, his voice was calm. "What happened?"
"The old woman," said Jyss, still stunned by what she had just done. "The servant. She said you had sent her. I took down the diamond of protection, and she attacked."
She reached up to feel her scalded wet face, but the Chancellor caught her hand. "Don't touch it," he warned. "It's only a very minor burn. The healers can fix that up in an instant. And your hands." He looked to where some guards were tending the King, while others were examining what was left of the old woman. "A servant," he muttered, shaking his head. "She came close – much too close. You are to be commended, Jyss. You almost certainly saved the King's life."
Jyss managed a weak smile, though it hurt her face. With the Chancellor's assistance she got to her feet, her body still aching from the servant's spell. "May I excuse myself for a moment?" she asked. The Chancellor nodded and she cautiously made her way to the bathroom, wincing at every step.
Once inside Jyss carefully closed the door. Her hands were shaking. She clenched them once or twice, despite the pain, then managed to pour some water from the pitcher into the silver basin. She splashed it over her face, relishing the cool feeling on her scalded skin.
That woman. That sweet old woman. An assassin. The first person Jyss had ever killed. For the first time, the young Corporal realized the seriousness of her situation. Gasping, gulping, her heart pounding, she leaned on the counter, lowered her head, and closed her eyes. "Ohhhhh Charter..."
A/N: You know, I don't think anyone is in a really good situation right now, but Jyss has her work cut out for her. Until next week!