Part 30
A hush fell over the crowd gathered in the gardens. Only minutes before there had been laughter and shouts of merriment as they celebrated the bonding of their new king and queen. Now their queen lay upon the cold ground, unmoving. Their own doctor lay where she had fallen after her attack on Beka. Dylan stared at the women in shocked silence, not fully comprehending what had just occurred. The only sound that could be heard was the labored breathing and quiet sobs coming from Neffa. She looked from one woman to the other and then up at Dylan.
"I had no choice. You do understand that don't you?" she beseeched him.
He nodded his head slowly and finally moved. He bent down and gently gathered Beka in his arms. She began to stir slowly although she didn't open her eyes. Dylan moved his gaze from her face to the body of her attacker. Reenia lay on her stomach with cold, unseeing eyes staring up at him accusingly. The jeweled handle of the knife her mother had plunged into her back seemed to glisten in the bright midmorning sun. Reaching over, Dylan closed Reenia's eyes. Turning his attention back to Beka, he began checking her for injuries. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized all the blood staining her clothes had been Reenia's. He gently touched her forehead where a large knot was forming. He had seen her strike her head on the altar as she and Reenia fell forward. Other than that knot she seemed to be fine. Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss beside the large bruise.
"The guards will take her to her room. She will be well cared for. You will be allowed to join her after her injury has been seen to." Neffa said.
"No. I am not letting her out of my sight again." Dylan replied.
"It won't take long. And please do not argue with me Lord Dylan. I am not in the mood to be trifled with.
Looking down at Reenia's body, Dylan replied, "No, I don't suppose you are."
The guards came forward to escort him back to the palace. One of them tried to take Beka from him but Dylan refused to let her go.
"I will carry her to her room. Then you can do what you have to." He said so firmly no one dared to disagree.
Left alone, Neffa turned to look at her daughter.
"I will not be stopped. Not even by you my child. My people will be set free no matter what the costs. I will become all powerful once more." She whispered. Reaching into the folds of her robes she pulled out a small vial. "I will have the child for The Giving." She said looking at the bright blue contents of the vial. "And no one is going to stand in my way." Turning to the remaining guards she said, "Take her body and dispose of it. She was a traitor to her people and I don't wish to be reminded of her ever again."
A hush fell over the crowd gathered in the gardens. Only minutes before there had been laughter and shouts of merriment as they celebrated the bonding of their new king and queen. Now their queen lay upon the cold ground, unmoving. Their own doctor lay where she had fallen after her attack on Beka. Dylan stared at the women in shocked silence, not fully comprehending what had just occurred. The only sound that could be heard was the labored breathing and quiet sobs coming from Neffa. She looked from one woman to the other and then up at Dylan.
"I had no choice. You do understand that don't you?" she beseeched him.
He nodded his head slowly and finally moved. He bent down and gently gathered Beka in his arms. She began to stir slowly although she didn't open her eyes. Dylan moved his gaze from her face to the body of her attacker. Reenia lay on her stomach with cold, unseeing eyes staring up at him accusingly. The jeweled handle of the knife her mother had plunged into her back seemed to glisten in the bright midmorning sun. Reaching over, Dylan closed Reenia's eyes. Turning his attention back to Beka, he began checking her for injuries. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized all the blood staining her clothes had been Reenia's. He gently touched her forehead where a large knot was forming. He had seen her strike her head on the altar as she and Reenia fell forward. Other than that knot she seemed to be fine. Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss beside the large bruise.
"The guards will take her to her room. She will be well cared for. You will be allowed to join her after her injury has been seen to." Neffa said.
"No. I am not letting her out of my sight again." Dylan replied.
"It won't take long. And please do not argue with me Lord Dylan. I am not in the mood to be trifled with.
Looking down at Reenia's body, Dylan replied, "No, I don't suppose you are."
The guards came forward to escort him back to the palace. One of them tried to take Beka from him but Dylan refused to let her go.
"I will carry her to her room. Then you can do what you have to." He said so firmly no one dared to disagree.
Left alone, Neffa turned to look at her daughter.
"I will not be stopped. Not even by you my child. My people will be set free no matter what the costs. I will become all powerful once more." She whispered. Reaching into the folds of her robes she pulled out a small vial. "I will have the child for The Giving." She said looking at the bright blue contents of the vial. "And no one is going to stand in my way." Turning to the remaining guards she said, "Take her body and dispose of it. She was a traitor to her people and I don't wish to be reminded of her ever again."