Chapter Twenty: Accused!
Aly was walking through the halls one day in late March on her way to visit Gareth when she ran into-literally-Duke Roger. He had been carrying a few books in his arms, and they fell to the ground.
"Oh!" Aly said, "Excuse me, your Grace."
"The fault was mine, Lady Alianne." Roger said, with a slight bow. He kneeled down to gather the books up, "And I believe I have asked you to call me 'Lord Roger', not 'your Grace'. It-"
"Yes, I remember. It makes you feel old." Aly said, getting down to help.
"Thank you." Roger said as Aly handed him the last book.
"Are those all magic books?" Aly asked.
"Yes," Roger said, flashing Aly a grin, "I learned a lot while I traveled the world broadening my education, but I need a little more instruction to help me find whoever sent the Sweating Sickness."
"Ah. Well, I admire the trait of one who can admit they don't know it all. That takes courage." Aly said, "How are you coming along?"
"I'm faring well enough." Roger said, "I'd get along better if I had more time. Teaching takes a lot of my day up, what with making lesson plans and all."
"How are your classes doing?" Aly asked.
"Do you mean as a whole, how are they doing, or how is Alan doing?" Roger asked.
"Alan." Aly said.
"I see a lot of potential in him."
"However?"
Roger grinned, "What makes you think there is a however?"
"Court life." Aly said simply.
Roger laughed, "However, I don't think he is putting all of his abilities into his work."
"He's still uncomfortable with his Gift, Lord Roger." Aly said.
"He has a very strong Gift."
"He and his brother, Thom, both do." Aly said, "They get that from me."
Roger raised his eyebrows, "Really? And Alan said Thom is training to be a sorcerer?"
"Yes." Aly said.
"I will give Alan credit where it is due, Lady Alianne." Roger said. "He is very clever, and he catches on very quickly."
"Alan has an amazing mind, Lord Roger. His father made him educated, and I made him clever."
"You did a good job." Roger said, "Both of you."
"Thank you." Aly said.
Roger stood in his workshop, holding up a new addition to his collection of wax figures. Close examination led to making it clear that this was a replica of Lady Alianne. He placed her in the cloth bag that most of his wax figures were in, and then turned to the fountain that a wax doll of the queen was slowly wasting away in.
Lady Alianne could remain in the bag for now, he decided. If she turns out to be too clever, she can join her dearest friend in the fountain. Her son can join her if need comes. There was just one more order of business needed to throw any hint of him being connected to the Sweating Sickness...
"Announcing Lord Roger, Duke of Conté." The herald outside Lianne and Roald's room said as the guards let the young duke in.
"Roger, what brings you by?" Roald asked.
"Information," Roger said, "I have a suspect for who might have brought the Sweating Sickness."
Aly curiously nodded to the guards, telling them to let her in. Lianne had summoned her to the royal bedroom without any explanation as to why.
"Announcing Lady Alianne of Trebond." the herald said. Aly walked in the room and looked around. Roald, Lianne, Jonathan, Gareth, Roger, and the Lord Provost were all in the room. There were also two extra palace guards and two Provost Guards in the room. Lianne was sitting down, crying. Roald was behind her, laying a comforting arm on her shoulder. Roger, Gareth, the Provost, and the guards looked solemn.
"What's the matter, Lianne?" Aly asked, running to her friend's side. The two palace guards stopped her about a foot away.
"Lianne, what is going on?" Aly asked.
"Aly, I am so sorry." Lianne said, looking up at Aly.
"Sorry for what?" Aly asked.
"Roger." Roald began, "Has recently told us that he has a suspect as to who might have sent the Sweating Sickness."
"That's great news." Aly said, "You can catch him now. Who is it?"
"Lady Alianne-" the Provost began, but Gareth cleared his throat, and shook his head at the Provost, silencing him.
"Aly," Gareth said.
Realization dawned on Aly. The summons, the extra guards, the Provost, being kept out of reach from Lianne...
"Me?" Aly whispered.
Gareth nodded.
Aly turned to Roger. "Out of curiosity, my lord." Aly said the last two words scornfully, "Why do you suspect I have something to do with this?"
"Our conversation earlier today." Roger said.
"Really?" Aly said. "What about our conversation?"
"Why are you so interested in how my search is going?" Roger asked, "Are you concerned you didn't cover up the trail that connects you and your sons to the Sweating Sickness?"
"No I am not concern-did you say that connected me and my sons?" Aly asked.
"Yes," Roger said, "Now Lady Alianne, I know you pride yourself and both your sons as being powerful, but this Sickness was very strong. Only a Master could have possibly stood a chance in making this spell work. You could not have done it alone. Alan is right here, and your other son is off becoming a sorcerer. You can see how it all fits together towards you and your sons."
Aly turned to Lianne, "Lianne, you cannot possibly believe this! You cannot possibly believe that I would do anything to harm you or Jonathan!"
"Aly, please...don't do this! Don't make a big scene." Lianne asked, "I'm not asking as a queen, I am asking as a friend!"
Aly ignored Lianne, and turned back to Roger, "While you believe my sons helped, you believe me to be the ring leader, right?" Aly demanded.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."
"Please tell me you have more than one comment taken the wrong way to back this case up?"
"I have plenty more, actually." Roger said. "I was told by my aunt and uncle that when Aunt Lianne was sick with the Sweating Sickness, you stayed by her side?"
"As much as possible." Aly said.
"And when it struck Duke Gareth, you were with him?"
"I split my free time between visiting each of them."
"And Alan, I believe that your friends Raoul of Goldenlake and Gareth, the younger, of Naxen caught the sickness and you visited them as well?" Roger asked.
"Yes, my lord." Alanna said.
"Then how is it that you two could spend so much time with people with a sickness that was killing people and make it out without even a sniffle? The only reason I can think of is you brought the sickness to the palace and had a magical barrier that rebounded the sickness off of you."
"We were both just too determined to give into the sickness." Aly said, her temper rising, "You're acting as if Alan and I were the only two in the palace who didn't get affected by the sickness! Sir Myles of Olau didn't get sick, neither did our servingman, Coram Smythyson. There were hundreds of people who didn't get sick."
"Yes, but neither Sir Myles, nor your servingman, nor the hundreds of other people, are being accused." the Provost said.
"Well, Lord Roger. You are wrong. My sons and I had nothing to do with the Sweating Sickness."
"So you are formally denying the charges brought against you?" the Lord Provost asked.
"Yes, I am formally denying the charges brought against me. And I am also formally denying the charges brought against my son, Thom, since he is not here to deny them himself."
"Page Alan, do you deny the charges against you?" the Provost asked.
"Yes, my lord Provost," Alanna said, "I am denying the charges."
The Provost nodded, and pulled out two pieces of folded official-looking parchment. He held them both up in front of Aly.
"This first document," he said as he handed it to her. "Is a warrant-signed by King Roald, as you can see-giving me and my men the authority to search all property owned by both you and Page Alan for anything that might be a connection to you and the sickness.
"This other document is a list of royal orders to be carried out for the investigation." the Provost said. "The orders are as follow: You, Lady Alianne are to leave palace grounds and be confined to the lands of Trebond-"
"What!" Aly and Alanna shrieked.
"-for the extent of the time that you and your sons are under investigation." the Provost said, "Simply to assure that you do not tamper with anything involved with the investigation."
"If it wasn't that both Alan and Thom were doing their separate trainings, you would all be confined to Trebond. However, we felt that we mustn't disrupt their training."
"It was also decided." Roger said calmly. "That your gift will have dampening spells placed on it, just as an extra precaution."
"Only my gift?"
"With your son, Thom being trained as a sorcerer, he needs his gift." Roger said. "And Alan needs his gift for my class."
"However, we are making things as fair as we can. Both Alan and Thom will be under constant watch. Every action they perform, every spell they cast, will be noted."
"You also, will have a guard with you, Lady Alianne." the Provost said, "Just to be sure that you don't plan a revolt or any future events that would endanger the royal family."
"You may pack whatever you wish to take with you to Trebond." the Provost said, "But all your baggage must be checked before you leave. Any questions?"
"Two, my lord," Aly asked, "When must I be off palace grounds by?"
"A carriage will arrive to take you to Trebond at the end of the week," the Provost said.
"Who will be placing the dampening spells on me?" Aly asked.
"I will," Roger said in a mater-of-fact tone, "I will be coming by later today to perform the spell."
"You?" Aly asked, "You are the one accusing me! I am supposed to trust that you will only dampen my gift, not something much worse!"
"Aly, calm down." Gareth said.
"How am I supposed to calm down, Gareth!" Aly asked, "I am being charged for a crime that will land me on Traitor's Hill if I am found guilty of it!"
"If you did not do it, you have nothing to fear, Lady Alianne," the Lord Provost said.
"Oh and I suppose you and your guards have never made a mistake before." Aly snapped, "Never hung an innocent person on Traitor's Hill only to find out after they were dead that they were, in fact, innocent!"
"Aly, please, relax." Gareth said in a voice so quiet only she could hear it. "Working yourself up does not help prove your innocence."
Aly nodded in understanding. "If you'll excuse me, my lords, your majesties, your highness, your Grace." she replied. "I would like to return to my rooms and begin packing. The end of the week is not that far off."
Review Reply
inktounge: I am glad you liked it
Kate of Carlay: I was planning on making Aly and Myles friends, and as to the adoption thing...you'll just have to wait to see.
Miakoda of Pirate's Swoop: Thanks for the advice...was this chapter far enough from the book for you?
brezzybrez: Sorry about the wait, I was working on a lot of story stuff (this chapter in particular). I hope this chapter was worth the wait.
Lady Leopard: I am glad you liked it.
elf warrior princess: I promise, George isn't too far off, not really. I will try to fit in a few more hints before he arrives, however. I am glad you liked the last chapter.
Susan: Thanks
Merkaba7734: I am glad you liked it.
a happy camper: I am glad you liked it. Sorry about the long wait, I was working on this chapter. I wrote it and then re-wrote it like five times, so I hope it paid off with a good chapter.
Khelc-sul Renai: I am glad you liked it.
dares to dream: Glad you liked it.
spazzysassyangel: Thanks!
LittleMissGiggles'94': Glad you like it. Right now, Myles only suspects that Alanna is a girl.
Sazerac: I hope this chapter was good! No, my boyfriend didn't give me V-Day chocolate...he made me a steak dinner, however.
abyssgirl: No! I would never have one of my characters commit adultry, rest asured there! Thanks for the suggestion.
Lady Zarobiti: Yeah, I guess it was a little ooc, but I had to figure out a way to get Alanna to the healer. It comes up later in another chapter.
Dom-Love-Kel: I am glad you gave the story a second chance, and that you liked it. I didn't think about the fact that with the purple gift, Aly should have purple eyes. And yeah, the names were a little unoriginal, but I am bad at coming up with names.