Chapter 7:
As the first rays of sunlight glowed on the lake's pure water, people started to come to the port to work. Brian hadn't slept all night for he had to think of his second step. He stood up and stretched his body while letting out a loud yawn and looked at the storage. Pamela had given up on breaking the door open a while ago and had grown quiet.
He walked to a peddler who was selling bread and cheese on his cart to buy breakfast. If he was going to face the wrath of Pamela, he wouldn't do it empty handed. After buying some stuff he went back to the storage and unlocked the storage door. No voice came so he cautiously opened the door to see Pamela sleeping next to the wall. Brian closed the door quietly behind him and drew out a box to set the bread and cheese on it.
The table was set that Brian sensed something move behind him. He turned. "Pamela, I'm_" he couldn't say what he wanted to say for Pamela shove him to side and hit him hard on chest with fist.
"How dare you?" she grabbed him by collar which he didn't object to. "Who do you think you are to lock me up in here? Huh?" tears had dried on her face and left spots from the night before and her eyes were puffy. "Answer me!" she yelled but Brian didn't even meet her eyes so she reserved to pushing him to the floor and go to the door.
Brian was fast to block her way. "You can't leave." he said calmly and took her arm but she violently tried to free herself. The night before was torturing for her as she had seen the failure of all her plans come to life before her eyes. Brian didn't let go but finally looked her straight in the eyes.
"I thought you were human unlike others but you're the same selfish person as others that consider all the world wrong and themselves right." she moved her arm rashly but was unsuccessful in freeing it. "You know what? I now even hate the sight of you." she snapped rashly.
He tightened his grip on her arm and stood closer. "I'm selfish? Take a good look at yourself. You think that all you received from this world was cruelty but have you ever sat down to think about all the people who want you to be happy? Do they deserve to have their love to you be treated this way?" he kicked the door behind him to maintain it closed. "No, I suppose it's too hard to think about such things between convincing Tertius Fume, deceiving the Queen and hanging out with that soldier." he said sarcastically which made Pamela stop struggling. She didn't know of Brian's knowledge of her plans for the Queen.
Pamela realized his devotion to her enough to keep her goals a secret. She suddenly smiled calmly and gazed him back. "Then stop me if you can but be careful as I won't hesitate to get rid of anyone or anything that gets in my way. Not anymore." she took his shoulder with her free hand. "I have thought about those things but no matter what I do, I can't forget the face of the man who did that to my family."
Brian became exhausted by her determination. "Fine, do all this but how are you going to find that man after gaining all this power?" he was really curious.
"That's why I need Tertius Fume since his group can easily locate him with all those wizard and witches in it but, in order to gain him I must first become the army commander so I had to ask help from James who's in the army. It's necessary for me to become the royal advisor since the person to hand an entire army to me so that I can get revenge told me to become the Queen's advisor. Understood?" Pamela became breathless by explaining all that and the moment she did, she realized the odds of her plans ever coming true and that was not high.
Letting go of her hand, Brian stood back. "Will you stop once you take revenge?" he asked.
Pamela nod her head in answer. "I just want to bring justice, that's all." she truly believed in what she was saying. Brian was defeated by her yet again.
"Then promise me to cease all this madness once everything is over." he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Pamela, please say that you will." he pleaded. Pamela opened her mouth to agree and promise him that she would quit everything but the words that came out of it were different.
"Why should I promise such a thing? Then what I can do after it?" she couldn't believe her voice as it was unfamiliar to her own ears as well.
Brian took her hand softly. "If you promise me then I'll help you to take your revenge in any way possible. Just say that you'll stop after you take your revenge." he waited for her to answer but Pamela felt something sticking in her throat and was unable to talk. She didn't want him to help her despite all the uses he had since she wanted to keep some place for him in her heart that didn't involve any hatred. Seeing her eyes become wet, Brian assumed what her answer would be and smiled.
Pamela stood on the Wizard Tower's staircase and ordered it to go fast. She soon arrived at the Extraordinary Wizard's door and it recognized her in time to hear DomDaniel nagging at Alther.
"What do you mean she's not back? How could you lose her?" he didn't let Alther who had seen her come in to answer. "Just shut that large mouth of yours that is good for nothing_" he stopped when Pamela tapped on his shoulder to have him turn to her.
She crossed her hands. "Alther's not my babysitter that you blame him for losing me." she said loudly and was pleased to see Alther relax a bit.
DomDaniel took her shoulders and shook her violently. "Where the hell have you been?" he shouted the took a look at her untidy appearance. "Congratulations, let it go on for a week longer and you'll be crowned as the dirtiest person in the Castle." his relief at her being safe had brought his usual sarcasm back.
Pamela shove his hands away. "I wouldn't dare to surpass the master at such a competition." she smiled with victory at the anger in his face and jerked her head to see Alther who had closed his eyes shut from having to hear their bickering again. "Apparently he wants to go on and on about me not coming back in time so, Alther, would you be so kind to tell me what is this all about?" she pushed DomDaniel slightly which made him let out a laughter in disbelief at her behavior.
She crashed on the sofa and put her legs on the table in front of it. Alther sat beside her with a worried glance at DomDaniel. "The Queen wants to put your trainings to test, which means_" DomDaniel didn't let him finish.
"Which means you can't fail, got it?" he took a sky blue coat that was hanging by the wall and threw it at her. "Wear this and follow me." he commanded.
Pamela threw the coat at the ground and bolt up. "I'll go get ready." she went to her room swiftly and slammed the door behind her. Sitting on her bed, she took a wet towel by the bronze bowl beside her bed and wiped her face clean while brushing her hair.
After changing into a turquoise gown which was given to her for special events she went out to follow DomDaniel quietly to the palace. By the time they reached the palace, her heart was racing and her only source for confident was Alther's reassuring smile. They walked down the corridors quite briskly, so fast that they reached the royal library in a blink of an eye. Before going in, DomDaniel moved his index finger with warning in front of Pamela, indicating that he won't accept anything less than perfect.
Pamela nod at the guard to announce their presence so that she wouldn't retort and cause a scene. "Your Majesty, the Extraordinary Wizard and his apprentices seek audience." said the guard and let them in with the Queen's permission. The Queen shoved the books in front of her aside and waited for them to settle down beside her. Pamela was disappointed to see Cerys's absence but she snapped at herself to let go of such feelings.
The Queen smiled at DomDaniel and Alther who bowed their head and turned to Pamela who made her smile fade by not doing so. "I'm going to give you a task as to see what have you learned from an experienced advisor like the Extraordinary Wizard over an entire month." she announced gracefully.
Pamela focused on her. "I'm eager to please you." she answered with a grin forming on her face.
"You did well with the last encounter with rebellions but that was easy comparing to this." she opened a map in front of her and pointed at a spot on it that was marked red. "Some of them have escaped and formed a village in this area. As more time passes they are growing so what I want from you is..." she entwined her fingers together and leaned back. "To have them surrender without arresting them and submit to me." she truly wanted Pamela to fail so that she can have her leave but Pamela's grin only widened.
"I'll leave right away but it may take some time to do so." she glanced at Alther. "And I need few people with me."
The Queen was surprised yet again by her confidence. "Who do you want?" she was aware of Pamela's wit but accepting such a task was hard even for her.
Pamela pointed at Alther. "The Extraordinary Wizard's apprentice, commander Martin along with his troops and scribe Brian." she was unsure about Brian but she wanted him to see who she really was before devoting himself to her.
"That can be arranged, so you better go get ready." said Queen Mathilda to both Pamela and Alther. "I'd like to have some private talk to the Extraordinary Wizard." she turned to DomDaniel silently so that they would leave.
Pamela and Alther were waiting near the palace for commander Martin, Brian and soldiers to arrive. Pamela was still wearing her gown because it gave her a sense of authority but Alther had changed to ordinary wizard's outfit so that he wouldn't be recognized. The soldiers were coming down the steps led by Martin.
"Do you have a plan?" asked Alther carefully as Pamela could be sensitive at times. Commander Martin joined them as well.
"I'd like to ask the same question." he stood with his hand on his waist, clearly trying to dismiss the suspicion of working with her for anyone by showing distaste in her.
After thinking for a while as to tell them or not, Pamela answered. "You don't need to know just follow my lead." at the same time when saying that, Brian joined them with a confused look on his face. "Well, all are here; let's go." with that she strode off before anyone could object, leaving them to be unable to do anything but trust her. Pamela walked briskly to the location given on the map without taking any glance as to see what others were doing. This was her chance to hit six goals with one arrow.
The village's entrance was lit with torches and everything was quiet at the night. Pamela turned to Martin. "Commander, have the soldiers surround the village and just leave 10 expert archers with me." she commanded and then looked at James who was gazing at her with an admiring grin. "James, you shall go and bring me their chief." she pulled his sword out of his hand. "Without force, gently."
James and Martin strode off swiftly followed by the army, leaving her with the 10 archers, Brian and Alther. "What are you going to do?" asked Brian but Pamela's only response was secretly squeezing his hand to give herself strength. She herself was afraid from the thoughts going on in her head.
They all stood vigilant and silent until James came back with the village's two leaders. James was looking fed as he rushed to stand on Pamela's right which resulted in Brian squeezing her hand tighter, annoyed.
Upon seeing her which he recognized from the night of the meeting, the village leader became furious. "You wench! How dare you show your face here?" he yelled.
"I just missed you, don't fret." Pamela was calm enough to pour oil on his anger. He took a large stone from the ground and threw it at her. Pamela pulled her hand out of Brian's and jumped out the way while Brian ducked his head to avoid getting hit. "Quite bold." she circled her hand behind her and came closer. "I like it." she laughed with an edge of sarcasm to her voice. She could feel the air of anxiety of Brian and Alther.
The leader tried to attack her but James immediately pulled out his sword from Pamela's hand and blocked his way. "What do you want from us?" asked the leader angrily.
Pamela motioned at James to move out of the way. "End this rebellion and join me. Only with that you can save an entire village of people." she didn't plead but demanded. She wasn't going to waste time by trying to please him.
"What can you do if I decline?" he smirked and looked at her with humiliation. Pamela returned his smirked with enthusiasm and rubbed her forehead as she stared at her boots.
"I need to succeed in this and you won't help me in it, so..." she looked up and straightened her back. "Then I have no choice but to kill you all." she said with a low and dangerous tone.
The leader became worried but tried to hide it. "Let's see if you can." he challenged daringly. "Because I won't join you in thousand years."
Pamela nod her head. "I respect that." she retorted calmly. "Soldier Daren!" she called loudly and Daren ran to her swiftly, holding his bow and arrow. "Light the arrows." Pamela raised an eyebrow with a smile that meant she would kill him if he disobeyed. Getting her aim, Daren picked up the torch at the village's entrance and started lighting all the ten arrows. "Set the village on fire." yelled Pamela at the archers.
She felt Brian's unbelieving eyes on her and heard him mutter her name with shock but she ignored it and kept her stare at the leader.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted shakily and looked around to see if there was anything that could be used as weapon.
Coming closer to her, Brian whispered in her ear. "Pamela, don't you think it's a little overboard? Burning is kind of excessive." he tried to bring sense back to her.
Pamela stood taller as she answered him loudly. "This is my place and this is my way. I've already started this so how can I end it without giving it my all?" she looked at archers from the corner of her eye. "What are you standing there for? I said fire the village, hurry." she commanded steadily.
The leader felt threatened by her actions. "Have you lost your mind?" he shrieked but Pamela only smiled.
"The first row of archers come forward." she ordered and they ran forward. "Aim." they kneeled on the ground and held their arrows upward. "Shoot." with her order, the arrows were shot and everyone followed them with their eyes. No one looked pleased, even James who was low on morals. Ignoring the looks shot at her, Pamela took few steps forward with a smirk on her face. "What are you standing here for? watching the flames?" she brought the leaders attention back to her. "Run in and tell them, 'This crazy Pamela is set to burn us to death. Let's all die together in glory and prove her out determination.' Go ahead and do so." she snapped at him who was looking at her with a mixture of disgust and fear. "Or we can watch it burn together. Quite romantic, right?" her sarcastic tone made him to just mutter few swears under his breath and run into the village.
Laughing she turned to her followers. "The second row of archers go forward and shoot. Keep on doing that until I say so." Pamela commanded and walked to Alther who's mouth had fallen open from shock at seeing this side of her. "Alther, go and make sure to distinguish the fire anywhere that it harms anyone or better yet... put a charm or something on anyone in there to prevent them from burning or choking." she then turned swiftly to James. "Tell commander Martin to arrest anyone who comes out of the village and imprison them in a storage. Stay with him there and wait for the next orders. " she raised her eyebrows at the terrified look in James's eyes. "You were so eager to see me in action and now you can't bear to see what I can do?"
James gulped. "You'll kill them if they don't surrender?" he didn't want things to go that far.
Pamela took his shoulder and stood on his side. "It won't go that far. You have my word, they'll surrender." she whispered in his ear and stood back with a sigh. "Now go, both of you." she turned to the soldiers who were still shooting arrows and firing the village. After James and Alther went away she realized that the heaviness she felt wasn't for the way anyone looked at her but Brian. She looked at him but he instead turned to watch the fire.
"Enough." she shouted and the archers brought their arrows down. "Don't look at me like that. You said you'd help me in this." she mumbled to him.
Brian didn't meet her eyes and just folded his hands. "I'm not denying that, just don't try to be what you're not." he kept his stare on the village even though Pamela was looking at him with apology. She knew it was cruel of her to have him see this but she had to do it to stablish the fact she would have power in her own way and nothing would stop her. Brian's sigh made her leave him and walk to the location of the storage.
So this chapter was supposed to be longer but I decided to split it into two parts since it would get prolong if I continued at this point. Hope you enjoyed it and be sure to tell me your thoughts on Pamela's actions in this chapter. Were they justified or ruthless?
Disclaimor: A few events in the end of this chapter (very few) were taken from the historical drama "Six Flying Dragons" a.k.a "Roots of the throne" but everything else was mine.
