The King & His Queen (Pict King Series Book 3) Page 13

  “Vard,” Talon said. “Summon the men I know you brought with you and see that his body is taken to the executioner’s chamber and have Broc meet us there. I want to know how his body got here without one sentinel seeing it.”

  Wrath stepped away from them and with his hand braced to the side of his mouth, he let out a strange call.

  “Wrath,” Talon said with a curt snap.

  Wrath looked to the King and spoke before Talon could. “I should not have spoken to you as I did, my King. My concern for your safety had me speaking foolishly, though after finding Vard this way, I am not sorry that I came in search of you, my friend.”

  Talon gave a nod, accepting his apology. “Did Bower tell you where we were?”

  “He did. He was worried that Hemera may be punished for something that he claims was his fault.”

  “Bower is a good man,” Hemera said.

  “I am glad to hear that, Hemera, for he would make you a fine husband,” Wrath said.

  “Have one of my personal guards escort Hemera to her dwelling,” Talon commanded.

  “As you say, my King,” Wrath said and went to speak to the warriors that began emerging from behind the bushes.

  Talon turned to Hemera, wanting desperately to take her in his arms, but instead shielding her from curious eyes with his body and keeping his voice low for only her to hear. “Are you all right?”

  She turned a gentle smile on him. “I am good. I have seen tortured bodies before, though I was not expecting to see one here in this peaceful spot.”

  “You have seen tortured bodies? I would ask you where, but I believe your answer would be as usual—I will tell you one day—and I have not the time to argue with you. You will go and remain in your dwelling until I come to you.”

  “Aye, my King,” she said with a bob of her head.

  Obedient. She was never obedient, but there was no way she could misconstrue his command. He turned and Wrath approached with a warrior.

  Talon was glad it was Tilden. The young warrior was the newest member of his personal guards and while all of the warriors were highly skilled, Tilden set out to prove himself worthy every day. He had erred before he was appointed to the King’s personal guards and ever since he had gone beyond his duties to right his wrong. Hemera would be safe with him.

  Wrath kept his attention on the King as he spoke, “Tilden will take Hemera to her dwelling and then fetch Paine.”

  Talon nodded and watched, his heart growing heavier and heavier with each step she took away from him. He would keep her close all the time if he could. She may have gasped at the shock of seeing a dead body not far from them, but she had suffered no crying fit nor did she turn away from it. She also had remained at his side when he had gone to take a closer look. She had courage and he admired that. Though, he did wonder how it had come to pass that she had seen tortured bodies. What had she been made to do when she was a slave to the Northmen? One day she would tell him. He would make sure of it or so he kept telling himself.

  Hemera wanted a closer look at the body. She had thought she had seen familiar torture marks on him and she wanted to take a closer look and see if she was right. If she was, it would mean that Northmen had been involved in the torture. That would mean that Northmen still lingered here in Pictland and were involved with the leader of the group that wished to defeat the King. It was important for Talon to know that.

  She watched Tilden as they walked. You would not think him a mighty warrior, being short and slim, but he was wiry, cords of muscles pressing tight against his garment, and he walked with strong confidence, his steps determined. She could rule him out as the person she had seen in the woods wearing a cloak of the personal guards.

  Tilden spoke not a word until he stood at the open door of Hemera’s dwelling and waited for her to enter. “Be sure to latch the door.”

  Hemera smiled and nodded. “I will be sure to do as you say.” And she did, waiting several moments before opening the door and peeking out. When she saw that he was gone, Hemera hurried to the executioner’s chamber. The light from the open door sparked the horrors of the place and so as not to be swallowed by them, she left the door open.

  She waited in a spot a short distance from the door where light did not intrude on the shadows. Talon would not be happy when he found her there, but she had not disobeyed him. He had told her to wait in the executioner’s dwelling. He had not specified which dwelling.

  Hemera did not have long to wait, though it was not Talon who entered first...it was Paine.

  “What are you doing here?” Paine asked, catching a movement to his left upon entering and surprised to see it was Hemera.

  She saw no reason not to be honest with him. “I was with the King when the body was found and I would like a closer look at it.”

  “Why?” Paine asked as he proceeded to light candles around the room.

  Hemera stared as little by little the torture devises were exposed and she could not stop a shudder from running through her. It brought back memories of times she preferred to forget.

  “It is not a pleasant place. You should leave.”

  “I must see for myself.”

  “What must you see?” Paine asked.

  Voices approaching the door kept Hemera from answering and she moved further into the room, nearer to what shadows were left where she could remain unnoticed for now.

  Two warriors carried the body in and placed it on the torture table. They left when they were finished, though Hemera saw them take positons on either side of the door outside. The King entered next followed by Wrath and Broc.

  Talon spoke with a biting sharpness that stung. “Do not give me excuses, Broc, I want results or you will be removed as Warrior Commander. That Vard’s body should be left so close to the stronghold without anyone noticing is a failure on your part.”

  “I regret failing you, my King. Sentinels patrol that area more heavily since tracks were discovered just beyond the pond, but nothing suspicious has been reported. I will question each warrior myself and see what was missed.”

  “This body was not in the woods long,” Paine said as he looked over the dead man. “The animals have yet to feast on it. It is also a message to you, my King. Your enemies let you know that whatever this man knew they now know, since no one could withstand such torture and hold his tongue.”

  Talon looked to Broc. “I want answers by nightfall.” He turned to Wrath. “Go with him and let me know if he is failing his command.”

  Wrath nodded and followed Broc’s determined steps out of the dwelling.

  “What else can you tell me?” Talon said to Paine.

  “I believe she can tell you more,” Paine said and bobbed his head toward the shadows.

  Hemera stepped forward as Talon turned.

  His anger or was it sheer frustration that rose up and had his hands itching to throttle her? “You disobey me again? I ordered you to wait in your dwelling.”

  “This is one of the executioner’s dwellings, so I did obey you.”

  Talon stared at her as she so often did to him. It was not that he was at a loss for words, it was that he was trying to understand how she outwitted him so often.

  Paine broke through his thoughts. “She is right.”

  Talon turned slowly to glare at him. “Did I ask you for your thought?”

  Paine said nothing, though he smiled.

  “We can discuss whether I obeyed or disobeyed you later. It is more important that I share with you what I believe I saw,” Hemera said and walked over to the dead man and remained silent as she looked him over.

  Talon joined her, keeping close to her side.

  “Have you seen anything like this?” she asked Paine, pointing to various wounds along his body.

  “Only once when I was far north.”

  Talon looked from Paine to Hemera. “They are the mark of the Northmen?”

  Hemera nodded. “It is a slow, agonizing torture, letting one of their birds of prey pluck at t
he body until...” She turned, burying her face against Talon’s chest.

  Talon wrapped an arm around her, knowing he should not demonstrate such caring, but unable to stop himself. If Hemera was familiar with this, then it meant she had seen someone suffer through it and once again he found himself wanting to do harm to the culprit.

  “The Northmen are still among us and are working with my enemies,” Talon said, looking to Paine. “Go and inform Wrath and Broc and see that a High Council meeting is convened immediately.”

  Paine nodded and left the dwelling.

  As soon as he did, Talon took Hemera by the arm and hurried her out of the door and to her dwelling, his two personal guards following and taking up posts at the door as he entered with Hemera.

  Once the door shut behind him, Talon took Hemera into his arms, holding her tight against him.

  Once again, she buried her face against his chest, feeling safe and secure in the protection of his powerful arms. She imagined them bands of metal that no one could rip away. No one could take her from him. No one could do her harm when locked in his embrace.

  Talon lifted her in his arms and walked to the sleeping pallet and sat, keeping her tucked close against him. “One day you will tell me everything about your time with the Northmen.”

  “Not today,” she whispered with a shiver.

  “Not today,” he confirmed and kissed her temple.

  “You will come to me tonight?” she asked hopefully.

  “Nothing will keep me away.”

  A knock sounded at the door and reluctantly Talon sat Hemera on the sleeping pallet and before stepping away from her, he lowered his head to steal a much too quick kiss from her lips, before whispering, “Later.”

  He went to the door and stepped outside when he saw Wrath and the anger that twisted his face into a simmering rage. “What is it?”

  “Two of the sentinels were found dead.”

  Chapter 15

  Talon informed all at the High Council meeting of the three deaths and issued orders that no one was to enter the woods alone and for more sentinels to be posted on the outskirts of the stronghold. But it was learning that Vard, who they had all met one time or another, had been tortured by Northmen that had each one of them anxiously speaking out.

  “Have more Northmen joined with our foe?”

  “How could a Pict be so disloyal to fight beside a Northman?”

  “Have more Northmen descended on Pict soil?”

  “This could mean war with the Northmen.”

  “Silence!” Talon demanded, his fist coming down hard on the table, quieting the room instantly. “Vard had infiltrated the enemy camp and was close to discovering who led the group.”

  Brows shot up in surprise.

  The King continued. “There are things that go on that you are not made aware of for obvious reasons. The more people who know of a secret mission the less likely it is to succeed. How Vard was discovered puzzles me for only I and one other person knew of his mission and that person I trust with my life.”

  All eyes looked to Wrath and Paine, knowing the two men were like brothers to the King. Neither man said a word or showed any sign of revealing which one knew of the mission.

  “The enemy walks among us in the stronghold,” Gelhard said.

  “Could it be more than one person?” Ebit asked anxiously.

  “How do we find this culprit?” Midrent asked.

  “Stay alert and if you see anything you feel is suspicious come to me,” Wrath said.

  “Other steps will be taken, but not discussed,” Talon added.

  “A wise decision,” Gelhard agreed with a nod.

  Talon doubted Gelhard would agree with his next decision. “You are to suspend the arrival of the future queen until further notice.”

  Gelhard’s obvious annoyance had him stumbling over his words. “That is...you should...I strongly advise you to reconsider.”

  “I have spoken, Gelhard, and you will see it done,” Talon said and cast a stern eye on all those at the table. “You will not share that news beyond these walls. If I hear one gossiping tongue mention it, everyone here will lose their seat on the council. Is that understood?”

  All heads nodded.

  “Broc, I know you are eager to see to the changes we discussed. Keep me apprised of how things go. You are dismissed,” Talon said.

  Broc gave a nod and hurried out of the room.

  “Midrent,” Talon said, addressing his Tariff Collector. “Cancel all tariff collections until further notice. I will not chance having you suffer at the hands of our enemies or chance the tariff stolen to aid the enemy. You are dismissed to see to the task immediately.”

  Looking relieved, Midrent nodded and took his leave.

  Talon directed his attention to Ebit. “How far are you along on your planting?”

  “We have several more fields to seed.”

  “I will assign more warriors to the area for protection,” Talon said and Ebit nodded. Talon dismissed him and waited, knowing Gelhard was impatient to speak.

  “My King, I strongly advise you to reconsider your decision about the future queen. Her arrival is imperative now. The more you delay in taking a wife, the more your enemy will stoke the fire of dissatisfaction against you.”

  “If you recall, Anin was once a possible future queen and found her life in danger. If not for Paine, she would not have survived. I will not see another future queen suffer a similar ordeal. Marriage will wait until this matter is settled to my satisfaction.”

  Gelhard did not give up. “It is not only the marriage you delay, but an heir to the Pict throne and that could prove dangerous.”

  Wrath agreed with the man. “Gelhard is right. The people want to know that the Pict throne is secure.”

  “A throne is never secure. There is always someone who believes he deserves the throne more than the reigning King,” Talon said.

  “That might be true, but an heir provides the people with a belief that the present King’s reign will continue,” Wrath argued. “If there is no heir, the people worry over who will replace you and if he would be a wise and just King like you.”

  “The King’s decision is wise and should stand,” Paine said. “It would be foolish to take a chance with the future queen’s life. The only solution is to see this matter resolved quickly so that the King can get busy making many bairns and securing his sovereignty.”

  “My decision stands. Only when this matter is finally put to rest will I give permission for the future queen to travel here,” Talon said, sending Gelhard a warning scowl after hearing his annoyed snort. “See it done, Gelhard.”

  “As you wish, my King,” Gelhard said with a nod, his annoyance with the King’s decision still obvious as he marched stiffly from the room.

  “There is another important matter that must be discussed, my King” Wrath said.

  Talon filled his vessel with wine. “You are angry with me for going into the woods without the protection of my personal guards.”

  “Three deaths is a good reason for me to be angry and that we had discussed this before and you had agreed to follow your own rule,” Wrath argued. “Whatever possessed you to go into the woods alone?”

  Talon was quick with an excuse. “I needed to think.”

  “Your guards would have respected your privacy and kept a safe distance, but would have been there if needed. You cannot take such risks, Talon. It is not fair to your people.”

  “You are right, but tell me this” —Talon leaned forward, his arms braced on the table— “are you certain that every one of my personal guards can be trusted not to betray me?”

  Paine joined in. “When two previous High Council members were found to be traitors to the King, I would say no man beyond this room can be trusted. What troubles me more is that whoever it is here among us in the stronghold that betrays the King has incited others to do the same. The question begs then how many among us are traitors?”

  “Another good reas
on that you will go nowhere without your personal guards,” Wrath ordered as if he were king.

  “If some changes are made,” Talon said and raised his hand to silence Wrath when he appeared ready to argue. “No guards outside my sleeping chamber’s door. They can position themselves down in the feasting hall, since anyone would have to go through there to reach my chamber. It will afford me at least some privacy.”

  “I can agree to that,” Wrath said.

  Talon continued. “Instead of two guards tailing me, I want one as my shadow while in the stronghold, two or more when outside the stronghold. It leaves you to assign some of my guards to patrol the stronghold and see what they can find out.”

  Wrath voiced his concern. “With a traitor or traitors among us, having only one guard with you worries me.”

  Paine laughed. “Talon has conquered every opponent on the practice field and you worry if he can protect himself?” Paine gave another short laugh. “I am sure he can keep his opponent at bay until we come to his rescue.”

  Talon’s commanding tone settled it. “Good. It is done.”

  “What of Hemera?” Paine asked.

  Talon lowered his vessel without taking a drink. “What about Hemera?”

  “Her punishment. Will she continue in the cookhouse?”

  “I have not decided yet and I will hear no more about it now,” Talon was quick to say, stopping Paine before he could say anymore. “Leave me now. I want to think and plan on ways to rid us of this traitor.”

  Wrath and Paine took their leave.

  Once outside, Paine said to Wrath, “You are going to have one of his guards follow him without him knowing it.”

  “His safety is my responsibility.”

  “He will find out. What then? Are you prepared to face the consequences?” Paine asked.

  “He will not find out.”

  “Talon sees more than you think and knows more than you think. It is why he is King,” Paine reminded him and looked to say more, but shook his head stopping himself.

  “You hold your tongue on something. What is it?”