Storms of the North: Chapter 7

Storms of the North: Chapter 7

A Chapter by Mick Fraser
"

Lucrezia and Priscilla get some interesting information from Vita.

"

There was no one in Rhyls Keep who wasn't effected by the arrest of Ser Alfred. He had become part of the family of people who lived there and cared for the Icillius family and now his life hung in the balance. No one knew what would happen. Everything now rest in the hands of the Emperor, and many whispered that the Empress would have her way and that she was the one who wielded the real power of the throne. Others still believed in the goodness of Emperor Tyris. All anyone could do was wait, and pray.

            None of that mattered to the blonde walking briskly down the hall towards the room of her mistress. It was no secret that the Icillius family had been hit the hardest by the arrest. Even Lord August had sought to plead with the Emperor on Ser Alfred's behalf. For Lucrezia, though, the upset was two fold. Firstly she feared for the life of someone who had mentored her brother and always watched out for all of them. He always seemed to have the right advice, even for the ladies. Secondly she was now terrified of leaving her home and entering into this world where a man's life meant so little. She had no idea how things worked on King's Rock, and she feared that she would loose herself in it. That she would get swallowed up in the schemes and mysteries, like a person is swallowed up by the tide, never to breathe air again.

            A gentle knock came to Lucrezia's door and she looked up with tear stained eyes, "Enter." She said weakly.

            Priscilla walked in and shut the door, pausing a moment to catch her breath. Her blue eyes looked at Lucrezia and her heart ached. Lucrezia's eyes were red and puffy and she held a cloth handkerchief between her fingers that she had obviously been dabbing her eyes with. It pained her to see her mistress like this. The two had grown up together, and though she had served her, the two had become the closest of friends, at least as close as a maid and a lady could. That short distance between their stations always seemed to feel like a chasm to Priscilla but she had never said anything to suggest that she was at all unhappy.

            "Mistress, are you alright?" Priscilla asked rushing to Lucrezia's side. She knew that the question was rather pointless, but she didn't know what else to say.

            Lucrezia looked at Priscilla and offered a half smile through her tears, "How many times must I tell you, when we're alone, you can call me Lucy." She sniffled, "But no, I'm not alright. I can't do this, Cilla, I can't marry him."

            "Is he that disagreeable?" Priscilla asked still kneeling at Lucrezia's side and holding one of her hands, gently rubbing it with her thumb in an effort to calm her mistress.

            "No, Alvar's wonderful. He's very smart, and charming and patient." Lucrezia said before sniffing and dabbing her nose with the handkerchief, "But this world that they all live in. It's so twisted. You were there, Cilla, did you see how little Ser Alfred's life meant to everyone? All this talk about executing him, or worse, and yet I don't feel like he deserves that." Lucrezia paused, "He is a good and just man, I can't believe that he would harm the Prince with any feeling of malice."

            Priscilla's heart sank, "I know, My La... Lucy, but they say that justice is cold and unfeeling. It must be or else we would not all receive the same judgment."

            "Is it really though?" Lucrezia asked looking at Priscilla, "We all know that those with money, position and merit often feel a kinder hand of justice, than those without. And we both know that the Empire hasn't been just or fair in a long time."

            Priscilla said nothing. She merely closed her eyes and sighed, nodding slightly. She knew that Lucrezia was right. Anyone who paid the slightest bit of attention to the news coming from the capital and throughout the Empire knew that the real power behind the throne had been the Kingdom of Darlton, and even worse, the House James. It seemed to be more evident now than it had been in past years, but it was still whispered that the will of the crown was chosen by those close to or part of that house. Priscilla had nothing to say to her mistress that would calm her. She wished she did, but nothing came to mind to be a beacon of light through the cloudy picture that Lucrezia had just painted.

            A rustling could be heard behind them as a part of the wall seemed to open and Vita walked in, holding a silver chalice of wine in her hand. Vita's walk was hardly straight, but it rarely was. The young girl had far too much access to wine, and she indulged in it, in abundance.

            Priscilla and Lucrezia looked at Vita and Lucrezia did the best she could to hide the fact that she had been crying, but Vita wasn't drunk enough that such details escaped her notice. She slunk down onto Lucrezia's bed, lying on her side, careful not to spill a drop of her wine. Her silk robe stayed closed, keeping the desirable parts of her body hidden from the two other women. As she lay, looking at them a sly smile came onto her lips, "Poor sister. You thought life was going to be so perfect, like in your little fairy tales mother used to read you as a child, didn't you?" Vita clicked her tongue, "Welcome to the real world, Lucy."

            "Gloat somewhere else, please." Lucrezia said, straightening up, trying to act elegant and as though the whole situation wasn't ripping her apart.

            "I'm not gloating, I'm actually here to give you some news." Vita said, "You aren't the only one who can smile nice and bat her eyes and get what she wants."

            "At least I can do it without spreading my legs." Lucrezia replied sharply.

            Vita sat up, "Must we go through this right now? I didn't come here to make enemies with you, Lucy."

            Lucrezia sighed and closed her eyes for a moment composing herself. She realized that Vita was right, she didn't deserve a remark like that, "I'm sorry." Lucrezia said, looking back at her sister. She knew that she was letting her emotions get the better of her, and she couldn't do that.

            "The world isn't as perfect as it seems for you, here in the Keep, you know." Vita said playing with a trinket on Lucrezia's bedside table, "It's cruel, and cold, and clever. You have to be more clever."

            "Do you know something, or not?" Priscilla insisted, realizing that her tone might have been out of place, but she suddenly felt slightly defensive of Lucrezia, and didn't want Vita's ramblings to waste her time.

            "Oooo!" Vita almost sounded excited, "Who sharpened your tongue little girl?" She smirked, "About time you grew a backbone." She swung her legs over the bed and stood up, "I do, actually." She finally answered Priscilla's question, "I've done quite a bit of eavesdropping around corners since mother came to chastise me for my absence this morning. The whole place is a buzz if you know what you're listening for."

            "And?" Lucrezia asked, "Anything on the fate of Ser Alfred?"

            "Sadly no." Vita replied taking another drink of her wine, "But I did overhear some of the guards talking and going over their 'story' about what happened, in case they are questioned again. At the end one of them said something to the effect of 'just like the Legetai instructed.'" Vita paused.

            "Bauman?" Priscilla interrupted, "What would Ser Gerhard have against Ser Alfred?"

            Vita shrugged, "Not sure I care much to be honest, but that's what was said."

            "But that's not all you heard?" Lucrezia asked, her mind trying to put the pieces together about what was really happening.

            Vita shook her head, "I overheard what sounded like the Empress and Ser Gerhard, or someone else from Hemlatrü, talking about how their plan had to work, and how it was his last chance, or something grave would happen. It was unclear what, but I'm guessing that it is bigger than Ser Alfred."

            Priscilla looked from Vita to Lucrezia, "You think it's a plot against the Emperor, or Prince Alvar?"

            "No. What reason would she have to murder either of them? If it was the Empress, why would she want to murder the Emperor? There's no guarantee that she would be allowed to rule. The Empire has only been ruled by a woman twice in its history, and both were very short reigns, and both ended in foul play." Lucrezia said, "It's too great a gamble. It has to be something else."

            "Was there anything else you overheard?" Priscilla asked Vita.

            Vita nodded in response before finishing the cup of wine she had, "Even if half of what I just told you is true, you need to be careful." Her eyes shifted to Lucrezia, "And you need to wise up to the was of the world. Trust me, it's not always as wonderful as it comes across in your books." Vita stood up as she heard some noise from outside. All three of the women assumed it was nothing, but they paused, almost frozen in place before Vita slipped out the door she'd entered leaving Priscilla and Lucrezia alone.

            Priscilla looked at her mistress and saw that there was no longer fear in her eyes, but rather a determination that she would not be fooled into this game, that she would do whatever was needed to stay on top of anything at King's Rock. Priscilla was not as comfortable. It wasn't her own life she feared for. She knew that no one would pay attention to a maid, but it was Lucrezia. Her dearest friend was going to one of the most dangerous places in the world and it sounded as though things were only going to get worse, not better.

            Lucrezia saw the fear on her maid's face and smiled warmly, "Don't worry Cilla, everything will work out." Lucrezia was always good at giving other people hope, even when she didn't have any herself, "We just need to learn how to play their game, and to do that we need to know more about the players. So I say tonight, we observe all the people closest to the royal family, and see how they respond to each other and to other situations."

            "What about your betrothed?" Priscilla asked as she prepared to tie Lucrezia's corset together in the back.

            "I doubt he'll be any the wiser." Lucrezia said, "Once the ale starts flowing, few of them will be." Her voice was strong, but the truth was, she was anything but confident. Inside Lucrezia was still a ball of fear, worried that something might go wrong with their plan, or worse, that someone would get the better of her. All of these people that they were about to associate with, had been hatching schemes and other evil deeds for a long time, much longer than Lucrezia had. In the back of her mind she cursed herself for not having learned more of how to think like this, instead of reading books and fantasizing about a more romantic period of time.

            Priscilla was not as good as Lucrezia was at projecting confidence or positive thinking. As she laced up the front of Lucrezia's dress, before adjusting the billowy sleeves to their proper length, her face was full of worry. It was impossible to hide in the blueness of her eyes. She would try to be strong for her mistress, but there was so much that she wasn't ready for, and so much she just didn't know. The only thing she could be completely confident about was that moving to King's Rock was going to change their lives in ways they couldn't even imagine.



© 2019 Mick Fraser


Author's Note

Mick Fraser
This chapter is still very much in "rough draft" form. I expect there will be many edits done on this. However I'm starting to focus in more on the characters than the actual details, letting the details come out through the characters. I've been watching quite a few YouTube videos on how I might improve my writing and I hope that this starts showing those improvements.
Reviews are always welcome, as is constructive criticism. I hope to learn from each.

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Added on January 3, 2019
Last Updated on January 3, 2019
Tags: fantasy, medieval, dragons, empire, armor, knights


Author

Mick Fraser
Mick Fraser

Pomfret, VT



About
I'm a simple, humble writer, and living history reenactor. I have been writing, on and off, for many years and thoroughly enjoy it. I find it is the best way to channel my creativity and get words out.. more..

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A Chapter by Mick Fraser