Princess of Silence, page 38
part #1 of When Kings Collide Series
“If you’re looking for Philip, I regret to inform you he’s under the weather. He hasn’t quite been himself since he arrived.” Leopold shook his head as if it was lamentable, but the expression passed quickly as he met her eyes again. “You’re strikingly lovely.” He ran a fingertip along the brim of his glass. “I had been told of your beauty before you arrived, but I wasn’t expecting you to be so radiant. I was so taken aback with you when you entered, I forgot my manners.”
Again, she said nothing, only stared at him, wishing he’d get on with whatever he want and send her back to her room so she could pretend to kill herself and get on with it.
Leopold shifted slightly in his chair. “How was your journey? Did my men take good care of you?”
Folding her arms across her chest, Katherine looked at him sharply. What a preposterous question. How comfortable could a kidnapping be?
“If you found them inhospitable, I’d like to know. I told them to take the utmost care in returning you to your husband.”
With that, Katherine’s eyes widened. Whether Leopold believed Philip’s story that they had consummated the marriage or not, he couldn’t possibly think she’d wanted to come back. With a sigh, Katherine reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter Caleb had given her, holding it out for Leopold to take.
“What’s this?” He looked from the rolled up parchment to her face and then back again. “A letter from your former captive?” Katherine shook it at him, angered by his accusations. “All right then—I’ll read it.” He leaned forward and stretched his arm to take it from her and then sat back in his chair. Katherine had no idea how he could read anything in such dim light, but then, his eyes likely glowed when he wanted them to.
Leopold untied the letter, broke the seal, and read aloud:
King Leopold,
Be aware that the only reason Katherine is in your custody is because she has chosen to replace Matthew as your captive in order to save his life. Katherine is confident in your ability to see what must be done in this situation. She believes that you will take the right and just action and return her safely to me. You see, Leopold, Katherine is now my wife, Queen of Arteria. Any claims that Philip may have made regarding the consummation of their relationship are untrue. He has purposely deceived you in order to drag you into a conflict you had no prior interest in. Now, in order to resolve this divergence without further loss of life or resources, simply arrange to send my wife back to me safely, and we shall go on as if these unfortunate events have never taken place.
I look forward to your prompt reply.
Caleb, King of Arteria
Katherine expected Leopold to crumple the paper in anger or to toss it in the fire. She watched, stunned and confused, when an evil cackle split his face into a wicked smile. As the sound grew louder, she almost covered her ears at it seemed to echo around in her mind. It sent chills up her arms and made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
Catching control of himself, Leopold stroked his mustache with one hand and read back over the letter. “His wife? He gave me his wife? What a fool!” He stood up and walked around the back of his chair, staring at the parchment, one hand propped against the fireplace.
Anger boiling up inside of her, Katherine stormed over next to him, stomping her foot to get his attention. Leopold pulled his eyes away from the message and gazed down at her. Thrusting her hand in his face, she pointed at her ring with her other hand. Leopold’s eyes bore into the jewelry, any hint of amusement gone now. “Yes, I know. I saw it the moment you walked in, though I didn’t understand until now what it was. I get it, Katherine.”
In a flash of black, Leopold’s hands were on her shoulders, and Katherine found herself moving backward toward her chair. His fingers cut into her flesh, but she didn’t grimace, only stared at him wide eyed until he pushed her down into the seat. He kept his hands on her as he leaned forward so that his nose was only millimeters from her own. “Listen, Katherine,” he began, his breath hot and stinking of wine and garlic, “there’s something you need to recognize. I am not frightened of Caleb of Arteria. If he is idiotic enough to attack me, uphill, in these mountains, in order to get you back, he may do so. He can’t defeat me. My army is more powerful than his, but beyond that, I have the high ground. As skilled as your beloved is in the art of war, he should recognize the impossible task he has in front of him. And despite your wishes or his, I assure you, he will have to kill me in order to get you back. Do you understand?”
Katherine narrowed her eyes, glaring at him, wishing she was brave enough to spit in his face. He pulled back slightly, but the cackle started up again, grating on her nerves. “Don’t you see? I finally have something he wants--his precious wife!” Katherine leaned as far back in the chair as she could. “After all of these years, my dear Charlotte will have vengeance. Isn’t that wonderful?” He ran a finger across her cheek, but Katherine turned away. His laughter increased as she felt her heartbeat begin to stutter in disgust.
“As for this,” he said, holding up the letter, “I have something I think you should read.”
She held her breath as he crossed back to the table next to the chair. He took another swallow out of the goblet and opened a small, wooden box sitting next to the carafe of wine. In a moment, he returned with a different letter in his hand. “This arrived shortly before you did and is the reason I was unable to meet you. I apologize for not being there when you arrived.” He waved the parchment in front of her face. “Read it. I think it will make the situation clearer.”
With her eyes fixed on his face, Katherine swept the letter out of his hand. Leopold leaned back, his eyes widening at her gumption, but then he laughed at her, and she glared at him a moment before she unfolded the document, leaning closer to the fire so that she might make it out.
It was immediately obvious to her who had penned it. She’d recognize her sister’s handwriting anywhere.
“Dear Leopold,
I have just received word from my brother, Prince James, that our sister, Princess Katherine, is on her way to you via the Arterian forces. Upon her arrival, please keep her safely in your possession until I can reach Gradenia. While it is true I was angered at the idea you intended to steal her away from me, knowing that Caleb was so willing to trade her for his own brother is infuriating, a betrayal I shall not forgive.
It seems we now share a common enemy. My forces are moving in from your western border. If your army will give us safe passage through the mountains, we can reach Castle Graden quickly enough to be in position before the Arterians arrive. I am willing to seal our alliance upon my arrival with the gift of my sister’s hand to you, revoking any claim Caleb may have through whatever means necessary, including his death upon the battlefield. If you are in agreement, send word, and open the mountain roads. Otherwise, I will be forced to travel all the way around the mountains and cannot possibly be there in time to assist you in defeating Arteria. While you may certainly defeat them on your own, I would relish the opportunity to raise my sword against him.
Please tell my sister that I understand she may be wounded at my decision, but as I have always told her, he who would betray the one he loves for riches gains nothing, but he who lies in a bed of thieves and rises an honest man gains prosperity.
Her sister’s signature and seal were at the bottom of the letter. Katherine read back over the part Eleanora had instructed Leopold to tell her and then handed him back the letter, trying not to show how puzzled she was by the message.
“So you see,” Leopold said, taking the parchment and walking around his chair to place it back in the box, “your sister no longer recognizes Caleb as your husband.” He shrugged and moved around to the front of the chair. “I’m certain you’re upset, Princess, but I assure you, once the conflict is over, and you and I can start our life together, you will soon forget about him.” He smiled at her in a way that almost made Katherine think, perhaps, he could be kind if he wanted to. But it didn’t fool her. She wanted to go—to run away from him, back to her room, to discuss Eleanora’s letter with Joan, and determine whether or not she should carry on with her plan. She’d been relying on James’s ability to convince Eleanora to come in on Caleb’s side so that the castle could be breached quickly, but if her sister truly intended to fight against her husband, Katherine may find herself alone in the catacombs far too long should she continue with what they had discussed.
Leopold rang a bell from the table, and the man who’d shown her in appeared at the door. Katherine turned back to look at the king, still confused, but thankful he seemed to be releasing her. “Katherine, darling, I shall call for you soon. If you wish to keep that ring, I do not want to see it again. In time, you’ll be throwing it in the fire, I have no doubt. For now, should you need anything at all, do not hesitate to ask. I want you to consider Castle Graden your home.”
Swallowing the disdain that bubbled up her throat like bile, Katherine rose, Leopold doing the same. He reached for her hand again, but she did not give it to him. Instead, she spun toward the door, listening to him cackle at her as if it was all a bit of merriment. She walked past the servant, aware of which direction to go, and didn’t stop until her chamber door was closed and locked behind her.
Joan stared at her intently, waiting for an explanation, but all Katherine could do was cry.
The battle plan Caleb and his officers had drawn up was a sound one. David had already sent word to the men he’d left in charge in Clovington regarding how the forces should be organized so that the attack on Gradenia would move swiftly. The main forces were positioned to drive through the Gradenian border so that his strongest numbers could march directly to the castle, and his numbers were impressive, though he had no idea how many men Leopold would have to confront him. Scouting reports told him most of Leopold’s forces were nearer Graden, which meant Caleb could cover the majority of the ground between him and Katherine quickly. While the terrain was mountainous, it was not bog land, like the area of Clovington they’d had to march through, so they should be able to move at a steady pace. It would be the last part that would be the most difficult.
He’d already dispatched his horsemen to hunt down the Gradenian Cavalry and drive them out of Clovington, destroying as many of them as possible. Caleb knew Leopold’s riders were his strongest fighters, and while he also had skilled archers and artillery men, taking out as much of the cavalry as possible before they even reached the castle would be beneficial.
The Zurconian forces, led by Margaret’s cousin, Prince Hans, were already advancing into Gradenia. Caleb received word before he reached his own front. They would not only serve as a distraction, but with the resources and training he had provided them these past several months, he thought they might be able to exact a bit of the revenge all Zurconians felt was in order, if not from Philip, then his cousin would do just as well.
Finally, Eleanora would be moving in from the west. If she had to fight her way up the mountain passes, it could take days, possibly weeks, for her to gain the high ground behind Graden and be of any use, but James seemed confident they would close in on Graden at nearly the same time. How that was possible, Caleb didn’t know, but he remained hopeful.
Taking Graden itself would be nearly impossible if he had to rely on an assault from the front. Even with his cannon, catapults, and other heavy artillery, claiming the fortress would take weeks, possibly longer, especially considering the terrain. It had taken him months to fight his way through the swamps of Clovington. It would take even longer for him to crumble a castle on a hill if Leopold’s forces were even half what he claimed them to be.
He couldn’t think about that, however. If need be, he’d find a way to sneak a small party into the catacombs and find Katherine then defeat Leopold. He only had three more days until the promise he’d made to her would be broken; desperation would have to be the mother of solutions in this instance.
In the distance, Caleb could see the Arterian colors fluttering in the wind. His forces held considerable ground already, and he was relieved to see they were off to such a good start. He sought out David, hoping they could perfect their plan while on the move.
The caissons shook the ground as they rattled over rock. Hendrix shot past them, toward the front and a group Caleb recognized as his commanders, Gordon, Dale, and the others he’d brought along struggling to keep up. It had been a long ride, and he’d need to switch horses soon if Hendrix was to be fresh for the battle, but all he could think about now was reaching his friend and seeing if he’d worked anything else out in the few hours he’d been back at the front in Caleb’s absence.
David greeted him with a smile. “How’s Matthew?”
Caleb slowed his pace and reached for his canteen. “Happy to be back with Margaret.”
“Good.” The smile didn’t dissipate, and Caleb began to think he was missing something. As if reading his mind, David handed him a letter.
Caleb glanced at the handwriting and recognized it as Eleanora’s. He read through the dispatch quickly, and then his face morphed into a smile as well. “There’s a fox in the hen house.”
“Indeed,” David agreed. “And, thanks to a few disgruntled former-Gradenian soldiers we picked up along the way, we know there is a route on the north side of the mountain, not far from the castle, that joins up with the paths that zigzag up the west side.”
Rubbing his chin as he considered David’s words, Caleb asked, “Are you saying it will be possible for some of us to join up with Eleanora?”
“A small group, yes. Our understanding is that the paths cross in an area undetectable from Graden itself, one mostly buried by an avalanche a few years ago. So long as we can take out any Gradenians who may be guarding the path, we should be able to come in alongside her and infiltrate Castle Graden that way.
Taking a deep breath, Caleb let that set in. It almost seemed too easy, and while he assumed something would have to go wrong, he let himself consider the possibility of the plan working. “Very well, then. Let us move forward as planned, with this modification.”
David nodded, and Caleb rode along beside him, silently pondering how many men he would need to break into Graden while the castle was bombarded from both sides and who he should take. Whomever he brought along would have to understand how dangerous the mission was and be prepared to lose everything. He wouldn’t take anyone who wasn’t willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their queen. Several names and faces came to mind, and while he’d hate to lose any of them, this was possibly the most important task he’d ever asked them to complete, and these warriors were born to do battle. He knew they would not fail him when he needed them most.
The clock on the wall in the war room continued to march on almost as quickly as the Arterian Army’s approach. Reports had begun to pour in hours ago, before they even crossed into his territory, all of them reporting high casualties on his side. Leopold had already ordered the withdrawal of all of his forces from Clovington, but some of his cavalry details couldn’t be located, or his messengers never reported back, and he had an idea that might be because they were all wiped out.
He’d charted out Caleb’s course on the map in front of him, and by his calculations, the Arterians would be at the base of the mountain sometime tomorrow afternoon. He hoped that gave Eleanora enough time to get up the mountain, but he’d already pulled back what men he could from his other defenses, thinking it best to attempt to hold the castle since the terrain would make it nearly impenetrable, particularly if he had all of the Nadorian forces behind him. Still, the ease in which Caleb had crossed over his line at the border was unsettling.
And then there was the Zurconians. He hadn’t been prepared at all for an attack on that front. In fact, the skeleton crew of soldiers he’d left manning the lookout towers on the east had crumbled quickly, and the Zurconian’s were making good time as well, clearly letting their hate of his dead cousin drive them forward.
His chief advisors, Etsil, a former military man himself, moved one of the pieces representing Arteria forward on the map. “Caleb’s lead forces are traveling much more quickly than the army proper. Why might that be?”
“I do not know,” Leopold admitted. “But we should seek them out and destroy them. How many are there?”
Etsil sifted through the collection of parchment on the table, dispatches from his commanders. “Less than a hundred.”
Leopold stroked his mustache, intending to say they should get a detail together to seek the contention out and destroy it, when he became aware of screaming in the hall. His eyebrows knit together, as he intended to make out what the woman was saying. “What the bloody hell?” he muttered. A knock on the door and the hasty entrance of a servant he didn’t recognize answered his question.
“Pardon the intrusion, Your Majesty,” the breathless man said, bowing low. “It’s the queen.”
“The queen?” Leopold repeated, not sure who he was speaking of since he’d already sent Philip’s mother to the dungeon, along with his revolting Uncle Edward. “What queen?”
“Katherine, sir. Her lady reports....” He looked up, his face a bright crimson, “The queen is dead, Your Majesty.”
It took a moment for the words to register. By the time Leopold’s feet began to move, his advisors were already running, some in the direction of Katherine’s room, others shouting for the royal physician. Once he’d regained the ability, he shot down the corridor toward the sound of weeping and shouting.
Several servants were gathered near Katherine’s door, not just the peculiar lady-in-waiting she’d insisted on keeping, but she was by far the loudest, lying on the floor in the entryway, her hand covering her mouth as she blubbered and sobbed. Leopold flew past her toward the bed but he stopped when he saw Katherine.
