entered a room,
when windows would smash at random, the queen and I considered asking for your people’s help.
I had even penned a letter to your Council requesting their assistance! But then there
came news of the ‘Southern Persecutions.’ I read intelligence that
your people had rounded up women who could use your earth power who
had tried to rise up to throw off your oppression against them and
murdered them in their hundreds. I realised that your kind
could never find out what Josephine possessed. It would be too
dangerous to risk bringing your people in. Not to mention that
there have been public hangings here as well, you know, against
possessed women who can use your magics. The masses enjoy a good
witch hunt.” The king’s brow began to bead with sweat as he
continued and he rubbed his hands together nervously whilst
Matthias, Josephine and Thadius listened. “My daughter kept the
power to herself as long as she could, repressed it as she would
have done a bad memory. But the build-up…” he stopped, sighed and
rubbed at his forehead, where a thick vein snaked its way across
his tight skin. The hand he cast across it visibly shook. Beside
him, Josephine had hung her head and a tear was rolling down her
cheek.
“ I killed one of my maids first,” she said, taking
up the story. “I lost control and ripped the skin from her bones!”
Her lips trembled. “I have never seen such horror. A mangled carcass was all that remained when the guards
came to see the cause of her cries! There was blood everywhere, and
she looked up at me, flayed and helpless , before she finally
died.”
“ And
that was only the first,” King Arwell said morosely.
“ I
should have fought harder,” Josephine shook her head.
“ But it was an accident!” Matthias said softly.
“You couldn’t have helped it.”
“ It didn’t look like an accident,” the king responded. “Princess
or not, the woman was dead at her feet with no explanation, no
indiscretion or crime to account for it. The guards who witnessed
the scene were shocked. But I couldn’t let them spread the word, so
I locked them away, in the Traitors Tower. They’re still there, save for one, who
died of the cold two years back.”
Thadius shifted. “Erical, Esteban and Julius, Your Grace?” he
asked.
“ Three of the finest men I have had serve me,” the
king said grimly. “But I had to protect my daughter.”
Thadius nodded. “It never seemed quite right, some of our
finest men turning traitor.”
King
Arwell nodded. “It was what I had to do to keep my daughter safe.
It was not a noble thing to do by any means. But I felt it was
necessary.” Thadius said nothing.
“ You
said the maid was the first,” Matthias said grimly. “There were
more?”
“ There were two more,” Josephine said. “A hound I bent down to
pet one morning grew so docile at my touch that he began to fall
asleep in my arms. It was almost a half - hour before I realised it
was dead. I had stopped its heart.” She took a breath to steady
herself, and the king placed a hand on her arm. He continued for
her.
“ After the maid died I sought for another way to
help my daughter other than contacting Mahalia. I looked for
someone – anyone - who could help Josephine, but who was able to hold their
tongue. I sent out men I trusted to scour the land for someone who
could cure her. All the while my girl was becoming more and more
dangerous to those around her.”
“ Did
you find someone who could help?” Matthias asked.
The
king nodded. “Eventually. But it was too late.” He swallowed. “One
afternoon I found my daughter sitting in her chambers. At her feet,
her mother…” He shook his head.
Thadius gasped. “My gods!” he exclaimed under his
breath.
Matthias took a step towards the princess. “I’m so sorry,” he
whispered.
“ I do not need your pity , wizard,” she muttered through a shaking
voice.
“ I’m
not offering any,” he replied softly. “I’m
when windows would smash at random, the queen and I considered asking for your people’s help.
I had even penned a letter to your Council requesting their assistance! But then there
came news of the ‘Southern Persecutions.’ I read intelligence that
your people had rounded up women who could use your earth power who
had tried to rise up to throw off your oppression against them and
murdered them in their hundreds. I realised that your kind
could never find out what Josephine possessed. It would be too
dangerous to risk bringing your people in. Not to mention that
there have been public hangings here as well, you know, against
possessed women who can use your magics. The masses enjoy a good
witch hunt.” The king’s brow began to bead with sweat as he
continued and he rubbed his hands together nervously whilst
Matthias, Josephine and Thadius listened. “My daughter kept the
power to herself as long as she could, repressed it as she would
have done a bad memory. But the build-up…” he stopped, sighed and
rubbed at his forehead, where a thick vein snaked its way across
his tight skin. The hand he cast across it visibly shook. Beside
him, Josephine had hung her head and a tear was rolling down her
cheek.
“ I killed one of my maids first,” she said, taking
up the story. “I lost control and ripped the skin from her bones!”
Her lips trembled. “I have never seen such horror. A mangled carcass was all that remained when the guards
came to see the cause of her cries! There was blood everywhere, and
she looked up at me, flayed and helpless , before she finally
died.”
“ And
that was only the first,” King Arwell said morosely.
“ I
should have fought harder,” Josephine shook her head.
“ But it was an accident!” Matthias said softly.
“You couldn’t have helped it.”
“ It didn’t look like an accident,” the king responded. “Princess
or not, the woman was dead at her feet with no explanation, no
indiscretion or crime to account for it. The guards who witnessed
the scene were shocked. But I couldn’t let them spread the word, so
I locked them away, in the Traitors Tower. They’re still there, save for one, who
died of the cold two years back.”
Thadius shifted. “Erical, Esteban and Julius, Your Grace?” he
asked.
“ Three of the finest men I have had serve me,” the
king said grimly. “But I had to protect my daughter.”
Thadius nodded. “It never seemed quite right, some of our
finest men turning traitor.”
King
Arwell nodded. “It was what I had to do to keep my daughter safe.
It was not a noble thing to do by any means. But I felt it was
necessary.” Thadius said nothing.
“ You
said the maid was the first,” Matthias said grimly. “There were
more?”
“ There were two more,” Josephine said. “A hound I bent down to
pet one morning grew so docile at my touch that he began to fall
asleep in my arms. It was almost a half - hour before I realised it
was dead. I had stopped its heart.” She took a breath to steady
herself, and the king placed a hand on her arm. He continued for
her.
“ After the maid died I sought for another way to
help my daughter other than contacting Mahalia. I looked for
someone – anyone - who could help Josephine, but who was able to hold their
tongue. I sent out men I trusted to scour the land for someone who
could cure her. All the while my girl was becoming more and more
dangerous to those around her.”
“ Did
you find someone who could help?” Matthias asked.
The
king nodded. “Eventually. But it was too late.” He swallowed. “One
afternoon I found my daughter sitting in her chambers. At her feet,
her mother…” He shook his head.
Thadius gasped. “My gods!” he exclaimed under his
breath.
Matthias took a step towards the princess. “I’m so sorry,” he
whispered.
“ I do not need your pity , wizard,” she muttered through a shaking
voice.
“ I’m
not offering any,” he replied softly. “I’m
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