"Ah, you're awake. Let me fetch someone."

The aching had gone and it was quite easy for Wynn to sit up and survey the room. It was one of the cells in the Palace's 'surgery', which meant she was safe. Sir Ram was rising from a chair beside the bed, but stopped when she put her hand on his arm.

"No, don't. Tell me some things first. How long have I been out?"

"Sixteen days, my Lady. We thought we'd lost you: there was some pretty nasty stuff in your system."

She nodded lamely. Although she wouldn't have been able to say what, there was definitely something not right even a fortnight later.

"Lord Nystral brought me here?"

Ram nodded.

"I helped him."

"You were there?"

He smiled.

"Yes."

Wynn was beginning to sound a little frantic.

"What did you see? And who have you told?"

"I followed Lord Nystral to the building. I didn't see how he got in so I went for a window, but I was in time only to see him defeat the first two blackguards. Before he killed the third one he ... changed."

This did not much lighten Wynn's mood.

"Who have you told? Damn it!"

"Lady Wynn, please be calm. I reported it to Sir Richard as I was bound to; he considers it extremely sensitive information. I expect his Majesty is the only other one to know."

Alerted by the commotion, one of the physicians came in. He did not look pleased.

"Sir Ram, you were told to alert us if she recovered consciousness."

"I'm sorry Doctor, I had more pressing orders. You can come in now."

The healer did not like the young knight giving him permission to attend his patient, but he thought the better of speaking out.

"Normally I would ask that there be no visitors at this time, but I suppose I can make an exception since you're both knights." He stepped up to the bed. "Lady Wynn, how do you feel?"

"No pain. A little nausea but no dizziness. I feel a little sluggish, but that's probably because I've been inactive for so long."

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully.

"It's a miracle you're alive at all: most of the things on that list could have killed you on their alone, let alone together."

Wynn paused a moment, confused.

"List?"

"Oh yes, the Princess Consort's surgeon provided us with a list of what had been administered, and in what doses." He sighed. "Shame about him; he was quite the physician."

Ram saw Wynn about to move and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"My Lady, we know what he did: he left a letter."

"'Left'?"

The young knight nodded.

"He hanged himself the day after you were brought in. In the letter he confessed to murdering the Lord Justice and helping in the attack on you. The tone was remorseful, and there was a list of what you'd been given, addressed to the physicians here."

"Did he implicate..." She stopped herself and glanced at the doctor. "...anyone?"

Ram shook his head.

"No. He took full responsibility for the Lord Justice, and even claimed to be in charge of the men who attacked you."

"That's a heap of steaming dung. He looked remorseful enough when he was administering some of his precious medication: people who regret things as they do them tend to stop, if there's no duress."

Sir Ram nodded.

"I agree. We've arrested and executed the chief of the Princess Consort's guard, who was shown to have been the one acquiring the substances. Perhaps he was the one putting pressure on the surgeon. In any case, there is no evidence that anyone else was involved." He slowed his speech a little as he emphasised each word. "We cannot make any accusations where there is not a great deal of evidence."

She nodded emphatically, hiding her displeasure with a little professionalism.

"No, of course we can't."


Later in the day, the other visitors began to arrive. She was surprised to receive the Prince Royal first, and quietly relieved when he asked everyone else to leave.

"How are you, my dear?"

She smiled.

"I will be fine, soon enough. How have things been in my absence?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head.

"Far from ideal. I am not speaking to my wife: no matter what she says I cannot believe she knew nothing of this. This plot seemed to involve so many of her staff that those not already dead are being deported. She is keeping one or two key servants from her own people, but everyone else she needs - including all the guards - will be picked from those already trusted to work in the Palace."

She didn't want to say so, but it was a huge relief that the foreign soldiers would not be around. She nodded as the Prince continued.

"I took on board your suggestion about the Lord Justice. His Majesty has appointed an interim Speaker for the Court of Justice, and announced that no new Lord Justice is to be chosen for the time being. Lots of people are unhappy about it, but there's probably only one more unhappy person than if I'd picked one of them."

He turned back to the table, picked up a small box and handed it to her.

"I'd like you to have this." Wynn was beaming as she looked the box up and down. "I don't expect that baubles and trinkets impress you like they might other women, but for some time I've been bothered by the thought that a ceremonial sword isn't the best show of my appreciation and affection for my beautiful mistress. Go on, open it."

Inside the box, nestled in a padded bed of felt, was a string of perfect white pearls. She lifted them carefully by the ends, marvelling at the way the soft lamplight brought out a beautiful spectrum of blues, greens and other colours.

"Goodness, they're incredible! Thank you so much!" She lifted herself up with surprising ease and wrapped her arms around him, an embrace he seemed only too glad to return. "Are they local?"

"Oh, no, Pellagania produces only freshwater pearls: those are from the ocean floor far south of here. Life in a trading city has its advantages."

Wynn smiled a little more, making sure the pearls were safe in their box before placing it reverently on the beside table.

"I look forward to an opportunity to wear them."

He nodded.

"We shall have to see what we can do."

There was a firm knock at the door. The Prince silently checked with the patient before he called the visitor in; a well-appointed servant bowed deeply before his Highness as he entered.

"Good day your Highness. Lady Wynn, I bring the best wishes of His Grace the Lord Nystral. My Lord waited by your bedside for many days during your illness..."

"He was not the only one."

The servant bowed again, but continued more or less undeterred.

"Of course, your Highness. Lord Nystral regrets that he had to return home, and since yesterday has left me here to wait for your awakening and deliver this gift."

The box the servant produced as he stepped forward was eerily similar to the one she had already received. As the Prince looked on through distrust and jealousy, she knew this was going to be uncomfortable. Still, now was not the time to tell him of Nystral's relationship to her.

"Please thank his Grace on my behalf." In silence, she opened the box, ready to feign or suppress a reaction as might be necessary.

Feigning a good reaction was not required. A fine mesh of silver chains were set with tiny stones which she decided were equal numbers of emeralds, diamonds and blue sapphires. Halfway along the longest chain was suspended a large ruby, easily as large as her thumbnail, shaped like a teardrop. She didn't handle it - the Prince's mood was worsening by the moment - but the temptation to put it on and see how the ruby sat was almost irresistible. As it was, she smiled conservatively to the servant.

"It's lovely. Please send his Grace my heartiest thanks."

Under the Prince's critical eye, she put the box on the small table, placing it beneath the previous gift.


She woke up with a start.

The dream had been different this time. Rather than a foul enclosed space lit with sanguine red she had been in a pleasant garden outside a large manor. The whole atmosphere was different, as though she had looked for her father where she had expected to find him, and that now she no longer thought of him as a demon he had a more pleasant abode. If she looked hard enough, her doubts could still be seen out of the corners of her eyes; shadows deeper than they should have been, a certain over-enthusiasm in the fortifications applied to the manor, and a few other suspicious details.

Most interesting was the fact that her father wasn't there. She had looked around, hoping to find him in the garden, in the gazebo, in the centre of the maze, but he was nowhere to be found. If she dared to look too hard, she had the suspicion that she might learn more about herself than about Lord Nystral.

That was the clincher. He had gradually proved wrong almost everything she had ever thought of him, and now it seemed that his appearance had always been more about what she expected than what he actually was. She had to give him a chance: she had to him, see the fief and hear what he had in mind.


"When did my father leave?"

Sir Richard looked up from his desk. For a brief moment he was annoyed by the interruption, until he realised that there were more pressing concerns.

"Lady Wynn, you should be in the infirmary. You are not well."

"I am fine." She certainly looked well enough, dressed in a knight's off-duty tabard and wearing sabre and buckler. "Sir Ram gave me the impression that Nystral is not long gone. Can I catch him?"

Sir Richard shook his head.

"He sailed yesterday. Even with the coastal stops he planned to make, one would have to ride hard night and day to make Lappa before he leaves there."

He waved vaguely at an ornate map on the wall behind him. Lappa didn't look so far.

"I can do that. Where can I get a horse?"

"My Lady, I should warn you: his Highness the Prince will not be happy. As I'm sure you've noticed, he fears an inappropriate relationship between you and Lord Nystral, and nobody who knows why that cannot be the case has permission to tell him. Not even you. I think it would be best if you stayed with him and look after him while he gets through the problems with the Princess Consort."

Wynn shook her head.

"He'll understand, eventually. I have to do this as soon as possible. Where can I get a horse?"

"Wynn, it's very late..." Seeing that she wasn't discouraged by the time, he opened a desk drawer and took out a small leather pouch. "There's a horse merchant by the south gate. Get someone to wake up Griv and tell him I sent you. Ride the south road and change horses at every inn; you'll last much longer than they will. This purse should be plenty of gold."

She took the pouch, surprised by its weight.

"Knight-Captain, why are you helping me?"

"Let's just say that your father is good friends with the King. Seeing you and your father reconciled would please his Majesty, because it would please your father."



Next Chapter: Chapter 36