Rose Thorns (The Cimmerian Cycle #3)

Chapter 15 - Part 1

Chapter 15

Evrart's legs were in considerable pain as she was crouched awkwardly. Pirella's small mass was behind her.

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" She hissed with her eye pressed to the small circle of light.

She was staring into the throne room where her father was holding a full war council. A map was spread across the table and from her spot behind the throne she could see the little flags being moved about by her father's generals. Prince Philip was there, discussing options with King Talon.

"I only found out about it earlier today," she whispered, "The kitchen staff were talking about the meeting that was going to be held and they thought about listening in. I asked how of course my lady and one of them just winked at me and said every palace has secret hidey-holes."

"If you say so," she replied under her breath.

Snippets of conversation floated up to her.

"...not enough men to hold..."

"...that would be foolishness..."

"...walls are crumbling..."

One particular comment made her sit up straighter and hit her head on the low ceiling.

"... return to Highhollow. Wyverncastle has yet to been defeated by siege. The ports will be vital..."

It was her father who had been talking and she could guess what he was talking about. They were going home where it was safer. She pressed herself closer to the hole and strained her ears.

Then she noticed Philip.

"I can lend five hundred of my men and fight them from the side to supplement your army."

All heads turned to the young man. Looks of expectancy and disapproval were on many of their faces.

"I cannot let you do that," the King said, "I'll send word to Dayri City."

Philip placed his hands down on the table loudly, "My Lord! There is no time. Send word if you will but I will ride in your kingdom's defence."

Evrart frowned. He was the heir to the Dayrian throne. His life was valuable, not only that but the alliance was no more than an idea. It was not official until Philip actually wed one of Talon's daughters. She was also certain that he had never fought in a real battle before. Dayrius did not fight enemies outside their own borders while they were plagued by darkness.

"Don't be foolish boy," one of the senior generals growled.

"What kind of alliance would it be if I did not ride to your aid in your hour of greatest need. We may as well end all negotiations now and I will return to Dayri City." He stared into each of the council members faces. Evrart felt as moved as any of the men below. She felt herself nodding in agreement. He had every right to aid Meol if he so wished.

King Talon looked as though Philip had put him in the spot. He would be foolish to refuse Philip. Doing so would upset all of the planning and time spent communicating to make the alliance possible. There was no one else that they could go to for help.

"I thank you for your bravery but ask, what is it you hope to gain from this expedition? What will we owe you in return? Surely there is something more?" King Talon said as he paced.

Philip removed his hands from the table, accidently knocking over one of the flags. The room was so silent that Evrart heard it roll from the table and drop. Except that all of the attention of the room was focused solely on Prince Philip.

"I want to make this alliance real. When I was south only papers were exchanged. Here and now I have the ability to forge something that will last longer than words and ink and paper. I will ride to Easterden with my guard and we will fight. My price is fulfilling the alliance..."

Evrart froze. She had no idea what he would say next. Just seeing him standing there gave a sensation similar to having cold water poured down your back drip by drip.

"Does that mean you have reached a decision...?" said one of the King's advisors.

What decision? Evrart thought. She was on the edge of understanding but couldn't be confident in that she was hearing everything.

"The wedding can be arranged once I return with a victory for our kingdoms," he said. He looked as though he was withholding the most crucial information.

"Does Aysi know?" the king looked at him expectantly and Philip shook his head.

The silence in the room became stifling and Evrart's blood ran cold. What was he thinking?

"I will not be marrying Princess Aysi," he said slowly.

The piercing eyes of the men in the room all asked the same question.

"Who?" Evrart whispered. Maybe one of her younger half-sisters was about to get lucky.

"I want to wed Lady Evrart," he said at last. He sighed as if he had been waiting to say the words for such a long time.

"This council is dismissed. Philip will ride at dawn tomorrow," King Talon said waving his arms.

Meanwhile, Evrart's world was crashing down all around her. This was what she wanted but it was all wrong. She didn't love him, it was all just a cheap and nasty trick. She couldn't marry him. The tiny space she was hidden in became smaller as Evrart's chest heaved with every breath.

She must have been dreaming. There was nothing else for it. Her ears must have deceived her. She had never been an option for the prince. She was the King's bastard. She was truly no one. The prince couldn't marry her.

She backed away from the hall. Philip's voice and her father's drifted through the gap but she didn't want to listen anymore. She would have to find him, once she was told officially of course (her father would kill her if he found out she had been eavesdropping on the war council), and tell him to change his mind. That it would be pure madness to marry her.