As we exited the carriage and climbed up the stairs to the governor's house (really, more of a mansion), I could not shake off a sense of foreboding. Though we had protested the carriage, pearly white with not a speck of dirt on its paint, the carriage driver was insistent, even though the governor's house was only a little over a quarter of a mile away. And he was nervous. He kept repeating that it would be easier for everyone, including himself, if we would simply accept the gracious ride the governor had set up. In the end, we accepted because we didn't want to see the poor driver sweat through his shirt.
Footmen opened the doors, ushering us into a grand hallway and taking our cloaks. Originally built as a castle fortress centuries ago, recent renovations ordered by the current governor had morphed the once drafty, cold building into a luxurious palace. My hands shook as I realized what most of our tax money had gone to. I was looking forward to hearing how the governor would explain this.
We followed the butler past the grand staircase and into the banquet hall, which contained a long table filled with fancy plates, cups, and silverware. At the head of the table sat the governor, his wife and young children sitting to his right.
The butler cleared his throat and said in a booming voice, "May I present Sara, Devin, and Thea Iarrthoir, Shay Devey, and..." he paused, suddenly realizing he did not know one of our party.
"Gabriel," the Prince's guard said.
"Surname?" the servant asked in an undertone.
"Gabriel will do fine."
The servant let out a huff, clearly displeased, before announcing, "and Gabriel!"
So the presence of Gabriel was unexpected. This could be good. It was obvious the governor had planned for our arrival, as the servant knew all of our names, so he had probably planned for our questions, too. Perhaps Gabriel could help disrupt his plan.
The governor stood, smiling. A tall, well-built, handsome man with graying temples, the governor looked the perfect picture of a capable and wise ruler, but I saw through his unctuous smile. Marduk's smile. Though the governor was the very image of competent and caring, appearances were deceiving.
"Welcome, welcome! It is good to see you," he said, pulling out the chairs for us to sit in. His voice carried the singsong lilt known to the people of this island. He motioned for me to sit on his left. "Your guard may stand against the wall while we eat."
Guard? I looked around before realizing he meant Gabriel.
"Oh, Gabriel isn't our guard. I mean, he is a guard to the Prince, but he is with us as a friend and equal," I replied, patting the empty seat next to me for Gabriel.
The governor's lip curled briefly before he caught himself. He turned toward a servant. "One more place setting, then. Allow me to introduce everyone. This is my wife, Jezel, and my three children," the governor said, sweeping a hand toward the family. "My name, as you probably know, is Cumhacht Ghaoth." His attempt at being a man of the people made me want to roll my eyes, but instead I managed a small smile, though it probably came out as more of a grimace.
The servant returned with another table setting and asked if we were ready for the first course, to which the governor nodded.
A stream of servants carrying various dishes of soups, salads, fruits, and breads swarmed the table, filling the air with tantalizing smells. I was amazed to see the variety - most of this food would have had to be shipped in. Across the table, Jezel engaged Mom, Shay, and Devin in conversation.
"I trust you found your accommodations adequate?" The governor looked at me, arching a brow.
"We have not had much time to get settled, but the house is very nice," I replied. Now it was time to butter him up in order to see how far his vanity went. "It was also thoughtful of you to place my mother next door."
His smile widened. "My pleasure. The mother of the future queen deserves the best, does she not?" Ugh, if his "sweetness" was any oilier, I'd slide straight to the sea without taking a step. Time to add some starch.
"What about the other people of Tosach?"
"They are refugees and are being taken care of." What did that mean? The governor sipped his drink. "I suppose you would like to visit them?"
I blinked, surprised by his question. I had thought that he would try and cover up that topic, or at the very least, deflect any questions away to a different idea.
"We will add it to your schedule," he continued, smiling at my raised brows. "Let's see, I believe in a week from now, you will have ample time."
"A week!" I exclaimed. Beside me, I felt Gabriel shift, taking in every word. "What will I be so busy doing for the rest of that time? The Prince sent me here to reconnect with my mother and to relax."
"Peace, Thea, that is exactly what will happen." The governor sighed, motioning for the servants to take the first course away and bring in the main dish. I had barely touched my food. "I was planning to wait until dessert, but you may as well know now. I have set up a variety of activities and tours around the island for you and your friends to enjoy, which is why you will not be able to see the other townspeople right away."
"Couldn't you simply switch one of the activities to a different day?" I replied, an edge to my voice. Gabriel nudged my foot, reminding me to stay my temper. Though I wanted nothing more than to let my anger consume me as I had in the past, I took a calming breath. Now was not the time to bring judgement down.
"Well, all of the activities took a great deal of planning, and to switch to a different day would cause much inconvenience for the people preparing them. While we could do such a thing, I would rather not use my status to cause headaches over one person's simple desires."
Right...inconvenience. It would probably be an inconvenience for the Prince's fiancee to see her people living in squalor, which I suspected was the case. It would be an inconvenience if the future queen were allowed to wander wherever she desired and happened upon a less than ideal area. It would be an inconvenience if anything less than perfection were reported to the Prince. As such, the governor needed more time to move everyone from whatever dismal camp they were living in to a better place. Based on the slight tightening of his fingers on his fork, I knew Gabriel had reached the same conclusion.
For the rest of the meal, I allowed the governor to control the conversation, listening to the various ways he had improved trade, increased security, and provided resources for his citizens. Never was there a mention of the Prince and his goodness or mercy, and never a word of thanks to others passed the governor's lips. Only how he, and he alone, had helped his region to flourish. Though I wanted to interrupt and challenge the governor with examples of people going hungry or being attacked by bandits, I remembered Gabriel's words and stayed civil. Patient. Beside me, I saw Gabriel nod his head in support of my control. Of course, the governor interpreted the head nod as encouragement to continue his boasting.
"I hope that you will put in a good word for me when you return?" the governor asked as dessert was served.
"With everything prospering so well under your hand, what more could you possibly desire?" I responded drily, driving my fork a little too forcefully through the cake, causing a loud clink to ring around the room.
The governor smiled. "Why, a servant is due fair reward for his efforts, is he not?"
Oh, how I wanted to smack the smug smirk off of his face! Instead, I replied as calmly as I could, "I will report what I observe."
On the carriage ride back, the others discussed the meal and conversation. Apparently, the governor's wife and kids were wonderful conversationalists, and they had enjoyed hearing the stories Shay and Devin shared about serving with Prince Solas. While they were busy talking, Gabriel leaned toward me and murmured, "Well done, Thea."
"This trip to the island, it wasn't only so that I could see my mom, was it?"
"Though the primary purpose was to reunite you with your mother and the townspeople, it also provided an opportunity to observe what is really happening under the governor's rule."
"And?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It appears the rumors of the governor's selfishness and pride are true. As you so well said, we will report what is observed."
***
As the sun began its descent, casting the island in hues of pink, orange, and gold, I decided to take a walk in order to make more observations, particularly of the refugee variety. Of course, nothing is quite that easy.
Two guards stood at the bottom of the porch, their spears glinting orange in the light. When I tried to walk past them, one of them held out an arm to stop me.
"Lady Thea, is something the matter? Is there something you need?" he asked, his tone courteous.
"Oh, everything is fine," I replied. "I simply wanted to get some fresh air."
"Allow me to accompany you. It can be dangerous to walk alone."
"On this island? I just spent the better part of my evening listening to how prosperous and safe the governor has made this place. Surely I, a trained soldier in the Prince's own personal army, can walk these streets without fear," I replied, feet spread, hand on my hips.
"I do not see your sword." Okay, he had me there, though my dagger was on my belt. "And even if you were armed, it is not proper for a guest to walk alone."
Just as there had been fear in the carriage driver's eyes when we argued against the ride, so there was anxiety in the guard's eyes, as if he were afraid of the repercussions of not being able to do his duty. And I highly doubted any of that fear came from wanting to do a good job.
"Fine," I said, throwing up my hands, "come along, but I hope you can keep up!" With those words, I set off at a quick pace, daring the guard to stay with me. To his credit, he was only a few paces behind me the entire time, though when I turned to go through the gate from the governor's grounds to the city proper, he informed me that it was unsafe to wander the city in the dark. Not wishing to get into another ridiculous argument, I accepted his advice and continued the walk around the wall of the governor's lands. When we finally arrived back at the house, the sun had long since set, and the gas lamps lit the pavement in a watery haze. Above, the stars shone like millions of fireflies, made all the more bright from the lack of a moon.
"Thank you for accompanying me," I said to the guard as we reached the house. "Have a good night." I noticed with some satisfaction the heavy breathing of the guard, while I myself was not even winded.
More importantly, I had a plan.
"How was your walk?" Devin asked as I came in. He was lounging on the couch, reading a book by a single candle. I had told everyone of my plan to see the rest of the city that evening and not to expect me back before dark.
"Exactly like Gabriel predicted. A guard escorted me around and wouldn't let me leave the grounds." I scowled. "I know the governor is hiding how he is really treating his people, but I guess that investigation will have to wait for another day. I'm going to bed."
"Just don't do anything rash, okay, Thea?" Devin replied, looking away from his book to meet my eyes.
I waved a hand to quiet his fears and went upstairs to my room. As I had hoped, Shay was snoring in her bed. Going to the window, I pushed it open. True to form, the window let out a giant squeal, and several bugs flew into my face, causing me to start sputtering and waving my hand to get them away. Once the initial panic was over, I froze, listening to Shay's breathing. Somehow, her snores had gotten even louder.
Looking over the ledge, I estimated the distance. It was about a twenty foot drop, though if I dangled outside of the window and then let myself fall, it would be under fifteen...My mind ran through the ways to safely land and the chances of me breaking a leg.
"You know, it would be much easier with a rope."
Shay's voice made me jump, causing me to hit my hand against the wall.
"Goodness, Shay, what are you, a panther?" I asked, shaking out the sharp pain in my fingers.
"Please, I was faking sleep. Do you really think I snore like that?" When I didn't respond, she playfully pushed me and leaned her head out of the window. "So, where are we sneaking off to?"
"Who's to say I didn't just want a cool breeze?" I replied, crossing my arms. Shay's silence told me enough about her skepticism. Even though the weather this far south was mild in the winter, it was too cold to have a window open.
"I'll tie the rope, and you can fill me in on the way," Shay said, expertly navigating the room in the dark. I sighed, though a smile played on my lips. Though it would be easier to traverse the streets by myself, Shay's stealth and scouting abilities could be helpful.
"We're going to need to figure out a way past the wall," I said after filling in Shay on my plan to find the actual camp the refugees were staying. We were huddled in the shadow of the wall away from the houses, letting our eyes adjust to the dark.
"Good thing I brought more rope," Shay replied, patting her bag.
"How do you have more rope?" I asked, suppressing a laugh.
"Every good scout has rope. Haven't you ever gone on a scouting mission before? Anyway, I think I found our way in and out." Shay pointed to a tall tree. One of its branches extended over the top of the wall. We'd have to leap down about two feet to land on the top of the wall, but it was doable. The hard part would be staying away from prying eyes, but it was our best chance.
Shay nimbly climbed the tree like a squirrel, her thin figure and long limbs making quick work of the branches. I, on the other hand, was more akin to a big, bumbling bear, and only after much scooting, grunting, and looking about as unattractive as possible was I able to reach the branch Shay was on. I wiped sweat off of my forehead, plastering the thin wisps of my hair to my scalp. Shay had just finished tying the knot securing the rope to the trunk.
"Wish me luck!" With a wink, she carefully made her way toward the wall on her hands and knees, the rope a coil on her shoulder. She glanced around briefly when she reached the wall, searching for guards, before dropping to the top of the wall. I could hear the scratchy sound of landing before she threw the rest of the rope down and started climbing.
After waiting what seemed like hours, I heard the owl call that marked our signal. I began my journey across the branch.
Unlike Shay, I was not lithe and slim, and with each sound of the creaking branch, I was sure it was about to break. This was why I wasn't a scout. My style was bold and aggressive, and my body was trained to match. Plus, I had always been taller and bigger than most women. Gritting my teeth at a particularly loud creak, I finally made it to the wall and dropped down. Clasping the rope, I turned so that my feet were against the wall and made my way down.
"They should really consider trimming that tree. It's a security hazard," Shay said as I took a moment to catch my breath. Clapping a hand on my shoulder, Shay said, "You did good, Thea. I know that wasn't easy for you. Now, what direction should we go in?"
I contemplated, thinking about where the governor would hide a large group of unwanted people. The island wasn't huge, being about twenty-six miles around, but it was big enough that we couldn't walk the length in the few hours we had. I doubted the governor would put the people on the other side of the island far from the main city because he wouldn't want to have to cart resources that far away, but it wouldn't be close enough to be seen from the city's edge. After studying maps of the island before coming, I knew the city spread east along the coast and south, taking up about half of the island. The rest of the island contained fields and orchards, unfit places to house thousands of refugees. The governor wouldn't want to reduce the yield by having people take up the space meant for crops.
Go west. A voice, unbidden, spoke in my mind, startling me. What was that? However, we had to start somewhere.
"This way," I said, marking the Northern Star and following the western constellations, thankful for the clear, bright sky.
"I didn't know you could navigate based on the stars," Shay remarked. I shrugged a shoulder, keeping a brisk pace. Nourse had taught me to read the sky at the Dragon's Keep, making me memorize the different constellations and where each appears depending on the season and time. While I had learned them then purely to serve Marduk, that knowledge was helpful now. "The Almighty works all things for good" rang through my head, a line from the books of scripture Merium had given me, and I fingered the amulet, thanking the Prince for his power.
We kept in the shadow of the walls, skirting the outside of the city. While there were plenty of guards watching the governor's grounds, none were to be seen patrolling the city. Yet another selfish vanity of the governor. However, it made our job easy, and before long, we had left the city proper behind.
Now, the magnificent houses and green parks that had lined the main streets in the middle of the city gave way to shabbier houses with peeling paint or none at all, which faded to shacks and tents, some with fires blazing.
Shay nudged me, asking if those were the refugee camps, but I shook my head. They were too close to the city, and the brief snippets of conversations I picked up carried the island accent.
We continued, and soon only rocky ground and the sound of the ocean breaking against the cliffs accompanied us. Doubt about our direction crept in. Though I was sure the governor would keep the refugees separate, would they really be this far out?
Keep going - you are close sounded in my head, followed by a feeling of resoluteness and peace. I almost stumbled. That voice again.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Shay asked beside me, pulling me from my thoughts.
"Umm," I replied, looking around at the lack of civilization. Have faith, Thea. That voice again, except this time I recognized it. Hadn't both Merium and Peyton mentioned how the Advocate can speak? "We're almost there." Confidence laced my words as we began ascending a low hill.
I could feel Shay's confusion and hesitance about my words, but before she could voice them, we had crested the hill. Below, campfires flickered as people, hundreds of them based on the amount of fires, crowded around.
But most distinctive of all was the accent of the Tosach people. We had found them.
"How did you -" Shay started to say, but I was off, running down the hill toward the closest campfire. It wasn't until I stepped into the light of the fire that all of my worries about what the townspeople would think of me returned.
And return they did, especially as everyone around the fire ceased talking, turned, and stared at me in disbelief. Shay arrived a moment later, noting the quiet.
"Thea? Shay? Is that you?" A woman wearing a cheap and dusty cotton dress stepped forward. Rita, the bartender. What had happened? The Rita I knew would have never been caught dead in a dress, claiming trousers were the only appropriate attire to break up fights. Tears welled in my eyes.
"Rita, it's good to see you again!" Shay said, smiling broadly. That broke the tension, and women and children crowded around us, giving us hugs, handshakes, and hellos. Tears fell down my cheeks, a mixture of joy, anger, and sorrow at being welcomed back and from seeing what had befallen them. Someone must have rushed off to other tents, for soon what seemed like the entire town stood around us, their forms flickering in the firelight.
"Thea, it is a relief to see the Prince has rescued you and returned you here." A man's voice broke through the crowd of women and children, and the crowd parted, letting a man hobbling on a crutch to the front.
Rhybolt.
He extended his left arm out for a hug, his right being occupied by the crutch, and I embraced him, thankful to see him safe and doing better.
"I thought you'd be back in the army by now," I teased, remembering his words to me back in the spring.
"A certain someone told me not to aggravate my injuries," returned Rhybolt, "and I figure there are more than enough new recruits to fill my space." He looked me up and down, taking my measure.
"How did you know I-"
"You have the mark of the Prince on you," Rhybolt interrupted, "but how about we talk sitting down?" He instructed the townspeople to return to their fires before waving a hand for me and Shay to follow.
"We don't have much time. This isn't exactly a sanctioned visit."
"Guessed that. We won't keep you long."
At Rhybolt's fire sat the priest, Rhybolt's wife, and various others. They immediately wanted to know how I had escaped Marduk and arrived here. As briefly as I could, I told them about the Prince saving me, my betrothal to him, and his insistence of me coming here to reconnect with my mom and the town, leaving out the part of serving Marduk, being a slave in Tunack, and my overall stubbornness, afraid of what they, especially Rhybolt, would think of me if they knew the whole truth. I knew that the Prince had forgiven me and made me whole; shouldn't that be enough? The pit in my stomach answered that question, but I ignored it, redirecting the conversation to how the governor had been treating them.
As expected, the answer was bad.
The people of Tosach arrived with only the clothes on their backs and what their hands had managed to grab before fleeing. By the time they arrived on the island, they were hungry, thirsty, dirty, and exhausted. How did the governor respond? By forcing them into shanties that barely kept the wind out, giving them dry bread (and barely enough of that), shabby secondhand clothes, and refusing to let them work for their keep.
"We offered to work in the fields or help with the fruit," Rhybolt said, "but the governor told us he didn't want his people losing jobs, so here we stay with barely enough to survive. Luckily, the weather has been mild, which helps reduce sickness, and the refugees who were already here took us in and taught us how to fish and scavenge for food. We've made do."
Anger roiled in my gut. How could the governor have been so cheery and confident at the dinner knowing what he was doing to other people? At least I could bring them a glimmer of hope. "By the end of this week, you should have proper housing, and I bet the governor will find jobs for you all, as well."
At their raised eyebrows, I explained about the visit the governor had promised me, and how he had been insistent that it could not be any sooner.
"That's why your mother was called away yesterday," Rhybolt mused. "The governor was providing a better place for her so that you wouldn't see this squalor."
Rianna, Rhybolt's wife, spit, saying, "When they come, we should refuse. It's not right, us getting special treatment when the other refugees are still suffering." Surprise flooded me; I had not expected anyone, especially Rianna, who lived for comfort, to refuse a better life. I noticed that she was knitting what looked to be a small hat, one that would fit a baby. She was too old to have children, so that hat must be for someone else. Perhaps a refugee from a different town.
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the fire. Pride filled me to see the unity and strength of will in the town. Marduk may have taken their homes, but he had not broken their spirit.
"If I may give my advice," broke in Shay, "you should accept the governor's offer." She raised her hands in a placating gesture as challenges arose. "I know it may feel like you're abandoning the other refugees, but what the governor will provide is what you should have gotten in the first place, and besides, you'll be able to help the others left behind much better, if you catch my meaning."
The challenges turned to nods of agreement.
"Hopefully, this situation won't last for long," I added. "The Prince will hear of everything that is happening here, and justice will come." Cheers greeted my words as Shay and I rose to leave. Rhybolt stood, too, and walked us to the edge of the camp.
"When the governor's people come to move you, they'll probably require everyone to swear not to tell anyone about how they were treated before. That's why Shay and I snuck out to find you," I said. "Now, you can swear that oath without worrying about keeping secrets."
"Thank you, Thea, and it is a privilege to see how much you've grown since you left us," Rhybolt replied, putting a hand on my shoulder. "But something is troubling you."
I looked up at the stars, a frown on my face. Rhybolt had always had good intuition.
"It was comforting to see you all again, but surely there are some who are angry at me for bringing disaster upon the town. It was, after all, my fault Marduk attacked."
Rhybolt blinked at the Dragon's name, not used to hearing it spoken aloud, before responding. "Yes, there are those who wish to place blame on you, but those types of people will always find something or someone to blame. It was not you who set fire to the town."
"Perhaps, but," I bit my lip, not wanting to admit what I had done, though knowing I needed to. Rhybolt waited patiently. "When I told you all about how the Prince had rescued me from the Dragon's Keep, I didn't tell the whole truth. Yes, the Prince saved me, but I hadn't wanted to be saved. I had committed myself to serving Marduk, and I was fighting on his side when the town was burned. Marduk told me bandits had destroyed the town and that only by joining his side could we end this war and stop any more towns from falling." Shame filled me at the memory.
"But you are not a servant of the dark any longer. Prince Solas freed you."
"That is true, but I still played a role."
Rhybolt studied me, noting my drooping shoulders and lowered head. "Then perhaps, when you come for your official visit in a week, you should confess in front of everyone."
My head snapped up. "Confess? In front of everyone?"
"Until you recognize the part you played and allow the ones you wronged to forgive you, this guilt will hang over you like a shroud, and I cannot stand by and watch Theo's daughter destroy herself in this way."
A lump formed in my throat at Rhybolt's words, at the care and love in them. "Very well," I consented. "When I come next, I will tell everyone the entire truth." I gave Rhybolt a hug one last time before Shay and I headed back to our room.
We got back to the house and our room without incident, but I came face to face with a very angry Devin and a stoic Gabriel, both with their arms crossed, when I climbed inside.
Once Devin's explosion about our unnecessary risk and reckless actions faded, I told them what we had observed. Devin wore a sour expression, still annoyed at our "unnecessary adventure," but Gabriel listened intently, storing every word in his memory.
"This is exactly what we needed to indict the governor," Gabriel stated, his tone pleased.
"Don't tell me you condone this type of behavior?" Devin retorted, turning toward him. "This is what got Thea in trouble so recently!"
"And you, too, if I remember correctly," Gabriel said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Devin let out a huff. "Besides, the Advocate led you to the camp, did he not?"
"How did you know?" I asked, thinking back to the voice, the Advocate's voice, that had given me directions.
"I received a vision about this venture. It is good to know you are listening and following the Almighty. However, do you not wish to fix this injustice right away?"
"The old me would have, and I am plenty angry at the situation to plot some truly foolish ideas, but the Prince has taught me the past few months that his justice and timing are infinitely better than mine. The governor will get what he deserves, but it is not my place to enact his justice."
Gabriel smiled. "Well said, Thea."
Seeing that he would be receiving no backup, Devin stomped out of the room, wishing us a terse good night. Gabriel inclined his head to Shay and me before bidding us the same.
As Shay and I got into our respective beds, all too aware of the coming dawn, Shay let out a laugh, saying, "I missed our adventures when you were gone. Things are finally starting to seem right again."
"I couldn't agree more."