Fifteen

A small army of armed men approached and Volas put his hand on his knife. It was clear that Myrin didn’t intend to honor his word nor did he intend to give up Marravae without a fight. He glanced at the grim look on Gaeleath’s face and the concern on Marravae’s. Sending word to his father and theirs would be done first. Confined to the palace they may not be permitted to.

Catching the Cemiri Prince’s eye he gave a firm nod and received one in reply. Wordlessly, he parted from the cart and rode for his lodging. He would have preferred to take Marravae and ride for the Vimt but he’d foolishly gone hunting with only two of his own guards and a servant. Volas would advise his sons to take a small army and use this as a tale to explain why.

The servants looked baffled as he rode in on a heavily sweating horse with his three men behind him.

“I need riders and scribes.” Volas stormed into the house door. “Where is the healer?”

“Your Highness?” The man who’d been pressed on him came from the kitchen frowning, “Are you ill?”

“Princess Marravae was poisoned. Prince Myrin had brought it with him and claims he intended to use it on her brother to make him sleep so that he could have time alone with her, but she was never meant to join us. He saw that she and I were well suited and that I intended to challenge his claim to her and he put the poison in her cup to make her pliable enough to bed.”

“Why had he brought the poison?” The healer looked at him with a frown.

“Perhaps to make Prince Gaeleath and I pliable, he was intent on extracting promises and making wagers. I suspect I was given some, after drinking the Zophin I felt almost cordial toward him and I loathe the cowardly wretch, but Marravae is much smaller, she was ill, vomiting and confused.”

The man nodded slowly, “Zophin is an easy drink to hide things in, your Highness. The taste covers a multitude of things. You haven’t felt ill?”

“No. I would have someone trustworthy go to see Princess Marravae. I wanted to bring her here but Myrin sent guards to prevent it. He wanted to separate her from her brother and I suspect he won’t allow them to send a missive to King Gaeramith. I would have her kept safe and be kept apprised of her condition. They wished to leave the moment she was well enough.”

“I’ll go at once.” He bowed and hurried out.

“Where are the scribes?”

“Here, your Highness!” The men bowed and preceded him to the study.

“I want two letters dictated one to King Gaeramith and one to my father.” He paused organizing his thoughts, “Both should begin with an apology for the urgency but the matter is pressing. Put my father’s aside for the moment. To King Gaeramith, I send to you on Prince Gaeleath’s behalf to be certain that you know what is happening here in Cuphisia. I would urge you to send a small force to collect your children. Princess Marravae has been poisoned and in her helpless state Prince Myrin joined her in her bed.

“He claimed the tainted drink was meant for Prince Gaeleath, neither is acceptable and I do not believe they will allow them to leave or send a missive speaking of the matter. Your son was prevented from bringing his sister to my healer as he wished. 

“They were taken into the palace with a sizable escort of guards and there is some doubt that he will be permitted to leave with her which he wished to do the moment she recovered enough to travel. Should you desire it, send to King Varas for a small force as well, so that they may understand keeping your children hostage is a violation of the peace. Arek will stand by Cemir.”

Volas paused. “I would have it written that Princess Marravae is the most beautiful, perfect creature I have yet laid eyes upon and the match that was arranged between her and Prince Myrin was in danger of failing. He saw that she and I were well-suited and I believe that is why he poisoned her. I suspect was also given tainted Zophin, after drinking with him I felt almost warmly toward the man and until that point I had loathed him. As I am much larger than Princess Marravae, I wasn’t violently ill afterward as she was.

“I would have it made clear that she is blameless in this.”

He made a gesture that the letter was to end there and the scribe nodded, still writing furiously.

“To my father I would have it written that I suspect Prince Myrin gave me tainted Zophin and he admitted to attempting to do the same to Prince Gaeleath. Princess Marravae drank the glass intended for her brother and became violently ill, but not before he took advantage of her helpless state and joined her in bed.

“Prince Gaeleath wished to bring her to my lodging and the healer you sent but it was prevented. They were taken into the palace with a sizable guard. I have sent to his father on his behalf. I do not believe he will be permitted to leave with his sister or even to freely send a message.

“Arek must stand with Cemir. I would have you offer a small force to King Gaeramith as a show of unity to see his children freed. I ask not solely as the Crown Prince of Arek but as your son and an Arek man, Princess Marravae is blameless in this and I would be proud to call her my wife. To lay eyes on her is to lay eyes on perfect beauty.

“The Cuphisians cannot be trusted. I ask you to be certain that King Gaeramith received my missive.” He made the gesture for the closing of the letter again and after glancing over the one that had been finished, sealed it with wax and his seal.

“Send it immediately. Tell the messenger not to spare the horse.”

The scribe darted out.

The second missive was finished quickly and he did the same, glancing over before sealing it and sending it with all haste. Now he needed to prepare and wait. He summoned his guard.

“I want everyone armed and the lodging as fortified as possible. Make certain we have provisions and that there are no unsealed doors in the cellars.”

“Your Highness?”

“I wish to be prepared if we fall under attack. The Cemiri Prince and Princess are being held in the palace. I sent the healer but I have my doubts he’ll be permitted to serve her. The Cuphisians are poisoners, be wary of all that we did not bring with us.”

Author's Note

I didn't bother italicizing or bracketing the dialogue in Volas' chapter. Should I indicate that they're speaking Arek when no one else is around? I tried to show that in later chapters.