A feast of dragons

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Gwendolyn hurried through the castle corridors, on edge, beside herself with worry, having been unable to think of anything else since she heard of Kendrick’s imprisonment and pending execution. Gareth had gone too far. She could not sit idly by. She felt so helpless; there had to be something she could do, some way she could help-and she would find out.

Gwen descended down the spiral stone staircase, deeper and deeper, into the bowels of the castle. She passed even the servants’ level, and after several more levels, finally she reached a large, iron door. She wasted no time: she hurried up to it and pounded on it with her fists.

She waited breathlessly, her heart pounding, and finally several guards opened it. One held up a torch in the darkness.

“My lady,” said the guard standing in the center.

“Is that the king’s daughter?” another asked.

“The former king,” another corrected.

“The current and always king,” she corrected sternly, stepping forward. “It is I.”

“What are you doing down here?” one asked, eyes wide. “This is no place for a lady.”

“I need to see my brother. Kendrick.”

The guards looked at each other, flustered.

“I’m sorry my lady, but Kendrick is to have no visitors. Under strict orders of the King.”

Gwendolyn stared back at the guard firmly. She was determined, and she felt a strength overcoming her. The strength of her father.

“Look at my face,” she said. “You have known me since I was a child. I have known you my entire life to be a faithful and obedient servant to my father.”

The lead guard’s face, lined with wrinkles, softened.

“That is true, my lady.”

“Do you think my father would have prevented me from seeing my own brother, Kendrick?”

He blinked, thinking.

“Your father would have prevented you nothing,” he said. “He had infinite space in his heart for you. His standing order was always that Gwendolyn gets whatever she wants.”

Gwen nodded.

“So there you are,” she said. “Now let me through.”

“However,” the guard said, blocking her way. “I also doubt your father would want his murderer to have any visitors.”

Gwen fumed.

“Shame on you,” she said firmly. “You’ve known Kendrick longer than I. You know there was no one who loved my father more. Do you honestly believe he had a hand it?”

The guard stared back, and she could see him thinking. Finally, his face gave in.

“No,” he said softly. “I do not.”

“Enough said,” she said. “Now step aside and let me in. Enough with this nonsense. I’m here to see my brother, and see him I will,” she said with a strength in her voice that surprised even her. It was a command-and it left no room for doubt.

The guard vacillated only for a moment, then finally motioned to the other guards, bowed his head and stepped aside. He opened the door wide, and as Gwen hurried passed, slammed it behind her.

“Follow me, and be quick about it my lady,” he urged. “This place has many spies. I cannot let you down here for long. If I am caught, it will be myself in this dungeon.”

Gwen followed him as he hurried down the corridor, their footsteps echoing in this place, dimly lit by torches, passing cell after cell. She saw prisoners in the shadows, sticking their faces into the bars of their cells, faces that had been down here too long. They were evil, lecherous faces, and some of them hissed at her as she passed. She doubled her speed, trying not to look too closely.

Finally, after turning down several more corridors, the guard led her to a single cell, the last one on the left. He stood behind her, waiting.

“Leave us,” Gwen commanded.

The guard looked at her, hesitated a moment, then turned and left, leaving her alone.

Gwen looked through the cell, her heart pounding in anticipation, and stepped closer. Finally, Kendrick appeared, looking too pale, and smiling at the sight of her.

“My sister,” he said.

He reached up and grabbed her hand through the bars.

She smiled back, as his face lit up, and it felt so good to see him, to see that he was alive, that he was okay. Her heart broke at the sight of him, at the indignity of Kendrick being in this place. He had been treated unfairly. And yet still he wore his kind, noble, compassionate smile. He was the finest man she knew.

“My sister,” he repeated. “You do me a great service to come here.”

“The service is to myself,” she replied. “It is an honor to see you. I’m sorry I’ve not come sooner.”

“I’m amazed you were able to come at all,” he said, clasping her hand in both of his. His voice was weak and raspy, and she reached into her shirt and pulled out treats she hid for him. She slid it between the bars, and he looked down in wonder.

“Dried venison,” she said. “Your favorite. Enough to give you strength.”

He grabbed it and immediately took a bite, tearing the meat off the stick. He gulped it down, starving.

Gwen reached into her pocket and extracted a sack of water, and he drank. Then she reached into her waist and grabbed a pouch.

“I wanted you to have something sweet,” she said, smiling. “Honey cakes. I pressed them myself.”

She handed him the pouch, and his eyes welled with tears.

“You do our father a great honor,” he said. “You know that I did not kill him, don’t you?” he asked desperately.

She nodded.

“Of course. Or else I would not be here.”

He nodded back. The sight of him down here nearly brought tears to her eyes; it made her madder at Gareth than ever. She burned at the unfairness of it all.

“Gareth considers us a threat,” she said. “That is why you are here.”

Kendrick stared back.

“That has always been his nature,” he said. “His entire life’s ambition has been our father’s throne. And why would he feel threatened by everyone around him, unless he himself had a hand in the murder?”

Gwen stared back meaningfully.

“I’ve been thinking the same thoughts,” she said. “After all, who else stands to gain?”

“But you must prove it. You must find the murder weapon,” Kendrick said. “The dagger used to kill him. The one that is missing. That will be the key.”

“Have you any idea where to look?” she asked.

Disappointingly, he shook his head.

“Gareth probably disposed of it, or had it disposed of,” he answered. “And without it, it will be very hard to prove anything. It is all circumstantial. And until they prove anything, I may be down here until my execution.”

It broke Gwen’s heart to think of it, and she felt a chill race through her body.

“I will not allow it!” Gwen cried out. “I will find a way to stop him. I promise you. I will.”

Kendrick shook his head.

“I wish I shared your optimism, but you are up against forces greater than you can imagine. There is a conspiracy to cover up the death of our father, and its tentacles, I am sure, reach deep. Be careful in how you tread. Do not underestimate Gareth’s villainy. Remember, you are up against the dragon?”

“The dragon?” Gwen asked.

“There are many types of dragons in this world. The evil of men’s smiles can be more insidious than the fiercest dragon in the wild.”

Gwen sighed, thinking about that. She knew he was right.

“There must be some way, someone who can help us get you out of here,” she said.

As he stood there, shaking his head, suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration.

“Mother,” she said, dreading it even as she spoke the words. If there was anyone she hated more than Gareth, it was her mother, and the one good thing that had come from her father’s death was her mother’s catatonic state, her leaving her alone. She had vowed to never see her again, and the idea of talking to her made her feel physically ill. But for Kendrick, she would do it.

“I don’t know how she could help,” Kendrick said. “She has been unable to speak since the death of our father. And even if she were, Gareth is king now. She is no longer queen. Her remaining influence, if any, is finite.”

“But she was queen only days ago,” Gwen countered. “Many people still answer to her, still fear and respect her and will defer to her wishes-especially those loyal to our father.”

Kendrick nodded back.

“I concede there is a chance,” he said.

He reached out, and grabbed both of her hands in his.

“Whatever happens, I want you to know that our father was right to choose you as the next ruler. I didn’t see it before, but I see it now. He had been right all along.”

Gwen looked back to him, her heart welling with gratitude.

“Also know that I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” she said, her eyes welling up. “Know that I will not let you die in here. I will allow myself to die first.”