Here's the first bit of the novel I'll probably never finish, enjoy!
?He?s dead Eriana, I?m so sorry.? ?No, he?s not dead, he can?t be dead,? Eriana sobbed. ?Where is he, I want to see him, where is my baby? I heard him crying Marian, I heard him crying!? ?Your majesty,? answered Marian, rapidly trying to regain her composure for the sake of the already weakened Jivian queen. ?Your son was stillborn. While you were unconscious I had one of the guards take the prince?s body to the royal crypt, he is being buried as we speak.? ?I want to see him, I want to see my baby!? Eriana bellowed. ?Why won?t you let me see my son?? ?Drink this your majesty.? Marian said, ?It will make you feel better.? ?Dammit Marian, I want to see my son! I?m the queen and I command you to bring him to me.? ?Eriana,? Marian explained quietly ?I am your royal physician and midwife, and as your doctor I order you to drink this, then I?ll get your son for you, ok?? The young queen reached out and took the drugged concoction from Marian?s outstretched hand. She weakly lifted the cup to her lips and drank deeply. The potion had a sweet taste to it and almost instantly she began to feel very drowsy. In a few moments she was asleep. Marian rose from her chair next to the queen?s bed and crept quietly to the door. She opened it gently and stepped out. Outside the door stood the Queen?s two closest royal advisors and trusted friends, Torin and Travias. ?How is she?? asked Torin, rising from the his chair to the right of the door. ?She?s still weak,? replied Marian. ?20 hours of labor will do that to a person. She?ll be very weak for a couple of days. I?ve given her something to help her sleep. Make sure she stays in bed for at least the next few days, and no visitors, she needs her rest. If she gets restless give her a cup of the potion I left in a waterskin on the chair by the window.? ?Why are you telling me all this?? asked Torin. ?Taking care of the Queen is your job, I just run the kingdom.? ?Well, it appears you will have to work a little harder from now on then, because as of now I am no longer the royal physician.? she replied. ?You can?t quit, you?ve been the queen?s doctor for years, you grew up together and she loves you like a sister. You can?t abandon her now.? Torin said. ?I have failed her majesty in her hour of most dire need, I failed to save the life of her son, the only hope for an heir to the throne.? Marian pleaded. ?That alone should be enough to prove I am not qualified to hold this position any longer.? ?Look Marian, the prince was stillborn, there was nothing you could have done to save him.? ?Perhaps If I had moved quicker, gotten here sooner? Something, anything!? she began to sob. ?I just can?t shake the feeling that this was somehow my fault, I can?t live with myself now, and I can never look the Queen in the face again. So, like it or not Torin, I?m leaving immediately!? Marian stormed down the hallway towards her chambers. ?What if her majesty?s condition worsens?? Travias called after her. ?What are we to do?? Marian reached the door to her chambers and turned quickly. ?She?ll be fine, women have children all the time Travias, and they recover on their own. Rest is all she needs now.? She stepped through the door and slammed it soundly to signal to the two dumbfounded advisors in the hallway that the matter was no longer open for discussion. The next few weeks were tough for the Jivian people. They were stunned by the news of the newborn prince?s death, which was made even more disheartening by the fact that only months before the last in a very long line of kings had also died. Now, bereft of an heir to the throne they were left to speculate on the very uncertain future of their kingdom. Even if the queen did remarry, any child she might have would no longer be of the king?s bloodline. So, no matter which way you looked at it, the long line of kings that had begun some two thousand years previous with the great king Benza was ended. The circumstances surrounding the king?s death were also a source of great speculation amongst the populace. The king had always been a very active, healthy man. Sure, on occasion he was carried up to the royal chambers by several of his knights after an evening spent drinking in the barracks with his men, but that was fairly commonplace. It also served the much deeper purpose of endearing his knights to him. They loved him like a brother because he treated them like equals, and never adopted that air of superiority many kings felt they couldn?t live without. Then one morning, the king awoke with an queasy feeling in his stomach. He woke his sleeping wife and asked her to send for the royal physician, Marian, because he found that when he tried to stand, he became very lightheaded and was forced to lie down again. By the end of the day he had lapsed into a coma, two weeks later he was dead. Eriana had spent the next three weeks confined to her room, refusing to accept visitors and eating very little. She probably would have stayed in there for the rest of her life if Marian had not forced her out and made her start eating again, for the sake of the child growing within her. Immediately following the king's death, Torin had launced a full-scale investigation into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the king's death. The entire island had been sealed off, no ships were allowed in or out of the harbor until all personnel aboard had been questioned. Every person who had even the smallest connection with the palace had been questioned and requestioned. The entire kitchen staff had been replaced when it had been discovered that a poison was in fact responsible for the king?s demise. Yet, despite all Torin?s efforts, no responsible party was ever found, no witness were located, and an entire kingdom was left to wonder who would possibly want to harm one of the greatest kings they had ever known. Suspicion towards other kingdoms was high, and when the other monarchs had arrived for the king?s funeral, each had brought a small detachment of his best soldiers, just in case. After the prince?s death, Eriana again retreated to her chambers for the better part of a month. Despite the continuing efforts of both Torin and Travias, she would not emerge. After awakening from her drug-induced slumber, the news of her son?s death had taken it?s toll. She lay in her bed, motionless, in a sort of numb trance for the better part of 2 days. Afterwards she had eaten very little, and only then because of Torin?s perpetual insistence that she do so. Afterwards she spent her days sitting by the window watching the ocean lap at the cliffs surrounding the lone harbor of her small island kingdom. She felt nothing, no love, no fear, no hate. She was as cold and unfeeling as those stony white cliffs, constantly bombarded by the ocean?s fury, yet remaining steadfast throughout it all. Eriana took inspiration from those cliffs, found them comforting in fact. If they could stand through centuries of the ocean?s devestating power, she could find a way to get through all that she was facing now. With the Queen effectively incapable of managing the affairs of her kingdom, the task had fallen to Torin and Travias. It was a job they had accepted half-heartedly, knowing that the kingdom would be better off with it's queen at the helm, but at the same time unwilling to let it fall apart because of her melancholy. Travias was in his chambers pouring over the latest trade proposal from the kingdom of Jolonquin, when someone rapped upon his door. "Enter." said Travias. The heavy wooden door slowly opened and Torin entered the room. "How goes it?" Torin inquired, glancing at the seemingly never-ending stack of parchment on Travias' desk. "I don't know how she does it," Travias replied. "Even excluding our regular duties there's more work here than the two of us could ever possibly hope to catch up on, and somehow her majesty manages to keep up and still spend an unhealthy amount of time down in the royal baths." "I guess that's why she's the queen Travias." Torin said as he eased into the chair facing Travias' desk. "You look as though you have something on your mind." said Travias. "Ah, old friend, you know me too well." Travias placed his quill in his inkpot and folded his hands on the desk. "What troubles you?" he asked. "Still upset that we couldn't find the king's assassin?" Torin nodded his agreement. Travias leaned forward and placed a reassuring hand on Torin's shoulder and looked into the younger man's deep blue eyes. "Torin, we followed every possible lead...questioned every person with any connection to the palace. We even searched out the farmer responsible for growing the crops used to make the king's dinner that evening. You replaced the entire kitchen staff, Torin. I don't know what more we could have possibly done." "That's just it," Torin replied. "I know we did everything possible, but I have had this feeling that there is something we didn't check out. I sent a messenger out to Marian's family's farm." "Torin," Travias interrupted. "We promised her she would not be disturbed. The queen herself ordered us to leave Marian in peace." "I know, I know. But I was trying to think what rock we could have possibly left unturned and it hit me. We didn't question everyone in the palace. We didn't question each other, but I know I didn't do it, and since you're pretty much the most trustworthy person I've ever met, I'm willing to believe you didn't do it." "We didn't question the queen either, Torin, but I think she can be absolved of suspicion, considering the greatest loss was hers." Travias replied. "Agreed, which leaves only Croblek and Marian herself." Torin said. "I personally spoke with Croblek just yesterday and his loyalties are unquestionable. He may act like an ass much of the time, but he loves his kingdom." "How did he react to the questioning?" Travias asked. "He challenged me to a duel." "Again?" asked Travias, rolling his eyes. "How did you talk him down this time?" "Ale, lots of ale." "Ah, it seems to work wonders with that fellow." "Aye," Torin replied. "The only things he loves more are his kingdom and women." "So what did your messenger discover at Marian's farm?" Travias asked. "Nothing." "Nothing?" Travias inquired. "Absolutely nothing." Torin replied. "As in there is no farm owned by Marian's family. My messenger questioned every farmer in the northern half of the island and not one of them knew Marian or her family." "Well then where did she go?" Travias asked. "She couldn't have left the island, somebody would have seen her at the harbor." "I don't know Travias, that's why I need to ask you a favor." "Let me guess, you need a few days to go to the northern end of the island." "I know it's a big favor, Travias." Torin replied, pointing to the stack of documents on Travias' desk. "I've got an even bigger stack on my desk that need immediate attention. Maybe you can get Nebb to help you." "Nebb?" Travias asked. "He doesn't have any idea what he's doing." "Well, he is the queen's cousin, and an advisor-in-training. Maybe it's time we gave him a little more responsibility. Tell him it's sink or swim time." "All right, Torin, but you better find something." "If there's something to find, old friend, I'll find it." Torin slowly rose from his chair and moved toward the door. "Hey Torin," Travias called after him. "Yes?" "Good luck." Torin smiled broadly at his mentor. "Thanks." Torin's few days had turned into almost a week, and Travias was growing uneasy. Nebb had been able to take some of the burden of both his and Torin's duties off his back, but he still found himself falling further and further behind with each day of Torin's continuing absence. The only comforting fact was that Torin would not have been gone so long if he hadn't gotten wind of something, and Travias could only hope he would come back with some kind of answer. Travias had been forced to spend a great deal of time in the company of Nebb, in order to insure he didn't make any kingdom-threatening mistakes because of his inexperience. Nebb was barely more than a boy, and Travias guessed that he couldn't be a day older than nineteen. He had been brought up by the finest teachers however, and was a quick study. Travias was continually surprised by the freckle-faced boy's success at increasingly difficult tasks. Travias was walking down one of the palace corridors on his way to the kitchens for a snack when an out-of-breath page came careening around a blind corner and ran headlong into him. Travias reached down and helped the young boy off the floor. "Master Travias," said the boy, upon realizing who was helping him to his feet. "I was looking for you." "It appears as though you have found me." Travias replied, folding his hands into his robe. "I have a message for you," said the boy, struggling to catch his breath. "Master Torin has just arrived and has requested your presence in the main audience chamber." "Thank you young man," replied Travias. "And you might want to be more careful when you go running down these narrow hallways." "Yes, sir." replied the boy. Travias made his way toward the royal audience chamber, his curiosity as to Torin's findings quickened his pace, and he soon found himself stepping through the door at the end of the chamber opposite the Throne. As he entered the room, he was shocked to see that the throne was not empty as he had become accustomed to seeing it as of late, but rather the queen herself was seated there. He was again shocked to see how disheveled she appeared. Travias had not seen her since the day the prince had been born, the only person she had allowed into her chambers was Torin. Her once flowing red hair was ratty from neglect, and her normally pale skin had become even more so because of the many days she had spent indoors. However, Travias was amazed that even in her current state she was still one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Eriana looked somewhat annoyed, and from the way she was looking at Torin, seated to her right, Travias guessed that he might be the source of said annoyance. "Your majesty," Travias said as he bowed before the throne. "Hello Travias, good to see you." replied Eriana. She turned her gaze to Torin. "Okay Torin, this had better be good, I am not accustomed to being summoned from my chambers in such a brusque manner." "Torin," said Travias. "May I assume from the fact that you have summoned both the queen and myself here, that you have found something in your travels?" "Travels?" Eriana inquired. "You have been away from the palace? Who has been helping Travias run the kingdom in your absence?" "Nebb has been helping me your majesty. He's actually quite the quick study, although I admit we have not accomplished as much as we would had Torin been here." Travias replied. "Nebb? Torin this had better be really good." "Yes your majesty." Torin began. "I have been away from the palace, I had hoped to find out why the messenger I sent to find Marian had been unable to find either her or any trace of her family." "Torin!" Eriana exclaimed. "I specificially ordered that Marian be left in peace. I wasn't happy about her departure but I still care enough to honor her wishes." "Yes, your majesty." Torin explained. "I had hoped to speak to her personally, not officially. I simply wished to ask her about the night your husband was poisoned." "Why would you need to speak to her about that?" asked Eriana. "Marian is above suspicion, I have known her since we were both barely able to walk. Why would she have any reason to hurt me?" "I was simply trying to insure that all personell had been questioned. Marian was the only one I hadn't had a chance to talk to." "Okay Torin, you disobeyed my wishes and now you have summoned me from my mourning." The queen said sternly. "So, please tell me what it is you have to say before I have you thrown in the dungeon." "Your majesty, did you know that there is a cove on the northern end of the island where when the tide is right, smugglers are able to land ships?." Torin asked. "I have heard of it," Eriana replied. "A minor annoyance at best, the tides are only right once or twice a month." "Well, I questioned some of the local farmers, the smugglers pay some of their sons to help unload the boats when they come in." Torin said. "And several of them saw Marian board a ship on the night after your son was born." "So she left the island! I really can't blame her for lying to us, especially now that you've proved her right by trying to find her. I understand why she wanted to leave, she probably doesn't ever want to see anything that would remind her of--" "Eriana!" Torin interrupted sternly. "Marian was carrying a newborn baby when she boarded the ship." The room fell silent, save for the echo of Torin's last statement throughout the large chamber. "Torin!" Travias exclaimed, obviously shocked by what Torin had said. "Are you suggesting Marian lied to us, that the prince is not dead?" "I don't believe it!" Eriana said, a tear welling up in her blue eyes. "Marian would never do that to me! She wouldn't lie to me, and she wouldn't steal my son. There must be another explanation." "I thought so too, your majesty." Torin said. "So I had your son's casket exhumed. It's empty, your majesty." Travias watched as Eriana began to cry. Though he wasn't sure if they were tears of joy at finding that her son might still be alive, or sadness at Marian's betrayal. He suspected it might be a mixture of the two. Torin placed a comforting hand on the queen's shoulder. "Travias," said the queen, rapidly regaining her composure. "Yes your majesty?" "Wake up Croblek," she said through clenched teeth. "We're going after Marian." Torin's thoughts were somber as he packed his things. He was glad Eriana now had a reason to come out of her melancholy, but wasn't sure how smart her snap decision to go after Marian herself may have been. He and Travias had tried to talk her out of going herself, but she insisted that she had to be there when they caught up with Marian so that she might personally wring the answers she wanted from her. He feared the queen didn't fully realize just how different life on the road would be from her pampered existence in the palace. Torin was happy that he had given the queen hope, but at the same time sad because he felt as though he had simply replaced one hurt, the loss of her son, with another, the betrayal of Marian. He wanted nothing but the best for his queen, and his kingdom, and had personally vowed to protect Eriana, with his life if need be. Another reason Torin had to doubt the queen's judgement was the fact that she had elected to take both himself and Travias along, and leave Nebb to run the kingdom alone. Torin had seen great potential in the boy, who was only a few years younger than himself, but feared the rigors of running the kingdom alone might prove too much for the young man to handle. Torin couldn't believe that Eriana would actually put her quest for vengance ahead of what was best for her kingdom. He suspected her grief was clouding her judgement but who was he to argue with the queen? He could merely suggest, and if she elected to ignore his suggestions, then that was that. Eriana had asked Travias to inform Croblek to make ready for their departure, but Travias, as senior advisor, had delegated the unpleasant task to his younger counterpart. Torin had not been looking forward to the conversation, in fact, he rarely looked forward to any conversation with the blonde knight. Torin found Croblek in the company of one of the palace's young chambermaids. He guessed she hadn't been there very long because the duo was still mostly dressed. Croblek did not take the news of their imminent departure very well. He had become accustomed to an easy life as first the king's champion, and after his death, the queen's. Torin doubted he had lifted a sword since the tournament that he had won to gain his title. Torin informed Croblek that the queen had ordered him to make ready, grab his armor and weapons, and meet them on the dock in an hour. Croblek said he'd be there, and quickly ushered Torin from the room. Torin suspected he was going to attempt to finish his business with the young maid first. "You really don't want to be late," Torin shouted through Croblek's door. "Not with the mood the queen is in." All he got in response was a muffled grunt. Torin returned to his chambers to finish his preparations. He was already wearing the two throwing knives he had been practicing with, one in his boot and the other sideways on his back. He packed his chainmail tunic and put on his heavy boots and cloak. Finally he lifted his father's broadsword and scabbard from above his bed and belted it around his waist. "I never thought I'd have cause to carry this..." Torin said aloud. He had kept his swordsmanship skill keen by practicing daily with the knights-in-training, but never thought he might actually have to kill someone. His father had been a great knight, and had insisted he start learning at a very early age. After his father's death, his mother brought him to the small island kingdom of Jivi, and introduced him into Travias' care so that he might begin training for the bureacracy. His mother had thought it the best way to keep him from meeting an untimely end, like his father. She had presented Torin with a medallion she said belonged to his father. That and the sword were all he had to remember them by. She told him never to remove the medallion, that it was his birthright and he should protect it with his life if need be. "Hard to believe isn't it?" came a voice from behind Torin. He turned around and discovered Travias standing in his doorway. "What's that?" Torin asked. "It's hard to believe that we're about to go gallavanting across the ocean, and probably get into all kinds of trouble chasing Marian around. Travias replied. "What makes you say that?" Torin asked. "We could find Marian right away, get the prince, and be back here in a couple of weeks." "It's rarely that easy, Torin." Travias replied. "I hope for our sake it is, but somehow I really doubt it." The older man turned to leave and Torin noticed Travias' crossbow strapped to his back. "Hey Travias, you still as good a shot as you were when you tried to teach me?" Torin asked. "That was an experience," Travias chuckled. "And yes, although it's been a long time since I've had to draw it on a person." Travias pointed to Torin's sword. "You've never drawn your sword on another man, have you?" "No, sir." Torin shook his head. "And I had hoped I would never have need to." "Don't worry, son." Travias said. "You're probably the best swordsman on the island, I've seen you practicing with the knights. Better even than Croblek, though I doubt he'd admit that." "He prefers that axe of his anyway." Torin said. "That he does," Travias glanced out the window at the setting sun. "We better get going, we definitely shouldn't be late, what with the mood the queen is in." "Funny," said Torin. "I told Croblek the same thing." "I still don't understand why we're not bringing soldiers along," Croblek grumbled. "You never know what kind of trouble we might run into." "Croblek, if you thought you got away with something, and that no one was chasing you, you'd probably be in no hurry right?" Eriana asked. "Yeah..." Croblek replied. "Ok, so say you're travelling at this lesiurely pace, and suddenly you look down from a hilltop, and see a contingent of soldiers headed your way. Do you think that would cause you to quicken your pace a little?" "Uh...yeah. I guess that makes sense." Croblek admitted. "Where's Torin?" He asked, obviously trying to change the subject. "He went to speak to the captain." Travias replied. "Apparently the vessel that Marian boarded was of Tamok construction, and was flying the flag of the Tamok trade federation. My guess is he's telling the captain to take us to Ruz." "You don't think that the trade federation was involved in the kidnapping do you?" asked Croblek "I seriously doubt it, the ship was probably just a charter. I'm sure the captain had no idea who exactly he was transporting. They're paid to do their job and not ask questions." Travias replied. "It would be nice to find that captain though, maybe ask him a few questions." "These quarters certainly aren't very comfortable." Eriana observed. The queen's regular ship was undergoing some repairs in the harbor, so they had been forced to make the trip aboard one of the Jivian Navy's warships. Eriana had been given the captain's quarters, the largest and most comfortable on the ship, but nothing like her quarters on her flagship. A single lantern provided all the heat and light for the room, and it swayed gently as the ship moved against it's moorings, casting moving shadows upon the dark wooden walls. The bed was really nothing more than a pallet with a feather matress hastily thrown over it for the queen's comfort. Eriana was seated on the bed, Travias in a semi-padded chair facing her, and Croblek was forced to sit backwards in the chair facing the captain's desk because all the furniture was attatched to the floor to keep it from shifting in heavy seas. "Best we could do on such short notice, your majesty." Travias said. "Besides, I feel a little safer aboard a warship anyway."
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