The Crown Conspiracy

“It’s just so—strange. Hilfred is not even with you. It’s as if you’re walking around without a shadow. It’s unnerving is what it is. Just coming down here with you it’s…well, you and I, we…you know. We’re brother and sister, yet, we hardly see each other. In the last few years, I think I’ve only spoken to you a dozen times, and then only when we visit Drondil Fields on holiday. You always lock yourself up in that tower doing who knows what, but now—”

“I know, it’s strange,” Arista replied. “I agree. It’s like the night of the fire all over again. I still have nightmares about that evening. I wonder if I’ll have nightmares about tonight.”

Alric’s voice softened. “That’s not really my point. It’s just that we’ve never gotten along, not really. But now, well, you’re the only family I have left. It seems strange to be saying it, but I suddenly find that matters to me.”

“Are you saying you want to be friends?”

“Let’s just say I want to stop being enemies.”

“I didn’t know we were.”

“You’ve been jealous of me ever since mother told you elder daughters don’t get to be queen as long as little brothers are around to be king.”

“I have not!”

“I don’t want to fight. Maybe I do want to be friends. I’m the king now, and I’ll need your help. You’re smarter than most of the ministers anyway, Father always said so. And you’ve had university training; that’s more than I’ve had.”

“Trust me, Alric I’m more than your friend. I’m your big sister, and I’ll look out for you. Now go in there and see what this man has to say.”

As Alric entered the door, Hadrian brought the hilt of his sword down on the back of his head. The prince collapsed to the floor with a dull thud. Arista rushed in.

“I said not to hurt him!” she scolded.

“He would be screaming for the guard right now otherwise,” Hadrian explained. He tied a gag around the prince’s mouth and placed the sack over his head. Royce was already up from his seat and securing Alric’s ankles with twine.

“He’s all right though?”

“He’ll live,” Hadrian told her as he secured the hands and arms of the unconscious prince.

“Which is a whole lot more than he had in store for us,” Royce added, pulling tight the noose around the prince’s ankles.

“Keep in mind he was certain you killed his father,” the princess said. “How would you react?”

“I never knew my father,” Royce replied indifferently.

“Your mother then.”

“Royce is an orphan,” Hadrian explained as they continued to wrap the prince in twine. “He never knew either of his parents.”

“I suppose that explains a lot. Well then, imagine how you will treat the person who sent you to the chapel tonight, once you find him. I doubt you will be very charitable when coming face to face with him. In any case, you gave your word. Please do as I ask, and take good care of my brother. Don’t forget I spared your lives tonight. I’m hoping that fact will keep you to your word.”

She held out the bundle dropped by her brother. “Here is a set of clothes that should fit him. They used to belong to the steward’s son, and I always thought he looked about the same size as Alric. Oh, and remove his ring but keep it safe. It bears the royal seal of Melengar and is proof of his identity. Without it, unless you encounter someone who knows his face, Alric is just another peasant. Return it to him when you reach the prison. He’ll need it to get in.”

“We’ll hold up our end of the bargain,” Hadrian told her as he and Royce moved the bundled body of the prince toward the open basin. Royce pulled the opulent dark blue ring from Alric’s finger and stuffed it in his breast pocket. He then climbed to the bottom of the cistern. Using the rope tied around Alric’s ankles, Hadrian lowered him head first to Royce. Once the prince was down, Hadrian grabbed the torch and dropped it to Royce. Then he entered the hole and dragged the grating back into position. At the bottom of the ladder was a five-feet-wide, four-feet-high arched tunnel in which a shallow river of filth flowed.

“Remember,” the princess whispered through the metal grid. “Go to Gutaria Prison and speak to Esrahaddon. And please, keep my brother safe.”

-- 6 --

An incomprehensible series of mumbles emitted from the prince from under the potato sack. While they were not certain exactly what he was saying, Royce and Hadrian could tell the prince was doing his best to shout and was decidedly displeased with his situation.

The cold water backing up from the Galewyr River into the sewer woke him. They were waist deep in it now and while the smell was better, the temperature was not. Looking out through the end of the cistern, the first pale light of dawn revealed the difference between the forested horizon and the sky. Night was melting away fast, and they could hear the Mares Cathedral bell ringing for early service. The whole city would be waking soon.