Daughter of Death- Chapter 20 (Patreon)

CHAPTER TWENTY

“Your Majesty— You’ve a visitor requesting an audience.”

She looked up with curiosity at the page.

He took her prompt and continued, “Errol Klein of Brickwall Cottage, Majesty. He is a miner by trade.”

“And what does he wish to converse about or entreaty about?”

“I know not specifically. He did not wish to say but when prompted to provide something lest he not be admitted for suspicion of treason and espionage against The Crown, Majesty, he declared that he wished a humble boon for himself and those he resides with. But he added that it was a quite sensitive matter of which time could not hold out and thus his urgency.”

“Very well. Admit him I shall prepare myself for the receiving chamber. Why look you so uncomfortable?”

The page lowered his eyes in embarrassment. “Majesty he... he is but... but a child’s height.”

“He is a child?”

“No, Your Majesty, beg your pardon. That is to say he seems a man but...reaches my knee.”

“Klein did you say? Ah so his surname is but an introduction and not a family name.” Edeline knew the word to mean ‘little’ in certain areas in and around Bayern.

“Think the guards that he wishes to cause harm?”

“They feel cautious but I do not believe they wish him turned away else they would have done so,” he explained nervously; hoping he was correct.

“I do not think him to be an assassin. So small may be somewhat nimble but easily overtaken. He would not announce himself so. Admit him and post two extra guards in order that they might satisfy any misgivings. I cannot see why anyone would wish to make any attempt upon my life for I am but an old dowager queen with title alone as my strength and nothing more.”

The page bowed deeply and departed to deliver the news.

Edeline prepared herself and then made her way to her receiving chamber.

There she found Errol just as described; small but clearly not of childlike years as he stood playing with his cap in his hands and tapping one small foot in nervousness.

He bowed deeply to her and his forehead nearly touched the floor so close to the ground already was he. She tried not to feel amusement as she acknowledged the gesture of respect,

“Please rise and speak of your purpose here.”

He gazed back at her with bright blue eyes glistening with an expression of nervousness and fear.

“I...I come, Your Majesty... I come... I wish to...” he faltered.

She gazed back at him patiently without any venom and so he felt reassured that he was doing the right thing by being here today to speak to her. “That is, Your Majesty, I had the most strange dream regarding His Late Majesty The King a-and...his daughter,” he spoke trying to keep his voice even but failing as he dipped off into a whisper.

“You dreamt of King Arnaud?” she asked immediately curious. “How long ago?”

“I believe it much less than a fortnight ago possibly within half-a-dozen nights.”

Immediately her own dream came back to her and she felt immediately that she hear what this little miner had to say. She dismissed her guards and the lady’s maid that had accompanied her in. All put up argument but were reassured when Edeline at last allowed one guard to remain posted with her near her throne.

Then she bid Errol speak. He told of the dream he had regarding His Majesty The King and how The King had warned Errol that he should not enter the stream of blood which flowed freely behind them. The dream had terrified Errol, he explained, especially because he saw a former colleague and friend in his dream –one Jakob by name- who had previously died from illness. Errol was extremely superstitious and having seen two individuals he knew to be dead immediately took heed.

Edeline had listened patiently to him and had not interrupted save to clarify a few details of his dream. Feeling comfortable enough to go on he then spoke the secret he’d been holding onto:

“And Your Majesty—your daughter; your step-daughter Her Royal Highness Princess Reina... She is...not dead.”

Cold seized Queen Edeline’s heart at the proclamation and yet somewhere deep within her stomach she had already known this to be true. Her own dream had raised the suspicion. She had had no way to prove it until now.

“Come a bit closer, Herr Klein, and speak to me on this. Tell me how you have come to this knowledge and why you did not think to provide it sooner.”

Nervously he came forward but the dwarf told Edeline everything he knew: how Reina had been found at their cottage, how she had spoken of her escape from an assassination attempt and how he and his housemates had harboured her all this time. He also spoke of Princess Reina’s suitor, Ferdinand and explained how he and his companions had kept her hidden for fear for her.

But then Errol spoke on about things that made Edeline’s heart beat just a bit faster. The young dwarf seemed confused and scared for he had begun to realize things did not seem as they should at his cottage. He described forgetting hours at a time and others claiming the same without reason for it, overhearing odd statements and conversations between The Princess and his housemates. And, he also described with clear emotion an incident involving some friends in town inquiring after another man he and the inhabitants of the cottage did not know. Wherein afterwards The Princess had explained the absence away and his housemates seemed to believe her without question. Errol did not.

When he concluded, the dwarf felt himself blush at having over-shared so much with his Dowager Queen. But she did not appear to be concerned or amused or offended by his stories. In fact she looked as serious as he felt in telling them.

She believed him entirely.

“Herr Errol you do yourself and this kingdom a great service in coming to me with this. Please, wait here and I shall fetch a token for thee.”

“Oh Majesty, I—”

“Please do not humbly refuse. This shall be of benefit to us both, I feel.”

Errol was forced to wait, albeit nervously, whilst Queen Edeline disappeared for some time. When she returned, she offered him her token herself.

He opened his palm to gaze upon it and saw a cross upon a chain; all comprised of silver.

“You can use this as protection against evil. The Lord will be with you and evil will not stand to stay too long in your presence. Keep this `round your neck at all times and be at some peace.”

Errol bowed low. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Additionally, I have a proposition for you: I can help you put your mind at ease about my step-daughter. But to do that, I shall need your help, Herr Errol.”

“Anything I can, Your Majesty.”

Edeline smiled. She had just made an ally. And soon, she would put a plan into motion that would lead to her step-daughter lying motionless in a coffin.

The Dowager slept soundly that night for the first time in weeks.