King Vance of Everfell stood by the window, his hands on his hips and a curious smirk setting his lips. Before him stood Eden of Sevenspells and his chamberlain. Vance knew that he should trust both men, but he couldn’t believe a single word either of them was saying. “Let me get this straight. I’ve just had a ranking member of my court jailed for treason. One of my lords is being held for the same reason, and you want me to let my chamberlain leave because you think a traitor I’ve just exiled might die in Sha’sek?”
Eden tried to stop himself fidgeting from side to side, but Ross, more fluent in front of the king, remained impassive and immobile. “When you say it like that, sire, it sounds so much more…unreasonable than the actual request.”
“Oh? How so, Ross? Please, enlighten me.”
Eden did catch Ross’s throat bobbling up and down as the big man took a discrete, nervous gulp, but he didn’t lose more than a heartbeat in his response. “Think of it this way, your highness: Quinn isn’t the only person you’ve lost to Sha’sek. Maertn has gone with her too, and we all know why. The girl was his sister. He loves her. He wasn’t going to let her leave on her own. But they were only family—and friends—because of Baron Sammah. How long is that kind of friendship going to last, when they’re both are hungry and alone, and struggling to survive in the islands?”
Vance arched one eyebrow, his interest piqued. “Go on?”
“I’m not suggesting that I help Quinn. I’m suggesting that I go and make sure your most talented healer survives his little adventure in the islands, and comes back to you unharmed, before anything else happens.”
“What else is going to happen, Ross?”
Ross opened his arms wide, trying to look both subservient and amenable. I”I know as much as you your highness, but these are dark days. We both know what Baron Sammah and Lord Shiver have done to your reputation is terrible, but it is not beyond repair. You will regain the respect of your lords. Sha’sek, however, is a different matter entirely. We don’t know what the council has planned, nor whether they support Sammah in his actions. If it comes to war, you’re going to need every healer you have, and Maertn was the best of them all.”
“But what will the lords say to me having a Sha’sekian under my roof in a position of privilege? I can’t knowingly protect one of those things, no matter who it is.”
Eden bristled at the king’s phrasing, but had enough sense to keep quiet. This was Vance’s court, and Eden had no range to step out of place with his father already under such scrutiny. Thankfully Ross again saved him. “What have your nobles thought at you having a leading mercenary, who raised his blade against Everfell during the wars, as your chamberlain?”
Vance looked over his shoulder at Ross and grinned. “They’re petrified of you, you know that. We both know that’s half the reason you’re in this position.”
“So you made an unpopular decision for a good reason. Can you put the wellbeing of your men above your pride? You are going to have the most skilled healer, in either Everfell or Sha’sek, right here, within your walls. Are they going to deride you, or admire your tenacity at overcoming minor boundaries for the greater good of your people?”
Vance pondered these words, taking a sip of wine as he mulled them over. “You’re an astute politician Ross, despite your past. That’s the other reason I like having you around. You already know that I like the sound of that. Small boundaries for the greater good—that sounds like the kind of man I am. That sounds like the kind of king Everfell needs. Why, however, will this boy have to be in charge whilst you’re gone?”
Ross waved to Eden and he shuffled forward a few steps. “You know full well your highness, that Eden had nothing to do with the transgressions of his father. Shiver is under inquiry here, not Eden, and not Sevenspells. The lad was crucial in finding out Baron Sammah’s plans to take your throne. He’s proved—with his own father ending up in your gaol—that he will do what it takes to keep your position safe. Now, I’m not under any illusions that my post is any grander than it is, because I’m just a chamberlain. But it does need a strong hand to keep everyone in check. It needs someone with temerity and knowledge of the court. And most important of all, it needs to be someone that can put their own interests aside, to put yours first, your highness. Eden has proven himself to you already, and let’s be honest, the retinue from Sevenspells isn’t going anywhere right now; you might as well make use of him.”
This last comment made Vance laugh out loud, and both men laughed along with him nervously, not wanting to spoil the mood. “I like this, Ross, I really do. I thought you were trying to jest with me at first, trying to fool me. But I do see how serious you are, and I would like to make sure that Maertn is safe. You’re quite right, he is obviously chasing this Quinn on some kind of romantic whim. As soon as she drops him on those islands, you’ll need someone to bring him back here safely. For the good of Everfell, I will welcome him back with open arms, despite what he may be.”
Eden caught Ross’s eyes shifting to him at this last point, but both men were sensible enough to keep quiet at their king’s bigotry. Ross grinned. “I knew that your highness would make the best decision for his people. I will make the arrangements to hand over control of the basic chamberlain duties to Eden then, and make my preparations to find Maertn and keep the boy safe?” Ross deliberately left Quinn out of all of his statements. He didn’t want to bring her to Vance’s attention, despite the fact that she was the only one he was really concerned about keeping safe. It wasn’t that Maertn didn’t matter, nor that Ross didn’t care about him as much. Whilst Maertn was important, he wasn’t as key in this dance as Quinn. That was an unfortunate fact, and Ross knew better than most the casualties that occurred in wars.
“Eden?” Vance intoned the name with a hiss, and the young captain recoiled involuntarily before stepping forward and sweeping his best bow for the king. “Yes, your highness?”
“I already have your father rotting in the depths of this place. Ross is right, you have been loyal, but I will be keeping an eye on you. If I even hear so much as a whisper that you’re plotting with your father against me, you won’t join your father. I’ll have your head on a spike quicker than you can whimper for mercy. Is that understood?”
“Implicitly, your highness. I wouldn’t dream of betraying you.”
“You may say that Eden, I just wanted to make sure that we all know our positions in this game. Despite the events of the past few days, this isn’t just my castle, this is my kingdom. Call a meeting, and we will let everyone know where they stand, including your father and your brother. We have to bring things into tight control, and I do believe you can be part of that. Given the tense situation between Everfell and Sha’sek, perhaps having my mercenary chamberlain elsewhere for the time being would be the most prudent move. I’ll need you to be at that meeting, and it’s going to be tomorrow at sundown. You will, however, sit with me, and not your brother, in your new role. You are a man of Everfell now, Eden, as of now Sevenspells means nothing to you.”
This turn wasn’t something that Eden had expected as part of their bargain, and Eden had no idea how he felt about it. Sevenspells wasn’t just his life, it was his heritage and he didn’t want to betray his own blood. Eden was in a dangerous position, though, and recognising self-preservation when he saw it he nodded dumbly.
“I can’t hear a gesture, Eden?”
“Of course your highness, I understand your needs fully. I am yours in service as, and when, you need.”
Vance smirked and dismissed them both. They tried to leave the room without running, but they could barely restrain themselves. Out in the corridor, they made sure they were at least a few dozen paces past the guards before they dared speak to each other again. “I can’t believe it was that simple? How quickly can you get out of Everfell?”
“That was the easy part. I made it sound like the idea would benefit Vance. Always approach the king with something that will either make his life easier, or make him sound better. I won’t need do much to get my affairs in order, to be honest. This castle is so well-rehearsed it mainly runs itself. I just need to introduce you to a few people, make sure they know you’re the one that they have to report to, and you have to tell a few people off when they do things wrong. Really, people don’t do too much wrong. I just get paid for hanging around and looking menacing.”
Eden snorted, “Surely that’s not it?”
Ross made a mocking noise back. “If you spend as many years as I did swinging a sword for a living, and not knowing if you’ll make it through the day, you’ll take the easy jobs where you get them. Now, follow me. All we need is a couple of hours, and I’ll be chasing your lass down across the plains of Sevenspells.”
“She’s not my lass Ross, she left me.”
“She’s loves you almost as much as your father loves wine. She’s only gone the way she has to spare your feelings. We all know you couldn’t have followed her.”
Ross carried on walking, expecting Eden to follow. Everfell’s newest chamberlain did without a word. He couldn’t quell his anxieties, though.
Every day and every decision he wanted to make was taken out of his control, and that’s all his life had been since Quinn came into it. What could he do, though? His father was a stranger, and his hated older brother was now his liege lord. Would his fate be better in Ross’s hands, and Vance’s? Regardless, those were questions for the future, and despite the questions Ross’s actions raised, right now Eden only wanted to know that Quinn would be safe.
Ross was Quinn’s future, and Quinn was Eden’s life. He would place all of his hopes in a mercenary who had fought for Sha’sek in the war, and his life in the hands of the king his father had sought to overthrow.