Chapter 63 Revelations and Guilt
The royal castle.
In any castle there are disused places, places used only for one or two seasons, places forgotten by the nobles, the chief servants and the guards. Alicia had hidden with Arturo during the night and most of the day. Finally, she decided that she needed to find her mother and her sister. She led the young man through some less traveled corridors, and they arrived at her familial rooms. She opened the door and found her mother and sister sitting in the main room. Her mother got up and ran to hug her.
Melina through exited breaths: Oh, my goddess! We are very worried about you.
It was obvious that the woman had been crying earlier. Juana approached and hugged her sister. They returned to the room with the young man. The four of them sat down. Arturo remained silent and looked at the table.
Melina: What happened? People are missing from their rooms. Many people do not know where their daughters are. I was so afraid for you.
Alicia began to cry and spoke between sobs: Herald Guillermo. He tried... he grabbed my head. He wanted me to open my mouth.
Melina and Juana each took one of her hands. They looked into her sad and frightened eyes.
Alicia: He was drunk and shouting.
Juana in a low tone: Did he hurt you?
Alicia choked out her words: A little. Arturo saved me. He stabbed his hand. We left and hid in an empty room until today. We were terrified. I think he did the same thing to Arturo.
Juana began to cry slowly, tears streaming down her face. Fear and shame overwhelmed her. Melina noticed her expression and gently touched her cheek.
Melina: Everything will be alright, my daughters. Alicia got away. We can...
Juana in a sudden and clear voice: I did not escape from him.
Melina: What are you saying?
Juana numbly: When I served him...three times...if he drinks a lot...
Melina appeared to deflate: Not you too. No, for sake of the goddess. No.
The sisters wept silently with their mother for a few minutes. All three came to realize that he had violated their entire family.
Arturo looked on with anger and fear: I wish I had stabbed him in the heart.
Alicia: We need to tell someone.
Melina: Who? Who can help us against someone like him?
The three women fell silent. Their vunerabulity and powerlessness robbed them of further words.
The woman, almost forty years old, had asked herself the same question at the age of twelve on a night of fear in her bed. She attended to him again the next day. He had paid her parents well over the years for the excellent service of their daughter. They never spoke of that night again. As the years passed, she buried the memory and the pain so deeply that she allowed her daughters to attend to him as well. Now, years of hidden pain surfaced. She looked at her children and a twisted guilt exploded in her mind. Something broke inside of Melina.
The stone nest.
Corsino and Elicio walked slowly along the stone path, torches in hand. They zigzagged, searching for any obstacles or damage among the stones. The path was inspected every morning and every night by riders or candidates. The attendants cleared the path after each landing or takeoff. But by tradition, the riders and candidates examined the road for safety and places that need repairs. A rock that was not stable might kill a Pegasus and her rider. They felt a duty to protect their mounts.
Elicio spoke hesitently: Will there be a war?
Corsino sighed: I think so. Nestor is afraid.
Elicio: Do we have to fight? There were guards at every entrance and door of the tower. They were nervous.
Corsino: Yes, perhaps. When soldiers are afraid, it is bad.
Elicio: I am not afraid. I will fight for our family.
Corsino mainly to himself: Yes, family is very important. One can do many things for family, even very difficult things.
The two walked to the end of the stone path and looked down at the dark earth below. When he was sure his companion was not looking toward him. Corsino carefully took a small bag out of his vest and dropped it into the field far below the road. The cloth bag fell silently toward the grass and wildflowers of the field. He had begun doing favors for the Herald after his parents had pressed him. Once he had broken the trust of his family, it had become both easier and in ways much harder.
The page was sitting with his back against a large stone column. The sound of the bag falling to the grass always made him jump a little. The page lit a candle in a lantern and searched for the bag for nine minutes before finding it. Once he had recovered it, he ran through a nearby door and up the stairs and through the corridor until he reached the door of the Herald. He delivered the message and received two silver coins from the large nobleman.
In his office, the herald opened the small parchment. He read the message about a fleet of thirty ships with soldiers and weapons. Puerto Blanco was sending a large force toward Costa Lunas. The herald considered how this might change his plan to support Aurelio. If the royal court remained divided, a force of ships and an army could attack the ports, protected only by the soldiers of Marisela. A larger battle would kill more men from Puerto Blanco and the city. If the court were to appoint Olivia, Esteban would know. But with Valero, it was possible the fleet could win a surprise attack. That was dangerous for him. He spent the night thinking about the scenarios and drinking too much. When he fell asleep after the three bells of night, he was sure his decision was the right one. Something had to be done about Duchess Lieselota.