strange illness nearly fifteen summers ago. Since then I have remained unmarried.”
The nobles all made sounds of sympathy but Fallon only remembered Cavan’s story – how Aidan had beaten and raped his wife until she killed herself.
“I have been alone, without companionship since then,” Aidan went on.
Again, the nobles murmured their support, while Fallon bit his lip as the image of the King raping the Count of Londegal’s mistress filled his mind.
“But that is about to change. I can tell you, my dearest friends, I am to marry the Earl of Meinster’s eldest daughter two moons from now, and hope to present you all with a new Prince or two by next summer!”
The table cheered wildly, nobles patting the back and shaking the hand of the beaming Earl of Meinster.
“Let that be the end! All business is to be held over until our next meeting!” the King announced over the general excitement.
“His Majesty King Aidan!” Regan shouted and the cheering nobles sprang to their feet, still clapping as Aidan walked out, Kelty leading the way with half the guards to push back the excited nobles.
Fallon glanced across and Regan nodded to him, so he signaled to his friends and led Swane out of the room. He felt his heart pound and he prepared to strike. First cut down two guards and then kill the King, before turning on Swane. It would be quick and bloody and confused, which was how his friends would escape. The King had paused to speak with the Count of Londegal, so the time was perfect.
He prepared to draw his dagger when a hand grabbed his arm. He turned, his free hand rising to strike down the fool who was about to stop him – to see Duchess Dina there.
“Don’t do it,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper and reaching his ears only. “Think of your son. Swane and Aidan are not worth it.”
Fallon was about to tear his arm free when he realized what she had said.
“You know—” he began, his eyes darting behind, to where Swane had stopped, four paces back.
“That is not Cavan. They have killed him and are using you. But don’t sacrifice yourself. There is a better way for revenge.”
Fallon paused in shock. “How did you—?” he gasped.
“It was written all over your face. But look behind me and see that it was doomed,” she said.
He glanced over her shoulder and spotted three of Kelty’s guards had appeared on the other side of the table, all holding loaded crossbows.
“They can’t stop me,” he spat, pulling his arm free.
“Listen to me. I can show you how to kill them and still hold your wife afterwards,” she said urgently. “I will come and tell you. Just don’t do anything foolish.”
Fallon hesitated, uncertainty clouding his mind for the first time.
“Think of your boy. He needs you,” she said, then stepped back.
He looked at her, and back towards the King – to discover Aidan had disappeared into the waiting room once more. He rushed forwards, Swane and the others following, but a quick look inside the waiting room revealed that Aidan had vanished: only Kelty and guards remained.
“You did well, but we can take it from here,” Kelty said, reaching out a hand towards Prince Swane.
Fallon felt sick with anger and disappointment and relief. “All yours,” he said. He refused to look at Swane, although he could feel the man’s eyes boring into him as he stormed out the other door. He did not know whether to be furious or grateful to the Duchess. There would be another chance but what of her words? Was there another way of killing them?
“What happened?” Brendan was the first to ask, once they were safely away.
“The Duchess knew it was Swane, not Cavan. She knew what I was going to do and stopped me,” Fallon said shortly.
“Well thank Aroaril for that. What did she say?” Devlin asked.
“That there was a way to kill them both and still have Bridgit back.”
“What is it?” Gallagher asked.
“She didn’t say,” Fallon grunted.
They walked
The nobles all made sounds of sympathy but Fallon only remembered Cavan’s story – how Aidan had beaten and raped his wife until she killed herself.
“I have been alone, without companionship since then,” Aidan went on.
Again, the nobles murmured their support, while Fallon bit his lip as the image of the King raping the Count of Londegal’s mistress filled his mind.
“But that is about to change. I can tell you, my dearest friends, I am to marry the Earl of Meinster’s eldest daughter two moons from now, and hope to present you all with a new Prince or two by next summer!”
The table cheered wildly, nobles patting the back and shaking the hand of the beaming Earl of Meinster.
“Let that be the end! All business is to be held over until our next meeting!” the King announced over the general excitement.
“His Majesty King Aidan!” Regan shouted and the cheering nobles sprang to their feet, still clapping as Aidan walked out, Kelty leading the way with half the guards to push back the excited nobles.
Fallon glanced across and Regan nodded to him, so he signaled to his friends and led Swane out of the room. He felt his heart pound and he prepared to strike. First cut down two guards and then kill the King, before turning on Swane. It would be quick and bloody and confused, which was how his friends would escape. The King had paused to speak with the Count of Londegal, so the time was perfect.
He prepared to draw his dagger when a hand grabbed his arm. He turned, his free hand rising to strike down the fool who was about to stop him – to see Duchess Dina there.
“Don’t do it,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper and reaching his ears only. “Think of your son. Swane and Aidan are not worth it.”
Fallon was about to tear his arm free when he realized what she had said.
“You know—” he began, his eyes darting behind, to where Swane had stopped, four paces back.
“That is not Cavan. They have killed him and are using you. But don’t sacrifice yourself. There is a better way for revenge.”
Fallon paused in shock. “How did you—?” he gasped.
“It was written all over your face. But look behind me and see that it was doomed,” she said.
He glanced over her shoulder and spotted three of Kelty’s guards had appeared on the other side of the table, all holding loaded crossbows.
“They can’t stop me,” he spat, pulling his arm free.
“Listen to me. I can show you how to kill them and still hold your wife afterwards,” she said urgently. “I will come and tell you. Just don’t do anything foolish.”
Fallon hesitated, uncertainty clouding his mind for the first time.
“Think of your boy. He needs you,” she said, then stepped back.
He looked at her, and back towards the King – to discover Aidan had disappeared into the waiting room once more. He rushed forwards, Swane and the others following, but a quick look inside the waiting room revealed that Aidan had vanished: only Kelty and guards remained.
“You did well, but we can take it from here,” Kelty said, reaching out a hand towards Prince Swane.
Fallon felt sick with anger and disappointment and relief. “All yours,” he said. He refused to look at Swane, although he could feel the man’s eyes boring into him as he stormed out the other door. He did not know whether to be furious or grateful to the Duchess. There would be another chance but what of her words? Was there another way of killing them?
“What happened?” Brendan was the first to ask, once they were safely away.
“The Duchess knew it was Swane, not Cavan. She knew what I was going to do and stopped me,” Fallon said shortly.
“Well thank Aroaril for that. What did she say?” Devlin asked.
“That there was a way to kill them both and still have Bridgit back.”
“What is it?” Gallagher asked.
“She didn’t say,” Fallon grunted.
They walked
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