Melina Marchetta - Quintana of Charyn

‘You don’t know that, Froi,’ Isaboe said, her voice cool.

‘No, I don’t. But your plan for revenge on Charyn led me straight into Gargarin of Abroi’s path. And I crossed a gravina to be with Arjuro of Abroi and I climbed a tower to be with Lirah of Serker. Call it coincidence, but I’ve spent a year questioning what I know and what I sense, and sometimes what I sense overpowers everything.’

Isaboe sighed. Jasmina’s head popped up between her feet again and they both laughed.

‘Well, let’s hope they’re making a fuss over your Quintana today,’ Isaboe said, gathering her daughter to her.

Froi grimaced. ‘She’s not very good with … fuss,’ he said.

‘Every princess is good with a little fuss,’ she said, kissing Jasmina. ‘Aren’t you, my love?’

Froi sighed. Yes, but Quintana wasn’t exactly the most normal of princesses.

‘Perhaps they’ve thrown her a party.’

Sagra! He couldn’t think of anything more frightening for her. Or those who tried.

‘You’re not thinking of throwing me one of those odious surprise parties?’ Quintana asked coldly, clutching the little King. ‘If you do, I’ll lock myself and Tariq in our room and never come out.’

Phaedra looked from Quintana to Gargarin of Abroi. ‘Well, it’s not as if you don’t already do that, Your Majesty,’ Gargarin said. His eyes met Phaedra’s. They had managed to coax Quintana out of her self-imposed prison and into the courtyard to greet those who now lived in the palace. Phaedra and Gargarin hoped they could lead her further to the portcullis and perhaps down the drawbridge and into the Citavita.

‘Could I suggest that we visit the town square and greet those who have travelled here for your birthday?’ Phaedra said.

‘The town square?’ Quintana asked. Phaedra watched Gargarin wince, as if he knew the following words would not be pleasing to the ear.

‘The town square where they once set up the gallows and jeered when the street lords placed a noose around my neck? Brayed for my blood?’

And this was how they had begun each day since they had arrived all those months ago.

‘It’s about time and compromise,’ Gargarin of Abroi had said to Phaedra outside Quintana’s chamber one morning. He had said those words after yet another failed attempt to have her join them outside the palace. ‘Let’s give her the time she needs.’

Time, Phaedra noted, was spent in Quintana’s cold, sparse chamber. Its only appeal was a balconette that looked over the gravina. Phaedra was fascinated with the way the godshouse opposite tilted towards them, not to mention the hollering that took place between Quintana, Gargarin, the Priestling Arjuro and Lirah of Serker. The Provincari’s people who had settled in the palace tower on both sides of theirs complained the whole day long about the early-morning and late-night shouting. Phaedra would have died of boredom without it. As she would have without the nocturnal visits from the godshouse residents.

On the second night in the palace she was introduced to two Priests, both in robes and cowls. She was soon to discover that one was Arjuro and the other Lirah of Serker. Perabo, the keeper of the keys of the palace, had smuggled Lirah in with Arjuro, far from the prying eyes of those they called the Provincari’s parrots.

Lirah of Serker was the most beautiful woman Phaedra had ever seen apart from Tesadora. They reminded her of each other. Especially in their disdain for the world, until they were in the presence of someone they loved.

As long as she lived, Phaedra would never forget the first moment Lirah of Serker held the little King in her arms.

The Queen allowed only Phaedra, Lirah and Arjuro to hold the child. And Gargarin, but he refused each time, preferring to admire the little King over the shoulders of others.

‘Is he not the most perfect thing you’ve seen, Lirah?’ Quintana asked. ‘Is he not just like Lirah, Gargarin?’

‘Thank the gods for that,’ the little King’s regent murmured. Phaedra knew Gargarin and Lirah were lovers. It was whispered in the hallways of the palace by the guards. But Phaedra hadn’t realised the two loved each other until Gargarin watched Lirah of Serker with the sleeping boy.

‘You can stay the night with Phaedra and me, Lirah,’ Quintana said. ‘We can watch Tariq sleep.’

Lirah and Gargarin exchanged a look and Arjuro snorted a laugh.

‘Yes, I’ll sit with Gargarin and speak of waterwheels and privies.’

Today, having lost the battle of Quintana leaving the palace, Phaedra watched as Gargarin decided to bring up the issue of chambers when they returned to her room.

‘There’s been enough time to settle in,’ Gargarin said. ‘You can’t stay in here, Your Majesty. It’s not big enough for you all.’

‘But I can,’ Quintana said dismissively. ‘This has always been my chamber.’

Gargarin grimaced. ‘It holds bad memories for you, Your Majesty,’ he said. ‘Awful.’

Quintana picked up Tariq from his basket and clutched him to her. She did it often. Up and down he went. From her arms to the basket and then back into her arms. Sometimes Phaedra would see Quintana place an ear to Tariq’s lips to check for breathing.

‘This chamber holds the best of memories, too,’ Quintana said quietly. ‘You forget that.’

Gargarin sighed. ‘It’s best you take the solar. It’s large and well lit and the most comfortable place in the palace.’

Quintana wanted to hear none of it. Instead, she held out Tariq to Gargarin. ‘It’s about time,’ she said. She tried at least once a day to have the little King’s regent hold him, but always failed.

‘You move to the solar,’ he said firmly instead.

Phaedra believed Quintana had all but lost this fight.

‘My idea is better,’ Quintana said. ‘You take the solar, Gargarin. There’s the secret passage through the cellar that leads to it and on the nights Perabo is on watch at the gatehouse, Lirah can visit you easier than meeting you here. She certainly won’t be seen by the parrots of the provinces. When he’s old enough, we can place Tariq in the chamber next door to here. We can hack an entrance just there,’ she said, pointing to the wall. ‘We can place a desk near the window, just for you. The little King will have to get used to you, so it’s best you use his chamber as a study during the day. It means you’ll still be able to use it when the sun comes up to greet Arjuro and Lirah.’

‘Your Majesty –’

She shook her head and placed her hands over the little King’s ears. ‘I slit my father’s throat in the solar, Gargarin. Not exactly the room I want my son sleeping in. And anyway, think of your satisfaction. You get the dead King’s sanctuary. You get what Bestiano wanted for himself. Lie back and relish it.’

Gargarin was silent. Most of the time, Phaedra was frightened by him. Not that he had ever shown a violent trait and not because of words he had spoken, but because of the silence. He had a wounded spirit and the only time she saw him happy was when he was in the company of Lirah and his brother and Tariq, despite not wanting to hold him. But then again, everyone was happy in the little King’s presence. Phaedra couldn’t bear to start her day without having him in her arms. He soothed her aching heart.

‘And I’ve made a decision about my title of Queen,’ Quintana continued. ‘I’ve decided to relinquish it. In years to come when Tariq marries, it will belong to his betrothed and I’ll despise her enough for taking my son from me. It could get quite ugly if I get used to the title and I may hate her twice over. I might want to kill her and we do want to avoid future bloodshed in the palace.’