Richard Tuttle - 13 Day War

“They are hardly girls any more,” smiled the queen. “They have grown into wonderful young women. You should be proud of them.”

“I am proud of them, but I am also protective of them as a parent should be. Who is Billy?”

“It is not my place to speak of such things,” the queen responded cautiously. “Your daughters are not in any danger. Let them enjoy themselves. Spring is nearly here, and all will be revealed then.”

“Do you know the true identity of all the people in the Lair?” persisted Janay.

Queen Romani sighed and nodded. “I doubt that your daughters have had much in the way of companionship, Janay. Let them enjoy what little time they have here. Do not push against a wall that will not yield. You will only wear yourself out.”

“Meaning you will never yield?” scowled Janay. “I have been told that I am a guest here, yet I am treated as a prisoner. A woman in my position can accept that. It comes with marriage to a man such as my husband, but I will not lose control of my daughters. You have no right to conceal the truth from me. Put yourself in my place. What if those were your daughters down there, and you did not have any idea who their companions were? Do you really think that you would accept that? You would not. I do not know who you are, but I recognize a woman of quality when I see one. Tell me that I am wrong.”

The attack was unexpected, and Queen Romani found herself nodding in agreement. “There is truth in your words,” she conceded, “but you do not know what is going on in the world outside these walls. We are doing our very best to keep you and your daughters safe, but that requires that we do not let others know of your existence here. Do you have any idea what your husband would do if he discovered that you were living in Herinak?”

The scowl fell from Janay’s face as she considered the words spoken. She had been fairly certain that she was in Herinak, but it was good to have that confirmed.

“He would demand our safe and immediate return.”

“He is in no position to do such a thing,” retorted Queen Romani. “If he did know where you were, he could not afford to let others know the location. Are you so quick to forget that you were kidnapped by Badgers? Do you not think that the Badgers might have confederates in Herinak who would be overjoyed to learn of your location?”

“Do you think he would do nothing?” frowned Janay. “You do not know my husband well.”

“I think it is you, Janay, who does not know your husband well. The Federation would need very little excuse to attack the horse countries. If he learned that you were here, he would send the Federation armies against Korocca and Zarocca. He would not mention your presence here, but he would have special troops designated to retrieve you. Are your unwarranted feelings of unease worth starting a war over?”

“Jaar is not an evil man,” protested Janay. “Why would he attack the horse countries?”

“You have not been kept well informed of what is happening in the world,” answered the queen. “Are you aware that the horse countries are the only countries on the continent that your husband has not conquered?”

“That can’t be true. I would have been told if it were true.”

“Evidently, you were not told the truth. Karamin was the first to fall, over a year ago, followed closely by my own country. Tyronia was the last. The horse countries are the only holdouts now.”

A puzzled frown fell over Janay’s face. She could not imagine such news being kept from her, but Colonel Jurgon had grown quiet during the last few years. Could he have been trying to shield her from the truth for some reason? She let the woman’s words bounce around in her head for a while and then it struck her.

“You are Queen Romani. How is it that you are here?”

It had been a hunch on Janay’s part based upon the woman saying that she was from Vinafor, but Janay smiled at the woman’s response. The expression of shock on the queen’s face was all the proof that Janay needed. It also confirmed Queen Romani’s words. There would be no reason for the queen to be living here if she still ruled over Vinafor.

Queen Romani sighed. She knew that she had given herself away, and that there was no use in trying to cover it up now. “Pretty much the same way you got here. Some brave souls that I had never met spirited me away to save my life. I will forever be thankful to them.”

“As I should be to Forshire?”

“General Forshire risked his life to get you here. I might add that many men lost their lives in the process. You do indeed owe a great debt to them.”

“I do indeed,” admitted Janay, “but there is still a great deal that I do not understand. If my husband truly seeks to rule the world, and General Forshire is loyal to him, why would the general bring me here into the enemy’s lair?”

“You were not meant to come here,” answered Queen Romani. “General Forshire entrusted your safety to a loyal friend when your camp was attacked. That friend brought you here. The general had intended to take you to Despair to be reunited with your husband.”

“Yet I have seen General Forshire walk these halls,” frowned Janay. “How can King Wendal allow an enemy general free access to such a sensitive place? And why hasn’t General Forshire told my husband where I am?”

“General Forshire has told your husband that you are safe, but he has not told him where you are. He does not want to see war between the Federation and the horse countries.”

“A loyal soldier who goes against the emperor’s plans? That makes no sense to me. Either he is loyal, or he is not. Which is it?”

“There are many things that I cannot and will not go into,” answered the queen. “Suffice it to say that he has delivered you someplace safe, and he is working hard to free your husband from captivity.”

“Jaar is in trouble?” Janay said with concern.

“Grave trouble,” nodded Queen Romani. “The Badgers were supposed to kidnap the entire family, but your son was not with you. They will not kill your husband until they are sure that his entire family can be eliminated, but they intend to keep Emperor Jaar under their control until that is accomplished.”

“My son died years ago,” lied Janay.

“Do not demand the truth from me and then repay me with lies, Janay,” retorted the queen. “I understand that you are trying to protect your son, but we are not the ones trying to overthrow the empire by killing Jaar and his family. If we knew where your son was, he would be brought here to safety to be with you.”

“I am sorry,” Janay said softly. “I suppose that there are secrets that each of us must hold closely. Still, I need to know the truth about General Forshire. Samana, my eldest, is infatuated with him. I need to know if he is truly a good man, and from what I hear, he is a maze of contradictions.”

“I believe him to be an excellent man,” answered the queen as she turned away from Janay and stared down at the heirs, “but I would advise you to discourage your daughter. At this moment, General Forshire is working hard to free your husband, but I would be willing to wager that the general will not survive the coming spring. She would be wise to forget about him.”

Janay nodded sadly and gazed down at her daughters. The seven youths were starting a new run down the hill. Harry and Bonnay were sharing a sled, as were Sam and Jeanie. Rynda was paired off with Billy, and Samana rode alone. The sleds raced down the slope, and the one carrying Harry and Bonnay flipped over at the bottom. Harry was thrown some distance and Bonnay scrambled to her feet and raced over to where the prince was sprawled.

“Are you all right?” Bonnay asked with concern.