Michael Sullivan: Wintertide

Then he would be dead, too.

The deep rumble of stone against stone echoed through the corridors. Footsteps sounded in the hall. Someone was coming.

Now was not the time for food. While Arista could not judge the passage of time in the darkness, food never came until she feared it might never arrive. They fed her so little that she welcomed the thin, putrid soup, which smelled of rotten eggs.

The approaching footfalls came from two sets of shoes. The first she recognized as a guard who wore metal and made a pronounced tink-tink. The other wore hard heels and soles that created a distinct click-clack. That was not a guard nor was it a servant. Servants wore soft shoes that made a swish-swish sound or no shoes at all-slap-slap. Only someone wealthy could afford shoes that clacked on stone. The steps were slow but not hesitant. There was confidence in the long, measured strides.

A key rattled against the assembly of her lock and then clicked.

A visitor?

The door to her cell opened, and a bright light made Arista wince.

A guard entered, jerked her roughly to one side, and attached a pair of iron bracelets chaining her wrists to the wall. Leaving her sitting with her arms above her head, the guard exited but left the door open.

A moment later, Regent Saldur entered holding a lantern. "How are you this evening, Princess?" The old man shook his head sadly making tsking noises. "Look at you, my dear. You are so thin and filthy, and where in Maribor's name did you get that dress? Not that there's much of it left, is there? Those look like new bruises, too. Have the guards been raping you? No, I suppose not." Saldur lowered his voice to a whisper. "They had extremely strict orders not to touch Modina when she was here. I accused an innocent jailor of improperly touching her and then had him pulled apart by oxen as an example. There were no problems after that. It might seem extreme, but I couldn't have a pregnant empress, now could I? Of course, in your case I really don't care, but the guards don't know that."

"Why are you here?" she asked. Her low raspy voice sounded strange, even to herself.

"I thought I would bring you some news, my dear. Kilnar and Vernes have fallen. Rhenydd is now a happy member of the Empire. The farmlands of Maranon on the Delgos peninsula had a nice harvest, so we'll have plenty of supplies to feed our troops all winter. We've retaken Ratibor but had to execute quite a few traitors as examples. The peasants must learn the consequences of rebellion. They were cursing your name before we had finished."

Arista knew he was telling the truth. Not because she could read his face, which she barely saw through her matted hair, but because Saldur had no reason to lie. "What do you want?"

"Two things, really. I want you to realize that the New Empire has risen and nothing can stand in its way. Your life, Arista, is over. You will be executed in a matter of weeks. And your dreams are already dead. You need to bury them alongside the sad little graves of Hilfred and Emery."

Arista stiffened.

"Surprised? We learned all about Emery when we retook Ratibor. You really do have such a way with men. First you got him killed and then Hilfred as well. You must make black widows jealous."

"And the second?" She noticed his momentary confusion. "The other reason we're having this little chat?"

"Oh, yes. I want to know who you were working with."

"Hilfred-you killed him for it, remember?"

Saldur smiled and then struck her hard across the face. The chains binding Arista's wrists snapped taut as she tried to protect herself. He listened to her crying softly for a moment and then said, "You're a smart girl-too smart for your own good-but you're not that smart. Hilfred may have helped you escape arrest. Perhaps he even hid you during those weeks we searched. But he couldn't have gotten you into the palace or found this prison. Hilfred died wearing the uniform of a fourth floor guard. You must have had help from someone on the staff to get that, and I want to know who it was."

"There was no one. It was just me and Hilfred."

Saldur slapped her again. Arista cried out, her body shaking, jangling the chains.

"Don't lie to me," he said while raising his hand again.

Arista spoke quickly to stay the blow. "I told you. It was just me. I got a job working in the palace as a chambermaid. I stole the uniform."

"I know all about you posing as Ella the scrub girl. But you couldn't have gotten the uniform without help. It had to be someone in a position of authority. I must know who the traitor is. Now tell me. Who was helping you?"

When she said nothing, he struck her twice more.

Arista cringed. "Stop it!"

"Tell me," Saldur growled.

"No, you'll hurt her!" she blurted.

"Her?"

Realizing her mistake, Arista bit her lip.

"So, it was a woman. That limits the possibilities considerably, now doesn't it?" Saldur played with a key that dangled from a small chain, spinning it around his index finger. After several minutes, the regent crouched down and placed the lantern on the floor.

"I need a name and you will tell me. I know you think you can carry her identity to your grave, but whether you hold your tongue out of loyalty to her or to spite me, you should reconsider. You might believe that a few weeks is not long to hold your tongue, but once we start you'll wish for a quick death."

He brushed her hair aside. "Look at that face. You don't believe me, do you? Still so naive. Still such an optimistic child. As a princess, you've led such a pampered life. Do you think that living among the commoners of Ratibor and scrubbing floors here at the palace has made you strong? Do you think you have nothing else to lose and you've finally hit bottom?"

When he stroked her cheek, Arista recoiled.

"I can see by your expression that you still have some pride and a sense of nobility. You don't yet realize just how far you have to fall. Trust me, Arista, I can strip you of that courage and break your spirit. You don't want to find out just how low I can bring you."

He stroked her hair gently for a moment then grabbed a handful. Saldur pulled hard, jerking her head back and forcing Arista to look at him. His gaze lingered on her face. "You're still pure, aren't you? Still untouched and locked in your tower in more ways than one. I suspect neither Emery nor Hilfred dared to bed a princess. Perhaps we should begin with that. I will let the guards know that they can-no-I will specifically order them to violate you. It will make both of us very popular. The men will be requesting extra duty so they can desecrate you night and day."

Saldur let go of her hair, allowing her head to drop.

"Once you are thoroughly used and your pride has evaporated, I'll send for the Master Inquisitor. I'm sure he will relish the opportunity to purge the evil from the infamous Witch of Melengar." Saldur moved closer and spoke softly, intimately. "The inquisitor is very imaginative, and what he can do with chains, a bucket of water, and a searing hot brand is sheer artistry. You'll scream until you lose your voice. You'll black out and wake where the nightmare left off."

Arista tried to turn away, but his wrinkled hands forced her to look at him once again. His expression was not pleased or maniacal. Saldur appeared grim-almost sad.

"You'll experience anguish that you never thought possible. Your remaining courage will evaporate into myth and memory. Your mind will abandon you, leaving behind a drooling lump of scarred flesh. Even the guards won't want you then."

Saldur leaned forward until she could feel his breath and feared he might kiss her. "If after all that, you've still not given me what I want, I will turn my attention to that pleasant little family who took you in-the Barkers, wasn't it? I will have them arrested and brought here. The father will watch as his wife takes your place with the guards. Then she will witness her husband and sons drawn and quartered one by one. Imagine what it will do to the woman when she sees her youngest, the one you supposedly saved, die. She will blame you, Arista. That poor woman will curse your name, and rightly so, for it will be your silence that destroyed her life."