“It is not your place to question me, and it is not my place to have to explain myself to you,” Gwen said back firmly. “You are a servant to this royal family. I am royalty, lest you forget. Now move out of my way. I am here to see my mother. I am not asking you-I am telling you.”
Hafold’s face fell in surprise; she stood there, wavering, then stepped out of the way as Gwen stormed past her.
Gwen took several steps into the room and as she did, she spotted her mother, seated at the far end of the chamber. She could see the broken chess pieces, still lying on the floor, the table on its side. Gwen was surprised to see her mother had left it that way. Then she realized that her mother probably wanted it as a reminder. Maybe it was a reminder to punish her. Or maybe their argument had gotten to her, after all.
Gwen saw her mother seated there, in her delicate yellow velvet chair, beside the window, facing out, the sunlight hitting her face. She wore no makeup, she was still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, and her hair looked as if it had not been done in days. Her face looked old, sagging, lines etched where Gwen had not noticed them before. Gwen could hardly believe how much she had aged since her father’s death-she barely recognized her. She could feel what a toll her father’s death had taken on her, and despite herself, she felt some compassion for her. At least they had shared one thing in common: a love for her father.
“Your mother is not well,” came Hafold’s harsh voice, walking up beside her. “It will not do for you to disturb her now, whatever matter it is that you’ve come to inquire-”
Gwen spun.
“Leave us,” Gwen commanded.
Hafold stared back, horrified.
“I will not leave your mother unattended. It is my duty to-”
“I said leave us!” Gwen screamed, pointing at the door. Gwen felt stronger, harsher than she ever had, and she could actually hear the authority of her father’s voice coming through.
Hafold must have recognized it, too, must have recognized that this was no longer the young girl she had been accustomed to knowing. Her eyes open wide in surprise, and maybe fear, and she scowled, turned, and hurried from the room, slamming the door behind her.
Gwen crossed the room and locked the door; she did not want any more spies in here to hear what she was about to say.
She turned and went back to her mother’s side. To Gwen’s upset, her mother had not flinched, had not reacted to any of it; she remained seated there, staring out the window. She wondered if she could even speak anymore, if this was just a waste of time.
Gwen knelt by her side, reached up and placed a hand on hers, gently.
“Mother?” she asked, using her gentlest voice.
To Gwen’s disappointment, there came no response. She felt her heart shattering. She did not know why, but she felt a tremendous sadness overcoming her. And somehow, for the first time, she felt herself able to understand her mother-and even to forgive her.
“I love you, mother,” she said. “I’m sorry for all that has happened. I really am.”
Despite herself, Gwen felt tears well up. She did not know if she was crying for the loss of her father, or for the lost chance of a relationship between her and her mother, or for all the pent-up grief she had felt since she and had her mother had fought. Whatever it was, it all came out now, and Gwen cried and cried.
After what felt like forever, nothing but her crying to fill the silence of the vast, empty chamber, to Gwen’s surprise, her mother turned and looked at her. Her face was expressionless, her icy blue eyes wide open, but Gwen saw a quiver of something, thought she could see some part of her coming back to life.
“Your father is dead,” her mother said.
The words came out like a grim proclamation, and even though she knew they were true, they were painful for Gwen to hear.
Gwen nodded slowly back.
“Yes he is,” she responded.
“And nothing can bring him back,” her mother added.
“Nothing,” Gwen agreed.
Her mother turned back to the window. She sighed.
“I never thought it would end like this,” she said.
And then she fell silent again, staring out at a distant cloud passing by.
After it went on for too long, after Gwen feared she might be losing her again, Gwen reached up and squeezed her wrist.
“Mother,” she urged, wiping away tears with the back of her hand. “I need your help. Your son, Kendrick, lies wallowing in the dungeon. He was put there by your other son, Gareth. He’s been accused of father’s murder. You know that Kendrick would not commit this murder. Kendrick is set to be executed. You must not let this happen.”
Gwen knelt there, squeezing her mother’s hand, waiting urgently for a response.
She waited what felt like forever. She was about to give up hope, when suddenly her mother’s eyes flickered.
“Kendrick is not my son,” she said, matter-of-factly, still watching the sky. “He is your father’s boy. Of another woman.”
“That is true,” Gwen said, nervous. “But you raised him as your own. Your husband loved him as a son. You know that. And, whether he was true or not, Kendrick always viewed you as a mother. He has no one else. As you said, our father is dead. It is left to you to defend him. If you do nothing, if you do not act, on the morrow, he will be dead-for a murder he did not commit. The murder of your husband. His execution would stain your husband’s memory.”
Gwen felt proud of herself for laying it all out, and she felt that her mother heard every word of it. There followed a long silence.
“I do not rule this land,” her mother said. “I am just another former Queen. Powerless, as the rest. The men rule in this kingdom.”
“You are not powerless,” Gwen insisted. “You are the mother of the current King. You are a former queen to the former King, who died but days ago-and who are country still loves and mourns. All of his counselors and advisers still listen to you. They trust you. They love you, if for no other reason than they loved him. A command from you would hold much weight. It would prevent Kendrick’s death.”
Her mother sat there, staring out, her expression barely changing. Gwen watched her eyes, but could not tell how much she was truly processing, how much she was capable of taking in. She seemed as sharp as ever, but clearly, something had happened within her.
“Wouldn’t you like to find your husband’s murderer?” Gwen asked.
Her mother shrugged.
“It is not for me to intervene in my son’s rule. He is King now. The fates must play out as they must.”
“So will you just sit there, then, and do nothing as your innocent son dies?”
Slowly, the former queen shook her head.
“Gareth was always a willful boy. My firstborn son,” the queen said. “I believe that he carried all of my sins. His nature could never be corrected. Perhaps he killed your father. Perhaps not. But kings are meant to be killed. They’re meant to be deposed. Your father knew that. It is the risk one takes when assuming the throne.
“Of course I mourn for my husband,” she added. “But that is the dance of crowns.”
Gwen fumed. She stared at her mother, saw her resolve, and felt a newfound hatred for her.
Gwen stood and scowled down at her, preparing this time to never see her again. She took one long last look at her, to ingrain her face in her memory. It was a face she never wanted to forget-a face she never wanted to become.
“Our father looks down at you in disgrace,” Gwen said, feeling as if she were channeling her father’s voice.
With that, she turned, crossed the room, opened the door and slammed it behind her, its echo shaking the entire castle.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Thor sat with the other Legion members, and Krohn, on the ground in their makeshift camp at the top of the cliff, their roaring fire doing little to fend off the black of night. Dozens of them sat spaced around it, all exhausted, staring somberly into the flames. Thor looked back and saw the sky, alight with thousands of stars, reds and yellows and greens, positioned in such a way that Thor had never seen before in this part of the world. The fire cracked, but other than that, the night was silent.