“Inside my high stone walls, I function in this court as best I can. Kerek is my eyes and ears. He is in everyone’s confidence. The king himself depends on him utterly. Kerek told me that you and I were alike, that you would control Ragnor with ease. After all, I am a prisoner, my chamber is locked, and there are always guards there.”
Chessa looked about the garden. The sun was bright and the air was sweet, becoming sweeter by the minute as the sun soaked into the blooms. There were two bees dipping into a purple hydrangea. She saw the truth clearly and marveled at the fluency of the woman seated next to her. She looked at Turella and said, “You’re lying to me. Those guards are there to give you warning if someone comes. Those guards are there to hold off people you don’t wish to see. Those guards are there to protect you from the king. Those guards would die for you. You rule here, not that profane old man.”
“By all the gods,” Turella said. She laughed, a soft deep laugh, then louder, dropping the beautiful rose on the moss-covered ground. “Kerek was indeed right.”
“No, no, I take it all back. I was wrong. You’re indeed a prisoner and you have no thoughts about anything except your wretched flowers.”
The queen laughed louder. “By Freya’s power, you’re good, but not good enough, my girl. You can’t correct your mistake so easily. You’re quite right, I do rule the Danelaw, but I rule by stealth and guile. It is difficult and many things slip by me. When the king is dead, you will have an easier time of it. Ragnor needs flattery and more flattery but then he is content. You will do it well. I will help you. Kerek will help you. You must sleep with him to beget a child, but then you can provide him with concubines as I’ve done the king. Weren’t the two young girls last night quite lovely? They’re mute, born that way, thank the gods, and they seem quite happy to do anything the old man wants. They both desire beautiful gowns. I make certain their clothing is envied by all the ladies of the court. Aye, even their loyalty is to me.
“Ah, here is Kerek. She knows now, my friend.”
“Princess,” Kerek said. “I couldn’t tell you before, surely you realize that. I would never place her in such danger.”
“It makes no difference. I won’t wed Ragnor. You, my lady, once the king dies, you will rule through your son. Pick him a wife who will flatter him and let him breed a boy child off her. I won’t do it.”
“I cannot live forever. I must train someone to take my place. The Danelaw mustn’t fall to the Saxons and it surely will if nothing is done.”
“As far as I’m concerned, my lady, the Danelaw can rot. If you cannot control your own land, then you deserve to lose the rule.”
“If I have to force you,” Turella said calmly, smelling that incredible red rose, “I will.”
Chessa just smiled. “And what will you do with my first child?”
“I will rejoice, as will all the people.”
“Ah, but the first child won’t be Ragnor’s.”
Kerek gave a start and then began shaking his head back and forth. “You’ve done this before, Princess. It won’t work twice.”
“I am pregnant with Cleve’s child. Do you doubt that, Kerek?”
“I don’t believe you. He kept you at a distance. He kept yelling at you to begin your monthly flow so you could wed William of Normandy.”
“But you knew I didn’t want to marry Ragnor or William. You knew, Kerek, that I wanted only Cleve, thus my lie about carrying Ragnor’s child. All believed it. I was safe, at least for a while, but Cleve held firm, you’re right about that. I became desperate. I came to him at night and he came awake only enough to feel a man’s passion. When he reached his climax he awoke fully and saw it was me. He cursed, then took me again and many times after that because the damage was already done. You said to him yourself that you were sorry since he loved me.”
Kerek looked as if he’d cry at any moment. He smote his forehead with the heel of his hand. “I am cursed,” he said low, and began rocking back and forth on the stone bench. “From the moment I first saw you fishing in the Liffey, I’ve been cursed. You spin tales and then you make them come true. By all the gods, I don’t deserve this. You revile me, then you protect me. It is too much for a mortal man to bear. Tell me you’re lying, Princess. Tell me this most recent pregnancy story of yours isn’t true.”
“Aye, it’s quite true. Send me back to Cleve. Leave us in peace. My lady, as I said, you can rule openly when the king dies. Kill him. Or would you like me to poison him for you?”
“He has tasters,” the queen said absently. “It wouldn’t work. I tried it once a while ago. The taster died. The king doubled his tasters. Also the concubines taste everything before it goes into his toothless mouth.” She paused, staring at Chessa. “If Kerek believes you then I must. Very well, I will rid you of the babe. Kerek, take her inside and I will do it now.”
Chessa said very quietly, “If you touch me, lady, I will kill you. Doubt me not.”
“Mayhap the child will be a girl, my lady,” Kerek said, looking as dejected as a dog who’d just released his bowels in front of his master’s guests. “Then no one will care.”
The queen sighed. She leaned over to pick another rose, this one a soft pink. She inhaled deeply. “My flowers always agree with me. They give me difficulties, but I can measure their moods and do the right things. But with this girl? I don’t know, Kerek. Perhaps we should send her to the Saxon court and let her wed one of Alfred’s grandsons. Let her create havoc there. Let her poison all of them.”
But she’d done nothing, Chessa thought. She’d only realized the truth about the queen, then she’d been stupid and told her what she realized. Then she’d lied. She’d not done well so far this morning. At least the queen was thinking about her differently now. Just perhaps they’d send her back.
“Actually, my lady, I came to tell you that the king has remembered the princess.”
“Someone must have reminded him,” Turella said. “That, or the old fool remembers touching her and wants to do it again. Aye, my girl, let’s see how you deal with it now when you’re alone with him and there’s no one to pull him back.”
“I’ll stay with her. He won’t do those things again.”
The queen looked at her. “Don’t kill him openly, else I couldn’t save you.”
“I won’t. But Ragnor is another matter.”
