Gorgoroth (Haladras #2)

THIRTY-ONE

The frightened girl shook her head emphatically.

"No!" she cried, sounding as if she were pleading for help. "I am just a serving wench."

Floorboards creaked behind them. Grüny Sykes appeared on the threshold from the other room. He looked at the girl, face screwed up.

"Is that her?" he said.

Endrick laughed. "Skylar only wished it were her. This one-unless she's hiding something-doesn't want to serve his head to the empress."

"We don't know for certain she's my sister," replied Skylar. Though, his voice lacked any conviction when he said it.

"What madness are you two rambling about?" said Grüny.

"The princess," said Skylar with a sigh. "She claims she's my sister."

"What princesss?"

"Of Gorgoroth."

"What!" exclaimed Grüny. "That's the biggest nonsense I ever heard."

Skylar nodded his head. "I know it is. Maybe...she just wanted to fool me?"

"Calm yourselves," said Wenna. "Come in by the fire and warm your bones by what's left of the fire. This poor child is shaking from cold. Then, I shall try to clear up this confusion."

The old widow ushered them into the next room, where she saw that they huddled around the fire. Then she served them each a hot cup of an herbal infusion which reminded him of a drink his mother had often made when had visited their home in the Gorge. The infusion helped soothe his troubled thoughts. It also made him think of his father. What would he think of all this? Part of Skylar felt glad his father wasn't alive to know what had truly become of his stolen daughter.

Wenna wrapped a thin blanket about the servant girl's shoulders, and gave her extra attention to ensure she was comfortable. Perhaps never before had this girl been shown any such tenderness. The girl looked anxious, as though she expected a hand to strike her at any moment.

Skylar looked back toward the farside of the room, where the door to Wenna's bedchamber stood. The door was closed. Kendyl must be asleep. He felt a twinge of pain the she hadn't staid awake to see them-to see him-return safely. Did she not care? Good. He tried to convince himself that this is what he wanted.

When Wenna finished fretting over her guests, she eased into her own chair, took a sip from her cup and began to speak.

"I do not believe Princess Shahra was trying to fool you," she said. "Oh, no. I've known for many years that girl which the people hail as The Fair One, The Future Empress Supreme, the Princess Shahra Hira Minka, Gift from the Gods, is no daughter of the empress. For here sits next to me the only one who can claim that birthright."

"But I am just a serving wench," protested the girl.

"Be that as it may, that is not what you were born as."

"How can that be?" said Skylar.

"A secret. One which I have guarded for these eighteen years."

The old widow then recounted all she knew.

"Many years ago, I was midwife to the empress when the true princess of Gorgoroth was born."

Skylar looked at ths old woman in disbelief. But Wenn only nodded and kept on talking.

"The baby girl's father was the Prince Consort of Gorgoroth, Volkrev Darkes. He and the empress were married seven years before she conceived her first and only child. By that time, Volkrev's fidelity had begun to waver. He had grown an obvious interest in the daughter of a powerful land baron. She was young and fair, and exceedingly wealthy. So, just a month before the princess was to be born, he left the empress and wed the baron's daughter. He likely broke several laws doing it, but none dared to accuse him, least of all the Empress. For she still loved him.