Castles Ings & Wondrous Things

There isn't any sex in this chapter and there's not supposed to be so please don't complain about the lack. Although this is a 'sex' story website, I place just as much emphasis on the 'story' and this chapter is about advancing the 'story'.

Thanks & Enjoy

ptm

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Zane groaned at the pounding inside his head and struggled to open his eyes. He slowly raised a hand that felt like it weighed twice his body weight to rub at his face until his skin started to tingle. Feeling marginally more awake but still suffering from what felt like the worst hangover of his life, he forced his eyes open and stared up at the canopy above his head. Concentrating around the hammering between his eyes, he tried to remember how he got himself into such a state and also how he managed to make it to his bed.

Working his way from his previous awakening, he slowly pieced together his actions up until he witnessed Tamara's abduction. At that point, sorrow rolled through his body and he rolled onto his side to curl into a foetal position. Moaning again, he tried to remember what had happened after he collapsed on the path and drew a blank. His misery was interrupted by a loud banging on the outer door to his suite. Wincing at the reverberations that travelled across his skull, he managed to roll off his bed and stagger to his feet. The impatient person outside his door knocked again and he responded with a curse that silenced his visitor. It took him several moments to cross the distance between his bed and the door, by which time his head had cleared enough that the pounding receded to a dull throb. Yanking the door open he snarled, "This had better be important or you'll be spending the next week in the dungeon."

"Good morning to you, too, brother," replied Seth in a cheerful tone that had Zane grinding his teeth. His younger brother pushed past him and threw himself into one of the cushioned chairs before the empty fire place. Grumbling to himself, the older prince eased his way to the second chair and collapsed into it with a grunt of pain.

Gritting his teeth, he ordered, "Tell me where Tamara is, now." He fixed a hard look on his brother's face but felt his hopes die when Seth slowly shook his head.

"We don't know, brother," admitted the younger quietly. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he cradled his chin in his hand and stated, "We don't know, but we're organising people to start looking." He paused for a moment before he added, "We can't really trust too many people because of the rumours that are going around at the moment -- especially since you were both absent from the meal last night." Zane narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as the slow burn of anger consumed the last dregs of his headache and his concentration sharpened.

Quietly he growled, "I should have done something about those useless bastards before she even got here." He had known after his father's funeral that he would regret letting his late father's advisors keep their positions but he never expected to regret it as much as he did at this moment.

Narelle had decided to take her breakfast in her chambers since there would be no one in the small breakfast room to act as a buffer between her and Seth. As soon as she finished her meal, she decided to visit the three courtiers she considered loyal to Zane. Digging through her wardrobe, she located and donned one of the traditional costumes of her homeland, including the short-sword that hung at her left hip and the dirk that hung at her right. She secured her hair in a knot at the back of her head with a needle-pointed stiletto and fastened her veil across her face. Finally, she fastened a jewelled armlet around her right bicep. She played her fingers over the pattern of jewels, whispering an activation charm. The metal and precious stones burned hot against her skin for a few short seconds before cooling until they matched her body temperature. Running over the questions she needed answers to in her mind, she strode out of her chambers. Without stopping to speak to any of those she passed in the halls, she made her way across the palace and climbed the eastern-most tower. About half-way up the soaring structure, she paused before an ornate door and announced her presence by placing her palm against the outline in the centre of the door. After a moment, she felt a tingling energy wash over her and then the door swung open. Stepping into the room beyond the door, she bowed to the woman who lounged on a daybed before the fireplace. Straightening, she murmured, "Greetings, Lady Hughenden, I trust that you are well?"

"Tolerably so, child," replied the court sorceress in similarly low tones. She waved a hand and another chair appeared on the opposite side of the fireplace. "Have a seat and share the burdens that have driven you to visit me." The mild rebuke made Narelle wary. The court sorceress knew something, the princess was certain, but what the lady knew still remained a mystery. Frowning, she obeyed the instruction but didn't allow herself to relax.

Focussing her attention completely so that she didn't miss the sorceress' slightest reaction, she stated baldly, "I want to know if I can trust your assistance in locating my sister."

"What one wants, one doesn't always get," replied the lady in a philosophical tone that set Narelle's teeth on edge. Holding onto civility by the thinnest thread, she leaned forward in her chair and captured the sorceress' gaze.

Grimly, she told the other woman, "I don't care why you help me, as long as you do." She paused and waited for her words to sink in before she added, "Besides, I would have thought you would relish the opportunity to thwart the late king's advisors in any manner you could lay hands on." She watched the sorceress' expression fade into a blank mask before she leaned back in her chair and settled herself to wait for a verbal response.

Seth followed his brother as Zane stormed from his apartment and headed towards the council chamber. He knew that nothing and no one would be able to stop his brother from confronting their late father's advisors and it did not concern him over much. The only thing he desired was to stand witness as the crown prince gave the bastards the comeuppance they deserved. Increasing the length of his strides so that he could keep up with his brother, the younger prince smiled grimly as he pictured the expressions on the faces of those who had used their father through all the years of his reign. Now they would learn the cost of the insults they had heaped on the brothers' heads as they grew. Some of his bitterness was dispelled by amusement as he watched the courtiers they passed in the hall flee in the face of his brother's obvious fury. Despite the fact that Zane had managed to steer clear of all their manipulations through the past five years, not one of the courtiers -- including the late king's advisors -- had the true measure of their new ruler. Few had heeded the unspoken warning he'd given when he invited Tamara back to Midland as soon as their father was buried. Seth looked forward to watching the scramble as those who considered themselves politically adept tried to adjust to a man who was no longer living in the shadow of a father who was ruled by his advisors. In short order, they reached the double doors to the council chamber and Zane threw them open without knocking. Seth followed him in quickly enough to see the expressions of anger on the faces of most of the councillors before they regained control. Unable to hide his smirk, he announced, "His Royal Highness, Prince Zane Jacosta, Crown Prince of Midland." The men in the room rose to their feet and bowed while the sole woman -- Queen Grace -- inclined her head. He pulled out the throne-like chair at the head of the table before taking the seat immediately to the right, staring around the table at the men who were unable to hide their wariness.

"Gentlemen, Mother, I have something to say to all of you and you will listen in silence or you will suffer the consequences," stated Zane in a grim voice that sparked an inappropriate amusement in his younger brother. Stifling a chuckle, Seth kept his eyes on the councillors to absorb their reactions. In the same grim tone, the crown prince continued, "I hold you gentlemen responsible for my betrothed's disappearance. I am fully aware of the slanderous campaign you have instigated against her since her return -- a return that came in response to my invitation. You are all dismissed from this council; you will no longer have any say in the running of this realm." Satisfaction welled in the younger prince's heart when he saw the pained expressions flash across the face of every man seated around the table. They began to mutter among themselves but Zane's sharp voice cut across the chatter and silenced them immediately. "Your survival is not guaranteed. If my lady is not returned to me within the week, you will all be executed. That will be all." He bowed to their mother and strode from the room. Seth watched him go before turning back to face the councillors who were all looking extremely pale.

Quietly, he told them, "Don't think about running. The minute you step outside the palace grounds, I will take that as an admission of guilt and hunt you down for my brother. Do you understand me?" He waited until each man acknowledged his words and then rose to his feet. He went to his mother and brushed a kiss on her cheek before leaving the chamber. He couldn't wait to tell Narelle what had passed and he hoped she would be as pleased by the event as he was.

He was woken by a rough blow to the side of his head and when he tried to raise his arms to protect his head, he cried out in pain. His wrists were tied tightly at the small of his back and he couldn't feel his fingers properly so he knew the bonds were cutting off his circulation. Raising his eyes, he saw a bull of a man looming over him. Remembering what he had witnessed the night before, he demanded, "Who are you? What were you doing to the lady?" He had wanted the bitch to suffer but he had never imagined that she would be truly injured. He had left her in this particular location because he knew that shelter, water and food were close at hand. He also knew that, having been raised as a nomad, she had sufficient skills to care for herself in the wild. He considered her abandonment a just punishment for the harm she had dealt him because he believed that while she would be able to survive, she would enjoy the experience no more than he had enjoyed his own.

"She ain't a lady," replied the man above him, laughing uproariously. From further away, he heard other male voices join in the mirth and was able to pick out at least four maybe five other tones before they all subsided. The man above him added, "She's our whore now, whelp, but if you behave yourself we'll leave her for you when we move out." Tied up and unable to do anything except watch as the man walked away, he hoped that they would move out sooner rather than later.

Serra Maegan glanced down and squinted against the glare of the early morning sun until she was able to make out the watchtower perched atop the low mountain. She was making better time than she had expected to and her mount, Cloud-runner, was managing the pace with ease. As they flew onwards, she recalculated the time it would take her to get to Johan's Fjord. As long as the winds remained fair, she thought she would be able to reach the central trading camp by nightfall the following day. As far as she was concerned, it would still be too slow and she wished there existed a magician strong enough to transport people instantaneously over the distance between Midland's palace and King Maddox's location -- wherever he was at the moment.

Gods-be-damned murk-leaf! Tamara held herself still as her mind raced to fill the blanks left by ingesting the drug. She remembered the pressure of the sweet smelling cloth over her mouth and grimly concluded that the situation at her beloved's court was truly out of control. Why else would any person be stupid enough to assault her in such a fashion? She wasn't just any old princess; she was the daughter of the man who wielded Craving. The sword called Craving, that so worried Prince Zane, was so named because it craved blood to the extent that if it was unsheathed and remained unblooded, its wielder would lose a year off his life. It had been a gift from the wizard because, when fed large quantities of that which it craved, it ensured that all of the pegasii in foal at the time of the blooding would bear twins. A rumble of male laughter a short distance away caused her to flinch and someone immediately nudged her leg. "Hey, Brant, Sir, I think she's waking up!" exclaimed another male voice at her feet. Resolutely she bit her tongue to keep from saying anything that might inflame the situation before she had a chance to assess it further. Although she couldn't remember anything clearly, she sensed that at least one, maybe two, full days had passed since she had been drugged. Thanks to various aches in her body, particularly in her womb and at the juncture of her thighs, she knew that she had been involved in some sort of sexual act. What she did not know was whether these men were the ones that had raped her or not.

She heard heavy footfalls approach and then an older voice replied, "About bloody time. Arch, go call in the men while I finish waking her up." Horror snaked down her spine at the mention of more than just the two she'd heard. Although she had no wish to consciously experience what had undoubtedly already happened to her, Tamara knew that she had to find some way to survive. The nomads of her father's nation believed very strongly in the idea of living to fight another day and that was what she now had to do. Well, that and get revenge for the harm that had been done to her. Mentally bracing herself, she waited for the man to begin his vile deed.

Zane strode through the halls of his palace, glaring at all and sundry as he made his way to the audience hall. As he stormed along, a few of the servants braved his anger to receive their orders. When he arrived at the audience hall, he scanned the small crowd of courtiers present before drawing his sword and slamming the pommel against the small gong just inside the double doors. As the last reverberations faded into the sudden silence, he stepped to one side of the door and snapped, "Everyone out except for Sir Deverill and Count Weyland." The courtiers obeyed with alacrity, too stunned by the never-before-seen temper of their sovereign-to-be to protest. The commander of the palace guard and his late father's steward hastily moved from different points in the room until they stood before the throne at the head of the hall. The prince crossed the room and settled himself stiffly on the chair before pinning the two men with a deathly glare. "Explain to me how your guards allowed my betrothed to come to harm," he ordered softly of the knight, before turning to the nobleman and adding, "You can then explain to me why my betrothed is still missing."

The two men exchanged an uneasy glance before Sir Deverill replied hesitantly, "We were not aware that you were engaged to be married to anyone, Sire. Who is the woman who has been abducted?"

"Are you stupid or just wilfully ignorant?" demanded the prince scornfully. "I speak of Princess Tamara Zefyr, the lady I love and the lady who arrived in my kingdom at my invitation less than ten short days ago."

The knight shifted anxiously before replying, "I was told, Sire, that her presence was unwelcome and that the pegasus knight envoy would be guardian enough for her safety. Also, Sire, there have been no strangers reported present in the last three days."

"Why does that not surprise me?" muttered Zane in disgust. Deciding to give the commander a moment's respite, he turned to the count and asked coldly, "So what do you have to say on the matter?"

Bowing his head, the steward replied, "None of the servants reported anything untoward yesterday -- other than the absence of both yourself and the princess after you both went into the gardens." He paused for a moment before adding, "If the princess was abducted from her usual spot in the gardens, there would not have been any servants there to witness. Sadly, the majority believe the rumours that she is an evil witch who has cast a spell over you and they wish to have nothing to do with her so they avoid her and her known haunts." Looking from one man to the other, the prince felt a headache brewing between his eyes. He really should have nipped the rumours in the bud the day Tamara arrived. Perhaps if he had, he would now have some lead on finding her.

"You speak of that which you know not," stated Lady Hughenden in a cold voice. Narelle sniffed disdainfully and rose to her feet. She had decided that the sorceress' non-committal replies meant that the older woman would not be of any real assistance in the search for her sister.

Walking towards the door, she murmured, "Thank you for your time, Lady Hughenden, I cannot say it has been a pleasure." She had gripped the handle when the lady's voice cut across the room.

"Even if I wished to be of assistance, my hands are tied," stated the sorceress in a sharp tone. The princess felt the temperature of her armlet dip briefly, indicating that the words were an undeniable truth. Turning back to face the lady again, she motioned with her free hand for her to explain. After drawing a deep breath, Lady Hughenden quietly said, "Siddon has told me that if I do anything to aid the Princess Tamara in any fashion, he will have his son beat his wife -- the girl is my oldest granddaughter. Regardless of how I personally feel about Prince Zane and Princess Tamara and their relationship with one another, I cannot risk my granddaughter's safety." Again Narelle felt the temperature of the armlet dip in an indication of the truth of the lady's words.

Releasing the catch and opening the door, she told the sorceress, "You have my sympathy; I would do no different were I in your position myself. I shall contact others and once my sister is found I will do what I can to assist you in this matter." Without waiting for a response, she left the chamber and went in search of the two men she remained uncertain of. Speaking to a few members of the court that she passed in the halls of the palace, she discovered that Sir Deverill Lance and Count Nathan Weyland were both in an audience with the crown prince. After a short internal debate, she changed direction and sought out those she had decided would help her find her sister for Narelle's own sake. After another hour she had gathered her friends in her private parlour in her suite and had begun to discuss how to conduct the search for Tamara.

Seth seated himself beside Narelle on the chaise longue before the fire in her parlour and listened attentively as the group she had gathered began to discuss the process of conducting the search for Tamara. Looking around the group, he couldn't help internally shaking his head. As he had suspected the previous night, Lady Flora Donahughe was among those the princess trusted. However, despite his supposition that she would not be very useful, she was offering sound suggestions including ways to approach the servants and gain their aid. While the rest of the group were tossing ideas back and forth, he quietly asked, "What about Lady Hughenden and Sir Deverill?"

"The sorceress is unable to assist us," replied the princess in equally low tones. An edge to those tones made him wonder at the reasons behind the sorceress' recalcitrance but his companion's next words distracted him completely. Still in a murmur, she added, "As for the good commander, your brother is currently dealing with him." Seth bolted upright and twisted around so that he could meet her gaze straight on. He had known that his brother was devastated by the loss of Tamara. Once his brother woke and went after their late father's counsellors he also knew that his brother was using anger to mask the grief so that he could function enough to find some way to remedy the grief. What he hadn't realised was that Zane would direct that anger at others aside from their father's late counsellors.