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“Sadly, I do,” I finally said.
Silence took over again.
“I-I heard people on both sides of the war respect you and believe in your word,” I said. “That means you must live by some code of honor. Whatever you decide to do, I’m sure you will have your reasons.”
Rune’s eyes widened as his lips parted in surprise.
“I will have that cleaned for you,” I said and raised my arm with the handkerchief in my hands. “If you stay for my crowning, I shall have it returned to you before your departure. Thank you for making the long journey down here. Considering the circumstances, it was more than we could have hoped for.”
I hadn’t the slightest idea what Rune was thinking. But one way or another, I had said all there was to say. This man didn’t seem like a man who would listen for hours to arguments and complaints—valid or not. So, with those words, I turned and strode down the hallway. I had given it my best shot and still needed to refresh before the madness of the crowning events started.
“My Queen!” Rune hollered after me.
I stopped and turned.
“Your guards. They have grown fat and slow from boredom and the luxury of no enemies. Times have changed now. Replace them with men of your army. Experienced soldiers. It will keep you safe for now.”
Was he actually trying to help? Maybe Alrick was right. This man was not here to kill or harm me. Maybe he was honorable after all.
I nodded my thanks, then left the cellar behind me.
The voices above grew louder with every step I took up the moist, dark stone stairs back into the finer parts of the castle.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Rune.Monster, they called him. He was the son of the man who was trying to kill me, the man who had killed my father and was an ally to those who were coming for my crown. And yet, Rune might also be the man who might finally bring an end to all this misery.
I was about to head down the long hallways and to the gallery that led to my chambers when I noticed two guards sitting on chairs next to the wide-open, golden doors of the gallery. The redheaded one of the two was playing with a string of his pants, the other one was...sleeping?
“You!” I said, walking straight up to them.
Both of them shot to their feet. The one who had been sleeping wiped drool off his chin as he looked around, disoriented for a moment. I scanned both of them head to toe. They were in their twenties and had grown so fat that their bellies poked out from beneath their metal armor.
I sighed. Rune was right. At this point, it was a miracle that I was still alive.
“Find me Dieter and send him to the library to wait for me there.”
The guards exchanged glances.
“B-both of us?” the redheaded one asked.
“Yes.”
They exchanged glances again.
“Now,” I demanded. Both of them rushed off.
“And don’t return to your duty as guards at the castle,” I hollered after them. “Tell Dieter to rehome you within my army.”
How had we all overlooked this problem of my protection?
The sense of security from years of your father’s stable, powerful rule, that’s how.
Granted, not all my guards were like those two men, but two Northerners had managed to seek me out alone without being noticed. This could never happen again.
My army was famous for its fearlessness and loyalty. My guards, however...
I shook the thought off and focused back on the next battle ahead.
My crowning.
