Chapter Six-Amber's Escape
Amber let out a scream. "Please don't hurt my father, and I promise that I'll be the best daughter of yours ever, I'll play the part to perfection, I'll..."
"Gag her," snapped the Queen, and a nearby torturer thrust a strip of cloth into Amber's mouth and tied it tightly, shutting off her protests. The Queen strode up to Grand Duke Lariton. "Tell me the truth and your daughter will not be executed for High Treason. All of it."
"It's the Chancellor's fault, your Majesty. When your daughter was plucked dead from the moat, he got me to agree that my daughter should take her place, for your sake, and in the hope that she could persuade you to let my kingdom go. Punish me if you must, but let my daughter live. She meant no harm."
"You lie. You took my daughter. Where is she?"
"In her royal tomb. Dead, but by her own hand."
The Queen thrust the poker that she held with all her might into Lariton's chest and watched him choke on his own blood until he died. She turned to Amber, who was sobbing and trying to scream through her gag. "Worthless wretch. I keep my promises, you will not be executed, but that does not mean that you will not die for your crime. You will be buried alive with your father outside the capital. Guards, take the body down and take Amber away. And I want the Chancellor arrested, stripped of his seal of office and his fine clothes, and placed in chains within this room until I decide if he should die or merely be locked up at my pleasure. Grand Duke Monter can be the new Chancellor. Another thing. I want my daughter found within two weeks or there will be a purge of my administration." And she strode out of the room.
Amber was dragged away with the body of her father, which was thrown into a large wooden coffin. The guards said nothing to her until they had left the city of Vallermoore. One of them took her gag out and held his finger to his lips. "I used to serve in your father's army. So did my friend here. We hate the Queen for what she has done so we'll set you free. If you can make it back to Vandersil, it may be that you could raise an army against the Queen and come back to take your revenge. If you do, remember that we set you free, and had no part in your father's murder."
The other guard undid her bonds and massaged her wrists and ankles. He gave her a small flask of water, a dagger and a small bag of coins. Amber forced herself to smile and kissed the body of her father on the forehead. "I will return Father, and avenge you, I promise." And she set off towards her home city.
**********************************
The Council had gathered together. "What shall we do?," asked Chancellor Montor. "The Princess is dead but we can't tell the Queen that, and if we attempt to put someone else in her place and she finds out, we shall all die and the entire Court could be at risk."
The President of Trade spoke up next. "We will make sure that she does not find out. I know of a woman who could turn even a farmer's daughter into a Princess. Dracia Elden is her name. We will use the guards who police the city to bring in non-noble girls for training."
"But what if one of the girls does not play her role right?," asked the Chancellor.
"Then she must die as a warning to the others."
Amber let out a scream. "Please don't hurt my father, and I promise that I'll be the best daughter of yours ever, I'll play the part to perfection, I'll..."
"Gag her," snapped the Queen, and a nearby torturer thrust a strip of cloth into Amber's mouth and tied it tightly, shutting off her protests. The Queen strode up to Grand Duke Lariton. "Tell me the truth and your daughter will not be executed for High Treason. All of it."
"It's the Chancellor's fault, your Majesty. When your daughter was plucked dead from the moat, he got me to agree that my daughter should take her place, for your sake, and in the hope that she could persuade you to let my kingdom go. Punish me if you must, but let my daughter live. She meant no harm."
"You lie. You took my daughter. Where is she?"
"In her royal tomb. Dead, but by her own hand."
The Queen thrust the poker that she held with all her might into Lariton's chest and watched him choke on his own blood until he died. She turned to Amber, who was sobbing and trying to scream through her gag. "Worthless wretch. I keep my promises, you will not be executed, but that does not mean that you will not die for your crime. You will be buried alive with your father outside the capital. Guards, take the body down and take Amber away. And I want the Chancellor arrested, stripped of his seal of office and his fine clothes, and placed in chains within this room until I decide if he should die or merely be locked up at my pleasure. Grand Duke Monter can be the new Chancellor. Another thing. I want my daughter found within two weeks or there will be a purge of my administration." And she strode out of the room.
Amber was dragged away with the body of her father, which was thrown into a large wooden coffin. The guards said nothing to her until they had left the city of Vallermoore. One of them took her gag out and held his finger to his lips. "I used to serve in your father's army. So did my friend here. We hate the Queen for what she has done so we'll set you free. If you can make it back to Vandersil, it may be that you could raise an army against the Queen and come back to take your revenge. If you do, remember that we set you free, and had no part in your father's murder."
The other guard undid her bonds and massaged her wrists and ankles. He gave her a small flask of water, a dagger and a small bag of coins. Amber forced herself to smile and kissed the body of her father on the forehead. "I will return Father, and avenge you, I promise." And she set off towards her home city.
**********************************
The Council had gathered together. "What shall we do?," asked Chancellor Montor. "The Princess is dead but we can't tell the Queen that, and if we attempt to put someone else in her place and she finds out, we shall all die and the entire Court could be at risk."
The President of Trade spoke up next. "We will make sure that she does not find out. I know of a woman who could turn even a farmer's daughter into a Princess. Dracia Elden is her name. We will use the guards who police the city to bring in non-noble girls for training."
"But what if one of the girls does not play her role right?," asked the Chancellor.
"Then she must die as a warning to the others."
