Order of Swans (The Blue Swan Duology #1)

Chapter 19

19

Kaley was sitting in what a fairy tale would describe as a dungeon . The room was dark, dank and made of stone. The walls, the floor and the tall ceiling were constructed of huge rocks. Even the bed had been chiseled out of a boulder. She knew she was belowground because she could see grass at the one window that was high up on the wall. The window had bars on it. At least they appeared to be made of iron and not rock.

Another thing that was iron was the thick cuff locked onto her right ankle. It was attached to a chain that was welded onto a hook embedded in the stone wall. Something had made the cuff rust. Blood? She didn’t try to see what was smeared on it, but then her movements were hindered by a dress of about two hundred yards of what appeared to be silk. Was there a silk factory on Selkan? But no, she couldn’t imagine the men who loved games that scarred them fiddling with butterfly cocoons.

She was sitting on a little stool—made of stone, of course—and the massive garment she had on was a white wedding dress. She knew that Queen Victoria had pioneered the idea of a bride wearing white for her wedding. Had the planet of Bellis seen that and adopted the idea? Or was it the other way around?

She’d have to add that to the list of questions she planned to ask her new husband, the prince she was expected to marry in about three hours. Before they sent her to the dungeon and had her shackled to the wall, she’d asked the Easter-colored ladies about him. They’d just laughed. They said she knew what he was like because she’d danced all night with him at the ball. No amount of saying “That wasn’t me” had any impact on them.

Kaley held up her unchained left foot. The glass slipper was still there. Every time she wasn’t being scrubbed or squeezed into a corset or enveloped in a dress that could have clothed every woman left on Selkan, she tried to get the shoe off her foot. It wouldn’t budge. She’d even slammed her foot against the stone walls, hoping to shatter the thing. All that did was make her leg hurt.

At least the attempted destruction of the thing gave her the satisfaction of seeing surprise on the women’s faces. But then their surprise turned to a look of fear. They seemed to think she’d done some sort of enchantment to make the shoe fit her so she could get the prince—who was thought to be the dream boy of the planet.

By the time Kaley was put into the enormous dress with its yards of skirt and a bodice that showed way too much of her upper half, they were glad to get rid of her. They couldn’t hide their little smiles when her ungrateful self was escorted to the dungeon.

Of course she wasn’t left alone. No telling what she could do if she had some privacy. Rip off the dress and run screaming around the chamber? From the look of the place, not even the devil would be able to hear her.

Standing in the far corner was a man in full war regalia. He had a sword, knives and a thin rope hanging over his shoulder. He planned to tie her up if she...? Kaley wasn’t sure what she could do since she was chained to a wall, but the man was prepared to stop whatever she tried.

Kaley was beginning to rethink her entire life’s work—she’d give up fairy tales and become an accountant—when she saw a face at the window. It was Mekos. Dear, darling, beautiful young Mekos.

When the guard, who was standing against the wall below the window, moved, Kaley looked away. She didn’t want him seeing that there was a possibility of someone rescuing her from something that most of the women on the island wanted.

She put her hand to her throat. An hour earlier, she’d been allowed some privacy to use the toilet. Not that she was going to write a new dissertation after this, but she now knew for sure that dungeon toilets were not nice places. She gave her best sad-faced, miserable look to the guard. “I’m so thirsty. Could I please have some water?” In hope that he’d leave, she crossed her fingers and one set of toes. Toes stuck in glass slippers couldn’t be crossed.

The man gave a quick nod. When he turned away, she had to work to keep from smiling. He went out the door—which may have been wood, but if it was, it was so thick and large that it must have taken half a forest to build it.

When the door closed and she heard the lock being turned, she ran toward the window as far as her chain allowed. “Mekos,” she said. It was impossible to keep the tears out of her voice or off her face.

“You look beautiful,” he said.

Tears trickled down while she smiled weakly at him. Then Sojee’s face appeared. “Best horse-riding dress I’ve ever seen.”

Kaley’s throat closed as tears choked her. A hand pushed the others away and Tanek appeared. He was not smiling.

“You left me in the stables! I told you not to go alone,” he snapped at her.

“No, you didn’t!” Her tears instantly dried up. “And what was I supposed to do when you were sleeping like a baby? Are you going to get me the hell out of here or not?”

Tanek gave a one-sided smile. “That’s better. Can you reach this window?”

She raised about twenty yards of skirt to show the cuff on her ankle, picked up her leg and rattled the chain all the way to the wall.

Tanek’s face lost color. “Only one guard?”

She nodded.

“We’ll have to get rid of him. We’ll open this window and get you out.”

“Open it how?” she asked. She saw Sojee’s hand wave in front of Tanek. Right, the man who could break people over his knee. Iron would be easy for him. “I hope you don’t hurt the guard. He’s only doing his job.”

Tanek’s eyes widened. “Is that Earth humor?”

“This whole thing is a fairy tale. It’s not real. It’s—” They heard the lock; the door was being opened. Kaley hurried back to the hard stool, sat down and tried to look thirsty. The guard handed her a cup of water and she drank it in one gulp. It was only when she put the cup down that she realized it was half-full of some tasteless alcoholic beverage. Vodka? Did they make that on Selkan? When she looked up at the guard, she gave a crooked smile. Booze on an empty stomach worked quickly.

He smiled down at her in a way that every woman recognized.

“No,” she whispered, then stood up. But she wasn’t steady on her feet. She backed against the wall. “No,” she repeated.

The guard stepped closer to her. He began unfastening his uniform.

Before Kaley could react, there was a flash of something brown. It came in through the window, then leaped across the room. Kaley wasn’t sober enough to know what it was. Was Tanek soaring? Or had Mekos turned into a fox?

Her back was against the cold, damp wall when she saw something attach itself to the guard’s neck. In less than a second, there was a wide, deep hole where the man’s throat had been.

The guard looked surprised; Kaley had the horror of watching his shock as he fell. He collapsed at her feet.

She was still holding on to the wall, braced against it, her mind whirling from drink and shock. She saw sweet little Tibby sitting on the man’s chest and rubbing his soft face against the cloth of the guard’s shirt. Was Tibby sad at the man’s passing? Was he trying to revive him?

It took her moments to understand that Tibby was wiping blood off his snout. He had torn the man’s throat out.

Once Tibby was clean, he looked at Kaley, his eyes asking if she still wanted him, or would she hate him now? She stumbled forward to sit down on the stone stool, then patted her lap. Tibby was on it instantly. She didn’t say anything to him, but she knew he hadn’t liked doing what he’d done.

Tibby curled up on the voluminous skirt and closed his eyes while Kaley stroked and comforted him. She watched what was happening at the window. Sojee put his big hands on the iron of the window and pulled out the bars. To be fair, they looked like they’d been there for a couple of hundred years and corrosion was destroying them.

Mekos tried to go down first but Tanek grabbed his son’s shoulder and pretty much lifted him away from the window. Kaley put both her hands on Tibby. Maybe he was what Tanek feared about letting his son go in ahead of him.

Tanek came through, feet first, and lightly soared down to the stone floor. Mekos came next. His soaring wasn’t as delicate as his father’s but it was good.

Sojee hit the floor hard and the other two men glared at the noise. “I’m not part bird,” he said. He sounded as though it was something he was proud of.

Kaley was very glad to see them, and her inebriated state made her even more happy. While Sojee moved the guard’s body away, Tanek made sure she kept her eyes focused on him. “It’s nice to see you with your clothes on,” she said. “Or maybe it’s not nice.” She grinned happily as Tanek touched her forearm with his and instantly, she was sober. “What did I just say?”

“Nothing we didn’t know,” Sojee said as he bunched up a wad of her skirt to reveal the chain. He put his hands on it and pulled them in opposite directions. The chain broke. He looked at Tanek. “I can’t get the cuff off without breaking her ankle.”

That he seemed to be asking for Tanek’s advice made Kaley doubly sober. “I’ll keep it on,” she said quickly. “Maybe I’ll glam it. Put sparkles on it. But no bones are to be broken!”

Tanek was glaring at the glass shoe on her foot. “Do you know how profoundly stupid what you did is? And all of it just so you could try on a shoe! Why?”

With Tibby draped over her arm, she stood up and glared back at him. “If you were an Earth female, you’d understand completely. Can we get out of here?”

Mekos had already gone up through the window. Sojee went next, then stretched out on the grass on his stomach and put his arms down to pull Kaley up. Tibby jumped away, and like a fly, he latched onto the wall, his clawed feet digging into the rough spaces between the stones. As soon as Kaley was outside in the sunlight and on the precious grassy ground, Tibby came out behind her. He stood well away from them. She said, “Tibby is afraid of the lot of you.” She meant it as a chastisement.

Sojee said, “Rightfully so.” He sounded as though he was a threat to the little animal.

When Tibby made a sound, Kaley’s eyes widened. “He just laughed at your giant ego.” With a start, she said, “Garen! I forgot about him.”

“The king’s guard?” Sojee asked. “We saw him at the gate. He distracted the soldiers while we came here.”

Kaley smiled. “He helped me when I couldn’t get Tanek to wake up. He—” She stopped talking when Tanek came out of the window. He wasn’t smiling.

“Go!” he ordered all of them. “They’ll discover us soon.” He looked at Kaley. “Unless you want to stay here to get into more trouble.”

“This is enough for today, but there is tomorrow.”

Sojee and Mekos turned away to hide smiles, but Tanek looked like he was about to erupt in anger. They started to run, but between the skirt and the shoe, Kaley tripped. Tanek’s hand on her arm kept her from falling. He took out a knife from his pocket. “What do you have on under that?” he asked. Obviously, he meant to cut the dress off her.

“Not a stitch. Very Jane Austen. No undies at all.”

“And one shoe,” he muttered as he put his knife away. Before she could speak, he bent and put his shoulder into her stomach, stood up with her, then began jogging across the grass. In minutes, they reached the three horses that were waiting for them. One was the size of a rhino.

“You can ride with me,” Mekos said cheerfully. “I’m the lightest.”

Tanek didn’t bother to answer his son, but practically tossed Kaley up into the saddle on his own horse. “If this were America,” she said, “I’d say something about toxic masculinity but actually, being rescued doesn’t feel that bad.” Tanek mounted behind her, his arms surrounding her as he took the reins. “I could do worse,” she said softly.

When Sojee winked at her, she laughed.

“There is nothing funny about any of this,” Tanek said.

She snuggled back against his chest. “I’ve been rescued by Shrek,” she murmured. “Do you like my dress?”

“I like that you have your necklace,” he said seriously.

“It was a fight to keep it. The Easter ladies said it was ugly and that I had to wear proper jewels. Then one of them said she thought it was pretty, and it turned red-hot. That scared them so much they backed off. Are you even a little bit glad to see me?”

Tanek didn’t answer her question. Instead, he urged the horse forward so abruptly that Kaley struggled to hold on.

The soldiers caught up with them when they were just a few miles from the dungeon. Sojee and Tanek knew they were being followed and so they slowed. It was better if they picked their battle spot than if they were ambushed.

“How many?” Tanek asked Mekos. The young man’s keen eyesight and hearing let him know more than they could.

“Six,” Mekos said.

“We can take them.” Sojee reined his big horse around, ready to face whatever was coming.

“Not with these two,” Tanek replied.

“I can hold my own,” Mekos said.

“Me, too,” Kaley added.

Tanek’s reply was to lift her from the horse, then lower her with one arm to stand on the ground. “Get on with Mekos.”

It was an order that she obeyed. She swung up into the saddle behind Mekos. Tanek and Sojee put their horses together, effectively barricading them as they waited for the men to arrive.

Kaley whispered to Mekos, “In all the stories, one of the guards is actually the prince. What do you know about him?”

“Never met him but he’s my age and said to be very handsome.”

“Then he’s just like you?”

Mekos smiled. “You are my favorite of my father’s girlfriends.”

Kaley put her hand on her necklace. It was quite warm. He wasn’t telling the truth.

“Well, technically, my mother was one of them, so I guess you’re the second favorite.” The necklace cooled.

“Wait!” Kaley said. “I’m not your father’s girlfriend. I’m—”

“Quiet!” Tanek ordered.

The faces of the royal guards were angry. They were in two rows of three each. Without a word spoken, one of the men in the back shot an arrow at Tanek, but he dodged it. Neither he nor Sojee moved, but stayed in place, protecting the two on the horse behind them. But their hands were ready at their weapons. From the tension in the air, it was soon going to turn into a battle.

Before she could be stopped, Kaley gathered the big dress and slid down off the horse. Mekos reached out to catch her, but she twisted out of reach. “It’s me they want and I have to fix this.” He knew she was right and he drew back.

Tanek moved the horse to block her from getting past him.

She looked up at him. “You know that I’m the only one who can change this.” She put her hand on his leg. “They won’t hurt me. Please.”

Reluctantly, Tanek let her pass.

As she went to the first row of guards, she tried not to show any fear. They were big men. They had on helmets but she could see that they’d participated in the cutting games. She stood her ground, saying nothing, but the men knew what she wanted. After what seemed to be a very long time, one of the men in the second row said, “Let her pass.” That was when she was sure he was the prince.

The horses stepped aside to make a path and she went to the man in the middle. When he removed his helmet, she saw that he was as beautiful as a fairy-tale prince was supposed to be. This was the young man the women wanted. She looked up at him. “Could we talk?”

He gave a nod, then dismounted and stood beside her. He was tall and looked quite magnificent in his guard uniform. He motioned toward the trees. If they went there, they could have some privacy.

It wasn’t easy for Kaley to walk. On one bare foot she had an iron cuff attached to a piece of chain, and the other foot had on a shoe made of glass. When she stumbled, he gallantly held out his arm to her and she took it.

“You do not want to marry me?”

His voice was silky smooth, garnished with education and manners. Kaley was tempted to say, “Yes, I do want to!” Wouldn’t that be a great ending for a dissertation on folklore? Marrying Cinderella’s prince. “I am tempted,” she said honestly, “but I’m not the one you fell in love with.”

He gave a sigh, then looked away. “I have six sisters. They have a choice of men from all of Selkan. They get the best, then they live on my father’s walled estate. We have houses and gardens. I already have four nieces and three nephews.” He looked back at her, his eyes sad.

“I understand. There are few women on Selkan, at least ones in the open, so you put on a ball.”

“They could wear a mask and for one night they could show themselves with no fear of persecution.”

“And it gave you a choice,” she said. “It worked. You fell in love.”

“But she ran from me!”

Kaley wasn’t going to explain about fairy godmothers and mice as coachmen and a fierce midnight curfew. “She left her shoe behind and you tried to find her.”

“I didn’t mean for there to be any...any blood.”

She looked into his eyes. “She’s here on Selkan. Since this place is full of men, you should look for a widower. He used to be rich but he lost it all. He has three adult children, but one is the daughter of his late spouse. She’s treated badly, not like part of the family. Look for ashes on her face. Her jealous stepfamily will do all that’s possible to keep you from finding her, but keep looking. She wants you as much as you want her.”

He took her hand in his. “Are you sure you won’t come with me? I can give you riches and love.”

His words, and the fact that her necklace showed he was telling the truth, made her a bit weak in the knees. “I, uh...” She couldn’t think of what to say.

He looked over her head. “There are three men glowering at us. Which one of them will take you away from me?”

“We’re just friends. We’re looking for Prince Nessa. He’s to marry Princess Aradella.”

The prince gave a sound of disbelief. “She will destroy him.” He leaned forward. “She was offered to me but she frightened me.”

“That’s what we’ve heard. You don’t know where Nessa is, do you?”

“On the open end of a beer bottle, as usual.” He was serious. “I will get my men to find him and send him to you.”

“We’d appreciate that.”

He kissed her hand. “You’re sure you won’t stay with me?”

“Yes,” she said, but her voice wasn’t strong. When she took a step back, she nearly fell. He caught her arm and she lifted her skirt to show her feet. “I’m hindered by...you know.”

The prince reached into his vest pocket and withdrew a key. “I imagined using this under other circumstances.”

When he knelt before her, Kaley put her hand on his shoulder. He unlocked the heavy cuff on her ankle, and it fell to the ground. Then he held out his hand and she put her foot with the glass slipper into his palm. Gently, slowly, he removed the beautiful little shoe. He stood up, held out the slipper and looked into her eyes. “I have been well trained in the acts of love.”

“Oh,” Kaley said. “Oh.” His eyes were asking if she was really and truly sure she didn’t want to stay with him. “I, uh...”

Suddenly, Tanek rode his horse between them. Kaley had to jump back to keep from being trampled.

She looked around the horse to the prince. “Guess not. Sorry. But I sure do envy Cinderella.”

“Who?” the prince asked.

“It’s her nickname. She—” Tanek reached down, took her arm and pulled her onto the horse behind him. Once she was on, he reined the horse to step backward, away from the prince.

“You are welcome at my house at any time,” the prince called to her.

“Invite me to the wedding. Send the invitation care of King Aramus. He owes me big-time for putting up with his kid.”

The prince laughed in a way that made Kaley again think about staying, but Tanek quickened the pace. Seconds later, they were on the road. Behind them, Sojee and Mekos were snickering like schoolboys.