Chapter 3
The carriage came to a halt, returning my thoughts to the immediate moment. Layna’s face appeared at the window.
“Stay here,” she said before disappearing again.
I peered after her. The Armed Forces still had a major headquarters in Bronton, and she had led us into the courtyard of their building. Mages drawn from all disciplines, as well as retired mages, were being used in the effort to dismantle the Wall, but the Armed Forces were overseeing the task.
I could hear Layna shouting something across the courtyard, sending gray-uniformed commonborn soldiers scurrying before her. She stopped outside the large double doors, glancing back at me and making no move to enter the building.
After several drawn-out minutes, a grumpy-looking mage appeared. He wore the silver robe of a mage officer in the Armed Forces, but from Layna’s expression, he was the retired officer we were seeking.
He eyed her up and down, his eyes narrowing at her gold robe.
“Who are you?” he asked, his voice carrying to where I sat. “Is this commotion really necessary? I was resting.”
Layna crossed her arms and snorted contemptuously. “Yes, resting on the job. I didn’t realize the Armed Forces had grown so lax after two decades of peace.” She paused to glare at him. “And I am Captain Layna.”
The man drew himself up, chest puffing out. “You’re in Armed Forces’ territory here, guard,” he spat at her. “And General Griffith himself is in residence at the moment. You should watch your tongue. A bit far from your jurisdiction, aren’t you?”
I straightened my circlet and pushed open the carriage door. The movement attracted the man’s attention, his eyes flying to the vehicle which he had apparently failed to note previously.
I stepped down with full dignity, moving slowly and purposefully, my eyes not leaving his face. I was already dressed in the white robe of an Academy trainee, but it was the gold circlet on my head and the insignia on my carriage that proclaimed my true rank.
“The captain is exactly where she is supposed to be,” I said, ice in my voice. “Unlike you.”
The man swept into a deep bow. “Your Highness, I didn’t realize you were here.”
“Evidently.” I looked down my nose at him—an impressive feat given he was significantly taller than me. “And I am glad to hear that the general is in Bronton at present since it seems I will need to call him to order for the control he exercises over his subordinates.”
All color drained from the man’s face. The elderly general, past due for retirement, ruled his discipline with an iron fist. He had spent a lifetime building his position at court and would not treat kindly a mage who earned him a royal rebuke.
He was also, officially, my grandfather. But our rather complicated relationship—one that had never included any great affection—was irrelevant here. When I spoke with the authority of the crown, I spoke with a voice far older than even the seventy-year-old hardened general.
The mage bowed again. “I can assure Your Highness it is not necessary to—”
“I will decide if it is necessary,” I cut him off sharply. “You have neglected your duty and those above you have failed to ensure your competent completion of your task. The resulting error has placed a member of the royal family, as well as a member of your own team, in physical jeopardy. My guards have been forced to expend a large number of valuable compositions due to your negligence, and I demand recompense.”
“I…” he spluttered, looking desperately between me and the unyielding Layna. “Of course. I…”
“You are fortunate no one died,” I told him. “I will leave the details to my captain. I trust I will not be kept waiting long.”
“Yes…I mean, no…” The man cut off his own words with another bow as I turned and swept back to my carriage.
I shut myself inside and leaned my head back against the seat. Now that she had my authority behind her, I trusted Layna could arrange matters without my further interference. I just hoped she could manage the situation without involving the general. I really didn’t have the energy to deal with him today.
Some time passed before Layna appeared again, climbing into the carriage and rapping on the roof. We began to move as she gave me an amused smile.
“That was nicely done, Your Highness. Thank you.”
I grinned back at her. “It’s the most entertainment I’ve had in days, truth be told.” My expression soured. “I hope you wrung him out for everything you could.”
The captain nodded. “Naturally. He won’t be neglecting his duties again.” She gave me a knowing look. “And I reported the matter to the major in charge of the Wall dismantlement. I did not happen to cross paths with the general.”
I blew out a breath of relief. “With any luck, he won’t hear I’m in Bronton until we’ve already left in the morning.”
Layna hid a grin, although I couldn’t believe she relished the thought of running into him any more than I did.
“I suspect that if he does hear of the happenings today, he won’t be overly eager to seek you out,” she said.
I straightened. “Yes, of course. You’re right. He’ll be afraid I might give him an official reprimand. Can you just imagine how much he’d hate receiving one of those from a sixteen-year-old?”
“Almost makes you wish he would come to see you,” Layna murmured, a wicked glint in her eye.
I shook my head at my captain. “I, for one, just want my bed. The day has been quite long enough.”
We had left at first light to reach Bronton in time for darkness to fall, and the long hours in the carriage had made me weary and irritable, even before the happenings at the Wall. But no doubt I would have to sit through a formal meal with whichever senior mage had been nominated to host me for the night. I didn’t need any more hassles with the Armed Forces on top of that.
The next morning we departed at a more reasonable hour, having less distance to travel. I had slept poorly, though, and faced the day with trepidation.
We reached the Abneris River all too soon, crossing it on a wide, sturdy bridge that hadn’t existed in the days of the war. Now, however, we were joined in our crossing by a party of merchants in a cluster of carriages, and a farmer with a horse and cart. The politics between Corrin and the Kallorwegian capital of Kallmon might still be strained, but trade between our two kingdoms was well established.
While I had been to Bronton before, I had never crossed the river and entered the kingdom of our old enemies. None of the royal family had since the days of the war, just as none of the Kallorwegian royals had visited Ardann. We left the business of diplomacy to various representatives, a sign of the ongoing mistrust between our kingdoms.
Until now. As of this moment, a princess of Ardann had not only crossed into Kallorway but was taking up residence there. Such a thing had not been done in living memory. My father had told me that when his own father—the old king—was young, there had been talk of him doing an exchange year at the Kallorwegian Academy. Apparently it had been a common practice in ancient times to foster ties between the kingdoms. But King Osborne had ascended the throne in Kallmon before the plan could come to fruition, inciting war with Ardann rather than seeking peace. The subsequent war had dragged on for thirty years, and he had eventually been killed by rebels of his own kingdom who were sick of the bloodshed and loss. His son, King Cassius, sat on the Kallorwegian throne now.