The Heir of Red and White

Chapter Twenty-Three: Aiyana

     For the first time since I had arrived in the Azure Principality, I felt both completely calm and pleasantly warm.

     I stood crouched behind my usual bush, covered in layers of fur and cotton. The mask I wore protected my face from the chilling winds, and the new backpack I had managed to smuggle from the merchant's cart made carrying the bread and potatoes effortless. The servants' passage I had discovered also made my journey off the noble estate much less daunting, and even as I hid from the guards' approaching footsteps, my heart barely skipped a beat. At least, not until I heard the one voice I never expected to hear.

     "You are to tell no one of this. If anyone asks, they are to answer me. Is that understood?" Duchess Azure's voice was sharp as she walked past me with two pairs of stumbling footsteps in tow. I ducked my head and held my breath. Without shifting my weight, I tried to see what had been so important it required the Queen's Champion's presence. She stood several feet away from me, near the servant's entrance with the same two Azurian Guards I had seen her with when I found Duchess Marigold's body. Over the last few days, I had learned that the more stoic of the two was the Captain of the Azurian Guard, Jay, and the kinder one who had accompanied me to the study was Remi. They seemed to follow her everywhere she went, and from the snippets of conversation I could hear, it appeared they were also her accomplices in her secret and possibly treasonous nightly activities.

     "Of-Of course, My Lady. We will tell no one." Both women shook their heads vigorously, and although I couldn't see the duchess's face, I could imagine her expression of disdain.

     "Good. Now give me what I asked for." Her demands were unyielding, and as I heard Remi shuffle through the pockets of her coat frantically, I debated peeking out from behind the bush to get a better view, but I decided against it. I would have time to search for answers later, but if I was caught, I would've had to relinquish my visits to the village. And I wasn't quite ready to give up the only thing that gave me purpose.

     "Now leave. And don't even think of disobeying me," she commanded, and of course, they complied.

     Both guards bowed deeply at the waist before scrambling toward the barracks. Duchess Azure watched them go, her gaze narrowed as if she were still debating whether she should trust them. Only after the two women rounded the corner and were no longer visible did Duchess Azure retreat into the manor, a permanent scowl etched into her features. I watched her go and fought the urge to follow her.

    The duchess was up to something foul, and although I had little time to figure out what it was, I knew that trailing her now would only expose my identity as the Giver. I wasn't sure what the duchess's role was in the murders, but I had a gut feeling she was responsible for more than she let on. Duchess Azure was greedy and hungered for power, and while I wasn't certain if she was using the White Rosemen for her agenda, or being purposely negligent, I vowed to find out.

     I pushed myself off the ground and continued toward the forest. There was something the duchess wanted to hide, and I knew that if I wanted answers, I would have to discover them on my own. She was likely already suspicious of me, considering she had caught me snooping around the secret library, and no matter how much I disliked her, I couldn't deny her intelligence. She wouldn't leave much evidence behind. I had to carefully decide the perfect time to search her quarters. Or perhaps I should've questioned her favorite guards...

     "Are you often late to meetings? Is timeliness your weakness because I don't seem to recall a moment where you were ever on time? I began to wonder whether you would show up at all." Greyson's voice broke through my jumbled thoughts and I glanced up at him in surprise. I had been so preoccupied with planning that I hadn't realized how close I was to the rock.