Tales of Fire and Ruin

Sweet Poison

When I walked to the stables, Endris was still there outside the building. He had put a halter on one of the horses, and tethered the rope to a steel ring screwed into the wall. With long strokes he brushed through the horse's coat. The horse's eyelids drooped, and she looked utterly content with this arrangement. 

I walked up to Endris. "Thanks for brushing her, Endris," I said. "You'll make her look pretty for Ytel's men, who will be taking this horse later today."

Endris glanced at me over his shoulder, then returned to his brushing work. "You will bow to Ytel's men that easily? Why not have them prove their claim first with a contract? Anyone can come to you and say you owe them a sum of fifty diamonds."

I drew a breath and expelled it through my mouth. "I know you're more of a wilderness man, so let me explain. If you're not picky about who you steal from or borrow money from, like dear uncle Harold, the richer duped parties will be out for your blood. And at some point it doesn't matter whether you truly owe them. Everyone at the queen's court will believe you do. Ytel isn't a noble but he is a knight with a mostly unblemished reputation. He will more likely be believed than a family of disgraced merchant frauds."

Endris didn't seem impressed. He didn't stop currycombing the horse, nor did he spare me another glance. "Very well," he answered simply. "You are indeed better aware of noble politics than I am." 

Letting out a frustrated growl, I started pacing. "Endris, I don't want you to agree with me. Can't you argue like usual?" I asked, only half-joking.  "Oleander says he has another way. He claims he can make an antidote to the Bleeding Ivy's sting. But Ytel's men won't buy a fairytale, as Father eloquently put it."

Now, Endris did stop brushing and turned to me. His dark eyes bored into mine. "And what if one of Ytel's men happens to get stung on their way here?"

I blinked, then started laughing. Endris continued staring at me in his usual grave manner, quickly making my laughter die out. 

I opened and closed my mouth. "You're serious," I stated. "You want to poison one of them? Right, that will surely make this easier if he dies a gruesomely painful death and we get blamed for that too."

"Or it will prove the antidote works right in front of their eyes," Endris countered.

"We don't know if it does!"

"Give Ytel's men the horses then. You're right about it being the safest solution." 

Endris shrugged and went back to work. I balled my fists, then unclenched then. With a sigh, I gave up and walked away. Why did I expect Endris could help me with this decision? At least the horses would be ready when Ytel's men arrived. There was not much else for me to do now but wait. 

I went to the front door of the mansion, and that was when my eye fell on movement at the foot of the cliffs. There were men on horses climbing the winding paths. Men with brown clothes with fur lining. I cursed under my breath. It appeared the foreman was making good on his threat immediately, giving us as little time as possible to prepare for their arrival. 

I wasn't the only one who had noticed enemies coming. Mother came running outside. She clamped my arm, digging her fingers into the fabric of my shirt. 

"They are not above you," she reminded me quietly. "Keep your back straight. You are storm-touched, chosen by the god of thunder." 

"I am?" I asked with feigned surprise. "Nobody told me about it in the past two or so minutes."

Mother shot me a stern look, but we didn't have time to bicker. Ytel's men had fast horses and they came galloping onto our land within a few moments. I wished Valda and Gisela were already awake and here. They were much better at bargaining with these kind of men than I was. Unfortunately, in order to ensure their involvement I had to pretend I wasn't home and hide in the house, as we often did. Once they saw me, it was my duty as the heir to meet them and speak with them.