House of Winter

Chapter 45, Part 2

They'd found Lisbet's body, then, Sanna knew. She glanced once at Ari, who was biting her lip, and then turned away, annoyed. The girl needed to learn to keep her emotions in check.

She heard howling, and she recognised it as Lisbet's white wolf. Katja ran then, followed by the wolves. The pack of them now were in the drawing room where Lisbet's body was. They howled, and Katja howled with them. Sanna preferred not to see Katja's grief. It might force some of her own grief to the surface, and she refused to allow that to happen.

Sanna sat down at the table across from Matthias.

He looked at her, startled, and she smiled. He seemed caught off guard by her smile. Then he looked up and saw Ari behind her. He waved his hand. "You sit, too, girl," Matthias said to Ari. "You can all have a seat at the table today," he said, seeming to laugh at his own joke. "Get a little taste of this."

Tom was now half-carrying a sobbing Katja back into the room. Sanna didn't stand up as the princess approached, and watched coldly as Katja fell into a chair. It was the chair meant for the queen.

"My mother is dead," Katja said.

"Hail to Queen Katja, of Norrlund," King Matthias said.

Tom sent his father a glare so full of hatred, Sanna was surprised it didn't burn through the king's skin, but he didn't notice it.

"I'm very saddened by your loss," Matthias said, in a voice that betrayed no such emotion. "However it is important my ships sail before sunset."

He waved a hand for his servant, who stepped up with a stack of thick sheets of documents. He lowered them in front of the king, bowed, and stepped back.

The king removed a gold pen from his pocket.

"Now, we here all witness that Tomas Wilder is my trueborn heir, an air starrling and therefore the rightful heir to the Lombardian stone. You, Katja Koningssen, Queen of Norrlund, stand as witness to this. He is a true heir with no question of his parentage, as you can see from this signed document from his mother, Frida Wilder."

Tom let out a strangled noise, as Matthias pushed a piece of paper towards Katja, who was still sobbing.

"I also hereby announce that Vastier has surrendered to Lombardia and forfeited all land to Lombardia."

Ari let out a strangled gasp.

"I've had new maps drawn, for your pleasure, Queen Katja," Matthias said, pushing rolls of maps over to her. "These are the most recent and accurate depictions of The Great Provinces of Lombardia. Zantiala is hereby renamed to Raphael City. You'll see that the islands to the Nordsea of Lombardia are now called the Nord Lombardian Islands, the islands to the Dorth are called the Dorth Lombardian Islands, the islands to the Sud are called the Sud Lombardian Islands, and the cities to the Loth are-"

"Called the Loth Lombardian Islands, yes, thank you, Matthias, I understand," Katja said with a sniff. "Don't you have a ship you need to be on?"

"Yes, that's just about it," Matthias said. "Tom, we can be on our way soon. I'd just like your witness, if it pleases, of my political prisoner."

Matthias waved a heavily-ringed hand, and the doors burst open to reveal more of his Garde with lions, this time accompanying a filthy man.

Ari let out a yelp. "Pythos!"

Sanna grabbed Ari's wrist before the girl could do anything stupid.

Pythos Savvas was in chains.

"I bring him forward so you can witness that Pythos Savvas is alive and well," Matthias Stone said. "He is a political prisoner, and naturally he is afforded all rights awarded to him by the Stargarzen Convention. There is no malice or bad faith here, and the people of Vastier will come to understand that. There is no need for the riots on the street. Maybe your little friend Ariane Domez can get the word out."

"No," Ariane said, gripping onto the table. "You can't do this. He's not..."

"He is a criminal and a terrorist, charged with the highest crimes of incitement," Matthias Stone said. "I'm sure Queen Katja would agree. Now," he said, standing up and clapping his hands. The sound echoed around the room. "I've said enough. Tom, there's a fine cabin waiting for you on a Lombardian ship."

"Sir," Tom said stiffly. "If it pleases you, I'll remain in Vulfhom for a few more days. There will be a funeral."

"As it pleases," Matthias said. "Farewell, Queen Katja of Norrlund. May your reign be long."