Fire Angels

Chapter 14 Part 6 The Fallout

"My dear, we fear you neglected to tell us of these particular subjects of yours," said the Duke through clenched teeth. "It was most remiss of you."

"I begin to think there have been things you have not been telling me either, Your Grace," said Lady Julia with angry dignity. She turned on her heel and walked quite deliberately to the other end of the room.

We were back in the council chamber.

The Duke took a vase from the table and threw it onto the floor. He put his heel with savage deliberation on every piece and ground them into the marble. He did not utter a sound though this whole exercise. Lord Uttrello flinched every time his heel came down. Julia Madraga did not even turn around.

"So I am supposed to like it when vagabonds come with armies of thousands, and speaking like kings, tell me they plan to occupy a slice of our kingdom. Is this what it means to be a Morian ruler? You told me the Klementari were dead, a spent force."

"It was not I who told you this, my Lord. I told you the Klementari smiled on our endeavour. That their Dreamers had told me that I would one day be Queen of Moria."

Lady Julia's voice was calm, but her fists were still clenched by her side.

The Duke stared at Lady Julia's back. From the scowl on his face, I could tell she had told him just that and he of course, being the product of a rational Gallian education, had paid her no heed.

It was embarrassing to be witnessing what looked like a domestic argument and the rest of us, the Lords and myself, should in all decency have withdrawn. But I did not like to leave Lady Julia to bear the brunt of the Dukes' anger.

Then suddenly I was no longer a bystander.

"And you? You know of these people, don't you, Enna Dion? Seeing you in the same room as them, I should say more than a little of their blood runs in your veins."

"My mother was a half blood Klementari," I stammered uncomfortably aware that I sounded as if I was lying. "But I know little of them. They helped us when we were hiding in the forest."

"So Enna Dion, was I a fool to rely on you loyalty?"

"N-no..." I stammered terrified by this attack

Lady Julia whirled around.

"Do not take out you anger on her, my Lord. Direct it at me if you must be angry. For yes, I did have some suspicion that this might happen and yes, I decided not to tell you of it. But you have little cause for anger compared to me. For what I left unsaid is nothing to what you have not told me about Sanctuary."

Again the Duke ignored Lady Julia's accusation. Instead he folded his arms and said,

"Well, well. You women are all the same, aren't you? You seem so harmless, but when you look to see who is jerking the strings, it is always a woman."

A cynical look came on to Lady Julia's face. She too crossed her arms.

"It was my impression you liked being "jerked" your Grace," she said blandly.

For a moment the Duke looked at her from under lowered lids, his arms crossed, his head thrown back. A cynical half smile spread across his lips. Then he took her hand and raised it to his lips.

"Just remember, my dear that what you want most is to be Queen of Moria. And that I am the one who is going to make you Queen."