Chapter 11 The Queen's Servant

Lady Catherine was a woman of quiet strength, with eyes that had seen too much and a heart that had refused to harden despite it all. She had served Queen Isabella, Edward's mother, before the queen had fled north, and she had remained behind when the court had been disbanded, choosing to serve the usurper rather than flee into exile. It was a decision she had lived to regret, and now she saw in Edward the chance to make amends. I can help you, she said. But I need to know what you intend to do. The throne is not won by stealth and secrecy. It is won by force, by alliances, by the willingness to do what is necessary. I intend to claim what is mine, Edward said. I intend to expose the truth about Aldric's crimes and restore the line of Edmund to the throne. Catherine nodded slowly. Then you will need more than a crown. You will need an army. I have no army. Then you must find one, Catherine said. There are those who served your grandfather, who remember his justice and his mercy. They are scattered across the islands, living in fear, but they are still there. If you can find them and win their allegiance, you may have a chance. How do I find them? Catherine reached into her robe and produced a small piece of parchment, folded and sealed with wax. This is a list. Names and locations. I copied it from the queen's personal papers before she fled. It contains the names of every loyalist who remains on the islands. Most are in hiding, but some may still be willing to fight. Edward took the parchment and folded it carefully, tucking it into his belt. Thank you. Do not thank me yet, Catherine said. Aldric will not surrender his throne without a fight. He has spies everywhere, and he will know of your plot soon. You must move quickly. We know, Lyra said. We have our own plans. Catherine looked at her sharply. You work with the Order? I worked for them, Lyra corrected. I left. I will help Edward destroy them from the inside. Catherine studied Lyra for a long moment, then nodded. Then we have an ally. But allies are not enough. You need soldiers, and you need them now. Edward pressed his forehead to Catherine's. Then help us find them. Catherine led them through the corridors of the fortress, past chambers where Aldric's soldiers patrolled and guards stood watch, until they reached a small room in the west tower. Inside, she lit a candle and drew a map from beneath a loose stone in the floor. This is the island of Saint Ives, she said. The crown is hidden in the crypt of the old cathedral. But it is heavily guarded. We cannot take it by force. Then how do we get it? Edward asked. There is a tunnel, Catherine said. An old smuggler's passage that runs from the sea to the cathedral crypt. It has been sealed for years, but I know where the entrance is. Can you open it? Lyra asked. I can try, Catherine said. But it will take time. And we cannot afford to be discovered. Then we buy you time, Edward said. Torren and his men can create a diversion at the main gate, drawing the guards away from the tunnel entrance. While they are distracted, you and Lyra can slip through the tunnel and retrieve the crown. Catherine nodded. It is risky, but it may be our only chance. We will do it, Edward said. For my grandfather. For my mother. For the truth. Catherine looked at him with something like hope in her eyes. Then go. Find your loyalists. And be careful. Aldric's spies are everywhere. Edward and Lyra left the tower and made their way back to the village, where they found Torren and the other loyalists waiting. They told Torren of the plan, and he nodded grimly. We will create the diversion, he said. But you must be quick. If the guards return before you have the crown, we will all be caught. We will be quick, Edward said. And we will succeed. The loyalistsscattered into the countryside, preparing for the attack that would draw the guards away from the cathedral. Edward, Lyra, and Catherine made their way to the coast, where they found a small boat hidden in a cove. They rowed through the dark waters of the strait that separated the main island from Saint Ives, the waves tossing the boat like a child's toy. When they reached the shore, they climbed the rocky path to the cathedral ruins. The building was a skeleton of its former self, its roof collapsed, its walls crumbling, but the crypt door remained sealed, guarded by two soldiers who paced back and forth in front of it. Catherine watched them from the shadows, her eyes calculating. There must be another way in, she whispered. Lyra nodded. I know a tunnel. Follow me. They moved through the ruins, past fallen columns and broken arches, until they reached a crack in the cliff face behind the cathedral. Lyra worked at it with her hands, pulling away loose stones and debris until the opening was wide enough to pass through. We're in, she whispered. Lady Catherine was a woman of quiet strength, with eyes that had seen too much and a heart that had refused to harden despite it all. She had served Queen Isabella, Edward's mother, before the queen had fled north, and she had remained behind when the court had been disbanded, choosing to serve the usurper rather than flee into exile. It was a decision she had lived to regret, and now she saw in Edward the chance to make amends. I can help you, she said. But I need to know what you intend to do. The throne is not won by stealth and secrecy. It is won by force, by alliances, by the willingness to do what is necessary. I intend to claim what is mine, Edward said. I intend to expose the truth about Aldric's crimes and restore the line of Edmund to the throne. Catherine nodded slowly. Then you will need more than a crown. You will need an army. I have no army. Then you must find one, Catherine said. There are those who served your grandfather, who remember his justice and his mercy. They are scattered across the islands, living in fear, but they are still there. If you can find them and win their allegiance, you may have a chance.