Frederina's Confession

"But he is betrothed to the daughter of Duke Trelayne!" Fred cried out in shock.

"Yes," Frederina said quietly, offering no rebuttals in her own defense, "and the House Trelayne and the House D'Honaire speak as one in the Council Royal. Our father and Trelayne are a powerful force in the court. King Emry listens to them in part because they stand as one, and he values their clarity and confidence. Father would do anything to keep that bond from breaking."

"Even if it meant wedding you to Zular," Fred said with disgust. "Father despises Zular, and now he is ready to give his daughter to him." "Father has no choice!" Frederina cried in defense of her father. "You think I don't know that!" Fred yelled back, frustration in his voice. "Half the royal Houses plot and intrigue for their own advantage. And Duke Zular is the worst of them. Only father and his supporters and men like Trelayne have kept things from getting out of hand. Only they keep the Great Kingdom strong. But if Trelayne becomes an enemy of the House D'Honaire..."

"What are we to do?" Frederina asked, holding Fred's hands tight.

"You are to go home, back to Suffex," Fred answered. "And you are not to leave there until I have contacted you. Keep father there as well. And whatever happens, stay away from Caemlyn. Stay away from the King's city."

Fred left then, leaving his sister full of doubts and fears and questions. He now knew the threat Zular posed to his father. That was one less unknown card the Duke held in his hand. But for the first time, Fred realized how great the scope of Zular's schemes were. It was one thing to compete against the other Houses, but it was another thing entirely to try to destroy them. And Fred now realized that was exactly what Zular had in mind. While the House Mollari was one of the five Great Houses, as was the House Trelayne, the D'Honaire family was one of the Lesser Houses. But regardless of their unequal status, no House was allowed to merge with another. The danger to the political balance within the Kingdom was too great. But if Zular married Frederina, and Fred conveniently died or disappeared, well that would give him a claim on Suffex.

Fred cursed himself. He knew Zular was bold, that's why he went to him in the first place. It had been a great risk, propositioning his help to murder the King. Fred could not expect that even Zular would be so cold or so ambitious as to aid him. And when Zular had agreed, Fred had felt a wave of relief wash over him. What a fool he had been. Zular was indeed cold and terribly ambitious. The murder of King Emry Exultaine would cause just the right amount of chaos for the Duke to sink his fingers even deeper into the royal court. And pulling the strings in the Duchy of Suffex would be icing on the cake.

Oh, how did it fall to this? Fred wondered. Everything seemed so unreal. But Fred knew the why and the how. It was because of the curse. The curse twisted in him like a knife. He swore he could actually feel it sometimes. It would eventually consume him if he didn't do what the Torturers had demanded. And so he would continue on this path, even though it meant the death of his beloved King. But when it was done and over, King Emry would not be the only one found dead and cold.

Fred vowed Zular would die as well.

1. Fred returned to the cottage and his fellow conspirators.

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