Chapter 447: A Weakness Made Strong

Chapter 446: A Weakness Made Strong

Lyria’s POV

After the meeting with the three gentlemen, I made my way towards my private chamber, for there remained one further matter I wished to see settled before my departure for Gallowshill.

It was not long before a knock sounded upon my door, Phineas informing me of the visitor I had requested.

I bade the doors be opened, and Kathryn stepped within. She removed the hood of her cloak at once and bowed low.

"Your Highness," she said.

Zephyr gave a meow from where he lay in my arms, just as the doors closed behind Kathryn, and I ran a hand through his fur.

"K-Kathryn," I said to her, a smile upon my face.

"I must ask, Your Highness," she began, "is something amiss, that you should summon me at so late an hour?"

She paused, then added:

"Must we embark upon some further undertaking?"

I shook my head, then, in a soft voice, asked her:

"D-do tell, h-have you d-discovered a-anything more r-regarding h-her?"

Kathryn paused, a crease appearing between her brows as she no doubt sought to comprehend my meaning, and then her eyes lit with understanding as she perceived of whom I spoke.

"I am sorry," she told me. "The results have not yet been delivered to me, but the moment I have them, I shall report to you directly."

I nodded.

"T-that is n-not the m-main reason I s-aummoned you, however."

"What, then, is it?"

"I h-have need of e-even greater h-help from you. I trust y-you are a-aware that I l-leave for a certain t-town upon the morrow?"

"Yes?"

"T-that would m-mean she w-would be l-left without m-my care."

"You need not trouble yourself over that," Kathryn said at once. "I shall see to her properly."

"I a-am obliged to you for that, but m-more than this, I r-require ideas. I w-wish to r-remove her from t-this place entirely, but I d-do not k-know how it might be accomplished."

Kathryn paused and regarded me as though absorbing my words fully. I could not fault her for it, for surely she had not expected such a request from me, and I confess I should never have conceived of it myself, had it not been for Duke Valenridge’s own counsel.

My greatest weakness was my mother. And the Queen made use of her against me continually, knowing full well how deeply it should wound me were she to do so.

I wished to grow stronger — strong enough to do what I needed and ought to do — and, as Duke Valenridge had counselled, I required that my weakness be removed entirely from the Queen’s reach.

I should sooner place some false weakness within her grasp, that she might believe herself yet in command of the matter. The difficulty lay in the manner of it. I did not know how such a thing might be done. I had turned the question over in my mind a great many times already, and had come to no conclusion, which was precisely why I had sought Kathryn’s counsel.

It need not be accomplished at once, though if I was to be entirely honest, I should dearly love to see it done by the time of my return.

"D-do you s-suppose you might a-aid me in this?" I asked her.

She sighed.

"The question is not whether I can aid you, Your Highness, for that is not a matter you need ever ask of me, and I know not how many times I must impress this point upon you. The question is rather how it must be done — in a manner that raises not the smallest attention, nor the least suspicion."

I nodded.

She frowned, turning the matter over in her thoughts.

"I d-do not think we c-can arrive at a s-solution this very instant, n-mor do I w-wish you to attempt one now. I t-too have p-pondered this matter some while, and h-have yet to c-come upon any p-proper solution," I told her.

"Might you grant me some time, then?" she asked me. "Perhaps, before your return, I shall have arrived at a solution, and perhaps even the results regarding what ails her besides."

"Y-you may t-take whatever t-time you require, and n-need not fret over it, for I t-too shall continue my own t-thinking upon the matter. I am q-quite certain we shall a-arrive at s-something between us."

She nodded.

"I am sorry that I cannot accompany you upon this journey, though I shall give Elara certain herbal tonics that shall be of use to you, and ointments besides."

I could well imagine how bitter such tonics were like to taste.

"Your Highness," she called to me.

"Yes?"

"Do take care of yourself. I should hate very much to see you return bearing even the smallest injury," she told me.

I harboured no intention of being injured during this stage of the competition, and I was neither a child without any sense of balance, nor given to any great recklessness. But I understood her concern well enough, and so I nodded.

"I s-shall do my utmost."

Her lips twitched, very nearly breaking into a proper smile, and then she bowed.

"I shall take my leave now."

I gave her a nod, and she departed my chamber. I did hope that these two weeks should prove sufficient to discover some proper solution. But for the present, I yawned, and rubbed at my eyes, for I had need of rest.

The greater part of my belongings had already been packed into boxes by my maids — boxes whose existence I had never before suspected, and when I had raised the matter with them, they had only smiled in reply.

I confess some suspicion as to the origin of these boxes, but I let the matter rest for the present, for I might well discover the truth of it by some other means in due course.

Zephyr gave a meow, and I set him down upon the bed, settling myself beside him, and within minutes sleep overtook me entirely.