Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [69]
“We will. I'm so glad you're here.”
Elyssa followed as they left. The corridor stretched unnaturally long in front of her. With every step she told herself, “You can do this, you can do this.” She would be strong and firm, she decided, puzzled that Maryn would slight her so, but never anger, never tears, not and let him see how deep the wound he'd given her ran. When they reached the staircase, she could hear voices buzzing below in the great hall.
“It's full of people,” she whispered. “All come to watch.”
“Good,” Nevyn said. “They'll see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears that you're innocent of all wrongdoing.”
When they started down the stairs she could see that indeed, servants and riders, servitors and noble-born vassals had all crammed themselves into the hall. Most stood for a better view of the table of honor, where Maryn stood waiting, his arms crossed over his chest. At his feet knelt Maddyn, but there was no sign of Otho or Degwa.
They reached the floor of the hall, and the crowd parted to let them through. As they passed, silence fell behind them. Bellyra felt as if the great hall had swollen as large as the dome of the sky; she was tiny, creeping along, all cold and sweaty at the same time. At last they reached the table of honor. Maryn looked at her with eyes as cold as the silver they resembled.
“You may kneel,” Maryn said.
“I shan't.” Bellyra took a deep breath and spoke as clearly and loudly as she could. “You're not yet high king, but my equal in rank. It's only through me that you even have a claim on Cerrmor.”
Behind her she could hear the crowd whispering. When she glanced at Nevyn, she saw him suppressing a smile. She knew that she couldn't risk looking at Maddyn, kneeling with his head down, as if he couldn't risk looking at her. The memories of his mouth on hers, of his hands upon her back—she forced them away.
“That's true spoken.” Maryn's voice dipped to a growl. “Very well, stand then.”
Her hands were shaking so badly, and so cold, that she clasped her arms over her chest and tucked her hands inside them.
“I want to know, my lady,” Maryn said, “about this night when your women could find no trace of you.”
“So your councillor told me, my lord. I was in the forge of Otho the smith, where I was watching him make you a gift to celebrate your kingship. I gave him silver and the two rubies I had from that bracelet my mother left me. I told no one because I wanted to surprise you.”
Maryn winced. The gesture made her decide that she might perhaps be able to forgive him one day.
“While I was there,” Bellyra continued, “the man you'd set to guarding me came in as well. He'd seen me crossing the ward alone and was mindful of his duty to you.”
At that Maddyn looked up and caught the prince's eye.
“So I did,” Maddyn said, “Your Highness. But when your lady left the forge, she ordered me to stay behind. Her women were coming to fetch her, you see.”
The prince glanced at Lady Elyssa.
“We did, Your Highness,” Elyssa said. “We called to her, and she answered, and so we hurried over to escort her back to the women's hall.”
Caught, the prince opened his mouth and shut it again. He glanced away, glanced back to Nevyn, who merely stood looking back at him.
“Can this be true?” Maryn said at last. “If Otho can confirm—”
“Cursed right I can!” Otho was bellowing at the top of his lungs. He strode into the hall through the doorway behind the prince. “What is all this rot and nonsense?” He was looking at Nevyn as he spoke, not the prince.
“Someone's filled the prince's ear with poison,” Nevyn said. “This person wanted him to believe his wife had been unfaithful to him. It's that night she came to your forge.”
“Worms and slimes!” Otho spat on the floor, then looked at the crowd, pressing in behind her. “I want everyone to hear this, I do.”
Otho bowed to the prince, then climbed up on a chair and from there to the table. He stood with his hands on his hips and glared down at Prince