“Take a good look at them,” Sebastian said to me.
The woman was perhaps eighteen, but she was so thin. Her face was pinched and her dry hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck. The boy was no better, wearing pants with holes and no shoes. His arms were like twigs.
Sebastian nodded to the woman and she fled.
An uncomfortable wave passed through me. In addition to focusing on a single person and reading thoughts, I also had an unfortunate tendency to absorb strong emotions or sensations if enough people around me experienced the same feelings. Right now, all I could feel was fear, hunger, and despair.
Sebastian wasn’t finished.
He grasped the rein of my horse and led me farther inside, forcing me to see the conditions in which these people lived. The old and the young were all thin, and some were ill. The despair grew until it became nearly overwhelming.
“Please. I need to leave.”
Something in my voice must have reached him because he immediately started for the edge of the village, leading me all the way out.
We hadn’t been inside long, but I was struggling to breathe. I’d never seen people in such a condition. I’d never felt such misery.
“Something must be done,” I choked out. “Does your father know how bad things are?”
He looked at me as if I were simple. “Does he know? He’s the one who’s ensured they live like this. He’s even instated the old laws by which most of the people can’t fish in the streams or set snares for rabbits. Only a few people have license to fish or hunt and they have to either sell what they catch to us or sell it to anyone who can afford it and then pay my father over half of what they earn.”
“Over half?”
“Megan, where do think all our wealth comes from? This place is just one village. Father bleeds them dry in taxes and then keeps the money or crops for himself, and do you know who he sends out to face these people to collect that money?”
I didn’t want to hear the answer and closed my eyes.
“Rolf,” he bit off. “Do you know what reward Rolf receives for his hard work?”
I kept silent.
“He receives a portion of the profits to pay our guards or hire more, and he has a number of them riding the perimeter of our property.”
I opened my eyes. “Why would he do that?”
“Because he’s paranoid, and he believes military force is the answer to everything. He feels the same way about the nation. Has he never spoken to you of his concerns that the king needs to increase the size of our military?”
I shook my head, but Rolf never spoke to me about much.
Sweeping one hand toward the village, Sebastian said, “Imagine what the country might look like if Rolf was making decisions on a larger scale? He’d tax without thought or mercy and build up our armies . . . just in case we need to go to war or defend ourselves. That’s how he thinks. Is this what you want for the nation? People sucked dry to fund the military?”
Sitting on my horse, I was reeling. I’d lived in Volodane Hall for months, and if Sebastian was right, I knew nothing of the truth of my husband’s ambitions.
“Whether you realize it or not,” Sebastian went on, “you have a good deal of power inside this family. We’ve come further in three months than the last five years, and that’s all due to you.” He shook his head at me. “Don’t help Rolf gain a seat on the council. Don’t do it, Megan.”
As I gazed back toward the village, I let his words sink in.
Perhaps I did have power. Perhaps it was time I used it.
Chapter 7
The next day, Sebastian packed up and left for Rennes. Jarrod didn’t try to stop him. Perhaps he realized such efforts would only result in an ugly battle that could produce more harm than good . . . and he still might need Sebastian’s help in the future.
For now, he had me to smooth over any socializing.
“I’ll be home in a month,” Sebastian said.
I never told Rolf about our visit to the village.
The following week, Rolf, Jared, and I were on our way to Partheney. It was a four-day journey, and we brought a large retinue of guards.
I often rode beside Miriam, so Rolf and I didn’t speak much during the day, but we stayed at inns along way, and he was attentive at night, kissing me more deeply than ever before. Jarrod would never openly admit to my being essential in this venture, but Rolf acknowledged my importance without reservation.
He valued me for what I could do, and a part of me basked in his appreciation. I’d never been appreciated before, and it was seductive. Another part of couldn’t forget how Sebastian had opened my eyes, and yet, I had no intention of disappointing Rolf.
Another plan was forming.
Near the end of the fourth day we arrived at the glorious city of Partheney, located on the west coast of the nation. The city stretched for miles, but it spread out around a hill and at the top of the hill was an enormous eight-towered castle. Our king had several castles, but he resided here in the autumn.
Much of the city itself had no walls as it had grown outward over the centuries, but the poorer citizens lived on the outskirts and the more affluent lived closer to the castle. Jarrod knew the roads well, and he led the way through the crowded streets.
Upon reaching the outer wall of the castle, he presented a letter, which I took to be the invitation he’d mentioned, and the castle guards ushered us through the gatehouse. Once inside the wall, we crossed a bridge and then passed through a second gatehouse and entered the vast courtyard of the castle.
It was alive with activity as guards bearing the colors of different noble houses all seemed to be giving orders regarding the distribution of luggage or stabling horses or housing men.
Our own men began to dismount and engage in the same sorts of activities.
Before I realized it, Rolf was on the ground beside me, and he reached up to lift me down.
“Where to now?” he asked. “We’ve never stayed at the castle.”
I made sure Miriam was with us, and then I looked around until I saw a middle-aged soldier in a light blue and yellow tabard, the king’s colors.
“Captain Trevar?” I called.
At the sight of me, he stopped what he was doing and came over, his eyes taking in Jarrod and Rolf in some surprise.
“My lady?” he asked.
“Can you please have us escorted inside? We should already have rooms prepared.”
“Yes, my lady.”
I’d known Captain Trevar since I was a girl, but he’d never seen me in the company of anyone besides my father. Still, we were clearly royal guests, and he called out to another man.
“Sergeant, see Lady Megan and her group inside. Find someone to show them to their rooms.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jarrod glanced down at me. “Deftly done,” he said quietly.
“Not for a daughter of the Chaumonts,” I answered.
He frowned. “You’re a Volodane now.”
“Of course.”