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[Rough Draft] Chapter 43: The Carnage of Victory
The sun had already begun to set behind the hills and trees that danced and swayed as if laughing with relief as the Duchess, nobles, and many tired knights made their way back from the tree line towards the welcoming tents of the Royal Hunt camping grounds.
Carina stretched her neck from side to side tiredly. Rather than a ball, she would have preferred several hours of undisturbed refuge in a nice warm bath or perhaps, curled up in a bed of pillows while Hana read a story allowed to her as the Viscountess often did when Carina had trouble falling asleep.
“Your Grace,” Captain Isaac called out with a nod towards the Bastiallano knight on horseback headed in their direction.
“Our scout is back,” Carina observed as she turned her horse away from the rest of her party that followed the four loaded carts back towards the main tent where their kills for the day would be counted up and added to the Duchess’s total score. “What news?” she asked as the knight bowed in his saddle.
“The stray dogs have all left the forest, your Grace,” the knight responded immediately as he straightened. “Our scouts followed them a mile past the border of Gilwren forest and returned.”
“All of them?” Carina murmured doubtfully.
“They appear to receive da message earlier in this morning that had them leave with great haste,” the knight confirmed. “The two torches they brought along have also disappeared.”
“I see. Tell the scouts to maintain a careful watch at the border, then head back to rejoin the rest of the army at first light.”
“Yes, your Grace, I will return to them with all speed.” The knight turned his mount around and swiftly galloped along the forest line towards the trail that had brought him to them.
‘Lumi, follow him and make sure he delivers my message,’ Carina commanded her scriva telepathically.
“It appears your instincts were right yet again,” Isaac commented as he leaned against his saddle beside her. “I wonder why the Marquess suddenly changed his plans.”
“Something—significant—has changed,” Carina muttered irritably. “I just don’t know what it is!”
“I’ll keep a few unmarked knights near the Marquess’s tents tonight and see if they can’t pick up anything.”
“Tell them to bring gifts of wine for the Marquess’s servants. After such a tiring three days, I’m sure a cup of good wine will be enough to trade for their Master’s secrets.”
Isaac smiled and nodded.
“Let’s head over for the count, so I know where we stand,” the Duchess said tiredly as she turned her white horse back to the main gathering tent.
The party had shrunk by the time Carina rejoined the carriages. Viscount Marco had left with the Crown Princess, who, along with Lord Acheron, had just finished counting up their total score.
“Forty-nine,” Attwood said as he clapped his son’s shoulders approvingly. “Not bad at all.”
“I’m ashamed to say the Princess took down more deer than me,” Acheron admitted tiredly, then bowed his head as Carina approached. “A good hunt, your Grace. You are all but victorious—pending Lord Percy’s count.”
“The Earl is still in the forest?” Carina asked as she dismounted.
“He left before all the other hunting parties,” Acheron replied. “Didn’t come back for lunch either. We saw three full carts near his quadrant, so he’s made a successful day of it, but he’ll need more than that to catch up to your score.”
‘And yet I feel uneasy.’
“If it’s alright with your Grace and Viscount Gladstone, Acheron and I will return to our tents. I need to check in with his Majesty and any reports sent from the capital before the ball beings.”
“Please, you are needed elsewhere, Prime Minister,” Carina said with a quick nod. “Thank you for your words of wisdom.”
“Oh?” Acheron arched a brow. “What pearls of wisdom have you been giving the Duchess.”
“The kind gleaned by those who listen,” Attwood replied with a nod to Carina as the Prime Minister turned his tired son in the direction of their tents.
Carina stepped forward as the first of her carts was unloaded by a group of waiting servants and the Viscount’s Steward, who checked the first off each cart for the markers left by each team’s Huntsman. Jesper trailed behind the Steward and pointed out each mark, ribbon, and then his own meticulously notated list as they worked their way through the pile of dead animals.
‘I feel rather like a serial killer waiting to get credit for all the animals I’ve murdered,’ Carina thought as she looked down at the hunting gloves and garments, which remained remarkably blood-free.
“If your Grace would like to head back and prepare, I can inform you of the count later,” Viscount Gladstone offered as he moved over to stand beside her.
“Thank you, Viscount, but as this group’s leader, I should see it through,” Carina replied politely.
“You think I’m going to cheat your hard work just to help the Earl win?” Gladstone murmured with a bemused smile. “Lord Percy hardly needs to stoop that low to secure a victory.”
“Do you know something I don’t?” Carina asked curiously.
“Only that the results may be closer than you think,” Gladstone replied with a shrug of his shoulder. “Still, I certainly put in my best effort to help you give the Earl a run for his money. I’m not sure where I’ll stand if I contributed to his loss.”
The Duchess laughed as she studied the man beside her curiously. “What would you have gained if you had helped the Earl win?”
The Viscount’s gaze narrowed thoughtfully on the second cart that was now being unloaded. “Hope, your Grace.”
“Hope?” Carina echoed, baffled.
“Unity between your lineage and the Earls would lead Lafeara and my people towards a more stable future.”
“Your people—Ah,” Carina nodded in understanding. ‘So, your one of Percy’s secret witches. That explains your uncanny ability to beat us all to shooting animals during the hunt.’
The Duchess sighed, then pulled off her gloves and used them to fan herself as the Steward moved on to the third cart.
“Nearly done, your Grace,” Jesper said as he stepped away, apparently satisfied the Steward would call him if the man felt the need to challenge one of the marked animals. “I hope your Grace proves victorious.”
“Thank you, Jesper,” Carina replied absently as she raised her gloves and turned to study the tree line towards the section of the woods belonging to the Earl’s hunting party.
“Your Grace is worried,” Jesper observed as he followed her gaze.
“Perhaps.” The Duchess turned towards the belltower that rang to signal the end of each day. “I’m wondering if we should have stayed out longer.”
“Your wolves couldn’t find anything else for us to hunt,” Jesper reminded her reassuringly. “It would take quite a feat for the Earl to catch up and pull in more kills than we gained today.”
Carina sighed and turned back to the Steward who had moved onto the fourth cart.
“In any case, they’re about to ring the bell now,” Jesper said with a nod towards the knight climbing the belltower’s wooden ladder.
“Good,” the Duchess murmured as she waved the gloves against her face once more. “I’m grateful for your guidance and expertise, Huntsman Jesper.”
“Not that you needed either,” Jesper observed with a wry smile. “Perhaps we’ll pair up again in the future.”
Carina sighed as the last deer was pulled from the back of the cart and checked off by the Steward. “Regardless, I’m still grateful for how you handled the Viscount regarding my wolves.”
“Ahh, yes. The Duchess’s secret weapons,” Jesper nodded. “They were quite something. Cold, dangerous, but certainly beautiful.”
Carina blinked as she turned sharply towards the Huntsman. “Did you—”
“Your wolves spend a lot of time by the Samriella River,” Jesper replied with a shrug. “But they’re pretty quick to move off whenever the Viscount’s hunters get close.”
“Close?” Carina narrowed her eyes. “Was Viscount Rykard hunting for my wolves?”
“It’s difficult to say what his intentions were since he never caught sight of them,” Jesper replied. “It looks like your tally has finished, your Grace.”
Gladstone whistled sharply as the Steward wrote a new number on the board. “Eighty-nine in total. It’s a wonder there are any deer left.”
“They all ran to the Marquess’s quadrant where they knew they’d be safe,” one of the Stewards men joked as the empty carts pulled away.
The bell rang loudly over the campgrounds as Carina stared at the number beside Acheron’s total of forty-nine and the Marquess’s total of eight. ‘Hopefully, it will be enough.’
“Well then, I’m off to bathe and find myself a drink,” Gladstone said with a swift bow to Carina before he departed.
“I should be on my way as well,” Jesper said with a nod to Isaac and a deep bow to Carina. “I hope your Grace will permit me to greet you later tonight.”
“Tonight—at the ball?” Carina asked curiously. ‘I didn’t think the Viscount would invite his huntsmen to a ball for Royalty.’
“It is a ball for Huntsmen and Prey, I hear,” Jesper replied with a gratified smile before he turned and made his way towards the Manor.
“I don’t like him,” Isaac said quietly behind the Duchess.
“Why?” Carina asked as she turned towards her tents. “Because he speaks his mind too openly for a commoner?”
“Because his smell is off,” Isaac replied.
“Is he a witch?” Carina whispered curiously as she turned to study the Huntsman, who had met up another young Huntsman he greeted with a friendly wave. “He seems normal.”
“Your standard for normal is a bit diluted by witches, your Grace.”
‘Fair point,’ Carina acknowledged with a smile. “Still, at least he did us no harm.”
***
“We’re supposed to be Huntsmen—women!” Ivy protested as Hana pulled out the red dresses delivered by staff from the Holly Maiden Boutique. “Are we meant to be covered in blood?”
“I thought I asked for brown dresses,” Carina murmured as she pulled out her own dress and held the red fabric up in front of the mirror. “What on earth got into Sir Everly and Lady Ursula.”
“There is a message here,” Hana said as she pulled a note from Carina’s box. “From Sir Everly.”
Carina accepted the note and read the elegantly engraved message.
We made the alterations you requested as quickly as we could. May I just say that red is such a daring color for a Royal Ball! I wish I could see you! My Congratulations on your victory!
Sir Everly.
‘I didn’t ask for any alterations—Oh.’ Carina closed her eyes as she crumpled the note between her fingers and pressed them between her brows. ‘Kirsi, is this your doing?’
‘Brown is such a drab color. For a woman of fashion, I’m surprised you choose such a safe garment,’ the Scarlet Witch replied with evident amusement. ‘And besides—Red has always been our color.’
‘Your Color. Stop interfering, Kirsi.’ Carina tossed the note into the fire and picked up her dress again as she joined Hana beside the mirror. ‘When did you have time to write and send a note back to the Capital?’
‘You should ask, Lady Hana. She helped me send it.’
Carina’s gaze darted towards Hana, who smiled at her in return as she swirled around in her red dress.
“We are going to look like three temptresses,” Ivy whispered as she spun indecisively from the window to the bed, with her red dress draped over her arm.
“You don’t have to wear it if you’re uncomfortable, Ivy,” Carina replied quickly.
“And miss the opportunity to wear the same dress as you?” Ivy protested vehemently. “Never!”
The Duchess blinked while Hana laughed, and Ivy turned as red as the gown she hugged to her chest.
“Your Grace,” Isaac called from behind the tent entrance.
“What is it, Captain?” Carina replied as she handed the dress to Hana, who was still laughing at the now giggling Ivy. “You can tell me through the door.”
“Pardon, your Grace. It would see—the final tally was just finished. Earl Percy was just declared the winner of the competition.”
“What?”
Hana and Ivy fell silent as Carina moved briskly to the tent opening and swept back the fabric to meet Captain Isaac’s startled gaze.
“Tell me again!” The Duchess commanded, her words shaking in disbelief. “The Earl?”
“Yes, he beat your total score by only three kills. It was very close, your Grace.”
Carina blinked in disbelief as the feeling of unease dropped like a stone in her gut. ‘I knew he’d find a way.’ She nodded silently to the Captain and closed the tent as she turned back to face Hana and Ivy’s worried stares.
“It’s alright—it’s fine,” Carina said quickly. “As long as the Marquess didn’t win.”
“But—what about your wager with the Earl?” Ivy asked timidly.
“What wager?” Hana replied with a hint of annoyance. “He can try to court the Duchess publicly all he likes. That doesn’t mean Kirsi has to go along with it.”
“Oh,” Ivy murmured and turned back to the mirror.
“Let’s not worry about that now,” Carina said determinedly. “We deserve to enjoy tonight’s celebration regardless of the outcome.”
“Your Grace,” Isaac called again from outside the tent.
“Yes?” Carina snapped, then cleared her throat. “What is it, Captain?”
“The Earl has—sent you flowers.”
“Why that sly little—” Hana seethed as Carina returned to the tent entrance.
The Duchess accepted the bouquet of pink roses without comment and carried the flowers over to the long table where they had all celebrated Ivy’s freedom only the day before.
“When would the Earl have had time to prepare these,” Hana grumbled as she joined Carina by the table, followed closely by Ivy.
“There’s a letter, Kirsi,” Ivy murmured as she pointed to a small card tucked inside the bright white ribbon wrapped around the crystal glass vase.
Carina set the vase down firmly and turned it so she couldn’t see the letter.
“Aren’t you—going to read it?”
“She doesn’t need to,” Hana replied sullenly. “I can guess what it says.” The Viscountess crossed her arms and tapped a finger against her left forearm irritably. “It’s as if the Earl knew he would win no matter what.”
‘He probably did. Percy does have an entire three Coven of witches at his disposal.’ Carina sighed as she turned back to the dresses Hana had left on the bed. ‘I was overconfident in my own abilities—again.’
“That—Smug bastard!” Hana explained as she strode over to Carina with Percy’s open letter in her hand. “Since fate has smiled on me, I hope that your Grace will honor the terms of our wager, and I most humbly request the privilege to escort Lady Kirsi Valda to the ball tonight!” The Viscountess threw the letter on the bed beside the dresses. “It’s as clear as day the bastard cheated just to win the wager.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Carina replied as she picked up her dress.
“If he’s your escort, that means he will be your first dancing partner,” Hana explained tensely.
“A dance hardly matters,” the Duchess responded dismissively as she turned and gestured to the buttons on her dress. “We should get ready.”
“The first dance is usually reserved for couples and partners,” Ivy whispered with a dreamy look as she picked up Percy’s letter.
“No, Kirsi is right. It’s just a dance,” Hana responded as she briskly worked her way through the buttons on Carina’s dress. “Just because the Earl asked permission to pursue you publicly doesn’t mean you have to go along with it.”
“Naturally,” Carina replied as she motioned for Hana to turn around and helped the Viscountess unbutton her dress. “And I already have two lovely escorts picked out for this evening.”
“But—” Ivy protested.
“Whose side are you on?” Hana demanded incredulously as Carina finished with the Viscountess’s dress and moved over to Ivy.
“I just thought—the Earl is a friend and ally after all,” Ivy murmured hesitantly.
“That remains to be seen,” Carina replied as she helped Ivy step out of her day dress. “For now, let’s just do our best to enjoy the ball.”