Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 205: Viper Bite

18 March, 1361. Ferrenthor Manor, Marquessate of Niarnol, Islia.

Ever since their first encounter, Camilla had been meeting with Lord Ned Michal every morning in the same little courtyard. They would sit on the same little stone bench and talk nonstop, often shocked by how quickly the hours would slip by.

Ned told her all about his childhood and Camilla did the same. She learned that his had been a lonely upbringing, but different to the loneliness that William had experienced. Ned’s childhood had been blighted by callous indifference and neglect, without any other boys around for companionship. His mother’s health had broken down after his birth, so she was often confined to her chambers by illness. She’d shown no interest in nurturing her youngest child. His older sisters had been betrothed and sent off to their future husbands’ estates when they were young. His brother John had been taught all his life to look down on Ned for being ’a useless cripple.’

Little Ned had been left to fend for himself, always measured against his golden brother and found wanting.

Camilla found herself truly liking Ned and looking forward to meeting him every day. She found him to be a clever and sensitive soul, if severely lacking in self confidence.

She kept their meetings secret from anyone, even William. To be honest, she knew her husband was too possessive to just accept her meeting with another man every day, and not ask all sorts of questions. But there was nothing at all romantic about her encounters with Ned.

If anything, Camilla felt like a protective older sister towards him, even though she knew he was older than her.

Every night, William would wrap her in his arms and ask her how she spent her day. She would tell him she spent it reading or going for walks in the garden. She felt guilty keeping the truth from him but something instinctively told her not to share her time with Ned, with William. Not yet, anyway.

That morning, Camilla sat waiting for Ned in their usual spot. The wind was calmer than usual and the sun was trying to break through the patchy clouds.

She smiled warmly as she saw Ned approaching. He sat next to her and pulled a small wad of what looked like tissue from the pocket of his tunic. He peeled the tissue back to reveal two small squares of cake.

"Wild honey cake." Ned grinned. "My favourite food in all the world. I snuck some out from under the nose of Father’s most esteemed cook. Try it."

Camilla picked up one of the pieces and took a bite, smiling at the rich sweetness. The two of them quietly enjoyed the cake together.

However, there was something else churning in Camilla’s thoughts - a question she was dying to ask. It had refused to leave her mind for days, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

"William and I are leaving here the morning after tomorrow. We have to head north and join the court at Magdaline Castle." Camilla frowned thoughtfully. "I’ll miss you, Ned. Meeting you has been the best part of my visit here. The only good part, if I’m honest."

"I’ll miss you too. In these last few days, you’ve reminded me that sweetness does exist in this cruel life." Ned smiled shyly. "You’ve become my truest friend, Camilla. My only friend, actually."

Camilla quickly looked down at her hands clenched on her lap, afraid she might start to cry. For a grown man to describe her as his only friend was one of the most crushing things she’d ever heard. When she looked up at Ned again however, his smile was open and sunny. He looked truly content.

"Ned, why did your father cut all his servants’ tongues out?" she finally dared to ask.

He gave her a sly, teasing grin. "I wondered when you’d ask me that again. You’ve been wondering all these days, haven’t you?"

Camilla tried to appear unperturbed. "I was a little curious, yes, but I wouldn’t say-"

"Oh, come on! The not knowing has been killing you! Just admit it."

"Alright, I admit it!" Camilla said, thoroughly grouchy. "I’m dying to know."

Ned’s lost his impish expression and he stared at her quietly for a couple of moments. "Alright, I’ll tell you." he finally said. "Only because I trust you and I trust what you’ll do with the knowledge."

Camilla nodded.

"It happened not long after Islia and Moraigth signed a peace treaty to end the war last summer." Ned began. "Were you aware that as the king and his forces started returning home from the north, Ferrenthor was one of the places they stopped for food and lodgings?"

"Yes, William mentioned it. He said his first proper meal in months was the one served here."

Ned laughed a little. "I’d never seen such a dispirited, exhausted army in my life. The men - even the king and the royal princes! - looked on the verge of collapsing. The king actually did collapse and had to spend a few days here to recuperate. His nerves had been almost destroyed by the war."

"William said it was the ugliest, most depraved campaign he’d ever taken part in." Camilla recalled softly.

"I heard the same, that the brutality was unmatched." Ned said. "Having the army seek a night of hospitality from my father’s estate was quite expected. They ended up staying about four nights because of King Edward’s illness, though. That was unexpected and the longer they stayed under our roof, the more panicked my father grew. He was terrified the truth would reach the king. Fortunately for him, no one breathed a word and once King Edward recovered, the army departed without further issue."

Camilla listened quietly and waited, though her inner voice was screaming to know what the Marquis of Niarnol was so desperate to hide from his king.

"I’d warrant those were the four most tense days of my father’s life, though. Some time afterwards, he clearly decided he couldn’t take such a risk again. There will always be royal visits to Ferrenthor in the future because Father is a powerful vassal. So he made the decision to silence his servants, so that loose lips would never reveal the truth. All our servants are illiterate, you see. Without their tongues, they’ve truly been silenced."

"What could Lord Michal have done that was so terrible, that he thought he needed to go to such vile measures?" Camilla shook her head in disbelief.

"He signed a secret pact with King Kenneth before the war began." Ned’s voice dropped to a whisper.

"What?"

"Not only did Father collude with your uncle behind King Edward’s back, he helped plan the Moraigthian invasion." Ned continued. "My father’s mother came from a family based in Kotailt County. It’s a part of the country that Father is well familiar with. So Father secretly sent your uncle copies of all his best northern maps, along with letters advising him which route to take to avoid rivers swollen with snowmelt and what towns to target once they crossed into Islia. How do you think the Moraigthians were able to move so efficiently through lands that weren’t their own?"

"What? I mean, how...but when - what!" Camilla tried not to shrill but her voice was high and tight with outrage, her words garbled. "But how...Ned! How could he do such a thing? I can’t understand what the hell possessed him!"

She remembered how William had described the Moraigthian army’s swift, accurate movement during those first days and weeks of invasion. They’d swept through with unparalleled speed and brutality.

"You’re really that surprised that the lust for more land drove Father to this?" Ned eyed her with dark humour. "You really find it hard to imagine a powerful lord rising against his king, for his own selfish gain?"

"No." Camilla muttered after a pause, picturing her own father’s smiling face. "No, I know all about that, I’m afraid. So what did Lord Michal stand to gain from this betrayal?"

"To keep his own lands and power once the Moraigthians had successfully occupied the country. And to be an advisor to King Kenneth, guiding him on Islian matters. Your uncle would’ve had to rely on powerful nobles here to help administer his new lands. Father wanted to be one of those nobles and to head a grand council of Islian lords under the new king."

"Is that all he wanted?" Camilla asked icily.

Ned looked pensive for a moment, then confirmed, "I believe the agreement was also for most of Kotailt County to come under the authority of the Marquessate."

Camilla pressed the back of her hand against her hot forehead, trying to sift through all that she’d just heard. No matter what’s said, the throne of Islia is no better or safer than the Moraigthian one, she thought with dismay. To sit on either throne is to sit on a nest of vipers, just waiting for the first one to strike at you.

And yet, those vipers have sworn fealty to you. They’ll humbly bow their heads and call you Majesty, before they bite your throat.