The Bloody Birds of Britain

Chapter 16

Volume ii

"Women have a wonderful instinct about things.

They can discover everything except the obvious."

Oscar Wilde

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Hortense could hear the pitchy loud screams from the other end of the castle. The Queen and her butchered guards had no doubt been found but that wasn't her main concern at the moment.

In front of her stood Valentin back in his normal form. If she were still a human she'd probably have died from a heart attack by now.

"My child," he said opening his arms wide for her to walk into. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in the nape of his neck. "What's happened? Why is the castle so noisy at this time of the night. Have you done something?" He teased while she remained silently wrapped around him like a needy toddler.

He pushed her from him; "what have you done? You've been gone a few months, I leave you alone for that long-"

"You told me to come here," she responded taking a step back to look at him.

Something about him was off and she couldn't understand what. A few months... She realised they'd been corresponding ever since he gave her the parchment and besides why would he risk exposure when he'd no doubt be able to hear the noise from the castle.

"Well clearly you weren't ready," he replied taking a step towards her; "clearly I was wrong."

His words stung, even if he wasn't really himself.

She was about to ask him for his parchment as proof for his identity when she remembered he was supposed to be dead. Anything she were to say to him now would only prove otherwise, blowing his cover.

Perplexed she looked long and hard at the imposter.

"This is a very sick joke," she snapped coldly poking the imposter in the chest causing him to stumble backwards in confusion. "To take the form of a maker no less in order to extort information from their grieving child."

"This is not a joke," he began, raising his hands in innocence.

"Show yourself willingly or I will tear your head off."

"You wouldn't dare," snarled the imposter taking a step forward so their faces were only inches apart.

Quickly Hortense kicked in his kneecaps causing the imposter to shriek in pain as he sunk to the floor in agony. She grabbed his neck before his head touched the floor taking advantage of his momentary shock.

"Show me," she demanded, tightening the hold of his neck.

"Please," cried the imposter as he began to shrink in her arms; "he has my children hostage... He'll- he'll kill them when he finds out."

Hortense let go of the imposter and let him cower on the floor. He was an ogre and a rather pitiful one at that.

The ogres grey skin was slack and hung loose on his ugly scarred face making him look comical rather than terrifying. He was also rather small for an ogre almost as if his insides had shrunk.

"Who put you up to this," she barked whilst she circled him with her arms crossed.

"Please, I can't say and I know what you'll do to me if I don't," he cried grabbing the front of her bloody dress.

"Then we are at an impass," she said simply thinking of the next course of action. "What makes you think I care about what happens to you and your family in the first place?"

"You've no reason to offer me mercy but maybe I can help you."

"How's that?"

"I know where he's keeping the King hostage," he said gingerly.

"The Kings in the feast Hall-"

"Not that King," he pronounced very slowly, as loud footsteps came down the hall stopping abruptly outside the door.

"Lady Hortense the King demands your presence immediately in the Queens Chambers," came a knock at the door.

"You must hide but remain here, we're not finished yet," she ordered the ogre, while she quickly removed her bloody dress. The ogres eyes went wide at her lack of clothing. She threw the ruined dress at him; "hide that with you."

"I'm coming at once," she called to the door as she pulled a clean dress from her trunk then put it on.

She went to the door and stopped, looking behind her she saw the ogre had taken the form of a large spider - a spider which was pulling her ruined dress under the bed.

Opening the door she found herself in the company of a guard and the Venetian once more. Their eyes met for a brief second before she quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry for intrusion my lady but the Queen has had a unfortunate accident," the guard said in a sombre voice beckoning them to follow him.

"What kind of accident?" The Venetian asked quizzically, flashing her a look that she interpted as keeping quiet.

"I'm afraid I don't know the ins and outs but two of my men were killed in defence of the Queen," the guard said in a sad tone as they passed the Great Hall which only contained a few drunken stragglers and hopeful vampires.

"I'm sorry for the loss of your fellows," Hortense symphasied, putting a gentle hand on the guards back as he led them.

"Thank you for your kind words my lady, but as Captain of the guard I alone am responsible for the loss of life that has took place tonight." He said sadly, removing his helmet so he could rub his eyes.

Hortense noticed he was very young to be captain of the guard. He had a strong face with muddy brown eyes and a tamed thick beard, but his face was unlined by age or sorrow.

He must of felt her gaze on his face as quickly replaced his helmet.

"Charles is in attendance of the King already?" Asked the Venetian as they neared the Queens Chambers.

"Of course my lord," the guard said as they approached a large throng of courtiers blocking the corridor to the Chambers. "He has not left the Kings side since the alarm was raised."

The Ventian looked at her with his brows raised, "I wonder if?" He muttered his lips barely moving.

"Please step aside," shouted the guard at the throng of people in front. No one moved in response causing the guard to sigh. He turned to them, "could you clear a path?"

"I'd be honoured," the Ventian said as he stepped into the crowd and began physically moving them out the way. Hortense noticed with a smile as they followed, those who dare complain of their treatment quickly turned the other way after noticing who their abuser was.

The guards at the Queen Chambers unbarred the door and opened it. However before crossing the threshold, she quickly glanced down and saw the floor was still pink with blood.