The Queen of Aramdeau

Chapter 14: Queen Regent

Daniela followed the guard down the hall to the east wing. Guards were blocking the door as servants crowded around. They parted as she approached.

"Your Majesty, you should not go in. It is not easy to see," Captain Phillips warned.

"Open the door, Captain."

He did so, and Daniela braced herself as they walked in. Her stomach churned when she saw the body. She wanted to throw up. Lord Sutton lay face up in his bed, throat cut from ear to ear. Everything-his clothes, the bed, the floor-everything was stained dark brown with blood. Daniela closed her eyes and prayed silently.

"It was murder, then?" she said when she caught her breath.

"Yes. Sometime in the night."

"Do you have any idea who is responsible?"

The captain shook his head. "A servant came to bring him his breakfast and discovered the body. He called for the guard, and I thought to send for you before we did anything else."

Daniela's mind raced. Of course they had come to her, she was the highest ranking person in the castle. But she had never dealt with such a situation. Her responsibilities as queen so far had been to attend events and to study. She ought to rely on the councilors, but she hardly knew them. Could she really trust them in this matter? She had to get her bearings, fast, and figure out what to do.

"That was good of you. Now, lock this door and keep the key yourself. Can you spare two guards at all times to watch this room?" Daniela asked, and Captain Phillips nodded. "Good, we will call a council meeting, and I would like you to attend."

"Would you like to speak to the servant who found him?" he asked.

"Um, yes, thank you Captain. I will speak with him first in the council chamber."

The servant was a young man, barely old enough to be working in the castle. He looked as disturbed as Daniela felt. Daniela asked him to recount all he had seen, but he could tell her nothing more than what Captain Phillips had reported.

Daniela addressed the council as soon as they were assembled. She had sat in on meetings before, but had never called one herself, let alone spoken at one. The room felt empty as chairs for Charles, Duke Pearson, and Lord Sutton were left unfilled.

"Thank you for meeting on such short notice," Daniela said weakly. Baron Lansing looked at her reassuringly. Other eyes were not so kind. "You may have heard that Lord Sutton was killed last night. I understand there is a standard procedure that should be followed at a time like this, but these circumstances are extraordinary. The king is away, and the councilor who ought to have been the lead investigator, Lord Sutton, is dead. So I have decided that I will lead the investigation myself with the assistance of Captain Phillips."

There was a general grumbling among the council. A broad man with a booming voice stood up. "This is ridiculous! You have been here, what, say, two months? How could you possibly conduct this investigation!"

"Lord Gotfrey, sit down!" Baron Lansing thundered. "You will respect your queen. You know as well as I that the king has granted Her Majesty regency for precisely situations such as this. His Majesty cannot handle this from where he is, and it falls under none of our jurisdictions."

"Thank you, Baron." Daniela tried to put as much resolve into her voice as Baron Lansing had. "Do any of you know of a reason why someone might have wanted to kill Lord Sutton?"

The room was silent.

"Then, does anyone know where he was last seen yesterday? Or what he did?"

At first they remained quiet, until young Viscount Milford piped up, "I saw him at supper. And then I think he went back to his room."