The Bloody Birds of Britain

Chapter 17

The Queens Chambers was hung with a sombre air. Edward III, king of England sat at the bed of his beloved Queen. His head buried in her unconscious stomach while sobbing - he was very much a broken man.

Hortense saw that Charles' child was nowhere to be seen. Charles himself was sitting at the base of the Queens bed on a dark oak trunk. He arose when they entered the room.

"What has happened," the Venetian whispered, taking care not to disturb the crying King.

"The Queens Chambers were attacked during the feast," he said dryliy approaching them. "Two guards were brutally slaughtered protecting the Queen-"

"-And the Queen herself is she well?" Hortense cut him off. She began to approach the bed but Charles caught her arm. She turned back to face him, "yes?"

"I don't recommend approaching the Queen right-" Hortense removed his hand from her arm and went to the King leaving Charles with his mouth open.

"Your Majesty," she whispered placing her hand on his back; "how can we be of service to you in your moment of need?"

The King turned his face from the Queen. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with desperation, Hortense thought sadly. She glanced at the Queen who looked as though she was merely in a deep sleep.

"The physicians do not know what's wrong," he whispered barely above an audible level.

"Would you allow me to examine her your Majesty?" She asked as a loud knock came from the chamber doors.

"Enter," choked the King quickly wiping his face.

The Earl of Brandon entered the room, "your children are safe my Lord, I checked them myself. The grounds of the castle are still being checked and I have also furthered the search into the immediate parts of the city. The culprits will be found your Majesty."

"Thank you my Lord," the King said his eyes falling on the other two vampires in the room; "my Lords would you kindly assist the search."

Charles' face turned sour in response.

"Of course my Lord," the Ventian said; "we would like nothing more." He took a unhappy Charles' arm and pulled him from the room leaving them alone.

"It is my fault this happened," the King began to weep once more, burying his head in his hands. "If I hadn't of-"

"Your Majesty please," she said taking his wet hands in hers. "Blaming yourself will not help the Queen, now tell me did the physicians find anything?"

"A cut on the right shoulder is her only wound."

"Will you show me?" She asked gently letting go of his hands so he could wipe his eyes.

"Yes."

Together they propped up the Queen into a sitting position on the bed. Hortense let him show her the cut on the Queens shoulder - it still stunk.

"I showed Charles but he said he'd never seen anything like it before," the King said sadly.

"I do not wish to alarm your majesty," she said preparing him for the devastating news; "but it smells like a wound inflicted by a werewolf."

The Kings eyes went round with shock; "a werewolf?"

"I'm afraid so-"

"Their real?"

"As real as me, although I have yet to come across any here," she told him; "the only others I've seen were in France-" Immediately the Kings eyes went even rounder.

"Philip," the King said simply; "that blasted wretch,... It-it- was him!"

"Your Majesty, how does this help the Queen?"

"Will she turn?" He asked snapping back from his vision of revenge; "is there even a cure?"

"I am not sure your Majesty, this a wound unlike any I have ever seen. The wound was inflicted by a knife, not a mouth or claw but the inners smell is that of a werewolf."

"So your saying whoever did this, wasn't a werewolf but had access to a werewolves blood," the King summised simply.

"Yes, but adding more to this theory. They had the strength to slaughter two guards without arousing the attention of castle."

"A vampire perhaps?" He said his eyes now boring into hers, making her feel like a suspect. "Do you have something to tell me, you are French, recently come from France... You even brutally murdered a donor and raced off in this direction."

"Please your Majesty, do not count me amongst your enemies," she said feeling her eyes started to glow, as if to glamour her innocence into him. "Do you really think it is me if you've just sent the only two vampires who could stop me away."

"Why anyone have done this?" He mumbled shamefully averting his gaze from hers.

"I don't know your Majesty and I'm sorry I can't give you more solid answers..."Her voice drifted away as she pondered whether to tell him about finding her first.

" Say whats on your mind."

"I found her first," she said quickly carrying on as it looked like he might interject. "I heard a scream after I'd finished feeding and found the dismembered guards, then the Queen... There wasn't anything else here when I arrived."

"Why did you not raise the cry?" The king stammered in dismay, his eyes narrowing slightly. "... Because you thought you'd be blamed. Ahh."

"I'm sorry for lying to you," she said thinking of the ogre hiding in her room, wondering whether he was part of this attack as well.

"Your actions are understandable given the circumstances," he sighed glancing at the inanimate Queen. "Do you have any idea on how to aid the Queen."

"I know someone who might, I will leave right away," she swiftly rose from beside the King and pulled him to his feet. "It is not my place to give you advice but must ensure your children are safe. Wrap their necks with silver: coat your guards swords with it; put crucifixes on all the doors trust your gut. Someone is not who they seem."

"Where are you going," the King asked as the chamber doors opened whereupon Charles and the Venetian returned empty handed.

"I'll be going abroad, Norway" she said glancing at the other two vampires "that is unless the Venetian knows a cure for lycanthropy."

"Werewolves?" He said feigning surprise, "can't say I do I'm afraid, other than how to kill them... I know or I have heard of a white werewolf that came from the Viking hole."

"Norway?" Charles said, "and what will we do in the meantime? Will the Queen even survive-"

"Of course she will, in the meantime maybe you can enlist the help of a wise woman to wake her up," she snapped back at him.

"A witch," Charles scolded, "a witch touching the Queen." He emphasised the last bit as if she'd just gotten off the boat at Dover.

"Fetch a wise woman," the King whispered as he returned to the Queens side. "Hortense go get ready for your journey I will send the Lord Chamberlain to sort out the details. Send my page in on your way out."