Chapter Twelve

I threw down my fork and stood, pacing around the room. Tears of anger welled in my eyes thinking about the horrid things dear Belle must be enduring. My hands trembled, and my body shook as I thought about her locked away in some lowly place. Who would take dear, sweet Belle? Why would they take her? How can Cassius sit there and just eat?

"Joselyn, will you relax?" he said before shoving a forkful of boiled egg in his mouth.

"You may find it easy to eat while our friend is missing, but I cannot. Who would take Belle? How did her husband not know anything?" I asked, a single tear sliding down my cheek.

I did the most unladylike thing a woman could do, I flopped into a chair. My skirts flew up, satin and damask fluttered about. My corset dug into my stomach and sternum and it just made me want to sob even more.

"Joselyn?"

"Don't, Cassius. I don't want to talk. I need to think."

He put his fork down and dabbed his face with a cloth. "You don't have to talk. I am just as frustrated as you; however, we must maintain our composer if we want to find her."

"Why are you always right?"

He smiled and went back to eating his eggs. "So, you know where you're going to start?"

He finished and pushed his plates aside, leaning on his elbows on the table, placing his head in his hands.

"I have no idea. I don't know why anybody would want to take Belle. She's the sweetest, most timid woman alive." I sighed and kept watch out the window. Rain cascaded down the glass, making the crowned lion caressed by a rose look as though it were crying.

"Okay, then look into those in her life."

"Cassius, that's the entire court." I shook my head, biting my lip. An entire court of suspects? That was ridiculous.

"Who would profit the most from her disappearance?" he asked.

I furrowed my brow and thought as hard as I could. Who would profit the most? Who would benefit from Belle's disappearance or death?

"Duke De Le Mare. Her husband could find another wife. One with more money or more standing. Even though he's about as high as he can go right now. I suppose it would be all for money. He would keep everything Belle had from her parents."

"Unless he planned on marrying my future queen's sister save she had one."

"Do you have any prospects? Are there any women who have sisters he may want to marry?" I asked.

Cassius shook his head, chewing on his lip.

"Alright, so without any prospects what would he gain disposing of Belle?"

"The money," Cassius replied.

A knock at the door interrupted our conversation.

"What!" Cassius hollered.

"Majesty?" a meek, timid girl asked peeking her head in.

"What, girl?"

She curtsied and blushed at the sight of me in the chair. I must have looked like an ungroomed mess. "That lady's mother is outside the chambers and wishes to enter."

I groaned and stood, straightening my skirts and bodice. "Do you want to see her?"

"I have her daughter in my chambers. I do not have much of a choice. No mention of Belle's disappearance though."

"I'm an assassin, Cassius. Secrecy is my life," I muttered.

The young maid stood across the room, her head bowed, quaking in her shoes. Cassius waved his heavily jeweled hand at her. "Allow her in."

My mother stormed in like a hurricane blowing in off the coast of a tropical island. I leaned against Cassius's chair and watched as she stood, mouth agape, stuttering for words.

"This is most unsatisfactory!"

"What is wrong, Madame?"

"I assumed there would be others to chaperone this breakfast. Only to find you alone with my young, unmarried daughter!"

"Nothing occurred aside from breakfast, Madame," Cassius mumbled, shoving a sausage in his mouth.

"I demand that you marry my daughter! You have ruined her reputation!" my mother shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Oh, for the love of all things.

"The only reputation being ruined is yours, mother. Stop carrying on."

"You brazen hussy!" She raised her arm and brought her hand down hard on my cheek.

I winced grabbed at the spot that throbbed slightly.

"That is quite enough, Madame. You may take your leave." With the flick of his wrist, my mother was escorted out of the chamber. We were left alone once more.

"What I would do to have that kind of power," I grumbled, rubbing my face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, standing.

I held my hand up and nodded. "It's alright. She doesn't have much power behind her. I was just caught off guard."

"She can be an irritating woman. It's a shame I have to put up with her in order to have you around." He tusked and shook his head at the sad, desperate woman.

"She really wants me to marry you."

"What would be so wrong with that?" He looked over at me with a wink.

"Rules are rules."

"Rules are changed all the time you know. I know. I do it."

"Cassius, their rules are not changed. I don't fear the rule so much as the consequence. I should not fear death, and I don't, I just don't want to meet the angel of death if I don't have to."

"I have guards," he said with a shrug.

He stood and walked toward one of the windows nearest him, gazing out over the opulence of his gardens.

"That's why you have me, remember. That's why I was sent away when I was a child. I was chosen for this purpose. To be your assassin. There are so many other noblewomen in the world who are worthy to be your queen."

"I don't want them. They all have ulterior motives. Everyone does."

"Oh, I don't think..."

He turned toward me, eyes piercing like two daggers. "They do. Trust me. I know. Everyone wants something from me, not for me. Nobody truly has my best interest at heart. I haven't felt true friendship and caring until I am in your presence. You seem to be the only one in this entire bloody world who really cares for me as Cassius and not me as King Cassius."

I sighed heavily and walked toward him. "I'm always going to care for you, Cassius. We were friends first."

"Even if you will never break your oath and be my queen, I'm glad you're here. I trust no one more than you."

"I better get started."

He nodded and I left without another word. I put my forehead against the cool wood of his door, smiling to myself. As much as it had been drilled into my head since I was a child that assassins did not marry their kings, I could not help wishing I could.

"Joselyn!" a shrill voice yelled from down the hall.

"Really?" I sighed heavily and turned toward the voice. "Mother."

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm returning to my own chambers, mother."

"What did you do?" She pestered.

"I had breakfast with the king as you instructed."

"Alone though? What if someone were to find out?" she asked.

"So, what if they were to find out? My reputation is intact. I really would like to have some peace, please."

"You overstep yourself, daughter."

"Mother, please, I have a headache and I am tired. I wish to retire to my chambers for just a bit."

"I will fetch you in three hours' time." She turned on her heels and stormed away.

"Oh, for the love of all things." I continued to my own rooms. I had many plans to make and not much time.

I dug through the trunk, running my hands over all the weapons.

Which do I use? I suppose it would help if I knew where I was going and who I was looking for.

I sat polishing and sharpening my weapons for three hours until my mother called for me, just as she promised. I tucked everything away and followed like a defeated puppy.

"Lady Anne?"

"Your majesty." We turned to see Cassius walking briskly toward us. We dipped into curtsies and waited for him to approach.

"I will be traveling north to the estates of the Duke Andrew de Le Mare and I want your daughter to accompany me as well as your husband. There will be a great accompaniment of people, so she will not be in jeopardy of losing any opportunity of marrying a well-off man."

"Majesty?" My mother looked at him confused.

"My household and I are traveling. I am taking your daughter and your husband. You are to remain here until we return."

"Sire, I'm sorry but this is quite extraordinary," she said. "An unmarried lady accompanying an unmarried man."

"Yes. That may be so, but it is what I command. I want Lady Joselyn to accompany me."

"Of course, your majesty." My mother didn't dare disobey what the king ordered. His will was law.

He turned and walked away as briskly. We didn't have time to curtsy or argue against his odd request. My mother side-eyed me. I simply shrugged.

Well, that takes care of the who, I suppose and excuse getting there. If King Cassius suspects the Duke, it probably is the Duke. Or he knows something he's not revealing. Why would a king keep anything from his assassin though?