Chapter 5: Darkest Before Dawn

[valmont-vicomte.livejournal.com]

A month later

The ramparts of the castle, Excolo

It's a bitter day here compared to most we've had, though I don't mind it - we had colder days than this even before we came south. The pampered darlings of the palace are shivering, and I take some spiteful sort of pleasure in it. There's nothing here that pleases me now; everything lovely here reminds me of Mia, and every bitter thing makes me regret that we ever came. If we had stayed at home she would be alive. I am certain of that, now, after what the king told me.

I believe I went out of my mind for a little while, after Maester Luwin showed me what was inside the pendant. He'd never seen anything like it before, even with his knowledge of poisons, but they had consulted with an apothecary in the city and with a healer from over the sea and found that it was hebenon, an exotic and expensive poison. It is the resin of a tree that grows almost nowhere in the world... But it is known that there are such trees in Ladon.

Now I cannot think that this diplomatic mission from Ladon is a coincidence. My darling was used as a pawn in someone's game. Was it the Dians, as I've suspected, or the dragon fuckers of Ladon? Or perhaps they're working together to undermine the king and me both.

It would have been better for them if they'd poisoned me. I'd have died willingly in her place, but since I am doomed to live, it seems, I will have vengeance for what has been done to my love, at whatever cost.

We expect the party from Ladon to arrive soon; they were due yesterday, but the weather has been bad. Scouts are on the road, looking ahead for them. And I will smile and smile and play the villain if I must. I will make friends in high places. And when I find who poisoned Mia, I will kill them all.