Page 257 of A Queen's Game
“Do you have proof that she’s our enemy’s daughter? Or that Anthys Fulbryk is their leader?” Dyeiter held her under a scrutinized gaze as if he were seeing her for the first time.
Wyltam nodded his head. “Bring him in.”
Unbound, washed, but bone-thin, Tilan entered, supported between two guards. He lifted his head, finding Marietta. He blinked a few times, his jaw slacking as he stared at Marietta. She couldn’t tear her gaze from him. Up close, she saw his hands and cried out. His once sturdy and sure fingers bent and twisted at the wrong angle, mangled beyond use.
“Ministers, this is Tilan Reid, Master Creator for the Exisotis,” the King announced. “Tilan, will you confirm for the court who Marietta is?”
Without removing his gaze from her, he said, “Marietta is the daughter of The Shepherd. Markys Lytpier is the leader of the Exisotis. In previous private conversations regarding Marietta’s safety, he confided in me that he is Anthys Fulbryk of Satiros.”
“Stop!” Keyain yelled, stepping forward. The minister at his side grabbed his arm, halting Keyain’s approach. Tears formed as he gaped at Marietta, lips trembling.
Marietta shook her head, turning back to Tilan, who knew the entire time. He knew who her father was and knew he arranged their marriage. Her breaths came sharply as the edges of her vision blurred.
“Marietta, look at me.”
In her panic, she hadn’t heard Wyltam approach. The King’s voice was soft, as if they were the only two in the room. “Remember how I told you that you’re the princess of Enomenos? This is what I meant. Your father controls much of the war, and he is pleading for your return.” He lifted her chin, earning a hiss from Tilan. Under his breath, the King whispered, “Trust me.”
Marietta took a slow breath in as she nodded. She trusted him, but she wouldn’t go back to Enomenos.
“Clearly, she had planned this,” said a minister, who stepped forward. “This all seems rather convenient to come out while she’s on trial for treason and murdering our Queen. How do we know she wasn’t working with her father to trick Keyain?”
Wyltam nodded to Adryan, who stepped forward. “I stood to witness Marietta answer a series of questions before the trial. She had no knowledge of the information Wyltam would share today and confirmed that her father hid his true work.” He shook his head with a smile. “A traveling merchant was an excellent cover for him.”
“You’re willing to swear on the law?” Dyieter asked. “If found out you knew she was lying, I will also try you for treason.”
“I swear on the law and on my life.” He nodded his head at Marietta as he stepped back in line.
“So, we have our enemy’s daughter in our hands and proof that she snuck information to them, or at least tempted to,” Dyieter continued. “I think that’s implication enough for her execution.”
“We have no proof that her execution will appease Reyila,” Wyltam said, standing at Marietta’s side. “We could execute her, and it could mean nothing.”
“Who says it isn’t worth the risk? She’s been nothing but trouble since her arrival.” Dyieter spared a glance at Keyain,whose face grew redder by the minute. The minister next to him tried to calm him down but lost that fight.
“I ask the council to consider all the evidence I brought forth today,” Wyltam said. “Satiros fights two wars. One with Enomenos and the Exisotis, and the other with Chorys Dasi and Reyila. Our city is in an uproar over Marietta’s looming death sentence, and killing a deity’s Iros will spike tensions with all the temples. Her death would rally our enemies in Enomenos and with the Exisotis, solidifying her as a martyr. Marietta committed treason, yes, but it would be to our soon ally, protecting us against the greater enemy: the pending assault from Chorys Dasi and Reyila.
“If we return Marietta to the Exisotis,” Wyltam continued, placing a hand on her lower back, “we show good faith in an alliance with both the group and Enomenos. We could fight back against Reyila and Chorys Dasi, both of whom used Valeriya to steal information, as we now know.”
“They’ll never agree to such an alliance,” Dyieter spat. “We’ll hand over The Shepherd’s daughter, and then they’ll turn on us.”
“It’s worth the negotiation,” Wyltam countered, his voice hardening.
“We don’t have time—”
“I have a proposal.” The room fell silent as Marietta turned to the ministers. “I have spent my life working in Enomenos, and I know the cities and its citizens better than most. My love for my home and its people reaches no limit. I have made myself well-known through aiding the people of my city-state.” She nodded to Adryan. “If you doubt my notoriety, you can ask Minister Adryan, who knew of my business. You could even ask Chef Emynuel in the kitchens who knew of my bakery.”
She paused, waiting to see if anyone would question, but the room remained quiet. Marietta continued, “I am no politician,but I have made myself a staple of my community. Learning the truth of my father only solidifies my standing in Enomenos.”
Marietta took a breath, looking each minister in the eye. When she got to Keyain, he broke her stare, staring at the floor. “Each day, the citizens of Satiros riot at your gates, but not for me—for what I symbolize. I am the first pilinos ever to receive a title at court, and I am the first noble to become an Iros.
“So, I stand before you, the Ministers of Satiros, as your subject, the proof being my birth record.” She paused, glancing at Tilan, who stared at her through furrowed brows. “Since I lived in Enomenos for more than a decade, I hold citizenship there as well. I sit at a unique intersection of two regions at war, a citizen of both, which leads to my proposal.” She turned to Wyltam. His dark eyes watched her, curiosity and awe slipping through his expressionless mask. At that moment, she was thankful to see it. “I propose to unite Satiros with Enomenos and the Exisotis through marriage. King Wyltam,” she said, bowing her head. “I offer my hand to you.”
“No,” Keyain yelled. “No!”
“Someone get him under control,” Dyeiter said. With her head down, she heard Keyain’s struggles. “How dare you come into my court for treason and murder after being accused of adultery—”
“I accept.” Wyltam’s finger found her chin, lifting her face to his. Marietta’s breath caught with his stare, for the intensity it carried. Her plan was working.
“You can’t just decide—”
