Froi of the Exiles Read Free Page A

only way of proving myself to the Queen,’ he muttered to Perri as they entered Balconio.
    ‘Find another way,’ Perri said.
    Froi shook his head. ’I don’t trust myself.’
    They reached the inn where they would wait until Finnikin’s meeting with the Ambassador of Sarnak was over. The village of Balconio sat on the Skuldenore River at the foot of mountains. It could easily have been a village of ghosts. Many of its people had died in exile. But the Queen and Finnikin had decided that an inn in such a place would attract customers and give life to Balconio. They had approached the people of one of the surviving villages and proposed their plan. Froi had once heard Lord August tell Lady Abian that it was a smart decision. One day when the gates of Lumatere were open to the rest of the land, the inn would be the perfect place for trade. Despite their wariness of foreigners, the Queen and Finnikin knew that to survive they would have to do business with neighbours. This inn and the export of silver from the mines to their neighbouring allies, Belegonia and Osteria, was the first step. Most nights, the Balconio Inn was filled with Monts on their way to the palace village or merchants and farmers trading their goods and skills, but this past year the people of the neighbouring villages had begun to venture out of their homes for enjoyment rather than necessity. It helped that the inn also boasted the best ale in the kingdom.
    Captain Trevanion met them at the gate of the inn. He was one of the most impressive men Froi had ever seen: mighty in build, with a face that even men would call handsome. He was Finnikin’s beloved father and Froi knew they still felt the pain of having been separated from each other when Finnikin was a lad of nine. The Captain had also believed for ten long years that his beloved Lady Beatriss was dead, but she had lived, and during the past three years there had been much talk about whether they would rekindle their love.
    ‘We’re old men, I hear,’ Trevanion said, cuffing Froi.
    Froi laughed. ’If you and some of the Guard weren’t old men, then being called old men wouldn’t insult you so much.’
    ‘We’re only some forty years, Froi.’
    ‘He calls Aldron an old man and he’s not even ten years older than him,’ Perri mused, looking around. ‘Where’s Finn?’
    ‘I thought he was with you?’
    ‘He rode ahead.’
    Froi watched the two men exchange worried looks and followed them into the inn.
    Inside, they jostled through a crowd. Tonight it was mostly filled with the Queen’s Guard, but Froi also recognised a handful of rock villagers and the lads who travelled with the Queen’s cousin, Lucian of the Monts, which meant the Mont leader was somewhere in the vicinity.
    In a corner close to where the innkeeper was serving from barrels of ale, Froi saw the Monts speaking tensely amongst themselves. Most were cousins to Finnikin through his marriage to the Queen, but Finnikin and Lucian were nowhere to be seen. Froi sensed Trevanion and Perri’s unease and followed them to the bar. The lad assisting the innkeeper looked up when they approached. He was young and nervous and it was evident that he had never come face to face with the Captain of the Guard before.
    ‘You’re new,’ Trevanion said.
    ‘Yes, Sir. Just started.’
    ‘Did you recognise the Queen’s Consort?’
    ‘No … no, Sir, but he introduced himself.’
    Trevanion looked relieved. ‘Where is he?’
    ‘He’s with a … a … w … w … woman, Sir.’
    Perri, Froi and Trevanion stared at the lad with disbelief.
    ‘A woman?’ Trevanion snapped. ‘What woman?’
    ‘A woman waiting in his room, Sir. She had left a message.’
    ‘What room?’ Trevanion demanded, already halfway up the staircase.
    Perri dragged the nervous lad along with them. ‘Was she armed?’ Perri barked.
    ‘What message?’ Trevanion shouted.
    ‘She said, “Tell my king I’m w … waiting in his chamber” ’.
    Trevanion