“She gave you the sword and the scabbard,” Ankarette said pointedly.
“And you want to know where they are now,” he replied with an evasive smile.
“Yes, that is true. As I told you when we met, that was my mission—to find out where King Lewis was hiding them.”
“And now you know from my story that they weren’t taken from her when she was captured,” he added.
“Exactly. She was given over to Deford’s men eventually after being in the custody of the King of Brugia. While tracing the origins and history of the blade, I spent some time in Brugia to see if I could discover rumors of it there. It’s safer visiting Brugia than Occitania at the present. I have it from reliable sources, who were poisoned and quite cooperative, that the sword they took from the Maid when she was captured did not have the markings. I knew nothing of the scabbard’s power until your tale, so naturally I’m eager to find it as well. It would be a great asset to my king.”
“It would indeed. As I said, the blade once belonged to King Andrew. The scabbard also did, though it originated in Leoneyis. The histories of the legends of the Lady of the Fountain show that when the need arises, the blade and scabbard will return to the land.”
“But they have both been missing since the Maid’s war,” Ankarette said. “She brought them back and then they were lost. She gave them both to you.” She could hear her own eagerness in her voice. “You mentioned before how much you coveted them. Then they were freely given to you. Why would she do that?”
He looked away from her, staring at the curtain, his face clouding with fatigue and sadness. “I don’t have the sword anymore,” he whispered.
“I didn’t think so,” Ankarette said. “You’ve been imprisoned several times for rebelling against King Chatriyon. The only reason Lewis didn’t execute you long ago is because you’re somewhat of a hero among the people. You are noble in a court that is lewd. You are still her Gentle Duke.”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze. “That was many years ago. I was very young. I was no stranger to suffering, but I did not realize how much I’d be schooled in it later.” He sighed, shaking his head. “You wanted the full story, and I will give it to you, Ankarette.” He looked her in the eye. “These are painful memories. I’ve not shared them with anyone in a very long time. But I trust that you will keep my secrets. And share my pain.”
She reached over and laid her hand on top of his. “I’ll tell you what I know and you fill in the gaps. There is comfort in sharing another’s pain. I’ve seen my own share of sadness as well.”
A crooked smile stole across his mouth. “I don’t doubt it.”
Ankarette released his hand and then cupped hers together in her lap. “King Chatriyon refused to ransom the Maid. Not that he could have afforded it, even if he were so inclined. She was taken by the King of Brugia but held in custody at the castle of one of his liegemen, the Count of Luxe, who had gone with him to Occitania.”
“You are well-read, Ankarette,” he said approvingly. “Very few remember the name of the Count of Luxe. Do you know it?”
“His name was Peter,” Ankarette said. “I know this trite piece of history because my master’s wife, the Queen of Ceredigion, is his granddaughter.”
An ironic smile crossed the duke’s mouth. “Isn’t it strange how events twist and turn and come around again? We all play parts upon some grand stage. The Fountain wills the roles.” He shook his head. “Yes, Peter of Luxe had a daughter named Jaquette. She was born the year Occitania fell in the Battle of Azinkeep. You remember that Deford was married to the King of Brugia’s sister?”
“Yes,” Ankarette said. “You mentioned that in your tale.”
“She died. Some thought a poisoner did it because they were childless.” He shrugged. “I don’t know if that is true. But his second wife was her.”
“Jacquette,” Ankarette said with a nod. “She was seventeen when they married, but it was also a childless marriage. It didn’t last that long before Deford died. And yes, he was poisoned. She married again to Lord Rivers and they had a large brood of children. My mistress, she who now reigns at Kingfountain, was their eldest.”
Alensson sighed. “So now you know that Genette did not have the sword when she was captured outside Shanton. Once I saw the blade, I understood why Genette’s leg had taken so long to heal. She had entrusted it to her squire and then sent him away to await news of her capture. When it happened, he was to bring the blade to me.”