Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three “I should have been king, Thaddeus is my half-brother and I was first born,” Dagda said as his face twisted in pain and sweat began breaking out on his forehead. “I am only trying to take what is mine.” “You lie, while father favors you and regards you as an adviser you are no relation to me,” Berne growled. “I speak the truth. King Ragnar was my father, he was traveling to the north to fight the raiders and had an accident and was injured. He was taken to the keep of Lord Simmons to recover; there he met Lord Simmons’s daughter lady Anne. Over time he came to first desire her and then love her, but Lady Anne was a virtuous girl and would not lay with him without marriage. Ragnar married her and after he was well continued northward. But he’d left Anne with child, and when Ragnar returned eight months later he learned he was to be a father.” Dagda’s face twisted in pain. “Ragnar returned to court with Anne and welcomed his firstborn son me. But Ragnar needed wealth and allies, he asked for the hand of Lady Eloisa the daughter of the Duke of Frankel. He didn’t tell Duke Frankel he was already wed and married Lady Eloisa and set his marriage to Anne and his child aside. That child was me. We were sent to a monastery and put under guard so that we could not leave and no one could visit us, we were Ragnar’s secret. My mother died of a broken heart and shame.” “Your lying grandfather would never do such a thing,” Berne growled. “He is speaking the truth the potion makes it impossible for him to lie,” Alex said. “He is your uncle, so now we know why you are pissed, but why did you go after Isobel and her family?” “Her father Raymond was Ragnar’s bastard, born to his mistress the lady Sophia. Ragnar recognized Raymond but never me, he was given everything that I should have been given, love, education, and acceptance.” Dagda growled. “So you killed my family because you were jealous and felt wronged?” Isobel demanded. “I killed them because your father inherited what should have been mine, and I needed you. You are the king’s niece and well-liked. If I married you and had a child by you the council would make me its guardian and set me on the throne.” Dagda replied. “You’re mad; we would never let that happen.” Aldwin snapped. “You were never to return from the wastelands.” Dagda said. “You bastard, I should kill you now and save us all the effort, and what kind of twisted bastard are you? You killed your own half-brother and mean to marry your niece.” Berne bellowed. “Raymond didn’t know I was his blood. He refused to let me wed Isobel as she was too young and I frightened her.” Dagda’s words were now coming out as ragged gasps. “Now give me the damn antidote.” “Not yet, why did you have to kill my family? My mother and brother had never harmed you, never done anything to you.” Isobel demanded. “Your mother was suspicious about the King becoming ill and one night she caught me slipping something in his wine. She was a healer, she didn’t believe me when I said it was headache powder, I could not have her alerting the king or the queen. As for your brothers if the princes were to die they would have a claim to the throne. Only you could live, also I needed this keep and your lands as they share a boundary with the king’s lands. Now give me the damn antidote.” Dagda snarled. Alex looked at the princes. “What do you want me to do, if I don’t give him the antidote he won’t die but he will turn into a disgusting screaming mess for the next twenty-four hours and it will take him at least a day to recover.” “I say kill him.” Aldwin snarled. “Wait what of our half-sisters. Were you responsible for father sending them away?” Berne demanded. “Yes, yes I did. The king trusted them and when he began to fall ill from my tonics they questioned me. I had no choice but to get rid of them.” Dagda sneered. “Did you kill them?” Berne’s hand clenched into fists. “Nay they were young and beautiful and even though they were bastards they were valuable. I sold them to two western warlords for ten thousand pieces of gold each.” Dagda gave Berne a twisted smile. “You bastard, kill him now.” Aldwin reached for his knife and Isobel stepped before him. “No, then we will be as evil as he is. We have to take him to court and make him answer for his crimes. Your father has become so twisted by him that he won’t believe us, he has to live so we can save the king and your sisters.” Isobel said. “She is right. Give him the antidote and take him away.” Berne said. “But find out where he sent our sisters.” Alex grabbed the flask of antidote and stepped up to Dagda. “Open your mouth, this will taste foul but swallow it all.”