"What made you ask that?" All of the color drained from Rose's face as she searched for the meaning in her father's words.
Up until now, Rhodri had seemed uninterested in where she had been or at least was reluctant to know. The king had clearly felt that her running away was somehow his fault. So, what had changed?
More than that, he had managed to name the exact place she had been. As far as she knew, only a few people in the palace had any idea where she had traveled.
Philip, Cole and Rabert knew of course, but if they hadn't outed her when she went missing, the princess saw no reason for that to change. Caitlyn fell under that same reasoning and realistically Ethyn had had no time or ability to let that information slip.
So how had Rhodri suddenly come up with Rynnlee of all places? The princess got a sinking feeling.
Rhodri narrowed his gaze. "That wasn't a denial. Did you go to Rynnlee or not?"
What should she say? Evading hadn't worked, and she would not lie to the king.
"I can explain..." The princess bit her lip. Could she?
"Who did you go to see in Rynnlee?" Rhodri pressed, now certain of the initial point.
Things were going downhill fast. Rose wanted to dig in her heels, but she was on shaky ground. The more she avoided the questions, the more suspicious her actions would seem.
"I saw some people who knew me when I was a child." That was an honest answer, and one that she felt comfortable giving.
"You are from Rynnlee? Why have you never told me that?" Rhodri's brow furrowed. Was he doubting her words or mourning the fact that this was new information to him?
The princess met her father's gaze. The answer to his question was simple. "You never asked. And I am not from Rynnlee, but I did spend time there. I was fleeing Rynnlee when you found me all those years ago."
"Fleeing? Why were you needing to flee?" Rhodri was suddenly tense. He had gathered that the young girl might have been in some trouble when he found her, and this only confirmed his suspicion.
"A bad man was trying to kill me. I had to run all through the night to escape his clutches." Rose took a deep breath awaiting the king's judgment.
"You never told me," Rhodri's voice broke.
"You never asked," Rose repeated. She lowered her eyes, afraid that the emotion that was contained in the king's face might make her cry.
Across from her, Rhodri's fists were clenched on the armrests as his knuckles turned white. The veins in his neck were bulging in controlled anger. "Tell me, who this man was that tried to hurt an innocent child?"
Hesitating, Rose clenched her jaw. But since things were already coming to light, she decided that it was now or never. "Borit. It was Commander Borit."
"I am sorry to hear you say that," the king answered.
There was a lack of surprise in his voice. How could he hear this and remain so calm? The feeling of dread in Rose's heart grew.
"It seems you were right," Rhodri said loudly.
A rustling occurred from behind a privacy screen as a handsome man with a sharp nose emerged. His face was colored with sadness.
"It is worse than I feared, Your Majesty. I only wish I had discovered the deception sooner." Borit placed his fist on his chest. "I do not blame you if you punish me."
"Let us leave the punishing for those who deserve it." The king shook his head.
Rose was confused by both the Commander's appearance and both men's words. "What is he doing here?"
"This was an inquiry. I needed at least one witness." Rhodri said carefully.
Of course the princess knew this information. She had been a witness in more than one inquiry herself. "I assumed you were making an exception for your daughter." Rose looked away.
"In light of the evidence Borit uncovered, he did not think you would be honest if you knew he was present." Rhodri explained. His eyes were soft but troubled.
"Evidence?" Rose was very confused.
Borit lowered his head sympathetically. "Your Highness has been the subject of a very cruel plot. You have my deepest sympathies."
"I don't understand." The princess felt a tightness in her chest. She did not like how confident the Commander was.
With the king's invitation, Borit sat down. "Does Her Highness remember the farmer who complained of squatters on his land at court?"
Of course Rose remembered it. "You went to deal with the issue personally, did you not?"
Borit nodded solemnly. "I did, but what I found was not squatters, it was a coup. People were gathering to bring down our dear king. Of course I could not let that stand. I led my valiant soldiers against the enemy, and we wiped them out before capturing their ring leader."
The princess was relieved that a problem had been dealt with, but the uneasy feeling did not leave. "That's good," she said carefully.
"It is, but then it occurred to me that it was strange that the men there were just biding their time and not attacking the palace head on. So I dug a little deeper and uncovered their actual plan. It involved you, princess." Borit bowed his head sorrowfully.
"Me? I would never be involved in a plot to overthrow my father!" Rose stood up to spew more words when the king raised his hand. Sitting down slowly, the princess reluctantly fell silent.
"Of course you would never betray the king. As I said, you have my sympathies. You were merely a victim like the rest of us." Borit knit his eyebrows so close that they merged. Looking at the incredulous princess, he sighed. "Perhaps it will be easier if I just bring in the traitor so you can see him for yourself."
The king nodded and the Commander went to the door. "Bring in the prisoner."
Rose's mind spent the next moments trying to catch what game the Commander was playing. That was when her worst fears came to life.
Through the doors, two soldiers gripped the arms of a man in chains. The prisoner was simply dressed in dark clothing, and the hood of his cloak was around his shoulders revealing a shock of jet black hair.
The man looked drowsy until his eyes locked with the princess's, then his face contorted into dogged determination. He struggled against the two soldiers to stand up with some dignity. The man would not be humiliated further by being drug along the floor.
"No!" Rose screamed. He mouth went dry. She hoped against hope that she was dreaming. That this was just some cruel nightmare which the rich food of dinner had caused.
But the harder she looked at the scene, the more she could not deny that she knew the one slung between the troops wearing their purple and gold livery.
'This cannot be...'
Borit cleared his throat. "Here is the subject of our inquiry, Your Majesty. I present to you the traitor and leader of the rebellion: Silver, Guardian of Rynnlee."