Lorch’s mother straightened in her seat. “Would it not be beneficial to take this feedback and use it to apply discipline to your ranks, Your Highness? There seems to be a lack of respect fluttering over your men, perhaps it is time to make examples of these rogues?”
Lorch tilted his head to his mother. On his other side, Valdis’ voice was a hiss.
“And have more men rebel, thinking us showing favour to the people over those taken into service of the Crown? That will make things worse.”
Lynnera’s chin rose. “So, we do nothing about it?”
Valdis’ voice dripped with acid as he said. “We take those flaunting their authority and send them to Bonemire. Quietly.”
“I believe it better to make public examples of them,” said Lynnera, and the look her husband threw her was dark.
“I agree with Mother,” said Lorch, looking then to his father. “It makes sense to make an example, so that others tempted to make trouble will hesitate to do so again.”
At that moment, Commander Hawke turned to the dais and bowed.
“If I may speak, I have news from Amberbourne, my King.”
Lorch glanced to Hawke and nodded before the man proceeded.
“It seems someone has already made an example of some of your rogue guards at the Amberbourne tavern last night.”
Arii’s blood ran cold.
“What?” barked Valdis.
Hawke cleared his throat before continuing. “A group of ten Red Guard soldiers attending the tavern last night were struck down.” His eyes flicked across to Lynnera briefly, before returning to Valdis. “There are claims that they entered the premises and did not come back out.”
“And you are sure they are dead?” said Lorch.
“It’s said that some witnessed the Innkeeper scrubbing the walls of his tavern and mopping guts from his floors. It was a bloodbath.”
Silence fell on the room, accompanied by Lynnera’s gentle gasp.
Arii swore Elijah’s hood inclined ever so slightly her way. She kept her expression unreadable, her eyes lifting to the dais where everyone stood. Well, she should have known that the news would travel back to the castle.
Maybe she should have shown some restraint and not have painted the walls red with the men’s blood, but she had been angry.
Incredibly and stupidly angry.
She revelled as they begged for their lives, blood flecking her face and screams gracing her ears like a familiar song. She had given them a chance - a chance to swear they would never touch another unwilling woman again, but the whoresons had done no such thing. They were dirty, rotten pigs, it was true, but she felt like her self-control had slid away from her, much like it was beginning to when she was around Lorch and Elijah. She had always thought control was one of her strongest features. The solid steel walls she had spent years forming around her heart were beginning to be eaten away, and she was not sure how to handle it.
The tension was thick in the air, almost tangible enough that it could be cut with a knife.
Lorch was first to speak, his attention on the Commander.
“Perhaps it was someone from the South Court? Those Winter bastards are always looking for a fight.”
“I do not think so, a brute Jero Vox may be, but stupid he is not. No one from the South has entered our borders in months.”
“The West Court?”
“Kadec Brolikian is far too busy with his grand parties to be bothered with a small group of our soldiers, let alone crossing the border to us,” said Hawke.
Lorch touched his index fingers to his lips, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “It has been months since we have even heard from the other Courts, perhaps years for some of them. Do we not have any allies there?”
His father barked a laugh. “Fae lovers, the lot of them. Ever since the tragic end of the Herington line, they no longer offer unison. You know this, son. I have struggled for years with the other Courts.”
Arii was not surprised, who would want to deal with Valdis Kruel? He was rude, crude and a tyrant. He was probably the cause of the Court’s division. Lorch on the other hand - she was sure the others would be more inclined to work with the North Court if they knew what he was truly like. Why hide behind a guise?
“We have friends in the East Court, do we not?” said Lynnera.
“Freya Bloom and her associates are by far the worst of the lot,” answered Valdis, brows drawn. Lynnera’s eyes fixed on her husband as he spoke, a frown curling her lips.
“But did we not have a good trade relationship with the East? The wood from the Evergrave forest fetches a fair price, which we secured for them. Surely they owe us that?”
“Bloom and her shifter tribe care naught for gold it seems, Wife.”
Valdis’s tone was dismissive, causing Arii’s eyes to narrow ever so slightly. He treated his wife with such disdain, such disrespect as if her opinion did not matter. It was surprising that the man allowed her to attend the council in the first place. Something about Lynnera Kruel told Arii that the woman would not take no for an answer. How she endured to be married to the man, Arii had no clue. Let alone having borne him two children.
Valdis paced down the dais towards Commander Hawke. “Perhaps it is time to begin a fresh intake of recruits to Bonemire.”
Lynnera stood then, her expression one of anger as she her husband quickly down the dais. “What in the Gods name for? Do we not have enough troops at the fortress already? Winter is on the horizon and the townspeople need their sons and daughters to help them though the coming months.”
Valdis rounded on his wife, his face contorted in fury. “Whoever is deciding to pick off our troops may not stop at one group. Who is to say there is not a new rebellion gathering in the dark like rats to a carcass? If we let our guard down, we will end up just like the Herington’s - slaughtered in our beds!”
Lorch spoke then, following his mother.
“Perhaps we should discuss-”
“I think you are being hasty, Husband-” Lynnera began, speaking quickly and firmly, but was swiftly cut off with a cutting gesture to the air by Valdis.
“Commander Hawke, prepare for the intake. If you will all excuse us, I wish to speak to my wife in private.”
Hawke hesitated, gazing in Lorch’s direction, and pausing briefly on Lynnera, before straightening and bowing stiffly at the waist. “My Lord.”
The Commander turned and paced towards Arii, and she could see the disapproval, rising in his expression. “Dismissed, Miss Clearwater,” he said as he passed.
Her eyes lingered on the dais, a feeling of unease sweeping over her. She glanced in Elijah’s direction and saw he was watching the tense exchange too, but what little of his face she could see was unreadable.
Before Arii turned to follow Hawke from the room, she saw the tense look on the older woman’s face, her eyes narrowed and chin raised in defiance.
In the hall, Arii spoke quickly. “Commander, I don’t feel we should-”
“Miss Clearwater, you were dismissed. Take the remainder of the night off.” The Commander seemed distracted as he paused, his eyes taking on a faraway look. Although she had known the man for a short time, he had always had a keen look about him, a razor-sharp focus. He was distressed, but for what reason she was unsure. Was it the dead soldiers, the new recruit intake or the fact that Valdis wanted to speak to his wife alone, looking like he wanted to murder someone?
Well, the King’s Hand always had that look about him, but tonight it was amplified.
Arii touched a hand to the man’s arm and he seemed to focus on her. His brows pulled together, and he ran a hand through his salt flecked hair, his expression softening ever so slightly.
“Go to your rooms, Miss Clearwater, take this time to relax before we begin recruitm
ent in a few days’ time.”
With a nod, the man turned on his heel and strode down the hall, his cloak fluttering behind him.
Just as Arii was preparing to head in the opposite direction, the doors to the room behind her opened and a figure entered the hall, closing the door softly behind him.
Elijah’s intense silver eyes were fixed on her, his hood now pushed back slightly to reveal his face. Arii felt her breath hitch at the sight of him, at the sight of his dark brows narrowed and his strong jaw pulling his lips in a line. She had almost forgotten how incredibly handsome he was.
Elijah’s head tilted, his expression radiating disapproval.
“Care to explain what happened in Amberbourne?”
How in all the Gods names did he-
“Or are you going to lie and say you had nothing to do with it?” he growled.
Her eyes narrowed and she smirked, waving a hand dismissively.
“And what makes you think I had anything to do with it?”
Elijah prowled towards her, pausing a foot away and glared down at her, his voice lowered to a hiss. “You do not deny it, and not to mention you did not attend training this morning.”
Ah yes, training. In her haste to get as far away from the castle as possible after their near kiss in the library, she had forgotten about training at daybreak.
“So, you immediately assume I was the one slaughtering Red Guards in Amberbourne?” she hedged, forcing disdain into her voice.
Elijah leaned towards her, teeth slightly bared. The air crackled around them and she felt a familiar heat ignite in her veins at his close proximity.
“You make it hard to doubt.” he growled, his voice turning velvet and dangerous.
She inched towards him, their noses close to touching as they stared each other down. His eyes tracked her face, assessing for a hint of a giveaway. She would be damned if she would admit anything to him. Her voice was gentle as she whispered, “What if they deserved it…”
“Be that as it may, who are you to mete out justice?”
“Perhaps it was their fate that night.”
“And what do you know of fate?”
Arii’s eyes glittered as she let her eyes drop to his lips… those perfectly shaped lips.
“I know plenty about fate.”
His breath tickled her face, and Arii swore the temperature of the small space rose between them.
It was wrong, oh so wrong, but she wanted to kiss him - even now.
What was wrong with her?
He ignited something foreign within her, a fire that pulsed through veins, making her body wish to act of its own accord.
Elijah’s brow arched comically as he said, “Are you one of the Fates in disguise?”
You could say that, in a way…
Suddenly the door behind them opened and Elijah straightened, the space between them yawning wide and becoming cold.
“Oh, apologies.” said Lynnera gently, her voice cracking as she ducked her head and eagerly pressed past them. Arii peered over Elijah’s broad shoulder to see the King’s mother retreating down the hall. She could have sworn she saw the woman holding her cheek.
Odd…
The tension seemed to have been broken between them at the interruption, and Arii flicked her gaze to Elijah. He did the same, meeting her eyes after watching Lynnera’s retreat.
“Don’t think I won’t question you again. We aren’t done here.”
“Perhaps you could question me in my rooms?” she purred.
“Grow up, Clearwater.”
“Hah.”
With a glare, he turned and left her in the hall without another word, leaving her staring after him.
~~~
After her run in with Elijah, Arii glared down at her stomach which howled with sudden hunger. She headed to the kitchens for the possibility of a snack.
As she neared the room, her hearing picked up the sound of a sob, and she quickly headed in that direction. Pausing outside the entry to a room near the kitchens, she allowed her senses to reach out to the sound of hushed voices in the darkness.
Two figures stood by the far window of a guest room, a male and female. The male embraced the female, strong arms around her body as it shook with barely contained emotion.
“Lynn, you cannot allow him to continue to treat you this way.”
“What would you have me do? Agree with him and suppress my opinion so that it slights his hand?”
“If that stops him from harming you, Gods yes.” Hawke placed a hand on Lynnera’s cheek tenderly, inspecting the dark bruise beginning to form on her pale skin. Their forms were tinged in moonlight as he held her close. Hawke lightly pushed the neckline of her gown, revealing another dark bruise marring her skin. His breath inhaled sharply.
This was not an embrace of friends, this was the embrace of lovers.
Hawke leaned in and brushed his lips over Lynnera’s forehead, the caress feather light as if she were a delicate piece of porcelain that was close to breaking.
“It kills me to see your skin marred with bruises. I cannot stand by and let him harm you any longer…” He whispered; his tone laced with pain. Lynnera’s eyes lifted to his, wide and fearful. “Hawke, no, he will kill you.”
“If it means the slightest chance at ending his mistreatment of you, I will gladly face him.”
“You are a brave old fool.” Her tone was gentle, and her hand rested on his cheek. “But you cannot and should not. It is but a bruise. It will heal in a few days.”
“It isn’t just a bruise, Lynn, he may kill you one day if he loses his temper enough. He cannot treat you with such disrespect. He is cruel, he does not deserve you.”
“I’m stronger than you think.”
He chuckled softly in the dim light. “That I know. You are incredible and deserve far better. My offer still stands, Lynn.”
There was a pause before Lynnera spoke. “You know I cannot leave them…”
“Please, just think about it.” Insisted Hawke gently.
“He will hunt us down and take out his displeasure on the children.”
“They can come with us, we will seek refuge with the West Court, I have friends there.”
“I…” Lynnera fell silent, before whispering. “I will think on it, my love, I promise.”
“Until then, please refrain from being the target of Valdis’ ire. Gods Lynn, it took all my strength not to run him through today on the dais in front of Lorch.”
“Oh Hawke.”
His head dipped and they kissed in the moonlight. The moment was raw, sweet and Arii knew she had just stumbled upon something extremely dangerous.
The Commander and the King’s Mother were in love.
With that knowledge, Arii slipped to the kitchens, teeth pinching her bottom lip in deep thought.
Chapter Fourteen
“Pull it tight, Ingrid. Tighter, if you please.”
In the Princess’ suite, Sybell stood in front of a full-length mirror, staring at her reflection with a scowl. Her handmaid, Ingrid, pulled at the strings of the bodice of her deep blue gown, before expertly tying them against her back. “Perfect,” said Sybell, her breath light and airy. She turned then to face her maid.
Ingrid was a slight thing, her burgundy hair cut to her shoulders. The girl smiled timidly as Sybell stepped from the mirror and placed her hands on her hips.
“How do I look?”
“Resplendent.” said the maid in response.
With a smile, Sybell stepped to the young woman and placed her hands either side of her face, before their lips met in a scorching kiss. They stood there for a few moments, enjoying their time alone before Sybell was called to attend a lunch with some lords and ladies. Gods, they were all so boring, droning on ab
out the growing poverty of the towns in the land, and talking about how ‘the crops are not as fruitful this year’, the same as every time they visited.
Sybell leaned her forehead against Ingrid’s, and the maid ran her hands down the Princess’ arms in a comforting gesture.
“You could feign illness?”
“No, I used that excuse last time, remember?” she sighed.
“Mayhap it could be that time of the month?”
“You know it is not.”
Ingrid frowned, caressing the Princess’ cheek tenderly before leaning back to swipe a lock of golden hair from her face. “Will your mother try to marry you to one of the lords again?”
“I do not doubt it, she is becoming more… forceful about it of late. As if she wants me to move out of the castle.”
“You are of the age now where marriage is expected,” Ingrid pointed out.
“Do you want me to marry and leave?”
“Wherever you go, I go, you know this.”
Sybell’s frown was deep, causing Ingrid to dash a thumb over her lips. “You know I support you in whatever you set your mind to, Sybell, but I think I agree with your mother.”
Sybell’s lips popped open in surprise but she remained silent.
“Anyway, the Lord of Colkirk is rather dashing. It would not be all bad to be married to him, I’m sure. His estate overlooks the sea, imagine the lovely view.”
The Princess took Ingrid’s hand gently. “But you know it would all be a ruse.”
Ingrid smiled gently, placing a kiss to Sybell’s palm. “We do what we must for duty. You deserve a castle of your own, filled with riches and decadent cakes whenever you choose.”
“You know me a bit too well.”
“I know you the best.”
The women embraced again, sharing a few more stolen kisses before Sybell sighed deeply, stepping from Ingrid to find her shoes. “I better not keep them waiting, the boring old fools.”
“Good luck,” said Ingrid, a small smile fluttering over her lips. With a reluctant glance, Sybell walked to the door and lifted her chin, her usual narrowed gaze and expression like she had eaten a lemon returned.
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