A Warrior's Return: The Royal Houses of Sea and Snow

by Jude Marquez

  "Why learn from anyone else but the Barbarian Prince himself?" She asked and then the fight began.

  They learned quickly, to strike in multiples. Avelina darted in and out, using her smaller stature to strike low and hard. For some reason, the men seemed confused by the swirling skirts of hers and often tried to skitter out of the way. During these times, she would dart in, strike again and soon, she lost herself in the fight.

  "I believe that's all they have in them," Eamon said when she stood, victorious, a circle of men laying on the ground.

  "They were better this time around," Avelina said.

  "Really," Eamon said flatly.

  The lesson continued.

  Avelina returned to the castle during midday though Eamon stayed. Shortly before dinner, Alik sent Osonia out to remind him of their evening meal and he returned with her, sweaty and smelly and looking more like the man that Alik knew.

  "So it was a good day?" Alik said when Eamon entered their room.

  "It was," Eamon said and pressed a sweaty kiss to his mouth before getting pushed away with a laugh. "How was yours?"

  "Serviceable. Lord Neale's men ride for us, as do the men pledged to Lady Sexton," Alik said.

  Eamon nodded and headed for their bathing area but left the door open so that he could continue to speak to Alik as he got ready for dinner. He stripped of his clothes and stepped under the running water and scrubbed at himself perfunctorily.

  "Any others?" He shouted.

  "A few," Alik said from the doorway. "This bathing room idea of yours was brilliant, by the way."

  Eamon's eyes were closed against the soap in his hair but he grinned. "I know," he said. "Tell me more of your day."

  It was a new feeling, this sharing of information. Even the most mundane parts of his day, Eamon asked about.

  Alik went on about the men he met and the talks that they had. Eamon nodded and offered little advice but soaked up the sound of his husband's voice as he talked about the small annoyances that the nobility caused him and how quickly Lambin learned from his tutors.

  "Will you allow him back to train?" Eamon asked casually as he pulled on his britches and pulled a clean tunic on. He tucked it in and then offered his wrist Alik to lace up.

  It was a decision made between Margrave, Lady Sexton, and Alik. Though Eamon was opposed to pulling Lambin out of training, he knew that the decision ultimately lay with Margrave and Lady Sexton. He rubbed the poor boy's back while he sobbed on Eamon's shoulder and glared at the others for good measure. That night, Avelina and Eamon stole away to the kitchens to let Lambin gorge himself on sweet treats.

  "Eamon," Alik said with a sigh.

  "My point still stands," Eamon said evenly as he watched Alik lace up his other wrist. They were silent for a moment before Eamon said suddenly, "Did you know that I was kidnapped as a boy?"

  Alik raised an eyebrow and shook his head. He did not look up from his hands.

  "I was..." Eamon paused. "I believe I was twelve summers past. Maybe younger. They were from a kingdom my grandfather conquered and they never forgot the great insult. They killed my horse and tied me up like a pig ready for butchering."

  "You were alone?" Alik asked.

  "I had an unfortunate habit of running off when I tired of training," Eamon said.

  "You? Tired of training?" Alik snorted and shook his head. "This is a fairy tale, I do not believe a word."

  "When I am not in charge, I quickly tire of training," Eamon said with a small smile. He raised his hand to his eyebrow where he had a small scar that split it in two. "It's where I got this. I bled like a dying animal for hours."

  Alik remained silent but pulled the laces tight and they were stiff against his wrist.

  "They carried me far away. I don't remember all that much of the journey though I do recall being hot and thirsty. And their laughter. They laughed at night when they drank and beat me. I told myself that all I had to do was wait for my father and his men and they would come for me. But the further we were from home, the more I lost hope," Eamon's voice was soft and Alik imagined him as a young boy, terrified, hungry, thirsty. Not scared, though. Alik couldn't imagine a time when his King would be scared.

  "What happened?" Alik asked.

  "They took me almost all the way across the desert. I had to come to accept the fact that they would either ransom me or kill me or both. So I also figured that I needed to get away."

  Alik turned from him and went to their armoire and pulled out the wide brown belt and approached Eamon. He gestured for Eamon to raise his arms and prepared for Eamon to take the belt from his hands but Eamon was compliant and did as he was asked. Alik stepped close and wrapped the belt around his waist twice and buckled it.

  "They were the first men I killed and that was the first tattoo I was given," Eamon finished thoughtfully.

  "Which one?" Alik asked and Eamon touched his left bicep. Alik knew, from memory, that it was a sun setting over a desert. It was a minimal drawing and he had fallen asleep with his hand warm over it more than once.

  They were silent for a moment and Alik sighed. He turned back to the desk that they shared and shuffled through a pile of scrolls before pulling one out and handing it over to Eamon. He glanced down at it and read through it quickly and then handed it back to Eamon.

  "I know that we have come to an agreement not to demean one another and our respective arenas, but honestly, Alik. That means nothing," Eamon said with an impatient huff.

  The scroll proclaimed Lambin the official heir in the event that one was not given birth by either Lissandra or Avelina. If he was given the throne before he was fully trained for the role, Avelina would act as Regent and she and Margrave and Lady Sexton would act as a council until he was of an age to reign on his own.

  Eamon had to restrain from pointing out that he had been heir to his own kingdom and had gone again and again into battle. He knew that fact did not escape Alik, either.

  "It is how it is done here," Alik said and heaved a sigh. It was an old argument between the two of them and there was no satisfactory winner so far.

  "A king or queen is not excused from the duties of warfare just because they are noble. It isn't our status that makes us noble, Alik," Eamon said wearily.

  "It is our status that teaches us to serve and therein lies our nobility, I know. I remember. I believe you say it in your sleep," Alik muttered. "And if it were just up to me, I would let you. I would."

  "The Lord and Lady do not trust me," Eamon said.

  "They do not want him hurt. And the court protests putting him in unnecessary danger," Alik said.

  "He is far more valuable than anything or anyone else here. If they take him and he is not able to defend himself-"

  "I will talk to them. I swear," Alik said.

  Eamon fiddled with his belt and wouldn't meet Alik's eyes.

  "What is it?" Alik asked slowly.

  "Back home, before -" Eamon struggled. Then he sighed. "Before my sisters, it was not the custom for women to train. But Lissandra threw such a hystEdmundal fit day after day when I was taken for training and she was taken for needlework, that I got sick of it. I swore to her that everything I learned I would teach her. Of course, it didn't work that way and we had to tailor her lessons for her."

  "Are you suggesting that you teach Lambin in secret?" Alik asked and stared at Eamon.

  "I would never suggest such a thing," Eamon huffed and straightened his tunic and spread his arms out in front of Alik. "How do I look?"

  "You absolute fiend!" Alik accused.

  "I can change my clothes if they offend, my King," Eamon said but Alik knew him too well by now and could see through his ruse. Eamon was attempting to distract Alik and make him forget his current train of thought.

  Alik slapped Eamon's hands away as he moved to change his clothes.

  "You've already been training him, haven't you? When?"Alik demanded.

  "I have no idea what you are talking about. The decision was made,"
Eamon said and reached for his sword while avoiding Alik's gaze.

  "Is it during the evening? It will be much harder now that he shares a room with his mother, you know. And gods above and below know how you've kept it from Margrave. Does Avelina know?" Alik asked in a rush.

  "I am with you in the evenings," Eamon said and slid his sword into the scabbard at his hip.

  Alik studied him and Eamon offered him his arm.

  "It's in the mornings," Alik concluded. "You get up earlier than need be and work with him then. It's perfect. The sparring ring would be empty except for your most dedicated. Reeve. Avelina. Milet. Possibly Margrave unless you have managed to give him the slip and if you have, then you are far more conniving then I give you credit for. Then you return here, bathe, and join me for breakfast. Eamon, you absolute fiend," Alik hissed.

  "I am beginning to take offense at your words, Your Highness." Eamon said but did not deny Alik's words.

  Alik glared at Eamon.

  Eamon turned them towards the door and opened it for the two of them. Alik stared at him as they walked down the hall but Eamon kept his eyes on Milet's back as they made their way to the Great Hall.

  Finally, Eamon let out a sigh. "I worry that something could happen to him. He confided in me a great many things, among them that he fears that someone like Iolas will try to kill him or use him against his family. My own experience has taught me that it is not only a reasonable fear but likely to happen, especially one so young and so small."

  "He is not small," Alik muttered. "Everyone in comparison to you is small."

  "He is small. It is the shape of his body, Alik, nothing to be ashamed of. The squires from the Storm Isles that are his age are taller and heavier. But it makes him a likelier target than one who is larger. I was remarkably larger at that age and was still taken," Eamon said and his brow crinkled in worry. "Are you sure that there are none his age in the castle? From noble families?"

  "None, why?" Alik said.

  "My father- he had a good idea, once. When I was away, he had other nobles, trained but my siblings age, to accompany them. It looked like they were unguarded but they were not. It helped in more manner of things that we knew of at the time, but he couldn't have known that. That's how Edmond and Nicolin became so close. Nicolin was trained to protect Edmond from the time they were children-" Eamon stopped and cleared his throat.

  Alik didn't try to talk over the moment that he knew Eamon needed.

  "I just considered, if there were others that would be able to train than Lambin could have others like himself and he would not be so solitary," Eamon finally finished.

  Alik thought for a moment and they paused in front of Lady Sexton's rooms. "I suppose you're right."

  "Right about what?" Lady Sexton said as she stepped out of her room behind Avelina and Issat trailing the two of them.

  "Updating the library. Eamon is concerned that Lambin doesn't have the most up to date information available for his tutors," Alik lied smoothly.

  Lady Sexton smoothed her soft blue skirts, which matched beautifully to Avelina's gray ones and were off set naturally by the darker colors that Issat favored. Alik had no doubt that was Lady Sexton's doing. Even when Lambin emerged behind the three of them, his tunic matched Avelina's.

  "Hm," Lady Sexton said as they arranged themselves and it sounded like she didn't believe him at all.

  DINNER PASSED LIKE any other did and Eamon watched the court around him with only the slightest of interest. Alik and Margrave were talking about shipments and Eamon paid them only the slightest attention while his sister and Lady Sexton spoke quietly about the comings and goings of those around them and intercepted people that attempted to speak to the Kings.

  There was a scuttle of movement and Lady Sexton stood and out of habit, most of the Hall stood with her though she did not acknowledge them or the others who watched her. Instead, she greeted a man who had appeared in the doorway and hugged him fiercely.

  Lambin gasped and ran from his chair to the man, handsome and broad, though he looked exhausted from traveling. He was layered in dirt but Lambin threw himself at the man anyway and the man scooped him up easily and they hugged.

  Eamon had never seen Lady Sexton look quite so spirited.

  He looked over to Avelina who was looking back at him and they both studiously avoided looking to either Alik or Margrave. Lady Sexton pulled the man towards the royal family and Issat and Milet looked unsure but Eamon waved them away. Instead he stood and offered Alik his arm. Alik took it and they both stepped towards the front of the dais to greet Lady Sexton and her visitor. From the corner of Eamon's eye, he saw Margrave offer his arm to Avelina and she stood with him.

  Even on his arm, Alik felt stiff and Eamon knew that Margrave was just as tense.

  The visitor carried Lambin in one arm and the other arm, Lady Sexton kept close. She was smiling and her eyes were sparkling and Eamon knew he was getting look at the young girl that had once lived in the castle before life had been so cruel to her.

  "My Kings," she began formally and the man set Lambin on his feet before dropping to one knee and bowing his head. "Might I introduce to you my dear friend, Sir Clifton Allard. He gathered the men you asked for and rode for our aid as soon as he could. He hopes to train with you, King Eamon, and get the men in better shape."

  Alik and Eamon shared a glance and though they both knew the protocol, they were both torn between two sides.

  Lady Sexton greeted this man as a dear friend and the same thought that had gone through Eamon's mind had undoubtedly gone through Alik and Margrave's.

  Margrave and Emelina had come to a fragile peace, one that they shared for Lambin's sake though they both strenuously avoided any talk of their continuing a romantic relationship. There was too much bitterness on both sides and Alik and Eamon knew better than to try and force those two to speak of it.

  For their country's sake, they would present a grateful and united front. But behind closed doors, they would side with Margrave and they both knew it.

  "We are grateful for your speedy journey, sir. Are you steward over the Lady's good lands while she is here?" Avelina asked when she saw that both Eamon and Alik had no response.

  "Yes, Your Grace. It is my pleasure to serve at both the King's leisure. We have set up camp at the edge of the woods-" Sir Clifton began and he stood slowly and even Lady Sexton couldn't hide her surprise at the fact that neither of the Kings had replied personally.

  "Please, it is too cold," Margrave began suddenly. "I'm sure the Kings will be able to find room, somehow, here in the castle?"

  Alik and Eamon both turned to Margrave and Eamon realized how easily he could kill the man. He could easily reach out and strangle him and it was as though he had spoken the thought out loud and Alik's hand tightened imperceptibly. Margrave was purposely making Sir Clifton a nuisance, to annoy Eamon, perhaps for the sheer joy of it.

  Or perhaps Margrave had other plans, as he always did.

  "I have heard of the tragedies that have befallen the castle as of lately," Sir Clifton said. "We knew that we would be camping for the time being and insist on it. If we are to take the spots of the people here, then where would they be? Please, I cannot hear of it."

  It took every bit of willpower on Eamon's behalf to not turn and smirk at Margrave. Instead, he patted Alik's hand and stepped down so that he was face to face with Sir Clifton. He was a handsome man, indeed. Light brown eyes and broad shoulders and a generous mouth.

  "We appreciate your graciousness," Eamon said and Sir Clifton blinked and his mouth dropped open a bit before he cleared his throat and looked away. "As soon as our barracks are rebuilt and our castle has been righted, you will have your place here."

  "I-" Sir Clifton bowed again and he seemed nervous before he nodded. "I thank you, King Eamon. We have heard tale of what you and King Alik have been through and we want you to know that we are here to pledge ourselves and our lives if it comes to that."

  "Let us hope it
will not," Eamon said and nodded to Avelina and Margrave and they stepped forward. "My sister, Princess Avelina, Steward of Grayhaven in our absence, Princess of the Ataton Kingdom. Lord Margrave Thomlin, my most trusted confidant."

  "Thank you for receiving me on no notice at all. I thought it wise to come and introduce myself so that we are not set upon by the famous wolves that travel with His Highness," Sir Clifton said and there was a tilt to his mouth to show that he was teasing them.

  Once more, Alik’s hand tightened on Eamon’s bicep.

  "Clif, Clif, there is just the one that made it off the island with King Eamon. Look, he is there, by the Princess," Lambin said and tugged on his hand.

  Sir Clifton looked to where he was pointing and his eyes widened. "I believe that one is plenty, in this case."

  "Will you dine with us, sir?" Alik asked and Sir Clifton bowed again and Eamon had to wonder if it was a nervous gesture.

  "I would like to more than anything, Your Highness, but I left the men at the woods and desire to return to them. But if you insist-" He turned to Lady Sexton and she nodded.

  "No, return to your men. We will have a feast in their honor when all is settled. Rest well, sir." Eamon said.

  Sir Clifton hunched down and hugged Lambin once more and Lady Sexton hugged him again, so hard that he lifted her off her feet, and then he was gone, his plain brown cape flapping after him.

  The rest of the dinner was filled with talk of the newly arrived men and Sir Clifton.

  "I believe I need some rest for the morning," Alik said and his eyes were distant. "Shall we, my King?" He said.

  "Of course," Eamon said, concerned. It was Alik's habit to stay with the court until Eamon couldn't keep his eyes open anymore so he was surprised by this turn of events.

  The walk to their rooms was quiet and Alik kept his hand on Eamon's forearm and he couldn't help but find the gesture possessive. Eamon didn't mind but it was out of character for Alik.

  "What is it?" Eamon said when the doors were closed behind them.

  "Sir Clifton," Alik said and he tugged at the laces at Eamon's throat.