Eamon only partially paid attention as Lissandra and Avelina won yet another game and was nodding along with some things that Lissandra was saying when he excused himself. Willhelm and Nicolin were at the edge of the water, the waves gently lapping over their feet. They were discussing something while they gazed out at the water.
“Might I interrupt?” Eamon asked.
“Of course,” Nicolin said. They were captains of both the Princes guards and often consulted one another on their comings and goings. They were also the ones that Eamon trusted the most.
“Are you friendly with the Grayhaven knights?” Eamon asked.
Willhelm snorted and Nicolin looked away.
“What is it?” Eamon said, looking between the two of them.
“They are not the friendliest group to have visited our fine islands, Your Highness,” Nicolin said, struggling to look for the words.
“They are far too concerned with bedding a noble lady or a princess than they are with doing their jobs. They are lazy, dull, lack discipline, and prefer almost everything to training,” Willhelm added, throwing civility to the wind.
“Scarily accurate,” Alik said from Eamon’s back.
All three men startled and turned around to see Alik squinting up at the three of them.
“I’m sure that Willhelm didn’t mean-” Nicolin began.
“He did and I am grateful for his words,” Alik looked to Eamon. “I would advise that if you wish to get information from the knights of Grayhaven that you consult Issat. She is far better informed and outstrips their intelligence easily.”
“You brag of your Lady,” Eamon said.
Alik shrugged. “I do not have to brag. She is precisely who she is.”
“I do agree with His Highness. The Lady is smart and willing to trade information. What is it you seek to know?” Willhelm asked.
“I have word that there have been more sightings of scouts from Vresal. But mother does not wish for me to do anything that could take away from this joyous time, so whatever is to be done, must be done discreetly,” Eamon said.
“Not a problem. I will send out scouts tonight-” Willhelm said.
“No need. The orphans have been tracking them,” Eamon said with a sigh.
Willhelm and Nicolin both groaned.
“What?” Alik asked.
“The orphans consider themselves part of the guard. They keep an ear out and an eye on anyone or anything that could be suspicious. Very often, their information is good and correct,” Eamon said.
“But there are times when instead of coming to report to us, they take it upon themselves to investigate. They put themselves in danger, from time to time,” Willhelm added.
Alik nodded but did not say anything further.
“Tonight, I want you to take a contingent. They are on the south shores. The rocky ones,” Eamon said.
“Of course they would land there,” Nicolin muttered and shook his head.
“They are rocky and dangerous in daylight. If you are familiar with the land, perhaps you would survive such a landing. Otherwise, you tempt death,” Willhelm explained to Eamon.
“Could you all land there?” Alik asked.
“We would not be in His Highnesses service if we could not,” Nicolin said and puffed his chest out.
“It is part of their training to land there successfully three times a year, during the worst of conditions,” Eamon explained.
“Then why put all this effort in? Sail out, wait for them during the day, and when you see them start to land, push them in. Crowd them towards the rocks, smash them and their boats against the shore,” Alik suggested.
“Oh,” Willhelm said softly.
Eamon looked at Alik with new appreciation.
“Will your wolves go to the shore to wait for any survivors?” Alik asked.
“Happily,” Nicolin said.
“Simply a suggestion,” Alik said and wandered back to the canopy where the others were seated, still talking and eating.
“I believe he is a witch and has stolen all the intelligence and wit from his knights,” Willhelm declared.
Eamon wasn’t sure if he agreed, but there was certainly something to his ideas.
Chapter 8
That night on his way to dinner, Alik could barely keep his eyes open. Between the sun and the swimming he eventually participated in, he was feeling the exhaustion seep into his bones.
"I'll have to mix a poultice for you," Lissandra said the moment she sat down.
"Why?" Alik asked as he sat.
"The sun has taken its toll on you," she said and gestured to his face. "You're burnt."
He raised a hand to his face but Issat caught his hand. "I wouldn't if I were you." Instead, she tipped a gilded plate his way and he caught sight of his face. It was bright red along his cheekbones and on his nose. Even the tips of his ears felt tender.
"Oh," Alik said faintly.
"Northerners aren't built for our sun," Edmond said as both he and Eamon sat. They were both somehow even more tan and Alik found himself irritated by it. Neither did they seem remotely tired from the day. Not even Eamon, who did a great deal more than the rest of them, seemed like he was ready for bed.
"Just as we aren't built for your winters," Lissandra said diplomatically.
"It's also why you are so tired," Eamon added. Something caught his eye and he gestured to a man at the door. The man came in and there were four wolves at his sides. "Kane stays. The others are to be sent on patrol with Nicolin."
Alik wanted to be proud that Eamon took his gesture to heart.
"Sire," the man said and gestured for the great black wolf to the corner. The wolf moved to his spot with a fluid grace and curled up. His bright blue eyes reminded Alik of flames.
"Is everything well, Your Highness?" Issat asked politely.
Eamon sat back as the first course was brought out. A salad with berries was presented to them. "As well as could be expected, I suppose."
"The Vresal army?" She guessed.
Eamon tipped his head at her and she looked away. Alik knew what it was like to be under such a scrutinizing gaze.
"I apologize, sir. Sometimes, I forget my place," Issat murmured and glanced away.
Her place in Alik's court was strange. If the two had been romantically inclined, they would have long ago secured a throne for Issat. Queen Aconi treated her like a daughter and even King Alexios doted on her. She was the head of Alik's personal guard and trained with his knights though some resented her place and spread rumors of how she had attained such power.
"Do not apologize," Eamon said. "I only forget that you were also schooled in the arts of war and strategy, were you not?"
"Only because Prince Alik insisted on it," she replied. "Were it not for his insistence, the King would have never allowed it."
"Someone had to know what the hell they were doing while I was being schooled in diplomacy and politics," Alik said bitterly.
The other four royals turned to him, this being the first time they had ever heard him use such a tone. The exhaustion must have been wearing on him more than he realized, especially after the past few days. After a tense silence, Eamon turned back to Issat who seemed entirely unbothered by Alik's tone.
"I would like your opinion on a few matters. Your experience with the Vresals are different from my own, are they not?" Eamon asked and sat forward. His hands folded over his plate neatly and he nodded at a servant who poured wine for the table.
"We have fought their scouts back overland, sire. I believe you have done the same," she said.
"But not through the forests and snow. Your maneuvers and techniques in such an arena are beyond my own methods," Eamon said.
Issat's eyes went wide as he stared at her, though no one else at the table seemed to find the Prince's words remarkable. Alik had to remind himself that the others didn’t see Eamon as Crown Prince of the Barbarians, Slayer of Armies, the Bladebringer, soaked in the blood of his enemies many times over
.
To them, he was just Eamon, their brother, caretaker, and dearest friend.
Alik had a hard time seeing both those images in his head and found himself staring at his plate for an inordinate amount of time.
"I- I would not think so, sire- I mean not to contradict you sir, but your exploits are tales throughout the lands and I would not presume to know-" Issat sputtered.
"Please, do me the favor and work with me in the arena tomorrow," Eamon said.
Lissandra caught Alik's eye and she gestured to a small bowl filled with some kind of sauce just off to the side of his plate. He dipped his fruit in it and found the mixture of the sweet fruit and the spicy sauce to be something incomparable. She smiled at the expression of surprise on his face.
"Of course, Your Highness. But I can assure you, I know no more than what you do in the arena," Issat said.
"We'll see," he said and returned to his meal.
"How were the children?" Lissandra asked Avelina.
"Grown," she said with a soft sigh. "Eamon and Edmond should visit soon. There are a few pups there that are anxious to join the squires here."
Edmond nodded, although his face was half buried in his salad.
Eamon looked thoughtful still. "Are they even old enough?"
"Geno approaches twelve summers. Aro, his brother, is just behind him at eleven summers," Avelina said.
"Have they learned their letters and numbers?" Edmond asked, finally coming up for air from his plate.
"You teach your orphans?" Alik asked and was surprised when four pairs of eyes turned.
"Why would we not?" Lissandra asked.
"How did you- how are you capable?" Alik asked and leaned forward. There was a spark in his eye now that hadn't been there before. "It is a constant fight with my father and the nobles, to educate the poor. They insist there is no need, that it is a waste of resources."
"It is not a waste of resources," Avelina said fiercely. He saw, for the first time, the fire he had seen in Eamon when Eamon was in the sparring arena. "It is vital that these children be taught from a young age their letters and their numbers."
"Our next generation leads the armies and the governing of our old age," Lissandra said and her eyes were wide as though the thought of denying a child an education was verging on heretical. "Our history and the knowledge we have gained throughout these long years needs to be passed on so that we do not make the same mistakes again."
"Our knights need to know how to read maps, how to break coded messages, how to create the coded messages." Edmond picked up and gestured to his older brother and himself, "In a time of war, we have no time to teach knights and soldiers how to read and make sense of numbers. That would be the waste of resources."
"Our squires are required to read and write and do basic math so that we can teach them to read maps, decide on a strategy, create and decode messages, calculate the number of miles and possible enemy targets." Eamon raised an eyebrow, "To say that educating the young is a waste of resources is a personal waste of your time and should be treated as such."
Alik looked to Issat and sat back as his plate was swept away. "Noted," he said.
"To answer your question, it is only scouts. Small contingents, probing for indefensible areas, to answer your question," Eamon said Issat. "They will be dealt with swiftly."
At that, Eamon looked over to Alik and Alik couldn’t help but smirk.
“What?” Edmond said, his mouth still full of salad. He pointed his fork at Alik and then his brother. “I don’t like the two of you plotting together. What did the two of you do?”
Eamon shook his head and chuckled.
"If you have a need for my men, please take them," Alik said and looked over his shoulder at his knights seated with the Grayhaven knights. He completely ignored Edmond’s question. "They could surely use the training," he muttered.
"Troubles amongst the men?" Edmond asked and looked towards the knights as well. Alik knew what he saw; some old men and young men, all physically unfit compared to the Ataton knights, and more than a few of them falling asleep at their table, despite the lack of activities during the day. None accompanied them that day to the beach.
"Only among the older ones, the ones who served underneath my father and grandfather. The ones who should have retired by now," Alik said and made a face. "They find me too young, too brash. Inexperience is my enemy," he muttered and there was that trace of bitterness in his voice once again.
"Be thankful for it," Eamon said.
Alik smirked at his plate and watched as it was taken away and replaced with roasted and spiced meat on a bed of greens and a side of rice. Goblets were refilled. "Do not mistake my tone for one of want of experience. Hardly. War is not something I desire. But it does create a bond between men and their officers that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Were I able to create that bond in another way, I certainly would, believe me. But since that is not an option, we make do."
"They admire you," Edmond said.
"Admiration, even a kindred feeling, is not the same as the respect a man has for his king or prince," Alik's eyes flickered over to Eamon who was watching him steadily, "Who has fought alongside him. Who has sacrificed only what can be sacrificed on the killing fields."
Silence fell on the table.
"But I am grateful, believe me, that that has not been required of me," Alik said softly.
"Train with us," Eamon suggested suddenly.
"I appreciate the offer but I like my face and limbs in their current arrangement," Alik said.
Lissandra snorted and put her hand over her face.
"We'll go easy on you," Edmond bargained.
Alik glanced between the two of them and sighed. "Fine," he muttered.
EAMON FELL ON HIS BED that night with a heavy thump and let out a long sigh. The mounting issues with the Vresal army and scouts were grating on him and his father refused to hear of it; not when he had guests. Every time he approached his father, Alexios was there, and they were often drunk. It was frustrating to have to provide daily reports to his father, as his father brushed aside the mounting evidence of the Vresal army creeping in.
Alexios was proving to be more of a nuisance now that Alik was no more allowed out from under Eamon’s supervision than if they were actually married. If Alexios demanded to see Alik, it only happened if Nicolin or Willhelm were there with men of their own. Often Alexios demanded to see Alik at unreasonable times, far too early in the morning or far too late at night.
Eamon would have to put an end to that as well. It was only a matter of Alexios trying to control Alik in another way.
Eamon dared any to challenge him on the new rule.
None did.
Eamon had to fight against his baser instincts to take it out on Prince Alik and Lady Issat. He knew that they had little to no sway over King Alexios and the lavish outdoor parties that were being thrown in his honor. In fact, Alik's eager nature to learn more about the Ataton empire was the only bright spot in the whole fiasco that was this mindless and insane courting. Courting that was confusing to Eamon; just as confusing as how quickly Alik could switch moods, at how quickly he was learning the Ataton ways.
There was no need to correct him in how to greet the soldiers, though he always let Eamon go first. He wore their clothes with ease now and much to Eamon’s surprise, he had seen Alik in the library and with his mother in the halls, on his arm.
It seemed like he was born for their court.
Eamon couldn’t decide if he was suspicious or grateful for how easily Alik fit in. Then, when his thoughts drifted down as to why he was grateful, he stopped thinking and turned away to something else.
Just as Eamon was beginning to think that he would get an early night’s sleep for once, there was a knock at the door. He sighed and looked up at the wolves above his head. He wished he were one of them. Their lives were so much less complicated.
Eamon sat up and went to his door. There, Avelina and Edmond stood. Th
e torchlight caught the gold in their hair and they had an identical look of solemnity in their eyes. They could have been twins, like Eamon and Lissandra, and for some reason, Eamon felt his heart ache for how much affection he had for his younger siblings. He wished that this weight, of an impending wedding and a possible war, was not on their shoulders. He wished he could take it all from them and that they might be carefree children always.
"May we speak?" Avelina said. The light caught on her diadem and her golden skin glowed.
Eamon opened the door further and let the two of them into his room.
"Of course," he said. He turned when Edmond closed the door and leaned against the ancient oak table in his room. "What is it?" He asked.
"Prince Alik," Edmond said and for some reason, Eamon felt a flare of temper to defend.
"What has he done?" Eamon asked straightening his stance slowly. He didn’t know if he was ready to defend his siblings and family against Alik or Alik against his siblings.
"The most spectacular thing," Avelina breathed and Eamon's eyes went to her left hand but there was no ring there. It made perfect sense that Avelina would go to Edmond with the news first, though it did sting a bit. But Edmond would have less of a temper for her to deal with and was better at calming Eamon if it came to that.
"Did he not even give you a ring when he proposed?" Eamon asked and tried to forget the pinch of disappointment in his throat. He tried to focus on the fact that a man with as much means didn’t see fit to even put a band of gold around-
"He didn't propose," Avelina said. "In fact, he said that he wouldn't be proposing."
"To Avelina," Edmond said swiftly when he saw the confusion on Eamon's face.
"Yes, to me," Avelina said.
Eamon studied his sister and wondered if he had the character of his youngest sister all wrong. Did she truly want to be queen of some great kingdom? Despite what she had claimed all these years, Eamon had to wonder. She treated Alik kindly enough but not as a means to what she used to claim was her life’s greatest accomplishment.
A Prince's Duty (The Royal Houses of Sea and Snow, #1) Page 9
