Tales of the Northern Kingdoms volume 2

by Barbara G. Tarn

  And then somehow she compared her first probably unrequited love to the prince she'd found asleep in an abandoned castle. They were physical opposites – one blond and blue-eyed, the other with raven hair and brown eyes – but they had the same kind of sweetness to them. Splendor was more beautiful in the classical sense of the term, but Malcom had something...

  Maybe it was her memory of him. The fact that she'd wished for so long that his smiles meant something and that he'd kiss her under the moon... luckily he hadn't been present when the others had assaulted her.

  She didn't consider herself lucky with men. She never had really wanted anyone, not since the rape. Maybe that was why she cherished the feelings she'd had for Malcom. She had told Splendor that she hadn't made a chastity vow, but in fact she didn't have much sex. She didn't like it.

  Maybe Splendor could change her mind, but she was afraid that if she allowed him to get too close, she'd lose the power to keep him awake. She thought she had motherly feelings for him, more than love. She wanted to protect him from the big bad world out there, so he wouldn't have to suffer like she had.

  Ah, well, she wasn't going to dump him anywhere yet. She would find a home for the poor prince who had been so touched by Miranda's story... maybe she should take him back to that lone farm, maybe a surrogate mother was what he needed.

  Which reminded her she'd come back to check something.

  ***

  Splendor never understood why Billinda had sex with Dennison in one of the warehouses of the villages. He saw them lying naked in each other's arms and envied the teen who had had more than he ever had from the warrior woman.

  "Billi, should we leave?" he asked the next morning after only two nights in the fishermen's hamlet.

  "Sure," Billinda answered.

  "I'm coming with you!" Dennison said. He seemed to be always around and was really getting on Splendor's nerves.

  "What? Where do you think you're going, fisherman?" Splendor retorted.

  "What, you jealous?" the boy snapped.

  "No, I'm not!"

  "Enough, boys!" Billinda rolled her eyes. "We'll all go together to Salamar."

  Splendor and Dennison glared at each other, but neither dared to contradict the warrior woman.

  The beautiful dame

  Before reaching the capital, the travelers reached Moriana, declining former capital of the Moren Empire. It was relatively small compared to what it used to be, with stone walls and several large gates. Its layout was of concentric circles around the former imperial palace and main temple, and its main attractions were still the lavish temples, well-stocked merchants and race tracks.

  Its economy was based on vineyards and orchards, its main fruit being melons. The government was now one official elected by the king of Salamar, since the town was part of the kingdom. The corruption was very low and the major influence was popular opinion.

  It was famous for its mages and pickpockets and the nearest tavern was just beyond the entrance. But the three travelers didn't stop there. The streets smelled like garbage and the buildings had large windows. The guards looked a bit lonely and the locals seemed very hospitable.

  "Maybe here we can find a place for Splendor," Dennison said as soon as they mingled in the crowd of people milling in the busy streets.

  "I don't need to find a place," Splendor retorted while Billinda rolled her eyes. She shouldn't have brought both with her.

  "Seriously! Here lives the beautiful dame who never falls in love," Dennison insisted. "She's noble, rich, gorgeous. If she likes you, you can live like a prince again."

  "Are you sure, Denni?" Billinda asked.

  She had heard of many notable locals – the extravagant master artisan who was associated with allegations of bribery, the unhappily married wizard who could often be found in bad company, the very wealthy courtesan who frequently had ill-concealed affairs – but she'd never heard of an unmarried noblewoman who didn't fall in love. True that she had avoided Moriana for years, so things might have changed.

  "Of course!" Denni sounded excited at the prospect of dumping Splendor somewhere and being alone with her. "Everybody has heard of the heartless dame! Your brother told us the tale when he came back to the village!"

  "Right." Now she remembered. She had tried to forget what had happened in Moriana, but going back home meant her memories were flooding back. She wasn't sure it was a good thing yet. "Splendor, this woman is known for using men without falling for them," she told the blond prince who frowned at her. "She could be the solution."

  "You want to get rid of me?" Splendor glared at her.

  "No, but you're not really cut out for this wandering life," she replied.

  "While Denni is," he commented, sarcastic.

  "No he's not!" Billinda tried to read Splendor's face, but he turned his back on her. "Splendor, what's wrong with you?"

  "Nothing. Let's see the lady," he snapped.

  ***

  Splendor wasn't happy to hear the story of the beautiful dame. Even less when Billinda confirmed it and offered it as a solution. Maybe Billinda really had enough of him. He couldn't blame her.

  He admired the palace of the lady, though. Inside it was almost like his father's castle. He could enjoy living in such a luxurious environment after all.

  And the dame was indeed beautiful. And young, probably his age. Her strawberry-blond hair fell in gentle waves on her shoulders and halfway down her back. Her green eyes looked at him and moved on. She had freckles and a dazzling smile.

  "To what do I owe the visit?" she asked.

  Billinda explained to her that Splendor was a prince of a lost kingdom who was looking for shelter. Lady Yasmine invited him to sit with her while Billinda and Dennison left to go back to the tavern.

  "So you're a fallen prince?" she asked, curious.

  "Yes, my lady."

  "It shows. You have class that your friends don't have."

  "They take care of me for free, what else can I ask for?"

  "Nothing, my beautiful prince. Except a palace worthy of your beauty."

  She smiled and kissed him.

  Splendor had been starving for some attention. He needed to touch and caress and kiss and whisper sweet nothings. Even just sex would do at the moment – possibly not with a blindfolded whore.

  Yasmine was noble, beautiful and ready to give him what he'd missed the most. He loved her for a whole night and didn't fall asleep.

  So it's true she doesn't fall in love! he thought, still incredulous. Yasmine... only for sex... And Billinda? Will she leave? What do I really want?

  Doubts and thoughts kept him awake for a long time. It wasn't easy to make up his mind.

  ***

  "Working here or there... doesn't matter to me," Billinda said as they had a drink together at the tavern. Dennison was blissfully absent and Splendor had found the courage to ask her what she would do now. "If you're doing fine..."

  "Let's say it's not that bad," he replied, ignoring the brief brawl on the other side of the main room. He'd gotten used to the rowdy crowd of taverns.

  "I see, you're not in love!" Billinda chuckled. "That's probably why you're still awake!"

  "Mm, yes..." He stared at her. "What about you and Denni?"

  "What? You want to know if I'm in love with him? No. I wanted to see him naked and I had sex with him. Once."

  "You didn't allow me," Splendor muttered. "Not even once to go all the way."

  "You're not seventeen with a birthmark on the right shoulder," she replied with a wink.

  "What?" Splendor stared at her, puzzled. "But he should have been called Massimino!"

  "The adoptive parents didn't like the name." Billinda smiled. "I asked her father before we left. He's called Denni, so he called his son Denni-son."

  "So you knew?" Splendor was amazed.

  "I imagined it could be him." She shrugged with an amused look on her face.

  "Did you tell him? About his real mother?"

  "He knows h
e was adopted. And if he's not interested in finding out his true origins..."

  Splendor still thought it wasn't fair. Miranda should be reunited with her son.

  ***

  Billinda had mixed feelings in Moriana. Memories of her stay with Arindal mixed with the new sights she was discovering every day. When she'd come with her family, she'd stayed mostly in the house they'd rented, with annexed fish shop. Men went fishing in the river and the women took care of the shop.

  After three years, things were going badly with sales and taxes, so the family had gone back to the village. Billinda was already on her own by then, and she'd hoped they'd still be in Moriana when she'd gone home to check Dennison.

  The teen had heard of Moriana and was very curious about town life. So here she was, back in Moriana. Now she spent most of the days out, getting lost in the streets and temples and strolling in the marketplaces and gardens of the city.

  She went to watch the horse races twice with Dennison, Splendor and Yasmine. She inquired with the mages if anyone knew anything about the long-sleep spell, but apparently it had been lost centuries ago.

  Dennison kept trying to get into her pants, so she had to keep him at bay. And she loved people-watching. She often wondered what was the story behind the faces. She sat a whole day in a bazaar, tasting the local fruit juice with Dennison snorting and fidgeting until he got sick of being still and wandered off on his own.

  The cute, relaxed young woman wearing very expensive jewelry – was she the lover of a nobleman? A courtesan? The daughter of one of the local noblemen? And the overweight, scornful old man who was moving in the opposite direction from everyone else... what was with him? He seemed to hate the whole world!

  And then there was the oddly dressed, wide-eyed boy who just drew his dagger. What was he up to? Who did he think he could scare with that boyish face? And the freckled, furtive man who was being stolidly avoided by a nearby vendor, what was he up to?

  She was sure there were many stories there. Maybe she should stop wandering, learn to write and become a bard. Wait, maybe bards didn't really write down their compositions... she could make up stories and recite them!

  No, that wasn't really her idea of earning a living. Being a mercenary was probably better. She should find work as a guard, maybe at Yasmine's palace. She still had some gems of the Fajrulo treasure, but they wouldn't last forever.

  Another week, and if Splendor still got along fine with Yasmine, she'd move on. Possibly leaving Dennison behind.

  ***

  Billinda stared at Splendor's unconscious body with a frown. Not again. He was half-naked and gorgeous, with his now long blond hair spread on Yasmine's pillow and his luscious lips more inviting than ever.

  "I thought you never fell in love," she said bluntly to the desperate dame.

  "I..." Yasmine sobbed. "It never happened, but... he... thanks to him my broken heart was healing and..."

  "Go to hell, he's not your cure," Billinda muttered, turning her back to the crying lady and sitting on the bed. She leaned to kiss Splendor awake – a very brief kiss that luckily brought him back to life.

  "Sorry, sleeping beau, we failed again!" she told him cheerfully.

  "Billi..." For some reason he looked relieved to see her. And to leave Moriana and the lady's house.

  "You're under spell?" Yasmine asked him. "Such a shame! Condemned to live without love... it's awful!"

  As if it wasn't what you'd been doing, Billinda thought.

  "Thanks anyway, Yasmine," she said before leading both Splendor and Dennison out of the palace and the town.

  They were already in open country when Dennison blurted out, "Can you believe the heartless dame was a victim of love?"

  "Yes..." Splendor still looked relieved and Billinda rolled her eyes.

  "Linda, where are we going now?" Dennison asked.

  "Denni..." Billinda turned and glared at him. "Don't call me Linda!"

  "But it's your name!" the teen objected.

  "No, my name is Billinda! If you really want to shorten it, call me Billi, is that clear?"

  ***

  That night they camped under the stars, hopefully for the last time. Billinda excused herself while Splendor rekindled the fire before going to sleep. He'd wondered about her outburst with Dennison. Maybe she didn't want to be called Linda, because that was what her family called her?

  Dennison was sort of lucky, though. He'd known her since childhood – his childhood, but still a lot longer than Splendor himself. Which reminded the prince of Billinda's words.

  "Dennison... have you ever wondered who your real parents are?" he asked.

  "If they abandoned me, they didn't want me, therefore I don't care," the boy replied.

  "Maybe they didn't abandon you. Maybe your mother is looking for you..."

  "You're trying to get rid of me, aren't you?" Dennison glared at him in the flickering light of the fire. "You find all the excuses!"

  You find all the excuses to get rid of me, Splendor thought, remembering Yasmine for a moment.

  "Listen... Linda, I mean Billi, does she give it to you?" Dennison asked with an impish smile.

  "What?" he asked, puzzled.

  "Her pussy, obviously! Why are you with her otherwise?"

  Splendor blushed and looked away.

  "Um... there are other reasons, you know, Denni..."

  "If you say so..." Denni didn't look convinced and hugged his knees with a disappointed expression.

  Splendor lay down by the fire wondering when Billinda would "give it to him."

  Salamar

  Salamar, capital of the kingdom of the same name, was a large town with walls made of wood and stone with few gates. It had been built around a central bridge on a river and its main attractions were city parks, fountains and the well-stocked merchants that offered their goods at exorbitant prices, overcharging outsiders.

  The local guards were thugs, but they weren't bothered by a warrior woman and her companions. The houses kept their windows shuttered, therefore only the shops looked open on the streets paved with bricks.

  The nearest tavern was halfway across town, but Billinda usually went to the Sterling Star Inn since it was a place where mercenaries gathered to look for work. It wasn't too far from the royal palace and in the center of the town, but they didn't have rooms, so she usually booked one at another place.

  "My lords, Salamar," she told Splendor and Dennison as soon as they passed the gate.

  "Have you already been there, Billi?" Dennison asked, eyes wide in wonder.

  "Yes, Denni."

  "And what is it like?"

  "It's... the capital. Salamar's pride. It simply is."

  "It looks bigger than what Moriana was supposed to be," Splendor said. "I had heard wonders of the former capital of the Moren Empire..."

  "As you've seen Moriana has lost all glitter. It's a declining city now. This is the new capital. Salamar, Havenstock, Konigtown, Xendaria all became bigger and better than Moriana."

  "What's that?" Dennison pointed at a blond androgynous being with pointed ears that walked in front of them.

  "That's a Genn, Denni, don't stare. There are a few still around."

  Dennison's enthusiasm was unstoppable. Splendor blushed as women whispered how handsome he was as he passed. Billinda gave up trying to keep Dennison quiet. Finally they reached the tavern and entered the half empty main room.

  "Welcome. I'm Olivia, how can I help you?" The maid had long black hair tied in a knot and green eyes. Billinda knew she was the owner's daughter, since the inn always stayed in the family.

  "Olivia? Nice to meet you, I'm Dennison!"

  Billinda rolled her eyes and pulled the boy away from the amused maid. "We'd like to eat and a couple of rooms, thank you."

  Olivia served them a meal and Dennison kept flirting with her. She didn't seem to mind and Billinda had no objection when he left with her. Splendor also followed them with his eyes.

  "How many women do you thin
k he had in his life?" the prince asked.

  "A few," Billinda answered. "Leave him alone, he's never seen such a big town until now."

  "I hope he finds what he's looking for," Splendor said, finishing his ale.

  "What does he look for?" Billinda asked.

  "Company, like everybody else."

  "Everybody else meaning men."

  "Women too."

  "I don't. I'm fine as I am." Billinda grinned proudly. It had taken her years to earn her independence and she wasn't going to give up on it. Hearts and flowers never meant much to her anyway.

  "What if Malcom and his wife split?" Splendor asked, staring at her.

  "I don't care. I don't want to get involved with any of you."

  "Why?"

  "Damn, Splendor, there's no why, all right? I don't want to, and that's it!" She rolled her eyes and rose from the bench. "Where does it say that women must have a man by their side to be happy? You are more a hindrance than help! Therefore I'm on my own, and I'm fine!"

  "Fine, calm down." Splendor smiled at her outburst and patted her shoulder. "Maybe you're just tired. Let's get some sleep, shall we?"

  Billinda was relieved that Dennison wasn't in the room. She didn't mind sharing with Splendor, but Dennison was becoming a little too intrusive for her tastes. She really hoped he'd find in Olivia what she refused to give him.

  ***

  As they lay side by side, Splendor slid closer to Billinda. The room was dark and he wanted to feel her warmth against him.

  "Billi..." he whispered in her ear.

  "Don't start again or I'll request another room," she snapped.

  "Why? You did it with Dennison..."

  "Leave me alone. I don't want to have sex with you."

  Splendor wasn't going to force himself on anyone, so he lay back, staring into space as he listened to her breathing. Why was she so harsh with him? Why did she allow a seventeen-year-old to touch her when she kept him at arm's length?

  "If you hate me, just say so," he told her the next morning as they sat in the main room for breakfast.

  "I don't hate you," she answered patiently.

  "They why do you keep me so much at bay?"

  She hesitated. "I don't want you to go back to sleep. Besides, one should never mix work and pleasure."