Birthright

by Missouri Vaun

  “I know the way.” Aiden headed back the way she’d come. She looked back to see Frost still watching her. The woman had an unnerving way about her.

  By the time she returned to Venn’s chamber, Venn was dressed, and within another half hour the two of them were saddling horses in the stable. The sun had yet to fully crest the horizon, but it was light enough not to need a lantern. Aiden was happy to see that Gareth was nowhere in sight. A very bleary squire who’d been sleeping in the barn helped them with their gear, but he was so groggy from too much ale during the celebration that Venn sent him back to his bed in the hay.

  “Aiden, are you sure you want to do this?” Venn leaned against her saddle.

  “I need to see Belstaff for myself. Don’t you think it will be easier if just the two of us go? I don’t want to announce myself. I simply want to look around.” Aiden still hadn’t told Venn about her most recent vision.

  Venn nodded, but the expression on her face told Aiden that she wasn’t convinced.

  “Venn, I want to know things. Things I can’t know without seeing them for myself.” Aiden climbed into the saddle and patted Sunset’s neck. “I’m going to Belstaff. Are you coming with me?”

  Venn mounted her horse. “Yes, I’m with you, Aiden.”

  They had enough supplies for four or five days, bedrolls, and weapons. Aiden hoped they’d be back in three days, but she was prepared to take as much time as she needed to get the answers she was looking for. They rode side by side past the gatehouse and out across the open field. Ribbons of pink stretched across the sky as the sun rose to claim the day.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Kathryn’s day started as usual with maids helping her dress, breakfast, then papers and requests from the previous day. Through all of these tasks, she thought of Aiden. She was surprised to find that Aiden had risen before her and gone, but she appreciated the gesture. No doubt Aiden didn’t want to be there when the maid arrived in order to protect Kathryn’s privacy.

  There was no need to be concerned, in Kathryn’s opinion, as everyone had seen them dance at the celebration. She was certain that especially those who worked in the keep had already figured out some relationship was developing between the two of them. If anyone knew Aiden’s true identity, they would heartily approve the match.

  Still, by mid-morning Kathryn was surprised that she hadn’t seen Aiden.

  By the time she joined Rowan in the dining room she was starting to become worried that something was wrong. Was Aiden avoiding her? She wracked her brain in an attempt to remember something that might have happened to upset Aiden, but she could think of nothing.

  “Have you seen Venn today?” Rowan’s question caught Kathryn by surprise.

  “No. And I haven’t seen Aiden either.” Kathryn took a seat across from Rowan as the server placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of her. “I was actually going to ask you if you’d seen them.” Kathryn didn’t want to worry, but this seemed odd.

  “I’m sure they’re just out for a ride or something.” Rowan took a few sips from her spoon. Kathryn could tell that Rowan was trying to make her feel better, but the look on Rowan’s face didn’t instill confidence.

  “By the way, thank you for Aiden’s dance lessons.” Kathryn hoped to distract herself with a subject change.

  “I saw you two dance. I think she’s a natural.”

  “Did you manage to get Venn on the dance floor?” Kathryn felt bad that she hadn’t noticed, but she’d been completely absorbed with Aiden. For all she’d cared the rest of the room could have dropped away into oblivion.

  Frost walked by the open door as they chatted, and Kathryn called her over.

  “Frost, I wonder if you’ve seen Aiden or Venn recently?” Kathryn leaned back in her chair as the server delivered the main course of their meal.

  “No, I haven’t seen them, Your Highness.” Frost dipped her head in greeting to Rowan.

  “If you see either of them will you tell them I need to speak with them?”

  “Certainly. Will that be all?”

  “Yes, thank you, Frost.”

  After lunch, Kathryn had to meet with the chancellor and other members of her cabinet to discuss a land dispute between two barons. She asked Rowan to go to the stables. It was late in the afternoon before she found herself alone in her study.

  “Kathryn, Gareth hasn’t seen Venn or Aiden either, but one of the squires helped them find tack for their horses this morning. He said they left very early. The squire was quite hung over and didn’t remember hearing them say anything about where they were going.”

  “This just doesn’t seem like Aiden.” Kathryn began to pace. “I can’t believe she would leave without saying something. Not after last night.”

  “What happened last night?”

  Kathryn stopped pacing and looked at Rowan.

  “Oh.”

  Maybe what happened between them had meant more to her, but she didn’t think so. She brushed her fingers through her hair and began pacing again. She’d let her guard down with Aiden. She’d let her in, she’d trusted her, wanted to protect her, and now Aiden was gone. Then she remembered something.

  “I told Aiden last night that I was afraid for her.”

  “So?”

  “Do you think I frightened her away by saying that?”

  “I think we’re going to find out in a few hours that we were worried for no reason. We’re making it sound as if she’s not coming back. She and Venn probably just went for a long ride.”

  “Is that what you really think?”

  “No.”

  Kathryn was grateful for Rowan’s honesty. “I don’t either. I can’t explain why, but I feel as if something has happened.” Kathryn extended her route into the library that adjoined her study and resumed her pacing. Moving sometimes helped her think.

  Rowan followed her and stood looking into the small fire in the grate. Even though the first day of summer had arrived, the thick stone walls kept the castle’s interior cool enough to require a small fire for warmth most days.

  “What’s this?” Kathryn turned to see Rowan fish something from the coals. It looked like a partially burned letter. “This is addressed to you. Did you mean to burn this?”

  Kathryn stepped closer and examined the partly burned envelope in Rowan’s hand. “I haven’t seen this. I didn’t burn it.”

  They moved to the small desk on the other side of the library, and Rowan gently separated what was left of the envelope from what remained of the letter inside. The parchment had been folded in half so that only the first line and the last line were unsinged and legible.

  “Dearest Kathryn, It was very difficult to leave you this morning. More than anything…” Kathryn read the words aloud but the words evaporated at the edge of the burned paper. Then she read the only other line that was still visible, although some of the words were blackened and unreadable. “Think of me…I am away…yours.—Aiden”

  “Who burned this letter?” Rowan asked the question that was on Kathryn’s lips.

  “I don’t know.” And what had the missing words said? The not knowing burned inside her head like a fever. At least now she knew that Aiden had left word for her. But where had she gone?

  *

  Kathryn found Frost at the stables talking with Gareth.

  “Frost, may I speak with you?” Kathryn lifted her skirt as she stepped through the dirt surrounding the stalls. There’d been a light rain in the early afternoon, just enough rain to make the streets muddy.

  “There’s no need for you to come here, Your Highness.” Frost held out her hand to assist Kathryn as she navigated the uneven ground. The soft earth had been chewed up by the passing of hooves. Kathryn wondered why so many horses had obviously been traveling through the area in front of the barn. This sort of traffic only happened if troops were being mobilized.

  “It’s urgent that I speak with you, and I wasn’t sure when you’d be back to castle.”

  Kathryn hadn’t s
poken to Gareth in days. She’d seen him at the celebration dinner, but he’d left before she got a chance to talk with him. She suspected that Rowan was right and that he was jealous of Aiden. If he saw them dance then he’d have to know that Kathryn had feelings for her. At the moment, he was watching her intently, but she couldn’t quite read his expression.

  “Frost, I’d like to request that you send a patrol out to look for Aiden and Venn.”

  “I’m afraid that isn’t possible at the moment.” Frost rarely declined a direct request, so this was unexpected.

  “Will you explain why?”

  “The last battalion of troops just left to offer reinforcements to the north. We received word yesterday that raiders had crossed the border into Olmstead. I didn’t want to worry you or ruin the celebration, so I dispatched two regiments of cavalry yesterday before the celebration began.”

  “The chancellor didn’t inform me of this.”

  “The chancellor didn’t know.”

  “What?” Dispatching troops without cabinet approval was highly unusual. This was an alarming breach of protocol, especially when enacted by someone as by the book as Frost.

  “I felt it was in the best interest of our citizens to the north to act quickly and decisively. I believed that had I presented you and the cabinet with the details I’d received, that you would have endorsed this course of action.” Frost cleared her throat. Her tone had not been condescending but there was something in her voice that sounded foreign to Kathryn. “Given that everyone was busy with preparations for the celebration, I made the decision myself.”

  Kathryn was stunned. She was usually good at thinking on her feet, but she had no idea how to respond to this brazen breach in procedure. She trusted Frost, but that didn’t mean she approved of Frost making unilateral decisions without consulting the cabinet.

  “If you’ll excuse me, Your Highness, I’ll go now to discuss these matters with the chancellor.”

  After Frost left, Kathryn turned to Gareth.

  “You knew about this deployment also?”

  “I just saddle and care for the horses, right? That’s all you need from me.” Clearly, Gareth was upset about other things.

  “Didn’t you think this was something you should have told me? You see battalions mounting horses and leaving the keep and you don’t even tell me?” Kathryn was ignoring his passive aggressive comments about what she needed him for. What she needed from him at the moment were answers.

  “Look, I assumed you knew. Why would I think otherwise? Unless you were so distracted by someone that you don’t even know what’s going on in your own cabinet?”

  He was right. She should have known. Frost should have told her. Or she should have somehow figured it out. She should have taken her head out of the fog and paid attention. But it was too late now to call them back. Frost had dispatched three battalions of troops leaving Starford Keep woefully undefended. And she’d done it right under Kathryn’s nose. But also under the chancellor’s nose. Frost was right; they’d all been so distracted with details of the solstice celebration that none of them had noticed what was happening at the stables less than a quarter mile away from the castle.

  “You’re in love with her aren’t you?”

  The question had come out of nowhere. Kathryn looked up at Gareth. She was confused. “What? What are you talking about?”

  “Aiden. I saw you with her last night. I saw you dancing. You’re in love with her aren’t you?” Rather than combative, Gareth sounded genuinely crestfallen.

  “I don’t know.” Kathryn searched her feelings. She owed Gareth an honest answer. “Yes, I think I am.”

  “She doesn’t deserve you.”

  “Gareth, I—” But he didn’t wait to hear what she had to say. He’d already disappeared into the dark interior of the barn.

  Kathryn thought about going after him, but she had other more distressing matters to sort out. She lifted her skirt out of the mud and trudged back to the castle.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Aiden leaned back on her bedroll, propped on her elbow, watching the fire. They’d ridden all day and were well inside the boundary of Belstaff, but darkness had caught up to them so they made camp. Ever since they’d crossed into Balak’s territory, Aiden’s senses had been highly aware of everything. Every tree, every stream, every sound, every detail of the terrain and the air itself called to her. Like something remembered from a dream. She’d never experienced anything like it before. She felt sure she’d never be able to settle down enough to sleep.

  “We should be near Windsheer Castle by late morning.” Venn stoked the fire.

  “Is that what it’s called?” Aiden never knew the name of the place she’d seen in her vision, the place with the dark towers near the sea.

  “Yes, Windsheer Castle. A place I’ve not seen in twenty-one years.” Venn’s smile was a tight thin line.

  “How do you feel about coming back?”

  Venn released a long sigh. She seemed to be considering her words before she spoke. “I think I always dreamed of coming back, with you. But as the years passed and I heard of Balak’s violent exploits, I was beginning to let go of that dream.” Venn regarded her thoughtfully. “Frankly, I was beginning to think this day might not come.”

  Aiden pulled off a piece of dried beef and chewed slowly, allowing her vision to lose its focus as she stared at the dancing flames.

  “I was under the impression you had no interest in Belstaff. What has changed?” Venn asked.

  Aiden didn’t respond. She just looked at Venn across the fire.

  “Does Kathryn know about this little scouting mission?”

  Aiden shook her head. “I did leave her a letter, so she may suspect we were planning to travel to Belstaff, but I didn’t really spell it out.”

  “I don’t necessarily think this is a bad idea, but we must be very careful. You cannot reveal yourself to anyone.”

  Aiden nodded.

  “I’m serious, Aiden. We investigate and we leave. Two swords are not enough to defeat Balak on his own turf.”

  “I hear you. Don’t worry. I have every intention of returning to Olmstead in one piece.” She was curious about Belstaff, but equally anxious to be back with Kathryn.

  She hoped she’d said enough in the letter to let Kathryn know how she felt, but not so much that she overstepped where they were at the moment. They’d only spent two nights together, but Aiden knew her feelings for Kathryn went way beyond their short time together. If she closed her eyes she could feel Kathryn beneath her, smell her fragrant hair, the taste of her mouth. She already knew that to consider life without Kathryn would be to feel sickeningly cast out. Did that mean she was in love with Kathryn already? She suspected she was.

  Venn stirred the fire and sparks rose with the smoke, disappearing into the darkness.

  A chill ran up Aiden’s spine. And she puzzled over the cause of it. The night was warm and they had the fire. Venn lay across from her looking up at the stars. She was lost in her own thoughts. Aiden willed herself to relax. As she lay back and closed her eyes, she regretted the letter. She should have talked to Kathryn. She should have kissed her good-bye and told her how she truly felt.

  *

  Kathryn tossed back and forth in her bed. She’d skipped dinner, and now sleep was eluding her. She couldn’t relax. Ever since her discussion with Frost, a feeling of unease had settled over her. Was it just that by acting on her own, Frost had openly challenged Kathryn’s authority? No, that wasn’t it. She’d spoken with the chancellor, and given the evidence Frost purportedly received from the scout, he concurred with her decision to send troops. However, she couldn’t help feeling that sometimes the chancellor and the rest of the cabinet relied too heavily on Frost for decisions about defense and strategy. At any rate, the chancellor had assured Kathryn that Frost’s decision had been sound. So that wasn’t the source of her worry. Something else was causing her to fret, and she couldn’t figure it out.

&nb
sp; The obvious answer was that she was concerned for Aiden’s safety, which she was. But Venn was with her, so hopefully, they would return soon. Her letter, what was left of it, gave no indication of a timeline. The letter only said that she’d gone, but it didn’t say where or how long she’d be away or even if she was coming back. And who burned a letter that was addressed to her? That unanswered question was almost as alarming as her worry over Aiden. Had Aiden decided not to leave the letter for Kathryn and burned it herself? A sick queasiness rose from Kathryn’s empty stomach.

  She had to believe that Aiden would come back. They had made love twice, and while the first night had been little more than an exploration, the second night had transcended anything Kathryn had ever experienced. Surely Aiden felt that too.

  Kathryn was surprised when she heard a soft knock at her door. The glow of the candle that Rowan carried preceded her into the room as she gently closed the door behind her.

  “Kathryn, are you awake?” Rowan whispered the question from across the room.

  “Yes, come to the bed.” Kathryn sat up and made room for Rowan to join her under the covers. She was grateful for the company.

  “I couldn’t sleep. I thought you might be having the same problem.” Rowan set the candle on the bedside table and climbed up onto the high, four-post bed. Kathryn put her arm around Rowan and drew her close.

  “I can’t sleep either. I can’t stop thinking about everything and worrying…”

  “Venn didn’t say anything to me before she left either. Not that she would. We haven’t gotten to the same place as you and Aiden, despite my best efforts.” Rowan’s words caught Kathryn by surprise. The same place as you and Aiden. Where was that exactly? What place?

  “How could she possibly resist you?”

  “I know, right? I’m wondering the same thing.”

  They both laughed.

  “Maybe she’s not interested.”