by Donna Hatch
A golden-haired knight with a wide, boyish smile rushed up to them. “You made it!” he said with a whoop. “I knew you would. You always manage to beat the odds.”
Kai’s face lit up. “Garhren.”
The knight pulled him in for a brief hug and a hearty slap on the back. “It’s good to see you in one piece, Kai.” He shook his head, his voice sobering.
Kai exchanged a meaningful look with him and then turned to Jeniah. “My lady, may I present Garhren Ravenwing, knight in the Home Guard, and all-around troublemaker. Garhren, this is Lady Illané of Tirai.”
Garhren’s eyes fixed boldly upon Jeniah’s face and traveled downward to make a thorough appraisal. He bowed deeply. “My lady, I’m your humble servant.” He turned to Kai with a raise of his eyebrows and flashed a wolfish grin.
Kai rolled his eyes and clapped his friend’s shoulder. “Garhren, I need to speak with the king, but I’ll come find you later.”
“Good. I just got off duty. I’ll buy you a grog.”
Word of Kai Darkwood’s safe return spread quickly, bringing throngs of people out to meet him in a sort of impromptu parade. The king came out to meet him at the front steps of the castle. Kai kneeled, bowed his head, and placed his fist first on his chest and then on his forehead, a gesture of respect only offered to the rightful king. Beside him, Jeniah sank into a curtsy. King Farai greeted Kai as enthusiastically as he had in his private chambers, giving no indication that they had already spoken.
Kai grandly presented Jeniah. “May I present Lady Illané of Tirai, a cousin of the late queen of Arden. Lady Illané has agreed to wed me, and I seek your blessing on our betrothal.”
The king beamed. “Welcome to Darbor, Lady Illané.” He cheerfully gave them his blessing and then called for servants to lead the weary travelers away.
At the threshold to the bedchamber assigned to Jeniah, Kai looked in and made a visual sweep of the room. A young girl with large, brown eyes waited inside. Kai nodded to her and made a swift gesture to the trailing guards, who immediately took position in the corridor on either side of the door.
Kai squeezed the princess’s hand. “I’ll leave you to rest.”
She nodded and felt oddly lost when he left.
“Welcome, my lady,” the lady-in-waiting greeted her warmly. “My name is Lavena, and I’m honored to serve you.”
“Thank you, Lavena.”
“I understand you have traveled a great distance. You must be very fatigued.”
Jeniah nodded. “To be sure.”
“I’ll have dinner brought to you on a tray in your room. I’m sure you want to bathe first.”
“That would be wonderful!” Jeniah instantly liked Lavena’s gentle, nurturing manner.
Lavena opened the door to a closet, from which she retrieved various articles of clothing and small jars and put them into a bag. “If you’ll follow me, my lady, I’ll show you to the bathhouse.”
Bathing in Darbor was a unique experience. The castle, Lavena informed her, had been built over a natural hot spring that provided an unlimited supply of fresh warm water. People went into a special bathhouse, which was divided inside into several different rooms. In some rooms, many people bathed together socially with much talk and laughter. Others, like Jeniah, bathed in privacy with only an attendant on hand to assist. Jeniah lay back against the side of the large tub, reveling in the comforting feel of swirling water as it eased the soreness out of her muscles and made her truly warm for the first time in ages.
“I never fully appreciated how lovely it is to be clean,” Jeniah murmured as she stretched languidly.
Drowsy from the bath, Jeniah stood while Lavena dried her and dressed her in silken undergarments, a night dress, and a luxurious robe. The slippers were too big, but she curled her toes to keep them on as she followed Lavena through the castle corridors. Back in her room, Jeniah yawned so often that she could barely eat the hot meal placed in front of her. Lavena tucked her in bed, and Jeniah drifted off to sleep, warm and contented. Yet the absence of Kai’s arms around her left her strangely alone and incomplete.
Chapter Fourteen
Exhausted from their long and difficult journey, Jeniah slept late into the next day. Lavena must have been hovering nearby, waiting for signs of life, because the moment Jeniah sat up in bed, the handmaiden came in.
“Are you feeling better, my lady?” she asked cheerfully. Jeniah stretched luxuriously. “I feel like a new person.” Lavena threw open the window coverings. The glass
windowpanes were thicker and much more difficult to see through than the windows in Arden, but the sun shone in, flooding the room with light. Another maid came in with a tray of food.
Lavena held a robe for Jeniah to don before she seated her at the table. “You slept past the morning and midday meals. You must be very hungry.”
“Indeed, I am.” The food looked unlike anything Jeniah had ever seen, but she ate hungrily, enjoying a hot, filling meal.
“There’s to be a feast and a ball in honor of your arrival and Sir Kai’s safe return,” said Lavena.
“I look forward to it.” Jeniah curled up in the large armchair and sipped hot, spiced wine from a carved wooden cup.
“Sir Kai looked in on you twice,” Lavena informed her with a smile. “He was concerned about you, but I assured him you merely slept. Arden is a goodly distance away, and if you fled during the invasion, you must have come without any comforts.”
Jeniah nodded, but with the sweet wine slipping comfortingly down her throat and loosening her limbs, the horrors of that night, and the hardships she had faced since, seemed a mere dream. Only Kai and her growing feelings for him seemed real.
After Jeniah had finished eating, Lavena offered to take her to the bathhouse again, and Jeniah enthusiastically agreed. After the bath, Lavena dressed her in silken undergarments and then went to work on Jeniah’s hands and feet. The maid trimmed, shaped, and buffed Jeniah’s nails and rubbed rich cream into her rough and cracked skin. Then she lowered a gown over her head, fretting over the fit of the borrowed gown and assuring Jeniah that she would alter others for her immediately until the royal dressmaker could come and measure her for her own wardrobe.
As Lavena fastened the buttons down the back, Jeniah admired the deep blue-green gown with a much lower neckline than Ardeene fashions would have ever permitted. It showed off her neck and shoulders, making them look graceful.
Lavena plaited Jeniah’s hair in several thin braids and wound them around the back of her head. The style and weight of her hair made Jeniah feel grown up.
Lavena pulled some tiny strands from the pile of braids to curl in tendrils beside Jeniah’s face and around her neck, skimming her shoulders. Jeniah stared into the mirror, barely recognizing her own reflection. Not only was she thinner, but she looked older, with a new air of wisdom and maturity in her face. The sheltered, innocent girl no longer existed. Wearing the elegant gown and hairstyle, Jeniah saw that she did, indeed, bear a startling resemblance to her mother. It was a bit unsettling.
“Are you not pleased, my lady?”
Jeniah laid her hand on the maid’s arm and smiled. “Thank you, Lavena. I’m well pleased.”
Lavena lowered her eyes. “It is not necessary to thank me, my lady. It is my pleasure to serve you.”
“I hope I shall never take your assistance for granted. I haven’t felt this grand in ages.”
“You are beautiful, my lady,” Lavena replied sincerely as she made a few final adjustments. “Even dressed as you were for the journey, you were lovely. Seeing you like this seems proper. There. Now you look perfect.”
Having to dress and groom herself in a new land with unfamiliar styles and customs would have been difficult without knowledgeable help, and being waited upon seemed a great luxury. Impulsively, Jeniah hugged Lavena. The maid’s arms went around her and she returned the embrace with an embarrassed smile.
When Lavena escorted Jeniah to the grand hall, Kai was already there. All
the light in the room seemed to emanate from him. Jeniah’s breath left her lungs and her pulse quickened. Was it possible that she had forgotten how handsome he was? Cleanshaven and wearing the clothes of a nobleman, he stood half a head taller than the men surrounding him. His dark hair shone in the lamplight. His black leggings emphasized his long, muscular legs, and his scarlet doublet over a white linen shirt made him look positively kingly.
Kai glanced around the room as if looking for someone, and Jeniah knew the moment he spotted her. With eyes that seemed to devour her, his gaze fixed upon her face, then moved slowly downward and back up again, approval and admiration shining clear. A smile touched his mouth and then broadened.
Jeniah’s face warmed in pleasure under his unabashed stare. He moved deftly through the throng, avoiding the giggling ladies who vied for his attention, took her hand, and raised it to his lips. Her hand tingled from his touch.
“I don’t think I can come up with a word to do you justice. ‘Beautiful’ seems pitifully inadequate.”
Glowing from his compliment, Jeniah truly felt beautiful at that moment. Kai led her to the king’s table.
King Farai stood. “My lady.” He planted a fatherly kiss on her cheek. “My sons are unable to be here tonight. Tray is in Govia, and Janden is home with his wife, who recently bore him a son. My third grandson.” His chest puffed.
Jeniah’s lips twitched in amusement. Grandparents boasted so proudly of their grandchildren, one would think having them was the greatest feat a person could accomplish. “Congratulations, Your Majesty.”
“Please.” The king indicated the chair to his right.
Jeniah had never sat in a place of honor before and felt so overwhelmed that she found it difficult to speak. Kai sat directly across from her at the king’s left.
“I hope you were made comfortable?” the king asked solicitously.
His easy manner helped her relax. “Yes, Your Majesty, thank you.”
Kai’s eyes never left Jeniah’s face. “Did you enjoy the bathhouse?”
“Yes. A most unique and wonderful experience.”
Dinner was served with less ceremony than was customary at Arden. Kai guided Jeniah gently and unobtrusively through the correct etiquette until she fell into a sort of rhythm. None of the food was recognizable, but the unusual flavor combinations were surprisingly delicious. Jeniah soon felt at ease in the presence of the king. He was a warm, cheerful man with a dry sense of humor, who displayed a true personal interest in Jeniah that she was certain had little to do with her future status as queen.
Before dinner had ended, Jeniah, Kai, and the king chatted comfortably together as if they were all dear friends. The king’s fatherly affection for Kai was obvious, which endeared the king to Jeniah even more.
As the diners finished their meal, musicians began playing a dance tune. Jeniah watched the dancers file out to the floor as tables were cleared and moved against the walls. What surprised her was the position the dancers took with their partners. The man put a hand on the lady’s waist while she rested her hand on his shoulder, their free hands clasped off to the side about shoulder height. In Arden, dancers only touched one hand and danced in small groups. The Darborian dance position seemed very intimate. After watching the dance sequence repeat, Jeniah understood the steps to the dance they performed and believed she could remember them if the occasion arose.
“Perhaps your betrothed would care to dance, Sir Kai?”
Jeniah turned to see the king nudge Kai and smile at him slyly.
“Uh, yes, sire.” Kai cleared his throat, offered his arm to Jeniah, and in an exaggerated formal voice asked, “Lady Illané, would you care to dance?”
Jeniah gave him a smile designed to take his breath away and was not disappointed. “I would love to dance.” Wickedly, she turned her head and scanned the crowd of dancers. “Can you recommend anyone?” she asked with almost believable innocence.
The king chuckled.
Kai pressed hand over his heart. “You wound me, my lady.”
She laughed and then in a demure voice replied, “Sir Kai, I would be delighted to dance with you. Thank you for your kind offer.”
He winked at her. “That’s better.” Then, to the king, “I think the lady has an incisive sense of humor.”
The king grinned. “My boy, a woman with spirit is more diverting than a woman who is meek and obedient. Although” —he rubbed his chin— “spirited women are more trouble.”
“I agree.”
Jeniah glared at them both, then said sweetly to Kai, “Are we going to dance or not?”
Again Kai offered his arm and bowed low. “My lady, I await thee.”
Jeniah’s smile was genuine as she rose and accepted his arm. On the dance floor, sudden shyness overcame her as Kai placed his hand on her waist and took her hand.
“My mother would have thought this scandalous,” Jeniah murmured with a self-conscious smile.
“Ardeenes take morality to a new level.”
“You don’t approve of our morality?” she baited as she smiled up at him.
“I’m sure it has its benefits,” Kai replied evasively.
Not wanting to spoil the evening or the lovely feeling of having his arm around her, she changed the subject. “You surprise me, sir. I didn’t realize Sauraiis were instructed in the art of dance as well as weaponry.”
“Years in court forced me to develop other skills.”
“You do it very well.”
“King Farai’s late queen took a special interest in me when I first arrived and made sure I was taught such courtly manners, despite my resistance.” Kai’s stony expression softened. “I suppose she felt sorry for me and my backwards ways.”
“Nonsense. You have a strong, confident bearing, and you dance with more grace than many noblemen.”
His teeth flashed. “You didn’t know me at fourteen.”
Feeling light and very alive, Jeniah followed Kai’s skillful lead. They released each other, took several steps to the side, and circled, touching with one hand. She loved the feel of his large, strong hand in hers as they faced each other, stepped back into the closed dance position, and began repeating the figure.
She looked up into his handsome, weather-beaten face. His rugged strength was real and unpretentious, his muscular arms and broad chest solid. Jeniah tingled in response to his nearness, his masculinity.
As she gazed at him, she realized that her feelings for him had surpassed friendly affection. At that instant, she freely and willingly gave him her heart, even sensing that he still shielded his against her. In time she would discover the cause of all those barriers and his need to protect his emotions. When she did, and when she found a way around the barriers, she would discover the Kai inside, the Kai she saw only in glimpses now. It would be difficult, but it would be worth it.
Jeniah everywhere she went. She was magnificent. He began to think that letting her roam the castle so openly, without blurring, had been a mistake. In fact, he dreaded the end of the dance when he would have to relinquish her hand.
“My lady, I know that this is not your Ascension Ceremony and dance, but I hope it can be something of a substitute,” he said.
She wrinkled her nose in mock annoyance. “Well, I suppose if I can’t be the center of attention, at least I’m dancing with the center of attention.”
“I may be the one they are honoring, but you are drawing all of the eyes.”
All too soon, the music ended, and a nobleman approached wearing clothing so exquisite and fine that a woman would envy the rich velvets and gilded lace.
Kai grimaced. “I do not wish to share you with anyone else, my lady, but Darborian dance etiquette demands I relinquish your hand to any who approaches you. And Lord Kavin is coming.”
“And if I refuse?”
Kai sighed. “He’d be offended. He’s a powerful lord. Offending him may not be the best idea.”
When he reached them, the dandy put on a charming smile and
bowed. “Sir Kai, I beg you to introduce me to your delightful lady.”
Kai resisted the urge to growl at the pompous man. “My lady, may I present Lord Kavin. My lord, this is Lady Illané, my betrothed.” He stressed the last two words as a warning to the man.
Jeniah sank into a graceful curtsy as Lord Kavin bowed with a flourish, giving no indication that he heard Kai’s warning. “My lady, I beg you to honor me with a dance.”
“The honor is mine, Lord Kavin.” She accepted his outstretched hand.
With jealousy eating a hole in his stomach, Kai inclined his head and retreated. He took a seat near the dance floor, unable to keep his eyes off Jeniah. He clenched his jaw at the reminder that she belonged in this world of glitter and finery, this world that always made him feel like an awkward oaf. He didn’t belong here, especially not with a future queen. He accepted a goblet from a passing tray and drank deeply.
Again he became aware of many other stares fixed upon the princess. He scanned the crowd and found the king’s bodyguards, fully alert and keeping a close watch, already wearing the look of worship every man in Arden had worn. The princess created such a sensation that he wondered if the king’s discarded idea of locking her away under guard would have been better. Kai sighed. It was too late now. Besides that, she would have been miserable in isolation.
As he tossed back the contents of his goblet, the corner of his eye caught a familiar figure. Steeling himself, Kai arranged his face in a neutral expression as he set down the goblet and turned to face Zayla.
“Welcome home, Kai,” she murmured in a sultry voice as she reached him.
He looked down into the face of the beautiful, blond woman, who wore a red gown that flaunted her ample bosom and showed off her graceful neck and shoulders. He had almost forgotten her beauty.
“Zayla,” he murmured in greeting.
Fire lurked in her eyes. “That’s all you have to say to me? I thought you had been killed in Arden. Then I hear you’re alive and back safely and you didn’t bother to even come see me yourself!”
