The Merchant's Love

by Antonia Aquilante

  Faelen looked away before Maxen caught him staring. “I see him. Let’s get some wine.”

  Alexander rolled his eyes, but he didn’t argue, and he didn’t push, for which Faelen loved him dearly.

  For a while, he and Alexander moved through the party together. Since they were going to stay in Tournai, it was time to integrate into its royal court. Faelen had studied the guest list and plotted out whom they needed to speak to and make an impression on. With that plan in mind, they wound through the crowds, allowing themselves to be drawn into certain groups and introduced to anyone they didn’t know, working in the way they’d been taught since they were children. By the end of the night, they hoped to have staged an excellent start to their reintroduction to Tournai’s court, and Alexander’s light touch with charm and flirtation would probably have him well on his way to being a court darling.

  After a while, Alexander was drawn into the dancing—eagerly dove in, more like, as he’d always enjoyed it. Faelen stood just off to the side and watched for a moment. Elodie was out on the floor, as she had been most of the evening. Amory was partnering her, while Philip danced with Adora, one of Amory’s sisters. Etan and Tristan had danced earlier, but they stood near the thrones now, close together, accepting more well-wishers.

  “Do you want to dance?”

  The voice beside him startled Faelen. When he saw Maxen, his mind went a bit blank. “What?”

  Thankfully Maxen smiled despite Faelen’s rude response. “You’re watching everyone dancing. I thought you might wish you were too.”

  Had he? He’d felt a bit wistful, but it wasn’t as if he couldn’t find someone to partner with if he really wanted to.

  “I could be wrong, though.” Maxen’s smile turned wry and just slightly unsure at the edges. “And you can tell me so, or tell me to be quiet.”

  Faelen couldn’t help his own smile, though nerves jumped in his stomach. He was never sure how to handle it when someone displayed an interest in him. Not that Maxen was necessarily interested. He might not have been asking Faelen to dance, only inquiring into Faelen’s thoughts about it.

  “Telling you to be quiet would be rude. We don’t even know each other.” It came out almost flirtatious, and Faelen wished he hadn’t reached for that particular tone. It wouldn’t be right to give Maxen the wrong impression.

  “I should rectify that, so you can feel free to tell me to stop talking. I suppose I should have waited for someone to introduce us, if we were to follow protocol.” More uncertainty, which was, yes, endearing.

  “It’s more about working to ensure that someone would introduce you.” It wasn’t something he’d necessarily say to just anyone at court, but most would know the unofficial rules. Anyway, there was a twinkle in Maxen’s eyes that made Faelen feel almost playful, even if his nerves kept jumping. He continued when Maxen gave him a questioning look. “It’s the way it works. You have to engineer these things sometimes.”

  “Shall I find someone to introduce us, then?”

  “I think it would be a bit late at this point. We’ve already been talking.”

  “Still, I wouldn’t want to break a rule.” Maxen’s tone was teasing, but the slight uncertainty was still there.

  “I think we can excuse it this time.” Did it still sound as if he were flirting? Though it seemed Maxen wasn’t looking at him the way he had before, not really. “A pleasure to meet you, Master Maxen.”

  Maxen smiled, a half curve of his lips that was almost bashful. “I’d be pleased you know who I am, but I was just Tristan’s witness. Should I pretend not to know who you are?”

  “Why would you?”

  “Because if I admit that I know who you are, Lord Faelen, I’ll have to admit that I wanted to find out.”

  Butterflies began flying sickeningly around Faelen’s stomach. All right, so Alexander had been right—Maxen had liked the look of Faelen, enough to find out who he was. Faelen didn’t know what to do with that knowledge. “Did you ask someone about me?”

  Maxen laughed. “I was going to. But then the princess started talking at dinner, and she pointed you and your brother out. It did take a little more to figure out if you were Faelen or Alexander. She was vague at the beginning.”

  It was only years of navigating social situations as a diplomat’s son that kept Faelen from showing his surprise. Not that Elodie had shared so much information with Maxen, but perhaps that Maxen had so easily admitted to seeking it. And again, Faelen wasn’t sure how to feel. A change of subject was definitely in order. “Are you enjoying the party?”

  If Maxen thought the question abrupt, he didn’t show it. “Very much, though I’m still in a state of disbelief that I’m at a party in the palace. Saying that probably makes me sound provincial. Or at least like a gawking child.”

  Something made Faelen need to reassure. “Not at all. But, ah, your brother did marry into the royal family, so…”

  Another laugh, one just slightly self-deprecating and all the more endearing for it. “I suppose I’ll get used to it. I’ll have to if I’m to visit Tristan and my niece. I shouldn’t assume I would be invited to any other social events.”

  “I don’t see why you wouldn’t. I’ve been told Amory’s sisters are often guests.”

  “Yes, Adeline and Adora are here. But Amory is married to the prince, and Tristan and Amory have been friends forever. We all sort of grew up together, and we’ve been close—well, except for any of Amory’s siblings who are horrible.”

  “Amory has horrible siblings?” Faelen had only met two sisters, and they were perfectly lovely people. He hadn’t heard much of anything about Amory’s family or met any other members of it, even though they lived in the city.

  “Mostly his older brother. His father is awful too, but I shouldn’t say too much.”

  Faelen nodded. He wouldn’t want to be told too many stories—they were neither his nor Maxen’s concern unless Amory chose to share them. Faelen felt better about Maxen that he didn’t share those stories. “So you grew up with Amory’s family in Jumelle?”

  “We lived only a street away. Amory and Tristan always ran around together, but some of the rest of us did too. Amory, Tristan, me, Adeline, Adora…we’re all around the same age. Actually, a couple of my younger brothers are close with a couple of Amory’s younger siblings, so I suppose the tradition continues.”

  Faelen smiled. “That’s nice. You must have a lot of good memories.”

  “I do. Did you have friends like that growing up?”

  Faelen tilted his head to one side as he thought, keeping himself from biting his bottom lip at the last second. “Not really. Alexander and I were inseparable. We had our cousins when we were in Tournai. When Father was appointed ambassador to Teilo, it became even more just Alexander and me there, especially at the beginning. We were far too young to be allowed out socially among the court or the diplomatic community.”

  “Did you like it there? I’ve never left Tournai, and very rarely past the countryside surrounding Jumelle.”

  “I did, though Teilo is very different from Tournai in so many ways. It’s probably good that we weren’t allowed out much at first. There was a lot to get used to, and the language to perfect, of course,” Faelen mused. He’d always liked studying languages, though. He’d learned a couple before Father’s assignment, and then after mastering the language of Teilo, he’d moved on to studying others.

  “Will you tell me about it?”

  For a moment, Faelen thought Maxen meant his language studies, but he couldn’t, and he probably wouldn’t want to hear about them anyway. They were hardly interesting to most people. “About Teilo?”

  “Yes. I’d love to hear about it and your impressions.”

  “What about?”

  Maxen’s eyes twinkled even more when he smiled, and he seemed genuinely interested. “Did you think of it as an adventure?”

  Faelen laughed. “Alexander called it an adventure when we first left. He was so excited that it just
carried me right along, even though I didn’t see it the same way.”

  Mostly he’d been scared of leaving everything behind with the knowledge they’d be gone far longer than on any other assignment of Father’s. He’d missed his grandparents immediately, and his cousins. He’d missed his tutor too, who had always indulged him in whatever he wanted to learn. Faelen had wished they could stay, but Mother wouldn’t be left behind while Father went to Teilo potentially for years, so they all went.

  “I can see how it would be daunting for a child to leave everything they know,” Maxen said. “Perhaps for an adult too.”

  Somehow, that seemed a little too personal to talk about with someone he’d just met. “Do you like living in Jumelle?”

  “I do, but I have little to compare it to.” Maxen shrugged slightly. “I like my little house, though, and my friends here. I like the city. The bustle of it and the different people who pass through because of the port.”

  Without talking about it, they started walking together. “I’m going to enjoy getting to know Jumelle again.”

  “So you’re staying for a while?”

  “We’re here to stay, for the foreseeable future at least.” It felt good saying it, just as it had felt right to return. Maybe it was time to be home, to make a home. As much as he’d liked Teilo, it had never been that.

  “I’m sure your family is happy to have you back.”

  “I think they might be.” He smiled. “I’m happy to have the opportunity to become acquainted with them again. And that we arrived in time for the wedding. You and your family must be very happy for Tristan.”

  Maxen nodded, his expression softening into something affectionate. “It’s a good day.”

  A maid walked by with a tray of wineglasses, and Maxen switched their empty glasses for full ones. “Tell me more about Teilo.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Everything.”

  “Everything” didn’t give Faelen much direction for where to begin, but finally he just started talking. He described Teilo’s rolling green hills, the mist shrouding the islands in the large inland sea that the capital and royal palace sat on. The snowy winters and the vastness of the royal palace. The deep, shadowy forests. He kept talking, far longer than he should have, and divulging far more than he normally would—about what it was like at the king of Teilo’s court, about what it was like to be an ambassador’s son in a kingdom that wasn’t his. He wasn’t sure why he was admitting so much, except that Maxen was easy to talk to, as easy as Alexander but without the long history that had Alexander seeing him a certain way.

  He had to stop himself, or he might have been talking for days. Faelen turned to Maxen. “Tell me about your work. Tristan said you work with him in your family’s shipping company?”

  There was a hint of pleasure in Maxen’s eyes. “It’s not very exciting.”

  “Tell me anyway.”

  Maxen did. He talked about what the company did and what he did there. He laughed a little when he told stories of what it was like to work with his older brother. There were times Maxen seemed to shy away from a thought, but Faelen didn’t say anything. As effortless as talking together was coming to feel, Faelen had to remember they were still essentially strangers.

  They walked the perimeter of the room in slow loops. Faelen had no idea how many, or how much time passed while they strolled and talked and sipped wine. Long enough that it was probably conspicuous, but no one interrupted them. Faelen didn’t think about it while they circled the room, but he certainly did when they stopped. And they might not have, might have just kept on until the ballroom emptied around them, if everyone hadn’t stopped what they were doing to wave Etan and Tristan goodbye.

  Maxen looked as surprised and befuddled as Faelen felt, which went a long way toward reassuring Faelen—the obliviousness to the outside world hadn’t been only on his part.

  “I suppose we should say good night,” Maxen said, though he didn’t look as if he wanted to do that at all.

  “I suppose so.” Faelen was surprised by his own reluctance to leave Maxen. And dismayed that he’d ignored every social obligation to talk with him for so long.

  Maxen nodded, as if at something Faelen couldn’t see or hear. “Then I’ll bid you good night. It was wonderful to meet you.”

  “And you.” Though it should have been scary how easy it was to fall into conversation with Maxen.

  Somehow it wasn’t, and that was scary.

  “I hope we’ll meet again.” Maxen gave Faelen a half bow—not quite one that court rules might have demanded for a member of the royal house, but by no means mocking—and walked away into the crowd.

  Faelen stood for a moment after Maxen disappeared, then shook his head at himself. He looked around in time to see Philip and Amory rise from their thrones and retire from the ballroom with little fanfare. It was likely that the party would continue well into the early hours of the morning, but their departure was the signal that it was polite for anyone to leave who chose to.

  He should stay and work his way through the room some more, but he didn’t want to, and, for once, he let himself do as he pleased.

  Without even looking for Alexander—who could have been anywhere with anyone, hopefully not getting into trouble—Faelen slipped from the ballroom and walked back to their rooms at a brisk but unhurried pace. He nodded to a few people who were near the ballroom, but soon he was far enough away that the corridors were dim and empty except for the guards stationed at intervals.

  He let himself into the rooms he shared with Alexander a few moments later. They could have had separate suites, but they were far too used to being close. This large one with its two bedchambers was perfectly suitable for their needs. The sitting room was as they’d left it, with only the wall sconces nearest the door lit. The light globes gave off the steady white glow that could only be produced by magic. Faelen liked them for reading but preferred the warmth of candles and firelight otherwise.

  He called out but wasn’t surprised when he didn’t receive a reply. He’d never known Alexander to leave a party so early. Even though it wasn’t all that early. He continued to his bedchamber and lit a few candles before stoking the fire. Autumn was settling in on them, and there was a distinct chill in the night air even though the days were mostly still pleasant. He doubted he’d miss the longer stretch of cold weather in the more northern Teilo, but he would miss the snow. Tournai got so little.

  Had he told Maxen about the wonder he’d felt when he’d seen his first snowfall in Teilo, when it fell thick and fast until it was up to his knees?

  Why was he thinking about that? It had been an interesting conversation, one that he’d welcomed after Maxen hadn’t pushed his apparent interest. Perhaps he wasn’t interested in anything more. Faelen wouldn’t mind a new friend, especially one like Maxen, who seemed to have no ulterior motives and had been so easy to talk with.

  With that thought rolling around in his head, leaving him rather pleased, Faelen went to the dressing room to change into sleep clothes and then into the bathing room to finish readying himself for bed. He hoped he would see Maxen again, though he wasn’t certain when that would be. Maxen had said he might visit the palace to see Tristan and Bria. Perhaps Faelen would encounter him on one of those visits, or perhaps Maxen would attend some court events. He’d like to further their acquaintance.

  He shouldn’t let his thoughts run away with him. He shook his head as he walked back into his bedchamber and turned the blankets back on his bed. Before he could climb into his bed, he heard the outer door to the suite open.

  Faelen went to his bedchamber door and opened it. “Alexander?”

  “I was wondering where you were. You disappeared.” Alexander surveyed him as if trying to make sure Faelen was well.

  “I left right after Philip and Amory. I suppose I’d had enough socializing for one night. I didn’t expect you so early, though.”

  Alexander shrugged and walked to the door of
his own bedchamber, opposite Faelen’s. “I was ready to leave.”

  Faelen narrowed his eyes behind Alexander’s back as he followed. It was entirely likely Alexander had come looking for him, worrying that something had happened—which he hadn’t needed to do at all—but it was just as likely he’d tired of the party and decided to leave. Most people assumed all Alexander did was flirt and socialize, but even he had his limits.

  “It was a nice wedding.”

  “It was,” Alexander said. “Etan and Tristan looked happy.”

  “They did.” He smiled at the memory of how the couple seemed to radiate joy. “I’m glad they’re taking a wedding trip, even if it is a short one.”

  “I can’t see Tristan wanting to leave Bria for long. She isn’t even a year old.”

  Faelen nodded. “True.”

  “Will you be all right in the archives on your own?”

  “Yes. Etan showed me everything. I’ll do as much as I can while he’s gone.” He relished the idea of more time in the royal archive. It was a fascinating place. “I’m going to bed. I have to get up and work tomorrow. Though not as early as I usually would.”

  “I’m not ready to sleep.” Alexander kicked off his shoes and stripped out of his jacket. Then, he went to the bookcase and pulled a large notebook off the eye-level shelf. “I think I’ll work for a while.”

  Faelen nodded, unsurprised. It happened fairly often. For some reason, Alexander worked best in the middle of the night. And then he’d fall asleep over his work around dawn and sleep half the day away. It gave him a reputation for tumbling in and out of various men’s beds, and while he certainly had done some of that, so often it was this instead.

  “I’ll leave you to it, then. Good night,” Faelen said.

  “Good night, Faelen. Sleep well.” All of Alexander’s attention turned to his notebook. Faelen knew well what that looked like.

  Faelen returned to his bed and slid between the blankets. He’d check on Alexander in the morning and make sure he wasn’t sleeping over his desk. For the moment, he relaxed his fatigued body into the soft mattress and many pillows and dropped immediately into sleep.