Immortalibus Bella

by SL Figuhr

  “I mean to make my ball a mask; my wife is such a child still it will delight her.” And the dancers will pucker up your lips, you ice bitch. If you opened your legs, your husband wouldn’t be so joyless.

  “I despise masks. It is merely an excuse for people to hide their identity so they may act badly. We shall not be attending. Your little balls tend to get out of hand. I cannot have my daughters subjected to such wantonness to which rumor has it your balls descend.”

  “A pity,” he remarked lazily. “I have invited what is left of the single, noble-born men and women; no military allowed.” Your eldest has been bedded, numerous times. She enjoys a good, long poke.

  “How nice to see you still know where your balls are at. If only you used them now and again more often, you might gain more favor from our king.” Jenabram’s eyes glittered in malice. He turned to me as the countess went white in rage.

  “I quite enjoy a good masquerade; I shall attend.” The easiest way to seek a delicious morsel of prey to snack upon. “Do you plan on your guests wearing costumes? Or just masks?”

  He gulped his wine, slamming the cup down, signaling for a refill. “I think I shall request costumes. Thank you for the suggestion.” He toasted me, downing the refilled cup.

  The Sydneys looked at me in displeasure as Rolf came pelting into the room. “My lady! My lady!” he shouted, breathless from running. “His Majesty comes!”

  The marquis turned to glare at the interruption as I thanked the boy, sending him to bring another chair along with more food and drink. We could hear the tramp of booted feet as the palace guards entered, fanning out to make sure no assassins hid. We made our obeisance as he entered upon Aranthus’s announcement, waving for us to attend him, the small room now crowded.

  “Your Majesty, we were discussing the harvest ball. I plan to make mine a costume party. I do hope you’ll attend,” Jenabram said by way of greeting, always the suck-up.

  The marquis’ face froze into a smile, his eyes glittering angrily as he bowed consent. The king paid no attention to the earl or his countess; I could see how insulting she considered the slight.

  “As you wish, Majesty; shall we go outside? The marquis’ wife is in the next room and has not recovered from the fainting spell she had earlier." I offered.

  He appeared startled. “What? Oh, very well.” He waved a jewelencrusted hand. Aranthus gestured for the guards to go first, making sure no one lurked to do the king harm.

  Maceanas took after offering me his arm. Three glares burned holes into our backs as we exited.

  “What is it you want to speak of, Majesty?” I asked.

  “What is their nature, and I shall do my best to satisfy,” I replied. “Trifles.”

  “As you say. What do you want me to answer?”

  “The sheriff is displeased you are still claiming he is unfit for his position, as is Lord Nicky. I was told the two of you had come to an understanding in regards to our lawman.”

  Why were my careful manipulations not working as they always had in the past? Finessing was needed. “I do not care to keep dwelling on the man. Lord Nicky and I did come to an agreement. I am stymied as to why they claim otherwise. I am satisfied with the outcome.”

  “So you say, but I have heard otherwise from them. I am tired of your incessant whining about the sheriff. I see a man trying to do a difficult and dangerous job with the men he has. So dangerous is it, most people do not voluntarily join.”

  “The countess does not think you are learning our customs and manners fast enough. How dare you disregard my favors? It is enough to order your imprisonment and execution.”

  “Her ladyship is much mistaken. It is true I do not know all your customs yet. I am meeting with her, doing my best to remember. I would not presume to break them knowingly, nor show such ingratitude,” I soothed.

  Elizabeth was not conscious of the topics we discussed during our sessions. I used my power to make her think she instructed me, while all the while I gained intelligence on the townspeople.

  “He makes so many, I lose track. To which do you refer?” The sudden change of topic unwelcome, I couldn’t tell from his thoughts whether he believed me or not.

  The king ignored my words, carefully evaluating me. “You are rich,” he muttered to himself. “You are more than pleasing to the eye, and you were titled and are of suitable birth, despite the accusations against you.”

  The weak sun beat down when the clouds parted, burning my exposed skin golden, sapping my strength and ability to influence his thoughts. A throbbing in my veins began, my dark hunger rising. I didn’t have time for nonsense; continuing exposure meant true death when my flesh ignited.

  “What can I do to put your mind at ease and have the accusations dismissed, Sire?” I asked, hoping it would give me months to work upon the king, bending his mind and will fully to mine.

  He threw the cup down before attempting to grab me and smashing his lips against mine. I evaded his clumsy attempt while retreating into shadows. For a moment, anger sparked in the king’s eyes, before he got a crafty look.

  The denial was sputtering out while he lunged toward me once more. I maneuvered out of the way, conveniently leading us closer toward the concealing bulk of raw materials nearby.

  What was going on? I never had trouble seducing men, when I willed it. I did not will it now, nor with the marquis. I would have to use drastic measures; I preferred not to do so when I could be easily interrupted.

  Maceanas grasped my shoulders in an effort to bring me closer, the lust in his eyes flaring. I needed to bite him. I let him thrust his tongue in my mouth, piercing it with a fang as I used the last of my sun-depleted strength to prevent him from recoiling at the pain. His blood pooled in my mouth as I swallowed, twisting his mind. Shouts rang out from guards, giving me just enough time to erase the marks along with the memory of the bite as I shoved His Majesty back. I made it look as if he had flung me away as he stumbled backward tripping and falling.

  We all turned toward the doorway, saw Aranthus goggling at us, Nicky glaring murder. The tops of other heads could be seen behind them or crowding the windows. I wondered how long the young man had stood watching.

  Nicky stopped his forward movement long enough to make a motion, cutting off the man’s words. The guards all took an uneasy step back.

  The advisor and I stood nose to nose, his cinnamon and ambrosia scent curling stronger in the air between us, along with a heavy undernote of sulfur, turning the whiff rotten.

  I ignored the renewed leap of rage in the young man’s eyes. “Your Majesty,” Nicky snarled, “I trust you have not been hurt from tripping over the debris in her ladyship’s deplorable grounds.”

  Maceanas drew himself up, outrage upon his features. “I am your king. I trust you will remember next time I must have a private discussion?” He addressed us.

  “I have no intention of forgetting,” I informed him. Asshole!

  “Shut up!" Nicky hissed at me. “Sire, if you want a woman for a quick lay, there are any number of female slaves here." He lowered his voice. “You can’t just assault what noble-born we have left like they’re common whores and expect them to remain loyal."

  I only bowed my head as we followed the king back inside. The doorway and windows hurriedly emptied of onlookers. Everyone sunk into a deep curtsey or bow as we entered the room.

  He bellowed to Aranthus to announce his departure, his retinue following. The moment he left the room, people straightened up, looking toward the advisor and me avidly. I could tell they didn’t believe a word of what happened. Most saw how the king pursued me. I kept a neutral expression on my face, though inside I gloated. A new round of rumors would be a hot topic.

  The tightness of Lady Elizabeth’s lips gave them the illusion of having disappeared. Scheming viper. You will not steal either of my daughters’ chances to become queen.

  Beware my husband. He is dangerous.Lord Jenabram bowed, his eyes never rising above my bodice, leaning closer t
o my ear. “Lady Illyria, thank you for such an entertaining afternoon.”

  Saizar was the last to take his leave. He wore an unhappy, speculative expression as he bowed and strode from the room. Nicky’s body slave stood, near invisible, in the darkest shadows. The fight-orflight response washed over me, along with a sensation of pure evil. Unwelcome thoughts started crowding my mind. I pushed them out of the way to concentrate on the advisor, who ran his eyes over me. I didn’t need to read his mind to know he felt jealous of my relationship with the king.

  “It is no lie. Why would I want to marry? Unwed, I control my money and property. I can go where I please and when. A husband only interferes.”

  Oh, hell, another one of those damn patriarchal women-haters. “I find your attitude antediluvian. I am not one of those women who must have her life directed by a man. Why such concern over the subject?”

  “I will not have you marrying the king and trying to usurp my authority,” he hissed. "Don’t think I can’t see what you’re doing. You think you can look down upon me? You think you can outwit me? I will see you dead first! You have no idea with whom you are trifling!”

  Or you? I wanted to say but didn’t. “I am sure that the pair of us can persuade him I would not make an acceptable queen. You need not fear for your power, and I will be left in peace.”

  “You will have to marry someone.”

  “Why? What harm is in my remaining single?”

  I could guess what he left unsaid. They did not like the enormous wealth I controlled. Once my title became reinstated according to their laws, I would have near-unlimited access to royal power and the ability to wield it. I had yet to find a man worthy of being gifted with my secret. “It will have to be. You cannot remain single.”

  “No, you will not. You know damn well that nobility carries certain obligations. The countess should have already seen to that portion of your education."

  His tenaciousness irritated me. “I am well aware of what they are. I shall fulfill them as I see fit. I grow weary of this conversation, Lord Nicky. I shall have a slave escort you out.”

  “That is not the point!” He stopped what he was going to say, changing it. “Jake has complained that you were in a place you shouldn’t be. When he tried to explain, you attacked him unprovoked, causing severe damage.”

  The young man gripped the edge of the table, head down as he tried to control his rage. “That tavern, the Bloody Knuckles; and there is no law forbidding women certain establishments . . . officially.” he gritted out.

  “I stopped in to speak with the owner about his daughter. I had been told she would make an acceptable maid. I would leave such dealings to a steward, but as of yet I have not found a man trustworthy enough to hire for the position. If anyone were attacked unprovoked, it would be me, by Jake and his deplorable men.”

  “I can find nothing remiss in the sheriff’s behavior. You will cease your campaign against the man. Need I remind you of the commitment you made in exchange for your favor? ”

  “Pray he has enough brains not to make up excuses to arrest and harm them. Or I will start to think it is you who doesn’t care for a friendly alliance,” I replied.

  Our eyes clashed. “You should remember you are a female, one refusing the protection of a husband. Refusing the man with the most power in the kingdom: me,” he softly reminded me, fighting his rage.

  We stared at each other a moment more, until his slave whispered something to him. Nicky took a deep breath, and stood straight to address me more convivially. “Tom wants to see his daughter. He is concerned for her well-being.”

  His abrupt change in attitude disturbed me. I wondered what new game he played. Caution would be needed: I still did not know for certain what flavor of supernatural being he was. He was right in that he was the second most powerful man in the country; he was also the most mentally disturbed.

  “He signed papers giving up all rights to her in exchange for coin when he sold her as my slave. If I understand the laws correctly, slaves are under the complete control of their owners. She must have my permission to leave the property for anything not related to the work she does.”

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “I shall send someone to give the man your response. In the meantime, you will stay away from His Majesty until I can convince him you are unfit to be his queen.”

  Abruptly, he called for his horse to be brought round; the floorboards quivered under the pounding of his feet. Susafan brought the two merchant men in. They bowed as Mica spoke first, going straight to his complaint.

  I had about had it with men today. I didn’t understand why they insisted the person they wanted was a child. Plus, the other information I received was disturbing me more than their problem. I decided to see how they would explain the discrepancies.

  The casually given reply, lacking specificity, increased my suspicions. The recollections of images in the advisor’s dreams made me uneasy.

  I said, “When I was speaking with His Majesty, he let slip Lord Nicholas, or Nicky as he calls the man, has been his childhood friend for about ten years. His Highness recalls being thirteen at the time of their meeting. He says the boy was maybe eleven or twelve.”

  Mica replied, “We have a problem, for our Nicky is about twelve. The young man we saw today can’t be he, but the resemblance is striking.”

  He was lying; I could see the microphysical changes. My unease slowly intensified. The four men shared the same scent. “I am sorry for wasting your time.” I felt a clear, sudden sense of danger, though neither man had offered an overt threat.

  Colin inquired, “You’ve shown us the advisor, whom I’ll admit looks eerily similar to our boy, including the name. Is it possible they are in league with each other?”

  It felt ten minutes past time for them to be going, not only from my dwelling, but from the land too. The sense of danger pulsing through my being meant extra caution, even if it included keeping the men around longer than needed. I paused as if weighing my words.

  “I have never seen your little boy near the advisor. I could not say with any certainty, but it is entirely plausible Lord Nicky is hiding the child, protecting him.”

  They were disturbed, unable to hide it. “A bigger problem than we have anticipated. We do not want to risk accusing the wrong person; however, if the young man is actively participating in the masquerade . . . I imagine the king would not be pleased and would want to prevent it from continuing,” Colin voiced their views. “His Majesty is temperamental. One never knows what prompts him to call for the execution of his unlucky subject without a fair trial. The boy’s duplicity would be enough.”

  “No. He is a child, even though he is a thief and a liar. I cannot countenance his death, not if there is some way to help him become a productive member of society,” Mica spoke for them both.

  My brow quirked up. Nicky, whichever version they searched for, was already a hardened criminal and nothing was going to change him. “Your ideas of justice are admirable. I only hope they are not ones you will live to regret. We still have time before the Harvest Ball. If I discover further information, I will send word.”

  I did not care for what happened next. I saw pain lance through the older man’s eyes, and a feeling he was no longer fully present in the room with us.

  Mica suddenly doubled over, clutching both sides of his head, groaning in pain. Images flared before his eyes, of a lady he had known during his long life. She had the same facial expression as the noblewoman before him now, and a naughty streak in her which somehow got him tangled in her escapades, to his detriment.

  She pouted at him as he whirled her out and back in a tango. Her bright yellow, belted halter-style dress billowing. “Chéri, I am only being friendly.”

  He breathed a moment, steadying himself. “In response to your question: Yes, it would be immensely helpful. Thank you." His dark eyes bored into mine, intently studying.

  I scowled to myself, wishing again their minds were not closed to me. “G
entlemen, you are quite welcome. Now I must take my leave of you. My slave shall show you out. I have much work to oversee.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  M ica sat scowling as he broke his fast. Each day ticking by brought him a little closer to the guardian coming for the boy’s soul-gem. He and Colin had finished questioning the merchants, at least the ones willing to talk. No one would admit seeing a boy of twelve around town who matched Nicky’s description. The closest they had come was a sighting over ten years ago. The man took a drink of ale, ate some more. Colin entered the room; he grunted a greeting as his younger brother went to the sideboard to serve himself.

  Colin had just sat down when a slave brought in a scroll, offering it to the men. Mica took it, breaking the wax seal, noting there was no imprint in the wax. Whatever was in the text of the short note had him snarling and crumpling the paper.

  Colin smoothed out the paper, reading, “Sirs, information has come to me about a mutual acquaintance and certain activities I think will be of interest to you. Rites of a religious nature will be performed in a grove within the forest, in which the little boy is known to participate.”

  “Huh, it seems someone knew something after all, just too scared to come forth in person.” Mica muttered something. “Sorry,” Colin replied, “I didn’t catch what you said.”

  “I said,” Mica repeated louder, “this is a bunch of bullshit. Religious rites in a grove? Sounds like hocus-pocus nonsense to me.” Something was nagging at the back of his mind, something trying to get out. He felt a searing pain in his head. Mica clapped his hands to the sides, squeezing, as if it would help.

  His brother continued looking at him in concern. “We won’t know until we look at the area, will we? If we can discover it. The map is pretty crude. I hope it’s not a false lead, or a trap.”

  The sharp pains were slowly fading, leaving a feeling of nausea behind. Mica rubbed his head again at another stab. “I ran into a grove, a group of people. Damn! Why won’t these pains go away?”