by Nina Monroe
"You could kill with a stare," Paul said as he appeared next to Will. He had dark circles under his eyes and was paler than usual. "I am sorry for missing your first dinner, but I heard I missed a lot."
"Why were you not present?" Will asked, not wanting to explain the family drama from the previous night.
"I had more pressing matters," Paul said with a slight blush and devious eyes. "You're so young. I couldn't imagine wanting to settle down at your age."
"I didn't want to get married, but it was worth it. It was the best decision for my country and I was lucky enough to fall in love with her," Will said genuinely as he continued to inspect the Bradford soldiers. "Your soldiers are not trained correctly. When they move, they go for the most likely strikes but leave themselves exposed. They wouldn't last five minutes against any formidable opponent."
"That's why you're here. We need to last about six minutes against a formidable opponent, as you call it," Paul laughed as Will watched his uncle's jaw go slack at the sight of a man with bronze hair and a fairer complexion than most of the Bradford men. "Believe it or not, I have an idea of what you're going through, with both your parents."
"I doubt that," Will responded as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I do, truly. I was the heir to Bradford until my tastes in the bedroom became public knowledge. Truth is that I never really wanted the responsibility, but I also didn't think it was that big of a deal what I was doing. My father didn't agree. He called me an abomination and that what I was doing was beyond unnatural. Truth is that he probably wouldn't have cared if I kept it private and married whatever girl he wanted. But, I don't think I could have done anything to make him happy," Paul said with a thick sadness in his voice. "My mother stood by and did nothing and Nicola has never been the most supportive. Isabelle left and never came back. I know what it's like to hate your family and feel like you have no one."
"I don't hate my father," Will said softly. It was a secret everyone knew but no one understood. "He's all I know. Whatever small bits of love he gave me, I gobbled it up like a greedy child. He has beaten me down in every sense of the word, but I can't act like I wouldn't still take a blade or arrow for him," Will explained before he dropped his arm to his side and wrapped his fingers around his sword. "That man that you were staring at, is he your lover?" Will strained at the final word.
"He was for last night," Paul laughed as he continued to openly stare at the man. "Are you in love with Tamzin?"
"Yes?" Will replied nervously.
"What if she was a man? What if everything you loved about her was in a man's body?" Paul asked as he turned from the man and back to Will. "Love is not something that only certain people feel because of who they feel an attraction to. Some people only have sex but never feel love, or only feel love but never express it. Some people can't feel anything at all," Paul said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
"Yes, I do," Will said as he wiped his brow. "I'm sorry if I was hostile to you when I first arrived."
"You found out your mother was alive. I think I can forgive you for that. I can't say that you're my only nephew, but I already like you better than Ethan," Paul said as he bit his lip as he watched Ethan slip and fall. "He isn't a bad kid, truly. He's like you, as he can be a bit arrogant with not a whole lot to back it up. I think your mother really compensated when he was born. Nicola was a mess when she came home without you."
"I can't forgive her," Will said as he watched Willem show Ethan how to hold the sword correctly. "As soon as Tamzin gives birth and she is healed enough, I am leaving here and I am not coming back."
"You have every right to do that, and I truly understand why you would want to, but don't punish all of us just because of your mother's mistake," Paul said with a slight frown. "Your grandfather is proud of you. He's not completely a bad man, not like your father anyways. He has come around a bit on my issues, but he hangs onto every story he hears about you. We have missed you. Everyone has, even Willem," Paul said as he nodded towards Willem. "He's a good man."
Will didn't respond as he watched Willem swing his wooden sword against Ethan as he jumped back. He made a mistake by channeling all his energy into the opponent standing in front of him. Someone could approach him from behind and kill him.
"You're doing it wrong," Will called out as he approached his stepfather and stepbrother. Both Willem and Ethan appeared to be shocked as Will took the sword from Willem's hand and showed him the proper stance and explained why this was better. Paul smiled as he watched Will begin to help the other men. Will's shoulders appeared to have just a bit less weight on them.
Hours passed and the sun began to sink into the horizon as Will, the Northermen, and the Bradfords began to leave the training yard. Will's muscles felt tense and strained but he also felt lighter. He and his men taught the Bradfords new strategies and fixed old mistakes and though Will didn't quite open up to his stepfather or half brother, but they weren't a total mystery to him anymore. Ethan was arrogant, but also willing to learn. The thick ice had begun to melt between the two.
Willem was a slightly different story. When Will did something correct, he wasn't used to the praise that was given to him by Willem. He felt the familiar prickly feeling of discomfort as Willem slapped his shoulder in almost adoration. He was overcompensating; everyone knew the nightmare Will grew up in. But what irritated Will the most was why wasn't his mother acting this way? In a way, he wanted her to grovel, to plead for his forgiveness. If Nicola was anything like Will (and she was his mother, after all), she would never grovel.
Will was approaching the palace when Paul caught up with him.
"I need to show you something," Paul said as he made Will hold back. "Come with me."
"What is it?" Will asked as he followed Paul towards the side of the palace.
"As the future heir, you need to know every nook and cranny in this place," Paul said with a smile. "I'm going to show you the tunnels."
"The tunnels?" Will asked as they walked into the palace and right to the stairwell. Will could feel the heat from the mines as he followed Paul down in the bowels. The 'basement' of the palace was as large as the palace itself. The various levels were filled with people and their jobs. The top level were the cooks and the servants and their families. From what Will could see, each family had at least a room. He couldn't see beyond the various doors in the hallway.
As they walked down the further levels, Will found the miners, the shop owners, the soldiers, and the people from all other walks of life. Will wasn't sure what he was expecting from people who lived underground, but they were all the same. There were bits of sunlight still streaming in from the windows on the side. The walls were made of stone and though the air felt thicker, it was still clean. Will was left in amazement.
"The people spend most of their days up on the land. It is safer to keep their homes beneath the palace. It's an efficient system for us," Paul said as he took Will's arm and led him towards the miners. "They came across it years ago, and they are very old. The tunnels go for miles and they can fit not only soldiers, but horses as well," Paul explained as they walked past the miners and their digs. Behind a curve in the wall was the beginning of the tunnels. Like the rest of the underground, they were made of stone and sloped around. It was spacious and cool, as well as damp.
As Will and Paul walked down the tunnels, they found split offs, which Paul explained led to other hatches. All of the hatches led to part of the woods nearly two miles away.
"Why are you showing me this?" Will asked as he stared up at the archways. "And who built these?"
"As the future King and defender, you need to know every secret we have. We have never been to war or battle, but I imagine if we did, this would be the best defense we have. As for who built it, we have no idea. When my father decided to mine and excavate, these were discovered. It gave him the idea to have our people sleep underground. It appears others have lived down here as well," P
aul explained as they listened to the sounds of people walking above them. "Does this help you?"
"It does," Will replied. "The possibilities for strategies are endless."
"That is reassuring to hear," Paul breathed a sigh of relief. "I know you haven't been in the South for too long, but I imagine it is the same in the North. Have you ever seen the sky right before a storm comes? It's calm and serene, the bluest sky you have ever seen?"
"Yes," Will replied unsurely as he turned his attention to his Uncle.
"That is how the Johanssons are. They always disturb our trade routes, but the damage has been less severe. While the attacks are still the same number, we are dealing with less men. My father believes it's because the Johanssons have less men, but I don't believe it for a second." Paul shuffled his feet before he took another deep breath. "I think the Johanssons are preparing for something."
"That's a lot to infer from one incident," Will said as he walked towards the hatch and carved in ladder. "Maybe Douglas Johansson has found someone else he wants to torment."
"I think it is worth keeping an eye on," Paul said as he scratched his forehead. "We should return to the Palace. I imagine it is close to dinnertime."
Chapter Nineteen
Will's muscles ached in the worst possible way as he walked back to his chambers. After Paul had shown him the tunnels, he sat down and explained how the entire underground layers worked. Each floor and room was kept together by stone, which stopped the earth from caving in. The terrain of the territory didn't call for much rain, so chances of a washout happening was slim to none, but the rain they did get stopped the dirt from becoming too brittle.
The rooms branched out into the cliffs by the ocean, allowing for a sea breeze to come in with ease. The people could sit out on the cliffs with no problems and without the chance of being spotted. If someone were to try and attack by sea, chances were very high that a civilian of Bradford would spot the incoming ships.
It had all been fascinating to Will, which clouded his mind enough to make him walk straight into Garrett.
"Head in the clouds?" Garrett laughed as he grabbed Will by the arm to stop him from falling.
"Yes," Will said as he shook his head and wiped his brow clean of sweat. "Paul was showing me the underground living dwellings. How they live is amazing. Why weren't you at the training session? I could have used your help."
"I apologize, but I had something I needed to attend to," Garrett said very formally. "Your wife cornered Seraphina."
"Cornered?" Will questioned as he and Garrett began to walk towards his chambers.
"I respect that your wife is clever, but Seraphina tells me that Tamzin has convinced herself that Seraphina is not carrying my child," Garrett said awkwardly as he placed his hand on the back of his neck. "Tamzin's inquiries are causing problems with Seraphina's health. It also isn't doing much to make me like her."
"She has brought up her thoughts to me. I think she just clings to the hope that maybe you hadn't slept with someone other than her friend. Kendall is still on her mind often," Will tried to gently defend, but found it difficult.
"Seraphina also told me that Tamzin verbally lashed out at your mother," Garrett said before he took a deep breath. "We need to keep the Bradfords on our side and Tamzin shouting at your mother is not the way to do it."
Will bit the inside of his cheek.
"I will ask her to stay away from Seraphina," Will responded before he looked down to the ground. "Ever since Thurston was burned to the ground, our friendship has changed."
"Your wife doubting every word I say, without merit, mind you, has made it difficult to be your friend," Garrett responded with the lightest amount of venom in his voice. "She isn't a bad person, I know that, but you know she can be a bit..."
"Righteous? Sanctimonious? I know," Will sighed again. "I will do what I can to calm her down."
"That girl is going to get you killed," Garrett said bluntly. "She doesn't understand the consequences of her actions. Her spouting that Seraphina is carrying someone else's child, and we know who she really means, can cause many problems for the men in your company."
"She thinks Seraphina is carrying my father's child," Will said as he reached back and began to massage the base of his neck. His stress levels were rising. "Humor me, but do you know for sure she is carrying your child?"
"I cannot say for sure, but I believe so. I woke up next to her countless times, after I drank too much while we were fighting. I was flirtatious with her before we left Thurston, so it does not surprise me that I slept with her. I know it was wrong, morally, as I was courting Kendall and then married her, but I thought I could stop after Kendall and I were married. My self control isn't as strong as I thought," Garrett said as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I admit that was wrong of me, but the rest is Tamzin."
"Give me tonight to talk to her. After, if it doesn't make Seraphina too uncomfortable, Tamzin will apologize. She's not a bad person; she's not seeking Seraphina out to torment her. If Tamzin believes something, she really believes it," Will said. "To make her believe me, I have to tell her about how I would see Seraphina come out of your tent in the morning and your apparent flirtation with her..."
"Do whatever you have to do," Garrett replied. "Maybe tomorrow, we can train together? Like we used?"
"I would like that," Will smiled at the memories of their childhood together. "You're looking a bit out of shape."
"Says the man who has pregnancy commiseration," Garrett joked before he punched Will's arm. "Enjoy taming the wild beast."
"Your humor knows no bounds," Will replied sarcastically as he turned on his heel and finished his journey towards his chambers. Though he was slightly irritated with Tamzin's actions, he did feel better knowing he was beginning to repair his relationship with Garrett. He had been walking on eggshells with the two of them, afraid to offend Tamzin over Garrett's actions with her dead best friend. He had been quiet for too long about what he needed from their relationship, and now he would remedy it.
In his chambers, he stripped off his armor and clothes, where he washed his skin with a wet rag. He longed to lie down after this, but there was too much to be done. Besides Tamzin, Will had battles strategies to formulate and investigate the tunnels further, to see how far they went...
The door opened and Will turned to see Tamzin enter. She looked uncomfortable, though she smiled at him when she saw him. Her belly had continued to grow and her back continued to strain, but she was still lovely.
"Are you well?" Will asked as she sat down on the bed and leaned back against her hands.
"As well as a woman can be in my condition," Tamzin laughed. "I didn't think I would see you back so early. Do you want me to call for food?"
"Seraphina told Garrett that you're harassing her. You need to stop and I want you to apologize," Will interrupted as he placed the rag back into the water.
"Apologize? To the woman who attempts to help your enemies? I will do no such thing!" Tamzin scoffed and Will felt his anger rise from her dismissal.
"Seraphina is carrying Garrett's child. There isn't some conspiracy against me and you will not scoff at me again, wife," Will growled as he grabbed his discarded breeches and pulled them on.
"You don't know that! She looks similar to your mother. It would make sense why your father would find her attractive enough to be with," Tamzin said as she got to her feet and cradled her belly. "You need protection."
"I am a man grown, Tamzin. I don't need protection. Nearly every morning while I was at battle, I watched Seraphina sneak out of Garrett's tent. Garrett said he has been lying with her since the first night of battle," Will said as he watched the sadness in Tamzin overcome her. "I had wanted to protect you from this."
"You don't need protection but I do?" Tamzin purposely scoffed at him again. "You're a hypocrite."
"I am no such thing!" Will nearly yelled as he reached forward and took her by the arms. "You're going to deliver my son any day now. Y
ou are right that my father does plan to remove me from the line of succession by trying to kill me, but his plan does not include Seraphina. If you are not protected, my line dies with you. As a man and a future king, I will allow no pain to come to my wife and my heir."
"I don't trust her, Will," Tamzin nearly pleaded before she wretched her arms away from him. "You're just going to take Garrett's word for it? What if he is in on it too?"
"Stop!" Will roared. "You are blinded by your grief. Garrett did not love Kendall! But that does not mean he cannot be trusted with my life. I am your husband and I will be your King! I can take care of myself and I will take care of you as well," Will said, his heart ached as he watched the tears fall down her cheeks. Perhaps he had been too brutal with his words, but she needed to hear them. "My love," Will began as he gently reached for her.
"And what will happen to me?" Tamzin asked in a small voice as Will's fingers gently massaged her skin. "What will happen to our baby if you die?"
