by Auryn Hadley
"Probably. I know I am."
"Really?" His head snapped up. "I figured you would say it's liberating, or something."
Leyli shook her head. "Knowing how to do something is different from being expected to. I mean, I learned to fight because my other option was to die. Now? Am I supposed to pretend it didn't happen? What will the Lords think if I try to discuss weapons or fighting styles?"
"Do what the King does." He leaned closer and dropped his voice. "He knows as much about fighting as the Lion, but age makes it harder. He just has this knowing look, like he has all the secrets."
"Thanks."
Then Temotio gestured to the pair, Tristan bouncing around on the mare's back. "As for them? I think His Majesty misses having a son and Tristan makes it hurt less. Let them have their bawdy jokes. It just means he likes the guy."
"I thought there'd be more problems, you know?"
A wry smile found Temotio's mouth. "Why, Highness?"
She made a disgusted noise. "Because privacy is not something gladiators get. Because when I ask Tristan a question, he answers. Because he doesn't refuse to tell the dirty jokes when I'm around."
"Because he knows what type of sheets you have, and may kill the next man who teases him about it? The last one thought his nose was broken."
"He didn't!"
Temotio nodded. "He did, then replaced him. Tristan may be common born, but his sensibilities are something nobles could learn from."
"What about you? Where are you from?"
The man chuckled. "My father is the Boieret of Abindon. I'm his fourth son, and sixth child."
"Wait..." She looked at him.
Temotio nodded. "Abindon is under the realms of the Domn of Lanmont. I am not a fool, Highness. I also told Tristan the night he announced your new guard."
"And you heard what Merino said at the arena."
He smiled. "I also know that your memory is a lot better than you pretend. It's not my sword work that made the Lion set me as your guard. It's the information I've been passing to the King."
Chapter 10
From across the courtyard, a familiar voice interrupted them, "Well look at that! The Lion of Lenlochlien is starting to look civilized!"
Leyli sucked in a breath and turned, but not before Tristan answered, "Fuck off, Theodian. Never saw you riding, either."
Before her guards could stop her, the Princess surged to her feet and scampered through the split rail fence, heading straight for the dark skinned man in the bright yellow shirt. At Theodian's side, like a loyal hound, was a small, bleached-looking man. His grin was as big as Leyli's.
She threw her arms around Theodian's neck and hugged. "You came!"
He laughed and patted her back, but the Royal guards weren't as impressed. Trying to catch up, they rushed the group, pulling at their weapons. The small man didn't hesitate. His sword was drawn and held before him as he moved to block Leyli from whatever threat existed. The only weapons he could see were held by men in black.
"Stand down!" Leyli demanded, grabbing the shoulder of the man before her. "You, too, Plague."
"Sorry, Highness." He turned and knelt, ducking his head. "Saw you weren't armed."
The guards stopped, put their swords away, then continued to walk toward her. Leyli rolled her eyes and tousled Plague's hair, hating how strict her life had become. "And I'm at home, so stand up. How many wins?"
"Not enough." He grinned, then lifted himself easily. "Almost didn't recognize you in a dress. Looks good."
Temotio stepped forward, his eyes on the newcomers. "Highness?"
Leyli introduced her friends. "The man in yellow is Theodian, also known as Whirlwind. He's here to offer some advice." She tilted her head at Plague. "And I have no idea why he's here."
Theodian shrugged, trying to look innocent. "Message said I was allowed a small guard. Figured there's one guy I can trust to keep me alive and not get in trouble in the palace, but I may have been wrong."
"Not wrong," Leyli whispered. "I'm still training the guard."
Of course, that's when Tristan walked up behind her. "Who's doing the training?" Then he offered Theodian his hand. "Thanks for trying, sir. Guard slipped me a dagger."
"You're welcome, sir." He ducked his head in respect. "This royal crap looks pretty good on you, Lion."
"Feels pretty good, too." He slapped Theodian's arm. "And you just got me out of riding lessons."
"No!" Leyli hissed. "Tristan!"
He gave her a pointed look. "Norihame first. Besides, I'm trying real hard not to cry from the abuse where anyone can see. Little pity, Ley." She rolled her eyes.
The sound of a throat clearing made the cluster of bodies look up. It was Ilario. He gestured to the crowd, then raised an eyebrow. "Is this something you think I should know about, Leyli?"
"Oh." She made a face. "Do we have to do the thing, Dad?"
He didn't get the chance to answer before both Theodian and Plague dropped to their knee. "Sire," Theodian breathed. Plague said nothing.
"Evidently we do." Ilario chuckled. "Please, gentlemen. Rise and be welcome. Anyone who makes my little girl laugh like that has no need to kneel. Leyli, who are your friends?"
"Theodian, the man who bought my title and helped keep me safe, and Plague, a gladiator."
From the side, Gregori grumbled something under his breath. Plague heard and looked over, jerking his chin up. "Bring it, rich boy."
"Fucking pulled a sword before the Princess, slave," Gregori hissed back. "We could take your head for it."
"Yeah." Plague patted the hilt. "Little problem there. I got it up before you knew I was here. Can't get my head if you don't have one."
"Enough!" Leyli snapped. "By the gods, you men are infuriating. Dad, I'm taking them upstairs to my office."
The king nodded. "Probably a good idea." He looked over to Tristan. "Discipline exists for a reason."
"I understand, sire. I'll make sure the idiot knows when to keep his mouth shut."
"Eventually," Ilario teased. "Then again, I didn't exactly expect a typical guard for a gladiator or her Secor. Leyli, use the red room. I'll have someone assign chambers for them."
"Thanks, Dad." She gestured to the large building across the grass. "Have you gotten to see the Palace, yet?"
"Nope," Plague said, keeping his voice low. "They don't let people like us in there, Highness."
"It's Leyli," she reminded him, resting her hand on his back to guide him in.
"Wolf," he corrected. "Also wanted to thank you. That move saved my ass in the last fight. Sixty-two, by the way."
Leyli looked to Theodian. "How are profits?"
The man chuckled. "Good. Since I didn't spend that extra fifty on the Lion, I put it into the team. Better armor all around, and Plague's been helping me get organized."
"So, you can afford to take a loss?" She cocked her head over to Plague.
The little man's feet stuttered. "Wolf..." he breathed. "I don't have another fight for two weeks."
"You don't have to be on the sands to get a rudis from the Heir. You just need to do something above and beyond, and I think guarding my back after that last fight counts."
Temotio made a gesture to the others, then stepped forward. "I'll find one, Highness."
"Thanks."
But Plague was frozen in shock. "Just like that?"
"I can make a huge ceremony of it if you prefer." She walked up and grabbed his shoulders, looking right into his face. "Or I can wait until you win the next one, if you do, and present it on the sands, but I am going to repay you for making sure I wasn't alone."
He swallowed, casting his eyes at the people around them. "I have no place to go. No home... anymore."
"Still need an assistant," Theodian said. "Can't pay you much, but comes with room and meals."
"You don't have to take it," Leyli told her friend, "but I have to offer it, or I couldn't live with myself."
Plague's pale blue eyes were moist and threatening to spi
ll. When he nodded his head, the first one leaked out, but he tried to wipe it away before any of the men around them could see. He had to breathe twice before he could find his voice.
"I'll take it, Wolf. Fuck. You were supposed to kill me, and now you're giving me a rudis?" Without warning, he dropped to his knees. "I swear my sword is always yours, Wolf. Always. Long live the gladiator queen."
"Long live the Wolf of Oberhame," Tristan agreed, moving to offer Plague a hand. "Congratulations, gladiator."
"I'm fucking crying." Plague wiped at his face again.
Theodian slapped his shoulder. "No shame in it, my friend. I bawled like a babe when I got mine, and knew it was coming. Hits a man hard to hear he's once again the owner of his own life."
"Yeah." Plague chuckled, then cleared his throat. "Sorry, Leyli - I mean Highness."
"Still Leyli." She wrapped her arm around his waist. "And what none of these idiots around me realize is that you can read."
"Practice makes it easier, too."
"Yep." She giggled. "Also means you could take their job. If Theodian doesn't need you anymore, see me. I'll give you a recommendation to the Royal Guard."
"Fuck," Edwyn grumbled. "You know how much my da paid for that?"
Tristan gestured to the palace, encouraging them all to start moving again. "Edwyn, if you could fight like Plague, you wouldn't have needed to buy your way in. Little shit's mean."
"Fuck yeah," Plague mumbled. "Had to figure out how to keep up with the damned Wolf."
"Oh!" Leyli gasped, grabbing Theodian's arm. "I need you to do me a favor. I can't just free every fighter in the games..."
"Well, looks like I need someone to take Plague's place. Who am I buying?"
"Man named Crush." She held her hand over her head. "Big, black armor, loaned me his weapons when Tristan was on the sands. Never flinched."
Theodian nodded, sucking at his teeth as he thought. "Any good?"
"Yeah," Tristan assured him. "Hits like a mule, faster than I'd expect for his size. Almost no manners, but kinda reminds me of the stories I heard about Whirlwind."
Theodian just shook his head. "I'll find the money, Highness."
"I'll give you the money," she told him. "I don't know how the other owners treat their teams, but I remember Merino's camp. The place was a prison. At least with you we had a little humanity left to us."
"And we've been working on more." Theodian paused as they reached the door, to let Leyli enter first. "Ten percent of their earnings are set aside for private use. They aren't required to take it, and leaving it alone buys them out faster, but for the men who want to see their wives?"
"Pays for the trip," Tristan said, understanding. "A lot of those guys will never earn out before they reach two-fifty."
"Exactly." The team owner's voice echoed against the marble walls. "And a man fights a lot better when he's not so worried about saying his goodbyes." The look he gave Tristan was pointed.
The Lion chuckled. "Facing death alone makes a lot of men do foolish things. I'd rather we just forgot about that."
"Mm." Theodian chuckled. "I'm sure you would."
"What?" Gregori asked, never knowing when to shut up.
Theodian looked him over pointedly. "Stand on the sands, boy, then you'll understand. Until then, what happens between gladiators stays between gladiators."
Tristan smacked the dark man's shoulder, then turned him toward yet another hall. "Thanks for understanding, sir."
"Never owned you, Lion. Never outranked you. You can lay off the sirs."
That's when Leyli stepped around them to reach for a door. "The Red Room. Please. I'm so tired of formality and horse shit. Be comfortable." Then she looked back at her guard. "Gregori? Would you have someone send up a real meal?"
"For four?" he asked, standing a bit straighter at the order.
She smiled. "For nine. I'm pretty sure my guard hasn't had the chance to eat yet, and the food they give me is better. I'll share."
"Yes, Highness!" He bobbed his head and hurried down the hall.
Theodian laughed, claiming a chair at the side of a long table. "That one's going to take some work."
"Needs his ass dropped into the dirt," Plague grumbled.
"She'll do it," Tristan assured them. "Fancy dresses haven't dulled the Wolf's teeth at all."
"Nor the Lion's." Leyli took the seat at the head, aware that the rest of the men left the one to her right empty. "Tristan?"
"Thought that was for your guest."
"No," Theodian assured him. "I know better. Nothing gets between tandem partners. Not even fancy titles. I brought paperwork, Leyli. Where did you want to start?"
While Tristan took his chair, she tapped the table with her index finger. "Intake. Let's start where every gladiator does. The moment their debt is sold to the arena."
Plague dropped a stack of papers onto the polished wood. "Starts before that. We get a letter that says we have a week to make payment, or our debt will be sold." He leaned closer. "Most of us can't read."
Leyli groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "There's the first thing we'll change. Paperwork is sent out by the debt owner or the judicial system?" Behind her, the door opened.
"Local Judicar," Plague told her. "Debt owner applies to him. He notifies the debtor of the bill and the need to pay. A week later, if the bill is still outstanding, guards show up and arrest us. Once a week, we're all packed into a wagon or marched across town in shackles, and the money is transferred in exchange for our time on the sands."
An arm reached over Leyli's shoulder, presenting a small wooden dagger. "Highness?" Temotio said softly.
She took it, smiling in thanks, then held it up. Across the hilt, letters had been hastily burned into the wood: Plague. She let her thumb caress it then turned to her friend.
"Did you really want a ceremony, or would you rather have this now?"
He pushed his hand across his mouth, then dropped it, revealing a smile. "Only people I'd want to witness it are all here, Highness. Just hard to know it's real."
So she slid it across the table. "It's real. By that sword, I grant you your freedom, and all rights that were removed with the sale of your debt." She paused. "What's your name, Plague?"
"Maxen Tenacus, Highness."
Her head jerked up. "Rhian?"
"Grandparents were. Grew up on the border."
"Thought Rhians were dark," Tristan said.
Plague shrugged. "Kinda proves I'm not Rhian. Just got the name."
"Well," Leyli continued, "congratulations, Maxen Tenacus. As the heir to the throne of Norihame, I grant your freedom, and all of the rights associated with being a citizen of Norihame."
He turned the wooden dagger in his hand, a wistful smile on his face. "Thanks, Wolf. My freedom was granted by the Gladiator Queen. Means I'll have something to tell my children about." Then he looked up at Temotio. "And thanks for the inscription, sir."
He nodded. "Got beat into the ground by her, myself. Saw her on the sands with the Lion. Know how hard it must have been to impress her Highness, so figured you deserve it. Welcome back, Maxen."
"Plague," he corrected. "Man never forgets who he becomes on the sands." He paused. "Or a woman. It changes us. Molds us to be what the gods need. Just never thought I'd be a part of their games."
"We're all a part," Leyli said. "We just have to find our places. Now let's make sure the rest of our citizens can say the same."
Chapter 11
They spent the evening locked away, discussing all of the details. Tristan eventually released her guard, except for Temotio. Armando thanked him, saying he'd planned to spend some time with his wife, so would be out of the palace. Edwyn and Gregori invited Plague to head to the pub with them, but the little man declined. He was as dedicated as Leyli to finding the solution, saying he wanted to make sure he never had to worry about the fate of his children.
By the time Leyli made it to her chambers to call it a night, it was late. She stumble
d in and nearly dismissed her maid, but the tiny jewel at the girl's throat changed her mind. When Tristan just kept walking toward his own rooms, she knew she wasn't the only one who'd seen it.
"Sorry I'm so late," she told the girl, taking a seat before her mirror.
Fiona moved to let down Leyli's hair. "Were you in training?"
"No. My father arranged for me to handle a few legal affairs. There's a man named Theodian and his guard, a former gladiator, staying the palace for a few days."
"Friends?"
Leyli scanned the maid's face for some hint of what she was trying to discover. Unfortunately, there was nothing but curiosity. "My former owner and fighting partner, so yes. I hear Theodian is rather wealthy, and I believe he's unmarried."
Fiona giggled. "He's probably old."
"Not that old, and still fit enough to show his fighters a few moves. He used to be a gladiator himself and it shows." Leyli yawned, trying to hide it. "Sorry."
Leaning closer, Fiona dropped her voice. "Is he the Lion's friend, too?"
"No. They barely knew each other."
"So yours?" The look she gave Leyli was devious, as if they were sharing a secret.
But Leyli knew exactly why the girl was asking. It was impossible for her to forget Palino's questions in the rose garden with the girl's necklace waving before her face.
"I think so, but I'm not sure if he's just trying to get the best deal from me. That's the problem, you know? Everyone promises the world, but all they really want is what benefits them." At the blank look on the maid's face, Leyli kept going. "Theodian is a friend because he wants me to make sure he's rich, Fiona. Not because he's trying to woo me."
"Oh."
"Besides, I have to marry a noble." Leyli groaned. "Have you seen my choices? It ranges from old to dumpy. Are there any noble born men worth getting excited over? Maybe my cousin, but he's always so rude!"
"The Domn of Lanmont?" Fiona asked, her voice surprisingly even.
"Yeah. Have you met him?"
The girl shrugged. "Yes, Highness. He told me you were going to be married."
Leyli turned and looked at her. "He keeps asking, but I refuse to be tied to a man who treats women so poorly. I have no interest in a husband who would take pleasure in beating me."
