Running his fingers through his hair, Liurn straightened his posture, holding it erect for a moment before leaning forward to prop his elbows upon the table. “In his younger days the Duke was very fond of all women. Young. Old. Single. Married. No woman could deny him. He was handsome. Rich. Powerful. Many were convinced he would be crowned Emperor, so they vied for a place on his arm to be his empress. What woman doesn’t want to be Queen?” He paused briefly for effect before continuing, satisfied by Kaori’s curious gaze that he had her attention. “There was one woman he happened to attract who foolishly fell in love with him. The poor girl conceived his child and when she went to him with the news, he spurned her, claiming the child was not his. Heartbroken, the lady fled from his home, only to be found dead a few days later. Suicide. She couldn’t bear the shame he bestowed upon her by leaving her, unmarried, and with child.”
Kaori stared at Liurn, appalled at what she was hearing. It didn’t sound like something Therek would do, yet how could she say differently? She knew nothing about him. Had his reputation truly been so horrid, she found it difficult to believe her parents would have let him into their home. “Surely it cannot be as bad as you say,” she argued, the words more of a statement than a defense. “My parents told me he was a good man. My father even spoke of his hopes that a marriage could be arranged between the two of us. If what you speak is true, there is no way my father would have allowed the Duke anywhere near me, let alone consider the thought of giving him our family name.”
“Your father knew the truth as well as the rest of us. The woman was a prominent figure at court. Therek was the envy of every man on Myatheira when he caught her eye and there wasn’t a soul in Carpaen who didn’t hear about the scandal. What he did to her was absolutely tragic.”
She leaned back in her chair, unsure of what to say. It came as a shock. To picture Therek as a womanizer was almost comical, given the way he treated everyone around him. He was quiet. Dismissive of the women Kaori witnessed at his party who tried to catch his eye. There was no indication which would lead her to believe he held an interest in the company of anyone. “I just do not see it,” she frowned, shaking her head in denial. There wasn’t enough evidence. Unless Liurn was able to provide proof, she couldn’t bring herself to accept it as truth.
Casually sipping his tea, Davian chuckled, seemingly amused. “Of course you wouldn’t see it now,” he lowered his cup, leaning his body forward as if in preparation to tell her some great secret. “After the woman’s death, he ceased his debauchery – at least in the public’s eye. No one knows what he does in the privacy of his own home, but I find it difficult to believe a man like that would give up women altogether. I suspect he has merely gotten better at keeping his sexual romps to himself.”
“Just watch yourself,” Liurn warned, the fear in his eyes evident at the thought of what he was about to say. “There is no telling what he will do to get you into his bed. The man is skilled at seduction in ways the rest of us men only dream. I think it best you avoid his private company, for more reasons than just his knowledge of your involvement in yesterday’s rescue.”
“I am not interested in his wealth or his body, so you have no reason to concern yourself,” Kaori waved dismissively, no longer interested in continuing the conversation. She wasn’t comfortable discussing such things with these men. Friends or not, sexual escapades of others hardly felt like an appropriate topic. Especially not when there were far more pressing matters which required their attention.
Before she could find the words to change the subject, footsteps could be heard approaching from the house, the figure of a frail servant woman appearing in the doorway to the courtyard. She looked flushed, her cheeks rosy from the exertion of her quickened pace. “Lord Torust,” she breathed, hurrying across the walkway to stand at Liurn’s side. “Lord Rothdara and the Duke of Avishul have come to call. Shall I see them to you, sir?”
“Speak of the devil and he doth appear,” Liurn mumbled, clearly disconcerted by the arrival of his new guests. Kaori couldn’t blame him for his discomfort. Sivar’s presence would complicate matters for them all if he tried to take her away. But it was Therek who concerned her. Why would he come there if not for her? She was a criminal. His friendship with the Emperor made him a threat, regardless of what Liurn and Davian believed he wanted from her.
Reminded of their conversation, she felt a sense of unease start to creep over her at the thought of seeing Therek again. What if Liurn was right? What if Therek desired her in the indecorous fashion her friends feared? He could try to use his knowledge against her. To blackmail her into doing what he wanted in order to protect her secret. He wouldn’t do that; she argued with herself, desperate to push the frightening thoughts from her mind. Their relationship to this point may not have been the most friendly, but she couldn’t picture him doing anything so improper. Not with her.
Irritated, Liurn rose from his chair, motioning the servant woman toward the house. “I will see them in the foyer,” he sighed, casting an apologetic glance over his shoulder at Davian. “If you both will excuse me. I think it best the Duke not be allowed near either of you.”
A commotion from the house caught everyone’s attention, Kaori’s eyes instantly drawn to the open door where the servant woman had entered. Her heart nearly leapt into her throat at the sight of her brother coming through the entryway with Therek at his heels, grasping at the back of Sivar’s doublet in attempts to hold him back. Sivar was oblivious to Therek’s presence, his eyes settled on Kaori as he crossed the courtyard.
“Kaori, you are coming home. Right now.” Forcing his way past Liurn, Sivar moved swiftly to where Kaori sat at the table, his hand clasped firmly around her wrist. She winced at the pressure he applied to the already bruised skin, staring up at him in a mix of anger and confusion.
“I am doing no such thing,” she gasped, twisting her wrist free of Sivar’s fingers. He looked surprised by how easily she regained her freedom, his speechlessness granting her the chance to further state her disapproval. “How dare you walk in here and think you can just drag me out like some personal possession of yours. I am capable of making my own decisions.”
She didn’t think it possible for Sivar to look more shocked than he already did, his mouth agape, breathing heavy. When he spoke there was no coherence to his words for the first few syllables, sputtering in disbelief before he seemed to gain control of his vocal cords. “Clearly you are not capable of making the right decisions. Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what you have done?”
“Calm yourself, Lord Levadis.” Therek took a step forward, halted out of etiquette as Liurn moved to block his path.
“I am not letting you near the Lady,” he stated, stern in his countenance. Therek made no attempt to continue onward, choosing to finish his urging from over Liurn’s shoulder.
“You are not going to accomplish anything by shouting. Perhaps if you let me speak with her while you take a few moments to breathe.”
Sivar lifted his arms in the air, exasperated. “What good will it do? My sister has completely lost her senses.”
“Excuse me?” Kaori scoffed, rising from her chair to stand toe-to-toe with Sivar. He was somewhat taller than her, yet somehow lacked any qualities which would intimidate her. He was her brother. She knew everything of which he was capable. “The only ones here who have lost their senses are those who fail to see the necessity of our actions. Our people are being murdered…”
“Yes, but how did it become your responsibility to stop it?”
“If we don’t, who will?” she challenged, her eyes never leaving Sivar’s. She wasn’t going to back down. No matter how crazy the thought of acting against their emperor was, she held no concerns about whether it was the right decision. The more they allowed the Emperor to get away with, the worse it would become.
Recognizing the futility in his efforts, Sivar turned away, his expression desperate as he settled his gaze on Therek. “I told you she wou
ld not listen to reason. My sister is inexorable.”
Gently, Therek rested his hand on Liurn’s shoulder, using the gesture to politely hold Liurn in place while he stepped around. Liurn appeared taken aback by the forward act though he said nothing, staring at Therek, discomfited. Therek ignored his friend’s troubled gaze, directing his words to Sivar. “I would like to request an audience with the Lady, if I may?”
“Absolutely not,” Liurn found his voice, spinning around to glare at Therek. “There is nothing you can say to her that cannot be spoken in our company.”
“It is fortunate that the Lady is not the charge of Lord Torust and holds the power to choose for herself.” Therek held his ground, unwavering at Liurn’s remark.
Kaori watched the men in amusement. Were they fighting over her? The thought made her want to laugh. It was nothing so torrid as a love triangle, yet she couldn’t deny that she was the object they attempted to pull from the invisible grasp of the other.
Fists clenched at his sides, Liurn exhaled a harsh breath in a clear attempt to keep his temper in check. “You are in my home, Your Grace. Surely you are aware of the disrespect you show by disregarding my wishes.”
“The location in which we stand does not change the fact that Lady Kaori is very much of her own mind.”
“Boys, please.” Kaori cringed at the patronizing tone of her voice. She wanted to stop the argument, not insult them. “Liurn, I appreciate your concern, but you have nothing to fear in my speaking with the Duke. In that, you have my word.”
“That is not an assurance you can give with him…”
“Of course it is,” Kaori interjected, instantly noting the shift in Therek’s stance at Liurn’s poorly veiled insult. He knew Liurn’s meaning. Kaori could see it written in the tensed lines of Therek’s face. He looked stung, though the emotion only lingered for a second before quickly being replaced by his usual stern demeanor.
Therek said nothing. To respond in defense would only give Liurn the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten under his skin. Instead he chose to keep his head high, chin jutted forward in a display of obvious pride, shoulders back, eyes locked on Kaori. With a disapproving shake of her head Kaori turned away from Liurn, arm extended toward Therek. After such a cruel exchange between two supposed friends, the least she could offer Therek was the pleasure of flaunting his victory by accompanying her into the privacy of the house while the others looked on in consternation.
He accepted the offer with a courteous nod, linking his arm with Kaori’s to lead her away. She could feel Liurn’s eyes upon them until they were safely within the cover of the house. To ease Liurn’s concern, she left the door open, positioning herself in the entryway in plain view of the men in the courtyard. Therek had never given her reason to distrust him, but that wasn’t enough to make her willing to take the chance that she was wrong.
“Lord Torust is displeased with the thought of me being alone with you, I see,” Therek mused, his head tilting in a half-hearted attempt to see if Liurn continued to watch for them. Kaori placed her hands on her hips, determined to maintain control over their conversation. Therek may have been the one to request the private audience, but it had been her decision to grant it. They would talk about only the topics she was willing to discuss.
“You are a man of significant power and influence who happens to be aware of a dangerous secret I possess. Can you blame him for his concern?”
“I think there is more to his concern than that. The man is fond of you.”
“No more than the next man.”
“My belief is to the contrary.”
“Your belief is incorrect.”
Therek’s eyes turned heavenward. “Don’t be naïve. The man would cut off his leg if you asked him to.”
Kaori burst into laughter, unable to bring herself to take Therek seriously. She considered Liurn a close friend, but she viewed him no differently than she did her own brother. The thought of him having romantic feelings was almost as comical as the affection Liurn claimed Therek to possess toward her. “That is funny,” she chuckled, her head shaking. “He claimed the same could be said of you.”
Lowering his head, Therek smirked, holding both of his hands out to glance idly at his arms. “I am rather fond of my limbs where they are.”
“That is not a denial of affection.”
The smile faded from Therek’s lips at the statement. He stared at her, austere, reminding her of the Therek she had become so accustomed to seeing. Stoic and sedate. The light of his azure eyes flashed brightly before dimming once again, settled on Kaori, almost grim in his gaze. “You and I are friends, Lady Kaori; and we could never be anything more.”
His response came as an insult. Despite the calmness of his tone, Kaori felt a sting in her chest, as if he had somehow struck her with the cold steel of a blade. They could never be anything more? How could he presume to make such a claim? “That is a harsh assumption. Are you saying I am not good enough for the powerful Duke of Avishul?” She felt foolish arguing with him. What did it matter if he felt her beneath him? In many ways, she was. It wouldn’t be wrong of him to consider her so.
Therek looked torn, as if unsure how to respond. She placed him in an awkward position. Regardless of whether it was fair to make the accusation, it gave her pleasure to watch him squirm. “Do not get me wrong. You are undeniably beautiful and without doubt the most fascinating woman I have ever known. In my opinion, far too good for the likes of me, therefore I refuse to entertain the notion.”
In an instant Kaori’s amusement transformed into anger, reminded of what Liurn and Davian had told her of Therek’s past. The horrible way he had spurned that young woman. It sickened her to think what he had done. “Yes, I have heard some things about the likes of you,” she spat.
“I know exactly what you have heard about me, but local gossip is not why I wanted to speak with you.”
“You make no attempt to defend yourself ?” she gasped. He was so deliberate in his evasion of the rumors. The acid in her tone must have been enough to make him know what she referred to and yet he chose not to argue his innocence. To try and persuade her that the stories were untrue. “If you truly knew what I heard, you would not stand there and pretend you are so much better than everyone else.”
“Milady, I have long since abandoned the thought of making anyone think differently of me than they choose to, based on how I have treated them. If you prefer to judge based on the words of others, it is not my place, nor is it a concern of mine, to change your mind. However, it would mean I have severely misjudged your character.”
Kaori opened her mouth to speak, silenced by the biting remark. He spoke the truth. Her opinion of Therek had been of higher regard prior to her conversation with Liurn and Davian only moments before Therek’s arrival. It was unfair to throw accusations in his face over a rumor she had no grounds to hold against him. Rumors could be dangerous tools in a society such as theirs. A way to sway the opinions of many regardless of how true – or untrue – the content may be. It was she who was in the wrong, not Therek. “I deserved that,” she nodded, her voice calmer than before. It pained her to think how easily Therek put her in her place. He never failed to find ways to remind her that she wasn’t as knowledgeable of this world and how it worked as she liked to think. “I was out of line, Your Grace. The events of the past few days have taken their toll on my mind. I am not behaving in a manner of which I am proud.”
“So you do not deny that your actions in Whitelyn were reckless?” Therek asked.
“By the gods, no,” Kaori gawked at him. “I referred only to my treatment of you. My actions in Whitelyn were with good reason. I hold no regrets for what transpired.”
“Are you blind to the repercussions your actions could hold?”
“I am blind to nothing. The Emperor sought to murder innocent people. Innocent Vor’shai. How can you look me in the eye and tell me that my decision was not the right one?”
Therek lifted his chin
to stare down his nose at her. “Morally, I will never deny that,” he shrugged. The response caused Kaori to blink. She expected more of a fight. Especially from one such as him.
“Then you see that it had to be done.”
“I am unsure what I see,” he frowned. “In my heart, I am proud of you. It was a brave thing you did, but imprudent. It has barely been a month since your parents were executed to spare your death in a charge of treason and you repay that debt by placing your neck right back on the executioner’s block.”
“My neck will only make its way to that block if you tell the Emperor what I did.” Relaxing her stance, Kaori glanced out toward the others, suddenly uncomfortable to find that Liurn’s eyes remained on her. Nervously, she stepped forward, taking solace in the wall that was now safely positioned between her and the others. Therek watched her, following her lead to move further into cover.
“I am not going to tell the Emperor anything,” he assured, the tips of his fingers gently weaving through his dark hair. He sounded sincere. Genuine. “I wanted to speak with you because I am concerned for your safety if you continue in this manner. The attack in Whitelyn will spur the General into raising the number of guards at the next execution. The next person you let close enough to see your face may not be as willing to keep your secret as I am.”
“The number of soldiers would not be a concern if we had more support,” Kaori argued, seeing her opportunity to persuade Therek into joining them. She expected him to be more like her brother and chastise her for what she’d done. His amenable nature toward the rebellion came as a pleasant surprise. One she remained hesitant to accept. “I fail to understand why you took arms against me in Whitelyn. You are a skilled fighter, Your Grace. If you were to fight with us instead of against us, it would lessen the chances of anyone getting close enough to learn who we are.”
“You are not the only one who knows of my affinity for combat. General Deliao’s most prominent lieutenant was aware of my presence at the execution. Had I not come to the aid of the soldiers, he would have made sure the Emperor was told of my failure to act in his defense.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 31
