by Missy Jane
She abruptly closed her legs and pulled away from him, sitting at the furthest corner of his large bed. “So, what if I am this princess? Am I in trouble?”
“No, of course not. Your father has been searching for you. I was tasked with bringing you home.”
“Why?”
“This is your true home, Theda. Why wouldn’t you want to be here?”
“Why does the King want me back now…? He couldn’t know of my mother’s death so soon, unless he caused it.”
That drew him up short. “He wouldn’t have done such a thing. He loved his Queen.”
“Then why did she run? And why did she keep me hidden all these years?”
He huffed out a breath in frustration. “I don’t know the answers to those questions. I’m not sure anyone but she knows why she left. But I did see your parents together a few times, and they always seemed happy together. Even after she left, the King never spoke ill of her or badly to her in front of me or my brothers.”
“Well, he wouldn’t have, would he? You’re security, not his trusted advisors. Or even his friends… Are you?”
The hopeful tone of her voice ate at him but he wouldn’t lie to her, not about something so important for certain. “No, we’re not. I rarely interact with the King except when it’s my month to guard his castle. Even then, I have dinner with him at most and don’t see him much of the day.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip and pulled her knees up to her chin. The man’s shirt she wore barely stretched to mid-thigh. Kephas was graced with a display of smooth skin that he badly wanted to kiss.
He slowly began removing his clothes and it seemed to take a minute for her to notice. When she did, she stood on the other side of the bed, but luckily he was between her and the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m tired from our travels. You might not want to rest, but I do. It would please me greatly if you’d lie with me.”
He tried to make it sound like an option, though he really wanted to make it a command. The thought of her leaving his room ate at him.
She said nothing as he stripped off his weapons, shirt, and boots. He was about to untie his trousers when a knock sounded on the door.
“That’ll be our food,” he said.
He answered the summons and took a heavily laden tray from a kitchen server. After thanking the man he shut the door and locked it, then carried the tray to his desk.
“I need to have a table put in here,” he said. “I usually eat in the kitchen or at the dining table with my brothers.”
Theda remained beside his bed as he uncovered the various dishes, revealing fragrant meats and steaming vegetables. The rumbling of her stomach sounded from across the room but he made no comment.
He moved the chair from the fireplace and set it beside his desk chair, then swept out his arm towards it. “Join me?”
She wanted to run right into his arms, damn the food, but still feared what was to come. She trusted Kephas, of course. He had earned it many times over in the past few weeks. However, he was bound to his King and the laws of the land. If she was in fact considered a traitor, he’d have no choice but to treat her as such. Even if he disagreed with the verdict.
But for now, there was food and she was hungry. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to share one last meal with the man. Plus, she’d need her strength to escape if it came to that.
Giga wasted no time in running to the table, as if Kephas’ invitation had been for the little creature as well. He laughed and tossed a bit of meat to him. Giga stood on his hind legs to catch it in his mouth.
“Well, the meal has Giga’s approval,” he said.
She could tell he was trying to lighten the mood. Though still fearful of the future, she decided to sit in the chair he offered.
“Who am I to deny a meal that has Giga’s approval?”
Kephas continued to grin as he sat beside her. He handed her an empty plate and then took his own and began serving himself from the various platters. She looked at each item carefully before selecting a few meats and cheeses.
“You don’t eat vegetables?” he asked.
She frowned and poked at a squishy, steaming, brownish thing with one finger. “Is that what you call this?”
He chuckled. “Yes. I promise, it is much tastier than it appears.”
He tore a small bite off and held it up to her lips. She almost protested the intimate movement, but the hopeful look in his eyes stopped her. With a quick lick, she opened her mouth and accepted the morsel. “Mmmm. Yes, it is good.”
That seemed to appease him as he went back to gathering his own meal.
“The wizards taught us of various foods, and stressed that we eat each grouping in equal parts. Every one of our meals will have meats and cheeses, but also fruits and vegetables. Plus the breads, of course.”
“And fish?”
He shrugged. “At times. However, we’re not on a coast as you were in the south. Fish isn’t as plentiful here within the city.”
“Oh.”
“I can fly you to a fishing village if that’s what you hunger for.”
He stood as if to put his words to action on the spot. She laughed and lifted her hands to halt him. “No, Kephas. This is fine. Truly.”
“Are you certain? I don’t mind.”
She motioned to the table laden with food. “This is more than fine. I was just curious.”
He watched her a moment more before returning to his seat. She began to eat but still felt his gaze upon her.
“I want you to be happy here, Theda. I’ll keep you safe and do everything in my power to give you all you need. But I really want you to be happy.”
Her heart raced at the sincerity in his tone. He had proven himself to be both loyal to her and caring of her needs as they traveled, but now they were back in his homeland. Could he really remain faithful to her?
With a huff she pushed away from the table and stood. He remained seated as she paced away, then back again.
“I have to ask you something, Kephas, and I need your honesty. You haven’t given me reason to doubt you, but we don’t really know each other after all, do we?”
“I’d like to think we do, after the past few weeks together. A name is just a name, Theda. Whether you’re a Princess or a maid matters not to me.”
“And to your King? What if he names me a traitor once you tell him I’ve been found?”
He shook his head. “No. The wizard who sent me to find you would have told me if you were to be brought back as a prisoner. Point of fact, he didn’t really ask me to bring you back at all. He said you and your mother had been spotted. I was to discover if it was truly you, and see how you fared. At most he asked me to convince you to visit. That was my task.”
Some of her tension eased and she rested her hands on the back of her chair. “So the King wants to see me as my father? Not as my sovereign?”
He seemed to think it over. “I can’t say what his motivations are, or what he expects. But I can tell you there is no reason to name you as a traitor. You’ve never worked against the King, correct?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then you’re no traitor. Your mother essentially kidnapped you, so neither are you a deserter. In fact, you made a point to journey here upon her death, under your own free will. That will show you have no desire to remain away from your father, or your King.”
“For now.”
He bowed his head in acknowledgement but didn’t argue the point, which made her feel better. She returned to her seat with a calmer pulse and a settled stomach that allowed her to resume eating.
After a few minutes of companionable silence, she asked the question that had been plaguing her. “How soon will I have to meet him?”
He gave a soft sigh. “I wish I could give you all the time in the world
, but soon the wizards will know I’ve returned. Once they realize I’ve brought a woman with me, they will assume my duty is done.”
“You told your brothers my name is Theda.”
He grinned. “And they weren’t fooled for a second. They too knew your mother and no doubt saw the resemblance. Also, they all know I would never abandon my duty for any reason. They will assume you are the Princess and not think much of the name change. They will wonder about the Queen, however.”
Thoughts of her mother caused her to push away from the table and stand on numb legs. “I don’t want to talk about her right now.”
In her next breath he was behind her, holding her close and giving her his strength. She closed her eyes and savored the warmth of his large body.
“Let us rest,” he whispered. “You don’t have to make any decisions for the moment.”
She nodded and allowed him to steer her to his large bed.
Sometime later she woke in his arms. He made love to her as if it was their first time, leaving no spot untouched. How would she ever walk away from this man?
Chapter Thirteen
Kephas and Theda were given two full days of peace before the wizard Berlios arrived at the castle. Kephas wanted to grab her and fly off somewhere, anywhere that he could keep her to himself and keep her safe. Unfortunately, his first loyalty was to the King and kingdom, and especially to the wizards who had created him. He growled low in his throat as Berlios tried to look past him into his room.
The short, dark wizard kept his hair in long braids to his waist. He preferred the traditional wizard robes worn by many of the Twenty. Today they were dark blue with a brown cloak covering them against the weather. His brown eyes twinkled in suppressed humor as he looked up at Kephas.
“I know she is within, Master Kephas, and I mean no harm. I’ve been sent to ensure she is well and to positively identify her as either the Queen or the Princess.”
Anger surged in Kephas’ veins. “You think I would have the Queen in my bedroom?”
Berlios barely hid a grin. “Of course not. However, without seeing her I have no idea who has been in there with you since your return.”
Kephas bit back an angry retort when he felt a soft touch on his shoulder.
“Let him in,” Theda said.
Kephas looked over his shoulder at her. She gave a weak smile. It was enough to see her trying to be brave. He released the door and stepped back to allow Berlios inside. The wizard gave a nod as he came into the room.
Theda walked to the fireplace, as far from the door as she could get. Kephas watched her hands as she twiddled her fingers nervously, and he wished he could hold her. Berlios stopped a good distance away and simply looked at her.
“You are your mother’s daughter,” he said. “The resemblance is unmistakable, though you have some of your father’s features as well.”
“Thank you.”
“He wishes to meet you, as soon as possible. He is quite anxious, in fact.”
“Why? Why now?”
“He didn’t know where you were until very recently, Princess Theodora. Had he known, he would have sent for you immediately.”
Her small hands fisted and Kephas took a single step toward her before catching himself.
“And my mother?” she asked, anger growing in her voice. “Did he miss her too? Or was it the King who had her murdered?”
“Murdered?” Kephas and Berlios asked together.
Tears shone in her eyes. “Yes. She was murdered in cold blood. I set out to find my father and ask him to his face if he commanded her death.”
“No,” Berlios said with a swift shake of his head. “He would never do such a thing, Princess. I know this to be the absolute truth. He never commanded such and doesn’t know of it.”
Her questioning gaze swung to Kephas.
“He would know. The Twenty are King Kadmos’s trusted advisors and his friends,” he said.
Emotions crossed her face but she held herself in check. She crossed her arms and sighed. “All right, then. I’ll meet him.”
Kephas released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, and Berlios looked likewise relieved.
“We can leave as soon as you’re ready. I have horses waiting outside.”
The panicked look she gave made Kephas close the distance to stand at her side. “I can fly us there, Berlios. It will be faster.”
The wizard grinned. “Very well. I’ll let the others know.” He turned and left without another word.
As soon as Kephas shut the door, Theda faced him. “You don’t mind flying me to see my…the King?”
He ran the tips of his fingers down one side of her face. “No, my love. I don’t mind. Will you return here with me after?”
“You think he’ll allow it?”
Alarm shot through him. “I would assume so. You’re no prisoner, Theda.”
Her expression showed her skepticism but she nodded. “All right, then yes. I’ll return with you. But I don’t want to be a burden, Kephas.”
He grew frustrated at her persistence in reminding him of that fact, and pulled her into his arms. “How can I convince you that you’re no burden? What will it take for you to believe I want you here, in my arms, for as long as you’re willing to stay?”
He watched her throat move as she swallowed and gave in to the urge to rest his fingers there, gently feeling her pulse.
“It’s not that I don’t want to believe you. It’s just…”
“What?”
His fingers slid down until they rested lightly at the top of her bosom.
“I saw the way the women of Keva watched you, and one of the kitchen ladies told me those are the women you and your brothers prefer. I look nothing like—”
He’d had enough, and cut off her words with a fierce kiss, full of the passion he felt for her, and her alone.
“My preference is for you, Theda.” He kissed her again. “You and no one else. When will you understand that?”
He was about to take over her mouth again when a knock sounded at the door.
“What is it?” he asked with a growl.
“Brother?”
He sighed and released Theda. “Yes?”
Goran entered. “Berlios left saying the two of you would meet him at the King’s castle. Would you like some company?”
He glanced at Theda, her flushed cheeks and swollen lips still warmed his blood. He wanted to take her to his bed and complete the look with mussed hair and a satisfied smile. He cleared his head with a shake before looking at his brother again. “Yes. It would be better to have two of us, just in case.”
“In case of what?” she asked.
“Word is spreading across the land, Princess,” Goran replied. “Many will seek to meet you and not all will be on friendly terms.”
She looked to Kephas with a hint of fear. He pulled her into his arms and rubbed a hand over her back. “Fear not. I will protect you until my last breath, as will my brothers.”
“Why would anyone want to threaten me?”
He frowned at Goran for scaring her, but his brother just shrugged. “I’m not saying anyone will, but we can’t be certain. It’s better to treat you as if you need protection rather than finding out in the midst of an attack.”
“Is my father hated?”
“No,” Kephas and Goran said together.
Kephas looked her in the eyes. “Any ruler will have those who disagree out of anger, no matter how fair and just that ruler is. This is the way of Halstrid. Your father is a good and fair king. His people do love him, but there will always be those who feel they can do better.”
Her shoulders relaxed and she nodded in understanding before resting her head on his chest. “Okay.”
He rubbed her back again before slowly releasing her. “Berlios already alert
ed the others we would fly. We should set out now.”
Theda stepped back and crossed her arms protectively around herself. He wanted to grab her back but knew this wasn’t the time. She would be safe in his presence and he would never leave her side. But physical safety was all he could offer at the moment. All her doubts and concerns about meeting her father were not something he could help her with. He’d never had a father. The wizards were more teachers and mentors than father-figures, though sometimes Bastien seemed to try. All Kephas could do was be ready to support her as needed.
“All right,” she whispered. “I’m ready.”
He doubted that, but took her at her word and motioned for her to follow his brother out of the room. “Giga, stay here.”
The little creature moved its head up and down once before resting by the fireplace.
Theda couldn’t decide if she was terrified, angry, annoyed, or just exhausted. Perhaps all of them, which would explain why she couldn’t seem to form any words. She followed the other large Gargoyle silently as they walked through the halls of her father’s home. There were people everywhere, and all of them stopped to stare as she passed.
Did she really resemble her mother that much? She hadn’t thought so, but the pointing fingers, dropped jaws, and loud whispers told her differently. As they walked into a new room, an old woman carrying cloth dropped it to the ground and cried out.
“My Queen!” She rushed over and laboriously went to her knees before Theda. “Oh, my Queen, my Queen.”
She grabbed one of Theda’s hands and kissed it, then held it to her forehead as her shoulders shook. Theda looked to the gargoyles helplessly.
Kephas stepped forward. “Ma’am, please. This isn’t Queen Feshara. This is her daughter, Princess Theodora.”
The old lady stopped sobbing and looked up, squinting to study Theda.
“The…Princess?”
“Yes, my lady,” Kephas said as he took her by the arm.
She finally released Theda’s hand and let him help her to her feet.
