by Laura Abudo
“I present an unlikely guest, a former Brother of the Faold. Divine authority has made Brother Karl,” and he indicated the woman sitting in the chair, “our representative from the gods. She is our highest ranking spiritual leader in the current state of things.”
Captain Amias Doran swallowed with difficulty. She certainly was. The look on her face told him she was uncomfortable with that title. He laughed inwardly at her humbleness.
“Brother Karl, along with her entourage and my Marshalls, has encountered the Sisters on several occasions. Armed with quick wit and some special skills they defeated them. Karl has agreed to give instruction in basic defense against the Sisters.”
More mumbling filled the room but ceased when the King lifted his hand to silence them. “Furthermore, I am dispatching our forces to patrol the entry points of the Kusira. We suspect since the Sisters’ efforts were thwarted they may be retreating or attempting to. From the forest lands of the Siri we have reports of clashes with Sisters trying to make their way out of Danycia. The coastal cities have been alerted. We don’t know if their retreat means they have set their sights elsewhere or if they intend to change tactics. But at this time we are going to clear the Sisters out of our lands.
“Brothers and our own Sisters have come forward offering information and assistance, most unaware and distraught at the infiltration of the Faold. They have agreed to recognize Brother Karl as their leader until the gods deem, through her, responsibility to another.”
Karl had gone pale. Amias saw her hands shaking in her lap as she watched the King intently. Most eyes were on her, most skeptical.
“Men, within the hour, your new orders will be issued,” King Fredrick barked to get their attention. “Do not delay in mobilizing. I need reports daily from you all.”
He stood. All of the men in the room saluted the king then turned to rush out.
Above the noise in the war room the King shouted, “Marshall Captain Doran. Brother Karl. Remain behind.”
Karl’s head swung from side to side as she searched for him in the crowd. Their eyes locked and she smiled softly. As they approached the King’s table he sat again, scribbling his signature on an official looking paper. He tossed it to Karl then handed her a quill and bottle of ink.
When the room cleared he said to Amias, “I am about up to my sweaty knockers in frustration with you, Doran. I have sent half a dozen letters demanding your attention and you have ignored me.”
He sat staring at his Captain who could only reply, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“It is unacceptable. I’m surprised you even showed up today.”
“I was on my way to collect my betrothed and received your orders, Your Majesty.”
“About dricken time,” the King cursed, making Karl blush. To her he said, “Sorry.”
She smiled. Captain Doran had never ever heard the King apologize to anyone before.
“Now, since I am the King and what I say goes, I am taking things into my own hands. Brother Karl, since you are our spiritual leader, you have the power, through the gods, to grant, between man and woman, a holy union, do you not?”
“I do,” she agreed, nodding. “I held that responsibility as Brother of the Faold also.”
“Good, I need your signature on that paper. I’ve drawn up the marriage contract for our wayward Captain Amias Doran and his betrothed, Lady Coral Marden, which you will officiate.”
“No!” Captain Doran cried out. Amias felt his world crumble in upon him. He had tried so desperately hard to protect Karl from the pain of his marriage, held back from her so she wouldn’t suffer and now the King wanted her to perform the ceremony for them. What cruel joke were the gods playing on him? His heart broke in that moment as he stared at the King in despair.
“No?!” the King bellowed, bringing guards to attention from around the room. “Did you refuse to acknowledge my order?”
“I…” Captain Doran mumbled.
“I didn’t think so,” the King told him, sitting again. “Sign.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Coral whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes. Tears of happiness, of joy, of guilt and pain at seeing Amias so torn. She signed the paper at the line for clergyman, ‘Brother Karl Nott Treen Crenville’.
“Amias,” the King said more gently and with a kind smile. “Do you agree, as per my wishes and before the gods, to wed Coral Estel Teres Marden, before your spiritual leader and your King?”
He didn’t answer. Coral prayed and begged inwardly for him to answer. She felt his eyes on her. She tried as hard as she could to keep her face blank. If she smiled he would be hurt. If she cried in sorrow it would break him in two.
What Coral didn’t know was that there were nine voices in his head loudly whispering, badgering him. Yes, yes, say yes, you fool. Amias looked at the grinning King and then to Karl with suspicion.
“Yes,” he said hesitantly.
“And Brother Karl,” Fredrick laughed, jubilantly. “Do you witness the marriage between Captain Amias Natan Filbar Doran and Coral Estel Teres Doran, in the presence of your King?”
Nine voices rang out in happiness in Coral’s head. Yes, yes, of course yes.
“Yes.”
“Sign there, Doran,” the King told him gruffly, pointing.
“But she isn’t here!” Amias protested.
“No matter,” Fredrick announced. “Brother Karl, that girl can’t write. Can I get you to put her name right there. Thank you. The contract is binding. You are now wed.
“Your new orders prevent us from having a ceremony until a later date. Now, I’ve arranged for you to meet your new wife in the gardens when she arrives. I’d suggest you visit a barber for a proper shave but knowing how you like to disobey my orders I think I’ll just wish you luck instead.”
And with that the King dropped a huge blob of wax on the parchment and pressed his seal into it. He stood, winked at Coral and rushed out leaving them staring after him. What a wicked wicked man, Coral laughed to herself in disbelief.
“I’m sorry,” whispered Amias without looking at her.
“So am I,” she said. She picked up the marriage certificate. She couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Amias turned to the door, paused, but then kept going. She stood staring after him regretting not yelling after him to come back. With the paper still clutched in her hand she made her way back to the rooms she and her mother and the girls occupied.
She placed the paper in front of her mother on the table and sat down on the edge of the bed. Glory and Pearl bounced in from the other side of the suite and asked if she’d seen the King and could they go to the gardens. Pearl asked if the princes would be there to play with. Coral just smiled and couldn’t say anything. She was waiting for Mother to react. Glory looked at Mother and Pearl looked between the two of them.
“What is it?” Pearl asked.
Mother looked up from the paper confused then said, “What happened?”
Coral pointed at the paper. “In the war room, made us sign it. It is done.”
“What is?” Glory whined, wanting to look.
“What are you doing here?” Mother almost shouted.
“He still doesn’t know,” Coral admitted embarrassed. “The King didn’t tell him and he walked out before I could.”
“This is getting infuriating,” Mother blurted, standing up. “The poor man. He’s being played with and it isn’t right.”
“Mother, send a note to the King that you have arrived. I’ll go see him in the gardens and tell him.”
“Captain Doran? Is he here?” Pearl demanded.
“Yes, he is,” Coral told her and they all celebrated.
“Oh, I’ve missed him,” Glory said.
“You both can come see him. But Mother needs to send the note first.”
Mother scratched a note in long delicate script then rang for the servant who undoubtedly stood outside the door to their suite. She handed the folded paper to the girl, who rushed out.
It took time, perhaps two hours, for the King to respond with an invitation to visit the gardens at their earliest convenience. In that two hours Glory had changed her dress three times and fussed over Coral, demanding she wear blue. To Mother and Glory’s dismay she wore one of a simple design, pale blue, with little embellishment. She did agree to wear a white lace shawl over her shoulders and a ribbon in her hair that Glory tied expertly. Pearl insisted Coral looked perfect and practically bounded out the door when they were ready.
“Poise!” Mother barked and Pearl settled into a fast walk instead of a run.
Coral quickened her own pace and when she caught up to Pearl smacked her on the bottom and dashed ahead at a run. Guards and servants stared at them in shock as they passed, the other courtiers gasped and muttered, frowning at Mother as she walked by in disgrace. Glory was practically in tears she was so embarrassed.
Coral and Pearl raced into the Gardens, Pearl slightly ahead cheering in her victory. She waved at Prince Jimm who was waiting for her. Tomas sat on a bench under a blossoming fruit tree fifty strides away. He glanced up but looked away shyly. Mother pushed Glory to go to him.
To Coral Mother whispered, “I’ll make her Queen if it’s the last thing...” but was interrupted by a screech from Pearl.
She had just spotted Amias as he entered the gardens by a side door. He stood in his uniform, hatchet hanging from his belt, his coat unbuttoned over his leather armor, looking as unkempt and handsome as ever.
He grinned at Pearl as she ran to him for a hug that lifted her up off the ground. Glory was next, forgetting her ladylike manners, and accepted kisses all over her face. Coral hadn’t seen him that happy in ages and it warmed her heart. He noticed her presence but drew the girls over to the bench where Prince Jimm sat. He saluted the young Prince and sat next to him, listening intently to the girls chatter about how they missed him. After a few minutes Prince Jimm stood and asked Pearl to go play. Amias sent her off and walked Glory to visit with Prince Tomas.
He didn’t come back to speak with Coral so she smiled at Mother and walked through the gardens toward him. She stopped at his side as he watched the girls.
“I’ve missed them.”
“They have missed you too,” she told him. “Thank you for seeing them.”
He nodded then said, “The King ordered me here to meet her. I would prefer if you weren’t here.”
“Why Amias?”
He looked at her with pain in his eyes. “Do you care about me?”
She smiled. “You know I do.”
“I don’t say this to hurt you but I need to explain to you why you must go,” he whispered without looking at her. He absently watched the girls. “You haunt me. From the moment I laid eyes on you in that horrible grey Brother robe to this very moment, you haunt me. I have forced myself from you because of your duty. Forced myself from you because of my duty. I know you feel for me the way I feel for you so I beg you, please, go from here so you don’t have to witness this farce of a marriage to a woman I will always detest because she wasn’t you. If I saw you held by another, knowing you longed for me, it would kill me. Please, just go before she gets here.”
“It’s too late for that…” she began as King Fredrick burst through the main entrance to the gardens in a flourish of laughter and guards trailing behind.
“Did I miss anything?” he shouted, grinning.
“Oh no,” Coral muttered then to Amias under her breath she said, “I am so sorry for this, please, please forgive me.”
He looked at her in confusion then to the King, who dragged Mother along with him. She folded her gloves in her hands repeatedly in nervousness as she tried to keep up gracefully with his long, fast strides through the garden.
“Captain Doran, did you receive your orders?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. My Marshalls are preparing for our departure.”
Coral sought his eyes but he wouldn’t look at her. Departure. Orders. Panic swept her as she realized the King was sending him away. And he didn’t know about her yet. And they hadn’t been married more than a few hours. And they hadn’t had any time alone…
“So what are you doing here?”
“You arranged for me to meet…my wife,” he paused, reminding the King.
“Yes, I did. Well, she is to go with you. Take her safely home, will you? I stationed you close to home so you can work on getting that palace you are building finished and patrol the coast. Does your father have room to host the Marshalls?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Brother Karl.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Coral breathed.
“What are you doing here?”
She stared at him unable to think of what to say. She pointed at the girls playing with his sons.
“Ah, yes. Lovely girls,” he smiled. To Mother he said, “I think we might just have to betroth Glory to Tomas. Look how she brightens up that boy.”
And they all looked over to see Prince Tomas listening intently to Glory as she told him stories of their adventures. Mother squeezed Coral’s arm in excitement that her intention to make Glory queen may have just been realized.
The King turned to Coral with his wicked grin once more. She looked at Amias with the apologetic look and called out to the girls, “Pearl, Glory, come. We need to go change. We are leaving. Back into our riding dresses.”
Both of them cheered, waved to the boys and made promises to come visit soon. They hugged Amias and King Fredrick, to Mother’s dismay, and giggled at Coral as the three of them left the gardens. Coral looked back at Amias, who watched them as they went.
“Forgive my rudeness,” the King stated. “Captain Amias Natan Filbar Doran, may I present to you Lady Mara Dena Linn Marden. She is the mother of your bride.”
Captain Doran snapped to attention in surprise, saluted by mistake, and then took her hand gently. “Forgive me,” he muttered.
Mother smiled sweetly and curtsied. An unfamiliar feeling swept through her as she looked at the man her daughter loved and who the King was torturing with his evil sense of humor. An uncharacteristic urge filled her to play along so she caught the King’s eye briefly.
“I hear good things about you, Captain. I hope you do well by my daughter.”
“Yes, Lady Marden, of course. She will be well cared for.”
“King Fredrick tells me you are building her a grand home. We will be to visit soon. When will you be completed?”
Amias stammered, “I…we should be available to have visitors…in...in perhaps two months.”
She nodded. “You have enough staff to care for her?”
“Yes, my Lady.”
She nodded approval then examined him with her eyes. She took in his long disheveled hair, his unshaved chin and his unbuttoned shirt collar. She leaned over to the King and asked, “Do you allow all your officers to look like ruffians?”
The King barked a loud, “Ha!” then pointed at Amias. “No, just this one. He refuses to take my threats of court martial seriously.”
“If I find any signs of chafing on my daughter I’ll personally come at you with a straight blade, do you understand?”
King Fredrick turned beet red in his attempt to hold in his bursting enjoyment of the moment. Mother gave her own version of a wicked smile to the King, curtsied and started to turn to go.
Captain Doran called out, “Lady, I’ve come to meet your daughter. Is she not here?”
The King nodded at her when she looked at him. Mother smiled and taunted, “Dear, she was just here. Your Majesty, I thought you said he was bright. I don’t want my grandchildren dumb as fence posts.”
The King doubled over and slapped his knees as he howled in laughter. Amias became annoyed at the theatrics and when Fredrick saw his face he put his arm around his Captain, which he’d never done before, and apologized.
When he calmed down he turned Amias to face him and said seriously, “If you ever ignore a summons from your King again I will behead yo
u.”
Captain Doran saw the look in the man’s eyes and knew he was not kidding any longer. He would put him to death if he didn’t follow his every command. A chill ran through his spine as he nodded then saluted.
“Good!” Fredrick called out, back to his jovial tone. “Now, my captain, your bride awaits you. Since, as our kind Lady has pointed out to us, you are as dumb as a fence post, though that is entirely my doing so don’t you blame your new bride or I’ll behead you…”
“Karl,” Amias exhaled in disbelief.
“Coral,” Mother stated. “Karl was the name she took as a Brother. When her sister Ruby died she was released of her duties to the Faold and was then betrothed…”
But Mother couldn’t finish before Amias rushed from the gardens leaving them behind.
“Lady Marden, I must commend you. Stunning display of on the spot wickedness.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she beamed curtsying. “I couldn’t let the two of you have all the fun.”
He laughed then said to her, “He is a great man.”
She smiled, content with the events of the afternoon. When the King bowed to take his leave she waved at him and called out, “Oh, Your Majesty. Shall I send word to the Strenns so they don’t worry about Glory being in the hands of the Sisters?”
“Yes, please do!” he told her. “I’m ashamed to say I haven’t done so already. And, Lady Marden. Please, inform them of her betrothal to Prince Tomas.”
Coral sat stone still on the bed as the girls rushed around the adjoining room packing their things and donning their riding dresses. She could hear the clomp of his heavy boots in the corridor as he approached then his voice asking for the Marden suite. His fist pounded on the door in urgency. The girls startled in the next room and she waved at them to stay where they were. If he was angry she didn’t want them to witness it. She never wanted them to be afraid of Amias.
He pounded again. Though scared to face what she’d wrought, she opened the door slowly to find him shooing servants away. With straight back she stared at him, trying to determine his temper. Amias searched her face for long moments then leaned in close. His mouth against her ear sent shivers along her skin. His ragged breaths tickled her neck. Her smooth cheek met his rough one and his hair tickled her nose. Coral inhaled his scent when he rested his head against hers. She nuzzled his cheek, her breath catching when he held his mouth close to hers but didn’t kiss her. As he pulled away Coral sought his eyes but Amias kept them closed as he turned to stride down the hall.
