“That’s not fair. You shouldn’t have to marry whoever they tell you.”
Bethany extricated her right hand from his fingers and reached up, finding his cheek in the darkness of the closet.
“You never did like royalty when we were in Tolad. Guess it turns out the life of royalty isn’t all being pampered?” she asked, hoping he would realize how much it hurt her to obey her brother.
Bethany felt Erin grind his teeth under her fingers.
“It’s not fair,” he insisted.
“No. But it is my life. Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wouldn’t get to pick my own husband. I just never thought…”
She trailed off, not exactly sure what she had been about to say, but certain it would be something to get them both in trouble.
“If you want to leave, Erin, I won’t blame you,” she said instead, choking on the words.
Bethany didn’t want him to leave. Somehow, he had become the only person she felt safe with, and the only person she could be herself with.
“Bethany,” he said, his voice sounding harsh in the darkness, as though his throat was constricted. “I promise you, no matter what you choose for this life, I will not leave you. If you go to Lord Miach, I will follow you.”
Bethany bit down on her bottom lip, fighting against the tears pressing against her eyes. She leaned down and kissed the hand she still held. She felt his free hand reach out for her, but before he could find her neck, she slipped out of the closet.
She couldn’t remain with him, in that tiny space, with his warmth feeling so welcoming.
Bethany jogged down the steps and burst into the great hall, where the family was just beginning their breakfast. She spotted Sevar helping one of the kitchen women cart food up from the basement kitchens. Bethany smiled at the little girl, knowing she belonged with children her own age. Perhaps, if she asked her mother, Sevar could join her nieces and nephews. In many ways, Bethany felt as though she had adopted the little girl as her own.
Bethany felt a new sadness cover the ache already in her heart. If she went… when she went with Lord Miach to his estate, Sevar would be left alone again. The mute child had taken to sneaking into Bethany’s room and sharing her bed. Bethany knew she needed to put an end to the habit, but couldn’t bring herself to tell the little girl no. She needed to, though. It would be easier on Sevar to slowly free herself from Bethany than to have Bethany abandon her when she married.
Sevar ran over to Bethany and threw her thin arms around Bethany’s waist.
“Good morning,” she said with forced cheerfulness. “Have you been helpful this morning?”
Sevar nodded enthusiastically.
“I’m glad to hear it. Have you eaten breakfast?”
Again, Sevar nodded.
“Well, come keep me company while I eat,” she suggested.
Sevar skipped beside the princess, lifting her new skirt higher than was strictly appropriate. Bethany quickly went to the table and piled a little food on her plate, adding an extra pastry to give to Sevar. The growing child was always hungry.
They were just about to take their seats when Bethany heard her name being called. She looked up to see Lord Miach quickly crossing the hall to join them. Bethany set her plate on the table and lowered herself into a deep curtsy.
“There you are, my dear,” he said giving her a little bow.
Bethany did her best not to cringe at his term of endearment. It felt unnatural, coming from a man she barely knew.
“Who is this?” he asked, eyeing the short-haired girl standing beside his wife-to-be.
“This is Sevar, one of the girls who came from Savra. Sevar, this is Lord Miach, my b-betrothed.”
Sevar gave the lord a friendly wave and a smile, completely unaware that she should have curtsied. Bethany smiled up at Miach, expecting to see the look of pleasure everyone had when confronted with Sevar’s unassuming manners. Instead, Miach frowned down at the little girl.
“Doesn’t she know how to curtsy?” growled Miach.
“She’s young, Lord Miach. And she was raised on a farm, without a mother. She hasn’t had anyone to teach her such niceties.”
“Then what’s she doing eating with the royal family?” he asked as he watched Sevar climb into a chair and take the pastry Bethany had brought her.
Bethany didn’t know how to respond. On the surface, it did look odd for the little girl to follow the princess around all day. Bethany couldn’t find the words to explain the situation that wouldn’t hurt her friend. After all, Sevar was mute, not deaf.
“Lord Miach,” she finally said in a soft voice. “Can we please discuss this later?”
Her husband-to-be flicked his eyes from her to the oblivious little girl and back before grabbing Bethany’s arm and dragging her across the great hall. Bethany spotted Gilead giving them a fleeting glare before turning back to his food. Obadyah on the other hand, looked ready to spit nails.
As they exited the great hall, Erin descended the steps, no doubt just now leaving the closet they had recently met in. Bethany watched as his eyes took in Miach’s firm grip on her arm. His green eyes darkened with anger. Bethany gave him a tiny shake of her head before looking away. To her relief, Erin didn’t stop them as they hurried out into the bailey.
Miach pulled her down the steps and led her behind one of the many buildings filling the bailey. He pushed her up against the stone wall of the keep and grabbed her chin in his big hands, forcing her to look up at him.
“Now, tell me the truth,” he snapped. “That brat your bastard? You unpure?”
Bethany jerked her face free from his grasp, anger bring a bright red to her cheeks.
“Sevar is at least seven years old, Lord Miach,” she growled, saying his title as though it was a curse word. “And I’m barely twenty-one. Are you really suggesting I gave birth to that girl at fourteen?”
Miach glared down at her. She could see the doubt playing his eyes, though he kept his glower firmly in place.
“You never answered my question.”
Bethany swallowed to clear her throat. “I already told you, Sevar is a refugee from Savra. Anyone in the castle can confirm the fact I had never met her until she arrived here just a few days ago.”
“You still haven’t answered my other question. Are you unpure?”
Bethany bit down on the inside of her cheek, knowing she was close to crying again. She refused to cry in front of this harsh man. The problem was, the answer to his question was not one he wanted to hear. Would he hurt her? If so, she would scream. She was done with being beaten by men who thought they had the power over her.
Bethany licked her lips and spoke the awful truth. “While a captive in Wolfric’s castle, his son, Prince Féderic raped me.”
To Bethany’s astonishment, the anger cleared from Miach’s face.
“How long ago?”
“Four months ago.”
“And you’re not with child?”
Bethany cringed, realizing she had never even thought to worry about that. She knew just enough about how that worked to know she wasn’t pregnant.
“No. I’m not pregnant.”
“Good.” Miach took a step closer, towering over her with a grim look on his face. “I see you alone with a man other than myself, I will kill him and spend the rest of my days making your life a living hell. Do we understand ourselves?”
Bethany forced herself not to glare up at him. He had something her brother needed to win the war, meaning she had to keep their engagement strong. Her instincts, after so much abuse, was to kick him in the crotch and tell her brother what she thought of the man he had chosen for her, but she couldn’t be the one to ruin their chances at beating Wolfric, even if that meant a lifetime of pain and loneliness.
Miach nodded once before marching out of their hiding place and up the steps of the keep.
Bethany lowered herself to the ground, pulling her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hid her fa
ce, letting the tears roll freely.
What else could go wrong today? she wondered as she considered the fact she hadn’t even had breakfast.
Erin sat at a table with a few of the other castle nobles, picking away at his breakfast. No one spoke to him, feeling the weight of his glower. Though Erin had worked hard to not elicit the fear he had in Tolad, in the hopes of making friends in Dothan, he now knew he was scaring his table-mates. But he couldn’t help it.
He had seen Lord Miach dragging Bethany out of the great hall, anger written on his features. If Bethany came back with even the slightest mark he would gut the man. Erin knew Miach had no real feelings for the treasure that had been given him. Still, Miach could at least try to like her.
Though Erin wanted to tell her that he had been right and they should run now, he knew Bethany wouldn’t leave her family. At least not until Miach did something truly horrible.
You’ll just have to be patient, he thought as he spotted Gilead waving at him.
Erin rose, leaving his uneaten breakfast on the table, and followed the king to his office. Before they could settle down to whatever business Gilead had, the door burst open, an irate Lord Miach standing in the doorway. Beyond the older man, Erin spotted the queen mother waiting to enter.
“Is there a problem, Lord Miach?” the king asked, sounding annoyed by the sudden interruption.
The tall middle-aged man marched in, his anger almost palpable. The queen mother trailed behind them, looking tense. She didn’t take a seat, as she normally did, but rather pressed herself up against the wall.
“You withhold information about the princess again, and I’ll call the deal off! You understand me, little king?” growled the lord.
Erin suspected Lord Miach was the only landed noble able to yell at the king and get away with it. He began to wonder what sort of power the older man held. While holding his breath for the king’s response, Erin decided to enquire into Miach’s background.
“What information do you think I have withheld?”
“You should have told me the princess had been raped while in captivity,” snapped Miach.
Erin inwardly cringed. Of course, he already knew that Bethany had been raped. He was the one who had rescued her for bloody sake. The king gave Miach a look of shock before quickly schooling his features.
“Of course, Lord Miach. I thought that information had been conveyed to you before we agreed upon the terms of the betrothal. Are you wishing to change the agreement?” the king asked, his features carefully fixed in an expression of boredom.
Erin applauded the young king for his ability to hide his emotions. It wasn’t perfect. Erin could see the king’s left foot wiggle under his desk, but it was impressive for someone so young and unaccustomed to such high stakes.
Miach glared down at Gilead before speaking. “I want two months added to our betrothal. She claims she’s not with child, but I want proof. I won’t be taking a foreign brat as my son.”
“Perfectly understandable. We will wait an extra two months before you two are joined.”
“Good,” snapped Miach before turning and storming out of the king’s office.
The door banged shut, leaving the room in silence for a moment.
“Did you know, Mother, that she had been raped?” asked Gilead, ignoring Erin’s continued presence.
“I had my suspicions, but she had not confirmed it, nor did I feel like I could ask her outright. Not yet, at least. But now we know.”
Gilead let out a deep breath. “Well, at least Miach will still take her. If word got out sooner, we would never have gotten her married off.”
Erin swallowed the harsh words that came to his mind. The bastard king was more worried about marrying her than what horrors she had endured. Guilt rose up, drowning out his anger. Many of the horrors she had faced had been at his own hands. Though he was not the man to rape her, he had whipped her time and again at Wolfric’s bidding.
How could she ever love him in return?
Erin quietly wiped the treacherous tears from his eyes.
Chapter Fourteen
Bethany rubbed at her cheeks, partly to make sure they were dry, but also to rub away any splotches from her long cry. Thankfully, no one had heard her weeping. Nor had anyone come looking for her. Bethany climbed awkwardly to her feet, nearly tripping over the long skirting on her gown. She had dressed for her mother’s expectations rather than the tasks she foresaw.
If any of the children were sick upon arrival, Bethany’s gown would be ruined. She chose to risk a ruined gown rather than her mother’s annoyance.
Bethany stretched out her cramped limbs, smoothed her hair back and emerged from her hiding place behind a workman’s hut. As she crossed the dusty bailey, she heard the low pitch bells of a gatehouse announcing her family’s arrival. Like many other large cities, Dothan had different sized bells for varying announcements.
The princess stopped in her tracks, her heart racing in sudden panic. The bells currently ringing were similar in tone to the ones she’d heard all those months ago in Tolad. That night she had been battered and bleeding from Féderic’s rough treatment. Erin had saved her and, despite her bone-deep fear of the man, she had endured the long night hidden in a brothel.
What would her mother think if she had known her youngest child had spent a night in a brothel with a man who had once beat her?
But Erin wasn’t the same man. She knew, just as she knew the sun would rise each morning, that Erin would do anything to protect her.
Bethany felt the tension ease from her chest. Whatever happened, whatever Miach did to her, Erin would be there. A new anxiety began to form in her mind, though she struggled to define it.
Is this all fair to Erin? she wondered as she joined her mother and brother on the keep’s stone steps.
The racket pouring out of the keep distracted her from the worry pecking at the back of her mind. Bethany took her place just behind her brother and mother, trying to ignore the strange looks they were giving her. Repeatedly she found her brother stealing glances at her, while her mother’s sad eyes avoided looking at her.
They know, her mind screamed as she realized Miach must have told them her secret.
Once again, panic and fear forced her heart to race around her chest. Would they send her away to hide in some country farmhouse?
Suddenly Miach’s words came back to her. He had threatened her, insisting she never be alone with a man during their engagement. If he felt the need to threaten her, then he likely still intended on marrying her.
Tears pressed against her eyes as she bit down on her bottom lip. She wouldn’t cry again. She’d done enough of that today.
Bethany felt more than saw Erin take up his position as her bodyguard. She wanted to reach back and take his hand to pull strength from his warm grip. Instead, she carefully laced her fingers together in front of her in an effort to keep her hands away from temptation.
Just as the last straggler from the keep settled into their position, the gatehouse guards parted ways, allowing the long procession of the caravan to enter the bailey. Two carriages with curtains hiding their inhabitants pulled up near the front steps. The doors opened together, as if responding to some cue, and two well-dressed, identical women descended the steps before turning to help the children out of the tall carriages.
While Bethany was sure the elegant ladies were excellent women, Bethany doubted they would teach these children the important things in life. With her mother’s permission, Bethany intended to see the boys apprenticed to working men and the girls learning more than just singing and dancing. After all, other than the oldest son, none of them had land to inherit.
Bethany felt her heart constrict again. She wouldn’t be here to oversee the children’s upbringing. Soon enough she would be leaving to living with Miach, giving him sons and daughters. Bethany felt her stomach twist into knots. No one had told her how long she had until her wedding night. Whatever the length, though, it was not enoug
h for her to prepare herself. She doubted him knowing she had been raped would change the way he treated her in bed.
The princess pulled her attention back on the children filing out of the two carriages. She didn’t want to greet them with tears on her cheeks.
The two women adjusted the children’s garments as they stepped down into the bailey and lined up before those waiting to great them. Bethany had never seen such organized children in her life. She and her brothers certainly hadn’t been that well behaved.
“My lord,” said one of the women. “May I present your nieces and nephews? Joktan, Dinah…”
The woman proceeded to introduce each of the seven children, as though they had not just been here a few weeks before. Bethany glanced back and forth between the two ladies, trying to discern even the slightest difference between the twins. The more she looked, though, the more alike they appeared.
“And you are?” asked Gilead in a stern, annoyed tone when the pompous woman had finished her unnecessary introductions.
“My name is Eleanor, and this is my sister Eleanora,” she said, giving a little curtsey.
Bethany rolled her eyes. Twins with identical names, great!
Gilead gave them the barest of nods. “This is my sister, Princess Bethany. She will be overseeing you and the children.”
Bethany watched as both women stiffened with the news. Evidently her sister had treated these women as equals. It was going to be a rough transition.
“First though,” continued the king. “We eat!”
The growing group of nobles marched up the stairs and entered the great hall. Much to the twins’ consternation, Bethany began directing the children to a special table arranged just for them, instructing the two women to sit with the children.
“With the children?” demanded Eleanora—or was it Eleanor?
Bethany stiffened her spine, rising to her full height. Erin stood close on her heels.
“Let us get one thing straight. If you are to continue in your post, you will remember one thing: You are hired help. Not family. Your duty is to care for these children. That is it.”
The Dothan Chronicles: The Complete Trilogy Page 70
