In the morning, Leisha sent riders with a message for Andrzej, asking him to meet her in a week’s time. She invited him to the Tahaerin side of the river, knowing he would likely refuse, given the situation. But it would serve to remind him she was an adult and a queen, one who could extend invitations to others to visit her kingdom. As she grew up, she often had to remind him not to treat her as one of his children.
Andrzej sent back word as they left the army behind and traveled towards the Vinca. He surprised her by accepting the invitation to cross the river. Andelko suggested he wanted to see her army himself. If that were the case, he would be disappointed.
After two days’ riding, they came to the rise overlooking the river Andelko’s scouts found the day before. They would set up camp here and meet the Embriel party down below. Tomorrow, servants would go down near the banks of the Vinca and set up a few pavilions for the meeting.
***
Prince Lukas of Embriel, third son of Andrzej, watched as Leisha and her party rode down the bluff overlooking their meeting spot. He had not seen her in two years since the end of their affair when she banned him from Lida. When he tried, unsuccessfully, to court her and become king in Tahaerin. In the morning sun, she looked lovely on the back of her tall mare.
He bit down on his tongue and fidgeted with the cuffs of his coat as the man beside her came into view. When news had reached Embriel that Leisha had married, Lukas was annoyed. Learning she had married the wretched peasant she kept as a spy irritated him endlessly. Even now, he could not fathom why she chose to marry below her class when a marriage to him made so much more sense.
For three months, he had stayed in Lida with her, attempting to court her and convince her to make him king. While there, he took every opportunity to needle and antagonize her former spymaster. No one with eyes could have doubted how Zaraki felt about her, though she seemed oblivious at the time. Lukas enjoyed his game immensely until she broke off their relationship. He returned to Embriel and his father’s court, humiliated and nursing his bruised ego. Months later, spies brought back news about an attack on Leisha in her own capital and then Zaraki’s elevation to Lord of the Tymek. Their marriage followed a few months later.
Now, Zaraki outranked him, and it galled Lukas to think of it. Everyone knew why he had followed Leisha to Lida two years ago. When she sent him packing, everyone knew of his failure. Once again, he was the wastrel third son who Andrzej did not need, the son he could send to exile without a second thought.
Lukas saw his former rival riding his large black gelding—one more thing that miserable peasant possessed that Lukas coveted. He loved the look of the beasts with their graceful necks and long legs. Aulerons had long been protected in Tahaerin, sold only to nobles and royals. Since returning home, he had imagined starting his own breeding line. He tried to buy any of Zaraki’s stock coming up for sale, but the Tahaerin agents refused, stopping any sales that appeared to originate from Embriel. So far, he had only managed to get his hands on a few geldings.
Behind Zaraki, Lukas saw a small, red-headed woman and frowned. She looked so familiar and yet he could not place her immediately. He did not remember any women serving in Leisha’s court. As she rode closer, though, Lukas groaned and sighed, embarrassed all over again by the events in Lida two years ago.
Aniska. While staying with Leisha in Lida, Lukas and his friends had passed many, many hours in the bar the girl owned, spending obscene amounts of money and bedding every whore they could lay hands on. None of them ever suspected Aniska of being Leisha’s spy. Yet, now she rode directly behind the royal pair and right next to—the day held one more surprise it seemed.
A tall man in a military uniform sat astride a large brown gelding. Lukas forgot his annoyance as he recognized Andelko. He stared, shocked at first, then amazed. How had he not seen it in Lida two years ago?
Because then, Andelko wore a beard, he realized. Clean-shaven now, Lukas knew him immediately, remembered him from all those years ago when they were both children. Fascinating, he thought, and wondered if his new friends from across the sea might pay for this morsel of information.
Lukas had spent his early adult years in fruitless pursuit of the perfect hunt, endless sexual conquests, and his father’s approval. He could read and write, but applying himself to learning new things bored him.
Then the invaders came and his foster brother, Lorant, appeared alone at his doorstep at Savaar. Chased out by the advancing Deojrin, abandoned by his wife when she inexplicably cursed him as a coward and refused to follow him to Embriel, the former lord of Adrojan needed shelter and help. He begged Lukas to cross the Vinca and take back his lands.
Though he never studied anything about war, Lukas had sense enough to know marching his army across the Vinca to seize Tahaerin lands would infuriate his father and Leisha both. Even if she lost, he had no mandate to invade another kingdom. However, buying back Lorant’s lands—that Lukas could envision.
As he watched the Tahaerin party approaching, he thought of his visitor last week—the one with the bald, black-robed companion. Perhaps he and his foreign master would consider a trade—Lorant’s rather insignificant holding at Adrojan for information that could rock the Tahaerin political landscape and change the course of the war.
***
The Embriel king looked older, smaller than Leisha remembered from eight years ago. But then, she had been a girl waiting to become queen. Still, she smiled seeing the familiar short beard, now turned grey, and the sparkling green eyes.
“Andrzej. It’s been a long time.” Leisha’s greeting contained genuine warmth for her former captor. While her upbringing in Embriel was often solitary and lonely, he discharged his responsibilities to her, providing an education even other royal children might covet. She never wanted for any material thing.
Seeming surprised for an instant, Andrzej recovered and smoothed his expression. They had not parted on the best terms eight years ago. Clearly, he expected this meeting to be more adversarial. “Leisha, it’s been a long while. And it’s nice to finally meet the man who could capture your attention.” Andrzej inclined his head toward Zaraki, a meeting of equals that rattled her husband. “You look lovely. Lukas’s description did not do you justice.”
An interesting opening, Leisha thought. It acknowledged the brief and disastrous affair she carried out with his youngest son. But considering she had evicted Lukas from her castle and thrown his belongings outside the Lida city walls, it seemed he also meant to embarrass his son. “Thank you, Andrzej. Lukas,” she said, inclining her head to her former lover.
For his part, Lukas bowed his head politely to her, hesitated a bit too long and then did the same in Zaraki’s direction. “Your Highness,” he said to her. Then after another pause, he repeated it.
As king now, Zaraki outranked Lukas, and Leisha felt the prince’s annoyance at having to be respectful. He had always been so stuck-up. She knew about their rivalry, knew about how they needled each other two years ago over her and yes, she now enjoyed seeing Lukas’s discomfort with the meeting. Good, she thought, knowing it was petty and not caring.
“Shall we sit, Andrzej? Unfortunately, the comforts I have with me are few. Most of my baggage is on its way further south. So we’ll have to have make do.” Motioning to the plain chairs, she invited him to join her. Everyone else would remain standing.
“There’s no point in dancing around the question we both know I’m going to ask. What brings you and your army to our shared border?” Leisha felt her excitement rising now. Growing up, she and Andrzej often sparred. He was her first opponent, and unlike many of her nobles, his intellect and stubborn nature matched hers. She relished the chance to engage with him.
“Leisha,” he said as a smile crept onto his face. “Your spies have already told you I don’t bring an army.”
She inclined her head, acknowledging the truth of his words. “And your spies told you about the size of my army. Yet still you chose to come to my side of
the river.”
“I came to check on my defenses, to get a look at the invaders and also to show them my kingdom won’t be easy pickings.” He said it so casually as if his word carried no insult.
Leisha cocked her head at him, refusing to allow him to bait her so easily. “I assure you, we aren’t easy pickings either.”
He smiled. “That is not what I meant to imply.”
Of course it was, she thought. “The Deojrin are a plague. You know they won’t stop at the Vinca. They come for conquest.”
“I have little doubt of that. I don’t have agents in as far as Lida anymore, but the information they brought back alarmed me. And so I come here to survey my fortifications, meet with my nobles and see what I can see.”
“We should fight them together. Before they come to your lands.” The offer sprang from her lips spontaneously.
“Leisha,” he cautioned. “You’ve made few overtures to other kingdoms during your reign. Even to me.”
His words were a mild rebuke and gave her pause. For the first six years she sat on the throne, she devoted all her time to simply surviving Tahaerin politics. The last two years she spent consolidating her power and enjoying being married. Had she really neglected the other monarchs? Not that she would give him any satisfaction by acknowledging it. “And yet, we’ve all been at peace for nearly a decade. I’m not my father. I have no interest in lands outside of my current borders. The Deojrin cannot say the same.”
“For now, I think I’ll wait and see what happens in your kingdom, rather than taking sides.”
Leisha did not need to read his mind to know what that meant. “Taking sides? They’re foreign invaders. They’ve come to you already,” she said flatly. “And you’ve entertained them.”
“Yes, they came to Arnost and I received them. They made no promises, nor did they try to broker any deals. But they did explain their religion compels them to kill you.”
A small voice, long forgotten, wanted to cry out to him. Save me! it said, recalling a time when she saw Andrzej as something akin to a father. Growing up, he had been stern and taciturn with her, never showing any affection. For a while, she regarded him as a substitute for the absent parents who sent her away and never kept contact. That had faded as the two of them butted heads, but some part of her remembered the stability the Embriel king represented.
“So they told me, but that’s not your concern. Apparently.” She disliked how petty it came out.
Andrzej frowned at her. “Leisha, I don’t want to see any of my children killed. Even a troublesome foster daughter.”
***
Together the two monarchs left the pavilion and walked towards where the Embriel horses waited along the short picket lines. Guards trailed behind but with enough distance to allow them to speak privately. Zaraki stood back with Aniska and Andelko, watching the pair.
When Lukas made to leave as well, Aniska gave him a smart bow. “Your Highness. It was pleasant to see you again.” Much like Zaraki always had, she struggled now to keep the mockery out of her voice when speaking to Lukas. She never liked the prince, and relished the look on his face when he recognized her earlier. Most of the rumors Leisha heard about Lukas when he stayed with her in Lida came straight from Aniska’s lips.
The Embriel prince did not acknowledge Ani but did stop to take proper leave of Zaraki. His former rival was a king now, and Lukas would not embarrass his father through a breach of etiquette, no matter how it stung his pride. Still, he thought, it should have been him standing there, not some Ostravan peasant. He would never understand Leisha’s choice. “Your Majesty, my party and I wish you well.”
Two years and Zaraki still wanted to rub it in Lukas’s face. His upbringing fostered a great deal of pride. Like Aniska, he knew he was smart and could fight, could have passed for a nobleman before he became one. He hated stuck-up nobles and their sense of entitlement. Today, he smiled and wished the prince safe travels, but someday, he hoped he would get the chance to talk to Lukas, not as king, but man to man, preferably someplace private.
The two rulers walked together in silence, allowing their tempers to cool.
“Speaking purely personally, Andrzej,” Leisha said finally, “It’s good to see you again. I’ve long wanted to apologize for the things that happened between Lukas and I. I hoped it would not cause any strife between the two of us.”
“He got what he deserved,” he growled. When she looked surprised, he continued. “Not all of the fellows in his merry band of followers are there because they’re his friends. I know how he behaved.”
Ah, she thought. He spies on his son, then. She should have guessed.
“Speaking purely personally, you were not the easiest child to raise, Leisha, but you have become a magnificent ruler. I hope you defeat these bastards. And if anyone can, I think it will be you.”
Though they had not gotten along well as she grew up, Andrzej did teach her a great many things. One was a ruler must keep the two sides of their lives separated. The private and the public side could not always overlap. He could have fond, private feelings for her, just as she did for him, but his duties and responsibilities as king would always override them if a conflict arose. Leisha felt genuine sorrow she could not open up more to him, could not talk about the war and the toll it took on her. He would understand better than anyone would, but he could also use it against her if required. Therefore, she guarded her words and said nothing more.
***
Von smiled broadly as he and his slave entered the prince’s tent. Following so closely on the heels of the meeting with the Tahaerin queen, this summon meant more than a social call. He bowed deeply to Lukas and the Tahaerin worm. Lorant flicked cool eyes over him, dismissive and arrogant as usual. Von wanted to order his slave to turn the man’s mind inside out.
Instead, he plastered a smile on his face and hoped it looked sincere. “Your Highness. I came as soon as possible.”
“I met with Leisha two days ago,” Lukas began.
“Yes, Sire,” Von said, thinking how much this prince tried his patience. Of course he knew when Lukas returned. “And how did it go?”
Behind Von, Lukas saw the bald Cursed woman turn her gaze on him, reading his mind no doubt. “I have a proposal. I learned something very interesting this afternoon, which your slave knows by now, I’m sure.”
Looking over his shoulder, Von listened as his slave told him Lukas’s secret. “That is interesting, Sire.” He smiled again and indicated the prince should continue.
“If you catch Andelko, her lords will tear the kingdom apart when they learn who he is. Make him king. It would be chaos.”
Von paused to consider. He was curious to see what this spoiled prince and his loathsome friend had devised on their own. Either way, their idea brought a vicious smile to his lips. The Tahaerin lords, the ones along the Vinca that resented their queen, that hated following the dictates of a woman, they could be bought with this secret. He had found their price.
“How would you catch the Lord Constable of Tahaerin?” Von asked.
Lukas shrugged as if this would be no challenge to him. “My father rejected Leisha’s request for help, but they need men, and I have some. I could arrange to meet with Andelko to talk terms.”
“Yes, that does sound reasonable, Your Highness. One thing, however.” Von grimaced, looking pained. Inside, however, he rejoiced. If he could get an agreement from the prince on this matter, he could finally leave Embriel. He had had enough of stooping and bowing to these fools. “I’m afraid I have to ask for both of them, alive, in exchange for the return of Lord Lorant’s lands. If that’s still what you want to deal for.”
Lukas frowned, not happy with this turn of events. “Both?”
“Yes. The Lord Constable and the queen,” Von explained. “The Kirous Visarl is very eager to possess her.”
The prince shook his head. “Her Lord Constable is the real prize. If you have him, you have the leader of her army as well as the person
many of her nobles will rally behind. You’ll cripple her army.”
Lorant saw Lukas looked deeply unhappy at this development and feared his friend might refuse. He could not miss this chance. Reaching out, he clasped the other man’s shoulder. “Brother, this is doable,” he said. “Gerolt gets his prisoners, I get my land. Everyone gets what he wants.”
Lukas wanted to say that he got nothing from this bargain, except the guilt of knowing he sold his former lover and fellow royal to a foreign army. He did not care about what they would do to Andelko, but Leisha would suffer at the hands of the Kirous Visarl, that much he knew. Von had told frightening and horrific stories to explain the meaning of Gerolt’s title.
Seeing Lukas wavering, Lorant panicked. He hated hiding here, begging for handouts and help. He wanted his lands and his titles back and did not care who he had to sell to get them. “You’ll do this if you care at all about me, Lukas. If not, I’ll have to find someone else. I depend on you, brother. Don’t make me regret that trust.”
In his mind, Von heard his slave whispering. The prince can’t bear the thought of his friend abandoning him. He’ll relent.
Waving his hands in the air, Lukas said, “But Leisha is a mind reader and can kill people with whatever it is she does. How would we ever take her?”
“That is something I can help you with.” Von produced a small pouch with a symbol burned into the leather. Tugging at the strings that secured the opening, he shook out the contents. Small, dried, yellow flowers settled into his palm. “Do you have anything similar here?”
“What? Flowers?” Lorant sneered as he leaned over to peer into the upturned hand.
Von laughed as if indulging a child. When they finished with Tahaerin, he would ask the Kirous Visarl for the privilege of cutting Lorant’s tongue out personally. “No, my lord. We call them Cursed Bane. For most of us, they only induce confusion and lethargy. But for her kind, well, we use them to make her kind biddable.”
Despite his reluctance, Lukas knew he would agree to this. Lorant needed his lands back, and anyone could see Leisha and her merry band of peasant misfits would not win. He thought of what Lorant had said earlier about everyone getting what they wanted. What did he want? Then he knew what to ask for.
As Dragons from Sleep (The Tahaerin Chronicles Book 2) Page 16
