When Branden left Eryk’s suite, practically slamming the door behind him, his anger distracted him so thoroughly that he didn't see Durham until he had nearly run him down. Branden stopped just short of physical contact, eying the man, and wondering what he was doing here outside of Eryk’s rooms.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
“Not really, no,” replied Durham. “I’m here to see his Majesty, not you, which is why I’m at his door and not yours.”
“Well he’s sleeping,” snapped Branden.
“I doubt that, since you left just a few seconds ago. I'll just see for myself, thank you.” Durham stepped around Branden and knocked on the door. Branden just huffed and stormed away, rubbing his temples as if his head pained him.
Durham smiled. Branden and Eryk were obviously fighting, and something had been going on between Eryk and Aislynn for the past couple of days… It was all falling into place.
A few moments later, Eryk answered door. He appeared startled to see Durham standing there.
“Your Majesty,” Durham said, “I have been sent to wake you and make sure that you are prepared for the service today.”
Eryk groaned and moved aside to let him in. So much for that dream, he thought as he walked back into his bedroom to dress. Durham sat down on the couch in the reception room, making himself comfortable, before continuing.
“As you know, you will lead the procession through the city to the cathedral. Once you have arrived, there will be a brief ceremony while your father's body is laid in state. You then need to remain in the cathedral for the rest of the day while the citizens of the city, and anyone else from the surrounding area, come to pay their respects. The service will end at sundown.”
“Do I have to stand all day, or do I get a chair?” called Eryk from the next room.
Durham laughed. “No, your Majesty, you get to sit down. You don't get to eat, however, so I would advise you to have a good breakfast.”
“That's good to know.”
“Well, if you have no further questions, I will excuse myself. I will see you at the breakfast table shortly, your Majesty.”
Shortly after Durham left, there came another knock at the door.
“Who is it now?” Eryk yelled from his bedroom. “Go away! I'm trying to get ready here!”
“Certainly, if that's what you want,” came a quiet voice from the other room.
Eryk recognized that voice, and quickly grabbing his shirt, he rushed into the other room.
“Wait,” he called, just as she was about to close the door behind her, “come back for a few minutes.”
“I thought you were busy,” Aislynn remarked with a smile, coming back into the room as he had asked. She looked at him speculatively, eyeing his muscled stomach and naked chest. She quirked an eyebrow and looked him in the eye.
“I am...I mean I was, but I wanted to talk with you.” He was stumbling over his words. That can't be a good sign, Eryk thought to himself, but having her actually here in his rooms brought back memories of that wonderful dream. He stepped closer to her, letting his shirt drop to the ground.
“Aislynn, I... Oh my gosh!” He stopped, looking at her intently. “Does that hurt? I mean, of course it hurts, but does it hurt much?” As he asked the question, Eryk ran his fingers ever so lightly along Aislynn’s temple, brushing her hair away from her stitches.
“It doesn't hurt as much as you’d think it would,” she replied.
After her visit with Byron, she had returned to her room to get dressed properly, and Marja had shown her the injuries in a mirror. The cut on her temple didn't look too bad, but the bruise it had caused had spread halfway across her forehead and down her cheek on that side. It was a lovely mottled purple and black.
“This,” she said, gesturing to her face, “is why I'm here. I'm not sure Marja will be able to hide it, regardless of how talented she is, and it would raise too many questions if somebody sees me in public like this. You don't need any more awkwardness at the beginning of your reign.”
“I don't care about awkwardness or questions. I'd prefer to have you there with me.”
Aislynn thought that Eryk was just being sweet until she started to pay attention to the feelings she was sensing from him. She was starting to get used to having his emotions in the back of her head, and now she had to concentrate on them to read them. Through the link she shared with him, Aislynn could feel the way Eryk really felt about her. He cared for her, and he felt...protective.
“Aislynn, I wanted to ask you something,” Eryk continued, suddenly making up his mind. “You know that I have a really short time frame now and...well...I was wondering if...”
“Eryk, stop!” she interrupted. “You don't know what you're saying. Two days ago, you hated me and never wanted to see me again. Then suddenly, yesterday, you saw me actually do my job, I saved your life, and now you’re feeling… You're obviously still dealing with everything that happened, and you don’t… You don’t need to protect me, okay?”
“I know what I said the other day, but that wasn’t me, at least not entirely. It was Branden, and he said those horrible, untrue things.”
“And what about Branden? He’s been your friend for your whole life, and you know that he hates me, and that he wants you to choose Alexius. You should choose her – she’s better for you.”
“You can’t tell me who to choose, and you don’t know what’s right for me. Nobody knows that, including Branden. I get to make this decision!”
Eryk was getting angry, but underneath, Aislynn could still feel his certainty that he loved her, and that nagging feeling that he needed to protect her. Aislynn didn't know how to express her thoughts and feelings right now, but she knew that Eryk did not honestly want to ask her that question. That could never work.
“I'm sorry I won't be able to be there today,” she said, and she turned and fled the room before the conversation could escalate, and before he could get around to asking her properly. She left Eryk standing there, uncertainty about what had just happened keeping him frozen in place until after she was well and truly gone.
“What did I do?” he asked aloud. “And what does she mean she doesn't need to be protected? I know that!” But did he? Was there some part of him that had seen her injuries and had wanted to keep her safe? Well maybe, but wasn’t that part of a husband’s job?
Regardless, he knew what he wanted, despite what she had said. If she thought it was the stress of yesterday's assassination attempt making him ask, then he'd just have to wait another couple of days before trying again. He did have another six days before the council’s imposed deadline, after all. However, he was determined that his bride would be Aislynn, not Alexius. The two of them were the only ladies he had danced with that he could even remember, and Aislynn was the only one of the two of them that he wanted to be with for any length of time. It had to be her.
It was with a considerably lighter heart that Eryk completed his preparations that morning. He felt so relieved to have finally made that all-important decision, and it was definitely one that he could live with, which was a lot more than he had expected. Getting her to agree was just a minor inconvenience that he’d work on.
Eryk stopped suddenly, his happy mood abruptly ended. Durham had told him to have a good breakfast, and Alexius would be there in the dining hall, just as she’d been there yesterday and the day before. He couldn't lead her on and make her think that she had a chance when he’d already decided on Aislynn. In addition, Branden would be there too, and Branden was already angry with him. Branden’s behavior had become so erratic lately, Eryk was afraid of his reaction if he didn't pay court to Alexius this morning. What a mess!
Well, he thought to himself, Aislynn told me that I should pick Alexius, and she hasn't said yes yet, so I guess that I can at least spend breakfast with Alexius. I won’t do anything to make her think that I’m going to choose her though.
He figured that
this route would be safe enough. Everyone would be happy, or at least, almost everyone. His happy mood restored, Eryk proceeded down to the dining hall.
The King's Assassin Page 26
