Fine bands of gold were placed on Galahad’s fourth finger of both hands, more words, then singing from some hidden choir and harps playing. The officials from Eamo’s court stood and the man himself appeared suitably smug. I wished him luck when he tried to explain this to The Lady. He thought he’d outmanoeuvred her but all he’d done was usher in his death. She’d have that smug face on a plate one way or another for letting her precious boy marry the wrong girl and escape her clutches. I half wanted to stay so I could watch.
We were ordered into another room where we sat in uncomfortable and hot surroundings, while men filed in and congratulated Galahad and Eamo. Of Aleah there was no sign. She’d been helped back into the divan and carried off. We then signed all sorts of documents, none of which I was going to uphold or allow Galahad to fulfil.
He finally spoke beyond the polite requirements of the ceremony. “I want my wife on the Echo by dark.”
Eamo blinked several times. “But, Highness,” the title being used constantly. “She is a virgin and there must be proof before morning you have joined.”
Galahad and I both grew very still. This was something we hadn’t anticipated. A royal couple needed to give evidence if they were to be king and queen but as there wasn’t any guarantee Galahad would be the next king, we’d thought it unnecessary. That he’d have time to either make it happen or not and seek an annulment at some point.
“I would rather be under full sail...”
“No. You consummate it here in my palace so I know you are not able to rescind on our contracts.”
“With respect, I don’t have the luxury of time,” Galahad said, his voice darkening to tones I knew led to his temper flaring white hot and violent.
“With respect, I don’t have to let you leave my harbour with my sister until you are properly wed,” Eamo said.
“Fine. Where is she, I’ll do it now,” Galahad snapped.
“Now? But the feast.”
“Do you want your sister in Albion’s bed or not?” Galahad snarled.
I placed a hand on his arm. “Steady.”
He didn’t pull away from me, in fact he stepped back into me so the left side of my chest protected the right side of his back.
Eamo stared at me and I watched him consider a number of possibilities, I hoped he’d not arrive at one that would cause us problems.
“We really do have to leave on the high tide,” I said, far more calmly than I felt.
He nodded. “You men of the north are beyond my understanding.” He looked up at Galahad. “Fine. Come with me. The rest of you wait here.”
Galahad didn’t look at me as he left and I felt very, very odd watching him go and the door swing shut in his wake. The eyes of my companions were on me and I imagined all their minds building palaces of nonsense about how I felt and what I’d do. Only one of them mattered. Torvec had seen enough of my anxiety over Galahad for one day, though somehow I doubted that day was over.
“Drink?” I asked him.
“Please,” he said.
I poured him more wine and refilled the fine glasses of the others. “Here’s to Galahad finding some peace,” I said.
“We can but hope,” Lance agreed.
“A vain one,” Kerwin muttered.
Torvec didn’t say anything, he just drank the wine.
We waited and waited and suddenly Galahad strode through the door. “We’re leaving.”
“Aleah?” I asked.
“Being delivered to the ship.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve done my duty.”
I frowned. I knew Galahad. He’d no more had sex during that sultry afternoon than I had – I reached for his hand but caught his wrist as he turned away from us. The sleeve of his doublet rode up and I saw a new bandage around his wrist. Blood stained it.
“Galahad,” I said, shocked.
“Don’t, not here, not now. Let’s just leave. I want to go back to the Echo and drink myself stupid.”
Torvec took my arm and pulled me back from Galahad. “Let’s leave. We can worry about everything later.”
The five of us walked from the room and found guards escorting us back through the grounds without having to go through the palace. Eamo appeared once more at a gate to the inner formal gardens.
“Good doing business with you both,” he said.
“It’s been an experience,” I said.
“Brother,” he nodded at Galahad. The young prince didn’t say a word, merely walked away from us. Eamo’s eyes narrowed. “He needs to learn some manners.”
“I think considering the circumstances he’s showing a remarkable restraint. If I were him I’d have killed you by now,” I said and followed Galahad out of the palace grounds.
“Tactful, Sire,” Lance said.
“Fuck him,” I said.
“You wish,” Torvec muttered.
His inappropriate comment made Kerwin snort and me chuckle. “Screw you,” I said, taking his hand.
“Any time you like, Sire,” he said and winked. The four of us jogged slightly to catch up with Galahad and I laced my arm through his elbow, Lance walking on the other side.
“You did well today.”
Galahad looked at me in surprise. “Let’s hope it’s worth the heartache.”
“Let’s hope,” I said.
“I had to cut her out of that fucking dress,” he said.
“She is beautiful, isn’t she?”
He looked away from me and coloured slightly. “I don’t know. I was so angry all I did was cut the dress away. I didn’t even undo the mask.”
Lance and I shared a glance, he frowned. “You’ll have time on the Echo, my friend. It’ll all come right in the end.”
Galahad didn’t say anything, he just kept walking us through the city with the sense of being hounded by monsters on our heels.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
We returned to the dory and Galahad rowed with Kerwin, who tried to keep up with the speed he set. The heat, the humidity, left me exhausted and sweating in the black doublet and hose but I don’t think Galahad even noticed. We reached the Echo and I saw a fine carriage arriving at the dock, with a small woman being helped out, dressed in white.
“Everything alright?” Morgan asked the moment my feet hit the deck.
I watched Galahad’s back as he walked away from me and down into the bowels of the ship.
“Not exactly,” I said, giving Torvec a hand. “We’re still alive, so that’s a win for our side. I’ll take anything I can get at the moment.”
Morgan took my hand and squeezed. “We’ll be alright, Holt.”
“Right now it’s Galahad I’m worried about.” I gazed after his vanished figure trying to work out what I could do to help. I hated to see him angry, it made him haughty and arrogant. A defence mechanism the Echo’s close confines couldn’t really support. I glanced back to the shore and saw a group of soldiers surrounding a small white figure who sat in a dory being propelled toward us by slaves.
I straightened my doublet and wished I had time to talk to Galahad before Aleah arrived but he wasn’t going to meet her and someone needed to welcome the new Princess of Albion.
“Where’s Nim?” I asked.
“Here,” she called out. “I was just finishing off Galahad’s room. You’d left some of your possessions in there.” Her voice faded out when she realised the connotations of her words. Just days ago Galahad and I were sharing a room, we were lovers. “Oh, sorry.”
“It’s alright and thank you,” I said. Torvec shifted behind me and I tried to quell the sensation of loss welling up in my chest.
The dory glided effortlessly alongside the Echo and the sailors tied it off. They were organised enough not to need orders and lowered the swing that none of our women bothered using to gain the deck of the ship. Aleah was placed gently in the device and strapped in, with two huge men in white robes and red leather armour helping her. The sailors began raising the swing and the men hurried up the side of the ship
. I noticed Aleah still wore the mask.
Her feet touched the deck and the soldiers released her while the sailors lowered the swing once more to take custody of the luggage.
When the soldiers stepped back from their small charge I bowed low. “Welcome aboard the Echo, your Highness.” I gave the title freely and I heard a small gasp from behind the mask, making me smile. Her gown didn’t allow her to curtsey but she lowered her head.
Raven joined us, dressed nicely for a change, and formally bowed to the young woman. “It is an honour to have you onboard and I trust you will not be disappointed by the men of Camelot as we transport you to your new home,” he said formally. He turned to me. “We need to leave,” he said quietly.
“See to it,” I ordered.
Captain Raven moved away and began giving orders for us to leave. Any work that still needed to be done to the ship would now be done at sea. We weren’t going to hang about waiting for The Lady to come and swallow us whole.
“If your escort would like to leave, we can be away,” I said.
“We are to stay with the new Princess,” said one of the large dark men, stepping forward.
“Thank you but that won’t be necessary,” I said. “We are more than able to protect the Princess.” The last thing I wanted were more people on the ship and people we didn’t know. Aleah’s political situation would make these men a threat.
“We stay,” he stated.
I looked into the mask at Aleah’s eyes, the faintest nod made it obvious she didn’t want us to risk everything with an argument. I nodded consent and introduced Morgan and Nim. “These are the Princesses, Morgan and Nim du Lac,” I said.
Both women curtsied and I realised both wore dresses for a change; though they were plain and simple, they actually looked like women.
“We have prepared your quarters with your husband below decks and welcome to our family, Aleah,” Nim said, stepping forward and reaching for her hands.
The guard blocked the offer of friendship, his bulk dominating Nim. I shifted automatically to protect her. The guard snapped to attention and said, “No one touches the Princess but her husband. No one may look upon her face but her husband. She may not speak beyond polite comments to anyone but her husband.”
Morgan opened her mouth. I elbowed her in the stomach to stop her torrent of abuse from ruining everything. Nim bowed her head. “As is your custom, so we will of course respect you.”
Morgan couldn’t resist a growl. I stepped aside and Aleah meekly followed Nim toward the stairs.
“We will sleep in the room next door to the Princess,” the guard said. I considered arguing - one side Raven shared with Lance, the other the girls slept, or that was the theory. I didn’t think either side would be happy to give up their room.
“As you wish,” I said. All we had to do was leave the port and I could see these guards... disabled.
The heavily armed men marched toward the galley to follow their Princess and I finally relaxed.
“It’s been a tough day for you,” Torvec said quietly.
“It’s not over yet,” I muttered, leaning against the rail of the ship.
The Echo began to move from the shelter of the port, heading toward the breakwater without being targeted by the catapults or challenged by Eamo’s warships at the mouth of the harbour.
I considered the days and nights I’d spent alone in the darkness with Torvec beside me and wondered what had happened to the safe feeling I enjoyed in his company. I felt nothing but guilt for what I’d forced Galahad to do, something in him still called to me and I’d disregarded it, used it, manipulated and bullied him. Was I any better than The Lady – using his heritage to give me power and leverage?
I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands. Torvec touched my shoulder. “Holt, you need to talk to Galahad.”
I stared up at my lover. “If I do...” I asked him with my eyes to believe his paranoia about my feelings for Galahad.
Torvec’s shoulders slumped. “I know,” he whispered. “But he needs you. I can feel his desperation and misery.”
I stared into his eyes, the changeable jewels to his soul, and I saw how soft he’d become over this subject. “He needs you,” my companion said.
“So do you.”
“I will always have you,” Torvec said and moved away from me. I wanted to scream at the sky to beg my father to help with this insanity. Instead I pushed off the rail and headed for Galahad’s room.
The interior of the ship was cooler and I felt her begin to buck against the waves. I wished I was in the rigging helping to unfurl the canvas rather than down here about to talk to a distressed young man and his bride. The guards who’d arrived with Aleah were posted either side of the door.
“Would you mind announcing my presence?” I asked.
“No one is permitted -”
“Let me stop you there,” I said, drawing myself up to my full height. “I am the King of Camelot. I outrank you, your Princess, her husband and your esteemed leader. I will have you all hung from the yardarm if you don’t allow me entrance.”
My gaze did not waver as I stared into the man’s dark eyes and he finally acquiesced. “I will have to ensure the lady is covered,” he said quietly.
I nodded and he knocked on the door. I heard Galahad and the guard spoke to him. I glimpsed Aleah sitting on the edge of the bunk, now packed away to its smallest size. The mask remained on her face.
The guard held open the door for me and I walked into the room. Galahad stood with his back to me, his shoulders stiff, and he stared out of the small porthole. The door behind me clicked shut. I knelt before Aleah. “It’s good to see you, Princess,” I said.
Her dark eyes were filled with fear and doubt. Her hands were in her lap, moving restlessly. I reached for them and they quietened.
“May I?” I asked, nodding to the mask over her face. She glanced at Galahad before nodding very gently. I reached up and undid the ties at the back of her head. The mask fell into my hand, revealing her flawlessly beautiful face.
“Now it is truly good to see you,” I said. A small smile pierced my heart. In all this I’d lost sight of the obvious. Aleah understood what she wanted from us in her mind but she didn’t understand what it meant in her heart and her youth finally betrayed her.
“Thank you, Holt,” she said quietly.
“You are welcome.” I glanced again at Galahad, who still hadn’t moved. “Don’t you want to see your wife?” I asked him.
“You seem to be doing a good enough job,” he said.
I glanced at Aleah, who stared at the ground. She might understand politics but her new husband clearly scared her.
I rose and crossed to my friend. His body hummed with tension and the muscle in his arm flinched when I touched him. “Galahad, we need to talk to her. To explain. She doesn’t know you, or know how kind you are, how compassionate. How many times you have saved my life,” I said. The words were soft, coaxing, but all I could see was the ruin of his face and the mark of tears and where they’d dried recently. “Galahad, please, Aleah needs your help.”
“Are we in the business of rescuing women?” he asked.
I smiled. “That’s exactly what our business is and will always be, especially if it means you save me from The Lady along the way.”
He finally glanced at me. I gasped, his flawed beauty catching the strange light filtering in from outside and reaching into me once more. “Holt...”
“Just look at her,” I whispered. “You never know, you might be surprised.”
He finally looked over my shoulder and I felt him move but not toward her. His fingers touched my side, digging into the muscle. “You are indeed beautiful, my Lady. As always, the King of Camelot is quite correct.”
“Thank you, my Lord,” whispered Aleah. “As are you.” Her eyes were very large and round with something already akin to worship.
“Perhaps we can all have something to drink,” I said. “I see the girls have been busy wh
ile we were away.” Fruit and sweetbreads were on a small table with wine and water. I poured wine and handed a goblet to Aleah.
“I don’t drink,” she said, far more meekly than I’d thought possible for the firebrand I’d met in the palace.
“Neither does Galahad, so you have something in common at least,” I said. “You’ll feel better if you have a drink.”
“Women are not permitted.”
“You are a woman of Albion, of The City, of Camelot and the women in our lives are equal to their men,” I said.
She glanced at Galahad. “But you just said my husband doesn’t drink.”
He swiped the goblet from my hand. “I’m learning,” he said and downed the contents. Give him credit, he didn’t choke but he did flush red, making me smile. I poured us all wine and raised my drink.
“A toast to the married couple, even if it is a bit unconventional,” I said, smiling and trying so hard to break the ice between them it made my brain hurt.
Both of them flushed, Aleah’s skin darkening wonderfully. I smiled at her and she winked. “Good,” I said. “To business, both of you. Aleah, the guards?”
“My brother’s wedding gift,” she said darkly. “I am sorry.”
“Do you want them alive or not?” I asked.
She blinked. “Um.”
“If they are your brother’s men they will report back to him everything they can when we next make landfall,” Galahad said.
“They have true power, they don’t need landfall,” she said.
“Then we kill them,” Galahad stated.
Aleah gasped. “Just like that?”
The Du Lac Legacy (Sons of Camelot Book 2) Page 7